With energy costs climbing annually, keeping your house cool in summer can be a wallet-emptying exercise. Finding natural ways to keep cool can save you hundreds of dollars in a single season.
Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your house where you receive the most sunlight. Their leaves will provide cooling shade in the summer, and, when they shed in the winter, allow the sun to help warm your home. According to the USDA Forest Service, trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20 to 50 percent of the energy used for heating.
Use trees or shrubs to shade your air conditioning unit, windows or the sides of the house receiving direct sunlight.
Open your windows at night when it's coolest and shut them during the day to keep the cool air in and the hot air out.
Place a fan at the open basement door to bring cool basement air onto your main living level. Likewise, ceiling fans set to blow down provide exceptional cooling. Oscillating fans will also mimic tropical breezes, and, combined with some Hawaiian music and a cool fruit drink help remind you of why you waited all winter for summer heat.
Install white (reflective) window shades, blinds, or curtains and keep them closed during the days to keep the heat out.
Check out the latest green "air cooler," such as mini eco-ice coolers and ice air coolers. They use up to 75 percent less energy than air conditioners and can cool up to 150 square feet.
Realize that up to 60 percent of the heat entering your home comes through the ceiling and walls. If your attic insulation isn't up to snuff, upgrade it. Moving from three inches of insulation to 12 inches can cut cooling costs by 10 percent.
Finally, check into the feasibility of outdoor awnings over windows, and window tinting such as 3M ScotchtintTM which reflects up to 79 percent of the heat that would come through windows. Strategic investments today can pay for themselves in months and make summer much more enjoyable. Also, any upgrades you make to lower cooling costs will be beneficial when listing your home.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
For those coming into town for the 2009 Convention of the National Association of Realtors, I will be performing in my chamber music group on Friday afternoon, November 13, at 4:00 p.m., at the Pacific Regent in La Jolla, 3890 Nobel Drive.
The concert should last about 1½ hours, and the public is welcome, so if anyone wants to come up to La Jolla, enjoy a bit of classical music, and then go out to tour La Jolla afterwards and possibly have something to eat, call Russel Ray at 619-341-0173 (he also happens to be my page turner for the concert). Keep in mind that the best touring is during daylight hours, and darkness gets here around 6:00 p.m. now, but there are lots of good places to eat in La Jolla, especially if price is no object.
Following is the concert program:
Claude Debussy: Flower Child, Impressionist, Revolutionary
Joanne Regenhardt, Narrator Janelle DeStefano, Mezzo Soprano James Frimmer, Piano
C'est l'Extase - Janelle and James
General Lavine - James
Clair de Lune - James
Chevaux de Bois - Janelle and James
Sarabande - James
Pagodes - James
Serenade for the Doll - James
Sarabande Excerpt - James
Nuit D'Étoiles - Janelle and James
Beau Soir - Janelle and James
Il pleure dans mon coeur - Janelle and James
Pour Les Arpeges Composes - James
L'isle Joyeuse - James
About Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy (1862-1918), a French composer, one of the most important impressionist composers (even though he himself disliked the term), is also one of the more prominent composers from late 1890s and early 1900s.
Debussy began piano lessons at the age of 7, and at the age of 10 was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire where he studied for 11 years. In 1884 he won the prestigious Prix de Rome with his composition L'Enfant prodigue. His win resulted in a scholarship to the Académie des Beaux-Arts, which included a four-year residence at the Villa Medici, the French Academy in Rome. Much of his later music displayed harmonies and chords featuring dissonances that were never musically resolved. His harmonies, considered radical in his day, were influential to almost every major composer of the 20th century.
Performer Biographies
Joanne Regenhardt, narrator, has been known to San Diego audiences since 1955 when she represented San Diego in the San Francisco opera auditions and began signing with Starlight Opera. She has sung concerts throughout Southern California both in oratorio and in solo peformances withy symphony orchestras and in recitals. Her book of poetry, "Soundings," was published in 2002. Joanne is currently integrating narratives of musicians' lives into programs of their music, choosing aspects of the lives and musical selections which can be nejoyed in an intimate setting. She has done this with the lives and music of Johannes Brahms, Frederic Chopin, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and, of couse, Claude Debussy.
Janelle DeStefano, mezzo soprano, has been praised for her passionate delivery and rich, seamless voice. She has sung on regional operatic orchestral and musical theater stages throughout the United States. Recent roles have included Romeo in "I Capuletti e I Montecchi," Mrs. Winemiller in "Summer and Smoke," and the title role in Benjamin Britten's "The Rape of Lucretia." Janelle has a special interest in Spanish song and Zarsuela, and has performed at the Zarzuela Festival in Napa, California, as well as with the acclaimed early music ensemble, El Mundo. Janelle has won several vocal competitions, including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, San Diego District; the National Association of Teachers of Singing; and the Musical Merit Foundation. She currently is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
James Frimmer, piano, received his Bachelor of music and Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance from the University of Redlands in Redlands, California. While at the University of Redlands, James served as staff accompanist and was a winner of the University's concerto competition, the Redlands Bowl Young Artists Auditions and the Young Artists competition. He has performed in master classes of Daniel Pollack, John McCabe, and José Feghali. In addtion to being an active chamber musician in the San Diego area, James is also a Realtor with Century 21 Award in Mission Valley and the Operations Manager at Borders Books and Music at Plaza Bonita in National City.
