Sunday, August 29, 2010

DIY: Insulate Your Attic



Adding a new or replacement layer of insulation to your home’s attic can reduce your winter heating costs by as much as 20%. Studies have shown that typical attic insulation is about three inches thick. When efficiency is a top priority, experts recommend quadrupling that thickness to twelve inches.

What You Need to Insulate Your Home

Equipment
  • Protective clothing and gear, including face masks, safety glasses and gloves 
  • A stepladder, although in some cases a larger or smaller ladder may be required 
  • Plywood, particularly if your attic does not have a solid floor 
  • A staple gun and PLENTY of staples! 
  • A utility knife

Time
Plan to work on this project for one weekend or more, depending on the size and condition of your attic. Factor in the time needed to clean out your attic or move things around as necessary.

Cost
Insulation is relatively inexpensive. Most home attics can be insulated for a few hundred dollars.

Project Difficulty

Easy to moderate – Installing insulation is not difficult, but be prepared for lots of moving and lifting, working in close quarters for hours at a time.

Preparation

As with any home-improvement project, proper preparation is the key to success. Do not cut corners with attic insulation. Read the insulation manufacturer’s installation instructions. The manufacturer knows the best way to install the product while maximizing the insulation quality of the material.
Move materials into the attic in their original packaging. For example, if you have purchased rolled insulation, never open the cellophane covering until the material is safely in the attic. The roll has been compressed for wrapping. In addition, you don’t want to breathe in fiberglass particles while moving the material through your home unprotected.

Wear protective clothing at all times. Long sleeves and a face mask are extremely important.
Be familiar with your attic. Low ceilings with exposed beams, sparse flooring with exposed joists, and areas with no flooring at all can be dangerous. Forgetting where floor joists are can result in serious injuries, first when you come through the ceiling and second when you recover from the fall. Be careful at all times.
Put plywood sheets on the floor to cover the area between joists. This will help you avoid the dangerous situation described above.

Getting Started
Locate every window or vent in the attic space. Ventilation is critical for property attic insulation, because the intention is to keep heat down below in the living area. To avoid potential roof damage, keep your attic as well ventilated as possible. Replace any vents that are in bad repair to keep nature’s creatures out of your home. 

Install a vapor barrier. If you have purchased rolled insulation with a lining, this step is less important, because that lining serves as a vapor barrier. If your insulation does not have a lining, install a layer of vapor-barrier material or 4- or 6-millimeter polyethylene sheeting. This will deter moisture and prevent damage to the insulation. 

Locate outlets, light fixtures and switches on the walls. Insulation is flammable. Therefore, always ensure that there is a safe distance between the electrical fixture and your insulation.
Install the insulation. If you are using rolled insulation, install several layers to obtain a twelve-inch thickness. Install the first layer, stapling it in place between the rafters. Additional layers should be placed perpendicular to one another in order to increase the R-value of the insulation.

If you are using loose insulation instead, maintain uniform thickness of about twelve inches in all areas.

Failing to carefully install the material with the right thickness will result in less efficient attic insulation.

Cleaning Up

Congratulations on completing the steps necessary to insulate your home! Once the installation is complete, remove all the scraps of insulation from your attic. Place them in bag that can be sealed before leaving the attic. This is very important for protecting your family’s health.

With the right tools, material and know-how, insulating a home is a straightforward process. Just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and always wear protective gear.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Be Wary of Mortgage "Specials" Sent to Your Home after Applying for a Loan



Privacy laws and requirements have become a hot topic in recent years, resulting in consumers’ growing awareness of the need to protect their personal information from computer hackers, perpetrators of fraudulent scheme, and other criminals.

Most people do not understand that when you apply for a mortgage loan and then receive advertisements and targeted letters touting “special promotions” and “special rates,” it is because their private data has been sold. But it is not the lender that you have to watch out for!

Instead, it is the very same organizations that consumers tend to believe are the watchdogs of consumer protection, the credit bureaus.

What happens when you make a loan application? First your application is reviewed by one of the lender’s loan officers, who runs a credit report.

This credit report informs the credit bureau(s) that you have applied for a mortgage. Your information is then earmarked by lenders who buy targeted lead information from these companies.

No matter how hard consumers work to protect their personal information, this is the harsh reality. The credit bureau codes your information and, if a lender or other organization requests a list of leads that have applied for a similar loan product, you will receive their junk mail (and legitimate offers), regardless of whether you are approved for your loan.

The technical term for these targeted lists of information is a “trigger list”. A trigger list is sent to the requester with the promise to forward new additions to the list within a specific time period following the credit check. This could be as little as an hour, but it is usually within two business days.

