Selecting your logo colors is just as important as selecting the graphic and the font. Color can be a powerful psychological factor in developing your company's brand identity.

It's not just what your favorite color is, or the "trend color of the season." Colors are memorable and they send a message. So make sure it's the message you want to send.

Color Clues To Think About.

Red-  Denotes aggressiveness, passion, strength, and vitality. Next time the President addresses Congross, count the number of women wearing red suits and the number of men wearing red ties.

Orange- Denotes fun, cheeriness, and wan exuberance. Often used to highlight information or as an accent color.

Yellow- A sunny optimistic color that almost always evokes a positive response and gets people motivated.

Blue- Stands for authority, dignity, security, faithfulness. Blue in business implies fiscal responsibility (as opposed to debit/loss red) A pale blue or soft blue is a "cool" color.

Purple- Denotes sohpistication, spirituality, royalty, and mystery. In business it works well for upscale and artistic audiences. 

Green- Denotes tranquility, health, and freshness, aka "the green green grass of home". Dark green is money, while soft green is soothing.

Brown- Earthy (of course); but also subtle richness and utility. In business it signifies less important items in documents.

Black- Works well as a background color. It is classic, serious, and distinctive. It is dramatic when used in contrast with white.

White- Purity, truthfulness, angelic, and refined. "White space" is an important element in designing marketingmaterials or formatting copy. White livens dark colors.

Gray- Great Conservative color denoting authority, comberness, practicality.

So what message is "your" logo and marketing sending through color?

- It is customary to display the flag from sunrise to sunset on all days the weather permits. However, the flag may be displayed for 24 hours as long as at night it is properly illuminated with a spotlight.

- When displaying the flag either vertically or horizontally against a wall, the stars should be placed at the top of the flag's right and to the observer's left.

- The flag should be at the center, and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of states, localities, or societies are grouped in display. The flag or the United States is always the first flag raised and the last to be lowered.

- The U.S. flag when carried in a precession with another or other flags, should be either on the marching right (the flag's own right) or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line. Never display the U.S. fla from a float except from a staff, or so suspended that its folds fall free as though staffed.

Landscaping Tips from the Pros

  Injecting Color and beauty into your home's landscaping is more than just mowing the lawn and planting a few flowers. Design for functionality first when planning outdoor entertaining area; it's important to place key elements in the proper places. For entertainment purposes, the best laid plans are open, easy flowing and connected areas for all to see. Always remember the 60-30-10 rule when putting together the whole look: 60 percent dominant color, 30 percent secondary color and 10 percent accent

Make your outdoor living space sparkle

Selling tour home  in today's market is not an easy task.  Keep in mind  that the outside of your home is a strong selling point in the warmer months of the year.  Buyers  are thinking of backyard get togethers, picnics, and  barbecuing while roaming  on your property. It is a lifestyle that a buyer is looking for not just a house anymore. You can make your outdoor living sparkle by adding just a few items such as colorful flowers in pots, area rugs, and benches.  Start by removing and cleaning all exiting furniture from your outdoor area then rearrange it to make an outdoor room. A good cleaning after a long winter makes a big different in the appearance of your space.  It is as easy as painting the deck, removing excess furniture , buying new cushions and adding colorful pots of flowers to make a buyer see this as a paradise. The market today is very competitive: seller must make their property stand out from the rest.  

Helpful Hints For Winter

Keep your headlights clear with car wax! Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights -- lasts 6 weeks.

Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity.

Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Frost on it's way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water & spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they'll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water--preventing water from freezing!

Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors & rub it in with a paper towel.  The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber

Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield & wipe if off with paper towels. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.

De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key & the lock & the problems solved!

Solutions for a successful short sale.

