April 2009

Cleaning Your Home the Green Way

Everybody’s going green! Whether you’ve jumped on the bandwagon or not, it can’t hurt to make an attempt to use less toxic household cleaners. Many detergents, fabric softeners, ammonia and bleaches have negative affects on your health and the environment.
One solution is to start making your own cleaners using non-toxic, ecologically safe products. This can be done pretty quickly with products you probably already have around the house: white vinegar, baking soda, borax, baking soda and a spray bottle.

* All Purpose Cleaner — Mix together 1 quart warm water, 1 teaspoon liquid soap, 1 teaspoon borax and 1/4 cup white vinegar. Put it in a spray bottle and use on floors, counter tops, walls, carpets and upholstery.

* Glass and Mildew Cleaner — Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, spray on glass or mildew to clean. If you are sensitive to the smell of vinegar, try this alternative: mix 1 quart warm water with 1/4 cup white vinegar or 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

* Drain Opener — Dissolve 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup white vinegar in boiling water and pour down the drain. Continue to flush with hot tap water until the clog breaks. Flush drain with boiling water weekly to avoid buildup.

* Scouring Powder — Sprinkle borax to get stains off porcelain sinks; baking soda effectively removes baked-on food from a dishes.

* Linoleum and Tile Floor Cleaner — Mix 1 gallon hot or warm water with 1/2 cup vinegar.

* Toilet Bowl Cleaner — Put 1/4 cup borax in toilet bowl and let set overnight, scrub the next day.

Another solution is to buy “green” cleaning products or cleaners that avoid toxic ingredients like corrosives, chlorine bleach, ammonia, phosphates and petroleum products. You may not be able to eliminate all your cleaners but even small changes help make a difference.

Remove Any Favorite Items Before Listing

Obviously, sellers want their home to look its best when an agent is showing it to a potential buyer, but be careful not to put too much emphasis on anything that is not included in the sale price, for example, custom window coverings, chandeliers, audio-video equipment, the backyard playhouse, pool table, or the high-end washer and dryer you just bought a week ago. If you pack up and store any important personal property before your home buyer knows about them, it won’t become a negotiable item, or worse, a deal breaker. So, before the showings begin, take a look around and consider what furnishings you want to keep. If it’s something you definitely want, remove it. If your home doesn’t show as well because you removed the fancy light fixture over the dining room table or the kitchen looks empty because you took all the appliances, you might want to consider renting or buying an inexpensive replacement to fill the void.

First-Time Buyers Responding to Incentives

According to the National Association of Realtors®, existing-home sales eased in March but first-time buyers are responding to low mortgage interest rates and tax credits.Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – declined 3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.57 million units in March from a downwardly revised level of 4.71 million in February, and were 7.1 percent lower than the 4.92 million-unit pace in March 2008. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said the market appears to be stabilizing with modest monthly ups and downs, and that first-time buyers are driving the market. “The share of lower priced home sales has trended up, indicating a return of many first-time buyers, which we also see in a parallel member survey,” he said. “Sales in the upper price ranges remain stalled because of higher interest rates on jumbo loans.”

Although prices rose from February to March, the national median existing-home price for all housing types was $175,200, down 12.4 percent from March 2008. The price increase from February to March was 4.2 percent, which is much higher than the typical 1.8 percent seasonal increase between those two months. Distressed properties, which accounted for just over half of all transactions in March, typically are selling for 20 percent less than traditional homes. A NAR practitioner survey in March showed first-time buyers accounted for 53 percent of transactions, based largely on contracts offered before the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit became available. “Buyer traffic has been rising, and real estate offices are getting phone inquires about the tax credit,” Yun said. “By early summer we should be seeing a positive impact on home sales from record-low mortgage interest rates in addition to the stimulus provisions.”

According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell to a record low 5.00 percent in March from 5.13 percent in February.

The Kitchen at 2607 Lonesome Oak Dr

Realtors Submit Four-Point Plan to Congress

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) recently submitted a four-point plan to the House Financial Services Committee recommending ways to stimulate home sales and stabilize housing valuations.

