Thursday, May 21, 2015

HOME TIPS! New Uses For Toothpaste!

This medicine cabinet staple is actually a handy house cleaner- and so much more. Ingenious uses for toothpaste:

#1 Make Faucets Gleam- Rub a bit of toothpaste on the fixture and follow with a wet sponge to get the gunk off the chrome.

#2 Remove Stains from Mugs- When your coffee or tea leaves a stubborn ring behind, use a little toothpaste to clean it off.

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3 Erase Marks on Wood- Pesky water or marker stains can be quickly buffed out with a damp cloth and toothpaste.

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4 Make Sneakers Bright Again-  Get your tennis shoes to their just-out-of-the-box state by rubbing toothpaste on the rubber.

#5 Plot A Gallery Wall- With a dot of toothpaste, mark exactly where the nail will meet the back of the frame.

Thursday, April 30, 2015

She-Sheds: The Woman's Man Cave


In my adventures as a Realtor, I've long heard of the demand for a man's "personal space." A place to retreat and get away from things. A place to call his own. This escape room is commonly referred to as "The Man Cave." With a special room for the man-of-the-house to withdraw to, where does the woman go to get away from the kids, the household responsibilities, and the .......husband, to relax and digest the day? From this, the "She-Shed" was born. 

The She-Shed is a cozy, quaint, personal space where a woman can take part in the festivities of life that she takes interest in. Away from the hustle and bustle of life she can partake in some arts and crafts, painting, gardening, raise chickens, take a quiet bath, or even just retreat to have a glass of wine in her own space.

The She-Shed is a growing trend in real estate with the necessity for a more feminine hideaway. Why should the men be the only ones with a personal domain to call their own. We live in an age of equality after all! Above is a collection of a variety of types of She-Sheds around the country, including rustic, cottage-style, Japanese Teahouse, greenhouse, human birdhouse, and Shabby Chic. 


Monday, February 2, 2015

HOME TIPS! : Seal Your Walls!


A simple home tip that may save you money and energy this winter.

We're all looking for ways to improve the energy-efficiency of our homes to help the environment and lower our utility bills in the process. Thankfully in Texas, basements are rare, so it's one less place you have to expect drafts to emanate. However, your home may have spots where air penetrates through the walls causing a draft and a change in temperature inside your home. This will likely occur in the areas where holes have been cut out of the walls to install plugs, switches, and canned lights. If you have ever removed these during cold weather, you have probably noticed some cold air pouring out.

You may reduce air leakage by using a tube of high quality caulk or a spray foam can to seal around the area where the electrical box meets the drywall. There are also alternative recessed lighting cans or fixtures that you can install which provide a tighter seal to keep the cool (or hot) temperatures out. This simple process will potentially save you energy this winter season!

Thursday, January 15, 2015

December Stats & End of Year Wrap Up Numbers!

December 2014 
  • 2,283 – Single-family homes sold, 14 percent more than December 2013.
  • $246,530 – Median price for single-family homes, 10 percent more than December 2013.
  • 55 – Average number of days single-family homes were on market, 3 days more than Dec. 2013.
  • 5,077 – Active single-family home listings on the market, 12 percent more than December 2013.
  • 2.2 – Months of inventory of single-family homes, 0.2 month more than December 2013.
  • $710,200,206 – Total dollar volume of single-family homes sold, 21 percent more than Dec. 2013.

2014 Year-End Totals 
  • 27,768 – Single-family homes sold, two percent more than 2013.
  • $242,500 – Median price for single-family homes, eight percent more than 2013.
  • 47 – Average number of days that single-family homes spent on the market, 3 days fewer than 2013.
  • $8,607,385,376 – Total dollar volume of single-family homes sold, nine percent more than 2013.  

Released January 2015 by The Austin Board of Realtors Multiple Listing Service (MLS).