Peter Testa

A central air conditioning system can provide years of satisfactory cooling with relatively little maintenance. However, a seasonal start-up check and periodic maintenance is recommended.

Homeowner Checklist

The amount of do-it-yourself air conditioning maintenance a homeowner can do is limited. However, there are a few steps that can help the system operate trouble-free and minimize the potential for consequential damage. Ensuring adequate airflow is perhaps the most important homeowner responsibility.

Homeowners can (following manufacturer instructions):

• Clean or replace the filter(s) regularly.
• Keep leaves and other debris off the condensing unit.
• Keep the condensing coils clean by carefully brushing and hosing them.
• Keep shrubs and other plant growth that might obstruct airflow at least 18 inches away from the condenser.
• Maintain insulation on ductwork in attics and other unconditioned areas.
• Check the condensate drain for any sign of blockage or leakage. Water should be dripping from this drain line when the unit is running.
• Keep room input and return registers clear of furniture or other obstructions.

Selecting Trained Professionals

If your air conditioner needs more than the regular maintenance described here, consult a qualified air conditioning technician. A well-trained professional can provide a thorough pre-season or maintenance evaluation and servicing as needed. Insufficiently trained service technicians forsake proper diagnostic procedures and often only perform stop-gap measures to keep a unit going. Such short-sightedness can have a drastic effect on other components leading to consequential failure of the entire system.

At a minimum, a technician should:

• Check that the system contains the correct amount of refrigerant.
• Test for refrigerant leaks.
• Check for and seal duct leakage.
• Clean the blower components.
• Measure airflow through the evaporator coil.
• Verify the correct electric control sequence.
• Inspect electric terminals, clean and tighten connections.
• Oil motors and check belts for tightness and wear.
• Check the condensate system for backup or leakage.
• Check operating temperatures and pressures.
• Check the accuracy of the thermostat.

Be careful who you choose to work on your Central Air system. Service people vary from best to worst. In the Danbury, CT area I highly recommend New England Air Systems for honest maintenance & repair of your Central Air Conditioning unit.

The number of home sales contracts signed in April continued to bounce back from record lows hit last winter, according to a widely watched industry report. This is the third consecutive month of gains.

The Pending Home Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors rose 6.7% in April after jumping 3.2% in March. That was far above the forecasts of experts surveyed by Briefing.com, who predicted a 0.5% increase. The index was 3.3% higher than 12 months earlier.

Pending home sales are a forward-looking indicator since many of the contracts don't result in completed deals for many weeks or months.

"Housing affordability conditions have been at historic highs, but now the $8,000 first-time buyer tax credit is beginning to impact the market," said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist in a prepared statement. "Since first-time buyers must finalize their purchase by Nov. 30 to get the credit, we expect greater activity in the months ahead, and that should spark more sales by repeat buyers."

The credit allows many homebuyers who have not owned a home in the past three years to claim up to an $8,000 refund on their taxes. The result has been a flood of first-time homebuyers even into lukewarm markets.

Low prices- Also driving sales is falling home prices. The national median home price is down more than 30%, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. That has drawn many bargain-hunting homebuyers back into the market.

Mortgage rates in April were also very favorable, averaging well under 5% for a 30-year, fixed-rate loan. However, rates have risen recently.

All those factors have raised NAR's index of affordability to near record highs. It went up to 174.8 in April from an upwardly revised 171.9 in March, its second highest monthly reading ever. This index measures the relationship between home prices, mortgage interest rates and family income.

Regionally, the biggest improvement in home sales came in the Northeast, where they shot up 32.6%. Sales ramped up 9.8% in the Midwest, inched up 1.8% in the West and cooled 0.2% in the South.

Also boosting sales, according to NAR president Charles McMillan, a Coldwell Banker broker in Dallas, is that some states and non-profit agencies are helping first-time homebuyers come up with down payments.

"Some states are offering bridge loans that allow first-time buyers to use the tax credit for down payment and closing costs, but there are many other local government and nonprofit programs available to buyers, depending on location," he said.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced last week an additional program that enables homebuyers to add the tax credit to their down payments on FHA mortgages at closing, which should also help to enhance affordability and give a push to home sales.

This article has been edited from it's original format. Original article written by Les Christie, CNNMoney.com staff writer

Most Sellers who stop making mortgage payments and are headed into default have the option to do a Short Sale on their home. There are numerous benefits to selling the property before the foreclosure is finalized.

On Short Sales buyers and investors negotiate with the bank through the homeowner's Real Estate Agent. Accomplishing a Short Sale before the home foreclosure helps preserve the Seller's credit, greatly minimizing the amount of time it will take for their credit to be restored. Letting the bank take the house is one of the worst decisions a homeowner can make. By defaulting on the largest loan one can take you destroy your credibility with credit institutions for as many as 8 years or more!

If the home is worth less than the outstanding mortgage balance the difference can be negotiated with your lender by your Real Estate Agent.

It costs the Seller nothing to do a Short Sale. Real estate commissions, attorney fees & back taxes are all paid for by your lender because lenders don't want your home!! Banks are more than willing to negotiate a Short Sale on your home so that they do not have to incur the burden of selling the house themselves.

To qualify for a Short Sale one must simply have a hardship that is preventing them from paying their monthly mortgage.

If you are interested in finding out more about the short sale process & how an experienced Short Sale Agent can help you avoid foreclosure contact Peter Testa at (203) 442-3873 or email me at PETERTESTA@yahoo.com - I have saved countless homeowners from going through the foreclosure process- Contact me and let me tell you how I can help you!