Welcome to Southwest Florida Real Estate

Posts tagged ‘House’

A Bit About Mold

There are a number of little things to look out for when purchasing a new home. Normally the things to consider includes such things as location, wiring, the condition of the house itself, and several other factors. One of these factors that the home buying public is becoming more concerned with is mold. There are many different types of mold that can occur in a home and lead not only to structural damage, but some health concerns as well. Mold is difficult to find in many homes as it grows exclusively in dark and moist areas that are usually hidden somewhere in the structural areas of the home such as attics and basements. By the time mold shows up in the actual living areas, chances are that it is all through the home.

One of the most likely places for mold to form is anywhere that moisture is improperly vented. Another area of concern is if a home has ever flooded and was not completely or properly cleaned and dried after. Leaky plumbing and basement crawlspaces are other likely candidates. Mold can be a difficult thing to completely get rid of as the only thing it needs to continue growth is an organic material such as wood, and moisture. Both of these items are usually abundant in any home. The most likely was that moisture finds its way into the home is through faulty or leaky roofs and foundations. Both of these areas should be checked over by an experienced mold inspector on a fairly regular basis if there is any worry of mold beginning to grow, or if these has been mold in the past. Mold can be an expensive problem to deal with so be pro-active about looking for it, it can save you money in the long run.

Advertisement

Category:

Buyer Tips, For The Home, Helpful Tips, Real Estate News, Seller Tips, SW Real Estate News

Tagged with:

Mortgage Points

If you have ever gone looking for quotes on a mortgage in order to find out just what a mortgage might cost you, you have probably had the term points thrown at you. So what are points?

Each point is a fee and it is based on one percent of the total amount of the loan. There are a couple of different points, there are discount points and then there are origination points and lenders do not all charge the same amount of these points. Some lenders will charge you one point while others may charge you three.

Discount points are the points that are like prepaid interest on your loan that you are getting for your new home. Every point that you purchase will lower your interest rate to some extent. Most borrowers will be able to choose just how many points they want to purchase. There is a limit of course, usually around four points. The number of points that you choose to buy will depend on how much you want to lower you interest rate. One especially good point of these points is the fact that they are tax-deductible.

Origination fees are different. These fees are used in order to pay for the costs of giving you the loan in the first place. You don’t get anything out of these points so most borrowers don’t like them as they are not even tax-deductible. If you can try to get a loan that does not require you to get these types of points. Discount points on the other hand can be useful to you.

The choices that you make concerning the points to get will be affected by a couple of different things. For example, how long are you going to be living in this house? And how much of a down payment are you going to be putting down? If you are thinking of settling into this house for the long haul then perhaps discount points are a good way for you to go. Lowering your interest rate for years to come is always a good thing. Before making your decision take stock of your situation and see what suits your needs best.

Category:

Buyer Tips, Mortgages, Re - Financing, Real Estate News, Real Estate Tips, Seller Tips, SW Real Estate News

Tagged with:

When Your Home Is Not Selling

As the real estate market returns to a normal pattern of buying and selling, some sellers are easily frustrated. If your home is not selling, here are a few practical tips.

When Your Home Isn’t Selling

Selling a home is similar to a job interview or a first date. Presentation tends to go a long way in determining the outcome. That might sound a bit shallow, but it is simply a fact of life in many endeavors including real estate. To this end, sellers have developed bad habits when it comes selling their home out of the recent hot seller’s market. A few basic tips can get you back on track. 

Most real estate comes with a garage. If you have lived in the property for any amount of time, you have undoubtedly stored numerous things in your garage. I have! When the time comes to sell your property, however, you need to give your garage the once over. Items you consider priceless heirlooms might be considered junk by buyers. A messy garage is also a negative. Remember, buyers expect you to have the home in pristine condition. Anything that does not reflect that will hurt you in the eyes of these individuals.

Undoubtedly, your home has some amazing interior features. Instead of just assuming the potential buyer understands the value of them, you should highlight the features. The best method for doing this is lighting. Make sure you have sufficient lighting in the relevant area by opening drapes or going with more powerful light bulbs. If you have beautiful marble flooring and counters in your kitchen, make sure there is sufficient lighting to make them stand out. 

Your lawn is the first thing a potential buyer is going to see when they pull up to the property. Keep it trimmed and cut back any jungles. Give some thought to the walkway to the front door. Planting flowers and such can go along way. 

