Janice Roosevelt,Ecobroker, ABR, e-PRO - Matt F

One of the extraordinary things that makes living in the Brandywine Valley area (encompassing southeastern PA and northern DE) so wonderful, is world-class Longwood Gardens, epseically in the holiday season with its outdoor light shows, and fountain displays. And new the last few years, ice skating exhibitions. And, when you move here, you can enjoy it hear round for the small price of a neighborhood pass http://longwoodgardens.org

In 1906, Pierre S. du Pont purchased the Peirce Arboretum to save its trees from being cut for lumber. Over the next nearly half century, Mr. du Pont developed Longwood Gardens into what it is today, a magnificent horticultural showplace.

Longwood Gardens now encompasses 1,050 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows. Enjoy over 11,000 types of plants, more fountains than any other garden in the US, educational and visitor programming, and over 400 performances a year.

there are four levels within the Garden Passholder Program, so you can choose the one that best suits you...

• Family $105
  Up to five people living in the same household
• Grandparents $105
  Up to five people, any combination of grandparents and grandchildren per visit
• Individual $60
  One adult
• Student $25
  Ages 5-22 (ages 18-22 with valid student ID)

I'm getting ready to go teach a two-hour yoga class, someting I love to do for others who are heading into stressful days. Yoga, which many Westerners don't realize, is not just about the physical practice or asanas, it's about getting rid of all those obstacles which stand in our way of reconnecting with that peaceful place of plent inside ourselves.

Gratitude is a very as I've said before, so say it til you mean it. It unlocks the abundance of life p making a meal a feast, chaos into order, denail into acceptance, a strnger into a friend. Our so-called failures become important lessons, gifts, really. It helps us make sense of hte past, makes mistakes important events in our lives.

Gratitude just makes life all right, turning negative energy into positive. so let's all let it work in our lives today by saying thank you and meaning it.

Getting ready to sell means more than hiring a realtor. Staged homes sell faster and for a higher price than non-staged homes. Sellers need to de-clutter, re-light, scrub and neutralize their home. The goal is to sell a lifestyle.

A staged home allows the buyer to imagine celebrating family holidays in the dining room, watching the Eagles in TV room or barbequing on the deck.

Professional staging services are a standard part of what the MATT FETICK REAL ESTATE TEAM - Keller Williams - Kennett Square offers to successful market your home. And, it nets you a higher return. .

A cluttered home appears smaller and gives the buyer the sense that there is not enough room in the house for their furnishings. Count every item in a particular room and eliminate 50% of them. Storage companies can handle large furniture that you wants for your new home. Get rid of any house plants and depersonalize the rooms by removing pictures, dolls and toys.

Less appliances on countertops allows potential buyers to visually expand the kitchen, making countertops appear large and clean. Dishes and appliances should be in their proper places. Add some life to an old kitchen table, buy some beautiful table linens and place fresh flowers in the middle.

Many homeowners forget that some showings will be at night An inexpensive way to update an older home is to replace older light fixtures with nickel and chrome. Add small lamps and plug-in nightlights to show warm pools of light that will make the home feel comfortable. Focus on the kitchen, dining room and bathrooms. If replacing light fixtures is too expensive, then change all of existing light bulbs for the highest wattage allowed. If the home is shown during the day, then opening the drapes and blinds.

Scrub until it shines. Clean the house from top to bottom. Wash the windows inside and out, have the carpet cleaned and remove any sign of pets. Scrub the kitchen and bathrooms until they sparkle. Clean the stovetop with a degreaser and remove any stains or discoloration on the countertops. Keep floors pristine. Add a new shower curtain, fresh flowers or put your client's best towels out in all of the bathrooms.

Neutralize decor. If the walls, ceilings or trim of the house are painted in contrasting bold colors, repaint with crisp neutral colors to appeal to the greatest number of buyers. Keep adjoining rooms in the same color palette to make the home appear larger.

Maximize what is attractive and buy, borrow or rent what is required to make the best first impression. The buyer is looking for a home he can imagine living his lifestyle in so highlight the positive selling features of the home to advertise what the house has to offer.

Most everyone has seen those blue stickers on washers and dryers and fridges - what does it really mean for the homeowner? It's really one of the two price tags: what you pay to take it home and what you pay for the energy and water it uses. ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models. The performance levels of these appliances meet, and generally exceed, those of industry standard models.

All major home appliances must meet the Appliance Standards Program set by the US Department of Energy (DOE). Manufacturers must use standard test procedures developed by DOE to prove the energy use and efficiency of their products. Test results are printed on yellow EnergyGuide label, which manufacturers are required to display on many appliances. This label estimates how much energy the appliance uses, compares energy use of similar products, and lists approximate annual operating costs. Your exact costs will depend on local utility rates and the type and source of your energy.

The refrigerator is probably one of the best examples of where we can decrease our use of electricity and save on our monthy bill. Refridgerators can represent 15-20% of your monthy bill, and those made 15 years ago where very inefficient.

If you replace your aging-fridge with a new energy-star appliance your consumption of energy by that fridge is probably cut in half. Switching to a horizontal axis or front load washing machine can save people 50% in both electricity and water. And you'll see added savings from a reduced use of detergent.

Definitely you want to get a low-VOC carpet - VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound and its nasty stuff - and most carpets continue to emit it for up to 7 years after you install it. It can cause allergies and all kinds of weird stuff.

So savvy carpet people have the answer - low-VOC carets and again, let Avalon Carpet and Tile show you their selection

Friends of mine who are looking to replace carpet in their offices really like Avalons Interface Flor, which are totally environmentally friendly carpet tiles that can be simply laid on the floor or glued. Check them out on Concord Pike or Kirkwood high or give me a call for more details