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- Real Estate Update
- Home & Family
- Buyers & Seller's Corner
- Home Improvement
- Wine 101
- New Movie Releases
- Travel Tips
- Technology Corner
- Forward to a Friend
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February 2010
2 -- Groundhog Day
8 -- Boy Scout Day
7 -- Super Bowl Sunday
14 -- Valentine's Day
15 -- President's Day
16 -- Mardi Gras
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Prayers and Hope for Haiti
Dear Friends,
As we “slip & slide” into February, let's not forget that Haiti is still in desperate need of our help and prayers. I know many of you have already donated to a charity, but if you have not given or are inclined to give more, please help provide humanitarian aid to the people of Haiti. World news reports that survivors are in critical need of tents, food, and medical supplies. Visit CharityNavigators.com for an evaluation and rating of charities or review a few of these reputable organizations below:
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Helping Distressed Homeowners
Statistics show that most homeowners in distressed financial situations don’t know their options and wait too long to ask for help. In light of our current economic conditions and with the increasing number of people finding themselves upside down in their mortgages, I want to be a resource for these people. I recently completed special training (Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource) that equipped me with the skills necessary to share strategies with homeowners facing unfavorable circumstances. If you know of anyone who needs help, please have them call me. I will give them professional service and introduce them to the appropriate resources and information.
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Updated Townhome in the Heart of Cary!
- 130 Windward Court in Windbrooke Subdivision
- 2 bedroom and 2.5 bath with 1310 sq. ft.
- Kitchen features stainless steel appliances
- New roof, windows and AC unit
- Deck with wooded views
- Price: $141,500 MLS: 1701382
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Beautiful Home on Over a 1/2 acre!
- 7312 Trevorwood Drive, Willow Spring
- 3 bedroom and 2.5 baths with 2480 sq. ft.
- 1st floor master with trey ceiling
- Bonus room and screened porch
- Price: $284,900 MLS: 1703072
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1 Acre Lot in Regency Park Estates!
- 109 Avenue of the Estates, Cary
- Build your dream home!
- Great opportunity to bring your own builder
- Backs to the 180 acre Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
- Price: $349,900 MLS: 1663675
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Country Estate on over 2 Acres!
- 6790 Kennebec Road, Willow Spring
- 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths with 3830 sq. ft.
- Kitchen with granite counters and marble backsplash
- Partially finished basement with additional 1273 sq. ft.
- Basement has rec and game room, office, & workshop
- Price: $350,000 MLS: 1685137
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An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today.
~ Laurence J. Peter
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Existing-Home Sales Up in 2009
According to the National Association of Realtors®, existing-home sales fell as expected in December after first-time buyers rushed to complete sales before the original November deadline for the tax credit. However, prices rose from December 2008 and annual sales improved in 2009.
Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – dropped 16.7 percent to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 5.45 million units in December from 6.54 million in November, but remain 15.0 percent above the 4.74 million-unit level in December 2008.
For all of 2009 there were 5,156,000 existing-home sales, which was 4.9 percent higher than the 4,913,000 transactions recorded in 2008; it was the first annual sales gain since 2005.
“It’s significant that home sales remain above year-ago levels, but the market is going through a period of swings driven by the tax credit,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “We’ll likely have another surge in the spring as home buyers take advantage of the extended and expanded tax credit. By early summer the overall market should benefit from more balanced inventory, and sales are on track to rise again in 2010. However, the job market remains a concern and could dampen the housing recovery – job creation is key to a continued recovery in the second half of the year.”
The national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage rose to 4.93 percent in December from 4.88 percent in November; the rate was 5.29 percent in December 2008, according to Freddie Mac.
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A picture is a poem without words.
~ Horace
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Open Your Child's Mind With Art
In today's technology-oriented world, art often takes a backseat to other fields of study. But keep in mind art isn't just for fun -- it cultivates imagination, nurtures creativity, encourages brainstorming and hones problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Other benefits include observation, reason, discrimination and invention.
While one can learn to enjoy art at nearly any age, it's significantly more important for youngsters because they're at a stage where they can benefit from incorporating all five senses.
Art can also improve a child's fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination and dexterity. Scribbling with a crayon leads to writing with a pencil; using a dull, plastic scissors leads to using an exacta-knife; playing with playdough leads to sculpting with clay. Following are some simple ways you can introduce your child to art.
Paint -- Paint is cheap, colorful and nearly always a hit. The easiest way to start is with finger paints, then advance to other types. Let your kid paint on old cardboard boxes, recycled paper, styrofoam, whatever. Use different types of brushes, sponges and other tools so they can experiment with textures and discover cause and effect.
