Homeowners are ready to make 2012 a banner year for remodeling and the latest cost-for-value research suggests that getting the most bang for every buck is more important than ever.

The Remodeling Market Index (RMI) hit a five-year high at the end of 2011, indicating that residential remodeling should continue to grow in 2012, according to panelists at a press conference at NAHB’s International Builders’ Show. After a slow start, home improvement spending is expected to trend up later this year, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. If this momentum continues to build during the second half of the year, remodeling activity is on course to end 2012 on a positive note.

However, consumers want to get the most for their money.

Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value report for 2011-2012 found that the trend right now is replacement over remodeling—swapping out the old for the new rather than doing a total gut job, which can be much more costly. Exterior replacement projects—such as new garage doors and a new entry door—offer some of the best returns at resale, allowing home owners to recoup close to 70 percent or more of the costs of the project at times of resale.

The following are the top, mid-range projects from this year’s report, based on what home owners stand to recoup at time of resale:

1. 1.    Replacing the entry door to steel
   Estimated cost: $1,238
   Cost recouped at resale: 73 percent

1. 2.    Attic bedroom (converting unfinished attic space into a bedroom with bathroom and shower)
   Estimated cost: $50,148
   Cost recouped at resale: 72.5 percent

1. 3.    Minor kitchen remodel (including new cabinets and drawers, countertops, hardware, and appliances)
   Estimated cost: $19,588
   Cost recouped at resale: 72.1 percent

1. 4.    Garage door replacement
   Estimated cost: $1,512
   Cost recouped at resale: 71.9 percent

1. 5.    Deck addition (wood)
   Estimated cost: $10,350
   Cost recouped at resale: 70.1 percent

1. 6.    Siding replacement (vinyl)
   Estimated cost: $11,729
   Cost recouped at resale: 69.5 percent

For more information, visit www.realestateeconomywatch.com

Source:  RIS Media

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:   HGTVcom

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

In his recent State of the Union speech, President Obama announced he will push for legislation that will significantly expand the newly revised HARP program that allows underwater homeowners to refinance at today’s historically low rates.

Obama’s expansion would allow all borrowers, not just those whose loans are held by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to refinance. Fannie and Freddie hold about 60 percent of the nation’s mortgages. The New York Times quotes a “senior government official” who estimated that the program could benefit two million to three million homeowners who have loans that are not guaranteed by the government, and that the program’s cost would not exceed $10 billion. When announced last September, the revised Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP 2.0) was projected to help one million homeowners.

The President’s announcement comes after the HARP 2.0 program has been in effect only seven weeks. Initial reports suggested that key lenders—including certain megabanks—have been slow to implement changes to service borrowers applying for the program and they are also facing capacity constraints due to the ongoing mini-refinancing boom. Final rules were not announced until Novembers and reportedly many consumers and servicers were confused about whether they qualified and how to apply.

Concerns have been growing that the program would fall short of its million loan goal. The program is due to expire at the end of this year. Federal Reserve chairman Bernanke has suggested that the program be changed to mandate lenders to write down principal as well as interest. Others are recommending additional changes to reduce refinancing fees and “put-back” risk on the loans. Meanwhile, California Democrats in Congress are calling on President Obama to replace Federal Housing Finance Agency acting director Edward DeMarco, who has opposed writing down the principal of mortgages held by Fannie and Freddie.

However, recent reports suggest that interest is picking up. One source reports that 70 percent of the new loan applications at a major bank are HARP 2.0 loans. The HARP 1.0 program allowed borrowers to refinance up to 125 percent of the current value of the home but the HARP 2.0 will do away with that 125 percent limit.

“I’m sending this Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at historically low interest rates. No more red tape,” said President Obama. The program would be paid for by a new fee on banks, but details have yet to be announced and until they are, the outlook in Congress is difficult to forecast.

For more information, visit www.realestateeconomywatch.com ^[1].