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If you're looking for a great condominium in Mission Valley, the heart and soul of San Diego, please give me a call.
I'm available 24/7, so feel free to contact me by phone or email.
I thought this was a great post by Ben Giordano over in Boca Raton, Florida, that is probably relevant to every place else in the nation.
Comments have been disabled for this reblog, so if you like the information, click here to open a new window to Ben's post and tell him how much you appreciate it.
Some sellers in an attempt to save real estate commissions use various systems of FSBO (For Sale By Owner). Traditionally, FSBOs were not allowed in the MLS because no agent was involved and therefore did not benefit from Realtor.com.
With the emergence of Discount Brokers who offer flat fee MLS exposure, and therefore Realtor.com presence, FSBOs now had a platform that allowed them to save 50% of the commission since they did not pay a commission to the listing broker.
Then things got a little hairy when discounters started taking lots of listings and traditional agents started complaining to their MLS. Some MLS systems started restricting discounters which caused the Feds to get involved and make it illegal to restrict access to the MLS for discounters because of their business model.
Then sellers and discount brokers got a little craftier to save the seller 100% of the commission. Here is how it works: under most MLS rules you have to offer a co-broke to list in MLS but there is no minimum % as that would be a violation of antitrust laws. I have seen in my MLS some listings (over $200k) offering $250 total commission to the buyer's agent. These were listings from discounters who charge the sellers $200 to $500 to list in the MLS and allow exposure to Realtor.com. The seller's goal is obviously to have all the benefits of a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) with the big plus of Realtor.com exposure and pay close to nothing in commissions.
The interesting thing is that these sellers who think they can do it all by themselves and avoid commissions end up in most cases cheating themselves:
- anti-trust laws or not, no buyer's agent or brokerage can live on $250 or some other ridiculously low amount of co-broke. Do you know how long it takes to get a buyer in this market to make an offer ?
- if the buyer's agent is smart, they will have a Buyer-Broker agreement that would specify their min acceptable compensation. So guess what Mr not so smart seller, the offer you will get will be lower because the buyer is paying the commission now.
- most buyers today are working with agents. These buyers are educated in real estate thanks to all the good info available online, and they tend to pick experienced agents.
- the discount broker cannot offer any of the time consuming services a full service agent will offer when they are only charging a few hundred dollars to list. That may include any or all of the following: talking to you when you have questions, doing CMAs (Comparative Market Analysis), taking pictures, recommending staging or repairs, showing and selling the property, marketing it, negotiating, advising you...
- NAR (National Association of Realtors) statistics have shown that on average FSBOs sell for over 10% less than Realtor listings.
- Lastly, most of these FSBOs are way overpriced and will end up going back through the full service channels eventually as sellers come to their senses after a long frustrating time as FSBOs.
In a buyer's market, sellers need to put all of the advantages on their side and that includes paying a decent commission and working with a full service agent.
Selling the Best Waterfront Homes and Condos from Palm Beach to South Beach
Ocean, Intracoastal, and Canal Homes and Condos in the Following Coastal Cities: Palm Beach, Manalapan, Delray Beach, Highland Beach, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Lighthouse Point, Hillsboro Beach, Pompano Beach, Lauderdale by the Sea, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Golden Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Bal Harbour, Surfside, Miami Beach, and South Beach.
This is a great list for working with Appraisers, but much of it can also be applied to home inspectors and, in certain cases, can be relevant for listing agents to help Realtors show their properties.
Comments have been disabled on this post in my blog, so if you like what Greg has to say, click here to go to his post and leave him a comment. I'm sure he'll appreciate it.
During my 18 years as a Residential Appraiser, I've met with many different Real Estate Agents; some of whom knew what they were doing, and many who didn't have a clue. I found them all making a lot of the same mistakes about how they approached me. Here are just a few recommendations.
1) Have the property ready for inspection, with all utilities on and keys to all areas.
2) If the Appraiser shows up late, don't blow your top, at least not until the report is completed.
3) Don't follow them around like a little puppy dog, if they were Felons they wouldn't be appraising.
4) Try to be nice, even if you're not a nice person, they're not there to evaluate your persona, but rudeness won't help your cause. If you feel that you have to question their ability, be witty about it.
5) Don't tell them "the buyer is going to fix that after the close of escrow," they couldn't care less.
6) Don't try to hide deferred maintenance, like covering it up with a rug, it will only make them look closer for other possible defects.
7) If you're going to provide the Appraiser with sale comps, take the time to go over them with them, not just to shove them at them. If you know what you're talking about, they'll likely appreciate it.
8) Don't quote what another Appraiser said, period. Whether it's about value or otherwise.
