Although December 23rd is the first day of winter, for many areas of the country winter is already here. And because of the cold weather, heating bills will rise. However, there are some very simple things to keep heating costs down while keeping cozy.
To make your home cozy, begin with the windows. Windows are the biggest source of heat loss from our homes. If you own an older style home with single pane windows, you should definitely insulate your windows. It never hurts to insulate your windows no matter which kind you have. Window insulating kits can be purchased at most hardware stores. You can purchase the hardware for indoor and outdoor styles. When applied properly, the applications are invisible. Window insulation will make a huge difference in your home's heating bill.
Doors that are not tightly sealed can raise your homes heating costs drastically. To solve this problem, apply foam weather stripping around the inside and outside of the door to provide a tighter seal. To prevent drafts from the bottom of the door, add a rubber sweep.
Other sources of heat loss include electrical outlets, openings around pipes and air vents. Consider insulating your electrical outlets that are mounted to outside walls. You can find outlet insulating kits at any hardware store. Check the openings around your home's pipes and use caulk to seal any that have air movement. Use insulated covers over your air vents to prevent air loss in those areas.
Following these simple tips can help you feel cozy and save on your heating costs.
This will be one sweet December with many great holiday events in Tulsa , Oklahoma . The Tulsa
Performing Arts Center's holiday-themed shows will take center stage with everything from free concerts to traditional Christmas caroles.
Sweet December Events:
December 11-23 - Catch the most beloved productions of all time, A Christmas Carole. In tune with the Christmas Carole production, the set will feature authentic Victorian parlors and shops. There will be a large cast of adults and children to add to the joy of the tale.
December 12-20 - To balance the sweetness, the ATC will present the one-man show The Santaland Diaries. The play is of a humorist elf and his adventures as a Macy's department store elf. This production is for mature audiences, but never-the-less a great production.
December 12-21 - This is not the typical holiday fare, but Wind in the Willows is a wonderful musical story of friendship from the children's book by Kenneth Grahame. The story follows the adventures of Mr. Toad, Mr. Badger, Rat and Mole. Animal characters will be played by children ages 10-13.
December 13-21 - No holiday is complete without the traditional Nutcracker performance. This year, the Tulsa Performing Arts Center is very fortunate to host the ballet featuring one of the best dance companies in the country.
For tickets and show-times to any of these great events, call 596-7111 or visit online at www.myticketoffice.com.
We hope you get to attend one or more of these wonderful holiday events while in Tulsa this holiday season.
While many areas around the country have seen a drop in home values, Tulsa , Oklahoma has stayed the same. Home values didn't raise one single dollar over the last year, but in today's real estate market, it's good news not to see a drop in home values.
Homes that have been able to hold their value over this past year have been an amazing accomplishment. Most areas around the nation have seen a 9.7% drop in home values. Many people will agree that Tulsa is very healthy when compared to the rest of the country.
Although you can find a handful of other communities faring well, just about all of them can be found in the Midwest . Tulsa 's home sales are also doing better than the rest of the nation. But, home sales in Tulsa are down 1.7%. Compared to the nation's 3.3% drop, that's not too bad.
Tulsa's median home value in September 2008 was $127,000. It is the same exact value as it was last year in September. It is above the metro area median home value of $110,477 and below the national median home value of $202,966.
If you are one of many people still trying to find a good reason to relocate, you can definitely find one in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
Other Oklahoma median home values:
Bixby - $157,258
Broken Arrow - $133,065
Jenks - $156,744
Owasso - $140,806
Sand Springs - $107,419
Many of us in Tulsa , Oklahoma have been worried about the slumping national economy and tightening 
credit. But from the looks of it, Tulsa is doing quite well in the commercial real estate market.
Over the past year, more than 575,000 square feet of office space has been absorbed by commercial renters. Another 2.25 million square feet of industrial space was also absorbed this past year. Unlike the residential real estate market, commercial properties have seen less than 1% of default properties.
Tulsa is located in the northeastern section of Oklahoma . It's surrounded by wooded terrain and rolling green hills, making it one of the most beautiful places to live. Tulsa sits along Interstate 44 & 244 for added convenience. The area also has a pleasant climate making it even more perfect.
Tulsa's current economy is primarily made up of telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, aerospace, and transportation. Tulsa is also surrounded by several other great communities that would be ideal areas to start a business and raise a family.
So, if you are looking to start a business, we think Tulsa , Oklahoma is the place to do it.
Tulsa, Oklahoma has a great motto: "It's a good thing you're in Tulsa ." Those living in Tulsa can see these words all over the city on billboards, buses and television. So, if you live in Tulsa , give yourself a pat on the back. If you're looking to buy a home in a great city with a good housing market, Tulsa is the place to be.
Tulsa's property values have been stable for some time now and have been slightly increasing during 2008. Although new home construction has slowed, existing home inventory has done great. So, because of this great housing market, many Realtor associations across the state of Oklahoma have adopted their own motto. If you're in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , you will find "It's a good thing to be in Oklahoma City " advertised everywhere.
While the national housing market has been gloomy lately, the Tulsa housing market has almost been unaffected by the fall. Since Tulsa is situated in the central part of the country, it just hasn't experienced the huge increase of home values like Nevada , California , Florida and others did. So, in turn, the housing market has been able to remain stable.
Tulsa's economy has also held strong while other cities around the country are seeing a drop in their economy. Gas and oil have continued to help boost Tulsa 's economy and maintain job growth.
Recent statistics about Tulsa 's housing market show that home sales are slightly down, but the average home price is up 8.4% over the last four years.
To show how positive most people feel about the strong economy in Tulsa , the United Way is kicking off their annual fundraiser with a goal of over $23 million. That's a huge goal, but it can be met in Tulsa . In the Veros Real Estate Solutions latest report, it listed Tulsa as having the 5th strongest market in the Nation.
"It's a good thing you're in Tulsa," with such great news about the home-selling and home-buying market, why go anywhere else?
Visit our home & community resource center
Selling: Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Bixby, Keystone Lake, Berryhill, Sand Springs and Owasso
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2009 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
