I recently had a fire in the kitchen when my Kenmore gas range igniter caught fire. It was a scary time, and I was able to extinguish the blaze fairly quickly.
Here is a good article about fire safety in the home.
In the United States, approximately 2.4 million burn injuries are reported per year. The Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation reports that, of those injuries, between 8,000 and 12,000 of the burn patients die and approximately one million will sustain substantial or permanent disabilities resulting from their burn injury. According to the Home Safety Council's State of Home Safety in America Report, fires and burns are the third leading cause of unintentional home injury and related deaths.
Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-09-20/top-10-tips-for-burn-and-fire-prevention/#ixzz0RqtMtGPo
The number one tip is to always stay in the kitchen while cooking.
Hope this is helpful
Jeff
Neighborly Realty
http://www.EnglePropertiesOnline.com
The fall is the time to fertize your lawn. Usually you need temperatures in the 90's or below for a few days so if you have not already done so, fertilize during the next cool spell.
More information can be found here.
Remember to stay within the guidelines recommended so you don't have a bunch of fertilizer wash out to our creeks and streams. A green lawn and well kept landscaping goes a long way when you are planning to sell your home. Curb appeal is key to getting top-dollar for your home.
Also check out fall flowers to add color. Here in California there is always something you can plant to improve your curb appeal.
Jeff
Neighborly Realty
http://www.EnglePropertiesOnline.com
Hi Neighbors,
According to the John Burns Real Estate Consulting September survey of home builders, the housing market is stabilizing, with more builders raising prices than dropping prices in California.
Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-09-21/regional-spotlight-new-home-price-stability-emerges-in-california/#ixzz0RqpX5HTA
One of the key notes from the article is:
-Prices appreciating in California and flat elsewhere. Reports of emerging price stability in a growing number of metros are balanced by numerous reports of continued downward pressure on pricing from foreclosures and short sales. In almost all markets, the lower price points are faring better than the higher price points due to FHA financing and the Federal tax credit.
This is a another good sign of price stabilization in California.
Jeff
Nighborly Realty
http://www.EnglePropertiesOnline.com
Hi Neighbors.
Afraid of a fixer? Do you live in one or are thinking of buying one, and are interested in doing a project yourself? Read on...
For some people, getting a fixer is just not in the cards. However for most folks a lot of the work that needs to be done on many homes is cosmetic like replacing carpet, painting, and minor repair work. Even when it gets a little more complicated like removing and installing new kitchen cabinets it may not be as difficult as it looks, and there is a lot of help available.
Often the first thing to do in any project is figuring out where to start. The key here is to break any project down into smaller ones. For example a kitchen remodel may include putting in a new floor, replacing kitchen cabinets and upgrading appliances. Figure out what needs to be done first, and then break each of these into separate projects. For example you may want to do the work in stages (replace the cabinets, install appliances, then do the floor) or you may want to gut the kitchen and start from the ground up.
There are lots of resources for those of you on your first project or 20th project.
The Library. A great free resource is the library. The often have books on general remodels, fixing appliances, installing tile for example. Pay particular attention to what needs to be done BEFORE you start and the recommended sequence of doing the work.
Resources from your home center. Most 'big-box' stores such as Home Depot and Lowes have entire sections devoted to handyman books. From plumbing to kitchen remodels there are usually books that will get you started. If you are uncertain what to get they often have helpful sales help to assist you. They are also a great help for advice as you get down to the brass tacks of actually doing the work. Many also have short training sessions on how to replace a toilet, lay tile, or install kitchen cabinets.
Read the label. Sometimes, all it takes is reading the label. For example most toilet repair kits have pretty good instructions about what needs to be done. Again, a general handyman plumber's booklet or that sales assistant can help.
Find a friend. Yes, you probably have friends or neighbors who have experience in helping with your project. Often all it takes is a beer and Hamburgers to entice them over for assistance. Even if they don't have experience, often another set of hands come in very handy.
Find a contractor you can work with. On larger projects, you may want to do some parts of the work, and leave others to a contractor or handyman you hire. Talk to them about your capabilities and see what fits your budget and schedule.
Talk to your real estate professional. Yes, the Realtor you worked with to purchase your home is still there to help you even after the sale (or should be!). They often can provide you with advice as to where to go for help and who you may contact to provide reliable assistance.
Check out your local community college or technical school. Local colleges often have home owner related classes. For example I took a basic woodworking course to help me figure out what equipment and tools to buy for a large project I wanted to do myself. In addition it taught me the basic skill to not only use the equipment, but read and understand diagrams. I ended up taking 6 courses over a 3 year period that provide me with skills to either build or install ready-made cabinets.
