DFW Real Estate - Going Green

Terri Pescatore and Jane Avrit with The PescatoreAvrit Team Keller Williams have given advise of ways to prepare your home to sell, such as setting the correct price and using a stager for appearance, but how about implementing some energy and water-saving options too. Many buyers will ask to see past utility bills for a home, and especially with today's increasing prices. Taking measures to reduce these costs might help a buyer to decide on your property verses another. Here are some easy projects that can increase a home's value in a buyer's eyes during a time of high energy costs:

-Replace regular light bulbs in permanent fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs. CFLs use about one-fifth as much energy as regular bulbs, and last about 12 times longer. I personally use these bulbs in my home and have noticeable difference in the electric bill. For example:
If you take 100 watt incandescent bulb and replace it with a 10 watt fluorescent bulb, which puts out about the same amount of light, you're saving 90 watts. If you run THAT bulb for 5 hours a day you are saving 450 watts per day. (90 saved x 5hrs) 450 watts saved x 30 days = 13,500 watts per month saved, divided by 1000 = 13.5 kilowatt hours saved for THAT bulb. If it costs .16/kilowatt hour you're saving $2.16 a month in usage for THAT one bulb. If you have several bulbs in your home you can see that this figure can become quite significant. In addition to the kilowatts saved, incandescent bulbs also generate more heat than fluorescent bulbs thus making the fluorescent bulb an optimal choice as far as air conditioning goes as well.

-Install low-flow showerheads, which will save on water heating and use

-Install an Energy Star-qualified, programmable thermostat

-Close the damper on the fireplace - this is often forgotten and can cause drafts and high energy loss

-Add insulation to the attic

-Insulate water heater tanks for energy savings.

-Repair water leaks in tubs, showers and sinks - not only will this save water, but a leak really shows the home is not cared for.

-Perform duct sealing or hire a contractor - 20% of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes and poorly connected ducts.

DFW Real Estate - Gas Prices

Location, Location, Location! That's what real estate is about! With gas prices now reaching $4 we're seeing a trend of people trying to move closer to work to cut down on fuel costs. According to the Dallas Morning News homebuyers are opting to trade the higher purchase price of a close-in home for the lower monthly gasoline expense and still save on time spent in the car each day. Some homebuyers are even downsizing to save on higher energy costs.

The PescatoreAvrit Team is always available to help clients with real estate needs. If you're looking to make a move, or want to investigate your options to see if moving would be the right choice Terri and Jane are the ones to call! Closing over 100 transactions per year, they are the area real estate experts!

Here are thirty tips on saving at the pump:


The surest way you can improve your fuel cost problem is to change your motoring habits. Listed below under four categories are 30 effective methods of doing so... no need to buy expensive add-on equipment.

ENGINE WARM-UP
1. Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time.

2. Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up... chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture.

3. Don't start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine.

4. Avoid "reving" the engine, especially just before you switch the engine off; this wastes fuel needlessly and washes oil down from the inside cylinder walls, owing to loss of oil pressure.

5. Eliminate jack-rabbit starts. Accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don't push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel. This allows carburetor to function at peak efficiency.


HOW TO BUY GASOLINE
6. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to "volume of measurement".

7. Choose type and brand of gasoline carefully. Certain brands provide you with greater economy because of better quality. Use the brands which "seem" most beneficial.

8. Avoid filling gas tank to top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill gas tank past the first "click" of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic.

HOW TO DRIVE ECONOMICALLY
9. Exceeding 40 mph forces your auto to overcome tremendous wind resistance.

10. Never exceed legal speed limit. Primarily they are set for your traveling safety, however better gas efficiency also occurs. Traveling at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage when compared to former legal speed limits of 65 mph and 70 mph.

11. Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed.

12. Manual shift driven cars allow you to change to highest gear as soon as possible, thereby letting you save gas if you "nurse it along". However, if you cause the engine to "bog down", premature wearing of engine parts occurs.

13. Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.

14. Drive steadily. Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating - the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if affects your economy, if he slows down unexpectedly.

15.Think ahead when approaching hills. If you accelerate, do it before you reach the hill, not while you're on it.

