Top Seven Tips for Buying New Construction 

Eric Bramlett writes, "New communities are more popular than ever! With good reason - builders are using popular, open floor-plans, including appliances, sod, and blinds, and helping make it easier than ever to get into a new structure with little or no money. Transactions typically seem a lot easier, as well. If a buyer chose to, they could get through the transaction without contacting anyone except the on-site agent! However, this would open you up to HUGE losses." See his simple steps to protect yourself in a new construction transaction, and to ensure that yours is a success.

Handy Household Tips - How Many of These Do You Know?

How to unseal and reseal an envelope? A good use for cardboard toilet paper tubes? A way to defrost icy steps with water - that won't refreeze? An easy way to make wax fall off candle holders? Crayon on walls? Get the answers to these questions and 24 more handy hints.

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All You Need to Know about Replacing and Upgrading Doors

Danny Lipford says, "Replacing doors is an affordable way to quickly enhance and upgrade the appearance and decor of a home. In addition, replacing a front entryway door can add curb appeal and improve energy efficiency. But before you run off to the door store, take a few minutes (and careful measurements) to consider all the options available in both exterior and interior doors." See his article about choosing doors .

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Pet Urine Smell and Other Undesirable Household Odors

How do you remove those pet and stinky smells from various areas and surfaces? My clients with rental properties who face the problem often suggest a number of solutions (no pun intended). Antibacterial, concentrate odor removers such as OdoBan® or Zep Odorstroyer Plus® are available in many retail stores (Wal-Mart, Home Depot, O'Reilly Auto Parts, etc), and enzyme- based products such as Stink Free®  or OdorZyme® are usually available online. A search for "pet odor removal" in a search engine such as Google® will yield hundreds of results. A product some have used successfully on concrete and duct work is Namco's Liquid Alive Bacteria Enzyme® generally available from Home Depot or Lowe's tool rental sections or online at NAMCO.

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News 

Location Impact on Value

In a Realty Times article, columnist Kenneth R. Harney asks, "What key characteristics of a home's location - not the features inside - push sales values up or down most dramatically? Just about anybody who's bought real estate or is in the business knows the mantra "location, location, location," and has opinions on what matters most. But new research by the National Association of Home Builders uses sophisticated statistical analysis techniques on a massive housing database to come up with a definitive list of the top locational characteristics that raise and depress property values the most." See the complete column "Location, Location, Location: What's the Impact on Value?".

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Fast Facts

The state with the highest percentage of people who walk to work: Alaska.

The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...) the percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%.

The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400.

What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
Answer: All were invented by women.

If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you would find the letter "A"?
Answer: One thousand.

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