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March Newsletter

Spring has finally arrived!!  In this issue you will find some great tips for Greening your Home and Increasing Value with Good Landscaping.  For those of you with a sweet tooth, I have included a great Fruit dip recipe.

Greening Your Home -

Making your home more environmentally friendly

is easier than you think.

 

While your heart might be in the right place, admit it: There's something intimidating about making the change to a greener lifestyle.  What's a socially conscious person to do, and where should they start?  With a few simple changes from room to room, you, too, can help make the world a healthier place to live.

 

BATHROOMS - Two simple fixes can make a world of difference:  First, ditch that old, leaky showerhead for a new low-flow style; and second, fix your leaky toilet.  Think you don't have a leak?  Think again.  A lot of toilets have clear water from the well going into the base, but, because it's clear, you can't tell.  To test, put food dye in the toilet for 20 minutes.  If there's no colour when you return, you're wasting thousands of gallons of water every year - not to mention what it's costing your pocketbook.

 

KITCHEN - The most efficient change can be the most expensive one, depending on how far you want to go.  But your best bet for greening this room is to choose appliances that bear the Energy Star label.  When you're deciding on a fridge and torn between two energy hogs, go for the one with the label - it will pay off in the long run.

 

LIVING ROOM - It all boils down to one word: paint.  To ensure that you're not going to waste any - and how many of us haven't?  - make sure that you measure the room and use a paint calculator to determine exactly what you need.  Check the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the paint, which is what gives it its smell.  The major companies are making low - VOC paints that cost more but can be tinted every colour and don't have any odour.

 

OFFICE - With more and more couples working from home these days, the home office has become a staple - and a black hole for greening.  The best place to start?  Ditch your fax machine and go paperless.  Get an efax number - if you have paper that you need to file, fax it to yourself and store it digitally.  Another suggestion?  Opt for a more energy-efficient laptop instead of a desktop.

With Good Landscaping, Money Can Grow on Trees

With most things in life, first impressions are crucial, and the garden is the first impression of a home that a potential purchaser sees when they get out of the car.  Cosmetic changes can be made for minimal dollars, yet these changes can help to generate a sale or can add dollars to the sale price.

 

If you've already purchased a home with a well-maintained garden, don't stop there!  Planting trees not only adds value, it can also save energy.  It can lead to lower monthly heating and air conditioning bills, while giving you pleasure for years to come.

 

Deciduous trees (i.e. trees that lose their leaves in the fall) when planted on the south and west sides of your homes will grow to be an energy-reducing feature - and therefore, it's a cost saving feature too.  The shade produced by deciduous trees during hot summer months reduces the burden placed on cooling equipment such as fans, heat pumps and air conditioners.

 

Tall evergreens planted on the north side of your home will perform the same energy-saving function in the winter.  They can block those northerly winter winds.  This in turn reduces the work your furnace will have to do to maintain a reasonable level of warmth in your home.

 

Remember, energy - like money - doesn't grow on trees.  But trees can be an energy and money saving device for your home both now and when you come to resell.  Homebuyers frequently ask about a home's monthly heating and utility expenses before they make an offer to purchase.

 

So whether you're planning to sell your home in the near future, or not for some time, keep the money saving features of landscaping in mind, and go green!

 


 

Carol's Kitchen

Double Chocolate Dip

3 oz.     White or Dark Chocolate, melted

8 oz.     Cool Whip-1 sm. Container

8 oz.     Softened Cream Cheese

¼ Cup   Thick Chocolate Syrup

Microwave chocolate and ½ of the Cool Whip, uncovered, on High for 1 minute.  Stir after each 20 second interval until melted and smooth.

Whip cream cheese with chocolate mixture, mixing until smooth. Fold in remaining whipped topping.

Place half the dip into a small serving dish; drizzle with chocolate syrup forming an even layer.  Cover syrup with remaining dip.   Decorate with additional syrup drizzled on top.

Serve at room temperature with fresh seasonal fruit.

 

For more information please contact

Carol Dorn - The Mortgage Mama