• It's time to changeyour smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• If you don't have one,put a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and other areas of yourhome. If you have one, it's time to have it serviced or replaced.
• Install antilock-bumping locks on all your doors.
• Install motion detectorlights on all sides of the outside of your home.
• Keep bushes trimmeddown to 3 feet and trees trimmed up to 10 feet.
• Springtime. Thatglorious time of year when you suddenly realize the lawn needsmowing, the garden needs weeding and the house could use a freshcoat of paint. Just remember to take a moment and remember safetyfirst.

Social Media
As springtime is here we find ourselves working more and more hours in the day. As we continue to evolve in our electronic age, here is a quick note about social media. 

• Be careful using Wi-Fi. We are all very busy.We try to stay connected everywhere we go, in our car, at ourfavorite coffee spot and while waiting in line at the store.Information transmitted over a free Wi-Fi connection can be viewedby anyone. So think twice before logging into your bank accountover an unsecured connection.
• Facebook, Twitter andLinkedIn:Whenyou use social media be aware of what you are posting and sharingand how that can be used. Limit the amount of personal informationyou share. Everyone doesn't need to know where you are going todinner tonight or when you are going on vacation.

And finally let me close with our Five Second Rule

• Take One Second and look before you walk outside.
• Take One Second and look behind you as you walk to your car. 
• Take One Second as you stop at red lights/stop signs.
• Take One Second before exiting your vehicle. 
• Take One Second as you walk towards your destination.

Pulls and Knobs Open the Door to a New Look

Repair and replace door hardware that makes rooms look dingy and outdated. We'll show you how door and cabinet pulls, knobs, and hinges can give your home new sparkle.

If you're switching from knobs to levers, be sure to buy a lever handle lockset made by the same manufacturer as the knob you're replacing. Image: Baldwin Hardware

You can slam cabinet and bedroom doors only so many times before you have to repair and replace hardware that is loose, broken, or just plain old and tired. It doesn't take a lot of time or money to tighten loose hardware, clean globs of paint off a hinge, or replace cabinet pulls to brighten any room in the house.

Repair and replace kitchen cabinet hardware

Replacing or repairing knobs and pulls on cabinets and drawers is a quick way to give your old kitchen a new look.

Cabinet hardware can be simple or ornate, and ranges from $1 a knob to $45 or more. Here's your game plan:

• Repair loose knobs and pulls by tightening holding screws, replacing stripped screws, or plugging gaps with wood filler applied with a putty knife.

• Count the number of knobs or pulls you need before you head to the hardware store. Estimating will cost you time and money.

• To replace pulls, which are attached to cabinets by a screw at each end, measure the distance between holes - not the length of pulls - to assure a perfect fit.

• If you're switching from a two-hole pull to a one-hole knob, choose hardware with back plates that cover door scratches and holes.

Tighten, polish, or replace door hardware

Nothing ages a room like a loose doorknob. You can tighten mortise-style doorknobs by simply tightening the setscrew on the side of the doorknob. For cylindrical doorknobs, you'll need to take the doorknob apart.

Replace dated doorknobs with sleek door levers. For easiest installation, choose a lever handle lockset made by the same manufacturer. Prices range from $20 to $160.

Buy a commercial polish, such as Wright's or Weiman, to make brass doorknobs shine. Warm water and a little dish soap or a homemade paste of equal parts vinegar and baking soda will scrub off dirt and make stainless steel and glass doorknobs sparkle.

Clean or replace door hinges

• Telltale paint on door hinges says someone did a sloppy job. To restore hinges, try these techniques.

• Wash with sudsy hot water.

• Scrub with a nylon brush or a toothbrush. A wire brush could damage the finish.

• Brush on paint stripper that is safe for all surfaces.

• Polish with beeswax furniture polish or brass polish.

April 2012 Sales Stats

TOTAL ACTIVE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL - April 2012


TOTAL ACTIVE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL - April 2011


TOTAL CLOSED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL - April 2012


TOTAL CLOSED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL - April 2011


These graphs depict that while sales of Single Family Propertoies are consistent with April 2011, current inventory totals are quite down from 2011. This leads to a existing inventory of only a 30 to 45 days surplus.