You need to watch not only your mailbox, but also your telephone and email inbox. You will receive ads there as well if you provided that contact information in your application. You may receive calls to your home from soliciting lenders, emails from these lenders and even, in rare cases, a home visit.

Unfortunately, there is more bad news. Trigger lists do not stop with your name and contact information. Requesters may also receive information from your credit report, such as the details of student loans, credit cards, revolving charge accounts and car loans. They have access to almost unlimited information about you, despite all your efforts to keep such information private.

Consumer watchdog groups are trying to limit or eliminate credit bureaus’ ability to release this information to anyone who offers to pay. The National Association of Mortgage Brokers is one group that is disheartened by current practices. It is working to protect the interests of consumers while also maintaining its own wellbeing.

What about legitimate lenders who purchase leads from credit bureaus? Most industry experts believe that unless a lender has enough information to make a firm offer of credit, it should not be allowed to contact consumers on the trigger lists.

Under fire, the credit bureaus defend the practice and claim that their activities comply with all the regulations imposed on them by consumer-protection programs.

Why is the largest consumer of trigger lists the vast collection of internet companies that specialize in producing lead lists for their clients? Again, the argument is raised that if the leads are not going to a company that is prepared to make a genuine and firm offer of credit, the consumer should never be contacted.

Fortunately, consumers have a way out of this situation. Your personal information can be excluded from these trigger lists. A simple call, letter, or email to the credit bureaus will place a note on your record that your information may not be released to any third party without your explicit permission.

Hopefully this information has been enlightening and you will never become a victim of a scam related to trigger advertising. You have a choice. By opting out of prescreened advertising and trigger lists, you can secure your personal information and protect your privacy.

Recipe 1

Amazing Carrot Cake

INGREDIENTS:


2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
3 (4 ounce) jars carrot baby food
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 cup flaked coconut
DIRECTIONS


Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the oil and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chopped pecans, carrot baby food, grated carrots and coconut. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Friday, August 27, 2010

$323,900- 307 Old Line Dr, Centreville MD (MLS #QA7415760)- 1 Acre

Offered at $323,900

307 Old Line Dr
Centreville, MD
Click Here for More Information
  DESCRIPTION
  PROPERTY DETAILS
•  Single Family Home•  1 acres lot•  3 bedrooms
•  Built in Unspecified•  Unspecified Area•  2 bathrooms
  PROPERTY FEATURES
•  

Single Family Property

•  Single story •  Parking features: Asphalt Driveway, Garage Door Opener, Paved Driveway
•  Status: Active •  

Type: Detached home, Fee simple

•  Heating features: Electric, Heat Pump(s)
•  County: QUEEN ANNES •  Style: Cape Cod •  Central air conditioning
•  Subdivision: CLAIBORNE FIELDS •  Laundry room •  Cooling features: Electric
•  Year Built: 2002 •  Bathroom(s) on main floor •  Exterior construction: Vinyl siding
•  3 total bedroom(s) •  Bedroom(s) on main floor •  Lot is 43560 sq. ft.
•  2 total bath(s) •  Fireplace(s) •  Approximately 1 acre(s)
•  2 total full bath(s) •  2 car garage •  Lot size is between 1 and 2 acres
•  Handicap features•  Attached parking

  SELLER CONTACT INFO
Dina Baxter
Rosendale Realty
605 Main St. Suite 100
Stevensville
Maryland 21666
(410) 643-2166
dina@dinabaxter.com

  Posted: August 20, 2010

111 Web Foot Ln, Stevensville MD (MLS #QA7415783) View Listings Statistics $409,900

Offered at $409,900

111 Web Foot Ln
Stevensville, MD
Click Here for More Information
  DESCRIPTION
  PROPERTY DETAILS
•  Single Family Home•  0.19 acres lot•  3 bedrooms
•  Built in Unspecified•  3208 sq. ft. living area Area•  3 bathrooms
  PROPERTY FEATURES
•  

Single Family Property

•  Dining room •  Parking features: Asphalt Driveway, Driveway/Off Street
•  Status: Active •  Family room •  Heating features: Bottled Gas/Propane, Zoned
•  County: QUEEN ANNES •  Kitchen •  Forced air heat
•  Subdivision: MALLARD RUN •  Laundry room •  Central air conditioning
•  Year Built: 2000 •  Bathroom(s) on main floor •  Cooling features: Ceiling Fan(s), Electric, Zoned
•  3 total bedroom(s) •  Master bedroom is 19 X 15 •  Exterior construction: Slab foundation, Vinyl siding
•  3 total bath(s) •  Living room is 14 X 12 •  Roofing: Shingle
•  2 total full bath(s) •  Dining room is 14 X 12 •  Lot is 8450 sq. ft.
•  1 total half bath(s) •  Family room is 16 X 16 •  Approximately 0.19 acre(s)
•  Approximately 3208 sq. ft. •  Kitchen is 21 X 13 •  Lot size is less than 1/2 acre
•  Two story •  Hardwood floors •  Call agent for details on association fee info.
•  

