bonita springs homes: Floating homes: Pro's and Cons
- 09/27/14 02:16 AM
Pros and Cons of Living on the Water Singer Otis Redding sat on the dock of the bay, wrote a song about it, and made millions of dollars. What his song didn't tell us, however, is that he was sitting on a docked houseboat in Sausalito, Calif., and the "bay" is Richardson Bay. Houseboat living was definitely the inspiration for the singer's all-time biggest hit. People all over the world live on boats - from fishing trawlers to yachts - but the houseboats most popular in the United States are flat-bottomed and "designed to be floating cottages," according to Jennie L. Phipps, writing … (0 comments)
Social media facts I took from reputable sites: • On average, in the course of a year, we will share 415 pieces of content on Facebook; we’ll spend an average of about 23 minutes a day on Twitter, tweeting a total of around 15,795 tweets; we’ll check in 563 times on Foursquare; upload 196 hours of video on YouTube, and send countless emails. • Facebook now has over 1 billion active users. That means that one out of every seven people in the world has a presence … (1 comments)
bonita springs homes: How to Create a Butterfly Garden Behind Your Florida Home.
- 07/08/14 12:34 AM
How to Create a Butterfly Garden Who doesn't love a butterfly? Most people think of aesthetic value when they consider the benefits of butterflies. But beyond their good looks, butterflies are an important link in the ecosystem. The adult insects and their larvae are critical to the food chain and provide nutrition for many birds, bats, and insect-eating animals. When butterflies start to disappear, the health of the rest of the ecosystem is drawn into question. On a very small scale, your butterfly garden can help piece together their fragmented habitat. What Can Gardeners Do to Protect Butterflies? If you want … (0 comments)
bonita springs homes: Creating a Garden Your Kids Will Love
- 06/02/14 02:25 AM
Creating a Garden Your Kids Will Love Gardens don't have to be off-limits to children. In fact, creating a designated garden area for your kids can provide hours of fun as well as opportunities for learning. If you have limited space, allocating even a small garden bed for your child to care for can give him a sense of accomplishment and an ongoing project that changes with the seasons. Here are some tips for creating a garden space that works for children and grown-ups alike.
Make the Garden Interactive A garden space for kids is not something to be admired … (7 comments)
Most real estate agents have tales of clients who just can't seem to look beyond a home's minor flaws, be they ratty floors or sagging screens. Then, there are those clients who can envision the possibilities of a house that's seemingly being held up by a prayer. If you fall into the latter category but are short on cash, here's a solution: a government-backed loan that covers not only the purchase price of the home, but the cost to rehab it as well. It's a loan provided by … (4 comments)
bonita springs homes: Chemical Free Weed Prevention?
- 05/19/14 04:24 AM
Chemical-Free Weed Prevention Tactics If there's one thing all gardeners hate, it is weeds. Fortunately, there are a number of chemical-free tactics you can use to control weeds in your garden. And in the long run, most of them will be cheaper than spending money on toxic, synthetic chemical weed controls. A weed, by definition, is any plant that grows in a place where it's not wanted. With that thought in mind, let's discuss some weed prevention tactics.
Prevent Weeds Naturally With Other Plants If you want chemical-free weed control, plant other plants. That's right. Plant the plants that you … (3 comments)
bonita springs homes: Good Credit but No Down Payment? There's a Loan for That!
- 05/19/14 04:01 AM
So, Warren Buffet spends more on dinner than you make in a month, and you've never required the services of an investment banker, but you have good credit and you long to own your own home. What if we told you that there is a mortgage loan program out there for people just like you and (here's the best part) it requires no down payment? Despite what you may have been hearing in the media about lenders tightening their belts and mortgage requirements becoming more stringent, the USDA offers a zero-down mortgage for folks who don't make gobs of money.
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bonita springs homes: Tips for Decorating Small Spaces
- 05/18/14 11:58 PM
City dwellers, college students, retirees and many others often choose to live in condos, apartments, lofts, or small homes. The key to maximizing these living quarters is to take advantage of the space that is available, making it functional while utilizing the right décor to create a roomier, airy feel. Here are some tips to help make this happen, wherever your small space might be. Choosing a Color Palette Choosing the proper color scheme is absolutely critical to small interior décor. Although obviously still a matter of personal preference, it's best to go with light colors throughout. It's not uncommon to see an … (2 comments)
bonita springs homes: Scoping Out a Neighborhood in Cape Coral or Fort Myers.
- 03/13/14 09:41 PM
Scoping Out a Neighborhood Homebuyers enter the process with one of two mindsets. There are those who know what kind of house they want – the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the type of kitchen and maybe whether or not they want a yard. Then there are those who knowwhere they want to live, such as a specific school district or neighborhood, but haven't completed a wish list of home features. Seldom does a homebuyer tell her real estate agent that she wants a "three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a gourmet kitchen, a fireplace and a pool in the backyard, located on J Street … (1 comments)
bonita springs homes: Growing the perfect herb garden for the perfect house.
- 03/06/14 11:11 PM
Tips for Growing an Herb Garden Herbs are some of the easiest, most versatile and useful plants to grow. If you're going to start a garden for the first time, try growing herbs. Many of them grow with very little care, and if you live in a condominium or townhome with limited space, herbs can easily be grown in containers. Whether you've got acres of land or just a few pots on a patio, here are a few tips for growing a successful herb garden.
