With the advent of longer, warmer days, many homeowners want to throw open the windows, air out the house, and start working on projects they´ve postponed during the winter. Many of us want to do a traditional "spring cleaning" though it´s challenging when our regular day-to-day work demands most of our attention. There is no reason for spring cleaning, at least not as defined by our great-grandparents, but for some of us, we crave the sense of cleanliness and renewal that comes from cleaning house top-to-bottom once or twice a year. So whether you want to do one big organizational, cleaning project in the spring or break jobs into more manageable chunks, the following may help you establish your own "to do" list, as well as plan to take advantage of sales that typically occur during each month. There is nothing quite as satisfying as knowing that everything is in good repair, clean, and maintainable for the next few months. It provides a real sense of having everything under control for a few minutes! When you turn off the heat for the summer, that´s your cue that spring cleaning is the next sunny day. April Sales Spring clothing and accessories End of season on coats and winter accessories Men´s suits Paint and wallpaper Passover and Easter foods (Matzoh, eggs, ham) Spring Cleaning Repair Kit Check sprinkler systems. ...read more

Another reason to get your home inspected if you are selling. Buyers will hire an inspector why shouldn't you protect your investment and help maintain your asking price. Please read the following. Forecaster Predicts Drop in Home PricesIn one of the starkest views yet of the housing slowdown, Moody’sEconomy.comis projecting that housing prices will decline in more than 100 of the nation’s metropolitan areas.The forecasting firm projects that the median sales price for an existing home will decline in 2007 by 3.6 percent, which would be the first nationwide decline for an entire year in home prices since the Great Depression of the 1930s.Moody’s predicts the biggest percentage price decline will be in Danville, Ill., where prices have already fallen by 18.7 percent from the peak in the second quarter of 2005 to a low point in the first three months of this year.That setback occurred because of layoffs in autos and other manufacturing industries, which depressed the local economy.The second-biggest decline is projected to occur in the Fort Myers, Fla., area, a fall of 18.6 percent from the peak in the final three months of last year to a low-point for prices that is projected to occur in the second quarter of 2007.Otherwise, the 133 areas with slumping prices are concentrated in the states of California and Florida and the Northeast corridor from southern Maine to just south of Washington, D.C., as well as boom areas of Nevada and Arizona and some depressed sections of the Midwest such as Detroit."Prices are going to go down and stay down for awhile. It will take at least a couple of years to work off the excesses of the last decade," says Mark Zandi, chief economist at Economy.com and the principal author of the report. ...read more

It is very close to the rainy season and I would just like all to know: Mold Basics  The key to mold control is moisture control.If mold is a problem in your home, you should clean up the mold promptlyandfix the water problem.It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. Why is mold growing in my home? Molds are part of the natural environment.  Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided.  Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air.  Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet.  There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture. Can mold cause health problems? Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing.  Molds have the potential to cause health problems.  Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins).  Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.  Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis).  Allergic reactions to mold are common.  They can be immediate or delayed.  Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold.  In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.  Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold.  Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.  This brochure provides a brief overview; it does not describe all potential health effects related to mold exposure.  For more detailed information consult a health professional.  You may also wish to consult your state or local health department. How do I get rid of mold?   It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors, some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust. The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present.  Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back. Who Should Do the Cleanup Who should do the cleanup depends on a number of factors.  One consideration is the size of the mold problem.  If the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet (less than roughly a 3 ft. by 3 ft. patch), in most cases, you can handle the job yourself, following the guidelines below.   If there has been a lot of water damage, and/or mold growth covers more than 10 square feet, consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide:Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings.  If you choose to hire a contractor (or other professional service provider) to do the cleanup, make sure the contractor has experience cleaning up mold.  Check references and ask the contractor to follow the recommendations of the EPA, the guidelines of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygenists (ACGIH), or other guidelines from professional or government organizations.If you suspect that the heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system may be contaminated with mold (it is part of an identified moisture problem, for instance, or there is mold near the intake to the system), consult EPA's guideShould You Have the Air Ducts in Your Home Cleaned?before taking further action. Do not run the HVAC system if you know or suspect that it is contaminated with mold - it could spread mold throughout the building. If the water and/or mold damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water, then call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water. If you have health concerns, consult a health professional before starting cleanup. ...read more