Type: Detached home, Fee simple

•  Fireplace(s) •  Elementary School: KENT ISLAND
•  Style: Colonial •  Fireplace features: Gas fireplace, Family room fireplace •  Middle School: STEVENSVILLE
•  Master bedroom •  2 car garage •  High School: KENT ISLAND
•  Living room•  Attached parking

  SELLER CONTACT INFO
Dina Baxter
Rosendale Realty
605 Main St. Suite 100
Stevensville
Maryland 21666
(410) 643-2166
dina@dinabaxter.com

  Posted: August 20, 2010

Thursday, August 26, 2010

2551 Church Hill Rd, Centreville MD (MLS #QA7406564) View Listings Statistics $329,000

Offered at $329,000

2551 Church Hill Rd
Centreville, MD
Click Here for More Information
  DESCRIPTION
  PROPERTY DETAILS
•  Single Family Home•  2.57 acres lot•  2 bedrooms
•  Built in Unspecified•  Unspecified Area•  2 bathrooms
  PROPERTY FEATURES
•  Single Family Property •  1 total full bath(s)•  Fireplace(s)
•  Status: Active •  1 total half bath(s) •  Parking features: Free, Paved Driveway
•  County: QUEEN ANNES •  Three story •  Heating features: Hot Water, Oil Fuel
•  Subdivision: CENTREVILLE •  Type: Detached home, Fee simple •  Cooling features: Ceiling Fan(s), Electric, Window Unit(s)
•  Year Built: 1911 •  Style: Farm house •  Exterior construction: Vinyl siding
•  2 total bedroom(s) •  Basement •  Lot is 111949 sq. ft.
•  2 total bath(s) •  Bathroom(s) on main floor •  Approximately 2.56 acre(s)

  SELLER CONTACT INFO
Dina Baxter
Rosendale Realty
605 Main St. Suite 100
Stevensville
Maryland 21666
(410) 643-2166
dina@dinabaxter.com

  Posted: August 07, 2010

No Dog Left Behind: Friend for Life

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

$247,900 Single Family Home- Chester MD- Need financing please contact me

Offered at $247,900

1829 Anchorage Dr
Chester, MD
Click Here for More Information
   DESCRIPTION
   PROPERTY DETAILS
•  Single Family Home•  0.24 acres lot•  3 bedrooms 
•  Built in Unspecified•  Unspecified Area•  2 bathrooms 
   PROPERTY FEATURES
•  Single Family Property •  Type: Detached home, Fee simple •  Kitchen is 12 X 12
•  Status: Active •  Style: Cape Cod, Traditional •  Parking features: Driveway/Off Street
•  County: QUEEN ANNES •  Master bedroom •  Heating features: Electric, Heat Pump(s)
•  Subdivision: HARBOR VIEW •  Living room •  Cooling features: Electric, Heat Pump(s)
•  Year Built: 1988 •  Kitchen •  Exterior construction: Vinyl siding
•  3 total bedroom(s) •  Bathroom(s) on main floor •  Lot is 10595 sq. ft.
•  2 total bath(s) •  Bedroom(s) on main floor •  Approximately 0.24 acre(s)
•  2 total full bath(s) •  Master bedroom is 15 X 10 •  Lot size is less than 1/2 acre
•  Two story•  Living room is 18 X 11•  Call agent for details on association fee info.

   SELLER CONTACT INFO
Dina Baxter
Rosendale Realty
605 Main St. Suite 100
Stevensville
Maryland 21666
(410) 643-2166
dina@dinabaxter.com

   Posted: July 31, 2010

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Prepare for Moving Day the Month Before


