The Green One » Home & Garden

Recycling Homes – The Short Sale

Ryan — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:55:17 +0000

If you have been thinking about buying a home you will probably have noticed quite a few short sales popping up on the MLS listings. A short sale can give you a great real estate bargain. However before making an offer on one you should be aware of some things.

Short sales can take a very long time and can cause you many headaches. I recently bought a short sale house and it took almost a whole year for the deal to go through. However it was a bargain price! If you have the time to hold out then a short sale may be for you.

A short sale happens when a home owner sells their home for less that the mortgage amount that they owe. It usually happens before the home goes into foreclosure and means the owner can save their credit rating.

Find a realtor that has experience with short sales. As they have become much more common more and more realtors are dealing with them. An attorney may need to be involved in the sale and a title agent may have to do research on the property. The more liens that a home has the more complicated it becomes. That is why an experienced realtor is so valuable.

If the short sale goes through then the original mortgage owner will lose money. They will be aiming to keep these losses at a minimum. Therefore they may reject an unusually low offer. Work with your realtor to determine the best price to offer. If your offer is accepted by the seller then it will be passed on to their lender for approval. As previously mentioned this can be a lengthy process.

The lender will look at your financial position; therefore you should be preapproved for a mortgage and have the closing cost funds available. If you have a home to sell the lender may reject you offer as this can delay things at their end. Be aware that most short sales are sold in an as is condition.

Article provided by Mortgage Calculator

Cutting Back Your Energy Bill

Ryan — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:55:04 +0000

Energy bills can be extremely expensive but they don�t have to be. There are many ways to reduce the cost of your energy bill which in turn will help the environment.

To cut down on air conditioning, close your window blinds during the summer. Closing the blinds on the south side will help block out the sun and keep your house insulated. Cleaning and replacing the air filter will also cut the energy costs because it will make the air conditioner work less and will also improve the air quality. Keeping the doors to rooms closed will also reduce the energy cost.

When you do the laundry make sure that you are washing a full load as it will save you time and money. Also, unplug all electronics and appliances when you leave on a trip and make sure they are turned off when you done using them. Surprisingly if an electronic is left plugged in it will still draw electricity, even if it is turned off.

Caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows will prevent air from leaking out and will keep your place much more comfortable. Switching from incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent light bulbs will save about 75% of your lighting costs. Fluorescent lights last 10 times longer than incandescent lighting which will save energy and money in the long run. Turning your air temperature to 78 degrees in the day and 85 degrees when you leave will keep your air conditioner from over working.

All of these tips and tricks are great ways to make your house more energy efficient while cutting back on your energy bill as well.

Pick a Swing Set for Your Kids

Ryan — Sun, 01 May 2011 05:00:00 +0000

The joys of childhood are something that every parent wants to share with their kids. You may literally want to share the experience, being physically and emotionally present as your child does the things you did when you were a kid. This allows you to return to your own childhood and relive the best times of that age while also getting enjoyment from your child’s delight. Seeking this type of compounded happines,s you may decide to buy a swing set for your kids.

The world of swing sets has changed dramatically since you were a child, unless you are a very young parent. Gone are the days of a simple frame with rope and wood swings or even chain and rubber. Those combinations are still available, but advances in engineering and construction have brought other materials and configurations into the mix. You can choose from a virtually unlimited number of materials, configurations, and swing set accessories for you children. Your only limits will be space, money, and imagination.

Swings come in different sizes, shapes, and materials and are targeted to different age groups. Toddlers are more likely to have cage or harness swings made of molded plastic while older children will use rubber, canvas, or wood seats. All swings will have an age/weight rating for safety. You can also choose to have accessories like slides, ladders, and towers added to a modular swing set. In the end you will want to pick the set that fires the imagination of both your children and your own inner child , so that all of you can enjoy hours of fun together.

Redecorating with Coupons

Ryan — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Thumbing through a design magazine can become the inspiration for a home redecorating project. The same goes for surfing the various design and do it yourself sites on the web. Then there are all the television home design shows that are the staples of cable networks and are saved on DVRs all over the country. While many offer suggestions on how to achieve great designs while working with a very tight budget, they don’t usually discuss the best way to save money on a home decorating project: the judicious use of coupons.

