Real Estate in Florence County SC Teresa McDonald, Realtor

Teresa's Timely Tips  Newsletter                                                

Read my Fall 2008 Newsletter Below:

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Newletter Content:

Favorite Fall Organizing Projects

Proven Food Remedies Part I

Proven Food Remedies Part II

Tips for Saving Money Part I

Tips for Saving Money Part II

Real Estate Update

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Spring 2008 Newsletter

Summer 2008 Newsletter

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Favorite Fall Organizing Projects

When the fall season hits each year, I get the itch to get some fall organizing projects done. Here is a list of 8 projects for this season.

1) Wash the windows. You want to be sure your’re able to enjoy the colors of fall and you don’t want to have to view them through dirty windows. So grab your squeegee and window cleaner, go outside and work on cleaning a minimum of two windows each day until they’re all done.

2) Hose ‘em down. Lawn mowers, plastic garbage containers, bikes and other items stored in the garage tend to get very dusty. Choose a weekend to drag anything that could be washed onto your driveway. Hose everything off to get them nice and clean again before returning them to the garage or storage building. While everything is out in the driveway, take the opportunity to sweep out the garage or storage building.

3) Have a closet session. Go through your wardrobe  from  last fall and winter to see what you want to keep and what you want to donate.  Donations can be brought to a local charity. Once this is done, you can take inventory  and determine if there’s anything new you need to buy to complete your fall wardrobe.

4) Old Toys. Get together  with your children and go through their old toys and have them help you put the ones they no longer play with in a large donation box.

5) Skip the market. Plan to skip going to the supermarket for one week (just pick up milk at the convenience store) and use up any food you already have in the house. You will be surprised how many meals you can scrape together from your refrigerator, freezer, cabinets, and pantry. Before shopping the following week, give all of those food storage areas a good cleaning-it will be quick because most of the food will have been eaten!

6) Finish your holiday shopping. Try to have all of your holiday shopping before November and December. This way you can enjoy the holiday season with your family and friends, rather than rushing to crowded malls.

7) Prune the perennials. Landscaping is primarily made up of perennial plants. Go out on a nice, sunny day and get it all done in an afternoon. Afterwards, go inside and reward  yourself with a delicious cup of apple cider. (You might want to get those tulip bulbs planted also.)

8) Get the house decorated. Put away last season’s decorations, and rotate the new season decorations out of the box. Store seasonal decorations in large plastic boxes that can hold your seasonal decorations.

1. Cranberries vs. Urinary Tract Infections Drinking cranberry juice decidedly reduces recurrent urinary tract infections in women, reports a British analysis of 10 studies. Most common recommended dose: a glass of juice twice a day. Undecided: whether cranberry capsules or tablets are as effective.

2. Oatmeal vs. Cholesterol:  Proof that oatmeal can lower cholesterol is stronger than ever, says a new review by University of Kentucky researcher James Anderson, M.D. He concludes that eating whole-grain oatmeal not only cuts total and “bad” cholesterol but also lowers risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and weight gain.

3.  Soybeans vs. Hot Flashes  A new blockbuster study by Harvard’s George Blackburn, M.D., finds that a compound in soybeans slashed the frequency of hot flashes by  52% in a group of menopausal women. The study used a soy extract called AglyMax, which is like human estrogen but without the negative effects, the researcher says.

1.  Legumes vs. Diabetes  Eating more legumes (peanuts and dried beans, especially soybeans) may cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than 40%, says a new Vanderbilt study of 64,000 middle-aged Chinese women. Possible reason: All legumes suppress spikes in blood sugar.

2.  Fish Oil vs. Brain Damage  Much evidence shows that omega-3 fish oil, especially its DHA component, protects brain cells. In a new UCLA study, DHA helps prevent damage that leads to the onset of Alzheimer's. Eaters of fatty fish are less apt to get Alzheimer.

1. Watch out for shipping costs when buying via the Internet. Use the Internet to comparison shop, then pickup the item locally.

2. Give your time or services instead of “things” for gifts.

3. Pay cash when possible-psychologically it’s harder to spend cash than using credit cards, and you’ll save on interest charges.

4. Go to matinee movies instead of movies at night.

5. Stop buying clothes that are “dry clean only.” Learn to iron.

6. Sell stuff you don’t need or use anymore on eBay.

7. Shop resale shops or estate sales.

8. Track your spending. If you write it all down, you’ll probably spend less. And you’ll know exactly where your money goes.

1. Use your senior discount (if eligible). Go to www.AARP.org for information about member discounts and services.

2. Don't renew subscriptions to publications you don't have time to read.

3. Use the public library to check out movies or books for free.

4. Consider dropping your land line phone at home. Your cell phone may be all you need and some come with free long distance services.

5. Get multiple quotes on insurance. It pays to shop around

6.Take advantage of free health screenings at work.

From January 2008 to August 2008, in the Florence area 53.13% of the homes on the market sold with a average price of $169,219 and an average of 92 days on the market and in the Lake City area only 28.81% of homes sold with an average price of $81,758 and an average of 148 days on market.  We are seeing a lot of foreclosure properties coming on the market due to the credit issues stemming from the variable rate loans available a couple of years ago. These type loans are very limited now and loan restrictions have tightened considerably. Unless you qualify for special programs most homeowners must now make a down payment in order to secure a loan for purchasing a home. If you have good credit it is a great time to purchase because home prices are lower than they have been in years.