You finally fell asleep and began to dream. In your dream, moving day had finally come. Unfortunately you had underestimated how many boxes you needed. You also ran out of tape and lost all of your permanent markers that would have allowed you to label the contents of the boxes. While your children were running around wildly (since you packed all of their toys without thinking), one of them had run into the corner of a table, meaning that he needed to be taken to the hospital for stitches. You had no idea where his medical records were because all of the boxes were unmarked, leaving you hopelessly searching through box after box. The movers were paid by the hour, and you had already surpassed the cost you had hoped would cover them. Your alarm clock finally brings you out of your nightmare, huffing and puffing.
Moving day should not be that stressful. Here is a practical guideline to help you make your moving day as stress free as possible by starting a month before.
One Month Before Moving
Get an IRS Change of Address form by calling 1-800-829-1040. If you do not have a new permanent address yet, obtain a post office box or forwarding address for your mail until you have a permanent address.
Collect moving supplies and put them all in one location: boxes of all sizes, measuring tape, packaging tape, twisty ties, pocket knives, rope, permanent markers, bubble wrap, tissue paper, old blankets, furniture pads, scissors, cash, credit cards, etc.
Secure travel arrangements such as airline tickets, hotels, rental car reservations, or travel route directions.
Either call a moving company or reserve a rental truck to move yourself.
Finalize your real estate and apartment rental needs.
Get a portable file box to keep important documents in such as legal papers, medical records, and insurance records.
Get your medical and dental records, x-rays, and prescription histories. Ask for needed referrals and transfer of prescriptions.
Hand out your new address by using Address Change Notification Cards to the following:1. Friends and Family Members
2. Banks, Insurance Companies, and Other Financial Institutions
3. Charge Card and Credit Card Companies
4. Doctors, Dentists, and Other Service Providers
5. State, Federal Tax, and other government agencies
6. IRS
Add a folder to your file box called “Moving Receipts” (many of the moving expenses are tax deductible).
Make maps and lists of phone numbers and address of local hospitals, police stations, veterinarians, fire stations, restaurants, parks, grocery stores, gas stations, drug stores, salons, and dry cleaners in your new neighborhood.
Plan your moving budget.
Pack a bag of games, books, and anything else that will entertain your children for the long car ride, hotels, plane rides, rest stops, etc.
Get rid of unwanted items around your house: clothes, furniture, clutter items. Sell them, throw them away, or give them away to friends, family, or a charity.
Arrange to pick up your children’s school records and prepare them for their new school.
If your family will be riding in two separate vehicles, make sure both cars will have a walkie-talkie or cell phone to keep in touch while on the road.
Make sure the employees in your family contact their employers to make sure their tax withholding forms are forwarded to your new address.
Return borrowed items such as library books, videos, etc.
Record the serial number of important electronics and other important equipment. Place that paper in your portable filing box for safekeeping.
Either transfer or close your bank accounts. Remember that your account needs to be inactive for usually about 2 weeks before you can close out the account.
 
Two Weeks Before Moving
Inform gas, electric, water, cable, local telephone, long distance telephone, magazine subscriptions, and trash removal companies of your move. Cancel local subscriptions or services to pool maintenance, fuel delivery, water, etc. Sign up for services at your new home.
Recruit moving day help. Get someone to watch the kids so that you are free to answer questions, run errands, and organize. How can you make sure the kids will stay out of your way? Will the babysitter take them to a park or a family member take them to their home? Who is going to keep your pets from running into the street or biting the movers?
Confirm travel reservations.
Get the oil in your cars changed, if needed for the trip.
Check with your insurance agent to make sure that you will be covered through your homeowner or renter’s policy during the move
 
Day Before Moving
Make sure your moving materials (measuring tape, pocket knife, boxes, tape, and markers) are easily accessible and will not get packed by mistake.
Pick up the rental truck, if applicable.
Make sure your cars are full of gas.
Double check to make sure your tickets, charge cards, forms of ID, and important papers are stored safely and yet accessible when needed.
 
Tips for Packing Up
Clearly label on the outside of each box the room in the new home to which it should be delivered.
Either label each box with what is inside or write a number on the box, keeping a list of what is in each box.
CLEARLY mark fragile items.
Pack a bag of personal items to keep in the car with you: a change of clothes for everyone, major toiletries, medicine, maps, food, and drinks. Make sure that bag is easy to get to.
Before you get into your car or moving truck, make sure you do a thorough run through of your house to check for personal belongings in closets, drawers, shelves, and the attic and garage.
 
