Falling intoWinter

N H ews on the ouse

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If you are currently using another Real Estate Professional, please disregard this notice.

COOLING DOWN

The days are growing shorter,there is a nip in the air... thesigns of a winter around the corner. Keeping warm whilekeeping your energy bills low isimportant. Here are some tips,starting with some simple stepsto keep your homecooler/heater in order.

I hope you enjoy this month’snewsletter that is full of tips andideas for you as a homeowner.My time as a real estateprofessional has left me withkeen insights into my clients’needs and challenges, and I wantto let you know that myexperience is at your disposal.Please feel welcome to talk tome about any of your real estateneeds.

To ensure that you live withoutworries about your home orappliances, I would like to leaveyou with a warm note to talk tome about your home buyerprotection plans.

Keep Warm, Keep Cool

Temperatures are dipping and nights aregrowing cooler - the perfect time for a homeheating system checkup. Savings, efficiency,comfort and maintenance are all important thisseason.Without yearly cleaning and inspection,

a heating system can wear itself out fast.

Here are some maintenance tips to keep yoursystem running at peak efficiency and make theseasonal transition more comfortable and cost-effective:

• Have ducts cleaned and sealed by a professionalevery three to five years.

• Clean or replace furnace filters about every twomonths.• Use ceiling fans. They are a useful tool to keepthe house warm. Heat rises and the ceiling fanspush the heat back down.• Turn down the thermostat. Homeowners can save8 percent to 10 percent on their annual heatingcosts by turning the thermostat from 72 F down to65 F at night. • Trim or remove grass, weeds and leaves fromaround the outdoor heating and cooling unit. Whenairflow, air return and distribution vents are blocked,it puts a strain on the system and lowers efficiency. • Use caulking or expanding spray foam to sealspaces around pipes and wires that lead from theattic or crawl space into the home.• Place weather stripping around door frames andat the top and bottom of window sashes. Insulateattic doors and pull-downs.• Upgrade older heating systems to optimize energyconsumption. A Hybrid Heat system allowshomeowners to heat their home by joining a heatpump with a gas furnace. This allows homeownersto choose between gas or electricity for theirheating fuel, whichever would be more efficient forlocal weather and energy cost conditions.

• The 30-year fixed rate decreased to 6.40% from thelatest week as 6.43%.The 1-year adjustable rate was5.54%, down from the last week.• Recent sharp declines in housing sectors and easedinflation threat helped to lower mortgage rates.Theeconomy is expected to expand at a slower rate than itdid in the first half of the year and this will keepinflation in check, and therefore, mortgage rates low.• Mortgage interest rates will drift upward, but around6.7% through out the year.

Professional Service With A Smile

Jill Bennett

2400 Professional Parkway, Suite 100

Santa Maria, CA. 93455

Tel: (805) 478-8448

Fax: (805) 310-5801

eMail: jill@jillmbennett.com

Pickles for a snackLooking for new and creative ways to get your kids to eat healthierafter-school snacks? Try opening a jar of pickles. An afternoon snackis not just an indulgence, it is a necessity for active kids with fastmetabolisms. Now offering the world’s first line of USDA-certifiedorganic pickles, Del Monte products are available in supermarketsand retail outlets offering natural and organic foods nationwide.Thenew organic line includes Sweet Bread & Butter Chips, Dill BurgerSlices, Kosher Dill Whole Pickles, Kosher Dill Baby Pickles andKosher Dill Spears.

Consider this quick and easy recipe for Pickle Roll-Ups.They can beprepared in advance, are simple enough for the whole family tomake, and fun for kids to eat with their fingers. They make a greatafter-school snack as well.

Quick and EAsy Pickle Roll-Ups• 1 jar of Del Monte Dill Baby Pickles, either traditional “Babies” orDel Monte’s new organic version

• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese at room temperature

• 3 packages of sliced deli meat, such as ham or corned beef

Spread thin layer of cream cheese on slice of meat.Wrap one picklewith cheese-covered meat slices. Chill for at least one hour, then slicerolls into wheels.The pickle will be surrounded by the cream cheeseand sliced meat in bite-sized bundles.

Shoe polishing is no longer a dirty job,thanks to a new gadget that eliminates themuss and fuss.

The Buff ‘n Shine polisher is a battery-operated device that features a slow-movingshoe polish applicator on one of its twoheads and a fast-moving polishing brush onthe other.

The device cuts polishing time in half,according to Douglas Whitner, president ofBoxwood Industries in Cleveland, theproduct’s manufacturer.

First introduced in December 2005, theBuff 'n Shine struck a chord with those whohave limited time and “don't want to deal

with dirty rags and polish applicators,” saysWhitner. Buff 'n Shine is powered by AAbatteries, which provide dozens of shinesbefore needing to be replaced. It comes in apackage that also includes tins of black and

brown shoe polish, replacement heads forthe polishing device, and a travel kit thatmakes shoe care easily transportable.

The product was designed byNottingham-Spirk Design Associates inCleveland, which also developed the DutchBoy plastic paint container and the CrestSpinBrush. The kit sells for approximately$20 and is available at participating Wal-Martstores.

Does afternoon feel like a better time to napthan work? Actually, some lifestyle experts say a15- or 20-minute "power nap" after lunch isn'ta bad idea.

If you’re afraid you'll sleep the entireafternoon away, set the alarm on your watch.Here are some more tips to get you through thatmid-afternoon slump:

• Try to avoid foods like turkey and dairyproducts during the day. They’re rich in theamino acid tryptophan, which can causesleepiness.• Take breaks. If you’re working on a hugeproject, you'll be more productive and less tiredif you take regular short breaks instead ofrelentlessly plowing ahead.• Drink water. Dehydration drains energy.

Drink a glass of water in the morning and anyother time you need a pick-me-up.• Eat complex carbs.A starchy snack like a bagelor banana will give you a quick energy boost.• Jog in place, stretch at your desk or go for abrisk walk. Moving around will get the bloodflowing and carry oxygen to the tissues, soyou'll feel energized and alert.• Get enough sleep. Most people need seven tonine hours of sleep a night to feel their best.• Lose weight. Dragging around all those extrapounds burns up more energy than most of ushave to spare.• Look forward to something. Plan a vacation,getaway weekend or an evening out withfriends.Thinking about your plans will give youthe boost you need to get through a busy,stressful day.

BEATING THEAFTERNOON ‘BLAHS’

Shoepolish:newspin onan oldchore