10 Low-Effort Ways to Save Energy

10 Low-Effort Ways to Save Energy

By Mary Beth Breckenridge

RISMEDIA, Thursday, October 13, 2011— (MCT) I like saving energy. Especially my own. That’s why I love tips that don’t require a lot of effort but still help me trim my energy bills. They may not make a big difference individually, but even baby steps add up to some pretty big strides. Here are 10 things you can do right now to cut down on your heating and power costs. And you won’t break the bank or much of a sweat. 1. Lock the windows. Even when a window is closed, a little space remains between the sashes where air can leak in. Simply locking the window pulls the sashes tightly together. 2. Unplug. Many appliances, electronics and other electrical devices -- even cell phone chargers—draw power even when they’re turned off. Unplugging them when they’re not in use eliminates this vampire power drain. Granted, that’s not always easy or even possible to do. But where it’s practical, you can plug more than one device—say, your TV and DVD player —into an accessible power strip. With the flip of just the strip’s power switch, you cut the power to everything plugged into it. 3. Wash in cold. If you’re used to washing with warm water, you can probably switch to cold without noticing a difference. And no matter what temperature you wash your clothes in, you can always rinse in cold. You’ll save on the energy that would have gone into heating the water. There’s a bonus: Cold water saves wear on your clothes, so they’ll last longer. Or at least they’ll be in better shape to donate to charity when you just have to replace them when this season’s new fashions. I wouldn’t suggest abandoning hot-water washes altogether, though. I’d still use hot for towels, bedding, underwear and laundry with oily stains. Want to save even more? Skip the dryer and hang the clothes to dry. 4. Dim the lights. A dimmer works by reducing the power flowing to a lamp or light fixture. If you don’t need full brightness, turn the lights down a little. Maybe I should do that with the lights over my bathroom mirror. One note: Not all compact fluorescent bulbs work with dimmers. If you use CFLs, check the package to make sure you’re buying the dimmable kind. Oh, and take Dad’s advice: Turn off any lights you don’t need. 5. Turn off the computer. When you’re done surfing the Net and updating your Facebook status for the day, shut down your computer. Better still, activate its system standby or hibernating feature to save power when the computer is on during the day. Of course, you don’t want to turn off the computer if you’ve scheduled automatic maintenance checks that happen at night. 6. Rearrange the furniture. A forced-air system works best when air can flow freely from registers and into cold-air returns. Make sure your furniture isn’t blocking these vents. The same thing applies to radiators. If you block them with furniture, you block their heat. 7. Change the furnace filter. The filter’s primary purpose is to trap dust and other gunk before it gets to the furnace. Dirty filters impede air flow, causing the furnace blower to work longer. Dirty parts also wear out faster. By keeping them clean, you’ll cut down on furnace repair costs and reduce the chance of a furnace failure -- which, of course, always happens on the coldest day of the year. Change the filter monthly, or clean it if it’s a reusable type. 8. Turn down the tank. For most homes, a setting of 120 degrees is plenty hot for a water heater. The only exception is if you have a dishwasher without a booster heater. Check the user manual to find out whether you need hotter water. When the water isn’t as hot, mineral buildup and corrosion slow. That helps your water heater run better and last longer. 9. Let the sun shine in. The sun is a powerful heating source, even in winter. Opening window coverings on sunny days lets you take advantage of that free heat, reducing the amount your furnace needs to produce. Close those coverings at night to help keep the heat inside. 10. Avoid the range. As much as possible, skip using the stove or oven and opt instead for smaller cooking appliances—slow cookers, microwave ovens, toaster ovens and the like. They use less energy than that big appliance. Come to think of it, saving energy sounds like a great excuse for eating out. There go the savings. ©2011 the Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio)

Pump New Life Into Your IRA With A Real Estate IRA

Pump New Life Into Your IRA With A Real Estate IRA

With the stock market fluctuating wildly, many people are seeing their IRA and 401k retirement accounts not performing well. Did you know that you can self-direct your IRA/401k? Did you know you could roll over current funds from a retirement account to purchase REAL ESTATE which would be held by the IRA and receive the same tax benefits. You could, for example, use your self-directed account to purchase a rental property and then flow the rental payments back into the account. This fund would continue to grow with all the tax deferred benefits of a standard IRA/401k.

There are still some rules that must be carefully followed to maintain the tax status of these accounts. I am neither an attorney nor accountant so I can't give you advise in these matters but I do want to make you aware of the awesome opportunity that exists, especially in this time on low prices and low interest rates. The following information is provided from the uDirect IRA Services, LLC web site.