“The only way to overcome today’s economic turmoil is to motivate and encourage worried or cautious housing consumers to enter the marketplace,” said NAR President Charles McMillan. “Stabilizing the housing market will lead to a quicker and greater economic recovery. Our goal is to ensure there is a healthy market and sufficient capital to support mortgage lending to qualified borrowers.”

According to the report, the four-point plan’s principles are consumer-driven to help foster a housing recovery to support an economic rebound. The plan calls for eliminating the repayment of the first-time home buyer tax credit that was passed in the February stimulus bill, and to expand the tax credit to include all home buyers. The plan also recommends making the increased FHA and conventional loan limits permanent to stimulate home sales and stabilize prices.

In addition, the plan urges that the Troubled Asset Relief Program be put back on track by targeting the funds for mortgage relief through a mortgage interest rate buy-down. Lastly, the plan recommends finalizing legislation to prohibit banks from entering into the business of real estate brokerage and property management.

“The federal government must ensure there is sufficient capital to support mortgage lending not only in strong markets but also in tumultuous ones,” said McMillan. “Realtors® are frustrated with the current mortgage lending environment that places a variety of barriers on families who wish to buy a home, impeding sales and price stabilization. We look forward to working with the Congress and the new administration to transition out of current instabilities and move toward strong and stable financial and housing markets.”

Winter a Good Time to Prune

Deciduous trees and shrubs shed their leaves and go dormant during the winter — making it a perfect time to prune them without fear of shocking them. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Remove any growth from below the graft (where the top of the plant was originally joined to rootstock). Cut the growth as close to the main body of the plant as possible.
2. Remove any dead, diseased or injured wood. Branches that are different in color from the main body of the plant could be a problem. Injuries may look like splits or blisters and diseases often show up as black patches along the branch.
3. Cut into the tip of a suspect branch to see if it’s alive. If it’s green inside, it is still alive; if it’s brown, it’s probably dead. Keep cutting back from the tip until you reach green wood.
4. Remove the branches that cross through the center of the plant to improve air circulation and discourage disease.
5. Cut out any competing leaders — the upright growing limbs that will eventually turn into the main trunk. Most trees should have only one main branch headed in the “up” direction. Multiple trunks sap the energy from a tree and weaken it.
6. Prune for shape and size. Keep the branches low on fruit trees so that you can reach the fruit. Most maples look best with a rounded crown, and most roses should be pruned in a low vase shape. Learn the basic shape of the plant you are going to prune.
7. Remove any water sprouts from fruit trees. Nonproductive water sprouts are light in color and grow straight up, as opposed to fruiting wood, which is crooked and dark.
8. Rake up and remove all pruning’s and fallen leaves to discourage insects.

* Also:
* Sharpen and oil your pruning tools before you start cutting.
* Spray with a dormant oil or lime/sulfur after you have finished pruning to kill over wintering insect pests.
* Tools you will need are garden shears, lopping shears, a pruning saw and a pole pruner.
* Once the plants begin to grow leaves, sap is flowing through the branches. If you prune then, you take the chance of causing excessive bleeding or loss of vital fluids.

All Home Warranties Are Not the Same

Whether you’re buying or selling a home, chances are good that a home warranty will be discussed at some point. So, what is it?

In short, a home warranty is a service contract — similar to an insurance policy — that protects the new home owner against the cost of unexpected repairs or replacement on major systems and appliances that may break down due to normal use. Of course, the coverage is only for systems and appliances in good working condition at the start of the warranty period.

All home warranty plans are not the same, so be sure to check to see which items are covered, and whether or not it covers full replacement value. Common items covered include plumbing, electrical, furnace, refrigerator, dishwasher, garbage disposal, stove, microwave, water pump, washer and dryer, heating ducts and water heater. Swimming pool equipment, hot tubs, saunas, and landscaping items are usually available with a surcharge.

A home warranty is not a requirement to sell your home, but is frequently offered by the seller upfront to ease the buyer’s mind both during and after the sale. If the home owner is not offering a home warranty, it is usually negotiated into the offer at some point by either the buyer or seller. A good home warranty plan costs around $400 and normally covers items for one year.

Improve Your Fireplace’s Efficiency

Naturally, people use their fireplaces more during the winter months. There’s something special about cozying up around a crackling fire on a cold winter day, or gathering around a fireplace during the holidays.

