HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

My dad, my mom and I want to wish you all a Happy Halloween!

I think my mom and dad lost it a little....take a look at these Halloween costumes they chose! An 80's era prom date and a plate of spaghetti?!?! What the heck? They have way too much time on their hands! Ugh, the things I put up with around here!

Also, as a reminder...don't forget to set your clocks back an hour on Saturday night. It's time to 'fall back'!

Have a great weekend!

We Love Wisconsin

With all the bad real estate news out there, I thought I'd pass along some fun and interesting info about us good ole' Wisconsin folk......

I'm off to carve some pumpkins!

"75 Percent Who Live in Wisconsin Were Born Here, Census Finds"

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (09/22/08) Glauber, Bill; Poston, Ben

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's new American Community Survey, three out of four of the U.S.-born population in Wisconsin--75.2 percent, to be exact--were born in the state. In fact, the Midwest leads the nation's regions, with 70.3 percent of residents living in the states where they were born. The survey results provide a snapshot of the social, economic and housing characteristics of the nation. The ebb and flow of people sticking close to home or moving between states provides a measure of the popularity of places where people live. States with fewer native-born residents, such as Nevada and Florida, tend to have higher population growth rates. William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, comments, "The good news [for Wisconsin] is you have a sense of 'rootedness' in a population like this. These are people who really care about their communities." For a lot of residents, leaving Wisconsin isn't even a possibility. Of the state's biggest cities, Appleton (78.1 percent) has the highest rate of U.S.-born residents from Wisconsin, while Madison (63.3 percent) contains the lowest. Milwaukee County led the state with 8.4 percent foreign born population, with Dane County trailing in second at 7.2 percent. Waukesha County shared the state average at 4.5 percent.

A New Idea

As the housing slump drags on, homeowners unable to sell their properties are taking an unusual approach. Instead of taking in long-term renters, many are offering unsold properties as fully furnished rentals for corporate housing.

Since these leases are typically short term, homeowners can easily put their property back on the market should the buying activity increase.

Companies benefit because renting private homes can be cheaper and more desirable than traditional corporate housing options.

A host of websites and organizations have cropped up to help homeowners advertise their houses to business travelers and corporations. http://www.corporatehousingbyowner.com/ now has 14,500 registered corporate users in search of private rentals.

It's nice to have options in this tough and strange housing market.

10 Ways to Cut Energy Bills This Fall

My dad doesn't like to turn the heat on until 'it's absolutely necessary'. Um, hello....it's getting cold and it's a high of 34 degrees tonight!! My mom and I freeze our butts off until we whine enough and dad relents.
I decided to do some research to let you know how we can all stay warm while saving some money.

When the leaves start falling, you know that the heating bills are about to start rising. But keeping your home warm and cozy on chilly autumn nights doesn't have to break the bank.

The U.S. Department of Energy offers these simple tips and relatively inexpensive home improvements that will help ensure cold gusts stay out and your furnace doesn't have to work harder than it should.

The goal: Conserve energy and keep more of your hard-earned dollars in your pocket.

Share these ideas with customers and use them for your own house. After all, who doesn't need to save a little money these days?

1. Plug air leaks with caulking, sealing, or weather stripping. Save 10 percent ($190 per year) or more on energy bills. Focus on windows, doors, outlets or switch plates on exterior walls.

2. Properly maintain the heating system. Heating accounts for half the average family's energy bill (approximately $950 per year). Make sure the furnace or heat pump receives professional maintenance each year. The small cost (about $75-100 for most service calls) will pay back in better performance all year long.

3. Install a programmable thermostat. Programming the thermostat from 72ºF to 65ºF for eight hours a day while no one is home, or everyone is tucked in bed, will cut the heating bill up to 10 percent ($90 per year), paying for a basic unit in less than a year.

4. Seal and insulate heating ducts. A system can lose up to 60 percent of its warmed air before it reaches the register (wasting $570 in warmed air per year) if ducts are not properly insulated in unheated areas such as attics and crawlspaces.

5. Insulate, insulate, insulate. Adequate insulation in the attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawlspaces can save up to 30 percent on home energy bills ($630 per year). Focus on the attic. (Heat rises.) Most homes should have between R-30 and R-49 insulation in the attic. Learn more at www.eere.energy.gov/consumer.

6. Close fireplace dampers when not in use. When in use, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window about an inch, close doors to the room, and lower thermostat setting to 50-55ºF.

7. Let the sun shine in. Open curtains on south facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat the home, and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.

8. Stay out of hot water. Water heating accounts for 15 percent of household energy use. Reduce water heating costs by lowering the water heater’s thermostat setting. Each 10ºF reduction can save between 3-5 percent in energy costs. Also insulate the hot water heater and hot water pipes.

9. Install storm windows over single-pane windows or replace them with Energy Star qualified windows. Storm windows reduce heat loss by 25 to 50 percent, and storm windows with low-e coating that reflect heat back into the room during the winter months save even more energy. Look for the Energy Star label to maximize savings. Energy Star qualified windows reduce heating and cooling bills by an average of $345, but could be higher in cold and hot climates, compared with uncoated, single-pane windows. Can’t afford new windows just now? Tape clear plastic sheeting to the inside of window frames if drafts, water condensation, or frost are present.

10. Net big savings with a little label. When replacing appliances, light bulbs, electronics, or heating and cooling systems, cut energy bills by up to 30 percent ($600 per year) with Energy Star labeled products. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in place of comparable incandescent bulbs. Find retailers at http://www.energystar.gov/.

These and other improvements that impact the energy efficiency of a home can save home owners money in the short term and serve as a selling point to potential buyers later. Be sure to save receipts, documentation, and manufacturer’s information.

Not sure where to begin? Try the Department of Energy's online energy audit tool at http://www.hes.lbl.gov/. In the long run, a whole-house energy audit is a fool proof way to make a plan to address wasted energy and make a home operate efficiently for years to come. Visit http://www.natresnet.org/ to find a qualified auditor in your neck of the woods.