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

Wooded privacy surrounds this spacious 4 bedroom home with approx 3000 sq ft of living space on a 3/4 acre lot in a premium Fenton area. The full brick front elevation and lush landscaping invite you into this lovely home.  The entry is open to formal living room and family rooms and leads to a main floor family room with bay window and woodburning fireplace surrounded with built?in bookcases.  The kitchen and breakfast room feature lots of oak cabinets, center island, adjoining main floor laundry and plenty of windows overlooking the wooded backyard setting.   Upstairs you'll find a spacious master bedroom suite w/walk?in closet and luxury bath w/separate whirlpool tub and shower. 3 additional bedrooms along with a full bath complete upper level. The walk?out lower level has a huge recreational room, half bath and walk?out to a patio. AAA Rockwood schools and conveniently located near Gravois Bluffs

Selling a home can be a daunting undertaking, and while you may be helpless to control the state of the market or the number of prospective buyers in your price range, here are a few ways to be proactive against some of sellers’ most common pitfalls:

Problem: Competition. Are there too many homes for sale in your price range? If there are too many options open to buyers in your market, you may not see as many showings as you’d like.

What You Can Do: Unfortunately, the state of the market in your neighborhood or town is pretty much beyond your control. You’ll need to think about how you can make your home a more attractive sale, either by lowering your price or providing attractive terms of sale.

Problem: Your asking price is too high. It’s stating the obvious, but if your asking price is too high, you’ll price yourself right out of a lot of potential showings. Further, even if you do manage to land a buyer at your price, his or her financing is more likely to fall through during the sale if the house will not appraise.

What You Can Do: Working with a trusted real estate agent to come up with a fair asking price is vitally important. Make sure you are educated about the market you’re selling in, and price your home accordingly. Ask yourself whether you’d rather net a little less than you had hoped – or not be able to sell at all.

Problem: Your home lacks curb appeal. The condition of your home inside and out is critically important to making a sale. If your home doesn’t show well, a potential buyer is going to head elsewhere. Most buyers are looking for a house they can move into without a ton of small repairs and cleanup.

What You Can Do: You’ve been meaning to fix that leaky faucet or repaint the fence in the front yard, so now is the time to do it! Of course, this should have been done when you decided to sell, but it’s never too late… De-clutter your rooms and store all personal effects. Consider investing in some new curtains, bath towels and throw rugs. To make sure that you nail that crucial curb appeal, spruce up your yard with new plantings, trim hedges and weed flowerbeds, and keep the lawn short and neat. Those minor repairs that you have been living with will add up in the eyes of a prospective buyer.

Problem: Location. Everyone’s heard that old maxim that real estate is all about “location, location, location!” But what do you do if you’re trying to sell a home on a busy street, or too close to a major highway?

What You Can Do: There are actually a few things you can do to increase your chances of a sale. If your home is on a busier street, highlight any benefits on the flip side—maybe your backyard is fenced in, your taxes are low or you can walk to a school nearby. Make sure you pay extra attention to those highlights. If you are in an area where your home is very close to a major highway, consider some type of privacy hedge or fencing. If you have older windows consider replacing them – the benefit will be two fold, you will have new windows as a selling feature and those new windows will provide a little more sound buffering inside the home. Last, consider selling at a time when the foliage is in full bloom to help naturally block sound or visual effects from nearby highways.

Kristin has been serving her community as a REALTOR® for the last eight years. She is a member of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, MAR, NAR, MLS-PIN, Women’s Council of REALTORS®, and a recipient of The President’s Circle Award.

Article printed from RISMedia: http://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

Want to join the grow-your-own food movement but just don’t know where to start? Don’t fear. Spring is here and it’s the perfect time to start growing delicious foods right where you live. Why not begin with foods that are nearly fail-proof? Here are my top 5 foods to grow at home whether you have a lot of space or just a sunny window. A spot with six hours or more of sunlight is all you need to Do Your Part for fresher foods.

1) Tomatoes

Did you know that tomatoes are the most popular piece of produce to grow at home? Besides being delicious, tomatoes are fairly simple to grow. There are thousands of varieties to choose from. You can grow tomatoes in containers, raised garden bed, upside down, or in a traditional garden.

2) Herbs

Talk about instant gratification! Herbs are fast growing so you can experience their flavors in no time. Herbs such as parsley, mint, basil, chives, and more can be grown in a sunny window indoors. They also thrive outdoors in containers and are attractive when mixed with potted flowers.

