New to the Market...Carmichael Condominium

If you or anybody you know is interested in affordable condominium living...please consider this lovely little remodel.
2 Bedrooms and 2 Full Bathrooms, features Granite Counters and Wood Floors at the low price of $92,500.

Bulding a home for Habitat for Humanity !!

My fellow Realtors and I at Coldwell Banker supporting Habitat for Humanity.  Selling Homes and Building them - sometimes all in a days work !!

Featuring 8317 Mariposa Ave in Citrus Heights...For Sale

New in Citrus Heights...A home for all seasons. See/hear/feel the difference yourself. 3 bdrm, 2 bath home surrounded by more than 1/2 acre of trees & lush yard. Excellent for the entertainer is the kitchen to patio pass-thru w/retractable screen & granite top bake center. 1 car attached garage, 2 car detached w/workshop & xtra bathroom. RV access, 3 yr old roof, automatic sprinklers and so much more!  Video viewing...

1.45 acres in Citrus Heights For Sale...

For anybody who may be interested to purchase land and build a nice home...a fantastic new opportunity on 1.45 acres is here. Established neighborhood in Citrus Heights, and literally close to everything. Dirt continues to be relatively affordable - If you have friends or family interested to purchase land anywhere in the United States...Let me know, I can help .

Meet me on my new social media outlets...

I am excited to report I have finally created a new professional video and can now connect on professionally on facebook.

Please see my new video introduction  http://youtu.be/Li13aXry6yE 

 and "like" my Facebook business page https://www.facebook.com/DebbieNewtonRealtorColdwellBanker

lets continue our journey together...

What Homeowners Insurance Discounts are you missing ?

Homeowners insurance isn’t a topic that most people like to think about except as the funny/scary ‘Mayhem’ ads for Allstate.
For first-time homebuyers the prospect of adding home insurance to the other long list of costs can seem daunting. Yet homeowners’ insurance isn’t just required for your mortgage, it’s an important part of a plan to keep you and your home safe.
Generally homeowners’ insurance covers damage from fire, most storms (some insurance does not include flood damage), theft, and more.  It can also protect you in case someone is injured in your home. It is a wise investment in your financial safety.
Luckily there are some ways you can improve your home that not only may boost resale value, but can also knock a little off your homeowners’ insurance rates. Trusted Choice conducted a national survey in 2011 and found that over 34% of respondents did not know about all the homeowners insurance discounts available to them. Below are a few key areas to focus on.
1) Home Security–Those who live in a gated community may be entitled to a discount. Gated communities tend to have lower rates of theft, vandalism, and other crimes. Having a security system in place can pare as much as 15 percent off your policy depending on the provider. Dead-bolt locks can also be a discount for some providers.
2) Fire Safety–The installation of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors isn’t just necessary protection for your family, it’s also something insurance underwriters smile upon. Also for fire protection, a sprinkler system, heat detectors, fire escapes and plenty of fire extinguishers are also important. And keep those flammable substances outside the home at a cool temperature to avoid overheating and fire risk.
3) Home Maintenance–You may be able to qualify for an age of wiring discount depending on how old your wiring is.  Is your roof resistant to hail? Roofing is graded as Class 1 through Class 4. Class 4 roofs are often eligible for discount.  New pipes can also qualify you for a discount. Do you have handrails installed alongside your staircases? If you have a pool is it surrounded with a fence at a gate? Safety measures also can count toward your policy. If your home was recently renovated or is newer that may entitle you to a discount. Older homes can be retrofitted with materials that make them more earthquake and weather resistant.
4) Policyholder Discounts–If you haven’t filed a home insurance claim in the last 10 years you may want to ask about a discount. Homeowners who haven’t made a claim can often get as much as a 20% reduction.
If you are older and retired you may also be entitled to a discount. Bundling your home insurance with other policies can also yield a savings as can being a long-term policyholder.  Another money-saving factor you may consider is raising your deductible, which can lower your premium but make sure that in the event you need to use your insurance policy that your budget will accommodate a higher deductible.
In today’s competitive market, it’s important to shop around, because you may receive  disparate quotes on policies that offer essentially the same coverage. Check consumer guides, insurance agents, companies and online insurance quote services. This will give you an idea of price ranges and tell you which companies have the lowest prices.

Looking to add some value to your home??

8 Tips for Adding Curb Appeal and Value to Your Home

The way your house looks from the street -- attractively landscaped and well-maintained -- can add thousands to its value and cut the time it takes to sell. But which projects pump up curb appeal most? Some spit and polish goes a long way, and so does a dose of color.

Tip #1: Wash your house’s face

Before you scrape any paint or plant more azaleas, wash the dirt, mildew, and general grunge off the outside of your house. REALTORS® say washing a house can add $10,000 to $15,000 to the sale prices of some houses.

A bucket of soapy water and a long-handled, soft-bristled brush can remove the dust and dirt that have splashed onto your wood, vinyl, metal, stucco, brick, and fiber cement siding. Power washers (rental: $75 per day) can reveal the true color of your flagstone walkways.

Wash your windows inside and out, swipe cobwebs from eaves, and hose down downspouts. Don’t forget your garage door, which was once bright white. If you can’t spray off the dirt, scrub it off with a solution of 1/2 cup trisodium phosphate—TSP, available at grocery stores, hardware stores, and home improvement centers—dissolved in 1 gallon of water.

