iPhone Augmented ID from TAT

This is so cool. Pretty soon your iPhone will be able to recognize people, even if you don't! By simply pointing your phone at a person with a registered profile, your phone will be able to tell you that person's name, email, telephone number, and any other information that person chooses to share on his profile!

This technology is also being used with the new Yelp iPhone app. For example, by pointing your phone at a restaurant you can see it's name, address, rating, and reviews on Yelp!

This could be HUGE for the real estate industry! Imagine you're driving by a house with a for-sale sign out front. You slow down, open the Augmented Reality app on your iPhone, point your phone at the house, and BAM! Tons of photos and information about the house are right there for you to scroll through!

Why don't I have an iPhone yet?

"Augmented ID is a TAT concept that visualizes the digital identities of people you meet in real life. With a mobile device and face recognition software from Polar Rose, Augmented ID enables you to discover selected information about people around you. All users control their own augmented appearance, by selecting the content and social network links they want show to others. Modifying your augmented ID is easier than fixing your hair in real life and, of course, TAT Cascades will make sure you look great!"

(Video and information from TAT's blog)

One Green Year: What You Can Do Today

You could decide to lose weight—again—or this year you could resolve to lighten the load you leave on the planet. To help, we’ve outlined a series of small changes that add up to big results and divvied them up by time frame—tasks you can complete today, in the next week, during the next month and over the course of the next year. Breaking your efforts into smaller, more manageable tasks isn’t a cop-out: By following this plan, each small step adds up to changes that will benefit the health of the planet—and, yes, even your own health—immediately and in years to come.

Food

Instead of having lunch delivered to your office, walk to a nearby restaurant and save take-out containers by dining in. Or bring your own container to the restaurant and have it filled there. At the very least, bring a set of your own silverware and a bottle of your favorite condiment to the office so you can skip the plastic utensils and the little packets of salt, pepper, ketchup and soy sauce.

Transportation

Start making a note of each car trip you take. “Changing your car habits is one of the most dramatic ways to reduce your environmental impact,” says Jodi Helmer, author of The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do to Make a Big Difference ($14.95, Alpha, 2008). Getting a clear picture of exactly how car-dependent you are can help in finding ways to cut back.

Energy

Get a baseline of your current carbon footprint using the reliable online calculators at either safeclimate.net or lowimpactliving.com. Set a goal of how much you’d like to reduce your impact over the coming year—10 percent is a good start. To up the ante, get a likeminded friend or group of friends to make a competition out of it: Send out an email today inviting them to join your year-long challenge.

Everyday Purchases

Buy a calendar and a notebook made out of recycled paper so you can track your consumption throughout the year. In the coming months, you’ll be noting each of the following on your calendar:

• the highest and lowest temperatures at which you set your thermostat each day
• the number of kilowatthours of electricity your household uses each month (it’s listed on your bill)
• the quantity of fuel you buy for home heating each month, whether it’s natural gas or oil
• how many gallons you buy at each trip to the gas station

In the notebook, create tally pages for car trips, trips made by public transportation, and self-powered (walking and biking) trips. Another page can be for waste, especially if you’re going to compare your progress with friends and neighbors. Divide this page into “recycled” and “not recycled” columns, and tally the things you dispose of and the things you recycle—plastic bags, drink containers, etc.— week by week.

(Article by Kate Hanley from http://www.thegreenguide.com/)

How to Save on Energy Bills

I found this helpful and realistic article on www.thisoldhouse.com. Some of these tips on how to cut down your energy bill are free, but I like that they give real cost estimates and payback times on the changes that you should make that aren't free.

1. Choke Your Chimney

Cost: Free.
Benefits: A tightly closed damper prevents up to 8% of furnace-heated air from going up the chimney.
Payback time: Immediate.

Sure, it's nostalgia-inducing and all, but when it comes down to it, your fireplace is terribly—make that laughably—inefficient. According to the Department of Energy, a lit fireplace sucks about 24,000 cubic feet of furnace-heated air up your chimney each hour. Bonus: It's replaced by cold air that comes in the opposite direction through the same opening, causing your furnace to work extra hard to keep your house toasty. Still, we love gathering round the hearth as much as the next guy. Just remember to turn the thermostat down a little when you use it. Also, crack a window in the room where the fireplace is located and then close the door, so it doesn't suck too much warm air from the rest of the house. And remember to close your damper when it’s not in use.

2. Seal Air Leaks

Cost: $30 to $50 for materials.
Benefits: Save 10% or more - $50 to $170 a year - on heating bills.
Payback time: Six months to one year.

Add up all those overlooked cracks, gaps, and openings around your windows, doors, plumbing, and wiring, and you may find your house has a hole the size of a Mack truck. Seal it up, and you'll save more than 10 percent on your heating bills. Start by caulking or weatherstripping around windows. For added comfort, pick up a product such as the 3M Indoor Window Kit at the hardware store. Resembling Saran wrap, the plastic sheet costs about $20 and can be discreetly stretched over windows using double-sided tape, blow-dried for a tight fit, and peeled off come springtime. It can increase a single-paned window's R-value by up to 90 percent. Fill in cracks around door frames with caulk, and while you're at it, install a screw-on or adhesive-backed door sweep. Use expanding-foam sealants to fill in larger gaps around plumbing and electrical work, especially where pipes enter your house through exterior walls. Tackle energy suckers in overlooked places, too—like exterior wall sockets and switches. You can block them up using fitted insulation pads. Just unscrew the switch plates and pop the pads into place.