Source:  RISMedia.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

If being connected 24/7 was supposed to make our lives easier, the business world didn’t get the memo. Most American professionals just can’t shake the end-of-the-day feeling that they didn’t get enough done. So day after day, they find themselves responding to work e-mail on their smartphones right up until their head hits the pillow. Sound familiar? There is good news, says Jason Womack: By implementing a few small changes, you can get more done in less time—which not only staves off burnout, but leaves more time for doing what you love.

“When the pressure is on to do more and more with less and less, you want what you do to really count,” says Womack, a workplace performance expert, executive coach, and author of the new book Your Best Just Got Better: Work Smarter, Think Bigger, Make More (Wiley, February 2012, ISBN: 978-1-118-12198-6, $24.95). “Burning through your to-do list more efficiently lets you go after bigger and better opportunities, sure, but the real reason you want to do it is so you’ll have time for what brings you joy.

“You do what you have to do so you can do what you want to do,” he adds.

While Womack’s book zeroes in on strategies, tactics, tools, and processes to help readers consistently and incrementally improve their performance at work, he insists he is not some kind of “productivity nut job.” He’s just gung-ho about teaching us how to get more done, on time, with fewer resources and less stress—so that we can spend our evenings walking the dog, having a beer with friends, or reading a good book.

“It’s not about how hard you’re working,” adds Womack. “There are plenty of very hardworking people who aren’t as productive as they could be because of the way they manage their day.”

Read on for four essential good habits, excerpted from Your Best Just Got Better, you can develop to become more productive and less stressed at work:

Keep your BlackBerry out of bed. Womack writes about a client who listed “Check e-mail on BlackBerry (in bed)” as part of his daily morning routine. Note that he didn’t do anything about those e-mails while still in bed. He waited until he was commuting to work (he had a 40-minute train ride to the office each day) to start taking action. Then, he said, he rushed through his morning worrying about the e-mails he had read in bed.

“Together, he and I designed a five-day experiment during which period he would leave his mobile device in another room and use an alarm clock to wake up instead of his phone,” says Womack. “He would shower, dress, eat breakfast, and then check e-mail on his train ride to work. Initially, he expressed concern that he might miss the ‘thinking about what I have to think about’ time he had built in to the early part of the day, but he was willing to give the experiment a try.

“When I called him the following week, he had good news,” Womack continues. “The experiment had worked. He was less stressed and was using his morning more productively. This change in his routine gave him a higher quality of life with less stress and increased productivity—one he didn’t know was possible without falling behind in his work.”

Always be prepared for “bonus time.” This is a great strategy for increasing productivity. Bring small chunks of work with you wherever you go. Then, while waiting for a meeting to start or for a delayed flight to depart—Womack calls these unexpected blocks of free time “bonus time”—you’ll be able to reply to an e-mail or make a phone call. In other instances, you might have enough time to review materials for another meeting or project you are working on. If you’re prepared, you can also confirm appointments, draft responses, or map out a project outline.

“I can promise you that sometime during the next month, someone is going to arrive late for a meeting with you, cancel a meeting, or otherwise keep you waiting,” says Womack. “When that inevitably happens, you can look over your to-do list and pick something—anything—to work on.”

Change how you manage e-mail. The moment you click on your inbox, your focus goes and your stress grows, as you proceed to delete, respond, forward, and file the messages you find there. You see names and subject lines and suddenly your mind starts racing; all you can think of are the latest projects, the “loudest” issues, and the high-priority work that shows up. If you’re not careful, all you’ll do all day is manage your e-mail.

Rather than simply flag e-mails that require action, use the subject lines to catalog and organize them, suggests Womack. For example, you might put “Follow-up Call” in the subject line of an e-mail about a meeting you just had with a client. Also, don’t look at your e-mail unless you have a block of time to devote to prioritizing them and responding to them. When you are going through your e-mail, use subject lines to catalog them and organize them so that you’ll easily be able to go back to less urgent e-mails later on.

Identify the VERBS that need attention. (And here’s a hint: Smaller is better.) Organize your to-do list by verbs in order to manage your productivity in terms of action, delegation, and progress. Actions such as call, draft, review, and invite are things that you can do, generally in one sitting, that have the potential to move the project forward one step at a time.

