Tis the Season of Giving. Actually, I think the season of giving is all four seasons of the year. Many of us are short of money this year either because we are suffering a job loss or the economy has greatly affected our bank accounts. There are many people to whom we feel we need to give a gift and there are many charities and organizations that need money because the economy has hurt their reserves as well.

My family and I have rarely had the luxury of extra money that we can donate so we have taken another route. This year especially the economy has hit us hard as it has so many other people. It is not always money that makes charities run. Volunteers are very important and can make a huge difference. Therefore, I recommend that you give yourself a gift this year. It really won’t cost you much yet it will give you an enormous return on your investment.

My suggestion is that you find an organization or a few organizations that would benefit from your time. It doesn’t take a huge amount of time to help people out but the return in good feelings that you receive is huge. For instance, this weekend we are volunteering at “Home for the Holidays,” a benefit for the Middleton Outreach Ministry. It will only take us a few hours and we can even DVR the Badger game and watch it later. We most likely won’t meet any of the people who benefit from MOM’s services such as counseling, meals, and clothing; but we will know in our hearts that all proceeds go directly to them.

Two weeks ago, I helped serve and clean up at Gilda’s Club of Madison. I have been volunteering for them for about 6 years. Every person that I have met there has had a smile and a thank you for me, even though they may be sick or hurting from loving someone who is living with cancer. My daughter and I usually leave there and remark about how much fun we had and how good it feels to help put a smile on someone elses’ face.

This isn’t really about me and my volunteer activities. I really want to remind you that no matter what your economic situation, you can give yourself and others a gift by volunteering your time. It costs so little and pays so much. So I challenge you to find an organization or two and schedule a few hours a month for the next twelve months to volunteer your time.

Don’t know where to go? You can always start by calling or googling the United Way. There are a multitude of opportunities and usually it doesn’t take much skill to give your time. You can read to the elderly, volunteer in schools, or help out in any number of support organizations.

Tis the Season- Give the Gift of your Heart this Year!

Happy Holidays!

Note: This post was written on Friday, Oct. 14th.It was Homecoming week for the Badgers, the Brewers were in still in the game, and the Packers were playing on Sunday. It wasn’t published due to internet failure!

The leaves may be falling, the temperatures dropping, and the days getting shorter, but the atmosphere in Wisconsin is really heating up. I must admit though, I am not really much of a sports fan. In fact, I have been complaining about being a sports widow for the past few weeks. In spite of my lack of enthusiasm,I actually know what is going on in the world of sports in Wisconsin.

Tomorrow, everyone in Madison will be decked out in red. If you do not own red outer wear then you are missing the boat. I personally own 3 different red jackets and one fleece. It is Homecoming and the mighty Badgers are playing Indiana. The Badgers have been literally running all over their opponents. It is really fun to watch and there have been whispers of a bowl game again this year. Of course, they still need to play some of the Big Boys!

I am not a baseball fan. I do not even have to really pretend to be one although there is a lot of baseball watching going on in my house and all around me. Even though, I do not really care, I do know that it is a fun year to be a Brewers fan. Although I don’t pay much attention and I could not even name a player, I do seem to always know the score. It is important so that I can hold up my end of the conversation.

And then there are the Packers. They have won every game thus far this year. They too, are running all over their opponents. Are we looking for another Super Bowl?

So now that Wisconsin is really on the map- at least in the sports world, we are being recognized as one of the best places to live and work. Madison has been rated as one of the top places to live for young people, men, women, bikers, health care, etc. It truly should be on the map. The big question though is, “How should you dress to pay homage to all of the great sports teams?”

My advice for the weekend is to wear your Badger red sweatshirt or jacket, your Brewers baseball cap, and carry your drink in a Packer mug. You will be right in Wisconsin style!

Autumn has fallen upon us; the days are getting shorter, the temperatures and leaves are falling, and it is the time to start nesting.

How do you change your life in the fall and winter? Before you seriously begin nesting it is time to put the yard and gardens to bed. Yes, everything really does nest in the cooler weather.

1. Make sure that you clean up all old plant material and mulch the more delicate plants so that they weather over the frigid temperatures.

