Looking for a Greener Way to Clean your Pool?

Looking for a Greener Way to Clean your Pool?

(BPT) - There's no better way to enjoy the summer than by lounging by the pool. Unfortunately, this backyard family oasis requires regular maintenance throughout the summer that can include expensive and sometimes unhealthy chemicals. Have you ever wished there was an easier way you could clean your pool, that was also more eco-friendly?
Just as there are now "greener" choices for many consumer products, there are now some great alternatives for keeping your pool clean that are easier and actually help minimize chemicals and additives. Technology has come a long way, and consumers can now choose from a variety of affordable and more environmentally friendly ways to maintain their backyard pool.
But how do you choose the right one? Here are some of the best pool-cleaning options available today, along with their pluses and minuses:
Manual pole cleaning: For years this was the standard. Lots of sweat, a hose attached to the skimmer basket on one end, a long vacuum pole on the other and a lot of slow pushing as you try not to disturb the debris before you suck it up into the skimmer and filtration system. This method is cheap and "somewhat green" but involves a lot of effort, and it is not highly effective at reducing your chemical usage.
Suction side pool cleaning: The suction side method is similar to the mechanics of manual pole cleaning except that the cleaner is self-propelled in a random pattern by a suction hose attached to the skimmer system. A completely clean pool is not always achieved due to the random nature of the system.

The pluses: low cost and satisfactory results.
The minuses: the method lacks optimal pool floor and wall scrubbing and does minimal water mixing, leaving stagnant water areas that actually demand more chemicals to stay clean. Suction side cleaners also use more energy as they require your pool's filter pump to run during their cleaning cycle.
Pressure side pool cleaning: These units require an independent booster pump and water jet outlet found on some in-ground pools. Note: This is the only option not available for above-ground pools. Pressure cleaners are propelled by water and are often confused with robotic cleaners, but the differences are important. Pressure cleaners do a good job of cleaning but are costly to buy and run.
The pluses: cleaning capabilities and better water-mixing capabilities than suction side cleaners.
The minuses: pressure cleaners are costly to buy and operate and they use the most energy due to the added booster pump.
Robotic pool cleaning: Advances in robotic pool cleaners are transforming the pool-cleaning industry. Robotic technology has advanced, bringing the price in reach of almost all pool owners. Robotic units can scrub and vacuum pool floors, walls and the waterline and remove more and finer debris (down to two microns in size) to help keep your pool cleaner. Robotic units cost only about 5 cents per hour to run and they provide superior water mixing (up to 85 GPM), substantially reducing the amount of chemicals needed.

The pluses: Just plug the bot into the power supply, place the cleaner in the water and press a button.
The minuses: There are almost too many robotic cleaners to choose from and they are not all alike. One of the most innovative is Aquabot, made by the company that introduced the first robotic cleaner in 1982.
Keeping your pool sparkling clean doesn't have to mean long afternoons of work or extra unnecessary chemicals. Now that there are safer and easier cleaning methods, you'll be able to maintain and enjoy your backyard retreat, and take care of the environment at the same time.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

Getting the Outdoors Ready for a Summer Showing

Getting the Outdoors Ready for a Summer Showing

While spring may be the hottest selling season, summer gives you an additional opportunity to wow buyers: outdoor staging.
An outdoor living space is an added bonus to any new home, and potential buyers want to envision themselves hanging with the family or hosting a party at their new home. Freshen up the outdoor space to help create an inviting atmosphere with the following tips:
Clean the yard. Be sure to have the lawn freshly mown the day before a showing. Be sure debris are cleared, and any and all tools are stowed.
Add flora. If the home lacks a mature garden, plant already blooming flowers in pots or along walkways. If you plan on creating a small living area (and you should!) get extra fancy by coordinating your blooms with the colors on your outdoor linens or cushions.
Create a sitting area. Picnics, barbecues or pool parties – whatever the yard is ideal for, embellish by creating an inviting sitting area. Couple chairs or an outdoor-friendly sofa with tables. Position seating near the grill, if there is one. Set up the deck for entertaining, too.
With a little extra elbow grease, you'll be sure to sell your home this summer.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

Eye on the Recovery: Rebound Report Shows All Top 100 Markets Improve, Positive Equity Returning

Eye on the Recovery: Rebound Report Shows All Top 100 Markets Improve, Positive Equity Returning

