Uncle Kenny Bolicks NC style BBQ sauce (Tomato based)

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I want one of these in my house!

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RISMEDIA, December 21, 2009—It’s easy pickings out there for many potential homebuyers. Housing prices are at their lowest in more than a decade, inventories are high, analysts are predicting a new wave of foreclosures and the government is offering two substantial tax credits for which many homebuyers qualify.

But bargain buyers beware, warns Vince Mastronardi, whose property preservation business has been busy preparing foreclosed homes for sale. Continue reading »

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One very important piece of equipment for home owners are Step ladders. Various tasks at home require one to use step stools and step ladders. If you need to dust the top of the fridge, or reach up to a normal height, then a step stool will do. For various tasks at home that involve heights, a folding step ladder is often better. The platform ladder uses a high platform where you can, for example, set down tools or paint cans. Combination ladders are more versatile – it can be used as a step ladder, an extension ladder, and a stairway ladder.

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They say in life, presentation is everything. You get one chance to make a good impression. This could not be more true than when you are selling a house. If you’re thinking of selling your home, it is good if you consult with a professional home stager. Staging a home properly takes a skill that isn’t necessarily the domain of the real estate agent. Just as you wouldn’t expect your agent to also be the mortgage lender, neither should you expect your agent to have time to go through your house and rearrange rooms so they really “pop” and sizzle when prospective buyers are shown the house. Let your agent be busy finding buyers; for home staging, it is good to consult a staging professional. Continue reading »

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After my blog of “We can all breathe a sigh of relief that FHA won’t be adopting HVCC” I found out today that FHA has decided to adopt HVCC as of January 2010! As a Realtor in Northern Virginia with Exit 1st Choice Realty, we are all struggling to get the housing market into recovery mode. The biggest burden in this market is for sellers owning non distressed properties, who would like to sell their properties for various reasons-usually due to changes in their lives. The sellers have a minimum financial goal that needs to be met. If it’s unreachable in this market, they will usually wait to sell.   When we have a larger proportion of non distressed properties on the market, we will know that we have turned the corner to recovery.

This news that FHA will be adopting HVCC may not be good news for the market. Here is an article by Mary Thompson, an appraiser from Georgia: http://activerain.com/blogsview/1246425/huge-fha-news-fha-is-adopting-hvcc-as-of-january-1st-get-ready-for-change

Read my previous blog on the HVCC to see how this code can affect a “regular” sale. http://househunterforyou.com/metrorealty/?p=118

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If you are in the market for a green home, there are several things that you will want to keep in mind. First, what is around your potential new home is as important an aspect to a green home as the features that help you consume less energy on a daily basis. If your home is in an area where you can walk to get everything you need, then it is much more likely to classify as a eco building than a house far in the country that requires long drives to get anywhere. By having everything that you need nearby, you will be able to save gasoline, time, and funding.

There is also a growing trend for people desiring a completely self-sufficient green home. These homes have large gardens that produce enough food to feed a small family without issue. They may be powered on solar energy or by a small water mill located directly on the property. However, they have one interesting thing in common: these green homes are off the power grid. By not being linked to the grid, they do not contribute to the growing problem of high energy consumption. For those who are truly interested in eco homes, this may be the style of home desired.

If you want to be somewhere between the well located home and a self-sufficient house, you will want to look into an Energy Star home. These are e.g. energy homes and are designed to require as little energy as possible to stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. By removing the need for as much heating and air conditioning, as well as using on the best of appliances, you can significantly reduce the amount of money spent on electricity. As you cut down the amount of electricity used, you can contribute to lowering the energy requirements for your area. The downside to this type of green home is that they can cost quite a lot to get set up. This extra investment does pay off down the road, however.

Owning a green home is not the only thing that you can do to help the environment. Purchase products that are certified as doing little damage to the environment when it was made. Purchase cleaning supplies that are biodegradable and do not cause lasting harm to the waterways and the life that lives in those waters. Boycott products that harm the environment. If you do your part by owning a green home, you can be a living example that it can be done without sacrificing comfort and ease of living.

Timothy Greensland

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By Amy Hoak
RISMEDIA, May 25, 2009-(MCT)-Fewer homeowners may be starting complete kitchen remodels, but they’re still replacing countertops and re-facing cabinets. They’re also investing in improvements to make their homes more energy-efficient, according to a recent home remodeling and repair report by ServiceMagic.com. Others are splurging on hot tubs and home theaters after realizing that they may be in their homes for some years to come-and want to make them as comfortable as possible.

“People are not going bigger and better, but improving what they have more cost effectively,” said Craig Smith, CEO of ServiceMagic, a website that connects homeowners to prescreened contractors. For instance, instead of buying new furniture, they’re repairing what they have. Or they’re deep cleaning the carpet in lieu of replacing it. Continue reading »

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In the present environment, energy saving is one of our duty.
Energy saving does not only mean less consumption of energy but also finding an alternative to the fuels (which cause the global warming and a major reason for air pollution).
Usage of organic fuels like bio diesel, bio gas can reduce the air pollution and global warming to a desirable extent.
Cars are being invented that could run on batteries and solar power.
Invention and usage of such means of transportation should be initiated and encouraged, to be used on a large scale.

this resulted less air pollution which reduce global warming and we can save our planet
The solar cooker, which provides energy from the sun and converts it to power to cook with, should be used by people as an alternative to LPG and the microwave oven.
These are harmless and let us encourage all homes to become solar homes in the future so that we make the planet a liveable and lovable place for our next generation.
A solar energy roof no longer means adding square mirrored tiles to the roof of your home to make it solar efficient.

Those who want to buy solar roof panels which look like traditional shingles it is possible with today’s designs and materials.
You can install solar shingles either on the part of the roof or on the whole roof.
The solar portion of the roof is then connected to wiring which leads into collector or combiner box.
This runs into certain equipment which powers the home. There are multiple types of systems.
This means that you use the solar power to power your own home alone.One type is a system which is not connected to your utility company’s lines.

If due to climatic condition or any other problem the solar system fails to provide or store sufficient energy, in most of the cases, a battery backup system is kept handy.
The other type is a solar system which is connected to the utility power lines.
Under this system you can generate solar power for your home as well as be connected to the utility grid if you need additional power or have any type of failure with the solar and battery system.

When we made our new house, I was not unduly worried about interiors and such things because I had entrusted the work to one reputed company and all I had to do was give my preferences and release funds as and when they required.

My only concern was to look for a good company which could take of residential solar energy supply.
Since the city we had moved to, was not still aware of the importance of solar power, we had to really scout around looking for a good supplier of solar equipment, but our efforts did not bear fruit.
Ultimately, we had to summon a representative from a company in the neighboring city to do the job.
obviously passenger were charged for his travel but never mind, he did good job for our satisfaction
Needless to add, we saved enough money on our future electricity bills, and we could absorb our expenditure on solar panels.

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