Drawing -- If you don't have the space, or temperament, for letting your child paint, drawing and coloring are the next best thing. Colored pencils and crayons are inexpensive, cause little mess and help teach different skills. Really young ones will enjoy chalking up the driveway and sidewalk, while older kids will appreciate what they can do with colored pencils.
Construction art -- Kids love to cut colored construction paper into different shapes and paste them together to make something special. Just add glue. Step it up by giving them access to buttons, pasta, wrapping paper or fabric. And, of course, there's playdough, popsicle sticks and old cardboard boxes.
You don't have to be an art buff yourself as there's plenty of websites with thousands of art and craft ideas. And maybe the biggest benefit of all is you get to do something fun with your kids and nobody's there to "critique" your work.
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If there is no struggle, there is no progress.
~ Frederick Douglass
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When in Doubt: Ask
This home buying tip is so simple you would think every prospective buyer takes advantage of it -- but the truth is -- they don't. Here it is: If the home buyer doesn't ask a specific question, the home seller typically doesn't have to answer.
In other words, if you have a particular concern, ask. It's best to do it in writing, but depending on how important it is, an oral answer will be better than not asking at all.
With all the disclosure requirements mandated in a real estate transaction, it's easy for a home buyer to think they've covered all the bases and everything is fine. But, other than statutory defect disclosures, which vary from state to state, if a prospective home buyer does not ask a specific question, the home owner does not necessarily have to disclose.
A good example would be a leaky roof. If the property owner's home had a leaky roof, say three years ago, and he had it fixed -- and it hasn't had a leaking problem since -- the property owner doesn't have to disclose that the roof once leaked. But if you asked them, "Has your home had a leaky roof in the past five years," then the seller would need to disclose.
Just keep in mind the seller only needs to disclose problems or other pertinent information that he or she knows affects the property. If you have a specific question that may not be required to be disclosed, be sure to ask, and get it in writing if you can. If you can't get an answer, ask the neighbors; they usually know as much about the home as the seller.
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Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't.
~ Pete Seeger
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Tips to Fix Clogged Pipes and Drains
Whether you live in a brand-new home, or one that's 100 years old, you will likely encounter the same problem: clogs. Fortunately, there are a few tried and proven methods to solve these problems.
For metal pipes, the first thing you should do is slowly pour boiling water down the drain. This should work in both sinks and showers if the problem is not to severe. The idea is that the boiling water will dissolve any hair, soap and other buildup. If the boiling water breaks through, continue to run hot water for about five minutes to thoroughly flush the pipes.
Be careful with plastic pipes, as the boiling water could soften the joints and cause other problems, like leaks. If your not sure your plastic pipes can withstand the boiling water, consider another method.
For stubborn clogs, try using a cup plunger, just like you would in a toilet. With double-sided sinks, you should either use two plungers at the same time or plug up one side while plunging the other. Make sure there is enough water in the sink or tub so that when you plunge you can feel some pressure. A few short plunges should break up the clog; then rinse with hot water to flush out any debris.
If you have a serious clog, it's time to take out the big guns; either a straightened metal coat hanger, or if you have one, an augur. If you frequently get clogs, and you don't want to pay a plumber, it's probably worth investing in an augur (a long, stiff metal coil wire designed for clearing clogs).
The first step is to remove the drain stop. Sometimes just pulling out the stop will give you enough access to remove the debris clogging the drain. If not, proceed by slowly inserting the chosen weapon and extend down the pipe a few inches, wiggling slightly, until you've gone down as far as possible. Note that it's hard to distinguish resistance caused by the clog or from following the curves of the piping, so never force it as you could break something and cause even worse problems.
The last method is to try a chemical drain cleaner. If you follow the instructions, you may have success. Depending on the clog, you may need to do this several times.
If, after using one or more of these methods you still have a clog, you're going to have to remove the pipes. The U-shaped pipe is usually the culprit, but not always. Unless you know what you're doing, you're probably better off calling a professional.
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A man of courage is also full of faith.
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
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A Quick History of Italy's Super Tuscans
"Super Tuscans" are Italian red wines that do not follow traditional aging and blending regulations for the region. An example would be a Chianti Classico wine produced using a blend of grapes with Sangiovese as the primary varietal. Super Tuscans frequently use other grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which make them ineligible for DOC(G) classification. However, Super Tuscans are some of Italy's best wines.