You and a friend can make your house sparkle in a few weekends. A professional cleaning crew will cost hundreds--depending on the size of the house and number of windows--but will finish in a couple of days.

Tip #2: Freshen the paint job

The most commonly offered curb appeal advice from real estate pros and appraisers is to give the exterior of your home a good paint job. Buyers will instantly notice it, and appraisers will value it.
 
Of course, painting is an expensive and time-consuming facelift. To paint a 3,000-square-foot home, figure on spending $375 to $600 on paint; $1,500 to $3,000 on labor.
Your best bet is to match the paint you already have: Scrape off a little and ask your local paint store to match it. Resist the urge to make a statement with color. An appraiser will mark down the value of a house that’s painted a wildly different color from its competition.

Tip #3: Regard the roof

The condition of your roof is one of the first things buyers notice and appraisers assess. Missing, curled, or faded shingles add nothing to the look or value of your house. If your neighbors have maintained or replaced their roofs, yours will look especially shabby.
You can pay for roof repairs now, or pay for them later in a lower appraisal; appraisers will mark down the value by the cost of the repair. According to Remodeling magazine’s 2013 Cost vs. Value Report, the average cost of a new asphalt shingle roof is about $18,488.
Some tired roofs look a lot better after you remove 25 years of dirt, moss, lichens, and algae. Don’t try cleaning your roof yourself: call a professional with the right tools and technique to clean it without damaging it. A 2,000 sq. ft. roof will take a day and $400 to $600 to clean professionally.

Tip #4: Neaten the yard

A well-manicured lawn, fresh mulch, and pruned shrubs boost the curb appeal of any home.

Replace overgrown bushes with leafy plants and colorful annuals. Surround bushes and trees with dark or reddish-brown bark mulch, which gives a rich feel to the yard. Put a crisp edge on garden beds, pull weeds and invasive vines, and plant a few geraniums in pots.

Green up your grass with lawn food and water. Cover bare spots with seeds and sod, get rid of crab grass, and mow regularly.

Tip #5: Add a color splash

Even a little color attracts and pleases the eye of would-be buyers.
Plant a tulip border in the fall that will bloom in the spring. Dig a flowerbed by the mailbox and plant some pansies. Place a brightly colored bench or Adirondack chair on the front porch. Get a little daring, and paint the front door red or blue.
These colorful touches won’t add to the value of our house: appraisers don’t give you extra points for a blue bench. But beautiful colors enhance curb appeal and help your house to sell faster.

Tip #6: Glam your mailbox

An upscale mailbox, architectural house numbers, or address plaques can make your house stand out.

High-style die cast aluminum mailboxes range from $100 to $350. You can pick up a handsome, hand-painted mailbox for about $50. If you don’t buy new, at least give your old mailbox a facelift with paint and new house numbers.

These days, your local home improvement center or hardware stores has an impressive selection of decorative numbers. Architectural address plaques, which you tack to the house or plant in the yard, typically range from $80 to $200. Brass house numbers range from $3 to $11 each, depending on size and style.

Tip #7: Fence yourself in

A picket fence with a garden gate to frame the yard is an asset. Not only does it add visual punch to your property, appraisers will give extra value to a fence in good condition, although it has more impact in a family-oriented neighborhood than an upscale retirement community.

Expect to pay $2,000 to $3,500 for a professionally installed gated picket fence 3 feet high and 100 feet long.

If you already have a fence, make sure it’s clean and in good condition. Replace broken gates and tighten loose latches.

Tip #8: Maintenance is a must

Nothing looks worse from the curb--and sets off subconscious alarms--like hanging gutters, missing bricks from the front steps, or peeling paint. Not only can these deferred maintenance items damage your home, but they can decrease the value of your house by 10%.
Here are some maintenance chores that will dramatically help the look of your house.

• Refasten sagging gutters.

• Repoint bricks that have lost their mortar.

• Reseal cracked asphalt.

• Straighten shutters.

• Replace cracked windows.

What do you like to do in your yard?

Smart Upgrades for Decks...

A few cost-effective add-ons can give a modest deck an edge and deliver a handsome payback should you sell your house.

Hidden fasteners for decking
For years now, deck screws have been the fastener of choice. (Nails, prone to popping out over time, are old news.) Deck screws come in a useful range of colors, won’t corrode, and hold exceptionally well. However, even when installed carefully, they cover the deck with rows of little pockmarks—tiny depressions that may have splintered edges and trap dirt.

Enter the hidden fastener. This clever innovation holds deck planks down while leaving the surface looking sleek and minimalist. There are scores of hidden fasteners on the market, each of a slightly different design. One category fastens with a screw to the framing and grips the side of each plank with barbs. Another fits into a groove in the side of the plank (some composite planks come with this groove) before being fastened to the joist. Yet another type fastens from underneath the deck, firmly snugging the decking onto the joists.

Hidden fasteners are labor intensive to install, which adds a premium of about $4 per square foot compared with the cost of an installation using deck screws. However, many deck owners find the investment worthwhile, especially if they have selected composite, vinyl, or premium wood decking and want to show off these materials to best advantage.
Adding style with planters
Planters give a deck character. The various shapes and sizes of planters add texture and color. Built-in versions, often made of the same material as the decking, can be positioned to separate seating areas from cooking areas. When planted with tall plants, such as ornamental grasses, they can act as living privacy screens.

Wood planters typically are lined with galvanized sheet metal, plastic containers, or are built to conceal standard pots that are easily removed for cleaning or planting. Planters made of pressure-treated wood sometimes forego the liner altogether.