“If your to-do list has ‘big’ verbs—by which I mean verbs that are mentally demanding or longer term in nature such as plan, discuss, create, or implement—replace them with action steps to just get started,” says Womack. “That is, pick ‘smaller’ verbs, by which I mean verbs describing tasks that are easier to start and faster to finish. This will save you time and reduce the sense of overload you’re feeling.”

“We all want to enjoy what we do every day,” says Womack. “We want to get better and better, both on the job and off, and yet, many people are too overwhelmed to make the key changes that will help them do so. There is no reason to remain mired in frustration and struggling to catch up. With just a few key changes, you can work in a way that feels really good—and spend your after-work life doing things that feel even better.”

Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA, provides practical methods to maximize tools, systems, and processes to achieve quality work/life balance.

For more information, visit www.womackcompany.com.

Source:  RISMedia

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:  RIS Media

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:  HGTV.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Small Bath, Big Storage

It can be a challenge to make a 7' x 8' bathroom feel open and inviting and find space for all those primping and pampering essentials. But choosing a clean design that incorporates savvy storage solutions will get the job done. Here, the walls were covered with white tiles to make the bathroom appear larger. Adding a mosaic tile inset adds interest and draws the eye up, which makes the bathroom appear taller. Two sets of built-in wall niches, a vanity with drawers, and a storage-packed closet add style and function.

Decluttered Wonder

This bathroom closet was a mishmash of toiletries, hair accessories, makeup, and jewelry. The deep shelves were great for storing lots of items, but things frequently got lost in the back. Adding bins, baskets, and trays transforms this closet into the bathroom’s command center. A door organizer holds small toiletries, a pullout drawer puts essentials within reach, and a pullout hamper keeps towels and clothes off the floor.

Use Unexpected Spaces

Maximize a small space by using every available surface. A door organizer (#141988) -- originally intended as a spice rack for the kitchen -- is perfect for smaller toiletries in bottles and jars and makes use of otherwise wasted space.

Keep Cleaning Supplies High

Place cleaning supplies on the top shelf. Why? Here they are easily accessible but out of reach for children and animals. Storing cleaning supplies in plastic bins (#41941) protects other items in the closet from potential spills. This bin features a solid bottom and decorative cutouts on the sides.

Create Easy Access

Frequently used items are easy to reach in the middle section of the closet. Hooks on the sides of the lower shelf hold jewelry and other accessories. Interlocking trays (#105922) keep tiny items from getting lost. A woven basket (#337503) offers a tidy place to hold larger items.

Add a Pullout Drawer

Deep shelves are great for storing lots of items, but make it hard to find items stashed in the back. A pullout drawer (#75050) makes it easy to reach everything on the shelf. This small wood drawer was originally intended for the kitchen, but installing it in the bathroom is both clever and cost-effective. Add jars or bins to hold small items within the drawer.

Toss Items in a Hamper

Keep dirty towels and clothes off the floor with a two-basket pullout hamper on the lower shelf. Designed for the kitchen, this double wastebasket (#278250) makes a perfect laundry hamper. The unit pulls out from the cabinet, making it easy to load and unload on laundry day.

Raise the Bar

A bathroom can never have too much towel storage. A towel rod (#163088) attached to the wall behind the door offers more hanging space.

Source:  Lowes.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:  HGTV.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Everyone knows that the housing market has been a little daunting for the last several years. Ups and downs, talk of good news and bad news, and a confusing amount of information about rising and falling mortgage rates has rendered the market all but inaccessible for a lot of prospective buyers.

Good news! Times are changing.

Whether you want to buy a home as your long-term residence or as an income property, things are looking up. Remarkably low mortgage rates are making houses more affordable than they have been in decades. Of course, lately, one of the greatest concerns facing you as a prospective homebuyer is whether you can secure that low rate mortgage in the first place. Lenders have tightened standards, requiring steeper down payments and stricter scrutiny of credit scores. But some economists think that might be changing as well. Do you have good credit? A down payment? A steady job? These are all factors that might play in favor of your ability to secure an attractive mortgage rate.

