You’ll find our blog to be a wealth of information, covering everything from local market statistics and home values to community happenings. That’s because we care about the community and want to help you find your place in it. Please reach out if you have any questions at all. We’d love to talk with you!
Can you fill in the missing words in these well-known phrases and sayings? (Answers below)
(Answers: rob, hay, green, foot, lies, boot, hot fire)
Thinking about selling your home but worried about the competition?
Whether you live in a cookie-cutter neighborhood where every home looks more or less the same or you simply need a few fresh ideas to help your home stand out from the rest for sale on the same street, use these simple tips to make it the best on the block.
Tackle Trouble Spots
Like every home, yours has a few trouble spots that you have probably learned to live with.
Unfortunately, time might make the heart grow fonder, but unfortunately it rarely helps sell a home.
Have an independent appraisal performed and pay special attention to needed repairs, deferred maintenance and any “ugly” areas.
Invest in fresh paint, plants and other quick fixes designed to enhance curb appeal.
Find a Focal Point
Make sure there is something memorable about your home from the moment prospective buyers see the front door until they leave.
Avoid candles, fresh flowers or other potential allergy or chemical sensitivity triggers and opt for neutral yet elegant décor or decorations instead.
Every room should capture attention while inviting visitors to explore.
Make It Theirs
Remember, attract – don’t detract. Clear clutter and make sure each room is open enough that buyers are able to envision their belongings in the room – not yours.
Neutral colors, natural lighting and a casual ambiance combined with simple yet inspiring plants, paintings or other props help create a “special spot” they will want to call home.
Price It Right
Buyers will often look at your house only if the price is right. It’s easy for them to compare the price of your house with the prices of others on the street, so it’s essential to make sure yours is priced competitively.
Rising unemployment, sluggish real estate values and uncertain economic times may not seem like criteria for buying a home, but upon closer inspection it could prove to be the winning combination. Here’s why.
Tightening Credit Standards: Credit isn’t as easy to come by as it once was, and it’s expected to get even worse as banks attempt to cut losses. Even if home prices remain stable, rising interest rates could add hundreds of dollars to monthly mortgage payments. Consider locking in prices by obtaining a low fixed-rate mortgage before rates rise. It’s one of the best ways to protect your family from an uncertain economic future.
Taxes and Insurance: The lower price of a home benefits buyers in more than one way: taxes and insurance expenses are also lower. In fact, buying in an area that caps tax increases will likely lead to savings for years to come as you fix the cost associated with home ownership.
Better Negotiation: It’s a buyer’s market, so sellers are more likely to entertain flexible options or other creative ways to make a deal work. Distressed homeowners are searching for ways to seal the deal, and banks are even getting in on the act. While the media has made a big to-do about private partnerships to help eliminate toxic assets from the banks’ rosters, the sad fact is that the average offer from institutional investors is only 30 cents on the dollar. Short sales, option contracts and other lowball offers are increasingly entertained by both sellers and banks.
Diet plays an important role in regulating sleep patterns. If you are one of the millions of people who suffer from insomnia or other sleep-related problems, try out these tasty tips to help get a good night’s sleep.
Milk: It’s not merely an old wives’ tale - milk contains tryptophan, which is believed by many to encourage sleep. However, if you are short on milk, try other dairy products or turkey instead. Even if the amount of tryptophan isn’t high enough to bring on the z’s, chances are the warm memories associated with a glass of milk before bedtime will be enough to set the stage for a calm and cozy night.
Melatonin: Meat is one food that contains melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate the normal circadian rhythm associated with sleep. Every person and creature on earth has a natural sleep/wake cycle that is very sensitive to disruption. Unfortunately, modern life often conflicts with the natural rhythm of the body. Melatonin can be added to the diet in the form of a supplement for those in need of additional help.
Cut the Caffeine: Coffee, chocolate, cola and other products that contain high levels of sugar or caffeine often interfere with sleep cycles. While you are at it, be sure to eliminate all other stimulants at least four hours prior to bedtime and replace with slow stretching exercise or a relaxing walk to help work off excess energy.
Don’t Drink and Sleep: It’s also a good idea to reconsider alcoholic beverages. Although they may initially relax both mind and body, the high sugar content and metabolic effects often cause insomnia later in the night or early morning.
It’s important to remember the very real benefits to be derived from the sun. In addition to a healthy glow, vitamin D and gentle levels of UV radiation are associated with everything from hormonal regulation to antibacterial properties. Make the most of the sun this summer without having to swim in an ocean of sunscreen.
Dress Right
Wearing a simple hat, a lightweight shirt and basic protective clothing is the first step in staying safe and comfortable when working or playing outdoors. Don’t scrimp when it comes to comfort clothing, and always bring extra shirts, shoes and hats when at the beach. It’s a lot easier to wash an extra outfit than soothe sunburn for the next few days.
Start Slow
Skin builds up a slow tolerance, so be especially cautious the first few times you are out in the sun. Children, the elderly and those with fair skin are especially prone to sunburn early in the season. Make it a priority to keep track of the time and avoid the hottest part of the day.
Ask about Medications
Many medications – including common over-the-counter drugs – can cause sun sensitivity even among people who rarely burn. Ask your physician or pharmacist about sun exposure for any medications you may take.