3) Lettuce

Lettuce will get you the biggest bang for your buck plus it’s super simple to grow. Think about it. If you spend a couple bucks to plant lettuce, you’ll make that money back the first time you make a salad from your garden. Lettuce is a cool season crop and needs just six inches of soil to grow.

4) Strawberries

Strawberries are the perfect fruit to grow at home and will return year after year without a whole lot of work. Just remember a few things with strawberries. They need regular watering and fresh fertilizer every few weeks. Strawberries grow best in the spring or late fall.

5) Peas & Beans

There are many options when it comes to peas and beans. Think green beans, snow peas, sugar peas, wax beans, and so many more. Peas are a cool season crop and most bean varieties are warm season crops but both grow on vines. This makes them perfect for a small space because you can train them to grow up a trellis, stakes and string, or a fence.There are many reasons to grow foods at home. You’ll know exactly what went into growing them and you’ll be saving money—all at the same time. But best of all are the tasty rewards enjoyed with family and friends.

Terri Bennett is a veteran TV meteorologist, eco-expert and author of “Do Your Part: A practical guide for everyday green living” available at DoYourPart.com.

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

Absolutely stunning! This custom 1.5 story home offers over 3,700 sq. ft. of living space on 3 wooded acres in AAA Rockwood school district in Paradise Valley. Conveniently located, you'll appreciate the many fine features of this lovely home, beginning w/the impressive brick/stone front and circular driveway. The entry opens to a spacious entry w/adjoining formal dining and office/den w/built-in bookcases, wood paneling & wainscoting. The 2-story great room has accent coves, recessed lighting, gas fireplace & wall of windows offering a fantastic wooded view. Gourmet kitchen & breakfast room have hardwood flrs, 42” maple cabinets w/Mocha glaze, granite surfaces, stainless appliances, along w/butler’s pantry w/wet bar. The deluxe main floor master suite offers a coffered ceiling, walk-in closet & luxury bath w/double bowl sink, sep whirlpool tub & oversized shower. Upstairs are 3 generous size bedrooms, 2 full baths, and loft. Enjoy the private setting from the backyard deck.

Welcome home to this beautifully maintained three bedroom brick ranch in a great location. Gleaming hardwood flooring runs through the living room, hall and bedrooms. The open floor plan leads from the living room to a large dining and kitchen area w/custom cabinets, cooktop stove and lots of counter space. Wood stained six panel interior doors, thermal windows, modern paint tones throughout and more. Perfect for entertaining, the walk out lower level is mostly finished with a large rec/family room, full bath and plenty of storage. From the patio, enjoy the huge, level backyard that is fenced.

Picture perfect! This Fenton charmer is tucked away on a cul-de-sac lot in a convenient area. Mostly brick exterior, landscaped beautifully, leads to the custom front door, entering into this move-in ready house. Wood laminate flooring runs from the living room and into the kitchen area with white cabinets and stainless appliances. Three bedrooms, and two updated bathrooms, along with a fantastic finished lower level with a custom brick, floor-to-ceiling woodburning fireplace, office area and play area. White 6-panel interior doors, updated lighting and modern paint tones are found throughout. Walkout finished basement provides extra living space and entertaining space. AAA Rockwood schools nearby.

The wooded lot behind this home was joined to the property so no one can build behind the residence. Extra land and privacy at no charge. A must see home in a tranquil setting! This spacious home offers a large, open floorplan and is in pristine condition. A pass-through fireplace greets you at the entry leading to the large greatroom and adjoining formal dining room w/custom cabinets. The huge kitchen offers an expansive breakfast bar, lots of cabinet space, planning desk and walks out to a large screened-in porch o/looking the outdoor waterfall/landscape. The master retreat offers a custom walk-in closet that is fantastic & luxury bathroom with separate tub & shower. The walk-out lower level provides a family room area, bonus room or potential extra bedroom, full bath & storage areas. The oversized 3-car garage has extra work & storage space too. Just minutes away from Hwy. 141 & I- 44, this home is closer than you think to shopping & other amenities. Take a look today!

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

Spring is here and that means it’s time for a good spring cleaning. Instead of bringing in chemical cleaners to do the dirty work, opt for a deep, green clean. Using safer cleaning products helps create a healthier home and a healthier family. Today, I’m sharing my top seven green cleaning secrets to help you do your part for your environment.