Make sure the entrance is a positive aspect of your home, not a negative. Make sure the front door is in perfect shape. The entry area should also be focused on. Add plants, rugs and what have you to make a good impression. Next, walk in through the front door and take in the view. Is there anything that gives you pause and can be improved? If so, do it!

The real estate market has cooled to the extent that homes are not selling in three days anymore. Return to the basic fundamentals of selling a home is the key to getting the offer you need.

Category:

For The Home, Real Estate Tips, Seller Tips

Tagged with:

Must Have Accessories for All Backyard Activities

Backyard activities, there are literally an unlimited number of them. Whether you enjoy the water, playing sports, or just relaxing, there is likely at least one backyard activity that will appeal to you or to your family. While backyard activities are nice, there are many that require the purchase of equipment or additional accessories. If you are interested in participating in a popular backyard activity, you may want to first examine the equipment or supplies that you may need.

One popular backyard activity that many enjoy may not really even be considered an activity. When relaxing, many individuals are taking a small break. However, in addition to using relaxation as a break from many other activities, there are others who use it just for the purpose of taking in a piece environment. Many enjoy just sitting outside alone, reading a book, doing homework, or working on other projects. While it nice to relax outside, you will need to have the proper equipment. This equipment often includes patio or lawn furniture.

While patio and lawn furniture is most commonly used for relaxation, it is also important for other activities, such as eating or outdoor crafts.  In fact, whether you regularly participate in backyard activities or not, it may be a good idea to have patio furniture on hand.  If you do not already have lawn furniture, you may want to start looking for some. You can easily find a selection of patio sets or picnic tables online or at most retail stores. In addition to patio furniture, you may also want to bring a small pillow or blanket outside.

Depending on the amount of time you plan on staying in your backyard, you may also want to bring out a few snacks and drinks.  Whenever you are outdoors, especially during the summer, it is important that you pick your drinks and snacks wisely. During the hot weather, you are advised to stay away from caffeinated beverages or sugary drinks. Instead of a sports drinks or soda, water may be a safer and healthier alternative. As with your drinks, you may also want to avoid snacks that are high in sugar. 

Aside from lawn furniture and snacks, most of the other equipment and accessories you will need will depend on what you are doing. For instance, if you are planning on swimming, you will want to look into purchasing pool accessories and pool supplies.  Depending on the type of pool you have, these supplies may include, but should not be limited to, pool toys, pool furniture, lifesaving devices, pool fixtures, and pool cleaning supplies. For more information on the accessories and supplies available for pools, you may want to visit the website of an online pool retailer or your local pool supply store.

Even if you are unable to have a pool, you can still enjoy a number of different backyard water activities.  Many individuals, especially teenagers, enjoy playing with water balloons or water guns. For a more relaxed water activity, you may want to look into purchasing a water sprinkler. Water sprinklers are a nice alternative to swimming pools.  In addition to purchasing water guns, water balloons, or a sprinkler, you may also need to purchase a garden hose.  Garden hoses are available for sale at most retail stores, including hardware stores, sports stores, and traditional department stores.

Outdoor sports games, in addition to swimming and other water activities, are also enjoyed by many. If you or your family is interested in playing backyard sports, you may need to purchase some sports equipment. The equipment that you need to have will all depend on which specific games you are planning on playing. For instance, if you are interested in playing volleyball, you will need to purchase a volleyball and a volleyball net. In addition to volleyball, other popular backyard sports games include baseball, softball, soccer, and kickball.

Whether you and your family decide to participate in one of the above mentioned backyard activities or another, it is important that you have the needed supplies and equipment. A baseball game just isn’t the same without a glove; in fact, it may even make the sport dangerous. That is why it is important that you know what accessories are needed to make your next backyard outing safe and enjoyable.

Category:

Backyard Activities

Tagged with:

Theft Proofing Your Mailbox

Although most people only think about their home and property when dealing with home security, the mailbox is equally as important.  On a daily basis, there is a lot of personal information that goes through your mailbox.  Even though burglary is a concern, identity theft is just as big of a concern as well.  Most people don’t even think about theft proofing their mailboxes, which easily explains the increase in identity theft over the years.  Almost all mailboxes can be easily broken into, giving thieves instant access to personal information.

Even though there are many mailbox designs in the United States, most of them are outdated in terms of security.  They may perform their duties of receiving mail quite well, although they normally don’t offer the security needed to protect people from identity theft.  These days, identity theft is a common thing – simply because people don’t do a better job with protecting their mailbox.