2. Mow the lawn a bit shorter and apply a winter fertilizer to give it strength.

3. Clean up all of your yard tools so that they do not rust over the winter.

4. Unhook and clean out the rain barrels. It you live in a climate where it gets below freezing, you may want to store them inside.

5. Make sure that you unhook all outdoor hoses and release all of the water from them.

6. Keep your gutters clean and free of all the leaves and debris that falls at this time of the year. It will help to counteract those annoying ice dams.

7. I find that it is time to start filling the freezer and bring out the fall and winter recipes. In the summer, we use our grill for almost every meal. In the fall I love to fill the house with the warm smells of homemade chicken soup, chili, and minestrone. It is time for that comfort food.

8. Change over your home scent- especially if you are trying to sell your home. Bring out the smell of pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and apples.

9. Change your timers on your indoor lights and set a lamp in a window. Again, if you are selling a home, a glowing lamp in the front window makes Buyers think that it is a warm and welcoming house.

10. Get your furnace checked and cleaned . Install a new air filter.

There are obviously many other ways to start nesting. Those can be addressed on another day. While I do not really love the idea of colder temperatures and shorter days, warm soups, good books, and cozy blankets can be enticing.

The days are getting shorter and there is a crispness to the air, so it is time to prepare your home for the fall.

1. It is time to ready your lawn for the winter. Now is the time for cleanup. Mow, trim and apply a fall fertilizer to build up the lawn for next spring.

2. Are you suffering from nasty little bugs such as Japanese Beetles or moles making tunnels in the yard? This is the time to apply a Grubex formula to your yard. It will kill the grub that these nasty varmints feed on. Your lawn will be stronger for it next year.

3. The fall is the time to clean your gutters of all leaves and debris. Make sure that you continue to do it until the leaves, walnuts, and acorns keep falling. This will help to prevent leaks and ice dams.

4. It is time to have your HVAC checked out for the winter and change your furnace filter.

5. Check around your windows and doors for leaks. It is time to caulk to help reduce heat loss.

6. Trim your trees of any precarious limbs and branches. You want to prevent ice breakage and damage.

7. Check around the house to make sure that there aren’t any places for mice to enter. This is the time that they search out ways to get into the house to get warm.

8. Clean up and store all outdoor furniture.

9. Plant bulbs for a beautiful spring display.

10. Clean up and trim all the gardens. Mulch around plants to protect them from the harsh winter.

Enjoy this lovely time of year and perform these simple chores to maintain your home and yard.

Top 10 Home Cleaning Supplies

by Carla Hill

A clean home shows better, sells better, and feels better. How do you know which product works best, though? There are hundreds of products on the market, all claiming to be the winning solution.

Having a clean house is not only healthy, it can help you sell when the times comes. Buyers have a tendency to zero in on grime instead of seeing your home for what it really is — a great house with lots of potential. Don’t let a dirty house hold you back from making the sale!

Realty Times’ cleaning maven has swept together her list of favorite supplies that scrub, dissolve, and sparkle. No more guesswork! Here’s the top 10 cleaning supplies you need in your home.

The Top 10

1. Green Works All Purpose Cleaner: It says “all purpose” and it means it. This product is great for counter clean-up. It even cleans stainless steel without leaving behind streaks! You can also use it on sinks, mirrors, furniture, or grubby cabinets. Our cleaning maven loves this product in the tangerine formula, which leaves a mild citrus scent behind. Plus, according to it’s manufacturer, “It’s dermatologist-tested and at least 97% naturally derived, so you can rest easy knowing that it won’t leave behind harsh chemical fumes or residue.”

2. Clorox Disinfecting Wipes: Don’t let the name fool you. These wipes are bleach-free, but they are still tough on germs and dirt. While these are great for a quick clean up in “aisle baby mess”, they also are the secret weapon for cleaning showers and tubs. A single sheet can clean nearly the whole tub! The ingredients of the Clorox wipes eats through soap scum and buildup. If you have a particularly hard job, try applying and rinsing Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner first to loosen scum and then use the Clorox wipes. These great wipes have hundreds of uses, like wiping dirt off baseboards! Just check out what Clorox recommends here.