However, did you know many fireplaces are extremely inefficientand can skyrocket your heating bill? A roaring fire can exhaust as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the outside, which must be replaced by cold air coming into the house from the outside. Your heating system must warm up this air, which is then exhausted through your chimney.

The fact is the fireplace that was designed to warm your house is actually doing the opposite and probably costing you hundreds of dollars in energy costs. However, don’t sweat it. Following are some tips to help make your fireplace more energy efficient:

* If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
    * Keep the fireplace damper closed unless you’re actually using the fireplace. Claims have been made that keeping the damper open is like keeping a small window wide-open during the winter.
* When you use the fireplace, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox, if it has them, or open the nearest window about 1 inch, and close doors leading into the room.
* Lower the thermostat setting to between 50°F and 55°F.
* Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room.
* Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
* Add caulking around the fireplace hearth.
* Use grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room.
* Replace the fireplace throat damper with a top sealing damper — which are installed at the top of the chimney and act like a storm door.
* Add a fireback, which is basically a cast iron plate that is placed at the back of the fireplace. It protects the back wall from fire damage and improves the fireplace’s efficiency by absorbing the heat from the fire and radiating it back into the room.
* Install a fireplace heater, which pulls fresh air from the room, circulates it through a chamber that is heated by the fire, and blows it back into the room.

12 Tips on Finding a Good Contractor

When you can’t do it yourself, it’s time to find a good contractor. Following are some tips to help you find a good one:

1. Avoid the yellow pages; anyone can buy an ad.
2. Get recommendations from family, friends and co-workers.
3. Deal only with licensed contractors.
4. Check with the state licensing board and local Better Business Bureau to see if there are any outstanding complaints.
5. Interview each contractor, request free estimates and ask for recent references of projects similar to yours.
6. Do not work with an uninsured contractor. Verify the contractor has worker’s compensation insurance and an umbrella general liability policy.
7. Check the contractor’s professional associations. Most professionals are members of some association.
8. Check to see how long the contractor has been in business; be cautious about working with new companies.
9. Find out how long the contractor has been working with his crew; you don’t want your project to be a training ground for new employees.
10. Ask what will be handled by the contractor and what will be subcontracted. Keep in mind if subcontractors are involved, you should check them out as well.
11. Find out how many other projects the contractor will be working on simultaneously. If they have lots of other projects, they’ll have less time to devote to you.
12. Trust your instincts.

Know the Four Major Types of Listing Contracts

Before meeting with a realtor to list your home for sale, familiarize yourself with the four most common types of listing contracts. While the exclusive right to sell listing is by far the most common, the other three are also well known.

* Exclusive Right to Sell Listing — This agreement gives the real estate agent the exclusive right to sell your home. No matter who brings the buyer to the table, the agent gets a commission (even if you find the buyer yourself). You should expect full service from your agent with this type of listing, such as advice, advertising, MLS services, inspection, escrow coordination and marketing the home to other agents and prospective buyers.

* Exclusive Agency Listing — Similar to an exclusive right to sell listing, the real estate agent receives a commission if your property is sold through any licensed agent. Unlike a right to sell listing, however, you reserve the right to find a buyer on your own without paying a comission. This is a good option for home owners interested in selling themselves, but want MLS services. Don’t expect too much from the agent as he or she has no guarantee they will be compensated for their efforts.

* Open Listing — An open listing grants the broker no rights other than to receive a commission if they find a buyer who successfully closes escrow on your home. It gives the agent permission to advertise and show your home. Since there’s no promise of exclusivity, you’ll be responsible for marketing your property, including arranging and coordinating showings, qualifying clients, and handling inspections, appraisals and escrow.

* One Time Listing Agreement — A one time listing agreement, also known as a “showing listing,” is an agreement where a home owner, usually a For Sale By Owner, agrees to let an agent show the house once. The owner agrees to pay a commission if the showing results in a sale. The purpose of this agreement is to prevent the seller from letting an agent show the home, then deal with the buyer directly in order to avoid paying a commission. As with an open listing, agents won’t be spending any time or money marketing your home.

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