Each and every day we all get personal information delivered to us by mail.  In some cases, we get credit card offers or bills that contain our personal information.  Although we don’t think anything about it, most of us head out to our mailbox, collect the mail, and then go back in our houses.  All it takes is a thief to beat you to the mailbox, just a couple of minutes.  Once the thief has collected a few pieces of your mail, he can easily use your personal information to charge credit cards and other bad things using your identity.

To protect yourself against identity theft you should always include your mailbox in your plans for home security.  The mailbox is very important, and should always be protected.  If you have a traditional mailbox now, you should get rid of it immediately.  As a replacement, you should look into a safe and secure mailbox.  The ideal types are those made of solid steel.  The top of the box should be accessible to the mailman, allowing him to put the mail in without a problem.  The bottom side of the mailbox however, should only be accessed via key.  Mailboxes that require a key to get into will protect you from identity theft – as the thief simply won’t have access to your mail.

You can find secure mailboxes at a local hardware or department store, even online.  There are very affordable these days and will go a long way in protecting you for identity theft.  Mailboxes that are constructed from solid steel are nearly impossible to break into, yet they will open easily for you to check your mail with the lock and key system.  The next time you go out to the mailbox to check your mail – you should think twice about your safety and theft proof your mailbox to protect yourself and your loved ones from identity theft.

Category:

For The Home, Home Security

Tagged with:

Dieting for Children

It is difficult in the world we live in to watch as so many children are literally overburdening their bodies at such young ages by being overweight. These children simply cannot run, jump, and play with the other children because their bodies simply will not allow them to do so. For these children, dieting is almost a necessity despite our best efforts to insulate them from the self-esteem issues that often accompany obesity.

If you have a child that is well outside the normal weight range for his or her age you are the one who must make the efforts and take the necessary steps to ensure they shed those pounds in order to live a life that is as close to normal as possible. The first thing you need to do however is consult with your child’s doctor about the best possible course of action that will also safeguard the health of your child.

Put quite frankly however, if you do not take the efforts to assist your child in shedding those pounds you are placing the health of your child at risk. We do not let our children play in the street, we don’t let them run with knives, why on earth would we allow them to commit suicide by Twinkie? If you have a child that is overweight, the following tips should help you and them with their dieting.

First of all, do not make food a punishment or a reward. Food is part of the problem with your children and you do not need to use it against them. Instead, introduce them to healthy alternatives. Do not keep the junk in the house and do not let them purchase lunch at school. Pack their lunches for school so that you know what they are eating. If you don’t give them junk food they cannot have it when at home and you can work to insure that they can’t get their hands on junk food when they leave the house.

Incorporate healthy snacks into your families eating plan rather than junk food. Fresh fruit, cut up vegetables, nuts, and frozen yogurt are good healthy snacks for your kids. When in doubt consult the food pyramid but watch calories in the process. You want your children to eat a well-balanced diet while eliminating junk food and sweets for the best result.

Cut out the juices and pop. This may be a huge ordeal in your house but the greatest gift you can offer your child is a deep and abiding appreciation for water. Water works to make their bellies feel full and keeps them hydrated for the added activities you should be introducing into their routines.

Have them take dance, take up a sport, or simply get out and run around the yard. The worst thing you can do is to allow your children to become comatose television, computer, or video game zombies. Get them out and get them active. This helps in two ways. First of all, they aren’t eating if they are outside playing and having a good time. Second, they are burning calories as they play which is a huge bonus in the dieting process for your children.

As your child begins to take off the weight you should begin to notice a very profound difference in not only the way he or she carries his or herself but also in his or her interactions with others. Your child will experience restored and renewed self-confidence as the pounds come off and the teasing at school stops.

If you are at a complete loss as to how to help your child take the weight off there are camps that are designed specifically to deal with weight issues and building self-esteem in children ages 7-19. One of these camps may be just the answer you are looking for. Another thing to consider is to lead by example. If you don’t eat the junk food, if you are active, and if you do not engage in emotional overeating your child will not be learning those behaviors from you or having them reinforced by you.

Category:

Healthy Dieting Tips

Tagged with:

Skiing at the Big White Resort

The world-famous Big White resort in Canada is home to some of the nation’s greatest skiing.  Renowned for its high quality snow, and simply breathtaking scenery, Big White is an ideal resort for skiers of any age or ability.  In the shadow of the Monashee Mountains, the Big White is a world-class ski resort, with a reputation to back it up.  With over 20 feet of fresh snowfall every year, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Big White was unpleasant climate wise – more often than not, the sun is shining, the ski is fresh, and everyone can have a great time.