With all built-ins, some means of drainage is necessary, which may mean you’ll have to bore holes in the bottom of the container. Because excess water will drain from the bottom of your planter, you’ll need to be mindful of where you position the planter. If you hire a pro to custom build your deck planters, assume a cost of $150 to $250 labor and materials for each lineal foot of a 2-foot deep and 2-foot high built-in planter.

Built-ins aren't your only option. Home centers offer a wide variety of planters available at prices from $10 to $200. Ceramic or cement pots can be a decorative feature, running $50 and up for a 2-foot tall container. Hanging planters (about $25 each) are a great addition to a pergola or trellis. Planters that attach to the railing ($70 for a 40-inch-long terracotta planter with metal holder) all but disappear when filled with plants.
Cable railings
Railings are typically required on any deck when the decking surface is more than 2 feet above ground. Railings are the most visible part of the deck from ground level and offer a great opportunity to echo the colors and architectural details of your house. However, if you are lucky enough to a have a scenic vista (or just an awfully nice yard) you won’t want the railing in the way.

One solution is a cable railing--thin stainless steel cables strung tautly between wood or metal posts. This alternative looks great, preserves the view and, at a cost of about $70 per lineal foot for a pro installation, is about $1,200 more expensive than a standard wood railing for a 16x20-foot deck. To further spare the budget, consider using cable only where the view is important and use wood elsewhere. Or, if you are handy, do it yourself for a materials cost of about $25 a lineal foot.
Taming the sun with shade sails
Overhead structures like wood pergolas and trellises help shield a deck from the sun, adding a pleasantly dappled shade pattern. However, they can be costly to install and challenging to maintain over the years.

Shade sails are a cool, eye-catching alternative. Made of UV-resistant polyethylene knit fabric, sails are triangular, square, and rectangular, and come in a variety of colors. They produce a muted, diffuse light, cutting the glare of full sunlight while still permitting light into windows adjacent to the deck. Shade is not all the sails offer. Many homeowners consider shade sails a form of aerial sculpture and delight in watching them rise and fall gently in the evening breeze.

Shade sails for a 16 x 20-foot deck would cost about $5,500 when professionally installed. (Expect to pay at least 30% more for a custom-built pergola of comparable size.) If you have a smaller installation in mind, you can buy a 12-foot triangular shade at your home center for as little as $200. However, bear in mind that a sail can exert a mighty force on a windy day and must be attached to the framing of the house or to steel or wooden poles set in concrete. A professional installation is recommended.

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Landscaping for curb appeal....

Landscaping for Curb Appeal

A well-landscaped yard creates curb appeal and helps your property retain maximum value. Here are a few tips and tricks for sprucing up your outdoor spaces yourself.

Appraisers are quick to praise the allure of a well-tended lawn and good-looking landscaping when it comes time to sell your home, but most do not assign any specific increase in monetary value for upkeep.

“Landscaping is going to add to the appeal of the property and it may sell quicker, but it’s hard to determine value,” says John Bredemeyer, president of Omaha-based Realcorp. “You have to have a number to compensate someone if you drove into their tree and killed it, but is it really market value? Probably not.”

Nevertheless, most professionals agree that curb appeal and a well-maintained appearance prevent your property from losing value. Here are the top suggestions from real estate agents, appraisers, and landscape designers for boosting the curb appeal of your yard:
Green up the grass
If your house has a front yard, make sure it‘s neat and green. You don’t want bare spots, sprawling weeds, or an untrimmed appearance.

“It’s so simple to go to Home Depot, buy fertilizer, apply it every six weeks, and water it,” says Mitch Kalamian, a landscape designer in Huntinginton Beach, Calif. “It will green up.”

If the yard looks really scruffy, you may decide to invest in some sod. According to the National Gardening Association, the average cost of sod is 15 to 35 cents per sq. ft. If you hire a landscaper to sod your yard for you, labor will add 30% to 50% to the total cost of the project.

Another alternative is to plant low-maintenance turf grasses. Turf grasses are durable and drought-resistant. Expect to pay $18 to $30 for enough turf grass seed to plant 1,000 sq. ft. of lawn area.
Add colorful planting beds
Flower beds add color and help enliven otherwise plain areas, such as along driveways and the edges of walkways. In general, annual flowers are a bit cheaper but must be replaced every year. Perennials cost a bit more but come back annually and usually get larger or spread with each growing season.

If you’re not sure what to plant, inquire at your local garden center. Often, they’ll have a display of bedding plants chosen for their adaptability to your area. Also, they‘ll be inexpensive because they’re in season, says Peter Mezitt, president of Weston Nurseries in Hopkinton, Mass. Try pansies in the summer, and asters and mums in the fall to add vibrant color. “That’s what we do around the entrance to our garden center,” Mezitt says.

Valerie Torelli, a California REALTOR® who dresses up her clients’ yards to sell their houses faster and for more money, says that in her market, she can put in a bed of colorful annuals and bark, as well as cutting down overgrown shrubs, for less than $500. “We can buy gorgeous plants for $3.99 to $15.99,” she says.
Add landscape lighting
For homeowners who have made a sizeable investment in landscaping, it makes sense to think about adding another 10% to 15% to the bill for professional lighting. “You can’t see landscaping after dark,“ says Brandon Stephens, vice president of marketing for a landscape lighting firm in Lubbock, Texas, “and buyers are not always looking at houses on a Saturday afternoon.”