Conventional wisdom has long suggested that owning is better than renting. Renters have been viewed as “throwing money away” because they aren’t accruing equity in a property. However, with shifting interest rates and high property costs, in recent years, renting hasn’t necessarily been a bad option. As a result of the recent housing downturn, many prospective owners have been renting rather than buying.

There is a shift going on right now as the market is trending in favor of buyers. House payments are becoming more affordable than any time in recent history. Homeowners can get more for their money: bigger houses for some—or smaller payments for those willing to buy more moderately.

Whether you’re in a position to buy a home you are going to settle into for the long term, or whether you’re looking for a profitable investment, due diligence is key. For investors, the recently popular practice of “flipping” a property should be approached with the greatest amount of caution, knowledge, and savvy. Now might not be the time to try to make money on a quick turnaround.

Investing in real estate has long been a profitable and rewarding endeavor. Just don’t forget to do your homework! You should also take the opportunity to call on an expert. Buying a home can be one of the most valuable investments of your lifetime, so, as you would with any other important decision, gather as much knowledge as possible and lean on the people with the knowledge to help. A local REALTOR® with experience in your target market will be able to show you comparables. Most will have the inside scoop on the communities in addition to being able to point out any nuances that you might not easily find on your own, or through internet research. When interest rates are low and home prices are also low, it is a great time to buy!

Peggy Patenaude is a leader in real estate sales in the Andovers, an affluent suburb of Boston.

Source:  RISMedia.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:  HGTV.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

^[1]If your home will be for sale this winter, it is important to master certain seasonal issues that are less significant or even non-existent at other times of the year. Here are 10 bits of sage advice from RE/MAX agents that can help put a “Sold” sticker on that yard sign.

Let Those Lights Shine: The best way to combat winter’s short and frequently cloudy days is to turn on your house lights. For a showing, every single light in the house must be on, even in the closets and utility/mechanical rooms, according to Marlene Granacki of RE/MAX Exclusive Properties, Chicago.

“Make sure all the bulbs are working, and stock up on all the right bulbs for lamps and fixtures so burned out bulbs can be replaced immediately,” she advises. “Also, it’s a great idea to keep the lights on in the front of the house even if no showings are scheduled. People are always driving past the house, and keeping it lighted makes it look happy and welcoming.”

She also advises opening the drapes and blinds during the day to let in light and let visitors enjoy the view.

Provide Convenient Parking: It’s vital that buyers have a convenient place to park. They won’t want to walk very far in cold weather or be forced to climb over a snow bank to exit their vehicle. Because parking is often more restricted around condominiums, sellers should make sure their agent can pass along parking details to buyers.

Make It Easy to Enter: Winter showings can get off to an awkward start if prospective buyers arrive with snow or salt on their shoes.

“Make it easy for buyers to deal with their shoes when they arrive,” recommends Barbara Hibnick of RE/MAX Showcase, Long Grove, Ill. “Put a festive area rug at the front door for a great first impression and so visitors can wipe their feet. Have slippers or disposable booties available, along with a bench or chair, if there is room for one, where a visitor can sit and easily remove or put on their boots.”

Keep Odors Under Control: Any home tends to be stuffy in winter when windows are opened rarely. That can allow odors to build up, which can be a turn-off to buyers.

“Pet odors can be especially worrisome in winter,” says Mike Mondello of RE/MAX Synergy in Orland Park, Ill. “Use a room fragrance if needed, but nothing too strong, and I recommend that in winter sellers clean more often.” For example, change the cat litter daily, rather than every third or fourth day, or even consider using an air purifier.

If pets are in the house, consider setting the thermostat control so that the furnace fan runs constantly during the day to keep air moving through the house and dissipate odors. Also try to avoid strong cooking odors, especially if a showing is scheduled that day.

Cultivate a Festive Look: Appropriate decorations for Christmas and even St. Valentine’s Day help give a home a cheerful look during the winter months.

“I really believe that holiday decorations can help homes sell, but don’t go to excess,” suggests Starr Zook of RE/MAX On Track in Aledo, Ill. “Keeping small, decorative white lights on trees and bushes pretty much through the winter season is fine, but other decorations should be taken down quickly once the holiday passes.”