The reason behind this is that the very existence of next day blinds coupons is something of a secret. Even design fans who spend endless hours hunting for bargains at thrift stores and rummage sales have no idea that the internet has made it possible to disseminate countless discount codes for nearly everything needed to redecorate a room, office, or an entire home.

Manufacturer coupons are available for rugs, pillows, and other accessories. Local companies offer things like next day blinds coupons which includes installation costs in the discount, and some retailer or big box stores will offer a percentage off the total purchase which can include furnishings, fabrics, accessories and artwork. Anyone embarking on a home decorating project on a budget should set aside some time to hunting down these codes and coupons.

Decorating a Boy’s Room

Ryan — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Kids are delightful, but they can also be very demanding and hard to please. This is especially true when it comes to their living environment. Any kid with their own room is going to have definite ideas of how the room should express their evolving personality and interests. The trick that most parents need to master is how to teach their children the difference between a sustainable and genuine interest and a passing fad .

It is a little easier with boys than girls. It’s not that boys aren’t susceptible to fads, it’s just that their fads tend to stay in the same genre. Sports, dinosaurs, space, and the outdoors are all solid interests that last throughout boyhood and well into adulthood. The football obsessed boy may shift team or player allegiances, but his general love of the game will make a football photo comforter an investment that lasts for years.

The key is to agree on a basic foundation for the room that has suitable wall colors, floor coverings, and furniture that will be durable and adaptable through the years. Then accessories and artwork can be chosen that both express the personal interests and match the foundation elements. This makes future redecorating easier as parents can just change out accessories or add new elements without having to make a major investment. That way the boy is happy and the parents’ budget is safe.

Coffee Makers for Your Home

Ryan — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Sooner or later most people have to buy a coffee maker for their home. Whether it is your first machine or yet another replacement or upgrade, you will find yourself surveying the offerings at a local department store or browsing online vendors. Unless you have an attachment to a specific machine that you just want to replace, it’s a good idea to carefully consider the needs of a machine as well as preferences before looking at specific models.

An easy thing to determine is capacity. How much coffee do you and your family drink during the course of a day and how often? You don’t want coffee sitting there all day, but you don’t want to have to run multiple pots for breakfast. If you do a lot of entertaining you may want a larger pot. Think about all these factors when deciding how many cups you need.

Another important thing to consider when looking at home coffee makers is the type of coffee you want. While most people buy the simple drip coffee makers, there are also french press machines and pod coffee makers. You may even want to consider buying an espresso machine.

Once you’ve determined type and capacity, it becomes a matter of choosing from various features associated with different models and manufacturers. Do you need an automatic timer so that coffee will be ready when your alarm goes off in the morning or waiting for you when you get home from work? What type of filters do you use? What type and style of carafe? Do you need a warming element so that coffee doesn’t get cold sitting in the pot? And don’t forget to look at the durability of the machines components and see if there are warranties available for the machine.

Remodeling with the Environment in Mind

Ryan — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Home improvement has become a popular hobby for many. Many homeowners are updating or completely remodeling their homes in order to increase the value of their property. Others are doing so because they are tired of dealing with drafty windows or peeling paint. But a growing number of people are investing in repair and remodeling projects in order to make their homes more environmentally-friendly. This includes switching to natural and non-toxic materials as well as installing energy-efficient appliances and construction elements.

There’s an added benefit to upping the energy efficiency of a home. In addition to reducing the country’s need for fossil fuels, home owners will find that they save money on their heating and cooling bills, which is definitely a plus in these tough economic times. Those who switch to alternative energy sources, such as installing solar energy panels in their home, can even end up making money off the project as some utilities will buy unused energy from a home. This is contributing factor to why California solar companies have been so busy, since that state leads the country in solar energy conversion.

There are other options besides switching to alternative energy for those who want to help the environment . Energy efficient appliances and using timer controls for everything from lights to showers to sprinkler systems can cut power and water use. Home owners can replace old windows, doors, and skylights with models with better insulation and non-toxic materials. Even paints, wood stains, and other decorative materials are being made to be both long-lasting and non-toxic. And for those wanting to rennovate on a budget, there are countless second-hand stores that carry building materials and appliances specifically to cater to the “reuse” crowd.

