Let’s Find Your New Home…: 2014

Monday, March 17, 2014

Listings

http://animoto.com/play/ADYTQ0k5WjmlT1ouhbgRKA

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Mold Prevention in your home

Mildew can cause health problems in your home!

Mold can grow anywhere when the conditions are right. It thrives in moist, damp areas and can be found on windows, walls and floors.

Because it can lead to health problems, tackling a mold problem should be a priority. Even if you aren’t allergic to mold, it produces allergens, irritants and potentially toxic substances that can irritate your eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs.

Taking some simple steps now can help deter mold from forming in your home.

Early mold prevention

Keep humidity below 60 percent (if possible, between 30 and 50 percent). Use air conditioners during humid months. Use dehumidifiers in damp spaces, such as basements and crawlspaces.
Properly ventilate shower, laundry and cooking areas. Use exhaust fans that vent outside your home.
Promptly fix leaky roofs, windows and pipes.
Add mold inhibitors to paints before painting walls. Don’t paint or caulk moldy surfaces.
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Clean bathrooms with mold-killing products.

Mold cleanup

If you notice mold in your home, clean it up as soon as possible. And if your house has had water damage, follow these simple steps to prevent mold from causing additional problems.

If a small area is covered in mold, clean it with a commercial product or a bleach-and-water solution (not more than one cup of bleach per gallon of water) and dry completely.
Determine the cause of the mold and address it; otherwise the mold will most likely return.
When water damage occurs, extract the water and dry the area as quickly as possible by opening windows and using fans and dehumidifiers. You may also use an air conditioner to remove moisture from the home.
If an area larger than 10 square feet is covered in mold, consult the EPA’s guide, Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. The tips in this guide also apply to other building types.
Absorbent or porous materials, such as carpets or ceiling tiles, may be impossible to clean and may have to be thrown away if they become moldy.

Additional mold resources

For more information about health problems associated with mold, mold prevention tips and cleanup, visit these sites:

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Facts about mold and dampness.
The Environmental Protection Agency –

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Attention Sellers! Is my Home a Regular sale or a Short Sale?

Due to a hardship, we stopped making our mortgage payments. The market says values have increased recently, we think the house is worth more than we owe. How do we know if we need to do a short sale? Can we use a family member as our real estate agent or realtor?

In a short sale, you need to get your bank’s permission to sell the house for less than what you owe on the mortgage. You will need to send in financial information and jump through other hoops to get your lender to agree to this discount.

Your first step should be to ask your lender for a complete payoff statement so you know exactly what you owe. Then you need to get with a real estate agent to see what the home is realistically worth. A fresh coat of paint, proper decorating and good staging can add significant value, maybe making the difference here.

Mixing family and business typically isn’t a good idea, but there’s nothing stopping you from doing it if you don’t need your lender’s permission to sell.

Because you are not sure if this will be a short sale, you should play it safe and find an experienced agent, unrelated to you, who can help you stage and market your home for the maximum price. If this does turn out to be a short sale, you, the buyer, the real estate agents and the title company will all have to sign an affidavit stating that this is not an insider deal and that no one is related to you. Lying about this is considered mortgage fraud.

Stunning Waterfront Cottage w/Private Beach NORTH STAR REALTY (south kingstown)

STUNNING WATERFRONT COTTAGE - spectacular water views of Block Island. Highlights - Free standing unit in Matunuck breakers condo association, private beach, gourmet kitchen, Pottery Barn inspired decor. Front terrace is an ideal spot to relax & enjoy the views! Turnkey - offered FULLY FURNISHED. PARADISE WAITS!!! Offered at $279,000 Don't miss this opportunity! Matunuck Breakers MLS# 1056553 Neighborhood- Matunuck Beach To see this beautiful property contact~ Ron Zaremba 401-572-8060...NORTH STAR REALTY
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NORTH STAR REALTY

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Top Ten School systems in Rhode Island

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ri/schools/

	NAME
1	Barrington
2	East Greenwich
3	Little Compton
4	New Shoreham
5	South Kingstown
6	Jamestown
7	Portsmouth
8	Smithfield
9	Narragansett
10	North Kingstown

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Top Rated and Reviewed Mortgage Lenders

https://www.bbb.org/boston/accredited-business-guide/mortgages-lender/397/rhode-island

Save on Heating Oil..It pays to shop around!!!

Find your town on New england oil and save $$$$!! There's lots of options. Don't be bullied by the big oil companies.

http://www.newenglandoil.com

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

15.5 Staging Tips to sell your home fast. It's a must! Buyers have more options in todays market!

Planning to put your house on the market this summer? It goes without saying that you are hoping to sell your home as quickly as possible and get your asking price. Set the stage for success with these tips for styling and upgrading your home and see results FAST.