In the latest round of positive housing news this week, Homes.com is reporting gains for single-family properties in all top 100 markets for the first time, improving from 96 and 91 markets in the two previous reporting periods. This, according to its latest Local Market Index, a price performance summary on repeat sales of properties in the U.S. based on home pricing data for the period ending April 2013.
As a complement to the Local Market Index, Homes.com released an exclusive Rebound Report, highlighting how the housing recovery process is unfolding across the country. Rebound data for April 2013 revealed that 14 markets across the U.S. are fully recovered – up from the previous month’s nine markets.
Additionally, 35 U.S. markets now show a rebound of 50 percent or more.
“The latest round of report findings supports a growing confidence in the housing market,” says Brock MacLean, executive vice president of Homes.com. “With home prices posting the strongest gains in seven years, the Rebound Report is another indicator of a positive turn. In one month alone, we have seen five new markets reach recovery. Adding to that momentum, all top 100 markets recorded gains for the first time, indicating the recovery continues to build across the country.”
This news comes following a wave of positive housing recovery news we reported last week including a significant jump in April home prices - posting record monthly growth and the fastest year-over-year growth in seven years; and both new-home sales and consumer confidence each reaching five-year highs.
A CoreLogic report from earlier in June heralded the return of positive equity for 850,000 more residential properties in the first quarter of 2013, another sign that the market is recovering. According to CoreLogic, the national aggregate value of negative equity decreased more than $50 billion to $580 billion at the end of the first quarter from $631 billion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2012.
“It is hard to know market by market exactly how extensive the return to positive equity is, but from published data it looks like the movement is spread across the country,” says RE/MAX, LLC Chairman of the Board and Co-founder Dave Liniger. “In 2012, 1.7 million homeowners who were previously underwater achieved positive equity and about half that number achieved positive equity in the first quarter of 2013. For every home price increase of 5 percent another 1.2 million will reach positive equity. It appears to be a widespread phenomenon and one that will benefit this inventory-starved market.”
According to the newest Homes.com Local Market Index:

• Monthly increases in all of the top 100 markets, a sizable improvement from the 75 out of 100 that gained in February.
• Honolulu, Hawaii Hawaii remains the top gaining market on a year-over-year basis.
• California markets [Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif.; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif.; and San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif.] increased 18.85, 18.47, and 15.46 index points respectively.
• Six of the top 10 monthly gaining markets are in the West, two are from the South, and the Northeast and Midwest each had one.

Highlights from the Homes.com Rebound Report for the top 100 markets show:

• 14 have made more than a 100 percent rebound, indicating a complete recovery in these markets. This is up from 9 markets posting a full recovery in last month’s report.
• 35 show more than a 50 percent rebound, up from 28 markets in the previous report.
• Six of the top 10 markets are from Texas, with four exceeding a 200 percent rebound.
• Tulsa, Okla. comes in at a 179.03 percent recovery, with a modest increase of a 0.33 index point in the Homes.com Local Market Index for month over month, indicating healthy gains are occurring in this market.

For more information, visit www.homes.com or blog.homes.com.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

5 Careers on the Rise

5 Careers on the Rise
By Barbara Pronin, RISMedia Columnist

For those who are off to college in the fall, or anyone who may be thinking of a job change, there are at least five careers poised for major growth in the next decade in terms of both job openings and salaries.
From recent research at the U.S. Department of Labor, here are five hot career paths to consider:
Registered nurse – The baby boomers are aging, most people are living longer, and the Affordable Care Act will open medical care to record numbers of Americans. As a result, the job outlook for registered nurses is bright. Requirements are an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing or a diploma from an approved nursing program and a passing grade in a national licensing exam.
Home health and personal care aide – As the population ages and health care costs force shorter hospital stays, the home health care field is expected to grow by an astonishing 70 percent in the next decade. A high school diploma is all that is needed in most cases, and those working through home health or hospice agencies must pass a standardized test.
Veterinary technician – Like working with animals but don’t want to pursue a veterinary degree? Employment of veterinary techs is estimated to grow by 40,000 jobs by 2020. Techs must have postsecondary education in veterinary technology, take a credentialing exam, and, depending on state requirements, be licensed, registered, or certified.
Convention and event planner – If organized party planning is your thing, consider working as an event planner. Jobs in the industry are expected to grow by 44 percent in the next few years. A bachelor’s degree in marketing, public relations or hospitality management should get you headed in the right direction.
Software developer – We live in a world of electronics, and software developers are tasked with creating new applications and their underlying systems. More than 30 percent growth in the field is anticipated by 2020. In most cases, candidates have a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field as well as strong computer-programming skills.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

Real Estate Best Practice: Policies and Procedures for Handling Multiple Offers

Real Estate Best Practice: Policies and Procedures for Handling Multiple Offers
Ernie Whitehouse

The residential real estate markets of 2013 are churning a lot of emotions for home buyers and sellers alike. Whether a buyer loses a house in a multiple offer situation or a seller loses the highest or best offer due to a buyer withdrawing, the emotional fury is unpleasant and often directed towards the agent. We have all seen this scenario repeatedly and it has a profound impact on professional reputation. Does your business have a Real Estate Best Practice in place to deal with multiple offer situations?
The primary drivers are tight inventories, low interest rates and strong buyer demand. Today, these elements are prevalent in most markets across the U.S.
These high energy emotions are fueled by:

• Miscommunication between agents and clients,
• Misunderstanding of the perceived ‘rights’ buyers and sellers may or may not have to certain key information during the negotiation process, and
• Agents acting on behalf of their client’s best interests without full understanding of options and the corresponding risks and rewards, and a clear direction and consent by their client.
  

