Safeguard Against Flooding

With springtime comes the potential for storms and heavy rain. While you can’t control the weather, you can protect your home from flooding.

First, make sure gutters are free of leaves and dirt, and secure them tightly to your home. Poor roof drainage is the number one cause of basement leaks, and clogged gutters can create further problems by causing water to run off too close to the home’s foundation where it can seep through the walls.

Check the downspouts, which should dump water at least three to four feet from your home’s perimeter. If the downspouts are too close to the house, adding extensions can help drain the water properly. The general rule of thumb is to have one downspout for every 600 feet to 800 feet of roofing.

Watch the grading around your home. Beyond the first four feet of the home’s perimeter, the ground should slope about six inches. To improve the grading, use clean fill dirt rather than top soil, which holds more water and can seep into the foundation.

Gardens also retain water, so if your garden is planted next to your home, allow some room for water to escape. Use rocks as a border and trim heavy growths of shrubbery to allow more sunlight to dry the ground more quickly. Also make sure the gutter doesn’t run directly onto the garden.

This months joke:

Question:What season is it when you are on a trampoline?

Home-Grown Herbs

Cultivating your own herb garden is an easy and cost-effective way to have access to fresh herbs without a trip to the grocery store. Basil, parsley, chives, mint and sage are easy to grow and maintain.

Gardening experts at HGTV say the least expensive method is to start new plants from seeds, as opposed to transplanting store-bought or garden-grown herb plants.

First, fill a peat pot with a soilless potting mix, a mixture of peat moss, pine bark, sand and other organic materials. Place this pot in a small bowl filled with water. After the water has completely saturated the peat pot, bury seeds at the depth of three to four times their diameter; for small seeds, simply press them into the mixture with your finger. To ensure growth, place a few seeds in each pot. Finally, put a plastic bag over the pot, to simulate a greenhouse, and place it in a dry sunny spot.

After the seeds have germinated you can transplant them into a larger pot. Keep your herbs moist but not wet, and pinch or prune them as necessary.

Click here for Instant Recognition

Holiday/Vacation Homes For Sale

FREE programs from me to you, including "How To Buy A Home In Orlando" booklet

Question:WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF CLOSING THE DEAL

Answer:Closing costs are the incurred expenses over and above the price of the property. The total can be several thousand dollars, not including the down payment. Costs vary depending on the state and financing terms. I can help you understand what costs to expect at the closing and in what form they must be paid (certified, cashier’s, or personal check). Costs you may incur are:

Have questions? email Risa at questions@risa.net or call her at 407-699-4901

May favorite links:

GREAT Mother's Day Site

Use This Moving Truck for FREE      

RE/MAX Town & Country Realty has a moving truck (pictured above) that our clients can use FREE for their local (inside the Metro-Orlando area) moves. When Risa helps you buy or sell a home, just let her know that you would like to use the RE/MAX Moving Truck. Then Ray, the Moving Truck Coordinator, will coordinate your reservation to use the truck for a 24 hour period and outline all of the details for the truck’s use. Tell Risa early on in your transaction that you’d like to use the truck to make sure that you can reserve the best time for your move! We’re glad to be able to offer this additional service to our clients. Risa Saltman wants to help make your moving process as smooth, enjoyable and efficient as possible.

Want to be added to Risa's FREE E-newsletter distribution list? Totally different from the web site newsletter, all you need to do is click HERE and click SEND.