3. Show Your Heating System Some Love

Cost: $75 to $100 for the tune-up. A gallon of mastic duct sealant costs $25; foil-backed tape costs about $7 a roll.
Benefits: Furnace tune-ups save up to 10% or more on heating bills; sealing ductwork reduces air leakage by 15% and heating bills from 3% to 10%.
Payback time: One heating session.

Soot buildup, dusty or poorly lubricated fans, flickering pilot lights, and loose fan belts can add hundreds to your heating costs each year. Getting your furnace tuned up regularly by a heating contractor can do wonders for both your wallet and your overall comfort. Natural gas–powered systems should be serviced every two to three years, while oil-fired units need a tune-up every year, since they burn dirtier. To make your system even more efficient, prevent heated air from leaking into your attic or crawl spaces by sealing ductwork with mastic duct sealant—a nontoxic, paint-on material—or foil-backed tape. Doing so will reduce your home's air leakage and could save you a bundle in heating and cooling bills.

4. Give In to Energy Star

Cost: Energy Star fridges start at around $399 for a top-mount and $899 for a side-by-side. Clothes washers cost $600 and up and dishwashers start at around $230.
Benefits: Save $80 per year in energy costs for the fridge, $110 annually on utility costs for the clothes washer, and $30 a year on utilities for the dishwasher.
Payback time: About five years for the fridge, seven to eight years for the clothes washer, and eight years for the dishwasher.

We spend 20 percent of our electricity bills running our appliances. But we can shrink that number dramatically by replacing them with fridges, clothes washers, and dishwashers that qualify for the Energy Star. Energy Star fridges, available from major manufacturers such as GE and Frigidaire, use half as much energy as those manufactured 15 years ago and 15 percent less than new non–Energy Star models. Rated dishwashers exceed current federal energy standards by 41 percent, while Energy Star clothes washers are 40 percent more efficient than conventional models.

5. Make Your Attic More Cush

Cost: About $300 for added insulation.
Benefits: Save 30% on energy bills.
Payback time: Three to five years.

The Department of Energy tells us you can reduce your heating and cooling needs by 30 percent just by adding a few hundred bucks' worth of new insulation. This is especially true if your house is more than 25 years old, from the time before building codes became more mindful of energy efficiency, and you haven't added any new batts yet. We tend to focus on the attic, but it's also wise to see how much insulation you have in crawl spaces, ceilings, basement walls, and around recessed lighting fixtures (just make sure those fixtures are designed for direct insulation contact). Check that your R-value is right for the climate where you live. In general, R-values should run between R-22 and R-49 in the attic, less in other spots.

6. Embrace the Pellet Stove

Cost: A Kozi Model 100 pellet stove costs about $2,000. Pellets cost $6 for a 40 lbs. bag.
Benefits: 50% or more off heating bills.
Payback time: Three to five years.

It's not getting any cheaper to heat your house with gas or oil. But pellets—well, that's another story. Clean-burning pellet stoves can drastically cut your home heating costs. They look like wood-burning stoves but are fueled by small pellets made from superconcentrated sawdust. Pour them into the stove's hopper, and they're fed automatically into a burn chamber; a fan blows the hot air into your house. There are freestanding models as well as fireplace inserts, which vent through a stainless-steel lining that runs up your chimney.

7. Take Cheaper Showers

Cost: An energy-efficient electric water heater runs around $750 installed.
Benefits: Save up to 20% on water heating bills.
Payback time: Three to four years.

Next time you take a shower, remember this: Heating water accounts for up to 11 percent of our utility bills. If your water heater is more than a decade old, that number could be even greater. Switching it out for a new, more efficient electric storage model could save you 10 to 20 percent on heating bills. You might also think about gas and tankless units, which save 30 and 40 percent on water heating, respectively. And let's not forget solar water heaters. At $3,500 to $4,800 installed, they're more expensive than conventional heaters, but they have longer lives (about 20 years) and pay for themselves in energy savings in about half that time. If you're not ready to buy a new water heater just yet, ratchet up your existing unit's efficiency with a water-heater blanket. It costs just 15 bucks and will save you between 4 and 9 percent on your heating bills.

8. Find Some Perfect Storm Windows

Cost: $1,200 for a dozen.
Benefits: Reduce heat loss by 25% or more. Easy to install, and cheaper than replacement windows.
Payback time: Two to five years.

Did you know that 10 to 25 percent of your heating and cooling costs might be flying right out your windows? If you're not quite ready to fork out the $12,000 or more you'll need to put in new, high-efficiency units, then installing storm windows is your best option. Triple-track windows—they hold two glass sash and one screen that slide up and down on separate tracks—from Larson Manufacturing cost about $100 each and can reduce heat loss through your existing windows by 25 percent (even more if fitted over inefficient single-pane windows). They may not be as pretty as replacement windows, but sometimes it's better to feel good than look good.

