Hayley's FENG SHUI TIP: Eyes of the Home

WINDOWS ARE THE EYES OF THE HOME

We were out showing houses last summer and not only was I not quite prepared for this place, but my client wasn’t either! The windows were so filthy, you literally could not see through them. The only reason you can see through the one on the left is because the pane was missing!!! 

In feng shui, the windows are called “the eyes of the home”. They are related to your ability to see clearly in life. Keeping your windows clean and clear is a must. 

Nobody likes cleaning windows (okay, I admit it, I sorta like it, but that doesn’t mean I am going to clean yours). I have found the best tool for the job is newspaper! Simply spray your favorite window cleaner onto the windows, then crumple up the funny pages, use some elbow grease and you will be rewarded with clean, clear, streak free windows. If the windows are large, I also like to use a squeegee. 

What are you waiting for? Get out there and clean those windows. Chances are, you will see the world in a different light! 

Quote of the Day

“In a real estate man's eye, the most expensive part of the city is where he has a house to sell”.

~Will Rogers

Owning a Home is the Anchor to "The American Dream"

RISMedia, June 10, 2011—Despite the ups and downs of the housing market, home owners and non-owners alike consider owning a home essential to the American Dream.

That’s the key finding of a recent survey of people likely to vote in 2012 that was conducted on behalf of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) by Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Va., and Lake Research Partners of Washington, D.C.

“The survey results show that Americans see beyond the immediate housing market to the enduring value of homeownership,” says NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev. “An overwhelming 75 percent of the people who were polled said that owning a home is worth the risk of the fluctuations in the market, and 95 percent of the home owners said they are happy with their decision to own a home,” Nielsen says.

“Homeownership is worth the risk, pure and simple,” says Neil Newhouse, a partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies. “Even though the market is weak, people who don’t own say they want to buy a house. Almost three-quarters of those who do not currently own a home, 73 percent, said owning a home is one of their goals. And among younger voters who are most likely to be in the market for a home in the next few years, the percentages are even higher,” Newhouse says.

One of the more striking aspects of the survey results is the intensity of sentiment among potential voters, according to Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners. “People believe overwhelmingly that owning a home is an anchor to the American Dream,” she says. “It’s an anchor to your retirement, and it’s an anchor to your personal economic well-being.”
Among the other survey results:

•Homeownership and a retirement savings program are considered by voters to be their best investments.
•80 percent of home owners would advise a close friend or family member just starting out to buy a home.
•Saving for a downpayment and closing costs is the biggest barrier to homeownership.
•Americans believe that owning their own home is as important as being successful at their job or being able to pay for a family member’s education.

“Owning a home isn’t just a policy to people,” says Lake. “It isn’t just a commodity to people. It is a core value.”

This national survey of 2,000 likely 2012 voters was conducted May 3-9, 2011 by Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Va., and Lake Research Partners of Washington, D.C. It has a margin of error of +2.19 percent.

FOR RENT! ••►FunKy Beach Cottage in Avila

As of June 12, 2011, this great property has been rented. Please contact Rentals@CometRealty.com to find out about other rentals on the Central Coast of California.