Possible source of indoor pollution.
Air pollution can be up to 10 times worse inside your home than outside. Fumes from paint, cleaning products, and solvents can all add to indoor pollution, even when you can’t smell them.
MY NETWORK FURTHER EXPANDS . . .
June 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment
COLDWELL BANKER ANNOUNCES NEW MASTER FRANCHISOR IN FRANCE, COLDWELL BANKER ALSO WILL EXPAND BRAND INTO MONACO
PARSIPPANY, N.J., (June 28, 2010) – Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC today announced the signing of a master franchise agreement with Demeure S.A. to expand the Coldwell Banker® brand in France and into Monaco. With the addition of Monaco, the Coldwell Banker network now extends to 50 countries and territories worldwide on a combined basis.
Led by Laurent Demeure, president and chief executive officer, Coldwell Banker France and Monaco is based in Paris. Previously known as Demeure Immobilier with a luxury homes department Demeure Prestige, Demeure S.A. was founded in 1920. The group played a major role in the development of real estate in France, notably with the creation of one of France’s premier networks of estate agents.
“We are thrilled that Laurent and his talented team have joined the Coldwell Banker system to give us a renewed presence in France,” said Jim Gillespie, chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “Obviously gaining a presence in Monaco, one of the world’s most desired destinations, is a major addition to Coldwell Banker Previews International®, our luxury marketing division that caters to the affluent. We believe Laurent’s firm aligns very well with the Coldwell Banker brand, combining a rich history with outstanding core values.”
“We think the Coldwell Banker brand has great potential for growth in France and Monaco,” said Demeure. “The France and Monaco property market is holding steady, despite the recent economic crisis. In France, relatively low home prices, culture and ‘love for all things French’ continue to drive interest from foreign investors while Monaco obviously attracts interest from the affluent around the globe.
“We are very enthusiastic to further develop the Coldwell Banker brand in France and enter a new market in Monaco. We believe that because we are in the same business as our potential franchisees this will allow us to develop unparalleled business relationships with partners that understand each other’s needs and expectations. All the team is highly motivated in making the Coldwell Banker system a highly innovative and highly consumer focused brand in the two countries and becoming the leader in the luxury properties market through Coldwell Banker Previews International.”
ACCESS TO WORLDWIDE REAL ESTATE
June 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Some time ago I was approached by a company dealing in international real estate and invited to become a member. They informed me that I had been recommended by my colleague, Mallina Wilson from Bellingham. Flattered by the recommendation, I did considerable research and discussion, I partnered with Jenny Hill (who will handle the Eastside while I work the Greater Seattle area) and I joined their growing network.
The company is called Associated Realty of the Americas (AREA) and is headquartered in Arizona. The company concept is a simple one: select quality real estate professionals in major urban and resort areas around the world, tie them together and market their listings to all.
What makes the program unique is that we market to those who represent Buyers, not to the Buyers themselves. (We don’t know anyone else who uses this paradigm.)
What I have come to learn from this is that my “reach” has grown in an extraordinary fashion. By that I mean, instead of having to research who I will use as a referral agent outside the world of Seattle, this is already done for me.
My expanded service reaches from the tip of Cabo to shores of the Carolina’s; from Panama to Palm Springs; from Vancouver to Toronto; from the U.S. to Europe and Asia: I am connected.
When someone who is important to you is considering a transfer within the U.S., a foreign purchase or is a foreigner interested in owning residential or commercial property in Seattle, please let me know.
Best of all, there is no cost to Buyers and Sellers to receive this first class service.
COLOR CORRECT . . . “Painting weather” is just around the corner!
June 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The look of your home’s exterior can make a strong first impression, enhance curb appeal and help boost resale value, but choosing the right color can be tricky. The paint experts at Sherwin-Williams offer several helpful hints for selecting the best color for your home’s exterior.
First, examine homes in different neighborhoods to get an idea of how residents apply color to their own homes. Note the most appealing color schemes in the area and consider adapting them to your home. Choose a scheme that blends well with homes in your current neighborhood or subtly stands out.
Landscaping elements, such as flower gardens, flowering shrubs and trees that change color, can affect your color choice. For example, heavily wooded lots will make colors appear darker due to the shade, and the foliage tends to camouflage the home.
Elements of your home, such as roofing shingles, brick or stone accents, often have varying shades and hues that can serve as the foundation of your paint color choices. For example, a charcoal gray shingle could have flecks of gray-blue or gray-green that you can incorporate into the color scheme.
Be sure to examine color samples outdoors at various angles and at different times of the day. Consider buying small quantities of paint in desired colors and paint a section of the house where the body, trim and accent colors can be seen together.
Pay attention to the direction and intensity of the sun. Intense sunlight can wash out colors. While brighter colors may be suitable in Sunbelt cities, lighter, neutral tones often work better in other locales. Tinted and mid-tone neutrals are popular because they play off landscaping and other building materials.
White or light colors make a large home on a small lot appear even larger, while dark colors tend to make the same home look smaller but more substantial. Remember, light colors advance in space while dark colors recede. So if a home is located far from the curb, painting it a light color will make it look more prominent.
