March 2009 Economic Summary in Graphs
These are the graphical records done by CalculatedRisk for the month of February.The graph shows monthly new home sales (NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted).
Note the Red column for Feb 2009. This is the lowest sales for January since the Census Bureau started tracking sales in 1963. (NSA, 23 thousand new homes were sold in January 2009).
Total housing starts were at 464 thousand (SAAR) in January, by far the lowest level since the Census Bureau began tracking housing starts in 1959.
Single-family starts were at 347 thousand in January; also the lowest level ever recorded (since 1959).
Cork Flooring for your Home Remodeling
The feeling of wood under you feet is one factor I consider when choosing what type of flooring material to use. What type is best that is something comfortable and pleasant? Cork will be it!But it’s not just about comfort. Cork flooring makes your feet happy, it’s also fire resistant, reduces heat loss (it’s a great insulator!), is mold and bug repellant, reduces sound and vibrations, and is easy to install since cork flooring can often comes in click-into-place mosaic tiles.
And for those of you increasingly concerned with your impact on the environment, cork flooring is a perfect sustainable product. Not only is it easy to easy to grow and harvest, it’s very easy to recycle too.
You can try it in just about any room of your home, or you can even look into cork siding for your walls, and cork furniture. Examples of new uses for cork are coming out everyday, so keep your eyes open and see how you can use it in your home.
Renew your Home Insurance Policy
Your home insurance policy is about to expire. Since the market today has gone up the value of housing, can you renegotiate a new policy?My best advice is to call first your broker and talk it all about negotiating such policy. Find out if there are ways you can reduce your premium and save some money.
My home policy got more expensive yearly as the cost to replace my home had gone up. As well as the material costs had risen and caused the estimated cost to rebuild the home to increase. Although my insurance carrier has a program for homes, which is valued over $500k, I can claim my insurance and possibly I might have a cheaper rate.
But, I still have two weeks before I’ll pay my home insurance. Before paying, take a few minutes and call your broker, in doing so, you might negotiate an amount and reduce your premium and save you some money.
Home Painting Tips
One nice aspect of house painting is that you can tailor your work from home business to suit your needs.If you need that home facelift then a proper way of smothering your walls is to follow these pro tips that will help you save time and make your next painting job go a little easier.
1. Surface Preparation. First, wash your walls with TSP (Trisodium Phosphate). This is what most painters use but it’s also rather harsh. A good alternative is to use dish detergent and warm water. Just make sure you rinse the detergent residue off with a second washing of fresh water. If you’re painting a surface with a semi-gloss finish, then give it a light sanding.
2. Other Preparation. The goal is to get the job done as quickly and easily as possible. So you want to keep any masking with tape to a minimum. Remove the covers for light switches and electrical outlets and cut as much as you can with a brush when it comes to fixtures. You also want to clear the room out completely; it’s a real hassle (trust me on this) trying to work around furniture, etc you’ve piled up in the center of the room.
3. Get Good Paint. Not all paint is created equal. The main difference is pigment content. Quality paints contain more pigment and although you’re going to pay about 50% more for a good can of paint, the price is well worth it. You’ll get full coverage in 2 coats, whereas your average house paint will require 3 or even 4 coats.
4. Brushes. A thick 4 inch brush is best for cutting your trim. A lot of people might think that’s too big but there are a number of reasons to go bigger … you can actually cut a more even line with a big brush. You’ll also create a wider cut line which will make rolling a breeze afterwards. And of course, bigger brushs hold more paint which will speed up the job considerably. Make sure your brushes are made for acrylic latex (assuming) and not oil.
5. Rollers. A 10mm roller for walls is pretty standard. For painting a popcorn ceiling or rougher surface, go with a 15mm roller. And like brushes, rollers are made for either oil or latex so check the label. Another handy tool is an extendable roller pole. These are good for reaching high but also for leverage; you can apply more pressure without the exertion.
Guide to Window Blinds
When choosing window blinds, you might wonder how you’ll use it on your homes. Whether it is for privacy, light control, or style there are choices that will fit your needs.Choosing the right window covering can be baffling with the vast choices available. Try not to choose a style simply based on it’s decorative effect alone. As part of a guide to window blinds, here are some questions to mull over before you place your order:
Which direction does your window face? Generally as a guide to window blinds, go for blinds with an ‘openness factor’ of five percent or less to avoid glare problems for windows facing east-west direction. If the window faces the north-south direction, you can select one with “openness factor” of more than five percent because there’s minimal direct sun exposure.
What are your needs for light control? If light control is an issue, go for Venetian or vertical blinds, louvers redirect light, and control the degree of light penetration into the room – just tilt or rotate the slats.
How do your windows open and how often do you open them? Some windows open up, some out and some in. It’s no point installing nice-looking blinds with tangled up slats whenever you want to get some air.
What’s your budget? Quality window blinds can cost even more than curtains, so they can be a hefty investment. As a guide to window blinds, make sure your money is well spent by choosing your blinds according to each room’s specific requirements and the impact you want to make if you are design-conscious.