And what’s more, staying at the Big White resort couldn’t be more comfortable.  With so many different types of accommodation, you can find a place that’s ideal, right on the doorstep of the fantastic slopes.  British Columbia is recognized as one of the world’s greatest skiing regions, and if Big White is anything to go by, that really isn’t a surprise.

With 16 ski lifts, and a total capacity of over 28,000 skiers every single hour, Big White has the feeling of a small resort whilst still catering for a diverse range of visitors.  This means you’re sure to meet new friends on your stay, but you can also find some privacy if that’s what you’d prefer.  The Big White has it all when it comes to keeping you happy, and that is why its visitors just keep coming back for more, year on year.

The Big White resort guarantees quality skiing for all visitors.  With its innovative ski lifts, and its simple dedication towards standards, you’ll feel like Royalty on their pristine slopes.  The fine, powdery snow is amazing for anyone to try out, and it can be a real novelty for those inexperienced skiers and experts alike.  But if there is one thing overall that you’ll take away from your visit, it is the simple attraction of the place.  A winter scene that could so easily be the product of fiction, the Big White resort is a stunning location for any vacation, and a resort that consistently earns its place within the top 100 resorts in the world.

And if you have a family, relax!  Big White is fully equipped to handle the needs of family skiing vacations, and the friendly staff make for a completely relaxed atmosphere.  At Big White, you’ll feel right at home in any of their comfortable gourmet restaurants, or indeed any of their high quality family themed diners.

Big White also offers expert tuition for those who are just beginning to ski, or indeed for the cubs!  Not only is this a great way to get the kids out of your hair for a few hours, but you can also help them maximise their enjoyment of the vacation, by improving their abilities on the slope.  Whatever you choose to do at Big White, and wherever you choose to stay, you can rest assured that you will love every single minute, and you’ll surely recommend it to your friends and family.  So why not consider the Big White for your next skiing vacation, and visit one of the world’s most acclaimed ski resorts?  With such top-notch facilities, and a growing reputation, the Big White can only go from strength to strength, and is something definitely not to be missed.

Category:

Skiing Locations

Tagged with:

The Incredible Value of the New York Pass

If you’re planning to visit New York City it really pays to make the investment in The New York Pass. This pass will allow you free entrance into some of the biggest attractions that New York has to offer in addition to discounts to many more attraction and a 140 page guide-book that gives you information about many of the places you won’t want to miss while you’re visiting this great city.

Some of the places that you are allowed free admission by way of your New York Pass include the following: The Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Isle with a free round-trip ferry ticket and gives you skip ahead privileges for the ticket line, free admission to the Guggenheim Museum (though you may need to pay additional fees for special exhibitions), the New York Skyride, and the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum. These are just a few of the many places you can go for no additional fees. If you’re planning to fit many activities into your time in New York, this is by far the best way to go.

There are often offers for discounts if you are purchasing multiple days of The New York Pass, the fact remains however that if you are choosing more than two events on any given day you’ll probably be saving money on admission alone by purchasing the pass. If you’re only planning on one paid activity per day then you’re better off not making the purchase of a pass. With all vacations there are simple matters of economics involved. There are two forms of economics that come into play on a vacation-money and time. Time is often the most carefully guarded of the two while vacationing and people forget to pay attention to cast budgets as a result feeling it is better to waste money than to waste time.

I personally like to waste neither. I enjoy the skip ahead privileges that having city passes often allow as well as the knowledge that I’ve already paid for the days activities and can keep a better eye on where the remainder of my funds are being spent.

In addition to the many freebies that are involved as a result of the New York Pass there are also invaluable discounts that you can get on dining, souvenirs, even tours such as the New York Helicopter Sightseeing Tours. And then there are some tours that having a New York Pass will allow you to experience for free as well. Among those are: the United Nations Tour, The NBC Studio Tour, the Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour, the Rockefeller Center Tour, and the Tour at Lincoln Center.

