Monthly Archives: June 2011

How To Make The Fourth Of July Fun For Kids

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How To Make The Fourth Of July Fun For Kids

Every year, the Fourth of July holiday honors the birth of our nation. Independence Day, as it’s also known, is a special day for every American and time for celebration. Both children and adults enjoy a variety of traditions that have grown to become popular pastimes for all. If you want to see a big smile on the face of your little ones this July 4, consider the following ways to make it a kid-friendly kind of fun.

Host A Cookout

One of the most popular traditions to enjoy over the Fourth of July holiday is a cookout with family and friends. Get out the grill, grab some hotdogs and hamburgers and get cooking. Children love cookouts and they also love playing outdoors. If you can find a way to combine both by hosting a cookout and inviting some of the other children in the neighborhood, along with family and friends, you will have a happy Fourth of July and so will your kids.

Take A Trip

Speaking of traditions, the July 4 holiday is one of the most popular times of the year for travel. If you really want to make this holiday fun for your kids, take them on a vacation. Whether it’s an amusement park, a weekend of camping, or a few days at the beach, make sure that you choose something that’s fun for everyone.

Take In A Fireworks Display

If your neighborhood or city is hosting a display of fireworks, take your child to see the show. Make sure that you watch the kids closely, especially in large crowds, and take the camera to capture some of the colorful displays that only a Fourth of July fireworks show can create.

Plan A Pool Party

If you have a pool in your backyard, the Fourth of July holiday is the perfect time to spend some time splashing around. With temperatures heating up, the cool water is sure to cool you down. Children love to spend an afternoon playing in the pool, but make sure that you get permission from all parents whose children you plan to invite to the party. Additionally, make sure that an adult is present to supervise the children at all times.

Have A Birthday Party

Because July 4 is a celebration of our nation’s birth, it would be the perfect day for a birthday party. All children love a birthday party complete with balloons, decorations and, of course, cake and ice cream.

Now that you know how to make the Fourth of July holiday fun for kids, make sure to take the time to enjoy the celebration yourself. After all, that’s what a holiday is all about.

Re/Max Connection Realtors disclaimer:
Re/Max Connection Realtors are not licensed financial advisors, and are not providing any financial advice, you should consult with a licensed financial advisor prior to making any financial decisions. Re/Max Connection Realtors are only providing this economic statement from Naroff Economic Advisors, Inc. for informational purposes.
Our company accepts no liability for the content of this email/blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. Any views or opinions presented in this email/blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Finally, the recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.
Re/Max Connection Realtors, 1000 East Lincoln Drive, Suite 2, Marlton, NJ 08053 www.goconnectionnj.com

Backyard Summer Entertainment Ideas

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Backyard Summer Entertainment Ideas

When it comes to entertaining outdoors, there’s no place quite like your very own backyard. Many families enjoy the warm summer weather by spending as much time outside as possible, and one way of doing that is by making it a fun place to be.

Get Out Your Grill

The smell of a freshly grilled hot dog or hamburger… the unmistakable taste of a meal that’s been prepared outdoors… the excitement of getting together with family and friends for a barbecue… these are all things that you are sure to enjoy and, if you really want to get things cooking, you will get out your grill and cook up something that your entire family will love.

A cookout is a fantastic idea for summer entertainment, which means it is perfect for both small and large groups. Whether you prefer a quiet dinner with your family or you want to make your outdoor grilling adventure into a party by inviting your friends from the neighborhood, outdoor grilling is a fun way to make use of the summer heat.

Host A Pool Party

If you have a pool in your backyard, there’s no better time than summer to put it to use. When the sun comes out and the temperature heats up, a pool party is the perfect way to spend the day cooling down. Before you start picking out your swimsuit, make sure that the pool is properly cleaned and ready for guests. In addition, make sure that there are flotation units for those who need a little help in the water and towels for everyone to dry off when they step out.

Hosting a pool party also means having something to eat and drink for your guests. Whether you’ve planned lunch or just a light snack for everyone, make sure that you have something on hand to curb those cravings. If you’re inviting children over for a pool party for the youngsters, make sure that you have their parents’ permission beforehand.