What is a real estate IRA?

"Real estate IRA" is a term used to describe a real estate investment(s) in a self-directed IRA or 401(k).

With a real estate IRA, you can earn tax-free/tax-deferred returns on your real estate investments.

What types of real estate IRA investments are allowed?

The following is a partial list:

• Raw land
• Single-family homes
• Commercial property
• Apartments
• Duplexes
• Condos/townhomes
• Mobile homes
• Real estate notes
• Second mortgages
• Partial notes
• Real estate purchase options
• Tax liens certificates

What investments are not allowed?

The following rules govern investments in a real estate IRA:

• Your IRA Cannot Purchase Property Owned by You or a Disqualified Person
• You Cannot Put Any of Your Own Money Into the Deal
• You Cannot Have "Indirect Benefits" from Property Owned by Your Self-Directed IRA
• Real Estate IRA Investments Are Uniquely Titled
• IRA Investments that Use Financing Must Pay UBIT
• Real Estate IRA Expenses Must Be Paid from Your IRA
• Real Estate IRA Income Must Return to Your IRA

For more information, see IRA Rules.

63 Ways To Build Self-Confidence

This is a re-blog from Lifehack.org, written by Steve Errey. I take no credit for this post except to share this with you.

Confidence is a tool you can use in your everyday life to do all kinds of cool stuff, not least to stop second-guessing yourself, manage your fears and become able to do more of the things that really matter to you.

But not many people realise that their self-confidence works just like a muscle – it grows in response to the level of performance required of it. Either you use it or you lose it. That’s why I’ve given you 63 ways to grow your confidence so that you can become a giant.