3. Bleach Spray: Our maven doesn’t advocate the overuse of bleach. It’s harmful to the environment and too much of it ends up back down our drains, but there is a time and place for bleach. Toilets are breeding grounds for dangerous diseases that live in our insides. If you have children or pets, be sure to keep your bathroom disinfected the old-fashioned way. Bleach and bleach products clean tough bacteria in the bowl, but what about the rest of the throne? Pull on a pair of latex gloves (see #4) and use a paper towel and bleach spray to clean the toilet from top to bottom.

4. Latex Gloves: Bleach and other cleaning products can be tough on your hands. A simple box of disposable latex gloves can be found in any cleaning aisle. Wear a pair and trash them after each use. Protect your hands!

5. Scrubbing Bubbles Foaming Cleaner: We know it says “bathroom cleaner,” which it is great at, but using spray foam Scrubbing Bubbles on kitchen sinks is a godsend. Let is sit for 1 minute to disinfect and then wipe clean with paper towels or a clean kitchen rag. It works great on stainless steel or cast iron sinks!

6. Glade Candles: Now that you have your rooms looking clean, it’s time to have them smelling clean. Our cleaning maven has found that Glade candles are the best burn for the buck. There are a variety of scents, such a “Clean Linen”, which is great for bathrooms during house showings. They burn for up to 22 hours and are typically less than $3.00 a candle.

7. 3M Scotch Fur Fighter: You’ve tried to vacuum. You’ve tried a lint brush. Nothing works! Have no fear, a solution is here. Scotch has come out with an ingenious product that removes pet hair from car upholstery, bedding, furniture, you name it! Scotch says, “The Scotch Fur Fighter Pet Hair Remover for Upholstery is the fast, easy way to remove EMBEDDED pet hair and dander from your couches, sofas, chairs, pillows and more – for a fur-free home.”

8. Clorox 2: Do you have washable throws, pillows, or rugs that smell a little doggy? Or perhaps they’ve fallen victim to some other household stain. Clorox 2 is a great way to use the cleaning power of bleach on colors.

9. Libman Freedom Spray Mop: This mop has a detachable 18 ounce bottle that you can fill with the cleaning solution of your choice. Do you have laminate floors? Mix 1 part vinegar with 6 parts water and you’ll have a streak-free clean! The mop also comes with a scratch-free, removable deep cleaning pad that can be washed up to 50 times. We recommend buying 1 or 2 replacement pads so you always have a clean one handy.

10. Hand Vacuum: This is a “handy” way to vacuum up small spills and messes without having to lug around a full-size vacuum.

You may already have your own favorite cleanings supplies and that’s okay! Finding products that work for you is what is important.

Published: August 26, 2011

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

——————————————————————————–

I just read an interesting article on the history of colors used in the home. The “In” colors change about every decade or as the economy changes. Colors in our home, and clothing, for that matter are also inspired by war and peace. It depends on whether we are feeling free and easy or in need of some security. And then some people use the same colors all of their lives.

When selling a house, it is not a bad thing to have a pretty neutral decor. But it does need a little spicing up to attract attention. White, beige, or black trim on the outside is a good seller but painting the front door red may be very welcoming. Don’t want to go that far? Then at this time of year just placing a few planters with red mums, zinnias, or even coleus will spark up the front of the house. It is also easy to place a brightly colored chair on the front porch or add some bright pillows to the wicker furniture.

Inside your house may be very beige and calming. It is important to add a bit of color so that Buyers can see that the house is a cheerful happy place to live. A glass bowl of lemons or apples on the kitchen counter is an easy and inexpensive way to decorate. Setting a table with colored napkins, adding a picture with color, and placing just a few pieces of colored pottery, pictures, or other objects of color will really spice things up. I also like to add a colored throw on the end of a sofa or chair to suggest cuddling up in front of the fireplace with a good book.

When adding color to your house to sell it, be mindful of each room and what you want that room to depict. Is it a playroom or is a room for sleeping? Is this the room where lots of family activity will take place or is it the room when the owners will go to get away from it all?

Most important to remember when spicing up the decor is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. Do not overdo anything. Just a few hints of color will make all of the difference in the world.