1. Price the property correctly. Always remember that the third party still must accept the pricing. Do a detailed market analysis of homes in the area and price property accordingly. Keep a detailed log of any price changes to forward to the bank or third party.
2. Always prepare and present a full credit, financial and marketing package to the third party for an approval.
3. Communication is Key to getting third party approval. Make sure to communicate with everyone involved during the short sale process.
4. Timing is another important factor in a successful short sale. Know exactly how must time you client has prior to a foreclosure. Let your agent know how many mortgage payments that you had missed and what correspondence you have received from the bank.
5. Submit your complete file correctly. Always ask where the third party wants the package sent. Some want a fax, some an email, and some want a hard copy. Check what type of communication is required.
6. Present a reasonable offer including comparable from the area. Remember that the third party wants to sell the house at a reasonable number not just give the house away.
7. Make sure to present all offers with qualifying mortgage information or verification of cash. Send a copy of the buyers deposit check along with an escrow letter.  
8. Always send a complete package to the third party then follow up with a phone call to make sure that the package was received.

I hope that this short summary helps you in submitting offers to a third party.

Any additional information please email Valerie@belardoteam.com

Homebuyer Tax Credit Update  

Here are some pointers for the extended & expanded tax credits.

*First Time buyers 10% of Purchase price with a maximum of $8000.  

*Current Owners have an incentive up to $6500-Qualifed buyer must have owned /occupied a primary residence 5 of the last 8 years.   

*Income limits are expanded to $125,000 on a single return with a cap of $145,000 & $225,000 on a joint return with a cap of $245,000.

  *Maximum purchase price is $800,000.

  *New Deadline ...contracts needs to be in effect no later than April 30, 2010 and close no later than June 30, 2010.

  *A tax credit is a direct reduction in tax liability owned by an individual to the IRS. In the event that no taxes are owned then the IRS will issue a check for the amount of the credit back to the buyer. This credit does not require repayment unless at any time in the first 36 months of ownership the property is no longer your primary residents.

* IRS Form 5405 is used to determine your tax credit amount.

For all your Real Estate needs Call

The Valerie Belardo Team

ReMax Tri County

Res (609) 298-4283

(609) 587-9300 X420

Tips for the 1^st Time Home Buyers in the Marketplace today. 

1. Make sure that your finances are in order. Get a copy of your credit report and see what it looks like. Correct any blemishes on your credit.  

2. Mortgage and down payment is the next step in preparing to purchase a home. Talk with a qualified loan officer to get preapproved for a mortgage. Your Realtor can help you locate a qualified loan officer. 

3. Do your homework before looking at houses. What is important to you in a home? Let your Realtor know exactly what you are looking for in your first home.

 4. What is your move in date? When must you be in your new home? That will help determine what kind of listing you should see and if you may need a place to stay while waiting for closing.

 5. How long are you planning to stay in your first house? This will influence the type of mortgage and home that you buy.

 6. Review the total cost of all expenses involved in owning a home.  Don't become house poor.

 7. What professional are you going to hire to help with home inspections?? Is a home warranty a good thing to buy? Ask questions. 

8. Remember that there may not be the perfect house out there. Try to be realistic about what type of home you can afford at this time.  

9. Choose the best Realtor in your marketplace to help you.   

Extension of 1^st time Buyers Tax credits.

The Senate and the House have both passed legislation containing an extension and expansion of the homebuyer tax credit, sending this bill to President Obama for him signature. OBAMA SIGNED THE BILL

The $8000 tax credit (10% or the purchase price with a maximum of $8000) was due to expire November 30 will be extended through April 30 and buyers will have until June 30, 2010 to close. Making the mad rush to close deal prior to the November 30 deadline go away.

The legislation passed the bill that first time homebuyers (or buyers that have not owned a home in the last 3 years) will increase the income limit for couples to $225,000 and single buyers to $125,000. The move in buyer who has lived in a home for 5 out of the last 8 years will also be eligible for a tax credit of up to $6500 but must remain in the new residence for at least 3 years. This legislation is suppose to take effect December 1 and will not be retroactive and is available for primary residences only.

This new legislative package will also contain an expansion of unemployment benefits as well.      

Call if you have any questions relating to the FTB tax credit.

Call Valerie Belardo, ReMax Tri County, Res 609-298-4283