November 2009

Click here to sign up to receive this newsletter regularly via email.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving fast approaching it's time to reflect on all the things we are blessed with. The freedom of this great country in which we live, and the opportunity for achievement and success it affords us. The friendship and confidence you have shown in us throughout the year, and the pleasant association we have had with you. The chance to send our deepest regards to you and thank you for a valuable relationship. For all these things we are deeply thankful. May you and those close to you have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Please try these savory seasonal dishes throughout the month. These recipes come from the 50^th anniversary edition of Real Living's cookbook. Enjoy!

Fast Fact

The number of places in the United States named after the star of Thanksgiving dinner: three. Turkey, Texas, is the most populous, with 496 residents, followed by Turkey Creek, La. (357) and Turkey, N.C. (267). (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)

Time to Clean up the Yard

With the last few weeks of fall still remaining, there is still time to clean up your yard before winter arrives in full force. From raking the final leaves yet to fall, aerating and reseeding the lawn, to planting trees, shrubs or bulbs. So get out there and make the most of the season! And don't forget to clean the leaves out of the gutter.

Build the Perfect Home Office

As more and more companies are allowing their employees to work from home, the need for a sufficient home office space is becoming increasingly important to homeowners. The following tips will help you create the perfect home office.

Do You Need a Building Permit?

There’s so much to consider when doing construction or renovating your home, from picking the right contractor and the best materials to managing costs and making design decisions. But don’t forget one very important detail: building permits.

Whether you need to obtain one depends on your locality and the type of work you’d like to do to your home, but in many cases, you risk fines, penalties or additional construction costs if you don’t get one. Selling your house might also be more difficult if a building official determines you remodeled without a permit and demands you bring it up to code.

How do you know if you need a permit for your project? Before beginning a project, ask yourself these questions:

• Will my remodeling change the footprint of the house?
• Will I have to move a load-bearing wall?
• Will the roofline be altered?
• Will any new doors or windows be constructed?

If you answer yes to any of these, a building permit will likely be required. Other aesthetic projects, such as installing new floor coverings, replacing sink hardware, changing a countertop or replacing windows, but not altering the structure, don’t generally require one. If you’re uncertain or need more information, call your local permit office; someone there will help you assess your project and determine if you’ll need a permit.

Did You Know?

The top five biggest renovating mistakes are: avoiding permits, setting an unrealistic budget, hiring the wrong contractor, taking on more than you can handle, and overbuilding for your neighborhood.

Looking For a Home?

To search for your next home or foreclosures Click Here. See everything a Realtor sees. Call us at 614-336-7509 if we can help, or if you would like to see a home. Thank you. Happy Hunting!

Create a House Hunt Checklist

Are you on the house hunt? Touring dozens of homes can be an overwhelming process for anybody. If you find yourself asking whether it was the second or the ninth house with that great fireplace, then you may need a better way to organize your observations. One of the best ways to do this is by creating a checklist. Consider ranking elements like the home, neighborhood and schools on a scale as either "good", "average" or "poor".

If you have any questions, or concerns, just give us a call us at 614-336-7509, or E-mail us.

Prepping Your Home for Sale

Preparing your home to be listed can be an overwhelming task for some. But staged homes sell on average in 35 days or less", according to StagedHomes.com, and taking the time to prepare your home for sale is an important task.

Also we are Accredited Staging Professionals (ASP), and would be happy to help you if you have any questions, or concerns about getting your home ready to put on the market. Give us a call us at 614-336-7509, or E-mail us.

Cabinet Meeting

When it comes to increasing the value of your home, modernizing a kitchen can return 80 percent to 130 percent of your investment, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association. But many homeowners think improving the kitchen has to come with a hefty price tag. Not necessarily.

Cabinets are often the first thing people notice about a kitchen. Cabinets are also one of the easiest and most affordable kitchen features to update. And in most cases, you don’t need to replace them. Just take a close look at your existing cabinet doors. Are they beyond repair, or do they still look good, but just a little outdated?

If they’re still in good shape, simply sanding and applying a fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference. Take everything out of the cabinets and scrub them with a cleaner. Lightly sand down the wax, veneer, polish or previous paint, then fix any cracks or breaks with putty. Brush on primer paint and add any paint color, pattern or stencil you’d like.

New hardware can also add flair to otherwise outdated cabinets. Cabinet knobs, pulls and hinges come in all shapes and sizes, including antique copper, iron, aged bronze, polished brass, glass, stainless steel and more. But before purchasing any new hardware, carefully measure your existing hardware. Jot down sizes and the spaces between screws, which will eliminate the need to drill new holes in the cabinets.

If replacement is the only option, modular cabinets, available at most home improvement stores, can be an affordable alternative. You can save even more money if you install them yourself.

Pipe Dreams

Flooded basements, frozen pipes and added expense — winter can be a homeowner’s worst time of year. Take the following precautions to prepare your plumbing before the season really hits:

1. Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses. Once the hose is removed, water can drain from the pipe, preventing water from freezing inside it and bursting the pipe. This also includes swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines. Don’t add antifreeze. It can be harmful to the pipes and the environment.

2. Insulate all pipes and faucets with a pipe sleeve or heat cable, which are available at most hardware or building supply stores. Carefully wrap each pipe exposed to unheated areas, paying special attention to joints. Newspaper can even provide some protection to exposed pipes that aren’t in areas of prolonged, extreme cold.

3. Seal off access doors, vents and cracks. Cold air seeping in can freeze exposed pipes and plumbing.

4. Know the location of your master shutoff valve, which turns off the water for the house. In case of flooding, you can quickly shut down the water supply and prevent further damage.

5. Remember to leave the heat on in your home, no lower than 55 degrees, if you travel during cold weather.

Click here to sign up to receive this newsletter regularly via email.