Improving Air Quality in Your Home

Here are 3 tips for improving air quality in your home from the Environmental Protection Agency.

1 - Source control.  Eliminate individual sources of pollution....areas that contain asbestos can be sealed off or enclosed and gas stoves can be adjusted to decrease their emissions.

2 - Improved Ventilation.  Heating and cooling systems don't usually bring fresh air into your home.
Open windows and doors, operate window or attic fans weather permitting or run a window air conditioner with the vent control open.  Pollutant-emitting activities like painting, sanding, soldering or welding should be done outside.

3 - Air Cleaners.  There are many types & sizes of air cleaners on the market from relatively inexpensive tabletop models to sophisticated whole house systems.  Some air cleaners are highly effective while others are much less so.  Air cleaners are not designed to remove gaseous pollutants.

A simple solution would be to try a house plant.  There is some evidence that household plants can help remove significant quantities of pollutants from the air in your home.  But, over watering plants can be detrimental to your home's air quality...damp soil can promote the growth of microorganisms.

How to Select Window Coverings

A popular TV decorating show recommends that you focus on the four main options:  blinds, shutters, shades and curtains.  During Winter months, window treatments can affect the temperature in your home.  According to the US Department of Energy, using close-fitting drapes with a cornice can reduce airflow around your windows by 25% .  Mount your shades or blinds inside the window casting and you'll be able to minimize drafts and keep the room much warmer.

Color and pattern are important when deciding what window treatment to use.  Lighter colors will make a smaller room appear larger while darker colors tend to shrink a room.  Mix it up by playing with different textured shades such as rattan or bamboo.

Shades and curtains made from lighter fabrics allow more light to filter into the room.  A heavier fabric can look more elegant which longer drapery will look more formal.  Buy an amount of fabric two to four times the width of the window to make sure you have enough for overlapping.

You can spend anywhere from $16 for a light sheer to $400 for wood shutters.

Gender and Home-Buying Decisions

When it comes to making home-buying decisions, men and women often have different priorities.  A National real estate company's survey finds that most women are able to select a home much more
quickly than men.  Almost 70% of women need only one visit to a new home to decide that it is right for them, compared with 62% of men.  About 1/3 of men (32%) need two or more visits.  More than half of women (55%) believe it is more important to live closer to their extended family than to their job, compared with only 37% of men.  Women are also more likely than men (65% compared with 51%) to lose interest in the home of their dreams if there are concerns about the home's security.

Bankruptcy Won't Necessarily Save Your Commerical Property

A Chapter 11 bankruptcy may buy some time for commercial property owners facing a loan foreclosure, but it may not be the best option for those who are hoping to hang on to their property.

Why not? Chapter 11 was designed to help businesses continue to operate but not necessarily to protect the interests of the borrower.  A bankruptcy affords little protection for a property held as a single asset in a special purpose entity.  Also, continual attorney and advisory fees during a bankruptcy can impose an additional financial burden that may outweigh any benefit from the reorganization plan.

Best option is try to do all that you can to arrive at a workout option with your lender. Remember that there needs to be some justifiable reasons for the lender to consider giving concessions.

Try working with the lender in second place to reach an agreement with the first lien holder.  This strategy is very useful when the property's value has fallen below the amount of the first lien and a workout provides a better option for the secondary lender to be repaid.

Most lenders don't want to foreclose. A workout that lets owners and lenders ride out the downturn is often the best option for all parties.

NEED MORE INFO CONTACT ME AT MY I Sell AZ Sunshine website.