Brian Ripp

Choosing the right lighting fixtures can enhance the beauty of your home, but there are other ways to brighten rooms and make the most of interior light.

For example:

• Glossy surfaces tend to reflect light, while matte surfaces absorb light. Replace dark furniture and carpeting with lighter versions that will reflect more light. For a less expensive solution, opt for pale slipcovers and area rugs. Selecting white or neutral shades of paint in a glossy finish for your walls and ceilings will also make your rooms brighter

• Adding mirrors to your home décor also adds light, especially if you hang them directly across from windows.

• Keeping your windows sparkling clean will allow more sunlight into your home and help to open a dark room. You should also remove from windowsills any knickknacks that block your view and replace heavy draperies with sheers to take advantage of natural light.

• If your home still seems dark, you may want to consider adding more windows or installing a skylight.

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker – your Bay Area Realtor www.BrianRipp.com serving Fremont, Newark, Union City & surrounding communities.

Real Estate & Property Management. Real Estate Market Weekly Update Webcast: http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BrianRipp

•1. Pay your bills on time. Payment history accounts for roughly 35% of your score. So paying bills on time is the most important thing you can do. If you're behind, get caught up and then stay current. If you're struggling, contact your creditors to work out a payment schedule.

•2. Increase the length of your credit history. It accounts for 15% of your score. Canceling an old card or getting a lot of new credit within a short time span can hurt your score because it lowers the average age of your accounts.

•3. Keep credit card balances low. Credit utilization makes up 30% of your credit score. Try to keep the amount you borrow below 25% of your available credit. Even if you pay off your credit cards every month, the average balance will still impact your score.

•4. Minimize new credit requests. They account for 10% of your credit score. Every time a potential lender asks for a copy of your credit report, an inquiry is recorded. If you will be applying for a loan in the near future, don't apply for any new credit cards beforehand. You can also ask the three main credit reporting agencies-Experian, Equifax, and Trans-Union, to stop unsolicited credit offers.

•5. Maintain different types of installment and revolving debt. About 10% of your score depends on the type of credit used. How you handle revolving credit (like credit cards) carries more weight than how you deal with installment debt (such as car loans & mortgages).

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker - your Bay Area Realtor

www.BrianRipp.com serving Fremont, Newark, Union City & surrounding communities. Real Estate & Property Management.

Real Estate Market Weekly Update Webcast: http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BrianRipp

Commuting to and from the office can mean a lot of time spent in your car. Traffic and rude drivers can be frustrating, but as tempting as it may be to react to these stressful situations, resist the urge to make a bad situation worse with these driver safety rules:

• Follow the rules of the raod. Avoid such dangerous behaviors as speeding, tailgating & erratic lane changes.
• Plan ahead. Give yourself plenty of time for delays.
• Don't tap your brakes when someone is tailgating you. You might simply be trying to give another driver a friendly reminder not to follow too closely, but it may cause an accident or be interpreted as a hostile act.
• Don't respond to aggression and don't make eye contact. Although you may want to tell other drivers how you feel about their driving, there is no way to know another person's frame of mind, & you don't want to risk escalating the situation.
• Never get out of your car. A verbal confrontation is not worth the risk of violence. If another driver approaches you, lock your doors & close your windows. If you can drive away, do so. If you have a cell phone call the police.

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker - your Bay Area Realtor

www.BrianRipp.com serving Fremont, Newark, Union City & surrounding communities. Real Estate & Property Management.

Real Estate Market Weekly Update Webcast: http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BrianRipp

National Association of Realtors estimates that the federal government's economic stimulus plan, along with lower interest rates and other mortgage relief measures, could help trigger 900,000 additional home sales in 2009, compared with conditions in the absence of the stimulus package. The association also expects home inventory to fall below an 8-month supply by the end of the year.

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker - your Bay Area Realtor, since 1985

www.BrianRipp.com serving Fremont, Newark, Union City & surrounding communities. Real Estate & Property Management.

Real Estate Market Weekly Update Webcast: http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BrianRipp

Pending home sales are up for the fifth consecutive month, the first time in six years for such a streak, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in June, rose 3.6% to 94.6 from an upwardly revised reading of 91.3 in May, and is 6.7% above June 2008 when it was 88.7. The last time there were five consecutive monthly gains was in July 2003.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said a combination of positive market factors is fueling the gains. "Historically low mortgage interest rates, affordable home prices and large selection are encouraging buyers who've been on the sidelines. Activity has been consistently much stronger for lower priced homes," he said. "Because it may take as long as two months to close on a home after signing a contract, first-time buyers must act fairly soon to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit because they must close on the sale by November 30."

November is coming soon, if you'd like to start your home search - contact me or visit my web site and search yourself.

Brian Ripp, CRS, GRI, Broker - your Bay Area Realtor

www.BrianRipp.com serving Fremont, Newark, Union City & surrounding communities. Real Estate & Property Management.

Real Estate Market Weekly Update Webcast: http://realtytimes.com/REUv/BrianRipp