1. White Vinegar Works Wonders
White vinegar is a natural disinfectant that works just about everywhere. Mix a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water for a germ-busting disinfectant to clean kitchen counters, bathrooms, and most floors. You can bring this mixture to a boil in the microwave to loosen stuck on food and grease. And 1 cup of vinegar to the dishwasher in order to clean its inner workings. One warning: don’t use vinegar on marble or other porous surfaces.

2. Baking Soda Solutions
Baking soda works well on most things in the kitchen because it doesn’t scratch. That makes it a good choice for countertops, oven tops, stainless steel, and the sink. If you have stubborn stains, use a baking soda paste of three parts baking soda and one part water. Let it sit for a while, scrub the area, and then wipe clean.

3. Tackle Bathroom Blues with Borax
Borax is an effective mold killer and works well on hard water deposits. Use a paste to scrub the sides of the tub to a sparkling white, or mix a solution of one cup borax with one gallon of hot water to eat away at mold in tile grout. In addition, a cup of borax left in the toilet bowl overnight leaves it fresh and clean.

4. Chose Air Fresheners That Don’t Pollute
Many popular air fresheners contain a host of man-made chemicals that can contribute to indoor air pollution and the manufacturers aren’t required to list the ingredients on the label. These “air-fresheners” can actually leave dangerous levels of hormone disrupting phthalates or formaldehyde (a known carcinogen) behind. Fresh air, baking soda (sprinkled in everything from garbage cans to tennis shoes), soy candles, or essential oils are healthier options.

5. Green Your Laundry Routine
Green up laundry day by switching to a phosphate-free plant-based detergent. For softer clothes add ¼ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle as a natural fabric softener (use less for HE machines). The smell of vinegar disappears as the clothes dry.

6. Break the Paper Towel Habit
You can wean your family off paper towels by keeping a drawer of reusable cloths nearby. Whether you choose kitchen towels, washcloths, or cut up old t-shirts, the key is in quantity. Make sure you have plenty of options on hand for wiping down the counters or cleaning up an unexpected coffee spill.

7. Safely Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste
Household hazardous waste refers to items such as old paints, chemical cleaners, used motor oil, and more. These items should never be thrown in the trash where they can contaminate our air, land, and water. Locate a full service recycling facility in your area by using the search engine at Earth911.com.

When you spring clean this year, there’s no need to pollute your home or the planet. Instead, find non-toxic solutions to tackle every project on your list. You can find a complete list of green cleaning recipes at DoYourPart.com/Columns along with my must-have items for every green cleaning kit. It’s an important way to Do Your Part for the environment and your family.

Terri Bennett is a veteran TV meteorologist, eco-expert and author of “Do Your Part: A practical guide for everyday green living” available at DoYourPart.com. Send questions to terri@doyourpart.com ^[2].

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

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

It might be a caffeine headache, but it might be an aneurysm. Great. Now, at the very least, it’s a stress headache.

We asked the experts to tell us five signs that your body is telling you something. And why you should do something about it. (Namely, call your doctor.)

Headache

If you’re saying the words “worst headache of my life,” says Camelia Davtyan, clinical professor of medicine at UCLA, it’s time to make a call.

“It may be caused by an aneurysm that can burst and lead to sudden death,” says Davtyan.

Or it could be bleeding on the brain, encephalitis, meningitis or some other viral or bacterial infection within the spinal fluid, said Joshua Miller, medical director at the Cleveland Clinic’s Strongsville Family Health Center.

“The headaches that worry us are ones that start suddenly, like a thunderclap,” Miller says. “Especially if it’s accompanied by a stiff neck, nausea, fever, bright lights bothering your eyes.”

Chest Pain

Some chest pain is obvious—and obviously alarming. “A squeezing pressure, elephant-sitting-on-your-chest feeling,” says Miller. “You may have nausea and shortness of breath and feel your heart fluttering.”

But some symptoms are less noticeable. Miller said to be mindful of how your body recovers from activities you’re used to performing.

“If you climb a flight of stairs every day and you usually feel fine, and then one day you get to the top and feel short of breath, panting, a little pressure in your chest, you shouldn’t ignore that,” he said. “We worry about cardiovascular events, aortic dissections, an impending blockage of a blood vessel in the heart, possibly pneumonia.”

“People may think it’s heartburn,” says Davtyan, “particularly women.”

Abdominal Pain

“It may be attributed to digestion problems and ignored,” says Davtyan, “But it may be caused by appendicitis or kidney stone, which can get worse quickly if not treated.”

Pay particular attention to pain that’s accompanied by a fever or vomiting.

“If there’s a fever or so much pain that you’re unable to eat or drink, you’ve got potential gall bladder diseases, appendicitis, something infectious going on,” says Miller.