Easy Fixes for 4 Household Problems
June 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Problems like squeaky stairs and oil stains on the garage floor are common household troubles and they’re relatively easy for a do-it-yourselfer to fix.
Lynda Lyday—carpenter, professional contractor, and a featured expert on the DIY cable network—provides dozens of simple fixes for common household problems in The Homeowner’s Manual (Que Publishing, 2006).
While it’s always best to bring in an expert to correct big problems, Lyday provides these tips for capable home owners who want to try their own hand at a solution.
PROBLEM: Oil Stains on Garage Floor
Lyday’s solution: “You can remove most of a stubborn stain with a bit of elbow grease and scrubbing. First, remove the surface oil by sprinkling some cat litter on it to soak it up. Then clear away the cat litter and focus on the stain.
Make a paste of hot water and dry dish or laundry detergent. Use a stiff bristle scrub brush to scrub the area with the paste. Hose the area and let it dry. Another method is to use a product such as Spray ’n Wash on the stain for 10 minutes, along with a dry detergent.
Your last option is to spray on some oven cleaner. Use this sparingly, wash it down thoroughly, and keep children and pets away from it.”
PROBLEM: Leaky Faucets
Lyday’s solution: “Most faucet leaks can easily be fixed with a rubber washer, an O-ring, or seals—depending on what type of faucet it is. By fixing the problem yourself, you can save a good bit of money since plumbers can be expensive and will charge you a standard fee even if it takes only 10 minutes to fix the problem.”
PROBLEM: Nail Pops
Lyday’s solution: “Nail pops are a problem across the country. The term comes from the nails that hold the drywall to the studs actually popping out through the face of the drywall. This is from either a house settling or the wood studs drying out over time, squeezing the nail out of the wood and pushing it through the drywall.
The fix for this isn’t terribly hard, but it’s tedious because there are up to 32 nails in a 4-foot by 8-foot sheet of drywall. My suggestion is to pound the nail through the drywall to the stud. Then, just above it, place a drywall screw to hold the drywall to the stud, and finish it off with a few coats of spackle or joint compound. Finally, seal and paint it.
Most home-improvement stores also sell nail pop kits that can make this job easier.”
PROBLEM: Squeaky Stairs
Lyday’s solution: “The most common problems that occur in a staircase are the treads (horizontal surface of the steps) coming loose, which causes squeaking. Also common are the spindles or balusters coming loose. If you can get underneath the staircase, fixing the treads is easy.
You will need to attach an L bracket from the underside of the tread to the stringer (the long piece of wood that connects the treads and runs diagonally up the wall). If you can’t get underneath the staircase, you’ll have to make the repair from above.
Squeaky stair kits are available that allow you to make this fix even through carpet. Otherwise, you can secure the tread to the stringer with a trim screw.”
MY MONTH IN FRANKFURT – My parting shots . . .
June 9, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The steeple of the ancient cathedral in the Romer.
The original foundation from the pre-world war cathedral.
The fountain at the center of the Romer square.
Bockenheimer Warte -- a large plaza and coffee house adjacent to the University.
Fountain at the plaza of Alt Opera . . . with a special young model.So did the Hammering Man in Frankfurt arrive before or after the one in Seattle???
The true symbol of the downtown financial district."The Office Under Glass" in the middle of a neighborhood park.
"The Office Under Glass" in the middle of a neighborhood park.
- And we are back to the beginning!!!
MY MONTH IN FRANKFURT – Consider renting a home?
May 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Prepare yourself! The real estate market for rentals is reminiscent decades gone by in our area: there is no central listing service. You will hire/pay for an agent to go office to office to find potential rental properties.
Now that you have your agent, you learn that rentals are what we call apartments/part of a much larger building. In addition, you will need to supply your own kitchen and light fixtures. Most spaces for rent have no appliances, cabinets or counter tops in the vacant ‘kitchen’ space. When you vacate the space, you take your kitchen with you. In addition, each tenant supplies . . . and removes . . . the light fixtures from the unit.
Now that you have your space, kitchen hardware and light fixtures it time to learn how the clothes dryer differs from those in the US. After you dry your load of laundry, you will need to pull the +/- two quart container from the base of the dryer. Once removed, the full container needs to have the water therein dumped. MY QUESTION: How much extra does it cost me to ‘dry’ all of that water out of my Seattle laundry?
I am going to do you a favor and not fully describe the toilets that are designed for an ‘incomplete flush’ and therefore each has a wall-mounted toilet brush for cleaning.
MY MONTH IN FRANKFURT – Transportation by bicycle
May 24, 2010 By 1 Comment
Excellent public transportation, amazing high-end automobiles and BICYCLES by the thousands are every where in Frankfurt. Streets have lanes dedicated to bicycle . . . and those are next to the bicycle-dedicated portions of the sidewalks.
Bicycle lock-up racks are also every where:
Park your bike here . . . if you can find a spot!!
It is a bit odd to see a Dad delivering up to three (3!) children hanging off the front/middle/back of his bike en route to schools. This compares only to well-dressed women in 4 inch heals making their way to a day of work.