Don’t Ignore the Outdoors: Make a good first impression on buyers with a neatly maintained yard. Walks and steps should be kept clear, especially of snow and ice.

Look after Condo Common Areas: If the home you are selling is a condominium, your job as a seller may be relatively easy in winter, with no snow to shovel or yard work to worry about. However, that is only the case if your condominium association does its job well.

If the association isn’t doing it, the homeowner may have to take responsibility for keeping the entrance area and hallways clean. If the association isn’t getting snow shoveled promptly, consider buying some de-icing salt and sprinkling it judiciously around the building entry.

Don’t Roast Buyers: We all tend to prefer a specific temperature for our homes during the winter, but don’t blast buyers with hot air. Keep the temperature at a comfortable 65 degrees for all showings. Remember, buyers are likely to be wearing their coats even as they walk through the house.

Keep Seasonal Clothing under Control: “One major challenge of selling a home during the winter months is the overabundance of cold weather gear that must be stored,” says Mike Mondello. “A buyer doesn’t want to find the mudroom filled with boots or the hall closet overflowing with heavy coats. Shift some winter coats to another closet and put anything not needed in the closet into storage.”

To keep gloves and scarves from piling up in the front hall or mudroom, put a special container for them, such as a decorative chest, where the family typically enters the home.

Encourage Day Time Showings: A home shows to its best advantage during daylight hours, which are relatively scarce in winter.

“Encourage your agent to show your home before 3 p.m. and have it ready to show by 9 a.m. if you want the best results,” Granacki recommends.

Despite the special challenges of marketing a home during winter, there also are benefits, notes Laura Ortoleva, a spokesperson for the RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network.

“Buyers out looking at homes in December or January are, as a group, quite serious about buying. Therefore, sellers tend to benefit because each showing is more productive, and fewer showings are needed to sell the property,” she said.

For more information, visit www.illinoisproperty.com ^[2] and www.remax.com ^[3].

Source:  RISMedia

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:  HGTV.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

By Jennifer Wagner, Yahoo! Contributor Network

It may seem like you have plenty of time to prepare your home for cold weather, but it will be here sooner than you think. The best course of action is to get things ready before cold weather arrives. Not only does it make sense to prepare your home for winter before it's actually necessary, but you'll be a lot more comfortable doing it before the temps get too cold.

The heating unit -

1. No matter where you live, it's important to ensure that your heating system is working properly . This needs to be done before cold weather arrives, or else you may be left in the cold. Contact a professional HVAC service to come out and inspect your furnace and service it as he sees fit.
2. Step outside and examine the area around your heating unit. If there is overgrowth that touches the unit, trim it back. This will allow air to flow freely around it, which won't bog it down and cause it to work harder to heat the home.
3. Replace the air filter inside your home before you run the heater for the first time. These filters become clogged with dirt, dust, pet hair, and other debris, which can put a lot of strain on your furnace as it tries to heat the house. If you live in an area that is prone to severe winter weather, keep several extra filters on hand.

The chimney –

If you have a fireplace or wood burning stove, have a professional chimney sweep come out and inspect and clean out the flue before it's used. A professional inspection can help confirm that there are no cracks or structural issues with the flue. Moreover, a cleaning is necessary from season-to-season to remove the build-up of soot and creosote, which can cause a serious fire hazard.

The roof –

An important part of cold weather preparation is ensuring the roof can hold what winter may bring. Get up on the roof and look for cracked shingles, missing shingles, bent shingles, and so on. If you see anything that needs repaired, do it now. This is a simple fix; remove and replace any damaged shingles. Small cracks or tears can be mended with roofing cement.

The Gutters -

Prepare your home for cold weather by spending a few hours of one day cleaning out all the gutters around the house. Not only will this prevent overflow, but it will keep water from sitting in the gutters, which may freeze when frigid temps arrive.

Weatherization -

Help keep your home nice and toasty warm, and conserve energy in the process, by weatherizing windows and doors. This is very simple to do and fairly inexpensive. Add weather stripping to windows, door seals to block out cold air, and socket sealers to electric outlets. Learn more about weatherizing products that will help.