The cost of a system runs from $200 for a DIY installation to more than $4,000 for a professional job. If you‘re doing it on your own, the key is to light what you want people to see, such as mature trees and flowering shrubs.
Plant a tree
The value of mature trees is particularly difficult to determine. Lucco says that in his market, mature trees contribute as much as 10% of a $100,000 property’s overall value. In addition, a properly placed shade tree can shave as much as $32 a year on your energy bills. Expect to pay $50 to $100 for a young, 6- to 7-foot deciduous tree.

You can make your own initial assessment of the value of your property’s trees by visiting the National Tree Benefit Calculator. For example, a mature Southern red oak tree with a diameter of 36 inches in the front yard of a house in Augusta, Ga., would add $70 to the property value this year, according to the calculator.

Spring Home Improvements...

 

In light of Home Improvement season...I am doing a series on exactly that and hope you will find some value in all these exciting ideas !! Please feel free to share...

Spring Home Improvements: Repair, Replace, Enjoy!

With memories of snow and cold fading, it’s time to remind home owners to take stock of important work to be done for themselves and potential buyers down the road. Keeping on track with seasonal maintenance will lower costs and raise value.

   

Besides cleaning closets and planting flowers and cool-weather vegetables, spring should involve scrutinizing the condition of a house following the rough winter. Repairs and replacements won’t just help owners enjoy their properties more; they’ll also keep energy costs down as hot weather rolls in and attract more buyers, many of whom have become meticulous about inspecting roofs, appliances, and HVAC bills.
While most home owners need to prioritize costs, these 10 improvements are at the top of many contractors’ lists. Some of them are even more affordable than ever before, thanks to rebates from local communities, utility companies, and the federal government.

1. Replace windows

If home owners’ houses felt drafty this past winter and they have single-pane windows, there’s a good chance those were one of the culprits. But replacing them all can be costly — $400 to $500 per window, plus $100 to $150 for installation, according to home improvement expert Tom Kraeutler of The Money Pit. Whether that’s the place to spend dollars should depend on how long home owners plan to stay put or what houses listed in their neighborhood offer if they’re selling. “If they’re the last ones with old, rotting-wood windows, that negative may affect buyer attention,” Kraeutler says. This year’s “Cost vs. Value” report from Remodeling magazine pegs the payback for vinyl windows at 71.2 percent and for wood windows at a similar 73.3 percent. A less costly alternative can be to add storms, caulk, weather strip, or rim joists in a basement. Contractor Paul Eric Morse of Morse Constructions Inc. in Somerville, Mass., suggests gradually replacing windows in any room that owners remodel to make the cost less prohibitive.

12 Key Questions to Ask Before You Hire Home Improvement Pros
1. Can you show me proof of a license, certification, or associations you belong to?
2. Are you bonded?
3. Will you provide three recommendations?
4. What are your specialties — kitchens, bathrooms, or additions? Are there jobs you don’t like to tackle?
5. Will you secure permits?
6. How much must I pay up front for work?
7. Do you have a regular team of subs, or assemble different members?
8. How might we resolve conflicts — will resolution be in the contract?
9. How often will you show up at the job site to check progress?
10. How might I reach you — e-mail, phone, text?
11. What is your typical clean-up schedule — daily or weekly?
12. Will you provide a lien release when work is done?

2. Install a new heating system and change filters

If a seller’s furnace and boiler were on their last legs this past winter, it may be time to install a new one, or at least provide sellers with a credit toward new equipment. Any choice should carry an EnergyStar label for best results. Existing systems still in good condition should have filters checked monthly and replaced when dark and clogged, a DIY project. For great energy efficiency, Morse is installing more heat exchanges that provide both heat and air conditioning and can be less costly than a new central air system with new ducting and a new furnace.

3. Clean air conditioning units

Before summer temperatures rise and HVAC pros are swamped, advise home owners to clean coils and change filters so their system doesn’t have to work as hard. They should also have drain lines cleaned, so moisture is eliminated, says Douglas Tompkins, with Pro-Air Heating and Cooling in Newburgh, N.Y. If they haven’t had air conditioning, now’s the time to weigh choices of a central system, heat exchange, or room units.

4. Install more insulation

A home’s first line of defense to stop cold or hot air — depending on the season — should be the attic, according to most contractors. An energy audit can determine how much more is needed, if they already have some. Seattle-based contractor Ron Rice, of Your House Matters, suggests adding more than the minimum 8 inches required by most local codes — up to 16 inches. For cold climates, installing electric or hydronic radiant heat under bathroom and kitchen floors will provide comfort next season.

5. Switch out inefficient appliances

Sometimes appliances are no longer smart to repair. The determining factors for that should be their age and the cost of repair versus replacement. Here, too, top choices carry an EnergyStar label. If home owners need to replace most of their kitchen equipment and have a limited budget or plan to move, Rice suggests they prioritize and first switch out the range, followed by the refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave — in that order.

6. Repair or replace roofs, gutters, and downspouts

Because of the tough hurricane season last fall and the winter blizzards, roofing contractors in many parts of the country have been busy. Morse recommends that those needing new roofs consider architectural asphalt shingles because of their long warranties (often 50 years), affordable prices, and attractive appearances that work with many house styles. In addition, many contractors have the equipment and experience to install roofs of this material, as opposed to metal. He also recommends that home owners have gutters and downspouts cleaned come spring so that water can flow through them; gutters should be angled away from a house to stop water pooling around a foundation and seeping into the basement. Gutter covers can be helpful but often don’t eliminate all debris.

