Patty's "All Things Real Estate" Blog.

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Many times a seller can do all the right things and make their house have that WOW factor when a buyer walks in the door.  Sellers, you know what I am talking about, the landscaping is perfectly manicured – not a dead leaf in site, the home has been freshly painted inside and out, the carpets have been cleaned, just the right amount of lighting left on inside creating the perfect ambiance, the house is perfectly tidy like a model home,  soft instrumental music playing in the background, and the house smells of freshly baked cookies or bread.

Buyer after buyer come in to preview the home but not an offer is presented, no second showings are made, and the house sits on the market.  Other homes in the neighborhood sell before yours, even homes in less perfect condition.  What could the problem be?

Sellers, all the ‘perfectness’ in  the world means nothing if your home is not priced correctly.  It is very important to work with an experienced agent that has their finger on the pulse of the market in terms of pricing and strategy.  Many cities and neighborhoods have their own unique trends that can factor into the sales price of a home.   Your agent should be able to show you statistics on active, pending, and recently sold properties to justify a correct price for your home.

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You’ve all heard the cute bedtime cliche:  “Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!”  BUT – Bedbugs are quite real, and far from cute.   Bed Bugs are small, brown insects with flat, oval-shaped bodies.  They feed on the blood of humans and/or animals.    They tend to live in bed mattresses and feed on the bed occupants at night.  (ugh!)  The female bedbug lays up to 5 eggs a day and 500 over a lifetime!  (double ugh!)

Bedbugs are believed to have originally migrated to the US from Europe in the 17th century.  During World War II there was a successful effort to control them and reduce the occurrence of infestations.  5 years ago pest control companies reported only one or two cases per year, now they are reporting one or two a week!  (eeek!) 

Bedbugs show up in homes, apartments, dorm rooms, hotels, shelters and vehicles.  They will hide in luggage, boxes, shoes and other mobile objects.  They only come out at night, so you may never see them.  The picture above  shows the distinguishing characteristics of a bedbug:

• Mahogany to rust brown/red color
• Six legs
• Short golden body hair
• Two antennae

The first sign of an infestation is small brown or red dots on bed linens or mattress, almost like someone sprinkled paprika.  These are bug ‘droppings’ and blood spots.  Eggs and molted skins may also be visible.  Heavy infestations can also have an odor.  Bed bug ‘bites’ on human skin result in red, itchy welts (red dots with a lighter ring around them).

Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but they do tend to congregate in ‘favorite’ hiding places like:

• Mattresses
• Furniture crevices
• Wood trim
• Electrical boxes and outlets
• Floors
• Behind wallpaper and picture frames

If you have bedbugs or suspect you have bed bugs do it yourself methods just plain wont work!    Contact a professional pest control company to eradicate the infestation immediately. 

You can prevent infestation by vigilantly assess your surroundings, especially while travelling.   Pull bed covers down at night and look for movement or spots on the sheets.  Inspect the crevices or lining of your luggage and clothes for bugs or spots.  Vacuum your mattress regularly, inside your closet where you keep your shoes, and inside your luggage if you have recently been travelling.

Random Acts of Kindness

Ask Someone About Their Culture

Do you know someone who is from a different culture than you? Perhaps they were born in a different country, speak a different language, or celebrate different holidays than you. Ask them to tell you about their cultural values and traditions.

Say “Good Morning”

Saying hello to someone, even if you don’t know them, is a common courtesy. It means you are acknowledging their presence; you are saying that they are a person, too, and that they are important enough for you to say hello to.

Cook a Meal for Someone

Perhaps you have a friend who is busy with a new baby or sick child. Or maybe you have neighbors across the street who just moved in—they might not have had time to go to the grocery store! Bring someone a meal and save them the time; it will be a huge stress reliever!

For many more ideas visit: www.randomactsofkindness.org

From the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

14 Thoughtful Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas that Won’t Break the Bank

1. Give the gift of time. Make a special effort to spend extra time with the person you love.

2. Make something. Organize your wife’s recipes into a folder or binder. Take a photo your wife or husband will love and matte it and put it in a frame for them to hang on the wall.

3. Take over your spouse’s chores for a day-or longer. Give your spouse a “day off” from the cooking, cleaning, or other regular chores. Or better yet, do them for a week.

4. Go out for a Valentine’s Day lunch. Lunch is almost always cheaper, so you can probably afford to go somewhere even nicer than you would have taken him or her for dinner for the same amount of money.

5. Go for a walk. Take your husband or wife for a romantic walk somewhere, and bring a bottle of wine.

6. Plan a picnic. Instead of going out to eat, pack a picnic lunch with some goodies and head out in the afternoon, skipping the dinner out all together.

7. Go out for drinks and appetizers. Cut back on the full course dinner expense.

8. Eat in. Another way to skip going out to dinner is to cook a gourmet meal at home.

9. Give coupons. Not grocery store coupons, of course! Give coupons for a massage, back rub, or other romantic ideas.

10. Breakfast in bed. Make your valentine a full course breakfast at home and serve it to them in bed.

11. Make your own card. Spend some time making a nice card, with a personal note written in it.

12. Bake something. Bake your partner their favorite dessert or treat.

13. Write a poem. Write the love of your life a poem, describing how much they mean to you and why you love them.

14. Take a day trip. Gas is fairly cheap, and if you have a romantic destination within driving distance of your house, such as a beach, the mountains, etc., you can make a day of it.

For full article and all 20 ideas visit: www.thinkyourwaytowealth.com

Courtesy of thinkyourwaytowealth.com

Super Bowl Trivia

• What does XLV mean? 45 and here’s why! X=10, L=50, V=5. So as the X comes before L you take ten away from the 50 and then add the five.

• The second largest food consumption day in the U.S. is Super Bowl Sunday, trailing only Thanksgiving.

• Even with three games tied in the final minute, there has yet to be a Super Bowl overtime.

• There has never been a shutout in the history of the Super Bowl. The lowest point total for a team in the Super Bowl was 3 points