Arrival at Your New Home
Renew your driver’s license, auto registration, and tags.
Shop around and obtain new insurance policies, if needed, especially auto.
Have the movers unload the boxes into the labeled room.
Unpack the children’s rooms first so that they are entertained in their room, and so they can begin to adjust to their new home.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Alady Chocolate Labrador Retriever- Adopt me


ALADY!
Alady is an adult Lab she is very sweet she looks like she has had a rough life .She is just waiting to meet her new family could that be you? Come see Alady

Large  Adult  Female  Dog 

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My Contact Info

Monday, August 9, 2010

Laundry Rooms are a New $tatus Symbol


In the new homes, the washers and dryers are no longer stuck in the dark, basement corner of the house. Homeowners are demanding more out of their laundry rooms than ever before. Why? Well, most American families throw 8-10 loads of laundry in the washer per week. Plus, on average 20 million women and 10 million men spend hundreds of hours each year washing and drying clothes. These are the people that want their laundry rooms to be practical, organized, large enough to accommodate day-to-day needs, and well decorated. Laundry rooms are actually becoming the newest status symbol, seeing as some laundry rooms are worth more than $30,000.

Many families are actually making the laundry rooms into the messy chore, craft, sewing, and even gardening project rooms. Laundry rooms are in need of more than the typical cabinet, washer, and dryer. People want a folding station. They are now looking for DryAire drying cabinets, where sweaters and delicates can dry in a couple of hours rather than a couple of days. They want the SinkSpa, which is a jetted sink where hand-washables are washed by water jets. They desire ironing stations: including an adjustable board, place to store the hot iron, and automatic shutoff controls.

Now, perhaps you are simply looking for ideas to spice up your own laundry room. Maybe you’re trying to figure out ways to make your rental property a winner. Or, perhaps you’re getting your home into selling shape. Whatever your goal, the following will help you figure out ideas in how to make the laundry room pleasurably livable.

Before you start making all these plans to upgrade. Sit down in the laundry room for at least 15 minutes and really take some time to figure out your needs. What annoyances do you run into right now? Do you have any spot to hang clothes when it rains? Do you struggle to get the clothes from the washer into the dryer? Do you really need a utility sink? Do you tend not to iron because you have no place for the ironing board? Does the room need a more cheerful paint color? Does the floor need to be replaced?

1. Obtain a Practical Washing Machine. Some washers have a finger faucet under the rim, allowing you to easily wash detergent off your hands. Other washers feature “reminder chimes,” signaling you that the clothes are done. A few of the newest washing machines have some very practical features: a quick-wash cycle that enables you to wash the shirt you need for the party in record time, a virtually noiseless direct-drive washing system, a delay-wash feature that starts the washer up to 19 hours after you load it, and a steady-spin feature that keeps the washer spinning, even if the load is unbalanced.

2. Install Cabinetry. Before you install anything, sit in the laundry room and figure out your current needs. Do you need open shelving units or cabinets with doors? Do you need spaces for various laundry baskets? Where can all of the detergents, spot removers, and dryer sheets be easily reached? Will you add a countertop to fold clothes?

3. Storage. An alternative to cabinetry is to Install Wire shelving. The wire shelving is strong, durable, easy to install, fits to your needs, and doesn’t rust easily.

4. Ironing Station. Either set up an ironing board station or install a built-in ironing board. Both set-ups should have a permanent spot for the hot iron.

5. Laundry Sorting Baskets. Use laundry-sorting bins to organize your laundry by color and cycle. If you desire your family to follow your new system, make sure the laundry bins are clearly marked, such as “darks, delicates, towels, whites, dry cleaning, cold wash” etc. The more you organize, the more time you have to do other things.

6. Easily Accessible. If you are remodeling or building your home, make sure that your laundry room is easily accessible from the main activity areas of the house.

7. Windows. Install another window or two in your dark and dreary laundry room. Many people like their laundry windows to overlook the backyard play areas. Bay windows with a ledge not only take the “laundry room” feel away but also provide a usable ledge for baskets and folded laundry.

8. Change the Lighting. Change the one-light in the center of your ceiling to attractive track lighting.

9. Hanging Space. Many clothes require drip-drying, so either hang a rod or two near the floor drain or hang string from one side of the room to the other. Whichever way you choose, make sure that it is practical and out of the way. When using hangers, choose the plastic ones rather than the metal ones, as they tangle less and do not rust. If you have wire shelving, you can also easily hanging clothes from those. You could also place a rod next to the dryer that is equipped with plastic hangers to immediately hang items when they come out of the dryer.

10. Usable Space. Rolling carts are a practical addition to the laundry room. You can slip a thin one between the washer and the dryer, which can hold the detergent, stain stick, bleach, dryer sheets, etc. This keeps deep space usable and practical.

11. Small “Catch-all” Basket. Get a small basket to put next to the washer to keep items that are still in the pockets such as lipstick, money, receipts, etc.

12. Trashcan. Make sure that at trashcan is nearby to unload the lint tray, throw away used dryer sheets, and wrappers found in pockets