7. Paint

Damage often shows up at this time of year, especially in climates where there’s been a lot of snow melting or winter rains, Morse says. Use the time to reassess your color choice for better curb appeal. Even changing the front door’s color can make a difference.

8. Prune trees

Cutting limbs that may have been damaged during winter and that might fall on a roof or allow squirrels to enter a house is smart, and it can be a cost savings later on. Called “thinning out,” this method gets excess foliage trimmed to allow more natural light into a house—and cut down on artificial illumination, says Sacramento, Calif.-based landscape designer Michael Glassman. “It opens the tree so you don’t have dead spots in the interior and lets the tree take advantage of air flow rather than chop off the top,” he says. A certified arborist will know the best ways to do this without removing too much of a canopy, which is useful for privacy and shade.

9. Mulch plantings

Along with fall, spring is a key mulch time. Mulch helps plants thrive by holding back weeds, retaining moisture so soil doesn’t dry out, and adding a tidy look, Glassman says. Use bark, shredded fir, leaves, straw, or grass clippings.

10. Replace lightbulbs

When it comes to artificial light, most contractors recommend switching burned-out bulbs to LEDs, which last longer than incandescents, consume less energy, and have come down in price — now often just $10. Quality has improved, too, and they’re dimmable and available in colors.
One more thing: Before you hire anybody to take on work, get a written estimate. Better to be safe than sorry.

Spring Cleaning...Fun ?

The Easy, Fun Way to Spring Clean Your Deck or Patio

 

The spring cleaning chore with the most fun potential is prepping your deck or patio for spring. Here’s how to do it with a touch of fun.

Water toy #1: A pressure washer

If you don’t have a pressure washer in your tool shed, you’re missing out. Spring is a good time to add one to your arsenal of lean, green cleaning machines. They blast away dirt mostly without harsh chemicals, which is good for the planet and your deck and patio plants.

Plus, they’ve come down in price, and are easier to manage than they used to be, making pressure washing your deck and patio much more fun and much less hassle.

A 1,500 to 2,000 PSI machine, gas or electric ($90-$300), will take care of most outdoor spring cleaning chores — decks, patio furniture, umbrellas, flagstone.

Most models have a detergent chamber or two, so you can add a little earth-friendly soap if you need more cleaning macho.

You also can rent one for $40-$75 a day.

Tip: Don’t rent one heavier than you can handle. That will take all the fun out of it. It’s tempting to go for power, but your deck and patio shouldn’t need the heavy hitter unless you’ve become an expert at deferred maintenance.

Once you start playing with a power washer, you might find yourself looking for more to clean, like your siding.

Water toy #2: Standard garden hose

If you’re not the power washer sort (maybe you don’t like the noise), arm yourself with a hose. It’ll still be fun. Just pretend you’re a kid again and launch an attack on an unsuspecting family member or neighbor. Before you know it, everything will have a good soaking.

Now that you’ve got your water tool of choice, here are some tips to make the job go easier:

Patio umbrella: When you open your patio umbrella for the first time in spring, don’t be surprised to see spiders and moth cocoons. Blast them off with your garden hose. Scrub fabric with a gentle water-and-dish-detergent mixture to avoid stripping the umbrella’s water-resistant coating. When you place the umbrella back into its stand, don’t forget to tighten stand screws.

Outdoor furniture: Heloise, our favorite cleaning tipster, says a scrubbing solution of ¾ cup beach and 1 tablespoon of laundry detergent mixed into 1 gallon of warm water will brighten dingy resin lawn chairs. Vacuum wicker furniture with an upholstery attachment.

Patio pavers: Scrub with a bleach solution (1 part bleach, 10 parts water), which will get rid of stains. More stubborn stains may require treatment with muriatic acid, which is best left to professionals. To prevent future stains, lay outdoor mats on stain-prone areas, like under the grill or patio table.

Grills: The best time to clean baked on gunk is to scrub when the grill is still warm — not hot! — which is nature’s way of softening grease and crunchies. Use a wire brush with scraper to strip off charred food. Or, soak grates in soapy water for 30 minutes, then scour with steel wool. Don’t forget to clean drip pans and ash collectors, too. To keep grills clean, spray on cooking oil before lighting, which keeps food from sticking and makes cleanup faster.

Another tip: Cut an onion in half and rub it on a warm grill either before or after you grill to keep the grill clean.

Water features: Scrub scum from your birdbaths and fountains. Mix a 1:10 bleach:water solution to kill algae, but make sure you rinse thoroughly until the water stops foaming. Use a water wiggler to keep water moving and discourage breeding mosquitoes.

Have fun and be sure to get a little wet!

5 Maintenance items NOT to avoid....

5 Maintenance Tasks to Ignore at Your Peril

 

Are you a pro at procrastination? Get off the couch for these 5 critical maintenance jobs; left undone, the consequences could cost you thousands — or worse.

1. Make sure your appliances aren’t being recalled.

Why it matters: The non-profit Consumer Reports magazine wrote an eye-popping piece about how often home appliances catch fire: more than 150,000 residential fires each year from 2006-2008, resulting in 3,670 injuries, 150 deaths, and $547 million in property damage. About half the fires appear to have been caused by faulty appliances. Some had been recalled for defects that could cause an appliance fire, but the home owners weren’t aware.

