Friday, May 17, 2013 / by Rachel Green
At the first mention of wanting to buy a home, your friends, family, co-workers, acquaintances and even the dog walker (of your neighbor’s poodle) will have plenty of advice for you. Here is your guide to sorting the myths from the truths.
Myth: Start Low and Leave Room to Negotiate
Truth: There is no rule that will work every time when making an offer. Every home sale is different and offers are considered differently depending on the type of sale (regular sale, foreclosure, short sale, bank owned, etc), the seller, and more. So how do you know where to start your offer? Your Realtor will help you find the value of the home, using comparables, to determine if the home is priced right, overpriced, or underpriced. Furthermore, your Realtor will guide you through the process of making and selecting offers depending on the type of sale. In our current market, inventory is low, but this could change at any moment. If a home i; ...
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Wednesday, April 10, 2013 / by Rachel Green
As the weather warms, it's time for spring-cleaning. This is the time of year for deep cleaning that you don't have time for on a regular basis. Besides cleaning those baseboards and cupboards don't forget about some areas that may get overlooked, but are very important.
Exterior of Home:
~Roof: Inspect the roof for loose shingles, mushy places, or debris.
~Gutters: Clean debris from gutters and check that they aren't loose or in disrepair.
~Window Screens and Exterior Paint: Check for any areas that need touching up
on the paint, brick or siding. Check window screens for repairs or needed replacement. Power wash the outside of the home including windows.
~Sprinklers: Check your lawn sprinkling systems for repairs or maintenance
problems.
Interior of Home:
~Water Heater: Drain any sediment and check for maintenance needs.
~Air Conditioning: Perform maintenance on air conditioning or swamp coolers before the hot weather sets in.
~Windows/Window Coverin ...
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Friday, December 9, 2011 / by Rachel Green
Did you know that by making one simple adjustment to your monthly mortgage payment, you can save years of mortgage payments?
Instead of making one monthly payment to your mortgage, you can divide that same payment into two payments (bi-weekly) or divide it into four payments (weekly). This works out to be an extra payment every year and thousands saved on interest.
A homeowner with a $200K mortgage, who chooses bi-weekly or weekly payments instead of monthly payments, will reduce a 30 year term by 5 years and save $28K on average.*
Call your mortgage servicer today to set up a new payment schedule and save thousands on your mortgage. Find out how much you can save by with the bi-weekly mortage calculator.
*Savings are an average and will vary based on loan amount, loan term, interest rate, and more. ...
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Wednesday, June 1, 2011 / by Rachel Green
Bob Greene, Oprah's fitness guru, has a special summer fitness plan for you:
1. Start with walking. Walking is a great cardiovascular exercise that is easy on your body and you can do it anywhere, anytime! Aim for 20-30 minutes of walking and gradually work up to 45 minutes or even 60 minutes. Once you feel comfortable with an easy walk, try hiking or walking on an incline for maximum calorie burn. Don't forget to keep good posture: chin up, shoulders back, and swing arms at 90 degrees.
2. Drink Water. Your body needs a minimum of 10 eight-ounce glasses of water daily during the summer months. In addition, always hydrate properly before, after, and during exercise. Bob says that often times when we reach for food, our body is actually in need of water instead. If you drink a full glass of water before each meal, you will be less prone to overeating.
3. Keep Metabolism High. Don't drastically change your diet all at once or you risk a drastic decrease! ...
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Thursday, April 21, 2011 / by Rachel Green
With flood warnings at a high this year, take steps to protect your belongings from water damage.
Most households use the basement for storage. While this is a great idea, don't forget that basement flooding is always a risk....whether from an interior pipe leak or the spring run-off.
Steps to protecting your valuables:
In Basement:
~Keep valuables on pallets at least 6 inches off the floor.
~Store valuables in water-proof plastic containers.
Tip: most home improvement stores sell containers that are also fire-proof.
In other areas of home:
~Keep valuables away from water heater.
~Check under ALL sinks for leaks.
~Check for Leaks!
~Check in attic for signs of roof leaks.
~Check around water heater and water softener for any signs of leaks
~Keep important documents in fire-proof, water-proof container or in a safe deposit box.
~Check that wash machine, refrigerator, and dishwasher connections are secure. ...
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