July 2008
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
Volume 11 Issue 7
Outdoor Furniture Fixes
As the days get longer and the weather heats up, you’ll want to take advantage of the season by entertaining outside as much as possible. Tables and chairs that have been exposed to the elements all winter will probably need a good cleaning and perhaps a few repairs. Here’s advice for maintaining different types of outdoor furniture. Good wood. Wood furniture should be kept under waterproof covers when not in use. To keep it in good shape, start off the season with a sealant such as teak oil for hardwood. If possible, don’t stand wood legs directly on grass because the moisture from the ground can rot untreated wood. For ongoing maintenance, wipe down tables and chairs every two weeks or so with a cloth that’s been wrung out from a solution of soapy wood cleaner.
Plastic fantastic. For resin furniture, guard against fading and brittleness from excessive heat and abrasive cleaners by washing with a mild all-purpose cleaner. When white plastic ages, it can yellow. If your furniture gets to this stage, you can use a mildly abrasive cleaner, which helps prevent black grime from getting embedded in the rough edges of the plastic. Soaking such a stain in a strong bleach solution — 2 1/2 tablespoons bleach to one gallon of water — also helps whiten it, but you may not get uniform results. If you can, position the chair so the bleach solution covers an even area. Rinse the solution off after 30 minutes.
This months joke:
Question: Did you hear the one about the Liberty Bell?
Answer: Yeah, it cracked me up!
Heavy metal. Metal furniture generally has a protective finish, so all you need to do is wash it with a cloth dipped in soapy water. However, if the coating has started to wear away, you can paint it again with a clear metal varnish. Most cast- or wrought-iron outdoor furniture will already have a clear varnish, but it can wear over time. To repair it, sand the damaged areas carefully before reapplying paint or varnish. Then, throughout the season, wipe down with a soapy cloth and dry very thoroughly.
Do Just One Thing
You can help the environment in your daily routine! Here are a few tips how:
Turn Off the Lights: Electricity production generates more than 1.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
Stop Idling Your Car: It’s a waste of gas and adds Co2 to the atmosphere.
Buy Shade-Grown Coffee: If you drink coffee grown on clear-cut land, you're contributing to deforestation. Shade-grown beans are at the grocery store or the nearest Starbucks.
Seal Up Your House: Increase your home’s energy efficiency. A 1/8-inch gap along the threshold of the front door is like having a 2-inch hole in the middle of the wall!
Source: Martha Stewart
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Question: FHA Reform Bill Would Help Homeowners & Homebuyers
Answer: NAR has supported FHA modernization legislation to increase loan limits, eliminate the 3% minimum cash down payment, and allow FHA flexibility to provide risk-based pricing.
As some homeowners are faced with adjustable sub prime loans resetting at levels that they cannot afford and cooling real estate markets, a reformed FHA would be positioned to offer borrowers a safer mortgage alternative and help bring stability to local markets and local economies, according to Pat V. Combs, NAR President.
Increasing FHA mortgage loan limits will also help first-time homebuyers, minority buyers and others who cannot qualify for conventional mortgages. Increasing loan limits will also help people living in high cost areas. Eliminating the 3% minimum down payment will also have positive results for many homebuyers.
Source: Source: National Association of Realtors
Have questions? email Risa at questions@risa.net or call her at 1-800-699-4901
Special July 4th page from Risa
Why Do We Celebrate the 4th of July?
July 2008 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Holiday/Vacation Homes For Sale
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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!
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