9. Address the Beast in the Basement

Cost: $2,000 to $3,000
Benefits: Increased energy savings and a quieter, more comfortable home.
Payback time: Two to five years.

If you've tried all of the energy-saving recommendations above but still find your house too cold and inefficient, then maybe—just maybe—it's time to consider replacing your furnace. The average life span for a gas—or oil-fired unit is between 15 and 20 years. Along with fridges and dishwashers, Energy Star also certifies furnaces from companies such as Bryant, Carrier, and York, among many others. Most are at least 15 percent more efficient than standard models and can save you up to 20 percent on heating costs. Not sure if it's worth the money? Add up your fuel bills for last winter, then multiply that sum by 20 percent. Divide the result into the cost of buying and installing the new system, about $3,000 or so, and you'll see how many years it will take to recoup your investment.

10. Sell Your House

Cost: 1% to 3% more on construction costs.
Benefits: The most energy-efficient home on your block.
Payback time: Immediate.

That is, as long as any new pad you buy is certified by Energy Star. These newly constructed homes meet the performance standards established by the EPA and Department of Energy, consuming 30 percent less energy than standard homes, thanks to features such as enhanced insulation levels, high-performance windows, air sealing and ventilation, and high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment. If you already have a building plan worked out for your new home, then making the upgrades for Energy Star certification costs just 1 to 3 percent more but pays for itself immediately. According to Energy Star, their upgrades add just $10 to $15 per month to your mortgage payment but save you around $25 to $45 per month on your utility bills.

(Information from http://www.thisoldhouse.com/

Illustration from http://www.liberty-news.com/ by Dan Wasserman)

Things to Look for when Buying a House

If you're thinking about buying a new (or old!) home, this list of the "Top Things to Look for When Buying a Home" can help to get your search off to the right start. While the number of rooms, condition of the kitchen, and size of the yard are important, there are other things to consider before you make an offer.

1) Location, Location, Location
They say that the 3 most important things to think about when buying are home are location, location, location. You can live with almost any imperfection in a home if you love the neighborhood and your neighbors. You can change almost everything else. But, once bought, you cannot change your home's location. When you go house hunting, consider any potential home's proximity to your work, the charm of the neighborhood, how the home is situated on the lot, ease of access, noise from neighbors, traffic, or pets, and access to parks, shopping, schools, and public transportation.

2) Situation Factors
Beyond location, look at the particular site of the home. If the home is on a hill does it have a view, a walkout basement, or lots of stairs to climb? Do neighbors' windows look directly into the home? Is the yard suitable for kids, pets, gardening, or other uses? Is access to the property safe regarding driveway elevation, stairs up to (or down to) the front door?

3) Check Out the Neighborhood
Be sure the neighborhood, and not just the house, meets your expectations. They say that you should own the smallest home in the nicest neighborhood that you can afford. You'll have a great view! Drive around on week days and weekends, during the day and in the evening. Are homes in the neighborhood consistent in size and features? Do the neighbors keep the yards clean and tidy or are there old cars and trash around? Is the neighborhood safe enough for people to walk, run, or bike and are there children playing in the yards?

4) Consider a Home's Curb Appeal
Your home should reflect your lifestyle. Do you live a laid-back life? Then you might not want a formal Victorian or Tudor style home. Something simpler and more contemporary might be in order. Look at the exterior features. A brick home is easier to maintain, unless you live in an earthquake-prone area! Is the roof in good condition? Is the landscaping attractive and are the sidewalks leading to the home safe?

5) Size and Floor Plan
You may be thinking about buying your dream home. But is your dream home impractical? Do you really need 4 bedrooms and 4 baths when you live alone? A large home can give you the extra space you've always wanted for a home office or crafts or art projects. But you'll pay higher heating bills and have higher taxes. It will take more furniture to furnish and money to decorate. Think about how the new home space will be used and whether it will fit your lifestyle now and in the future.

6) Bedrooms and Bathrooms
Decide how many bedrooms and bathrooms you really need, and only look at homes that meet your criteria. It would be a shame to fall in love with a cozy, charming cottage that just isn't big enough. An extra bedroom is always a plus, as it can be used for a home office, craft studio, or guest room. If you think you'll be adding more room later, be sure to consult an architect who can advise you on space planning, lot usage and city regulations.

7) The Kitchen
If the kitchen is the heart of your home, don't settle for a home with a kitchen that just won't work. You can always remodel, but it's very costly. Can you just replace cabinet faces and countertops? Will an inexpensive makeover be sufficient? Don't worry about appliances, as they can usually be easily replaced.

8) Closets and Storage
Older homes tend to have little closets and not a lot of storage space. If you have lots of sports equipment, craft supplies, out-of-season clothes, and holiday decorations, be sure you know where it will go in your new home. Newer homes tend to have big closets and lots of storage. You can always add storage space, but you might have to sacrifice living space in your rooms.