Check out rental centers. You may not want to purchase fancy tools and power equipment for your one-time project. Rental centers usually carry a wide assortment of hand and power tools that will enable you to complete a project and stay within budget.
Have a can-do attitude. As the ads say, "You can do it, and we can help." While the "we" specifies a certain big-box store, the statement is true. If you get stuck go back to the books and ask for assistance. With the right attitude these projects can be fun.
Keep safety in mind. Don't do anything stupid to spoil that 'fun' of doing a home project. Do read all the safety information about equipment and tools. Your health and safety is not something to toy around with. Remember, Norm always starts out his TV shows with a safety reminder, and there is a reason. You only have one set of eyes and fingers. Keep them!
Hope this has been helpful. Now, what project do you want to start with?
Jeff
Neighborly Realty
http://www.EnglePropertiesOnline.com
Congess is working on extending the new Home Buyer Credit. Remember, these are proposals and nothing is concrete other than the current Home Buyer Credit. If you are planning on purchasing a home now, the best course of action to to work hard at getting the current credit working for you and not hold out for an extension. The AP reports:
Washington is being forced to take a hard look at the expiring $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit.
Nearly a dozen bills have been proposed to extend the credit past the Nov. 30 deadline, but the top decision makers are just beginning to weigh in.
On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid endorsed a six-month extension. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Thursday that he hasn't made a decision yet. And the White House economic team says it will make a recommendation to President Barack Obama by the end of Friday.
Extending the credit is a tough sell in some corners because so far the credit has cost an estimated $15 billion, twice what was projected last February.
Source: The Associated Press, Adrian Sainz (09/17/2009)
Jeff
Neighborly Realty
http://www.EnglePropertiesOnline.com
Neighborly Realty focuses on Service the old fashioned way. Check us out if your looking for homes in Lincoln Californa and Western Placer County. We really are different.
SERVICE before Salesmanship
This is an exciting yet demanding time for home buyers and sellers. A Real Estate agent needs to get back to the basics of providing top notch customer support -- support that lasts well beyond the sale. For many, real estate is the biggest single financial investment we will make regardless if this is your personal residence or an investment property. Especially in today's market, a Real Estate agent needs to be a consultant, not just a salesman. Understanding your needs allows me to provide the level of service required in today's real estate market.
Over the years my wife and I have purchased older homes with "hidden potential", doing major renovations to them. It has been a challenge and a very rewarding experience to take something from a caterpillar and turn it into a beautiful butterfly - especially when we work full time as well as do all the design and contracting for the remodel. But the results have been worth it - and what better way to learn about houses? This passion to work with houses for my own reward has led me in turn to help others make their dreams come true.
I worked with my father in his businesses, where he taught me the importance of treating customers right. I took that knowledge with me when I started up my own small businesses, and later worked for a major electronics company in a wide variety roles over a 27 year period including project management and business consulting. The Neighborly Realty team has that same commitment to basic old-fashioned service and support.
I belong to Placer County Association of Realtors, California Association of Realtors, and the National Association of Realtors. I am an alumni of the University of Oregon.
Thank you,
Jeff Engle.
Come and check us out, Neighborly Realty can provide you with the level of service you EXPECT!
I worked with Jeff for many years at HP. Jeff is dedicated, hard-working, and produces great results. Jeff sees things that need to be addressed and raises awareness (in a productive way) to make sure holes are filled to achieve overall program success. Jeff is an excellent technical marketing engineer, always keeping the customer in mind. Jeff can apply this customer-driven thinking to any career whether its technology or in real estate.
Anthony Chen
Jeff is a creative generalist with the ability to get his teeth into fairly complex technical issues, while keeping the big picture in mind. His friendly demeanor and goal oriented approach also made him a source of cohesion in the team. Jeff was a valuable part of our team and I am happy to recommend him
Otto Fox
Jeff always provided accurate and timely information into the projects I was running which he was contributing to. He has proven to be conscientious, diligent and a hard worker. I could always count of Jeff to deliver on time and I enjoyed having him as part of my extended project teams."
Bruce Falzarano
Jeff was assigned to our project long after the majority of us had been on it for quite some time. But Jeff was a very quick study. He was detail oriented, had the right amount of technical knowledge, and got along well with everyone. It was a pleasure working with Jeff and I highly recommend him.
Jeane McWeeney
I've worked with Jeff on various projects over several years. He was considered a subject-matter expert and I relied on his knowledge and business acumen to develop the highest quality documentation. Jeff was great to work with and is professional in every aspect."
Ron Bondshu
Jeff is a senior professional and in a program developed together between US and Brazil R&D teams, he contributed with his positive attitudes, technical knowledge and customer vision. It was a pleasure to work with him.
Marco Feris
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