AHS Article "12 Ways to stop Home Buyers in their Tracks"

http://www.ahs.com/home-matters/12-ways-to-stop-home-buyers-in-their-tracks?utm_campaign=cust_nl_may2014&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ahsemail&utm_content=12ways_readmore&full=true#sthash.6E9eiRH5.dpbs

Happy Memorial Day from Custom Homes !!

Protect Your Property from Termites

http://spectrumnow.wordpress.com/

Great Tips For Home Maintenance

Brought to you by: Lee Ramey Mold & Mildew Solutions / To The Rescue IICRC Certified Firm , SCRT certified, IAQA member and certified , In this issue... TIPS Light Bulb Buying Guide Bob Vila's Essential Toolbox Install an Electrical Outlet with Built-in USB Ports May - Late Spring Maintenance Checklist NEWS National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 2014 Spring Construction Forecast FAST FACT I Ran for Bagpipes Compliments of... Mold & Mildew Solutions / To The Rescue Cleaning For Beauty and Health 716 9th Street N Birmingham, AL 35203 205-252-9506 205-252-5326 Thanks for letting us share this with you . Visit my Web Site: http://www.alabamamold.com Send E-Mail To: moldmildewsolutions@gmail.com This issue of HomeHints eNews is provided by: Lee Ramey Please feel welcome to share this newsletter with friends Forward Here Be sure to set your preferences to sending mail in HTML format to preserve the graphical appearance of this newsletter. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you may sign up for your own copy here: http://www.alabamamold.com We consider referrals from our friends, clients and associates to be the greatest compliment that we could receive. Thank you for keeping our company in mind whenever a referral presents itself.

TIPS Light Bulb Buying Guide Standard 40, 60, 75 and 100 watt incandescent bulbs can no longer be sold. CNET says, " With all of the new options out there (not to mention the disappearance of some important old ones), finding the perfect bulb can seem pretty daunting. New lights that promise to last 20 years and save you hundreds of dollars might sound good in theory, but how do you know which one is the right one for you? How do you know the bulb you're buying is going to be bright enough? And what if you're just not ready to say goodbye to your incandescents?” Fear not, because they've got you covered with a handy guide that's chock-full of all the information you'll need to make sure that your next light bulb is the right bulb. Back to top Bob Vila's Essential Toolbox Home Improvement and DIY guru Bob Vila says," Whether you’re a rookie handyman or a seasoned do-it-yourselfer, a range of basic tools is essential to doing the small jobs around the house… What tools will you need? Your skills and the kinds of jobs you do must be your guide, but a good basic selection would include a tape measure, square, and torpedo level for measuring and setting. A handsaw or handheld circular saw; a utility knife; a cordless drill; and maybe a glass cutter will take care of your cutting and drilling tasks. For fastening, how about a small set of screwdrivers; a staple gun; pairs of electrician’s, waterpump, and locking pliers; and a hammer?" See the article. Back to top Install an Electrical Outlet with Built-in USB Ports To a reader's question about installing electrical outlets with built-in USB charging ports, Popular Mechanics replied, "These receptacles are great—they eliminate the need for bulky USB adapters that hog valuable outlet space. They are especially useful by the bed, where many of us stash all kinds of USB-equipped devices, such as phones, tablets, and e-readers. That stuff competes for space on a standard duplex outlet that may already be serving a desk lamp or a clock. But to answer your question: Yes, USB receptacles are fairly easy to install, but there are a few things you should know before you switch off the breaker and remove your old outlet."

Auto supplier to open $7.3M plant in Leeds, create 110 jobs

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2014/04/30/auto-supplier-to-open-7-3m-plant-in-leeds-create.html?ana=e_birm_rdup&s=newsletter&ed=2014-05-01&u=21915650674d496e5cee66ed6f7075&t=1398957985

Photo tour folling the $5M renovation at Ross Bridge

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/gallery/24601?r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bizjournals.com%2Fbirmingham%2Fslideshow%2F2014%2F04%2F22%2Fphoto-tour-following-the-5m-renovation-at-ross.html

Check out plans for the old Pizitz building downtown!

http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2014/04/pizitz_will_have_indoor_public.html

The History of Easter Eggs

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/easteregghistry.htm

The Ideal Home - Parade of Homes @ Glasscott

Home Care Advice - Get Your Lawn & Garden Ready for Spring !!

http://www.ahs.com/home-care-advice/pages/feature.jsp?featureId=m2090116&utm_campaign=cust_nl_mar2014&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ahsemail&utm_content=lawnready_readmore&full=true#sthash.KalHmhGD.dpbs

Pennies on the Dollar

http://blog.al.com/wire/2014/03/pennies_on_the_dollar_alabama.html

The History of St Patrick's Day

http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day

Owners, residents mourn 130-year-old Mentone Springs Hotel, antique mall lost in massive fire (photos, video)

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2014/03/owners_residents_mourn_130-yea.html#incart_big-photo

Great Dog Commercial...A Must See!

http://www.youtube.com/embed/AA56LgpFbSw?rel=0

Lawn & Garden - Spring Tips

http://www.ahs.com/home-care-advice/allaboutthehome/lawn-garden/springtips.jsp

WHY ARE NEW HOMES GETTING SO BIG?

New post on Eye on Housing

 

Why are New Homes Getting so Big? Look at Who’s Buying Them by Rose Quint Preliminary data provided to NAHB by the Census Bureau on the characteristics of homes started in 2013 show the trend toward larger homes continued unabated last year, as did the share of new homes with 4+ bedrooms, 3+ full baths, 2-stories, or 3-car garages.  The average size of new homes started in 2013[1] was 2,679 square feet, about 150 square feet larger than in 2012 and the fourth consecutive annual increase since bottoming out at 2,362 square feet in 2009. New homes started in 2013 were also more likely to have additional features: nearly half, 48%, had 4 or more bedrooms; 35% had 3 or more full bathrooms; 22% had a garage for at least 3 cars; and 60% were 2-stories.  The share of new homes started with these features has been increasing consistently for 3 or 4 years, and the most obvious question is “why?” Why are homes getting this BIG? To get an answer, just take a look at WHO is buying new homes?  The typical new home buyer in recent years has been someone with strong credit scores and high levels of income.  To the first point, the graph below shows how the average credit rating of all US consumers has remained rather flat over the last few years (blue line), while the average credit rating of mortgage borrowers (red line) took a dramatic jump after 2007.  By 2013, the gap between the two measures was 58 points, compared to 33 points in the early 2000s. To the second point, the graph below shows the rising trend in new home buyers’ income in recent years.  In 2005, the median income of new home buyers was $91,768.  By 2011, it had increased by more than 17% to $107,607.  It is not too surprising, therefore, to see home size and features continuing to trend upward, given that those buying new homes are precisely the kind of buyers who generally purchase large, feature-loaded homes. [1] Preliminary data cover first half of the year. Rose Quint | February 25, 2014 at 10:40 am | Tags: economics, home building, housing, housing economics | Categories: Data | URL: http://wp.me/pRufg-2B4 Comment    See all comments

Conservatory at Birmingham Botanical Gardens to reopen following $1.3 million renovation

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/02/conservatory_at_birmingham_bot_1.html

Great Video "Red Tail Hawk vs Squirrel"

https://www.youtube.com/v/XBEyCr5AoIs

The History of Presidents Day

http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/presidents-day

Enjoy These "Snow Day Jokes"....we've had our share recently !!!

http://www.jokes4us.com/miscellaneousjokes/weatherjokes/snowjokes.html