Use the following tips for April to bring bright blossoms and hearty vegetables to your garden all summer long:
- Fertilize plants—this is the time they are growing, growing, growing. They need food for energy and to produce.
- Repair and replace lawns as necessary. New varieties of grass use less water, stay greener and are more disease resistant than grasses of just five years ago.
- Plant an herb garden. These delightful edible plants can add fabulous flavors to your cooking, garnish to drinks, and even provide catnip for your kitten!
- Groundcovers should be planted now so they will establish strong root systems before the hot weather comes.
- Citrus , azaleas and other acid-loving plants may need an application of iron now, if the new leaves are yellow between the veins.
- Ladybugs and praying mantids will help control pests naturally. Check with your local nursery for tips on finding and releasing them.
- Use the coupon insert for all your nursery needs.
Happy Gardening!
—Jean Priest
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May 1, 2007 - 6:39 am
Ah, Spring! And our thoughts turn to …Remodeling!
It might be a good time to remodel! And then again, it might be a good time to move! After years of soaring appreciation in home prices, this present, more moderate market has changed the thinking of homeowners
across the nation as well as here in the Sacramento area.
A couple of years ago, any money you might have put into the favorite remodel projects—kitchens and baths—was a sure bet to come back to you when you sold he home. In some markets, more than 100% of these projects’ costs came back to sellers within the first year or two of completion in enhanced appreciation. Presently, that return is down to around 80% and is much less than a sure thing.
That being said, building supplies have come down in cost in many areas. Lower building rates across the country have, for example, dropped drywall sheets cost by nearly half over just a short time ago! If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, this could be really welcome news.
If you’re rethinking the remodel/move dilemma, consider looking on the web for RemodelOrMove.Com and filling out the short survey. Click on the “calculate” button and read the result. Like many internet sites, this information should be taken with a grain of salt. But it’s a good place to help clarify your thinking. Another good source for decision-making information is to contact any of us on The Fox Team. We can help personalize the information you’ve found!
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May 1, 2007 - 6:17 am
Are you considering buying or selling a home? Whenever you are interviewing an agent/company to represent you in one of the most important financial transactions you can make in your lifetime, be sure to be completely prepared. The process of interviewing agents and/or companies can be time consuming and difficult. These questions should be helpful.
For the Buyer:
- How do I find out what listings best meet my needs?
- What is your strategy for finding the best loan to meet my needs?
- How do you negotiate a contract to protect my interests?
- What forms/disclosures do you use to protect my interests?
- How do you coordinate the inspection and investigation process?
- How many purchases have you and your company closed for buyers in the past year?
- Tell me about your company’s Legal Department?
- What are the advantages of using Coldwell Banker for this purchase?
- What are your after-the-sale services?
For the Seller:
- What is your Company’s advertising strategy?
- What is your open house strategy?
- What is your negotiation strategy when you receive an offer on my home?
- How many buyers did your Company/Office represent in our market last year?
- How many listings did your Company/Office list and sell in our market last year?
- How many agents are in your office?
- How many agents are in your network?
- How long has your Company been in business?
- Tell me about your Company’s legal department.
- What forms/disclosures does your Company use to protect my interests?
If we can be of service in any other way, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We’d be happy to help!
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April 30, 2007 - 10:15 pm
What our clients say about working with us:
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Dear Kathy,
Rebecca and I wanted to thank you for all the hard work you put in while selling our home. We never thought we would be able to get as much for our small home as we did. We can’t believe how quickly you were able to sell and close the sales transaction. Feel free to have any potential clients call us to rave about your service. We appreciate the way you conduct your business and would recommend you to a family member or friend in a heartbeat. Our only regret is, you can?t help us with our home purchase in Fresno. God bless and we look forward to seeing you sometime in the future.
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Dear Kathy:
I am writing to thank you and your staff for the fine effort in helping me sell my dad’s home on Lantzy Court. As you know, there was a certain amount of pent up family emotion in selling the property. You understood the issues and helped keep things on an even keel. I really appreciated that. You came highly recommended, and I can see why. You were extremely professional in dealing with me and my family, and you always kept me informed about everything that was happening. Moreover, I really appreciated the “hands on” effort by you, in personally reviewing documents with me so that I knew what I was signing and why.
Many thanks again for the efficient, courteous, and professional work in marketing and selling my dad’s home. I highly recommend you and your Coldwell Banker staff.
Very truly yours,
MEM
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April 30, 2007 - 9:54 pm