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Happy Halloween

Over the Fence - October

Late getting this up this month, but there are several items that might be helpful as we finish out October. Enjoy!

6 Ways to be a Good Neighbor

Developing relationships with your neighbors can make your life easier and your community safer—and may result in lasting friendships. The good news is that it’s easy to extend acts of courtesy to those who live close by.

Welcome new people to the neighborhood. Stop by and introduce yourself. Baking cookies is a traditional way to extend a warm welcome, but you can also bring them recommendations for local services, such as babysitters or landscapers; a children’s activity kit filled with coloring books, crayons, and games; or a list of local phone numbers.

Little gestures can go a long way. Offer to collect your neighbor’s mail, water their plants or feed their pet while they’re on vacation. If that’s too much of a commitment, you might offer to keep an eye out on their house while they’re away.

Keep up your house and yard. This will help maintain property values while keeping the neighborhood as a whole looking its best. Mow your grass regularly, trim your shrubs as needed, and make façade repairs in a timely manner.

Walls have ears. If you live in a condo or townhouse, think twice before plugging in noisy appliances near your neighbor’s walls. A television, a hair dryer or even the beep of a microwave may be a little white noise for you but an annoyance for your neighbors.

Know the news. Whether or not you’re head of your community watch program, there are always chances to help out. Keep your neighbors informed of relevant news, such as upcoming construction or recent crime. Extra eyes and ears are always welcomed.

Return kind gestures. If a neighbor lends you something, whether it’s their tools or their time, return the gesture quickly. It’s easy to move along with your project and forget they’ve done you a favor, so be sure to show your appreciation in a timely manner—your gratitude won’t be overlooked.

American Home Shield is providing the information for general guidance only. Due to the general nature of the property maintenance and improvement advice in this material, neither American Home Shield Corporation, nor its licensed subsidiaries assumes any responsibility for any loss or damage which may be suffered by the use of this information.

Friday the 13th - A Poem

Friday The 13^th

To many the number thirteen
is a number to avoid and beware of,
add Friday in front of the number,
and you have a very scary day

To me the number thirteen,
has always been always been a lucky one,
and Friday the thirteenth,
even luckier still

Then again, if you are superstitious
any number can be unlucky.
If you want to think it so,
it just depends on how positive you are.

Now if you think negative,
you will be that way to,
so in your thinking,
just be like me.

Positive is lucky, negative is unlucky,
so train you mind,
to think positive
all the time.

By: David Harris
13 July 2007

Summer's "Life Hacks"

We like most of these ideas. We think you might like a few of them too. However, about #2: Really? A great big bottle of shampoo at the beach. We think that's a dead giveaway that something's in that bottle besides shampoo.

 



July Newsletter Hot of the Presses

We have a monthly newsletter that we are no longer printing and snail mailing. It’s all electronic, all the time. Here’s our July issue that we hope you enjoy.

http://teampatereau.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/over-the-fence-july-2013.pdf

Energy Tips for Summer Cooling to Save Money and Reduce Pollution

There's lots of talk around here about the heat lately. Here's another post with helpful tips on how to stay cool. Enjoy, and stay cool!

The average home spends almost 20 percent of its utility bill on cooling. Increased energy production to run cooling systems not only raises costs, it also can contribute to pollution that adversely affects the quality of the air we breathe.

Which Way Should Your Ceiling Fan Turn in Summer?

The Cool Way!

Make sure your ceiling fans rotate in the correct direction to cool you in summer.

We’re having a heat wave; so make sure your ceiling fans are spinning in the right direction to move air around the room.

Most fans are reversible: One direction pushes air down, creating a nice summer breeze; the other direction sucks air up, helping you distribute heat in winter. There's normally a switch on the motor to change the fan's direction.

Is your fan turning in the right direction for summer?

Stand beneath the running fan, and if you feel a cooling breeze, it’s turning correctly. If not, change directions, usually by flicking a switch on the fan’s base. Typically, it's counterclockwise or left for summer and clockwise for winter, but the best method is to follow the steps above.

Funny note: We read on Yahoo! that one clever person used bubbles to see which direction his fan was blowing.

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon for HouseLogic

It's hot this week-end. Want Summer comfort but hate the AC? Maybe, like many homes in this area, you don't have AC in your house. Follow these tips, and you’ll keep your house cool without frosty air conditioning.

Block that Sun!
When sunlight enters your house, it turns into heat. You’ll keep your house cooler if you reduce solar heat gain by keeping sunlight out.

Close the drapes: Line them with light-colored fabric that reflects the sun, and close them during the hottest part of the day. Let them pillow onto the floor to block air movement.

Add awnings: Install them on south- and west-facing windows to reduce solar heat gain by up to 77%, says the U.S. Department of Energy. Make your own by tacking up sheets outside your windows and draping the ends over a railing or lawn chair.

Celebrate Pi Day

Celebrate Pi Day with, what else, a piece of pie.

 

Extreme Exterior Paint – Be Careful

Check out these extreme exteriors to learn how your home’s fresh coat can look good and preserve the worth of your home and neighborhood.

Monday Morning Special

Having a latte this morning? If you were at SXSW (Annual music, film, and interactive conference and festival held in Austin, Texas) you could get one with your portrait on it. If you wanted.

 

Daylight Savings Time

 

Celebrate International Women’s Day

After more than 100 years, International Women’s Day draws millions to commemorate the advancements made in human rights and to discuss the challenges women continue to face in politics, education, employment, and other areas of daily life.
Here’s the full story from the Christian Science Monitor.

Tax Filing Reminders–the fun way

These guys, Frank & Brian, are fun. They give out some simple tax filing
advice, but the main message here is that we all have to do taxes, there are
things we need to remember if we’re doing them on our own, and we might as well
make it fun.

 

Unique Property for Sale

What an amazing property! $695,000. Near San Antonio, Texas. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pearl and Amy Lorys Photography. Many more pictures and lots of information here.

 

Spinning the Oscars toward Real Estate

We watched the Oscars last night, partly because we’re interested, partly because there wasn’t anything else on. Other Realtors were interested, too. Here’s a posting from just one.


Amy Hahn, a Realtor/Broker from North Carolina, posted on Amazon.com her list of the top 10 Real Estate movies in honor of the Oscars last night. Here’s here list. (None of the movies on her list received any awards.) Let us know if she left your favorite real estate movie off the list.

Amy’s Top 10 Real Estate Movies

 

1. The Money Pit starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long

 

2. Duplex starring Drew Barrymore and Ben Stiller

 

3. American Beauty starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening

 

4. Life as a House starring Kevin Kline

 

5. Poltergeist starring JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson

 

6. Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House starring Cary Grant

 

7. Open House starring Adrienne Barbeau

 

8. Pacific Heights starring Michael Keaton

 

9. The Amityville Horror starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder

 

10.Neighbors starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd

 

Random Acts of Kindness Day

Today! Yes, it’s time to do a Random Act of Kindness. Start with one today and see what happens. You might feel so good that you’ll do another. Maybe. Maybe just one is all that’s in you, but that one will make a difference. Maybe you’ll feel so good you’ll decide to do another. Maybe.

 

Happy Valentine’s Day