9) Windows and Lighting
Do you love a bright sunny room or do you love privacy? Look at a home with light and sunshine in mind. Look at the locations of electrical outlets and fixtures. Will they accommodate your lighting needs? Is there recessed lighting in the kitchen, cove lighting in the family room and a lovely chandelier in the dining room? If not, you can add them later, but it's nice to have it in place when you move in.

10) Finishing Touches
Sometimes the simplest home looks spectacular because of the installation of moldings, hardware and a fireplace. If these elements are important to you, look for them while house hunting or be ready to add them after you move in.

If you keep these specific elements of a home in mind, your house hunting will be more successful, and you'll likely end up with the home of your dreams -- for now, that is!

(Article from http://www.about.com/)

Ways to Make Home Staging Easy

"So Why Should I Buy a Home Now?"

Buying a home is one of the most exciting and rewarding things you can do, but it doesn't just happen over night. You'll discover the perfect for-sale home for you, place an offer, get approved with your lender, negotiate a counter offer, trudge through the paperwork, and then of course load and unload the moving truck. With an expert Realtor like Nicole Charles there as a guide, your home-buying ride can be a smooth one, but at best it will be about a two month process. For some buyers, even longer.

In order to take advantage of the $8,000 First Time Home Buyer tax credit, you must close on your new home by November 30, 2009. That gives those of you who are considering buying a new home a short window of oppurtunity. So, get started:

Step #1: Call Nicole Charles at (608) 513-0021.

Arranging Furniture to Maximize Space for Summer

During warm-weather months, you have a primitive urge to clean up and re-arrange your living space. Just about everyone would like to have more living space, but it’s a challenge for most people to be ruthless when cleaning out their living area (or closets). But the results are a more serene and peaceful environment that will soothe you when you open your door.

Being tough is easier when you know you are giving away items to a charitable organization, and that someone in need will make good use of them; or, that you’ll make a little money by selling them. Live by the rule: reduce, resell, and recycle.

Lauren Wilkins, an Interior Design instructor at The Art Institute of New York City, says summer is prime time for entertaining, so lighten the feel of your environment. She suggests having small occasional tables, benches or stools to pull out of the closet when company comes. Scale is important; remove a big table and add nesting tables.

Brightening up the color scheme is simple and inexpensive. Vibrant colors are summery, or if you prefer, cool colors can create a serene environment — think of the blues and aquas of the ocean, a lake or a pool. “The heavy objects like major pieces of furniture will stay, but pillows, throws and light-weight curtains can be bought very inexpensively, and can change the tone of the room," Wilkins says. "The dark colors of fall — burgundy, brown, deep olive — are switched to bright florals, stripes or light solids. These are inexpensive but effective changes.”

LaToya Nelson, also an interior design instructor at The Art Institute of New York City emphasizes sustainability: She says, “Help the environment by making sure the sun doesn’t blaze through the windows leading to an increase in air conditioning use. Window treatments can help. They contribute to the aesthetic environment but also act as thermal barriers by reducing the direct impact of the sun,” she says.

“If you have direct southern exposure, protect the room,” Nelson says. “Eco-friendly products utilizing rapidly renewable or recycled materials may enhance the interior atmosphere by connecting the interior environment with nature. And of course, bringing plants inside is a way of bringing the outside in.”

Both instructors agree that this season it can be more than furniture you rearrange — it can be your attitude and awareness of nature and its harmonious relationship with your home space.

(Article from www.artbistro.com)

How A Room's Paint Color Can Affect Your Mood

Before you pick up that paint brush or roller, read through our color psychology information. It just might help you set the appropriate mood for your indoor space.

• Red packs a wallop, physiologically speaking, increasing blood pressure, heartbeat and energy in most people. It instills feelings of intimacy and passion. Red also increases the appetite, which explains why it is used so often in restaurants, and why it can be a good choice for a formal dining room.

• Orange, like red, tends to warm a room, but in a more friendly and welcoming way. As a result, paints in various shades and tints of orange work well in living rooms and family rooms.

• Yellow is also warm and welcoming, but it is more attention-getting than either red or orange. For this reason, it is a good paint color to use in poorly lit foyers or dark hallways.

• Blue, which is part of the cool color palette, makes us feel calm and tranquil, so it is ideal for use in bedrooms. But since blue works as an appetite suppressant (perhaps because there are few blue foods) it is not the best option for a dining room ... unless you're on a diet.

• Green is another relaxing color that is much more versatile than blue. Light greens are ideal for bedrooms and living rooms; midtones are good for kitchens and dining rooms (many foods are green). Also, because green is calming, it is often used in hospitals, workplaces and schools.

• Violet is a tricky color, psychologically speaking. Many adults dislike purples, but are fond of the rose family, which can work in many rooms, including dining rooms, bedrooms and libraries. Young children, on the other hand, respond favorably to violet, so this color can be used successfully in children's bedrooms and play areas.

These general guidelines are a good starting point in your search for a paint color. But remember that color choice is a very personal matter. You're the one who has to live with your new paint color, so choose a hue that suits you, your family and your lifestyle.

(Information from "The Impact of Paint Color On Your Living Space" by Debbie Zimmer of The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute. Image from www.realsimple.com by Hallie Burton.)