Source:  Associated Content from Yahoo!

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:  HGTV.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

As temperatures dip and fall settles in with the promise of winter ahead, home owners need to pay extra attention to certain details in order to set themselves apart from the competition.

1. Maintain your landscape. Flowers aren’t exactly flourishing this time of year but sellers should still make the most of what they have. Adding fall flowers like mums to your front porch or deck is always a nice touch. More importantly grass should be cut at least once per week and leaves should be cleared as much as possible.

2. Keep your house warm. Prospective buyers will be turned off by a cold house, not giving it the chance it deserves. Spend the extra money to make your home as inviting and comfortable as possible. Also keep in mind that you don’t want it to be too warm because bundled up buyers will be uncomfortable and your utility bills will sky-rocket. I’d recommend keeping the thermostat set in the upper 60′s.

3. Let in the light. If your showing is during the day, open blinds, windows and drapes. If not, turn on all the lights in the home and brighten darker rooms by placing spotlights behind the furniture.

Fall is a great time to sell your home because a lot of prospective buyers are hoping to make a decision before the holidays. Take advantage of the fall market by pricing your home correctly and working with a licensed and experienced agent.

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:  HGTV.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

 Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:  HGTV

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

More than 13 million Americans become victims of crime every year. While much is done reactively when crimes are committed, Master Lock, an industry leader in safety and security, is encouraging consumers to begin practicing basic daily crime prevention tactics during Crime Prevention Month this October.

“With varying commitments and the demands on our time on a daily basis, overall safety and crime prevention can easily slip people’s minds,” says Rebecca Smith, vice president, marketing for Master Lock. “Crime Prevention Month is the perfect time to remind consumers to take just a small amount of time to think about not only their own general safety, but crime prevention overall.”

Master Lock has created a series of simple tips to help consumers change their safety mindset, be aware of their surroundings and take small precautions to stay safe during Crime Prevention Month and beyond:

1.    Lock everything up. It is essential to keep your home, vehicles, valuables and family safe at all times. Whether you’re at home or away for the day, all points of entry should be locked, and more valuable items should be stored in secure areas. Consider utilizing such Master Lock security products as key safes, locking storage boxes and padlocks for extra protection. Every family member, including children, should know how to secure everything from windows and doors to garages and sheds.

 2.    Limit availability of personal information. When on the go, carry only what you need. Do not keep social security cards, birth certificates or passports in purses or wallets. If possible, remove your name from marketing lists to reduce identifying junk mail and shred credit card offers that still come through to decrease the chance that your personal information could be accepted on your behalf by a stranger. You may even want to consider storing confidential data and information in a secure, online location where only you have access.

3.    Start a neighborhood watch. Your street, parks and neighborhood should be an area where you and your family feel most comfortable. Forming relationships with neighbors can ensure there are additional watchful eyes on your home. Take this one step further by mobilizing a group of surrounding homeowners, encouraging each other to keep your eyes and ears open for anything suspicious and arranging regular patrols to increase neighborhood activity. In many cases, local police departments or PTAs will have resources to help you get started.

4.    Trust your instincts. If a specific person or place causes you to feel uneasy, avoid the situation by removing yourself completely and alert authorities if a suspicious person is lurking in your neighborhood.

5.    If a crime occurs, report it! Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to share with the police, family or friends if you experience some sort of crime, regardless of how small. Relating your experiences can help the police or other families ensure the incident does not occur again.

For more information, visi www.masterlock.com

Source:  RIS Media

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com

Source:  HGTV.com

Sue Martin is the #1 Realtor in the Fenton area and longtime resident.  She is committed to providing the Fenton community with first-class real estate services. With over $300 Million SOLD in career sales, consistently ranked in St. Louis' Top 10 Realtors, and a Top Realtor for St. Louis' largest real estate company, Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sue and her team have the experience and market knowledge to help you accomplish your real estate goals in any market.  Whether you are considering buying a home, selling a home or both, we know the Fenton area inside and out.  For more information and lots of resources about buying and selling a home visit www.SueMartinTeam.com