Sports Fun

Believe it or not, many homeowners enjoy setting up a backyard sporting event and inviting everyone to join in. Whether it’s volleyball, horseshoes or just a friendly game of basketball, there’s no better court than home court. If you plan to create a sporty atmosphere, make sure that you have plenty of water on hand for everyone to drink. It’s also important to refrain from playing when the sun is at its peak, which is typically in the early to mid-afternoon hours. Instead, wait until it cools down before heating up your backyard with some friendly sporting competition.
Re/Max Connection Realtors disclaimer:
Re/Max Connection Realtors are not licensed financial advisors, and are not providing any financial advice, you should consult with a licensed financial advisor prior to making any financial decisions. Re/Max Connection Realtors are only providing this economic statement from Naroff Economic Advisors, Inc. for informational purposes.
Our company accepts no liability for the content of this email/blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. Any views or opinions presented in this email/blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Finally, the recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.
Re/Max Connection Realtors, 1000 East Lincoln Drive, Suite 2, Marlton, NJ 08053 www.goconnectionnj.com

May Housing Starts and Permits

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NAROFF ECONOMIC ADVISORS, Inc.
Joel L. Naroff
President and Chief Economist

INDICATOR: May Housing Starts and Permits
KEY DATA: Starts: +3.5%; 1-Family: +3.7%; 5+ Units: +8.9%; Permits: +8.7%; 1-Family: +2.5%; 5+ Units: +29.3%

IN A NUTSHELL: “Builders may not be able to compete with distressed homes but that doesn’t mean they have closed up shop.”

WHAT IT MEANS: New construction is not going to be the driving force it once was in this economy, at least for quite a while. But there still are many people who prefer new homes and construction did improve in May. Maybe even more importantly, with so many households no longer able to get into the housing market, the demand for rental housing is rising. That has led to growing activity in the multi-family segment. The rise in construction was not evenly distributed across the nation as starts surged in the West, rose modestly in the South but eased back in the Northeast and Midwest. Looking forward, home building should pick up soon and possibly quite solidly. Permit requests were up strongly, especially for multi-family dwellings. The slowdown in construction in the Northeast may come to an end with gusto as permit requests rose by over 35% in that part of the country. They were also up solidly in the West and moderately in the South. However, there was a small drop in the Midwest.

MARKETS AND FED POLICY IMPLICATIONS: The importance of residential construction has dropped dramatically, which should surprise no one given how weak housing starts have been. However, GDP growth is all about changes in levels not the strength of those levels and it is very likely that housing will add to growth as we move through the second half of the year. Unfortunately, it looks like it has been a major drag during the spring quarter. The number of homes under construction has pretty much stabilized, which could also point to a bottom in activity. Thus, this report can be classified as a pretty good one despite the continued modest pace of construction. Regardless, I don’t think investors are hanging their hats on what happens in the housing market. We can have a recovery without the residential housing segment contributing greatly but it is just not going to be a robust one.

Re/Max Connection Realtors disclaimer:
Re/Max Connection Realtors are not licensed financial advisors, and are not providing any financial advice, you should consult with a licensed financial advisor prior to making any financial decisions. Re/Max Connection Realtors are only providing this economic statement from Naroff Economic Advisors, Inc. for informational purposes.
Our company accepts no liability for the content of this email/blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. Any views or opinions presented in this email/blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Finally, the recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.
Re/Max Connection Realtors, 1000 East Lincoln Drive, Suite 2, Marlton, NJ 08053 www.goconnectionnj.com

Ten Tips To Successfully Market Your Home

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Ten Tips To Successfully Market Your Home

There is a lot more to putting your home up for sale than placing a sign on the front lawn. Selling your home quickly and getting the best price possible requires marketing your property and using the services of an experienced agent. Here are some of the strategies you can use to market your home.

Hire A Professional REALTOR®—The ability to market your home is always best served by hiring a real estate expert. They have access to resources that you as an individual do not, and their experience and knowledge are certainly worth the commission.

Photograph The Exterior Of Your Home—Good high quality photographs of the entire exterior of your home can really spark the interest of potential buyers. These photographs can be used in a variety of online and print marketing campaigns.

Photograph The Interior Of Your Home—Be sure you also have good quality photos of every major room in your home, especially the kitchen, bathrooms, and master bedroom. Also ensure that these pictures are taken in good light, and from angles that best highlight the space they are to represent.

Purchase A Virtual Tour—Virtual tours are one of the latest and most effective marketing methods in the real estate industry. Essentially a virtual tour allows potential viewers to get a 360-degree perspective of your property from the comfort of their home or office. This method is also a great way to assure that only interested buyers show up at an open house. Your agent can have these tours put on multiple listing websites as well as on their own pages.

