Archives for April 2013

Buying your first home is an exciting milestone. For some, it's a dream come true and a proud personal achievement; for others, it's a promise for their family's future. Like any life-altering event, though, it can be overwhelming. Where do you start? How should you finance? What can you afford? The real estate jargon alone can be daunting for a first-time home buyer. Relax. We're here to help you Continue Reading

For homeowners who are in danger of losing their home to foreclosure, it is common to feel like they are alone and that no one can help. This simply isn’t true. There are real people who have been in the same situation who have found solutions. Take Lian S. of Lakewood Ohio, for example. For Lian, her financial troubles began with a miscommunication.   Lian and her husband had just had triplets Continue Reading

You only get one chance to get it right, or you will continually be behind the market and trying to catch up. The reasons homes do not sell are price, condition, and marketing in that order, or a combination of the three. Local experts estimate that 80% of the current listings are overpriced. According to real estate site RISMedia.com “even in a buyer’s market…if a home hasn’t sold in the first 21 Continue Reading

Chocolate Drop Cookies Get a double hit of chocolate with rich and chocolaty cookies topped with deep chocolate frosting. Prep Time 50Minutes Total Time 1:30Hr:Mins Makes  About 3 dozen cookies Cookies 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 1/3 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg 2 oz Continue Reading

For homeowners who are in danger of losing their home to foreclosure, it is common to feel like you are all alone and that there is no one who can help. This simply isn’t true. There are real people who have been in the same situation who have found solutions. Take, for example, Dan and Jessica M. of Grand Blanc Township, Michigan.For Dan and Jessica, their homeownership dream always involved Continue Reading

For many people, a home insurance policy is like a first aid kit: they know it's a good thing to have, but they don't open it up and poke around inside until they need it. Knowing what is and isn't covered by your homeowner's insurance, how much insurance you need to protect your property and what factors affect your premium could save you money—and prevent some unpleasant surprises. Whether Continue Reading

Here are a few statistics on just how important trees can be:   The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. —U.S. Department of Agriculture If you plant a tree today on the west side of your home, in 5 years your energy bills should be 3 percent less. In 15 years the savings will be nearly 12 percent. —Dr. Continue Reading

Cheese Dip 14 Reviews  Prep Time: 5 mins Total Time: 10 mins Servings: 4 Ingredients 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise 1/4 cup low-fat milk 4 ounces blue cheese ( about 1 cup) 1 tablespoon lemon juice ( fresh) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, Continue Reading

Impossible to find this sq. ft anywhere in the area. Owner with permits added a whole new custom kitchen and second level that offers a side by side custom refrigerator, Viking gas range, custom cabinets and gourmet touches. The master is down with 4 additional bedrooms, one Jack and Jill set up, a bonus room, new two tone paint, extended full length maintenance free covered patio, basketball Continue Reading

"I have to draw blackout curtains in the summer to keep the heat out.""My windows are ice-cold and drafty in winter.""The carpet and upholstery near my windows and sliding glass doors are fading."If this sounds familiar, you may be throwing money out the window. Hot spots in summer, drafts in winter and sun bleaching are telltale signs that your glass lacks the low-emissivity engineering found in Continue Reading