Tip #1: Grow Herbs You'll Eat There's no sense in growing herbs you won't eat. … (0 comments)
bonita springs homes: Retirement: Is This a Good Time to Downsize?
- 03/06/14 10:57 PM
Retirement: Is This a Good Time to Downsize? Moving into a smaller home – downsizing – isn't just a way to save creaky knees from the two-story monster where you raised your family. It's also a way to free up equity to use during retirement. Although Americans lost a substantial amount of home equity during the housing crisis, older Americans fared better than most. In fact, in 2010 the median home equity for those between the ages of 55 and 64 was $100,000, according to Reuters. Americans aged 65 and over did even better; they typically claimed $135,000 in home equity. This is … (0 comments)
bonita springs homes: Budgeting to Buy a Home?
- 02/27/14 01:13 AM
Budgeting to Buy a House No matter how good the credit rating, today's homebuyer no longer has the luxury of buying with little or zero down. Unless you are low-income with good credit, or a veteran, no-down loans are also a thing of the past. Most lenders today want at least 20 percent of the loan amount as a down payment on a house. For a home priced between $168,300 and $287,500, a homebuyer would need to come up with between $33,660 and $57,500 just for a down payment. Then, there are closing costs to consider. These vary by state, but figure … (0 comments)
bonita springs homes: Buyer's View: Fort Myers homes in short sale vs. Foreclosure.
- 01/12/14 09:01 PM
Buyer's Perspective: Short Sales vs. Foreclosures They are known as "distressed properties," when in reality they are properties that belong to distressed homeowners. Foreclosed properties and those being sold short are homes that the homeowner can no longer afford, for any number of reasons. If you have your heart set on purchasing from among an area's distressed properties, you may have to look a bit harder for them than you would have last year. The number of foreclosures on the market dwindled 22 percent in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the first quarter of 2012, according to RealtyTrac. The number of … (5 comments)
Winter or summer, one thing is almost certain – the temperature outside your home doesn't match the temperature within. But, unless your home is properly sealed and weatherproofed, the conditions outside have a good chance of affecting your comfort inside. A leaky house also means extra energy consumption for your heating and air system, leading to higher utility bills and environmental stress. The solution is simple: Weatherproof your home with a few quick, easy methods that won't break your wallet.
1. Break Out the Caulk If you measured every gap, crack, and … (1 comments)
bonita springs homes: DIY Flooring Installation
- 11/25/13 02:35 AM
Installing a new floor is a great way to liven up your house. Before you change your floor, however, you need to decide what type of flooring is best suited to your budget and lifestyle. Hardwood floors are a classic choice, while many homeowners prefer the ease of tile or the affordability of laminate flooring. While some floors can be installed by an inexperienced homeowner, other floor types require the services of a professional or an experienced handyman. Hardwood Flooring Hardwood floors have always been a popular choice. Beautiful, traditional wood floors can last a lifetime if properly maintained and, because … (0 comments)
bonita springs homes: The Federal Reserve and Interest Rates. What you should know.
- 10/31/13 01:16 AM
Factors Affecting Mortgage Interest Rate Changes There's more to the cost of owning that dream home than the price the seller is asking for. The interest rate on your mortgage loan affects the price and how much you'll pay every month to your mortgage company. Comparing mortgage interest rates is important because they may change daily, and different rates may be associated with different types of loans. With variable-rate or adjustable-rate mortgages, it is understood from the outset that the loan's interest rate will change over time, becoming higher or lower depending on the current economic climate. Let's look at why … (0 comments)
bonita springs homes: 5 Tips for the BEST home showings.
- 10/29/13 01:50 AM
5 Tips For The Best Home Showings Home routines tend to come to a standstill while your home is on the market. The need to keep the house clean - and not scare potential homebuyers away - means that kids can't throw their school books on the dining room table, Dad has to pick up his stinky socks, and even the pets need to toe the line. Keeping the house clean is a good first step toward presenting the home in the best light. But it isn't the only step.
1. Odors Have you ever walked into a home and been … (9 comments)
bonita springs homes: SW Florida getting low on homes for sale. Buyers worry.
- 04/17/13 02:46 AM
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla. MetroU.S. While Canada accounts for about two-thirds of foreign-buyer activity in the area among those who use non-U.S. home addresses, Germany follows at 9 percent, and the U.K. at 4 percent, according to DataQuick. Cape Coral-Fort Myers accounted for 8 percent of international sales in Florida in the 12 months through June 2011, according to NAR's 2011 Profile of International Homebuyers in Florida. Cape Coral was the ninth most popular … (0 comments)
That fact, in and of itself, while impressive is somewhat known. What we haven’t known is HOW buyers look at specific listings online. Prof. Michael Seiler of Old Dominion University at Norfolk recently tracked eye movement(s) of people viewing online home listings. The study was called: "Toward an Understanding of Real Estate Home Buyer Internet Search Behavior: An Application of Ocular Tracking Technology." Can you guess which part of the online listing got the most attention? The least? According to the study: The … (2 comments)
bonita springs homes: Buying a SW Florida home this year?
- 03/04/13 10:13 PM
Experience As an Real Estate company and an expert in this local area, my team brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise about buying and selling real estate in Lee County. It's not the same everywhere, so you need someone you can trust for up-to-date information. I am eager to serve you. Here are some of the things my company and I can do for you: Find Your Next HomeYou need someone who knows this area inside and out! I can work with you to find the right home at the right price for you, including all the neighborhood amenities that … (0 comments)
Pros and Cons of Living on the Water
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