Don't Make the Empty House Obvious
You can create the illusion that someone’s home by using timers on lights and radios. Leave the blinds open slightly so light shines out. Disguise the fact that you’re away by stopping mail and newspaper deliveries, or have a neighbor collect them. Packing your car with the garage door closed helps hide the fact you’re leaving.
Put interior and porch lights on timers. Have someone periodically stop by so there’s activity in and out of the house. Having a neighbor park their car in your driveway and putting out trash cans for pickup helps sell the idea too. An unanswered ringing phone is a dead giveaway to thieves, so turn down the volume.
Plan Well for Long Trips
If you’re going to be gone for longer than a month, cover upholstered furniture with sheets to cut down on dust. Opening doors to rooms and closets will improve air flow and make the place feel less musty when you return.
If you’ll be gone for more than a month, store food such as sugar, flour and cereal in sealed containers. You may also want to empty and unplug the refrigerator and defrost the freezer. Propping the door open with a dowel rod and placing an open box of baking soda to absorb odors will keep your refrigerator/freezer in good condition for your return. For added security, disable your garage door opener.
Ensure the Home Doesn't Flood
Because it’s under pressure, a burst washer hose could flood your home while you’re away. Shutting off the valve, as well as valves to sinks and toilets is cheap flood insurance.
In cold climates during the winter, turn off the water at the main line and open sink and tub faucets to drain the pipes. Drain and store hoses and insulate any outdoor faucets. Pouring a mixture of half antifreeze and half water into the drain’s P-trap can help prevent pipes from freezing.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
The FIVE MYTHS that create barriers to purchasing a home...
A good lenders goal is to help you succeed financially, so they carefully review your loan options with you and help you choose the loan that's right for you. With a loan that fits your budget and your financial goals, your home will be a powerful tool in building a secure future for you and your family Buying a home is an important step in building a secure financial future. But because of some common misconceptions, many people believe homeownership is out of their reach. Don't let these myths keep you from the personal and financial rewards of homeownership.
Myth #1
"I don't have enough money for a down payment.
In the past, buying a home required a 20% down payment. But not today. In fact, 7 out of 10 first-time homebuyers make a down payment of 10% or less. Lenders have loan programs that can help you buy a home without a lot of cash, or any at all.
Learn more about our low-down payment programs
Myth #2
"I have less-than-perfect credit, so I can't get a mortgage."
A less-than-perfect credit history doesn't have to stand in your way of reaching your homeownership goals. Lenders have helped thousands of individuals move beyond credit challenges into homes of their own.
Myth #3
"It's less expensive to rent, and now may not be the right time to buy."
In fact, you may be surprised how much home you can buy for the same rent check you're sending innow, especially when you consider the tax advantages of homeownership*. And unlike rental costs, your monthly principal and interest payments will stay the same for the life of a fixed-rate mortgage. Because home prices historically increase (and only occasionally decline), buying as soon as you're able can be a more effective strategy than trying to time the real estate market. Moreover, as a homeowner, you'll be building wealth as your home equity grows.
Myth #4
"The whole mortgage process is too long and complicated."
We want to make buying your first home as easy as possible. Your Home Mortgage consultant will help you through each step of the financing process.
Myth #5
"I won't be able to fit a mortgage in my budget."
Our goal is to help you succeed financially, so we'll carefully review your loan options with you and help you choose the loan that's right for you. With a loan that fits your budget and your financial goals, your home will be a powerful tool in building a secure future for you and your family.
Myth #1
"I don't have enough money for a down payment.
In the past, buying a home required a 20% down payment. But not today. In fact, 7 out of 10 first-time homebuyers make a down payment of 10% or less. Lenders have loan programs that can help you buy a home without a lot of cash, or any at all.
Learn more about our low-down payment programs
Myth #2
"I have less-than-perfect credit, so I can't get a mortgage."
A less-than-perfect credit history doesn't have to stand in your way of reaching your homeownership goals. Lenders have helped thousands of individuals move beyond credit challenges into homes of their own.
Myth #3
"It's less expensive to rent, and now may not be the right time to buy."
In fact, you may be surprised how much home you can buy for the same rent check you're sending innow, especially when you consider the tax advantages of homeownership*. And unlike rental costs, your monthly principal and interest payments will stay the same for the life of a fixed-rate mortgage. Because home prices historically increase (and only occasionally decline), buying as soon as you're able can be a more effective strategy than trying to time the real estate market. Moreover, as a homeowner, you'll be building wealth as your home equity grows.
Myth #4
"The whole mortgage process is too long and complicated."
We want to make buying your first home as easy as possible. Your Home Mortgage consultant will help you through each step of the financing process.
Myth #5
"I won't be able to fit a mortgage in my budget."
Our goal is to help you succeed financially, so we'll carefully review your loan options with you and help you choose the loan that's right for you. With a loan that fits your budget and your financial goals, your home will be a powerful tool in building a secure future for you and your family.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Mom and Dad were ahead of the game when it came to saving electricity....
Courtesy of Realtor.Com here are a few energy saving ideas that could help YOU save a bundle...When Mom told you to turn out the lights, she was thinking of saving energy dollars, not rolling blackouts and bankrupt utility companies. Rarely have Moms words of wisdom been as fitting as they are now and not just in California. Electricity rates are going up everywhere.