And be mindful of a recent change in your bowel movements.

“If you’re having severe diarrhea or black or bloody stools, it can be a warning sign of an abdominal aneurysm,” says Miller. “This is something we get particularly concerned about in our elderly patients because it can also mean low blood flow to the colon. If it’s not acted on quickly you can end up needing emergency surgery.”

Back Pain

Who among us doesn’t have a sore back, right? Sit up and take notice, however, if yours is accompanied by tingling and numbness in your feet and toes.

“Tingling and numbness don’t happen with a simple back strain,” says Davtyan. “It may be a disk herniation that can progress if not treated.”

“Back pain is probably the most common symptom we see,” says Miller. “As with anything, worsening of the symptoms and pain that’s escalating are what you want to watch for.

“There could be underlying issues such as cancer, but most often it’s not going to be. It could be one of the disks between vertebrae has become infected. It could be a compression fracture in the back. You want to pay attention to the patient’s age, whether there’s a family history of osteoporosis, whether there’s been trauma to the back within the past few weeks.”

Unexpected Weight Loss

Few of us are going to complain if our clothes start fitting a little looser, particularly in a nation with a 26 percent obesity rate. But unintentional weight loss, Miller says, is “very concerning.”

“It’s a time to get a really good history of what’s been going on, review your symptoms from head to toe and get some blood work done,” he says. “Gastrointestinal symptoms can signal malabsorption issues such as celiac disease, where your body’s not absorbing nutrients properly.

“It can also signal depression or, often in the case of elderly patients, early signs of dementia. They may think they had a sandwich for lunch but, in fact, they forgot to eat. It can be one of the first signs.”

©2012 the Chicago Tribune

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

Being fashionably green is about more than just what you wear. It’s also about the other things we put on our bodies such as sunscreen and even shampoo. Here are my Top 7 Ways to be Green from Head to Toe so you can Do Your Part while looking good.

1)   Pick Safer Personal Care Products

Many personal care products contain untested chemicals and estrogen mimicking preservatives like paraben. Some ingredients can’t even be found on the ingredient list because they’re hidden under the term “fragrance.” Visit CosmeticDatabase.org ^[2] to easily find what’s in all the products you use and how they compare to others available on store shelves.

2)   Buy Better Make-Up

There’s nothing pretty about what could be lurking in your favorite blush, lipstick, or eyeliner. Some brands actually contain mercury, lead, or chemicals that are known to cause everything from cancer to reproductive problems. Again, CosmeticDatabase.org ^[2] is a good place to start researching the products you use. You can search by specific brands and product names.

3)   Be a Resale Shop Regular

Resale shops are the perfect places to get a steal of a deal on gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories. There are specific chains that specialize in all kids’ clothing and you can sell back what your children have outgrown. And don’t forget your local Goodwill. Many locations are being updated to look like department stores and you can put together a complete look for an unbelievable price.

4)   Rent High Fashion Clothes & Accessories

You know the problem with trendy clothes and accessories. One day they’re in and the next day they’re out. Consider renting instead of spending top dollar for items that will be used occasionally. Go to DoYourPart.com/Columns ^[3] to see my favorite rental sites. http://www.weartodaygonetomorrow.com/Default.asp  

5)   Opt for Organic Cotton

Make a fashion statement by opting for organic cotton. Twenty-five percent of all insecticides and 10 percent of all pesticides are used on conventionally grown cotton. That doesn’t even account for all the chemicals used in the manufacturing process. Organic cotton clothing may cost you a little bit more but it is almost always softer and makes a big green fashion statement.

6)   Shop for Safer Sunscreen

Your best bet when picking sunscreens is to buy ones that contain zinc and titanium. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recommends avoiding oxybenzone because it is suspected of altering hormonal systems. The EWG has an online sunscreen guide ^[5] that rates hundreds of sunscreens by safety and tells you what’s the best and what’s the worst. They also have a free smart phone app.

7)   Give Back

When you’re no longer wearing what’s in your closet, do some good with it all. Soles4Souls ^[6] collects gently used shoes for people in need around the world. Goodwill takes all kinds of clothing to sell in order to raise money for job training programs. And, Dress For Success ^[7] wants business appropriate clothing for women in need who are going on job interviews.

Terri Bennett is a veteran TV meteorologist, eco-expert and author of Do Your Part: A practical guide for everyday green living available at DoYourPart.com ©2012 The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.) Distributed by MCT Information Services

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