It’s Not Too Late to Plant Vegetables!

By the third week of June, your beans should be up, peas in flower and corn plants emerging from the soil.

Haven’t yet planted a vegetable garden? There is still time to put seeds of beans, carrots, cabbage and squash into the soil.

Take a shortcut and buy plants already started in 4-inch pots or gallon-sized containers from the nursery and you’ll still have all summer to watch them grow.

Almost any vegetable can be grown in a pot, but squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs are the easiest if your “farmland” is nothing more than a deck or a patio.

This is also the week when your fading tulip, daffodil and other spring bulbs can have their foliage removed and suddenly you’ll find more room in the garden for brightly blooming annuals.

The test to make sure that the bulb foliage is ready to rip is to give the yellowing leaves a gentle tug. If the foliage pulls away easily, it’s time to clean up.

Letting the leaves of spring bulbs ripen slowly in the garden will help the bulb to make blooms for next year.

(Article from http://www.theolympian.com/)

How to Make the Perfect Burger

Six Steps to a Delicious Beef Burger

To make four succulent beef patties, start with 1.25 pounds of ground chuck, 85% lean or less. Then heat your grill to medium-high and follow these easy but expert instructions.

Step 1:

Divide the meat and gently form it into four balls. Don't overwork the meat or it will become dry and tough.

Step 2:
Flatten the balls into three quarter inch thick patties. Also, flatten the top and sides of each patty to ensure that the thickness is the same throughout.

Step 3:
Use your fingers to make a shallow well in the top of each patty. This will prevent overplumping. Season the patties with salt and pepper.

Step 4:
Oil the grill grate using a pair of tongs and a paper towel dipped in canola oil. Don't spray on the oil or you'll risk a flare up.

Step 5:
Cook, with the wells facing up, until the burgers release easily, four to five minutes for medium. Don't press or flatten. Flip; cook four to five minutes more.


Step 6:
Check the doneness with a thermometer. Insert it through the side so the tip is in the center. It should register 155 degrees for medium.

(Instructions and illustrations from Real Simple magazine. Visit http://www.realsimple.com/ or go here to subscribe to the magazine.)

Wondering If Now Is the Right Time to Buy a Home?

Rates are at low levels. Some say it's a buyer's market. But is the time right for you? Ask yourself some questions.

Does buying a home fit in with my larger plans?
Prioritized homeownership among any other financial goals you may have. Ask yourself:
-Would buying a home mean stretching to my financial limits? If so, where can I make changes in my budget to keep it more balanced?
-Will I still have enough for other opportunities or for unexpected emergencies?

What can I comfortably afford?
Which is better than asking, "How much could I burrow?" Rather than focusing on your lender's limits, focus on the home loan that provides you with the best opportunity for success. Keep in mind how much you can afford to spend on a home without putting the rest of your financial plans on hold.

What will lenders consider when I apply for a loan?
There are three main areas lenders review when prequalifying you for a loan: income and expenses, credit score, and down payment and closing costs.

What will my credit score need to be?
This number is generated by the credit reporting agencies and represents your overall credit health; a higher score increases a lender's confidence in your ability to pay back a loan and make payments on time. Find your credit score by viewing www.annualcreditreport.com, a site sponsored by the three credit reporting agencies, Equifax (r), TransUnion (r), and Experian (r). As a general guideline, if your score is below 620, you may want to hold off on buying a home until you can improve your credit - or talk to a loan professional about your specific situation.

What percentage will be required for a down payment?
Having at least 10% to 20% to put toward a down payment on a home tells lenders that you're prepared to make a financial commitment to the home, and increases their confidence in your ability to pay the loan. It also puts you in a strong position financially, as you won't have to burrow as much from your lender. In most cases, a down payment of less than 20% requires that you carry private mortgage insurance (PMI) at an extra cost.

Are there other options if I don't meet these lender requirements?
There are affordable loan programs to help qualified low-to-moderate-income borrowers become homewoners. Certain home loan programs require potential borrowers to receive home buyer educaion. The benefit is that you may qualify for a loan program that can help you make a minimum down payment or qualify for varying forms of assistance, depending on your financial situation or the location of the home. In many areas, home buyers can receive assistance with down payment and/or closing costs from local community agencies. Check with a loan expert at your bank to find out if you qualify for these programs.

If I can't buy a home right now, what should I do to prepare myself?
It's never too soon to begin saving for a down payment, even if buying a house is far off in the distance. Consider setting up a separate savings account for your down payment fund and depositing money regularly into it.

What are the financial benefits of homeownership?
Tax advantages are one of the biggest financial benefits of homeownership. As a general rule, most homeowners can deduct most or all of their interest payments on their home loan, property taxes, and loan points, but check with your tax advisor to be sure.

(Information from Bank of America. For more information visit www.bankofamerica.com/homeloans)

Crafty Home Staging Projects: Tin Can Alley

Are you selling your home? Getting your home "Market Ready" can be fun with these easy Home Staging craft projects.