9) Don't promise them future business if they do you a favor. This won't likely apply now that HVCC is in effect, but Realtors and Loan Officers alike have used that one to death. I never bought it, ever.
10) Be patient. Calling them 1 or 2 days after the inspection will only push their button. Call them on the 3rd day, and be polite. As with any person you have to deal with, be professional, and polite.
If you are a consumer who is considering buying or selling a home, investment real estate, vacation homes, or beach properties in Southern California, Los Angeles, Orange County, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Whittier, Brea, Fullerton, Anaheim, Placentia, Yorba Linda, La Mirada, Buena Park, Cypress, La Mirada, Hacienda Heights, or Norwalk. Feel Free to give me a call at 714.441.1987 (USA) or email me at wynng@roadrunner.com or visit my website at http://www.SoCalRealEstateBrokers.com
Are you missing a great opportunity to reach out to past Clients?
Even though any time is a great time to contact past Clients, there are some times that are just naturally better than others, and now is one of those times.
I take advantage of the end of daylight savings time to send a little postcard to my past Clients reminding them to check their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, change the batteries, and add them to their bedrooms if they don't have them there.
I'll also reference my ActiveRain blog, too, of course.
Feel free to modify and adapt for your use, but certainly don't miss out on this great opportunity to reach out to your past Clients with a valuable safety tip.
Our various home improvement stores, plumbers, electricians, door and window installers, garage door installers, and everyone else who works in and on real estate is inundating us with notices, advertisements, phone calls, and emails reminding us that the $1,500 federal tax credit for home improvements expires at the end of this month along with the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers.
Wow. That's a long sentence. I'm tired, now, but I go on....
Along with reminding your past and present Clients to change the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, remind them of the home improvement tax credit as well. Money is money, and every little bit helps!
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If you're looking for a great condominium in Mission Valley, the heart and soul of San Diego, please give me a call.
I'm available 24/7, so feel free to contact me by phone or email.
I've been over to the EPA web side to read what they have to say about mold.
I've read various Internet web sites about mold.
But tonight I found a series of blog posts by Eragorn Northe, a home inspector in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada, that I thought were really good and seem to bring so much information into just four posts that can either be reblogged to your own audience or referenced via a link when someone has a question.
I've noticed a lot of Featured Posts lately that have the word TEAM in their titles.
Some apparently like the team concept, while at least one didn't, although that one person likes to DO A LOT OF YELLING IN HER POSTS, so I rarely get past the first paragraph in any of here posts because I don't like people who yell and reading so many sentences done in ALL CAPITAL letters is just too tiring on the eyes.
Nonetheless, the posts I've read seem to be talking about teams in a traditional sense of having everyone be Realtors, Transaction Coordinators, phone clerks, etc.
My team is totally different, and I do believe that my team can easily be compared to medical teams, at least the medical teams that my PPO sends me to.
My general practitioner doctor has as members of his team a pediatrician, an OBGYN, a heart surgeon, a brain surgeon, an ear/nose/throat specialist, a dermatologist, etc. So when I go to him with a problem, and he determines that I need to see a throat specialist, he sends me to the one who is on his team.
My team includes my Power Partners. Power Partners are people whom you would call if you need their services for yourself. Mine for my real estate team include:
Other Realtors
Mortgage lenders
Home inspectors
Plumbers
Electricians
Roofing contractors
Landscapers
Heating and cooling professionals
Chimney sweeps
Door and window installers
Etc.
If you are not part of a traditional real estate team, and even if you are, create a team of professionals to help your Clients with any of their needs. It's a win-win-win-win-win-win-win for all involved.
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If you're looking for a great condominium in Mission Valley, the heart and soul of San Diego, please give me a call.
I'm available 24/7, so feel free to contact me by phone or email.
When you come to San Diego in a couple of weeks for the 2009 NAR Convention, put Cabrillo National Monument on your schedule of things to do.
It doesn't matter whether the day is sunny and clear, cloudy and raining, or just some good ol' Los Angeles haze, the views of North Island Navy Base, downtown San Diego, the Silver Strand, the Hotel del Coronado, and Tijuana are unmatched from anywhere else in the area.
Yesterday was, perhaps, the most beautiful day at Cabrillo that I've ever seen in the 31 years I've lived here, so I got some great pictures to share with you. If you slide show here doesn't work on your computer, simply click on "View All Images" to watch it at slide.com.
Most of my blog posts in November before the Convention will be about San Diego: restaurants, tourist traps, etc., and I'll post everything to the 2009 NAR Convention San Diego Group, so check in there regularly.
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If you're looking for a great condominium in Mission Valley, the heart and soul of San Diego, please give me a call.
I'm available 24/7, so feel free to contact me by phone or email.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
I've read a lot of posts about mold.
I've noticed a lot of Featured Posts lately that have the word TEAM in their titles.
When you come to San Diego in a couple of weeks for the 2009 NAR Convention, put Cabrillo National Monument on your schedule of things to do.
;)
;)