Print Advertising—While this may seem to be a costly and outdated marketing method, there are still a considerable number of potential buyers who use print resources to find prospective properties.

Signage—Be sure you have clear, visible signage on your property that indicates it is for sale. Also, be sure your agent’s contact information can be seen from a distance so that those passing by can take down their name and number.

Direct Mail—Again, this may seem like an outdated method of advertising, but it is still effective, especially if your home may appeal to an older demographic.

Open Houses—This is still the most effective way to get a sale. Be sure your home is in clean and presentable condition before hosting an open house, and ask your REALTOR® for advice about preparing your home for such an opening.

Agent Tours—These tours can give agents a better look at your home without having the general public in your house, and can assist them in matching your home with their clients. Your agent can arrange these tours.

E-marketing—Like print advertising, this is a fairly inexpensive and effective method of marketing your home that your REALTOR® can offer to you as part of their services.

Re/Max Connection Realtors disclaimer:
Re/Max Connection Realtors are not licensed financial advisors, and are not providing any financial advice, you should consult with a licensed financial advisor prior to making any financial decisions. Re/Max Connection Realtors are only providing this economic statement from Naroff Economic Advisors, Inc. for informational purposes.
Our company accepts no liability for the content of this email/blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. Any views or opinions presented in this email/blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Finally, the recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.
Re/Max Connection Realtors, 1000 East Lincoln Drive, Suite 2, Marlton, NJ 08053 www.goconnectionnj.com

Cut Your Cooling Costs With These Money-Saving Tips

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Cut Your Cooling Costs With These Money-Saving Tips

When it comes to keeping your home comfortable in the summer, there are a number of ways to accomplish your goal without breaking a sweat over your cooling costs. Believe it or not, the price of heating and/or cooling a home often accounts for more than 50 percent of a homeowner’s energy bill. What does this mean for you? As a budget conscious individual, it’s time to cut your cooling costs with these money-saving tips.

Sunblock

When the sun is up, consider pulling your shades down. Close your curtains, blinds or whatever window treatments you use to keep the sun’s rays from heating up your home. This will help to keep the interior of your home cool, which can help to cut your energy costs by not making your air conditioner work harder simply because the sun is causing excess heat. Solar screens for your windows and a radiant paint barrier for your attic are effective ways to block much of the sun’s UV rays.

Coolness Counts

If you use an air conditioner to cool your home, make sure that you adjust the temperature when you leave the house. Otherwise, you are just wasting energy on a home when no one is there. Additionally, you can also turn the unit down at night when the temperatures typically tend to cool off. This is true whether you are using a window unit for an individual room or a central system that’s used to cool the entire home.

Maintaining Your Cooling Unit

It’s important to clean your filters and/or replace them as recommended by the manufacturer. In addition to possibly resulting in dust and other allergens being circulated into the air, neglecting your filters could prevent the cool air from properly getting into your home. Have your air ductwork inspected on a regular basis for leaks and clogs to insure your system operates at peak performance.

Keep The Air Moving

Not every summer day is a hot one, which means you can often take advantage of the temperatures by using a standard fan instead of your air conditioner. The latter uses a great deal more energy than a fan, so consider your needs on a daily basis when choosing how to cool your home. You can install a ceiling fan for added air circulation, or you can use a standard rotating fan.

Cut Back On Cooking

Your kitchen oven can heat up your home in a hurry, which can make your air conditioner work harder to keep your house cool. This, in turn, results in higher cooling costs. Instead of using the oven, consider popping something in the microwave or on the outdoor grill for a change. While this may not be possible every day, it’s certainly something to consider on those sweltering summer afternoons.

Re/Max Connection Realtors disclaimer:
Re/Max Connection Realtors are not licensed financial advisors, and are not providing any financial advice, you should consult with a licensed financial advisor prior to making any financial decisions. Re/Max Connection Realtors are only providing this economic statement from Naroff Economic Advisors, Inc. for informational purposes.
Our company accepts no liability for the content of this email/blog, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided. Any views or opinions presented in this email/blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Finally, the recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.
Re/Max Connection Realtors, 1000 East Lincoln Drive, Suite 2, Marlton, NJ 08053 www.goconnectionnj.com