Home Money Saving Tips

Now that the warmer weather is just about here, these home money saving tips can help stretch your monthly buget.

If you set your A/C thermostat a little higher during summer months, you'll reduce your cooling costs 3-4% for each degree of adjustment. Changing the temperature from 74°F to 77°F could lower your energy bill by more than 10%.

A whole house fan is a simple and inexpensive method of cooling a house, particularly during times when the humidity levels are not too high.

If you buy a new air conditioner, buy an efficient model that is sized and installed properly.

New air conditioners must have a minimum SEER rating of 13. Be aware of how the SEER rating can affect your energy use.

A properly ventilated home can significantly improve overall comfort levels and also reduce energy costs.

Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely. In just 1 hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warmed or cooled air. Turn fans off as soon as they have done the job.

Insulate and seal all attic access openings properly.

Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows that leak air. You will be surprised about the amount of energy lost through the cracks and openings in a home.

Crawl spaces can be a significant source of energy loss during both summer and winter, and should be properly insulated.

One of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your energy costs is to reduce the air leakage within your home as much as possible.

When properly selected and installed, windows can help minimize a home's heating, cooling, and lighting costs.

Light at The End of The Tunnel

We have all heard the bad news. The real estate market is suffering. More than two million adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) are to reset at much higher rates in coming months, worsening the housing market.
The mortgage crisis rippled into the nation's economy and the average price of a home is on a decline.
Foreclosures are at a record high and will only worsen. It is a sad state of affairs.

Based on that news, it has many people worried. The national news we hear may not be reporting what is actually happening in your area or how it is affecting the state you live in. You may have noticed the interest rates have come down, which will allow more interest in home buying, but do you know what is happening in or around your local area?

I came across a blog that points to 'light' shining on the real estate market. Are we just hearing all the bad news and the good news is being left out of the reporting? I believe sometimes that is true. It seems the bad press surrounding Cincinnati Real Estate is not exactly true. The stats for this area are showing:

* Buyers' or Sellers' Market: About 50-50
* Average Time on Market: 60-90 days
* Market Trend: No Change
* Compared to last year: Up 0-5%
*Only 5% of homeowners have a non-prime or sub-prime borrower with adjustable rate mortgages

Those are pretty good stats. When you have an experienced professional reporting information in your area, you can rest a little bit easier when looking into buying or selling a home. I found that Amy B believes it is her job to inform and educate the people in her area. This is one realtor that loves what she does and it is projected in her performance and services she offers. Her blog, provides motivation and information regarding her local real estate market.

I found http://www.amybsells.com to be a very professional and easy to navigate site, which offers a grand list of resources available. One of the services she offers provides Home Staging. That is key for a home seller. She plunges in immediately with her marketing and creates a custom plan appropriate for each client.

Using MLS, Internet Marketing, upgraded advertisement, virtual tours, electronic lock boxes for safety, incentives for the seller/buyer, I'd say she goes above and beyond her call of duty. The team working with her strives to provide a smooth transaction. She wants her clients to feel supported, so she offers herself 24/7.

More real estate professionals should take the time to educate as Amy is, while providing services which will allow buyers and/or sellers to be successful.

Be sure to stay informed on what is happening in the market surrounding your area.

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NJ Is The Fourth In People Leaving The State

Since I currently reside in New Jersey, I found the following information to be of interest.

New Jersey is the fourth in people leaving the state. In recent studies and polls it shows that more people are leaving the state than coming in. More than half of those who remain would like to leave also.

A study produced by Rutgers University professors James Hughes and Joseph Seneca reported that in 2006, 72,547 more people moved out of New Jersey to other areas of the United States than moved in.

The study also showed those moving into the state were less wealthy than those moving out.. The study predicts that as a result of the pace of the out-migration, New Jersey may experience a net decline in total population in 2008.

In another poll conducted in September by the Monmouth University Polling Institute and Gannett found that half of New Jersey's residents would like to move out.

According to the study released in the Asbury Park Newspaper as well as other Gannett newspapers last month, more than half of the 801 adults surveyed expressed a desire to leave New Jersey, with half the group saying they are very likely to leave.

Nearly 60 percent of those indicating they would like to leave stated financial issues, such as: property taxes, high costs of living and housing costs. This is evidence showing that New Jersey's high costs are a problem for both businesses and residents alike.

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