Tin Can Alley

You'll Need:

• Several Aluminum Cans (emptied and cleaned)
• Tin snips
• Sharpie marker, any color
• Spray paint, in silver metallic
• Work gloves
• Tea lights

Here's How:

1. Divide your can into four equal parts by drawing short vertical lines with your Sharpie around the lip of your can at quarter turns.
2. Draw four petals evenly around the can, inside the lines you've marked.
3. Cut off the rim of the can with the tin snips.
4. Cut out your petals.
5. Carefully bend the petals outward, so the can looks like an opening flower.
6. Cover the petals with silver metallic spray paint.
7. Make as many as you need to line your driveway or patio, and put a tea light in each one to light the way.

(Project from "The Big-Ass Book of Crafts" by Mark Montano. Photos by Auxy Espinoza. Get your copy of this awesome book on Amazon here.)

Easy Definition of "Short Sale"

In an approved short sale, the lender agrees to accept less than is owed for the property, and the homeowner is relieved of the debt. A lender may be willing to do this because it spares a lot of hassle and expense involved in executing a foreclosure. And typically, a short sale does far less damage to the homeowner’s credit than a foreclosure does. (Information from IndianaShortSaleSolutions.com)

Nicole Charles has years of mortgage and Short Sale experience. She knows the answers to your questions, she knows what your options are, and she's here to help.

A Short Sale might be an option for you. Call Nicole for a free, confidential, no obligation discussion of your situation.
(608) 513-0021

Harvard's Nicolas Retsinas discusses the 2009 State of the Nation's Housing Report

Are You Ready to Buy a Home?

Question: Are You Ready to Be a Home Buyer?

A reader asks: "I would like to be a home buyer, but I don't know if I'm ready to buy a home yet. How can I tell? Part of me is frightened that I'll lose my home or won't be able to get a mortgage. I'm 26, single and gainfully employed. Does it make sense for me to be a buyer? I mean, how do I know if I am ready to be a home buyer?"

Answer: Buyers of real estate are making the biggest investment they will most likely ever make in their lives. That can be scary for some buyers. In some states, buyers are personally liable for the mortgage.

When my husband and I bought our home in Sacramento, he was totally freaked out for a while. He walked around repeating to himself, "I owe a quarter of a million dollars." He was more focused on the debt than on our huge amount of equity.

Many first-time home buyers put down a minimum amount and buy a home using an FHA loan. This means your home is leveraged, and you cannot immediately sell it and hope to make a profit. It's a commitment. A long-term commitment, in most markets.

Top Five Traits of a Home Buyer

You need to live somewhere. If you can buy a home for around the same amount you would pay in rent, and don't mind staying put for a while to build equity, becoming a home buyer might be a good decision. You will make a good home buyer if you are:

• A buyer who conforms to the market.

  If you are the type of buyer who says, "Every home on the market is overpriced; I'm not paying that much," then you are not conforming to the marketplace. Serious home buyers research the market and have realistic expectations.

• A buyer who has savings -- enough to put 2 to 3 months of mortgage payments in reserve.

  Mortgage lenders want buyers to have a reserve. You should not take every nickel you can rub together and throw it into your home purchase. You will need a small emergency fund.

• A buyer who has the resources and time to maintain a home.

  Homes require upkeep. You'll have a lawn to mow, windows to wash, furnace filters to replace, and you may need to tend to minor repairs from time to time.

• A buyer who is employed with at least two years on the job.

  If you don't have two years of employment at the same company, then two years in the same field will suffice. Lenders expect to see stability in your employment history.

• A buyer who plans to stay in the area.

  If your state of residency is uncertain, it's probably a good idea to skip buying a home. Some buyers who relocate are able to rent out their home, but handling a rental long distance is not always wise. You don't want to be forced to sell when you don't have enough equity to pay commissions and the other costs to sell.

  (Article from About.com)

  (Image from teamaguilar.com)

How to Buy a House

Many people dream of home ownership but it mandates homework, legwork and considerable effort on your part to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible, and you don't bite off more than you can chew. Here's how to make your dream become a reality.

1. Strengthen your credit. The higher your FICO score, which ranges from 300 to 850, the better rate you'll qualify for. Get a free copy of your credit report so you can see what the lenders see on your credit history. Pay off credit cards and resolve any credit disputes or delinquencies.
2. Determine how much house you can afford, and how much you'll likely be able to borrow.
   