Besides switching off lights, there are several other painless methods to conserve energy and save money on your electric bills.
Plug ins
•Look for those electronic devices, especially those with digital time and date displays that are infrequently used such as alarm clocks, TVs and VCRs in a guest room and unplug them.
•Unplug devices used to recharge electronics/batteries when they're not being used.
•Transformers consume energy. Consider unplugging devices like calculators that are not in use.
Also, LCD televisions consume a lot less energy than plasma tv's.
Appliances
•Wait until you can fill up your dishwasher before running it. And if you have a heated-dry option, switch it off. Prop open the door a bit after the cycle to air dry your load.
•If you have an electric cooktop, turn the burners off a few minutes before the allotted cooking time. The heating element will stay hot long enough to finish the cooking without using more electricity.
Refrigerators
•Refrigerators use more power than any other appliance in the home and deserve special attention. Although rushing out to buy a new refrigerator may not be in your budget, it is important to know that new models are more efficient and use as little as half the electricity of older units.
•Full refrigerators run more efficiently than ones that are only partially full. So buy more food and save some energy.
•If you have two refrigerators, or an additional freezer, decide if the extra expense is really worth it. Cram as much as you can into your primary refrigerator or consider disposing of two older refrigerators and replacing them with one larger, newer and more efficient model.
•Make sure the refrigerator door seals are tight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment or the seal may need replacing.
•Place food and liquids in airtight containers. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
•Move the refrigerator away from the wall and vacuum its condenser coils yearly unless you have a no-clean condenser model. Refrigerators will run for shorter periods with clean coils.
•Maintain a consistent temperature in the refrigerator and freezer. Recommended temperatures are 37 to 40F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5F for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0F.
Lighting
•Its obvious, but true: Turn off lights that are not being used. Consider installing timers or photo cells on some lights. And instead of constantly nagging the kids, try occupancy sensors that turn on and off automatically when someone enters or leaves a room.
•Rather than brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it. For example, use fluorescent under-cabinet lighting for kitchen sinks and countertops
•Consider dimmer switches and three-way lamps. These provide low light levels when bright lights are not necessary.
•Use linear fluorescent and energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in fixtures throughout your home to provide high-quality and high-efficiency lighting. Fluorescent lamps are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last six to ten times longer. Although fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps are more expensive than incandescent bulbs, they pay for themselves by saving energy over their lifetime.
Besides switching off lights, there are several other painless methods to conserve energy and save money on your electric bills.
Plug ins
•Look for those electronic devices, especially those with digital time and date displays that are infrequently used such as alarm clocks, TVs and VCRs in a guest room and unplug them.
•Unplug devices used to recharge electronics/batteries when they're not being used.
•Transformers consume energy. Consider unplugging devices like calculators that are not in use.
Also, LCD televisions consume a lot less energy than plasma tv's.
Appliances
•Wait until you can fill up your dishwasher before running it. And if you have a heated-dry option, switch it off. Prop open the door a bit after the cycle to air dry your load.
•If you have an electric cooktop, turn the burners off a few minutes before the allotted cooking time. The heating element will stay hot long enough to finish the cooking without using more electricity.
Refrigerators
•Refrigerators use more power than any other appliance in the home and deserve special attention. Although rushing out to buy a new refrigerator may not be in your budget, it is important to know that new models are more efficient and use as little as half the electricity of older units.
•Full refrigerators run more efficiently than ones that are only partially full. So buy more food and save some energy.
•If you have two refrigerators, or an additional freezer, decide if the extra expense is really worth it. Cram as much as you can into your primary refrigerator or consider disposing of two older refrigerators and replacing them with one larger, newer and more efficient model.
•Make sure the refrigerator door seals are tight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment or the seal may need replacing.
•Place food and liquids in airtight containers. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
•Move the refrigerator away from the wall and vacuum its condenser coils yearly unless you have a no-clean condenser model. Refrigerators will run for shorter periods with clean coils.
•Maintain a consistent temperature in the refrigerator and freezer. Recommended temperatures are 37 to 40F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5F for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0F.
Lighting
•Its obvious, but true: Turn off lights that are not being used. Consider installing timers or photo cells on some lights. And instead of constantly nagging the kids, try occupancy sensors that turn on and off automatically when someone enters or leaves a room.
•Rather than brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it. For example, use fluorescent under-cabinet lighting for kitchen sinks and countertops
•Consider dimmer switches and three-way lamps. These provide low light levels when bright lights are not necessary.
•Use linear fluorescent and energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in fixtures throughout your home to provide high-quality and high-efficiency lighting. Fluorescent lamps are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last six to ten times longer. Although fluorescent and compact fluorescent lamps are more expensive than incandescent bulbs, they pay for themselves by saving energy over their lifetime.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Don't stop hunting for your dream home just because it's a holiday weekend... HAPPY 4th of July!!
The holiday weekend is upon us. I just want to wish everyone safe and happy travels. If you're out and about enjoying the sunshine take a moment to drive by some of the available homes in our area. If you see anything you like, contact me to schedule a viewing.
Again, Everyone have a safe and happy 4th of July!!
Lester
Again, Everyone have a safe and happy 4th of July!!
Lester
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