Negotiating for the purchase or sale of a home entails the classic risk reward dynamic. It is important for all parties to understand the risks and rewards of the negotiation process, and be very clear to all possible outcomes. All too often these perceived rights and entitlements are at the heart of the misunderstandings and resulting strong emotions. With all options fully disclosed to buyers and sellers, emotions and disappointment are greatly reduced. At the heart of these discussions, agents should insist that buyers and sellers make all decisions, and never act on behalf of their client without clear understanding of the risks and full authorization by the client.
An industry best practice is to have a clear set of written policies and procedures relative to presentation of offers, negotiating and how to handle multiple offers. A second best practice is to review and train these policies and procedures on a regular basis, particularly during times of sellers’ markets and tight inventories. 2013 is clearly one of those times.
Utilizing a best practice increases the professional manner in which your company or office handles multiple offers will enhance your consumer image and reputation, and improve the home buying or selling experience.
For more informaton, visit www.pcmsconsulting.com.

This post was originally published here.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

Paint Your Home Pretty: Tackle your Home To-Do List

Paint Your Home Pretty: Tackle your Home To-Do List

(BPT) - We all have home improvement projects on our to-do lists. However, often the hustle
and bustle of life keeps us from getting them done. Following are a few projects you can
quickly tackle to help cross off some of your to-do list DIY projects featuring Krylon paints.
DIY Mason jar herb garden
We all have mismatched jars cluttering our cupboards or attics. Fortunately, Mason jars are
the ideal size to create anything from a flower vase, an herb garden or desktop organizer, and
the raised outer design adds a touch of whimsy and nostalgia. With just a bit of spray paint,
your clutter can be transformed into a clever creation.

After thoroughly cleaning the jars, simply spray several light coats onto the jars using your
favorite shades of Krylon ColorMaster spray paint. The unique formula dries in just 10 minutes
and is available in nearly 100 brilliant colors and finishes to meet all your color and durability
needs. Once dry, you now have a beautiful new vessel to hold anything from plants to pencils.

Terracotta potted plant house numbers
Why settle for "ho hum" house numbers? Instead convert ceramic or terra cotta pots into an
eye-catching address marker with creative curb appeal.

To start, be sure that each pot has a clean and smooth surface. Next, apply primer to the
surface and allow to dry, using a white primer for light colors and a gray primer for dark colors.
Next, paint each pot in a different color of spray paint and let dry. Finally, place a stencil for
each house number on the center of each pot and spray with a light coat of paint. Arrange your
pots in the proper order, fill with flowers and voila ... you now have an original and welcoming
way to announce your address.

Colorful hand-built and stenciled headboard
Does your headboard need help? Paint can take any piece of furniture from blah to beautiful.
So instead of replacing your hated headboard, rejuvenate it.

Start by sanding and cleaning your current headboard to ensure you have a smooth surface.
Next apply primer. Once dry, spray the headboard in your favorite color of spray paint. And
don't limit yourself to just one color. You can use painter's tape to cover different areas to
create a multi-color surface - or add embellishments, such as stencils. The opportunities are
endless.
Source: krylon.com

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.

State-of-the-Art Space Savers for Your Kitchen

State-of-the-Art Space Savers for Your Kitchen
By John Voket

In my quest to promote decluttering, we're going to briefly turn attention back to the kitchen -- specifically kitchen cabinets. There are many companies and places a homeowner can turn for ideas about how to create clutter free kitchens through the use of cabinet systems, like the ones designed by Ultracraft (http://www.ultracraft.com)
This company out of Liberty, N.C. has upgraded its organizing systems to include a number of innovative storage and decluttering systems as integrated with the cabinets the company offers through dealers and installers in virtually every state, according to its website.
Take Ultracraft's Hanging Trash Bin, for example. It tucks neatly away among your lower kitchen cabinet array and holds two 43-qt trash bins in only 18" of space, and features a floating lid to keep odors inside.
What about those unsightly sponges? Ultracraft features both a wood and metal tilt out tray that mounts just in front of your kitchen sink to hold those sponges and other cleaning tools, wool pads and even your drain stoppers.
Depending on the amount of spices you keep for cooking, you can choose either an integrated under counter pull-out, or cozy drawer based spice organizing system. The UltraCraft Mixer Stand accessory allows you to store your mixer, but more importantly, the tension adjusted springs will help you lift the mixer out with less effort.
The stand is sturdy enough to use while its sitting on the stand in the up position, and a pull out below the stand conveniently stores all of your mixer accessories.
You can move your plates to a low and convenient large drawer base and utilize Ultracraft's Plate Rack Organizer to make them easy to move from drawer to countertop to table. No more reaching, juggling and occasionally dropping plates that are stored up high in an upper cabinet.
And for those who have hard-to-reach under counter "blind base" cabinets, the company's Blind Base Chrome Pantry Pull Out unit helps homeowners access these often wasted recesses without them having to crawl on their hands and knees.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2013. All rights reserved.