The Front Lines of Business

Summer is in full swing! Picnics, BBQ's and vacations are the priorities. The real estate market is the most active it's been in years right now. If you're curious to know what your home is worth or if you're thinking of buying, now is the perfect time. Please call on me when you need a real estate professional. I'm here for you!

As a real estate professional, I always insist on home warranty protection for my clients. Whether buying or selling real estate, home warranties protect you from the cost and hassle of major system and appliance repairs in your home. Should a system or appliance fail in your home, you simply call the warranty company to place a claim. The warranty company will send out a licensed and insured contractor to fix the problem. At the time of service, all you have to pay is a nominal $35 trade call fee and the warranty company covers the rest. It's easy, and what a value! For all of my client's warranty needs. I recommend Old Republic Home Protection Company. Their comprehensive coverage, low premium rates and outstanding service mean they meet my client's needs every time. For more information about this valuable protection, which is now available to the general public, please give me a call.

~ Household Tips ~

Eight Cool Ways to Save Money

1. If you have central conditioning, keep the thermostat at 78 degrees F. Estimated energy savings range up to 25 percent over a more typical setting of 72 degrees F. 2. Install the central air conditioner's condenser on the north side of your home, out of direct sunlight. 3. Install awnings over windows not shaded by roof overhangs. 4. Draw draperies and blinds during hot days.

5. Minimize use of heat-generating appliances, such as the range or clothes dryer, during hot weather. Use the microwave and sun dry your clothes, if possible. 6. Take advantage of cool summer days: Open windows and turn off the air conditioner. 7. Make sure your cooling system has a SEER or EER rating above 9. 8. Replace inefficient gable vents in your attic with vents along the roof ridge and underneath the eaves.

~ Health & Safety ~

The bacteria E. coli 0157:H7, also known just as 0157, is a rare but dangerous type of E. coli. It lives in the intestinal tracts of mammals and man. Some cattle carry the bacteria. It can be transferred from animal to animal, animal to man, from animal to food and from person to person through close contact or food. NOTE: 0157 can survive refrigeration and freezer storage.

If present, it can multiply slowly even at 44F. Thorough cooking to 160 degrees F is the best safeguard against infection. Undercooked hamburger and roast beef, raw milk, improperly processed cider, contaminated water and mayonnaise and vegetable grown in cow manure have caused outbreaks in this country over the last 10 years. Samples for retail stores have also shown the organism to be present on lamb, pork and poultry samples but no illness has been traced to these foods. Since 1982, when 0157 was first shown to cause foodborne illness, there have been at least 16 major outbreaks in the United States. Some 22 deaths have been recorded. CDC experts estimate there may be as many as 20,000 cases a year. 0157 is dangerous. It appears that just a few of these bacteria can make you sick. After an incubation period of 4-9 days, the disease normally last 4-10 days. Patients may suffer bloody diarrhea, cramps and low-grade fevers. Information provided by: International Food Information Council

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