Warwick, NY

When you are making a move you always want to consider location, the home itself, the school system, taxes, closing costs, your interest rate and your mortgage.

A good public school system can be an important consideration for home buyers, even if you don’t have school-aged children. Good schools can enhance the resale value of your home and make it more attractive to a broader range of potential buyers and tenants.

To check out school information, go to School Match, which offers school data services. Here you’ll find test scores, student-teacher ratios, spending, college bound information and more.

When you find that special home you look to be there for a long time. However if you have done your homework and do have to make a move sooner than expected, having done these things will help you get the best price for your property if you do have to sell.

I was amazed when I saw this clip on the Ellen Show the other day. Then today I came across it quite by accident and decided to post it. I was very intrigued by the bird "sleigh riding" over and over again on a longer clip that was very bouncy and hard to watch so I have posted a shorter clip. Seeing the bird going up and down really makes you think about how just how smart they are. Enjoy! Would love to hear your comments also.

This was a shot I snapped quickly with my phone this week at the end of the day right before it rained. It was taken from the yard of a home that will be coming on the market soon in the Minisink Valley School District in Orange County, NY.

This is the type of view that you will have all year long. Just because spring rolls around and all the leaves return - it doesn't take away your beautiful view. This gorgeous scenery is visible from every room that runs along the back of the house. I couldn't resist snapping the picture with my phone - it is a shame the picture didn't come out better.

At this time of year the amount of fires tends to increase dramatically as people burn more candles, use more lights for show, use electric and gas heaters for warmth. Recently we have had some terrible losses in the tri-state area as a result of accidental fires. Here are some tips to help in preventing fires in the home during the year:

• Keep heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that is flammable
• Do not use electrical cords that are damaged
• Do not overload an extension cord
• When cooking on your stove top NEVER leave the room and NEVER leave children unattended
• NEVER throw water on the beginnings of a grease fire
• Keep fire extinguishers
  
• Never burn candles within 3 feet of anything flammable. Always blow out when you leave the room or go to bed
• Always test your smoke alarms and replace your batteries twice per year
• Don't forget about your pets!
  
• ALWAYS HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN - ALWAYS PRACTICE IT WITH YOUR CHILDREN AT LEAST ONCE EVERY SIX MONTHS

If there ever is a fire, GET OUT, then call the fire department. Fires spread quickly, family safety should be the first priority.

Technology never ceases to amaze me these days. Here is a new thermostat that will learn your daily rhythms and begin adjusting itself.

The Nest Learning Thermostat will sense when you leave the house and go into energy conservation mode. The best part? You will be able to control it from your laptop or smart phone.

This was created by a team of ex-Apple employees. Packed with technology it has a color LCD display and WI-FI support. This thermostat learns your preferences and habits and adjusts to them. It will also factor in the outside temperature and weather to make your inside temperature comfortable according to what you are used to. When you leave the house it will reduce your energy consumption by automatically adjusting the use of heating and/or air conditioning while you are gone to save energy.

When you return it will sense this and return your settings to the proper numbers. It takes minutes to install and the cost far outweighs the benefits.