Managing Your Rental Property from Afar

Ryan — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:10:00 +0000

For some owning rental property is a full time job and a primary source of income; while others rent property on the side, either for extra income or as a hobby. Whatever the case may be, owning rental property can be a lot of work, especially if you live in another city or state.

One of the greatest tasks with owning rental properties is dealing with the many day-to-day responsibilities . These range from lease problems to property maintenance and everything in between. Already hard to handle for the owner that is close by, these tasks are an even greater challenge to owners who live farther away.

To help compensate for the distance and handle many of the problems, many owners seek the assistance of a property management company like Transglobe Property Management services . Property managers take care of many of the daily tasks like property upkeep and repairs and tenant complaints, as well as many of the larger tasks like advertising an available property and writing up a lease agreement. A property manager is a great solution for the property owner who can’t be there in person.

Lest the property owner feel left out of the process, there are still many things that they can, and should, do even from a distance. It is a good idea when hiring a property manager to set spending limits. If a repair costs more than a pre-set amount, the property owner should be notified first. Also the property owner should send a monthly list of charges and expenses so that the owner can be kept informed about what is going on. Maintaining good, open communication between the manager and the owner is key to continuing a good relationship and staying informed on the status of the property.

There are many things that a property owner can’t do from a distance, but with a property management company like Transglobe Property Management maintaining rental property is still a good possibility.

Brighten Up Your Living Space With Next Day Blinds

Ryan — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:48:51 +0000

How do you make a small space feel bit and open, while still creating style and separate areas?� Well of course, Next Day Blinds. Anxiety about decorating small apartments and houses, and giving them a new and updated look, will disappear the minute you walk through the doors.� The salespeople at Next Day Blinds are experienced in helping people choose not only the blinds and shades that will best fit with your sense of style and need, but with the color as well, all fitting in to your particular price range.

There are so many different choices to make, which may seem overwhelming, but you will be certain to find just what it is you are looking for to make your house a home.� Some of the blinds and shades are fully insulated, keeping the cold air out in the winter, and the cool air in in the hotter summer months.� This is an easy way to become just a bit more green in your lifestyle as you will use less energy heating and cooling your house, by a simple tug on the strings.

Along with the environmental benefits, you will notice a difference in your gas and electric bills as well.� And the fun part is realizing just how much of a difference you will notice, in the style and the warmth of your house with updated window treatments from Next Day Blinds. Redecorating your entire space may be too much of a financial burden during these economic times.� But small changes really do make a huge difference in the way that you feel about your living space.� Getting rid of old worn out furniture, or buying inexpensive covers for sofas and chairs will help to brighten up a room.

As well as some paint.� People think that to paint a room or a wall would be expensive, but that really is not so.� For under one hundred dollars you can change a dark and dreary room into a lively and more open space, with just a couple of coats of paint.� And what better way to brighten a room than getting rid of the old drapes and adding blinds and/or shades?� The windows let in the light after all , and with the blinds you will be able to adjust the amount of light coming through those windows, in a stylish and convenient way.

Business Meetings in Spa or Hot Tub

Ryan — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:24:53 +0000

Fred was a restaurant furniture, equipment and supplies salesman and was becoming tired of conducting his business in restaurant bars and banquet rooms. He longed for his own office and a steady work team. One afternoon he was talking with a fellow supplier who mentioned that he had recently made a major contract and that the transaction occurred during a round of golf. Of course that made sense thought Fred who had almost forgotten that business could take place anywhere outside of the restaurant setting. It wasn�t his own office he needed, it was simply getting out of the standard setting for his business meetings.

After all the numerous bars and banquet rooms he had conducted business in it was all he could do to take his wife out for dinner and a drink. A change was necessary and his fellow sales associate invited the direction his business would take. Fred thought about it for a long time while he was taking a long soak in his home hot tub. Suddenly he had what seemed to him to be a crazy idea though as he turned his attention over to his outdoor kitchen and dining area it began to take hold of his mind.

He met the same sales associate for lunch again the following week and asked him if he had ever conducted business in hot tubs and spas. The sales associate laughed at first and then said yes he had done it once before and thinking back on it he realized that it actually went quite well. Then Fred told him about his great idea scheduled his very next client meeting for his own backyard and hot tub. This actually became one of his options he offered to new clients when choosing a meeting location and generally the transactions that occurred there ended positively and with the signing of a new contract.