Any questions about selling or Staging- feel free to contact me.

Radon Test: DIY or Professional?

• 
  
  

  Plan to conduct a radon test in your home, if you haven’t already. As the second leading cause of lung cancer, concentrated radon gas is nothing to ignore. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

The stock market has plummeted, the outside temperatures have skyrocketed, and yet, the live free music venues in Madison continue. Yesterday there was an article in the newspaper about all of the wonderful parks that Madison has to offer. I realized that I have yet to visit most of them. Instead, I spend my summer evenings going from one live music venue to another, It has got to be one of the best advantages of living in Madison.

We laugh at my house because in the winter, I hate to go out in the evening. I will put my PJ’s on early and curl up with a good book. In the summertime, the exact opposite is true. My husband and I have throughly enjoyed the Concerts on the Square this year. And even though the weather has been outrageously hot, it always seemed cooler around the capital. On the occasional Thursday evenings, we have enjoyed the free music on Monona Terrace. Both of those have ended but today starts the three week run of Dane Dances. It is again a great free family activity atop the beautiful Monona Terrace. Most other Friday nights we gather at Capital Brewery for music and snacks with friends.

Of course, we have missed the music at Olbrich Park and some of the other parks but we did sit on the hill for Opera in the Park. We also regularly visit Memorial Terrace for live music, people watching, and sunset oogling. And now that the Concerts on the Square are over, we just move our chairs down to State Street for Jazz at Five. It really is something else- how many nights a week we can enjoy free outdoor music and the weather has really cooperated.

I feel that we are very spoiled because we have so many wonderful opportunities here in Madison. Our community offers so much to us that it is difficult to take advantage of it all. This year we have introduced some of these wonderful venues to our friends. They have been very excited and thrilled to partake of all of the free opportunities.

Do you enjoy the music more when it is free or when you have to pay for it? What is your favorite summer activity in Madison?

Homebuyers Make Lifestyle Options Priority

by Phoebe Chongchua

More than 1,000 homeowners and future home buyers were surveyed for the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC and the Meredith Corp report. The respondents indicated that how satisfied they’ll be with the purchase of a new home may depend significantly on the home’s surrounding community. About 84 percent of those surveyed were homeowners and an additional 10 percent had plans to buy within three years.

Here are some of the results. The survey found the following lifestyle options are top priorities for buyers.

•Ease of commuting by car: 38%

•Access to health and safety services: 34%

•Family-friendly neighborhood: 33%

•Availability of retail stores: 32%

•Access to cultural activities: 21%

•Public transportation access: 19%

•Nightlife and restaurant access: 18%

•Golf-friendly area–access to golf courses: 6%

With the rising price of gas, I am finding that my Buyers prefer to be close to work, amenities, and public transportation. It saves them time and money in the long run. It may mean thought that they get less house for their money. which is more important to you, more house for your money or convenience?

The Value of Buyer Representation Agreements

By Marc Gould Print Article

RISMEDIA, July 18, 2011—

Traditionally, the buyer representation agreement is a legal document that formalizes a client’s working relationship with a particular buyer’s representative. It is designed to detail the services a client is entitled to as well as the expectations of the buyer’s agent. By defining the expectations of both parties up front, an agent reduces his or her risk while at the same time elevating the level of service he or she can provide.

Receive a higher level of service. If you formalize an agency relationship with a buyer’s rep, you can expect to be treated like a client instead of a customer. What’s the difference? Clients are entitled to superior services, relative to customers.

Get more without paying more. In almost every case, home sellers have already agreed to pay a buyer’s agent’s commission. If they haven’t, you can ask your buyer’s rep to avoid showing you any such homes.

Avoid misunderstandings. A buyer representation agreement clarifies expectations, helping you understand what you should and shouldn’t expect from their buyer’s rep, and what they will expect from you, which usually centers on loyalty.

Agency relationships are based on mutual consent. While most representation agreements specify a time period, they can be terminated early if both parties consent. Most buyer’s reps are willing to end the agreement early if the working relationship isn’t going well.

Strength as a team. When a client and a buyer’s rep work together within a formalized agency relationship, a team is created, dedicated to helping the client achieve the best possible home-buying experience.