In order to view this page you need Flash Player 9+ support!
Tile Tile Tile- Any room any style. Specializing in tile installation. Interior Renovation, Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling, Wood Floors, Carpentry, Painting. www.plcontracting.com
Fully Licensed and Insured, Free Estimates Pat Malgieri 914-271-2696 or 646-879-3803
| Is it time to Buy a Home? |
The Real Estate Market is better than you believe! In 2011, the buzz about the housing market was that it is extremely slow, sellers can’t sell, buyers won’t purchase, and banks won’t lend mortgage money. The reality is... sellers are selling, buyers are buying and banks are providing mortgages. With consumer price inflation rising, consumers are looking to lock-in steady payments by taking long-term fixed –rate mortgages, however obtaining a mortgage has gotten a bit more stringent. Some qualified buyers have been denied the opportunity to buy in today’s market due to the banks overly restrictive mortgage underwriting situation. Banks require excellent credit scores and a down payment toward the purchase price. So if you have what the banks require then go for it, as there is no better time to purchase a home with such historic low mortgage rates making your purchasing power even greater. |
| Read more... |
| Why Does My White Bathroon Have Brown Drips on the Ceiling? |
Here’s a quiz. What is ‘surfactant bleeding’?
Possibility #1: Is it what happens to your arteries when you jump onto a hand grenade?
Possibility #2: Is it what happens to your brain during a divorce?
Possibility #3: Is it a discoloration of latex paint caused by moisture?
|
| Read more... |
| Why is my Paint Peeling? |
Paint can be moodier than a teenager. It's great when everything is going right but one little mistake and everything can go south. Paint will peel because of moisture, temperature, sunlight, poor preparation or just bad karma. The karma thing is too involved for this column but the preparation part we can touch on. Dust can ruin an otherwise well executed paint job.
|
| Read more... |
| Selling your home during the holidays |
Winter is the dreariest season of all. The cold weather helps put a chill on real estate sales. It may not be the first choice of a season for selling your home but what if you have to sell your home? What if you have no choice but to put your house on the market? |
| Read more... |
| Cleaning Spilled Paint |
I began as a painter in San Francisco in the early 80’s. At that time I had the good fortune to work for a painting contractor who was the worst slob I had ever met. I called him “Top Off” because whenever he opened a can of paint it was as if he was running a blender with the top off. It got everywhere. I was fortunate to work for him though because I picked up a little trick for cleaning spilled paint; specifically latex paint spilled on a carpet. Here’s how it went. |
| Read more... |
| Text– A-Tip |
| The Croton Police Dept. tip line is now going to cell phone. This means that tips may be texted to the number as well as verbally called in. The number is 271-0706. |
| Read more... |
| Insects in the Home |
|
I have been married for 22 years and my husband still reacts to wasps in the house by trying to swat them. Just recently he nearly tore apart the bathroom trying to get one. Hearing the commotion I chased him, my husband, out and within a minute had captured and removed the wasp from my house - intact and alive. |
| Read more... |
| HOMEOWNER’S SPRING SAFETY TIPS |
| • Be sure to use extension cords marked for outdoor use when you are working outdoors. • Call a licensed professional if your home repairs require work near power lines • Look up, stay away, stay alive – even momentary contact with live electrical lines can injure or kill. • Be aware of power lines that run through tree limbs and branches. Climbing or trimming trees is dangerous; call a qualified contractor. • Call 1-800-962-7962 or 811 before you dig – when working underground, planting a tree, building a fence or laying a foundation – anywhere where there may be potential underground utilities. See www.dogsafelynewyork.com • Never use electrical tools, such as electrical hedge clippers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers in the rain or in wet areas. • Make sure all your outdoor electrical outlets are GFCI protected. |
| Home Safety |
| Sound the Alarm: Install smoke detectors on every floor of your home and carbon monoxide detectors near sleeping areas. If already installed, test them. Replace batteries every daylight savings time change.
Check for over-loaded extension cords.
If young children are in the home, bookshelves and other furniture should be secure with wall brackets to prevent tipping. |
| Read more... |
| Energy Saving Tips: |
1)Install programmable heating/cooling thermostats (You will save an average of 20% heating costs). 2)Replace regular incandescent bulbs with “energy star” compact fluorescent bulbs (Save up to 75% on your electricity usage). |
| Read more... |
| Home Safety Checklist: |
|
| Read more... |