The pass will introduce you to museums and zoos with free admission that you may not have otherwise considered and open the doors to extra entertainment for the entire family. If you’re going to be in New York for an extended period of time, 3 days or more, and plan to take a lot of tours and do a lot of sight-seeing on your trip, I seriously recommend that you buy the New York Pass and use it every chance you get for free entrance fees and merchandise or food discounts and freebies. This is by far one of the best tips anyone can give you about your visit to New York and your budget. I also recommend tailoring your experience to the free things offered as much as possible and save your money for gifts, mementos, and the wonderful food and shows that abound in this fabulous city. Be sure to pay close attention when ordering tickets and checking to see if you are entitled to a discount because of your New York Pass. Do your best to enjoy your time and try not to fit too many things into one day. There are only so many hours in a day and while New York may be the City that Never Sleeps, we all need to sleep sometime.

Category:

Enjoy Other Places

Tagged with:

NEW!!! 4 Bedroom, 2 Bath, 2 Car Garage Home In Estero Florida

THIS SPACIOUS NEW HOME IN ESTERO FLORIDA WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION PRICES STARTING IN THE $200,000.00, THIS 4 BEDROOM 2 BATH 2 CAR GARAGE  GATED COMMUNITY HOME IN LEE COUNTY FLORIDA.

A resort-style atmosphere, with a 7,000 square foot community clubhouse. This club features a meeting room, club room with kitchen, state-of-the-art fitness center with a childs play area, game room, on-site management office, million dollar swimming pool with waterfall and spa. Click on our news link below to find out what our activities director has in store for this month!

Enjoy these outdoor amenities everyday…basketball courts, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, pool volleyball, bocce ball courts, walking trails, ball fields, in-line skating rink, playground, and more.

WHILE THIS HOME LASTS!

PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK TO VIEW THIS HOME AND COMMUNITY.

http://21548belvederelane2.IsNow4Sale.com

 

 

Category:

Featured Listings

Tagged with:

Home Health Employment with a Nursing Assistant Certification

Many individuals who are certified as a Nursing Assistant become frustrated with the medical facility environment. The often have to work as scheduled including holidays, deal with internal issues among staff, want more pay for the work they are doing, and don’t feel appreciated.

Home health care offers a great alternative to Nursing Assistants who want more freedom as well as the opportunity to get to know those they are caring for on a more personal level. Home health care is exactly that, offering basic assistance to those who need it in the privacy and comfort of their own home. Nursing Assistants will be performing many of the same tasks including feeding, bathing, and dressing the patients.

Most Nursing Assistants interested in working for home health seek employment with a home health agency. These agencies contract with the patient or their family to offer them services to be able to remain in their home rather than an assisted living facility. However, Nursing Assistants need to be aware home health care agencies generally offer additional services that they will be required to perform including paying bills, running errands, picking up medications, and taking the patient to scheduled appointments. In addition, there may be cooking and light housekeeping involved.

Many Nursing Assistants love home health care because it allows them to develop a schedule that works for them and they get to know their patients. Home health care generally allows you to make your own schedule. It will be reviewed by your supervisor as well as checked with the patients. Every effort is made to accommodate all involved. It is very likely you can customize the schedule around holidays and other events, giving you those days off.

Getting to know your patients while doing home health care is a perk you don’t often get in a medical facility. You sometimes can if you work in a long-term care facility, but even then time is often limited and Nursing Assistants have to run to complete the workload they are given. Getting to know the patients in home health care can make the job more enjoyable.

Since home health care takes place in a person’s home with very little supervision, the background check is more intense than what is done to work in a medical facility. This is for the complete protection of the patients. You will have complete access to their home as well as be interacting with them one on one. Therefore any time of issue on your background check can keep you from being employed in home health care.

Be prepared for a references and past employers to be contacted. Home health care agencies will be looking for more than the length of employment and your skills. They will want to find out if you are organized, motivated, and able to work on your own without constant supervision. They will be investigating your promptness as well as how often you call off work, as well as the reasons why.

This is because home health care agencies don’t have the volume of staff to cover your patients if you show up late or don’t show up at all. This can result in patients needs going unmet and them becoming upset. That could result in patients choosing to end their contract with that home health care agency.

Nursing Assistants are more likely to earn more at a home health agency than in a medical facility. On average $2.25 more per hour. They are also more likely to be treated respectfully by their employer and co-workers. They want employees to be happy as this will help keep them as quality employees. Patients do not like for their assistant to continually change. They don’t like having that many new people in and out of their home. The home health care agency has to properly balance keeping the employees and the patients happy.

Before accepting any employment with a home health care agency, take the time to research them with the Better Business Bureau and state Medical Board. You do not want to involve yourself with any agency that does not participate in proper procedures for care of their patients. It is important to report any such issues immediately.

Category:

Helpful Tips

Tagged with: