Christina Moock, REALTOR Cutler Real Estate

Effective January 1, 2008 any home with a private septic in Stark County must have their septic system inspected prior to the property being transferred. Cities that are exempt from this new regulation include Massillon, Alliance, and Canton City; they are regulated by their own health departments. The inspection must be completed by a registered service provider, or by the Board of Health. You can find a list of registered service providers by visiting www.starkhealth.org. The cost of the inspection is about $150.

The septic inspection may only be waived if the home has been vacant for more than 30 days. However, after living in the home for at least 120 days the new owners must then have the septic inspected.

Please contact me if you have any questions about the new septic regulation.

For the past 4 days I have been sick with a head cold. There isn't much you can do to entertain yourself when your nose is constantly stuffy and runny and food has no taste or smell. Taking cold medicine just makes me feel like a medicine head and barely makes a dent in my congestion. This weekend my husband and I rented 3 movies to pass the time with.

We watched Transformers, In the Land of Women, and Joshua. Surprisingly I found Transformers to be very good, although I must confess that I did fall asleep towards the end of the movie. It definitely was not what I was expecting. In the Land of Women was also good. The only problem was that I couldn't stop thinking of Adam Brody as playing Seth on the OC. Joshua was an interesting movie. I'm not sure if I liked it, or disliked it. It was rather an eerie story. I don't want to give any details out or I might ruin the movie for others.

I have found that one of the best remedies for a good night sleep when you have a cold is some Vicks Vapo Rub. As soon as I put it on it feels like my nose becomes a little less congested and I can breath better. I know many people rely on Nyquil to get a good night's sleep when they are sick, but I usually find that it just makes my heart rate speed up and I can't sleep.

On my menu today will be some chicken noodle soup and hot tea. Chicken noodle soup has been served to cold sufferers for years. Research suggest that a combination in the ingredients may in fact help you feel better by re-hydrating the body and providing nutrients to help fight off the virus.

What is your secret to feeling better when you have a cold?

Homebuyers come and preview these wonderful affordable homes in Canton, OH.

1109 Maryland Ave. Open 12:00 - 1:30

$79,900

Motivated seller will negotiate. Bring an offer on this nice home! This home features a remodeled kitchen w/walk in pantry area, remodeled bathrooms, hardwood floors under carpet, 2 car garage w/ extra off street parking in side driveway, beautiful original woodwork, and hardwood floors under the carpet. Newer kitchen appliances & a home warranty are also offered with the sale of this home.

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1144 Broad Ave. NW Open 2:00-4:00

$69,900

Homebuyers & investors - must see inside to appreciate! Come see what this home has to offer. Recent updates in past 5 yrs. include roof, kitchen, carpet, paint, windows, and more. Bonus sunroom on 1st floor offers additional living space. 3rd BR could be used as office, nursery, or walk-in closet. Original woodwork & possibly hardwood floors under carpet. Previously rented for $600.00 month.

For more information view these properties online at www.ChrissyMoock.com. To search for other local open houses 24/7 visit www.ChrissyMoock.com and click on open houses.

Hope to see you on Sunday!!

You may be wondering why I'm writing about the first day of spring when it is only January. No, I'm not crazy, but on January 8 we celebrate the first day of spring at Cutler. The spring market kicked off with a sunny 60 degree day. What does the first day of spring at Cutler mean for you?

If you are planning on listing your home for the spring market you should be getting your home ready now. Here are some tips to help you prepare:

Begin your spring cleaning: Thoroughly clean the inside of your home including closets and windows. Pack away any items that you will not need over the next few months. Declutter your home. The buyers need to be able to picture their furniture and belongings in the home. They may be distracted if you have many knick-knacks and family photos sitting out, or even a lot of furniture taking up space in the room. Plus the rooms will look much bigger with less clutter and furniture.

Painting: A lot of homeowners feel that they don't need to freshly paint their home before listing it because the buyers will just come in and repaint. While that may be true, a room that has been freshly painted in a neutral color shows much better than a room with pink or lime green walls.

Before After

Notice how much brighter the room looked with the dark wallpaper removed. The room also looked much bigger in person once it had been removed and painted.

Exterior: Curb appeal is very important in helping to attract potential buyers. Be sure to check the exterior of the home for paint and other maintenance issues. If the exterior of the home looks like it needs work homebuyers may turn away because it will look like the property hasn't been maintained.

Landscaping: Winter is a great time to start planning your spring landscaping. The yard can be brightened up with daffodils and tulips once the weather gets warmer. Be sure to keep the grass manicured and cut and keep the bushes trimmed.

And finally listing your home in January or February will help you get a head start from all the other spring sellers who may list in March or April. Your home will already be marketed and ready to go for a potential homebuyer. Buyers who plan to purchase a home in the spring usually start the process in January and February. It will take them a month or two to decide which home is best and then the closing takes about 30 days. You will not want to miss a potential homebuyer by waiting until March to list your home.

If you have any questions about selling your home, or how to prepare it to sell, or if you are lookig to buy please contact me.