Hate to Clean? Sorry!

It's Spring Cleaning Time!


10 easy ways to spruce of your home inside and out:


1.  Wipe down exterior furniture - You will have to do this multiple times to actually get rid of the pollen.  Sturdy cushions could also use a good pressure washing.  


2.  Scrub the grill with warm water and dish soap


3.  Weed the garden - Weeds are already plentiful given our mild winter


4.  Wash driveway and walks - pressure washing again...


5.  Wash those pesky windows!  If you clean on a cloudy day, you will see streaks better.


6.  Scrub sealed countertops, sinks stainless steel and silver with a lemon scrub:  1/2 C baking soda and few drops of liquid soap.  Mix into paste.  Spread onto the inside of a half a lemon.  Use the lemon like a sponge.  Wipe.


7.  Declutter the garage.  This is an ongoing project for those of use with kids.


8.  Detail the deck - I heard Olympic Premium Deck Cleaner works good.  Spray it on, leave for 10 min then rinse.


9.  Clean out gutters - wait, didn't we just do this in the fall?  YES!  


10.  Switch to "green" Earth friendly products.  

Spring Cleaning Ideas

It's Spring Cleaning Time!


10 easy ways to spruce of your home inside and out:


1.  Wipe down exterior furniture - You will have to do this multiple times to actually get rid of the pollen.  Sturdy cushions could also use a good pressure washing.  


2.  Scrub the grill with warm water and dish soap


3.  Weed the garden - Weeds are already plentiful given our mild winter


4.  Wash driveway and walks - pressure washing again...


5.  Wash those pesky windows!  If you clean on a cloudy day, you will see streaks better.


6.  Scrub sealed countertops, sinks stainless steel and silver with a lemon scrub:  1/2 C baking soda and few drops of liquid soap.  Mix into paste.  Spread onto the inside of a half a lemon.  Use the lemon like a sponge.  Wipe.


7.  Declutter the garage.  This is an ongoing project for those of use with kids.


8.  Detail the deck - I heard Olympic Premium Deck Cleaner works good.  Spray it on, leave for 10 min then rinse.


9.  Clean out gutters - wait, didn't we just do this in the fall?  YES!  


10.  Switch to "green" Earth friendly products.  

source:  Lowes Creative Ideas

GA 400 Commute - Hate It? Me Too.

This is a little late, but I wanted to get it out anyways.  The DOT is looking at ways to improve the commute between I285 and Hwy 20 in Cumming on GA400.  They are looking at a few options including tolled  express lanes.

Public Information Open Houses

Georgia DOT has scheduled open houses to keep the public informed about the GA 400 Feasibility Study and seek input as options are developed to improve commute times.

Date	Location	Time
March 15, 2012	Piney Grove Middle School 8135 Majors Road, Cummings,GA 30041	5 PM - 7 PM
March 20, 2012	First Baptist Church Sandy Springs 650 Mount Vernon Hwy, Sandy Springs, GA	5 PM - 7 PM

Unable to Attend?

Please visit the public involvement webpage to view the Virtual PIOH, meeting documents or to submit your comments.

Please take the GA 400 Express Lane Survey to share your thoughts about this study.

source:  http://www.dot.ga.gov/travelingingeorgia/expresslanes/ga400/Pages/default.aspx

March Market Update

Opportunities in the housing market continue to grow for buyers and sellers. Home affordability, driven mostly by record low interest rates, is among the lowest it has ever been. According to the National Association of Realtors, and based on national averages, the payments on a home today represent 12.8% of the median household income. This is both a good sign for those looking to purchase a home, and for the economy overall as consumers are keeping more money in their pockets.

If you're a seller, the housing market shows signs of transitioning from a buyers' market to a more balanced one. This means that home owners should start to see prices stabilize and begin to grow, presenting more favorable opportunities for those looking to sell their homes. In regards to the number of homes on the market, a key indicator of the health of the housing market, Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said, "The broad inventory condition can be described as moving into a rough balance, not favoring buyers or sellers."

With continuing job creation, the improving housing sector, and signs that the banks are beginning to lend more, 2012 looks to offer promising opportunities to both those looking to buy or sell a home.

Source: National Association of Realtors   


Brought to you by KW Research.          

Don't You Just Love Farmers Markets?

It's that time of year!  Well almost.  Can't wait:

Efficiency

Whether saving money or saving the planet is the motivation, there are thousands of simple "green" choices we can each make in our lives, and our homes, that will provide for a healthier, wealthier,
more sustainable future.

Here are some quick tips to help you conserve water, energy (and money) in your home!*

1. If you don't have it in your budget to upgrade to a low-flow or dual–flush toilet, put a brick or full 2-liter bottle in your toilet tank. These will take up volume and help you save water every time you flush!
2. Turn down the temperature on your hot-water heater by at least 2 degrees and wrap your unit in a blanket.
3. Replace your burned-out incandescent light bulbs with CFLs or LEDs. Simply swapping out the most commonly used incandescent bulbs in your home can save you $60 to $100 a year.

Call me if you're interested in learning more efficiency-boosting changes for your home!

And as always, when you or someone you know is interested in buying or selling real estate,
I'm here to help!

Current Rates and What it Means to You - the Buyer

Example - $250,000 loan amount

Current Rates:

30 Year Fixed (Conforming) 4.250% payment before T&I is $1,229.85

15 year fixed (Conforming) 3.500%  payment before T&I is $1,787.21

5/1 Arm (Conforming) 2.500%  payment before T&I is $987.80

30 Year Fixed (FHA) 4.250%  payment before T&I is $1,229.85

15 Year Fixed (FHA) 3.500%   payment before T&I is $1,787.21



Information provided by Anchor Funding 3/5/12 - www.anchorfunding.com
  

Forsyth County Massive Population Growth

I saw this on Focus on Forsyth Facebook page.  I have no idea where it came from - it wasn't sourced but thought even if it isn't completely accurate if FEELS like it is when I'm crawling 20mph on GA400 around 5:00pm with many many others!