By Reed Terry of reedstickets.net
Ice hockey was once played only at the places, which were having natural ice cover. With the availability of artificial indoor ice skating rinks, its popularity increased as it could be played through out the year. The game actually started in Canada and is now counted among one of the top games in America. This has lead to the formation of professional hockey leagues and teams across the nation. National Hockey League (NHL) is the only major professional hockey league, followed by AHL which is the most respected minor professional hockey league. Even though the game at international level is governed by International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), but these two leagues rule the nation. Ice hockey is also one of the team events in Olympics since 1920 for men, though for women it got added in 1998 only.
NHL consists of 30 teams from North America, 24 from US, and 6 from Canada. Every season, NHL conducts the league championship and awards one of the oldest and the most famous trophies in professional sports i.e. Stanley Cup. Almost all the NHL teams have affiliation with AHL teams. So you can call AHL the stepping stone to the NHL.
If you are a fan of Ice hockey and if you stay in San Antonio, Texas, you must have heard about San Antonio Rampage. San Antonio Rampage is a professional ice hockey club based in San Antonio and is associated with the American Hockey League (AHL). Their home arena is AT&T Centre. San Antonio Rampage was created in 2002 as Stampede, when it was bought by Florida Panthers and Spurs. The present owners of this club are Phoenix Coyotes and Spurs Sports & Entertainment, and it is coached by Greg Ireland. San Antonio Rampage has been playing in AHL since its inception and has reached the playoffs for Calder Cup twice.
San Antonio Rampage has consistently given players to the AHL’s All Star Classics, though it has not won the Calder Cup so far. The first player ever to play in an all star game was Fillip Novak who played for Planet USA in January 2003. This was followed by defensemen Jay Boumeester in 2005, defensemen Keith Yandle in 2007, Joey Tenute in 2008, and Brett MacLean in 2009. Apart from this, some players have also won player of the week awards starting from Jeff Toms in February 2003, Pavel Brendl in January 2006, Alex Leavitt in March 2007, and Josh Tordjman in December 2008.
You can get all the details of the players and their achievements on the official website of San Antonio Rampage. You can also buy tickets, check the schedule of the matches, check the standings, and see the team on www.sarampage.com . You can also participate in game discussions through the blogs available on this website. If you are looking for some team merchandize, you can buy the same through the online team store. In short, to know anything about Ice hockey in San Antonio you can log on to the official website of San Antonio Rampage.
Find Great Broadway Tickets reedstickets.net
COLLEGE STATION (Real Estate Center RECON April 28, 2009) – The national recession is beginning to have a deeper impact on the Texas economy, which lost 113,600 jobs or 1.1 percent of its labor force from March 2008 to March 2009. Over the same period, the U.S. economy lost more than 4.8 million jobs or 3.6 percent of its labor force.
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose from 4.6 percent in March 2008 to 6.7 percent in March 2009. The U.S. rate rose from 5.1 percent to 8.5 percent during the same period.
Only three Texas industries — education and health services, natural resources and mining, and leisure and hospitality — plus the government sector had more jobs in March 2009 than in March 2008. Eight industries in the state’s economy lost jobs over the same period.
Eight Texas metro areas experienced positive employment growth rates from March 2008 to March 2009, two had a zero growth rate, and 13 metro areas experienced net job losses. Petroplexes Odessa and Midland ranked first and second in job creation followed by Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood, Tyler, Laredo and Austin–Round Rock.
Texas’ actual unemployment rate in March 2009 was 6.7 percent. Midland had the lowest unemployment rate followed by Amarillo, Lubbock, College Station–Bryan and Abilene.
The Real Estate Center's complete economic review is available online.
Serves 4
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare a baking sheet by lightly greasing it, then set aside.
In a small bowl combine the honey, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place the chopped pecans on a plate. Dip or spread the honey mustard mixture on one side of each tilapia filet, then gently press into the pecans so that they stick and create a uniform coating. Arrange the fish filets pecan side up.
Bake uncovered for about 10 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and the pecans are lightly toasted.
Note: The chopped pecans should be about the size of a peppercorn or slightly larger. The size is important so that the pieces can adhere to the fish without falling off.
Frank Whittle, who was born on June 1, 1907, is known as the father of jet propulsion. His first prototype was created in 1937, but it wasn’t until 1941 that the first plane with a jet engine flew on a 17-minute-long test flight.
David Rose, the composer of such famous melodies as The Stripper and Holiday for Strings, was born on June 15, 1910. He also wrote music for the TV series Little House on the Prairie and Bonanza.
Ed Yost, who would have been 90 on June 30, created the modern-day hot-air balloon. His breakthrough was creating balloons that carried their own fuel, either hydrogen or helium, so that they could be heated up midair, instead of by a fire on the ground prior to takeoff.
In this market, what can I do to give my house the best chance of attracting a buyer?
Without a doubt, the most important consideration is to price the house right especially if you want a quick sale. When the market was red-hot, homes sold fast so it is easy to forget that historically homes are on the market an average of six months before selling. Be realistic and work with your agent to price right.
In addition, Make sure your home looks its best by updating paint, making small repairs and taking the time to properly stage your home for online and in-person viewing. Don’t neglect the outside of your house its curb appeal makes a lasting impression on buyers.
Remember that window-shopping is a popular past-time, even when it comes to real estate. One of the benefits of working with an agent is the ability to preserve your valuable time and only entertain serious offers from qualified potential buyers.