The first Super Tuscan, Vigorello, was introduced in 1968 and became more popular in the early 1970s after Piero Antinori, whose family has a long history of winemaking going back over 600 years, decided to eliminate the white grapes from the Chianti blend and instead used Bordeaux varietals to produce a richer wine. The result was a Super Tuscan labeled Tignanello. Soon after, other wine producers started experimenting and Super Tuscans have been very popular ever since.
At first these wines were labeled vino da tavola, or table wine, a term usually associated with low quality wine. But the creation of a new category, Indicazione Geografica Tipica, indicating a higher level of wine, helped make Super Tuscans more desirable and popular.
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A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.
~ Charles Darwin
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February Movie Releases
- Feb. 5
- Dear John
- From Paris with Love
- District 13: Ultimatum
- Frozen
- Feb. 12
- Valentine's Day
- The Wolfman
- My Name Is Khan
- Feb. 19
Feb. 26
- Cop Out
- The Crazies
- Takers
- A Prophet
- The Red Canvas
- The Yellow Handkerchief
*Opening dates may vary depending on where you live.
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Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative.
~ H.G. Wells
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Improve Your Travel Lifestyle by Packing Light
Most airlines are now charging baggage fees, which for most people, doesn't seem right. There's not much you can do about it except -- pack light. Chances are good that after you've tried packing light, you will find that you appreciated the freedom and mobility it allowed. Here's how you do it.
Pack your items using an unstructured carry-on bag about 10" x 22" x 15" and limit the load to around 20 pounds. This size and weight will fit under most airline seats and will definitely squeeze into the overhead storage compartments. Yes, this is not much space. But, that's the point.
By packing light, you'll not only save money, you'll also improve your travel lifestyle. Traveling with a lot of luggage can mark you as a target for theft, hampers your ability to make last-minute hotel or room changes and eliminates your ability to take advantage of a serendipitous moment. (How would you folks like to spend a couple days on my yacht touring the local islands?) With only a small bag or two, you can say "yes." You're mobile, in control, and can adjust your travel plans easily without having to worry about your precious luggage.
Here's the secret: Pack very little. First, grab what you think you'll need and spread it across your bed. Pick up every item and honestly ask yourself whether or not you will use the item enough to make it worth lugging around? Many light-weight travelers prefer to rent or buy any gear they'll need at their destination and then give it away to a needy family or fellow traveler when returning home.
This applies to toiletry items as well. Just pack enough to get you through the first few days of your trip and buy what you'll need after you arrive. No matter where you're going there will likely be a store that has what you need. Do the math: What does checking an extra bag cost versus buying these items?
Lastly, never pack with a worst-case scenario mind set. Instead, pack with a best-case travel mind set, and if things go south, suffer a little or buy what you need if it becomes absolutely necessary. Sure a raincoat comes in handy if it rains, but a cheap $5 rain poncho will do just as well. In short, if you're not positive you'll need it, don't pack it.
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Bill Gates is a very rich man today... and do you want to know why? The answer is one word: versions.
~ Dave Barry
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Get Pictures Quick and Easy with Online Services
Do you love taking pictures with your digital camera, but find that all those great shots seem to get lost somewhere in cyberspace? It's a common problem. You take the pictures, but never seem to get around to actually getting a print for your scrapbook. If this sounds like you, take a minute to learn about online digital photo printing services.
In a nutshell, online photo printing services offer you a fast way to get the pictures off your hard drive and into a print format you can get your hands on. There are dozens of these types of services, and the quality and pricing varies. The best online services have better quality and pricing than most local camera shops. Here's how the services work.
After you've transferred the pictures from your camera to your computer and deleted any pics you know you don't want, simply login to your account, upload the photos you want to print, edit the photos (take out redeye, crop, write a caption on the back), and choose the print size, finish and quantity. Print sizes generally range from wallet-sized to wall-sized posters. After payment, you'll receive your prints by mail in as little as 24 hours.
In addition to prints, many online photo printing services also offer album sharing -- a way for you to share your photos online -- and a wide selection of gifts, such a printing your photos on T-shirts, canvas, mugs, mouse pads and custom calendars. Some services also offer greeting cards, invitations and other postcards and will mail them for you.
A few reputable services that come to mind include Snapfish, SmugMug, Kodak Gallery, Shutterfly, Walgreens and Costco. You might ask a few friends who they recommend or search online to find one that meets your needs.
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RE/MAX United
51 Kilmayne Drive Suite 100
Cary, NC 27511
This eNewsletter contains information, facts and opinions from various individuals and organizations. This eNewsletter is provided on an "as-is" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. I/We are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Consult with your doctor, fitness consultant, attorney, accountant, or other professional advisor when necessary. © 2010 eNewsletterSolutions.
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