GENERAL ADVICE
16. Do not rest left foot on floor board pedals while driving. The slightest pressure puts "mechanical drag" on components, wearing them down prematurely. This "dragging" also demands additional fuel usage.

17. Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.

18. Use alternate roads when safer, shorter, straighter. Compare traveling distance differences - remember that corners, curves and lane jumping requires extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always straight.

19. Stoplights are usually timed for your motoring advantage. By traveling steadily at the legal speed limit you boost your chances of having the "green light" all the way.

20. Automatic transmissions should be allowed to cool down when your car is idling at a standstill, e.g. railroad crossings, long traffic lights, etc. Place gear into neutral position. This reduces transmission strain and allows transmission to cool.

21. Park car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas.

22. Regular tune-ups ensure best economy; check owner's manual for recommended maintenance intervals. Special attention should be given to maintaining clean air filters... diminished air flow increases gas waste.

23. Inspect suspension and chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, etc. create engine drag and are unsafe at high traveling speeds.

24. Remove snow tires during good weather seasons; traveling on deep tire tread really robs fuel!

25. Inflate all tires to maximum limit. Each tire should be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-round. When shopping for new tires, get large diameter tires for rear wheels. Radial designs are the recognized fuel-savers; check manufacturer's specifications for maximum tire pressures.

26. Remove vinyl tops - they cause air drag. Rough surfaces disturb otherwise smooth air flow around a car's body. Bear in mind when buying new cars that a fancy sun roof helps disturb smooth air flow (and mileage).

27. Auto air conditioners can reduce fuel economy by 10% to 20%. Heater fan, power windows and seats increase engine load; the more load on your engine, the less miles per gallon.

28. Remove excess weight from trunk or inside of car - extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy parts. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.

29. Car pools reduce travel monotony and gas expense - all riders chip in to help you buy. Conversation helps to keep the driver alert. Pooling also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater "steady speed" economy. For best results, distribute passenger weight evenly throughout car.

30. During cold weather watch for icicles frozen to car frame. Up to 100 lbs. can be quickly accumulated! Unremoved snow and ice cause tremendous wind resistance. Warm water thrown on (or hosed on) will eliminate it fast.

EXTRA TIPS
Install pressure regulator valve (sold in auto parts stores)... Use graphite motor oil... Beware of oil additives, regardless of advertising claims... Add Marvel Mystery Oil into gas fill-ups... Investigate fuel/water injection methods and products... combine short errands into one trip... Use special gas additives to prevent winter freezing of gas lines... convert your V8 engine over to a V4 - no special kits needed!!!

DFW Real Estate - Staging

Terri Pescatore and Jane Avrit have been in the real estate industry for 24 years, and are adamant when it comes to what it takes to sell a home. According to them the top factors are price and condition. These are two elements that sellers actually have control over. Obviously pricing your property correctly is key in today's market. With the amount of inventory currently for sale home owners cannot afford to overprice and lose out to the competition, but what about condition? The PescatoreAvrit Team says condition is not just about making sure the home is clean, but also how it flows with a buyer. How does the furniture fit? Does it seem cramped, or spacious? Are there too many distractions in the home that would keep the buyer from really looking at the house, and not the "stuff" in the home? This is where staging comes in. Terri Pescatore and Jane Avrit have had experience after experience of the effect that staging has on getting a home sold.

What is staging?
Stagers bring in a vast array of items to spruce up the house. Here is a small sampling of items professional stagers often use to dress each room. How they are utilized is limited only by the creativity and vision of the stager.
Mirrors
Plants
Silk Flowers
Floor & Table Lamps,
Area and Throw Rugs
Small Love Seats
Ottomans
Afghans
Pillows
Inflatable Queen-Size Beds
Baskets
Plastic Tables & Chairs
The stager looks at your home throught the eyes of a buyer. She might move pictures, take some pictures down, add some pictures, move small furnishings etc. to change the appearance or the way your home shows. The way you live in your home, and the way you "stage" your home to sell may look two different ways. The focus of staging is to make the buyer look at your home and not your "stuff".

Again, in today's market sellers have to be competitive to get their property sold. The PescatoreAvrit Team understands this, and offers to pay for 2 hours of staging for all of their clients that need this service. You can find out more about Terri, Jane, and their team on their team website.