What you need to do: Write down the model and serial number of each appliance, then check at www.recalls.gov for recalls and what action to take if something you own is involved. Keep your list so it’s easy to recheck; it sometimes takes years for problems to become evident. Keep tabs at HouseLogic for notices about recalls.

Maintenance cost: Free

Worst case if you put it off: You don’t learn that your dishwasher or clothes dryer has a safety defect, and the machine catches fire and burns your house down.

2. Check for leaks and fix them.

Why it matters: Water does more damage to houses than anything else, since persistent leaks lead to mold and mildew, rot, and even termites and carpenter ants (they like chewing soggy wood since it’s soft). Yet if you fix a leak soon after it starts, there may be no long-term damage at all.

What you need to do: Inside, keep your eyes open for dark spots under pipes inside sink cabinets, stains on ceilings, toilets that rock, and of course drips. At least once a year, inspect the roof. If you find leaks, fix them immediately. Otherwise, call in a plumber.

Maintenance cost: Negligible for a simple fix, such as a new washer. A visit from a plumber might set you back $250; a roof repair, a few hundred dollars to $1,000.

Worst case if you put it off: Drips ruin the cabinet under the kitchen sink, and run down into the floor sheathing and joists underneath, so you need a structural repair, plus new cabinets and new kitchen flooring. Or the roof rots, so you need a new roof and repairs to rooms directly beneath.

3. Test your sump pump and backup pump (or install a backup pump if you don’t have one).

Why it matters: The middle of a storm isn't the time to discover your basement sump pump is clogged, nor is it the time to begin planning for a backup pump. You need them ready before the water arrives.

What you need to do: Fill the sump pump pit with water and make sure the pump switches on and sends water out the discharge line. If you have a backup pump, repeat the test, but unplug the main pump first. If the backup pump runs on batteries that are more than two years old, replace your sump pump. If you don’t have a backup pump and are on municipal water, get one that runs on water pressure. If you’re on well water, your only option is the battery kind.

Maintenance cost: Testing is free; a water-powered backup sump pump, including installation, costs $150-$350; a new battery for a battery-operated sump starts around $200.

Worst case if you put it off: The pump or pumps don’t work when you need them and your basement floods, ruining everything in it and forcing you to tear out drywall and carpeting.

4. Renew the finish on your hardwood floors.

Why it matters: Every wood floor needs to be refinished periodically, but the trick is to get to the job before the old finish wears through. Then you can apply a fresh coat without having to sand into the wood. Since sanding wears away some of the wood, being able to skip that step can extend the life of your floor by decades.

What you need to do: If your floor is dull but OK otherwise, repair scratches and apply a hardwood floor refinisher ($6-$18 per quart). If the old finish is really scratched up, call in a pro to buff it and apply a fresh finish.

Maintenance cost: If you just need the refresher coat and apply it yourself, you can do 500 square feet for around $25. If you hire a pro, figure on $1 per square foot.

Worst case if you put it off: The finish wears through. If your floor is thick enough to sand, expect to spend $2.50 per square foot for a new finish. If the floor can’t be sanded, you’ll need a whole new floor -- $8-$20 per square foot, if you stick with wood.

5. Protect your foundation.

Why it matters: If anything goes wrong with your foundation walls — serious cracks, uneven settling — you could be in for one of the most expensive home repair jobs possible.

What you need to do: Every year, check to make sure the soil around your house slopes away from your foundation walls at least 6 inches over 10 feet (rain gutter downspouts should extend at least 5 feet away from your house).

That slope keeps water from getting down right next to your foundation, where it could cause basement walls to lean, crack the masonry, and cause leaks. (For houses with crawl spaces, keeping water away makes sure excess water doesn’t pool underneath your floor, making for damp conditions that encourage mold, rot, and insects.)

Maintenance cost: Topsoil is $10-$20 per cubic yard, plus delivery. You’ll pay $50-$100 per cubic yard if you buy by the bag.

Worst case if you put it off: Hydrostatic pressure causes your foundation to settle, cracking your basement walls. A full excavation is necessary to stabilize, repair, and seal the foundation walls — a $15,000 to $40,000 job.

Citrus Heights Creek Corridor Trail Project.....

	FYI - There will be a community workshop to discuss the feasability of establishing a trail system on the 26 miles of creek corridors within the City.... May 14 between 6-8p @ the Community Center 6300 Fountain Square Dr. Overview:
	More than 20 miles of creeks are spread across the city of Citrus Heights, including Arcade, Brooktree, Cripple, Coyle, Mariposa and San Juan creeks. These creek corridors are generally adjacent to residential neighborhoods and commercial centers and offer residents neighborhood connections and access to these wonderful natural amenities. Although many of these creek corridors have informal trail networks, very few are paved trails that provide access for all abilities. Shortly after the City's incorporation, staff initiated the development of the City's first Bikeway Master Plan. The original plan development included various on-street (Class II and III) bike facilities as well as Class I bike paths along three short stretches of creek corridors. The creek corridors have been considered as potential trail corridors for several years. Until the 2013 Creek Corridor Trail Project, no feasibility studies or preliminary engineering have been completed. In August 2011, the City adopted an updated General Plan and Environmental Impact Report that addressed sustainability topics such as climate change, water quality, mobility and complete streets. A number of goals were identified, including "establish a system of creek side trails, passive open space and parks for public use." The Creek Corridor Trail Project will play a major role in the ultimate location of future multi-use trails within the creek corridors. The analysis will include alignment options for each feasible segment of trail within the creek corridor. The City intends to use the Creek Corridor Trail Project to define and incorporate feasible trail segments into future policy documents, including the General Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, Bikeway Master Plan, Safe Routes to School Master Plan and ADA Master Plan. The City hopes to ultimately provide improved connections to key destinations for pedestrians and cyclists (schools, shopping, neighborhoods, parks and other trail networks); improve access to the creek corridors for all residents; increase the number of recreational facilities to more neighborhoods; and improve transportation choices within the city.