   
   • You will be expected to put down 10-20% of the appraised value of a home.^[1] (Note that the appraised value may be higher or lower than the selling price of the house.) If you have $30,000 saved for a down payment, for example, you can use it as a down payment for a home between $300k (10% down payment) or $150k (20% down payment). Putting down less often, but not always, requires you to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI), which increases your monthly housing cost but is tax deductible.
   • Find out what ratios lenders are using to determine if you qualify for a loan. "28 and 36" is a commonly used ratio.^[2] It means that 28% of your gross income (before you pay taxes) must cover your intended housing expenses (including principal and interest on the mortgage, as well as real estate taxes and insurance). Monthly payments on your outstanding debts, when combined with your housing expenses, must not exceed 36% of your gross income. Find each percentage for your monthly gross income (28% and 36% of $3750 = $1050 and $1350, respectively). Your monthly payments on outstanding debts cannot exceed the difference between the ($300) or else you will not be approved.
   • Calculate your expected housing expenses. Estimate the annual real estate taxes and insurance costs in your area and add that to the average price of the home you'd like to buy. Also add how much you can expect to pay in closing costs. (These take in various charges that generally run between 3 to 6 percent of the money you're borrowing. Credit unions often offer lower closing costs to their members.) Put the total into a mortgage calculator (you can find them online or make your own in a spreadsheet. If the figure is above 28% of your gross income (or whatever the lower percentage used by lenders in your situation) then you will have a hard time getting a mortgage.
   • Determine whether you need to sell your current home in order to afford a new one. If so, any offer to buy that you make will be contingent on that sale. Contingent offers are more risky and less desirable for the seller, since the sale can't be completed until the buyer's house is sold. You may want to put your current house on the market first.
3. Get pre-approved (not pre-qualified) to get the actual amount you can pay. Apply to several lenders within a two week period so that the inquiries do not damage your credit report. Do this beforecontacting a real estate agent so you have a firm idea of what you can afford, and you don't accidentally fall in love with a house that you cannot afford.
   
   
   • If you qualify, check out first-time buyers' programs, which often have much lower down payment requirements. These are offered by various states and local governments. You may also be able to access up to $10,000 from your 401(k) or Roth IRA without penalty. Ask your broker or employer's human resources department for specifics regarding borrowing against those assets.
   • If you can't afford a 10%-20% downpayment on your home, but have good credit and steady income, a mortgage broker may assist you with a combination mortgage. In that, you're taking out a first mortgage up to 80% of the value of the home, and a second mortgage for the remaining amount. While the rate on the second mortgage will be slightly higher, the interest on it is tax-deductible and combined payments should still be lower than a first mortgage with PMI. If you're buying new, consider the Nehemiah Program to get assistance with your down-payment.
4. Go house shopping. Unless you're under the gun time-wise, look at as many homes as possible to get a sense of what's available. Don't rush into buying if you don't have to. Read more in How to Find Your Ideal House.
   
   
   • Sign up for an MLS (Multiple Listing Service) alert service to search on properties in your area so you can get a feeling for what is on the market in your price range. (If you sign up through a real estate agent, it is poor form to call the listing agent directly to see a house. Don't ask an agent to do things for you unless you're planning to have them represent you--they don't get paid until a client buys a house and it's not fair to ask them to work for free, knowing that you're not going to use them to buy your home!)
   • Find a good real estate agent to represent you in the search and negotiation process. The real estate agent should be: amiable, open, interested, relaxed, confident, and qualified. Learn the agent's rates, methods, experience, and training. Go into exhaustive detail when describing what you want in a home: number of bathrooms and bedrooms, attached garage, land and anything else that may be important, like good light or a big enough yard for the kids.
   • Define the area you'd like to live in. Scout out what's available in the vicinity. Look at prices, home design, proximity to shopping, schools and other amenities. Read the town paper, if there is one, and chat with the locals. Look beyond the home to the neighborhood and the condition of nearby homes to make sure you aren't buying the only gem in sight. The area in which your home is located is sometimes a bigger consideration than the home itself, since it has a major impact on your home's resale value. Buying a fixer-upper in the right neighborhood can be a great investment, and being able to identify up-and-coming communities--where more people want to live--can lead you to a bargain property that will only appreciate in value.
   • Visit a few open houses to gauge what's on the market and see firsthand what you want, such as overall layout, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, kitchen amenities, and storage. Visit properties you're seriously interested in at various times of the day to check traffic and congestion, available parking, noise levels and general activities. What may seem like a peaceful neighborhood at lunch can become a loud shortcut during rush hour, and you'd never know it if you drove by only once.
   • If you are unsure about the price, have the home appraised by a local appraiser. Never buy the most expensive house in the neighborhood! When appraising a home, appraisers will look for "comparables" or "comps", homes in the area which have similar features, size, etc. If your home is more expensive than the comps, or the appraiser has to find comps in a different subdivision or more than 1/2 mile away, beware! Your bank may balk at financing the home, and you probably won't see your home appreciate in value very much. If you can, buy the least expensive home in a neighborhood -- as homes around you sell for more money than you paid, your home's value increases.
5. Make an offer.
   
   
   • Include earnest money with your offer.--usually $1,000 to $5,000. Once you sign an offer, you are officially in escrow, which means you are committed to buy the house or lose your deposit, unless you do not get final mortgage approval. During escrow (typically 30 to 90 days), your lender arranges for purchase financing and finalizes your mortgage.
   • Make sure final acceptance is predicated on a suitable home inspection. Request the following surveys and reports: inspection, pests, dry rot, radon, hazardous materials, landslides, flood plains, earthquake faults and crime statistics. (You will generally have 7-10 days to complete inspections--be sure that your agent explains this fully to you when signing the purchase and sales contract.) A home inspection costs between $150 and $500, depending on the area, but it can prevent a $100,000 mistake. This is especially true with older homes, as you want to avoid financial landmines such as lead-paint, asbestos insulation and mold.
6. Close escrow. This is usually conducted in a title office and involves signing documents related to the property and your mortgage arrangements. The packet of papers includes the deed, proving you now own the house, and the title, which shows that no one else has any claim to it or lien against it. If any issues remain, money may be set aside in escrow until they are resolved, which acts as an incentive for the seller to quickly remedy any problem areas in order to receive all that is owed.
   