1. Boost Homes curb appeal. This is something you always hear, and with very good reason. Many people thinking of viewing your home will do a quick drive-by first, often deciding on the spot if it is even worth a look inside. Make sure your home is ready to lure in onlookers with these suggestions:

Power wash siding and walkways
Hang easy-to-read house numbers
Plant blooming flowers and fresh greenery
Mow lawn, and reseed or add fresh sod as needed
Wash front windows
Repaint or stain the porch floor as needed

2. Get your house clean & eliminate odors. From shining floors and gleaming windows to clean counters and scrubbed grout, every surface should shine. This is the smartest way to help your home to make a great impression. You may want to hire professionals to do some of the really difficult tasks, especially if you have a large house. Don't skimp -- this step is

key!

3. Beware pet odors. Really, this can be a big one! If you have pets, get all rugs steam cleaned and be extra vigilant about vacuuming and washing surfaces. Also be sure to keep any extra-loved pet toys and doggie bones hidden when tours are scheduled.

4. Clear away all clutter. If you are serious about staging your home, all clutter must go, end of story. It's not easy, and it may even require utilizing offsite storage (or a nice relative's garage) temporarily, but it is well worth the trouble. Clean and clear surfaces, floors, cupboards and closets equal more space in the eyes of potential buyers, so purge anything unnecessary or unsightly.

I love this style! Guess what? It may not be the style of those seeking to buy a house in your neighborhood. So even if you have a super modern design look going on, rein it in for the sake of appealing to the most number of people. You can bring your personal style back into play in your new home.

6. Create a balance between clean and lived-in (its just temporary). Yes, I know I just said to get rid of all your clutter (and you deserve a big pat on the back if you did it), but now it's time to judiciously bring back a few elements that will really make your home appealing. Think vases of cut flowers, a basket of fresh farmer's market produce on the kitchen counter or a bowl of lemons beside the sink.

7. Make your dining room table a showpiece. The dining room is often a blind spot in decorating the home. Between dinners, a large dining table can look bare and uninviting, so styling it up with visitors in mind can increase the appeal. An oversize arrangement can look too stiff and formal, so try lining up a series of smaller vessels down the center of the table instead.

8. Choose sophisticated neutral colors. Now is not the time to experiment with that "fun"-looking lime green. But that doesn't mean you need to go all white, either. Rich midtone neutrals like mocha and "greige" create a sophisticated backdrop that makes everything look more pulled together.

9. Create a gender-neutral master bedroom. Appeal to everyone with a clean, tailored master bedroom, free of personal items and clutter. You can't go wrong with clean, crisp linens, tasteful artwork and a blanket folded at the foot of the bed.

10. Clean up toys. Of course there will be families with children looking at your home, but just because they have kids too doesn't mean seeing toys strewn everywhere will sell them on the place. When people are house hunting, they are imagining a fresh start. Show them that in this house, it is possible to have a beautifully organized kids' room, and they might be swayed.

11. Use "extra" rooms wisely. If you have been using a spare bedroom as a dumping ground for odd pieces of furniture and boxes of junk, it's time to clean up your act. Each room should have a clearly defined purpose, so think about what potential buyers might like to see here. An office? A guest room? Another kids' room? Whether you buy inexpensive furnishings, rent them, or borrow some from friends, making a real room out of a junk room will have a big payoff.

12. Use only perfect personal accents. Especially in the bathroom, it is important that anything left out for visitors to see is pristine. If you have a gorgeous fluffy white bathrobe, hanging it on a decorative hook on the door can be an attractive accent -- but if your robe is more of the nubby blue floral variety, you might want to hide it away. Look at every detail with a visitor's eye -- bars of soap should be fresh and clean, towels spotless, the garbage always emptied (you get the idea).

13. Show how you can use awkward areas. If you have any room beneath the stairs, or a nook or alcove anywhere in your home, try to find a unique way to show it off. By setting up a small work station, a home command center with a bulletin board, or built-in shelving, your awkward spot becomes another selling point.

14. Create a lifestyle people are looking for. Generally speaking, you want to play up what your neighborhood or area is known for. Have a house in a quiet, grassy suburb? Hanging a hammock in your backyard and a bench swing on your porch could be the perfect touch.

15. Stage the outdoors too. Even if your condo has only a teensy postage stamp–size balcony, play it up with a cute cafe table and chairs, a cheerful tablecloth and even a little tray of dishes or a vase of flowers. When people look at this scene, they won't be thinking "small," they will be thinking, "What a charming spot to have breakfast!"

15.5. Think seasonally. Make sure your garden is in beautiful shape in the summer, and that any extra features you have, like a pool or a fire pit, are cleaned and ready to go. Take advantage of the cozy vibe of the season in autumn and winter, by building a fire in the fireplace and simmering hot apple cider on the stove.

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