Is Your Home Healthy?

The weather is getting cooler and it is becoming that time of year that germs loved to be shared. As we approach cold and flu season, what are some things you can do to prevent the spread of germs?


Raising a family with 4 children who loved to share germs, we came up with a few tricks of our own. My best tip is to put a roll of paper towels in the bathrooms that are used by all. Use a kitchen towel dispenser to make it look nice on the counter. We stumbled upon this trick one year when we all kept sharing the stomach flu (not a fun year). We gave everyone their own color coded towels for their bathrooms to no avail. Only when another one fell sick did it occur to me that everyone used the guest bathroom to wash hands and we all used the same towel. The switch to paper towels did the trick - I also got very good at wiping down counters, door knobs etc. For more tips read this article from This Old House magazine on ways to flu proof your home.

Don't forget to get your flu shot as well. And here's a consumer tip. Don't "assume" that it will be cheaper to get your flu shot at your doctor's office. Since I had one child at the doctor and they asked if she needed her flu shot, being a good mom I said "sure". Then I received the bill - the shot was placed toward my deductible....$25.00 for the shot and $20.00 to administer it! Let's just say the rest of us just went to Kroger and saved some money. So, as always, when someone offers you something ask "how much will this cost me?" Need to find a flu shot location? Visit www.flu.gov

A Different Thought on the Home Glut

Here is a different take on the explanation of the seeming oversupply of homes on the market.....


There were 357,000 new households created between March 2009 and March 2010, down from about 1.3 million per year between 2002 and 2007, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

With household formation at a 63-year low, the supply of homes on the market is nearing a record high. "When people are afraid of losing their jobs or not being able to get into the job market, they are not thinking about buying a home," explains NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® spokesman Lucien Salvant. "Many opt to stay at home with parents, or to share rentals with friends."

The Census Bureau reports a 14.5 percent gross vacancy rate in the nation's housing at the close of the second quarter. Normally, demand for replacement homes and second homes, a jump in new households, and nonresidential to residential conversions mean approximately 1.7 million new units are needed each year to satisfy demand. Foreclosures alone are not responsible for the housing glut, with experts pointing out that household formation has fallen along with immigration and marriage rates.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, Alan Heavens (10/12/10)

Still lower!!!!

In what now seems like a weekly event, mortgage rates have dropped AGAIN to a now lower "all time low" at 4.19% for a 30 year mortgage. 15 year loans are at 3.62%. If that doesn't motivate you to buy or refinance - I don't what will.


Give me a call and I will help you with the process.

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My First Rodeo

Our family has lived in Houston a while, but sometimes you need to go visit places and events you haven't seen before.  Last Friday night our family went to the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo - and, well, it was actually my first Rodeo.  Now I know it does not compare to the size of the Houston Rodeo, but it was great fun, a good value and close by.

We bought our $10 tickets online and printed them at home for general admission and parking is FREE!  One of the vendor booths was giving away free items - so I think we made money on the whole event.  If you and your family want to check it out, you'll need go this weekend as it ends October 9th.  Follow this link for details...Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo.  Hey any place that sells funnel cake is always worth the price of admission.

Who doesn't love a parade?

There is a lot more to buying a home than just the structure of the house.  A major influence is also the community it is located in.  In the Clear Lake area we are fortunate to have homes that feed to exemplary schools  - one of those is Clear Lake High School.

This week is homecoming and Wednesday night was the Homecoming Parade.  Since I wasn't raised from around here, this was my first parade - I had no idea how much fun I have been missing. Why hadn't we attended earlier?  Floats, the band, candy, beads, pep rally and a bonfire!  What a great way to spend an evening.

Come and cheer on Clear Lake this Saturday at Clear Creek District Stadium at 2 p.m.  Cost is $6.00 - you'll want to come early to get a good seat.  Cheer on the Falcons and check out the mums!