   
   • Consider using a real-estate lawyer to review closing documents and represent you at closing. Realtors are unable to give you legal advice. Lawyers may charge $200-$400 for the few minutes they're actually there, but they're paid to look out for you.

Tips

• Try not to fall in love with one particular property. It's great to find exactly what you need, but if you get your heart set on one home, you may end up paying more than it's worth because you're emotionally invested. The deal may also fall apart. Be willing to walk away from any home; no home is so perfect that the seller can charge what he or she desires.
• A seller who won't allow a home-inspection has something to hide -- walk away!

(Article from WikiHow.com)

Home Selling Mistakes

People say the best days to own a boat are the day you buy the boat and the day you sell it. That's not true when it comes to home ownership, unless, maybe, you live on a boat. The best days in home ownership are when you buy a home and all the way through until the day you decide to sell.

Lots of home owners cry when they sell. Before the ink is dry on the listing agreement, eyes often swell with tears, and we're not talking about the listing agent. That's because sellers have developed relationships with their homes. Homes hold treasured memories. It's common for sellers to be very emotional about their home. Some are overcome by seller's remorse. However, some sellers weep for a different reason. They sob because they can't sell their home.

Home is Priced Too High

• By far, the worst home selling mistake a seller can make is hanging the wrong price tag on a home. If the home is priced too high, buyers won't look at it. If it's priced too low, sellers worry that they'll give away profits.

• Pricing a home to sell is an art. Part of the market value is based on comparable sales, but other factors to consider include market movement, demand, the home's location and its condition.

• If the home is overpriced, buyers might submit lowball offers, which tend to result in an immediate offer rejection. These extremely low offers tend to infuriate and insult sellers.

• Some agents deliberately overstate the value of a home and push a seller to sign an overpriced listing. There are many reasons why agents do this, but the bottom line is sellers lose a competitive edge when later reducing the price. The bottom line is sellers who "test the market" get stung.

Home is in Bad Condition

• Getting your house ready for market goes beyond making the beds and washing dirty dishes. Although I've seen plenty of homes with toys scattered throughout and dishes piled in the sink; buyers can't get out of those homes fast enough. There are at least 10 essential steps to take to preparing the home for sale.

• Some homes need updating and quick fixes. Doing repairs before resale can boost chances of quickly selling. If items are broken or buyers see deferred maintenance, they wonder what else is wrong. It's more expensive, actually, not to fix the house.

• Dressing your home for showings is called staging a home. Think of the process like arranging flowers in an attractive vase. If you or your agent lack the vision or ability to stage, consider hiring a professional home stager.

Home is Marketed Wrong

• Whenever I see a badly shot photograph in MLS, and perhaps it's the only photo, I want to shake the agent and scream, "What are you thinking?" But agents and sellers make plenty of marketing mistakes.

• The battle cry of frustrated sellers is: "Why isn't my home selling?" These are likely sellers who are not employing marketing strategies designed to expose a home to the largest pool of buyers. Here are 10 good marketing tips that take the guesswork out of selling your home.

• Once a buyer has entered a home, the marketing continues. To increase the chances that a buyer will entertain an offer, here are 10 home showing tips.

(Article from About.com)

60 Minutes on Foreclosures

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Home Buying Quiz

Do you know how to buy a home? Take this quiz from Kiplinger.com to find out.

BusinessWeek Says Home Prices Have Hit Bottom

Posted by: Chris Palmeri on June 09

I’m telling you it’s true. The slump is over. Don’t believe what you read about a second wave of foreclosures coming and things getting worse. In Southern California, where I live, sales are coming back in a big way. Some data points from my weekend.

1)A friend of mine in Los Angeles just lost out on a house. She made a $1.5 million, all-cash offer on a Hollywood Hills home. That’s the living room in the picture above. The seller——a flipper—-had to lower his price by $200,000, but he still got multiple offers. He interviewed my friend on Sunday. He asked her questions. He wanted to know if she had any reservations about the house or the neighborhood. She later got a text message saying he’d chosen another buyer.

2)I was out in my favorite real estate stomping ground Ontario, California on Sunday. I looked at twenty bank-owned homes. All but a couple—the real pig sties—were under contract, in escrow, or had just sold. The one I liked the best had sixteen offers, some significantly over the asking price. By significant I mean a $94,000 asking price, a $120,000 offer.

3)I mentioned this in an earlier blog but two homes on my block that had languished unsold for months just got sold. One couple moved out last week, the other guy is leaving today. Another friend of mine just sold her house, same deal, no good offers for months, then boom two offers. In all three cases, prices were lowered. In two cases the buyers purchased their house at the top of the market and had to take a small loss, but not a crippling one.

Don’t be surprised if the national stats start to show the market turning.

(Article from BusinessWeek.com)