Secrets of a Truly Deep Clean...

Cleaning House: Secrets of a Truly Deep Clean

Deep clean your house and you’ll brighten rooms and help maintain your home’s value.

De-bug the light fixtures
See that bug burial ground within your overhead fixtures? Turn off the lights and carefully remove fixture covers, dump out flies and wash with hot soapy water. While you’re up there, dust bulbs. Dry everything thoroughly before replacing the cover.
Vacuum heat vents and registers
Dirt and dust build up in heat vents and along register blades. Vents also are great receptacles for coins and missing buttons. Unscrew vent covers from walls or pluck them from floors, remove foreign objects, and vacuum inside the vent. Clean grates with a damp cloth and screw back tightly.
Polish hardware
To deep clean brass door hinges, handles, and cabinet knobs, thoroughly wipe with a damp microfiber cloth, then polish with Wright’s or Weiman brass cleaner ($4). Dish soap shines up glass or stainless steel knobs. Use a Q-tip to detail the ornamental filigree on knobs and handles.
Replace grungy switch plates
Any amateur can wipe a few fingerprints off cover plates that hide light switches, electric outlets, phone jacks, and cable outlets. But only deep cleaners happily remove plates to vacuum and swipe the gunk behind. (OK, we’re a little OCD when it comes to dirt!) Make sure cover plates are straight when you replace them. And pitch plates that are beyond the help of even deep cleaning. New ones cost less than $2 each.
Neaten weather stripping
Peeling, drooping weather stripping on doors and windows makes rooms look old. If the strip still has some life, nail or glue it back. If it’s hopeless, cut out and replace sections, or just pull the whole thing off and start new. A 10-ft. roll of foam weather stripping costs $8; 16-ft. vinyl costs about $15.
Replace stove drip pans
Some drip pans are beyond the scrub brush. Replacing them costs about $3 each and instantly freshens your stove.

Remodeling or thinking about it ????

8 Tips to Make Your Remodel More Energy Efficient and Your Home Healthier

 

As long as you’re remodeling, why not cut your utility bill and make your home a bit healthier?

Saving energy wasn’t on the list of reasons we’re finally ripping out the kitchen in our mid-century home (green-veined, imitation marble laminate countertops figured much more prominently). But, a session at the recent 2012 Remodeling Show in Baltimore clued me in as to why adding a few simple tasks to our remodeling plan could lower our home’s energy bill, get rid of some of the annoying hot and cold spots in our house, and make our home less hospitable to mold and other allergens.
Carl Seville, author of Green Building: Principles and Practices in Residential Construction, shared some simple, inexpensive ways to make remodels and additions more energy efficient from the standpoint of energy usage and conservation of resources.
Try these eight tips from Seville:
1. Check for water intrusion, condensation, and excess moisture before you begin the project. Fixing those issues during remodeling can improve your home’s indoor air quality (excess moisture encourages mold).
2. Use the least amount of framing allowed by your building code when adding walls. Not only will you have to pay for less lumber and fewer nails, the contractor will have more room to put insulation in your walls, making your home more energy efficient.
3. Resist the urge to splurge on multiple shower heads. Opt for a single low-flow shower head rather than installing a car wash-style plethora of shower heads.
4. If possible, add new HVAC ducts to parts of your home that are heated and cooled, rather than placing them in a space with unconditioned air (like the attic). If that’s not possible, insulate the ducts. Have an HVAC diagnostician analyze your system to make sure it’s sized correctly and balanced to properly exchange old and new air.
5. Be sure to insulate around recessed lights that protrude into un-insulated attic spaces — these are major sources of air leaks.
6. If you’re wasting water, you’re wasting energy. Look at high-efficiency or solar water heaters, and insulate your water pipes. If you want hot water faster, move the water heater closer to the faucet or install demand pumps to drive hot water to the fixture.
7. Install wall-mounted efficiency toggle switch plates for the outlets where you plug in your televisions and computers to make it easy to cut off the power to electronics you’re not using.
8. A humidistat that automatically turns on the bathroom fan when moisture rises beats depending on teenagers or tenants remembering to use the fan. Reducing bathroom moisture reduces the chances you’ll have mold.
When I pull the kitchen cabinets off the wall, I’m going to use caulk to seal between the wallboards and the floorboards before I put down new flooring and install the new cabinets. And since I’ll have the caulk out, I’m going to seal the top of window trim, something my home’s builder didn’t do.
What are your tips for smart energy savings during a remodel?

5 Awesomely easy gardening projects....

Looking for a little landscaping makeover - take a look at this...

http://nar.idrive1.com/c.html?ufl=f&rtr=on&s=x8pb9r,1g4ze,10g3,a2zu,lunb,m2hf,17gz

Springing forward...

I have some wonderful spring household tips to share, but first I have some very honorable mentions.
They come in the way of local businesses, I have had the opportunity to meet and do business with in the last couple of weeks.
1. Family Taekwondo Plus. Located at Sunrise/Antelope and can be found online at www.famtkdplus.com   They offer martial arts classes for Kids, Adults, Families, and a special KinderKicks program for ages 3-5. This is a program I highly recommend, and when you get the chance to meet the Awesome owners...you will see why.
Thank you Dominic for your time and energy...your contribution to our growing community is more valuable than ever !!

2. S&S Tires on Auburn Blvd... Thank you Moe for my new wheels and your great service !


Spring has sprung and it’s time for a little good old fashioned spring cleaning. So grab those dusters, plug-in those vacuums and put on those gloves—it’s time to get squeaky clean with this spring cleaning checklist!
Kitchen

Vacuum refrigerator grill and coil

Wipe down the inside of the refrigerator and freezer sections thoroughly

Living Room

Rotate heavy winter curtains, rugs and throws for lightweight ones

Wax wood furniture

Steam-clean upholstery

Bedrooms

Replace cold weather bedding with warm, lightweight weather bedding

Launder or dry-clean blankets

Closets

Reorganize closets and give away unwanted items

Replace cold weather clothing with warm weather clothing

Utility Spaces

Carefully remove lint from the hose attached to the back of the clothes dryer

Clean the attic and basement and give away or discard unwanted items

Outdoor Spaces

Scrub porch ceiling and walls

Scrub porch floors, decks, patios, the driveway and walkways

Scrub outdoor furniture, umbrellas and awnings

Wash light fixture covers

Clean guttersThroughout the House

Vacuum and wipe walls and ceilings

Shampoo wall-to-wall carpets and area rugs with backings

Send area rugs without backings out for professional cleaning

Dust radiators

Oil window and door hinges

Wash windows and window screens

Happy Cleaning !!

Top 10 Remodeling Projects w/ the biggest return...

I came across this blog in the National Assoc. of Realtors - Realtor Mag, and found the information to be rather useful, especially for those considering any sort of remodel. http://styledstagedsold.blogs.realtor.org/2013/02/18/top-10-remodeling-projects-that-offer-the-biggest-returns/?om_rid=AACfzx&om_mid=_BRI-zrB8w3kutg&om_ntype=BTNMonthly
Additionally included is the 2013 Cost vs. Value report.

Market Snapshot for February:

42 - Active Listings (Traiditional equity sales, and bank owned properties)
4   - Active "Short Sales"
92 - Pending sales
38 - Sold since the beginning of the month

I see a huge spike in Traditional sellers, taking this opportunity to sell their homes with equity and moving up. If you are in a position, and wish to sell your home - now is an excellent time, as there are so many buyers and so few homes to sell them.
Please call me, lets discuss the opportunities...

A sign housing recovery might stick...

Mortgage applications were higher again in January. If individual buyers dominate home sales as opposed to investors, we might see a more sustainable housing recovery.

FORTUNE -- Investors armed with cash have largely driven the recovery of the U.S. housing market to date, but a few signs suggest that trend may be easing up. For the past five months, applications for new mortgages have risen, suggesting that regular buyers may be starting to play a bigger role in the housing recovery.
A shift would be significant. The worry has been that once home prices rise to a point where it's not as worthwhile for investors to buy, prices could eventually drop off. But if individual buyers dominate home sales, we might see a more sustainable recovery under way.
In January, mortgage applications rose by 1.8% from the previous month – the highest level in 18 months. And during the last week of January, applications rose to the highest level since mid-2010.
To be sure, cash sales by investors haven't let up. Colony Capital, Blackstone (BX), Waypoint Real Estate Group LLC and other firms have scoured the country from Phoenix to Atlanta for bargains. They've snapped up homes on the cheap, with plans to rent them out and eventually flip them for a profit when the market is right.
MORE: Bank deposits soared in fourth quarter
Roughly 20% of all existing homes are sold with cash, says Stephen Melman with the National Association of Homebuilders. That share has stayed steady for the past year. For there to be a shift in the market where individual buyers drive the recovery, cash transactions would likely have to drop to 10%.
As interest rates stay ultra low, there have been many more borrowers refinancing their homes rather than taking out new mortgages. In 2012, it's estimated that refinances made up 71% of all mortgage originations.
However, experts expect home loans to rise as refinances decline: New mortgages are expected to increase from an estimated $503 billion in 2012 to $592 billion in 2013 and $703 billion in 2014, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Individual buyers will likely play a bigger role in the housing recovery, but the pace may feel like it's happening in slow motion. At least it's happening.

per CNN Money and Fortune Magazine

The American Dream...

"I Have a Dream" is the most famous quote by the late, great Martin Luther King, Jr.

Buying a home is famous for being "The American Dream". On this day, the forward thinking of this man brought these dreams together:

"I have a dream.

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream."

Looking to achieve the American Dream of Home Ownership? I am here for you and all of your Real Estate needs. I work hard, with integrity, and will go above and beyond to provide a smooth transaction to the best of my abilities and make your dreams come true.

Have a Happy & Safe Holiday.

 

CITRUS HEIGHTS MARKET UPDATE:

• There are currently 20 homes available, either "active" or "active short sale" (ask me, I will be happy to tell you the difference), on the market.
• 37 homes are pending and waiting to close escrow.
• 35 homes have sold since this same time last month.

The market is moving fast. With the little amount of homes on the market, it seems to be a race for all the buyers trying to purchase. In that sense - it is a very frustrating time for buyers and exciting time for sellers.

For further explanation, please feel free to call, and let me know how i can help.