1. Learning is a Good Thing, so sign up for that evening class and enjoy it.
2. Get out of your own head by asking your partner or best friend what you can do for them today.
3. Hit the gym. The physiological effects will leave you feeling great.
4. Go to a networking event and focus on how you can be helpful to other people rather than being nervous about your own stuff.
5. Get crystal clear on the things that truly matter to you. If they’re not in your life, you need to bring them in.
6. Write a list of the things you’re tolerating and putting up with in your life, then write down how you can remove, minimise or diminish each one.
7. Look at a great win or success you’ve experienced and give yourself credit for your part in it. Recognising your achievements is not egotistical, it’s healthy.
8. Next time you’re at a social event, don’t just stick with the people you know – go and have a conversation with someone you don’t know and you never know what – or who – you’ll discover.
9. Next time you talk yourself out of doing something (a party invite, a challenging project or whatever else), say ‘What the Hell’ and go do it anyway.
10. Do one thing each day that makes you smile (on the inside or on the outside).
11. Look for the patterns of thought that take you to a place where you start second-guessing or over-thinking. Now imagine that your best friend went through exactly the same thought process and ended up holding themselves back – what would you want to say to them?
12. Ask out that girl or guy you fancy the pants off (only if you’re single, don’t want to get you into trouble).
13. You have to keep your mind well fed, so write a list of 20 things that keeps your mind feeling nourished and make sure you’re giving them room in your life.
14. Stop playing different roles and squeezing yourself into boxes based on what you think people expect you to act like.
15. Learn to catch yourself every single time you tell yourself that you can’t have, won’t get or aren’t good enough to get what you want.
16. Take yourself off auto-pilot – make deliberate decisions on what really matters to you.
17. Next time you come up against a risk or a challenge, listen to what you tell yourself and look for a way that that inner dialog can be improved. Ask yourself, “What would make this easier?”
18. Scared of looking silly? You and everyone else. It’s no biggie so don’t let it stop you. Say it with me – “It just doesn’t matter.”
19. Don’t think for a second that you can’t be confident. There are already loads of things you do with natural self-confidence, you just have to notice them and get familiar with how it feels. Look for the things you do where the question of whether you’re confident enough never arises.
20. Listen to your doubts but be ready to make deliberate decisions once you’ve heard them. Sometimes your doubts are there to let you know what you need to prepare for, so you can use them to your benefit as you move forwards.
21. Think of a time when it felt like a whole bank of switches in your head flicked to the on position and you were firing on all cylinders. What were you doing and what’s the reason it felt so great?
22. You’ve got a whole bunch of out-dated rules that determine what you do, don’t do, should do and shouldn’t do. These rules limit your thinking and limit your behaviour. Tear up your rule book and notice how free you are to make great decisions.
23. Do you get annoyed with yourself because you didn’t make the most of something or stepped back form an opportunity? Don’t beat yourself up because that’s just going to make you feel worse. Instead, be brutally honest and ask yourself what you gained from the situation and what you lost out on. Based on this win/lose balance, what’s a different choice you can make next time?
24. If you’d already done everything in life you’d have no need to be scared. Don’t ever think that being scared means you’re not confident, it simply means you’re going somewhere new.
25. If there’s someone in your life who puts you down or makes you feel small, you owe it to yourself to let them know that you expect something different from now on. You deserve better.
26. Flirt. It’s a harmless way to play around with connecting with people and having fun.
27. Reveal a little bit of the real you in a relationship that might feel like it’s in a rut.
28. Acknowledge and welcome all of your experiences – the good stuff as well as the bad stuff. It’s all equally valid and hiding things away because you don’t like them is just creating conflict.
29. Always recognise that you’re more than a match for any situation you might find yourself in, no matter how tough the going gets.
30. Don’t get swept up in the drama of what’s happening right now, look for more useful ways of engaging with what happens in your life.
31. Don’t automatically give in to the instant pay-off – it often means you’re selling yourself short.
32. When you feel like stamping your foot and yelling “I deserve better than this!”, take a step back and say “I can BE better than this.”
33. Confidence sometimes means admitting you’re wrong – always be ready to hold your hands up and change your mind.
34. Trust your instincts. They know what they’re talking about.
35. Fear is a way of letting you know that you’re about to stretch yourself and grow your confidence. That’s a good thing, so use it to take yourself forwards rather than run away.
36. Imagine you’re visited by a successful, confident, attractive and vibrant version of you from the future, a version of you who’s everything you hope to be. What do they want to tell you?
37. Don’t feel like you have to do everything yourself – sometimes the most confident thing to do is ask for help.
38. Take a chance on something tomorrow. Anything, big or small, just take a chance.
39. You need to be around people who make you feel like YOU, so spend more time with the people who support and encourage you and less with those who undermine you.
40. Stop struggling against the things you don’t like in your life – create a congruent environment around you that flows and allows you to be you.
41. No man’s an island, and you need to be a part of the world you around to feel confident. What can you participate in that’s important to you?
42. Forget the pro’s and con’s – do something bold in the face of your challenges and fears.
43. Work on developing the skills you need to win at the things that matter to you. What can you practice that would radically improve your chances of winning?
44. The body is a mirror for the mind, so shifting your body into a confident state can have surprising results.
45. Don’t get disheartened or demotivated when you get to 90% with something you’re working on – push through and you’ll see that the last 10% is where the magic happens.
46. Keep comparing yourself to others? Stop it, don’t try to validate yourself through comparison – you’re just peachy as you are.
47. Put your head above the parapet at work and speak up if there’s something you think could be improved or if you have an idea you think has legs.
48. If there’s something you’ve been struggling to understand for a while, stop trying to understand it. Accept it just as it is, fully and wholly.
49. Shy with new people? Not a problem, there’s nothing wrong with being shy and it doesn’t mean you’re not confident. Just don’t overthink it, start beating yourself up or thinking you’re less than because you’re shy – the more you think like that the worse it gets.
50. Your environment directly impacts your self-perception, so if you’re surrounded by clutter, paperwork and rubbish put a morning aside to clean up your stuff and get organised.
51. Write yourself a list of the amazing things you’d love to do in your life, and make a start by simply looking into the first one or two things that leap out at you.
52. Don’t make your happiness or self-worth dependent on being in a relationship or being validated by someone else. Find your inherent value first, and your relationships and confidence will be immeasurably better.
53. Your strengths can be used to overcome any of your weaknesses. We all have weaknesses but they only undermine your confidence if you let them.
54. The longer you leave that big thing on your to-do list the more it’ll drain you and the bigger it’ll seem – get it done and free yourself up.
55. What golden threads, themes, patterns and passions have always been in your life? If those things aren’t present in your life right now, you need to shift your priorities.
56. Your body image does matter, because if you have a bad relationship with your body you won’t be feeling confident in yourself. Get trim if you need to, just make sure you get along with your body.
57. Being confident is an ongoing process. It isn’t a goal or an end-point that you reach and then stop. Keep playing to the best of your ability and your confidence will always be there to support you.
58. Try a new path. The well-trodden paths of your life can easily turn from familiarity to apathy and disconnection. A new path wakes you up.
59. Don’t say “Yes” to taking on a task simply because you don’t want to rock the boat – you can politely decline requests you can’t meet and don’t need to create an excuse for it.
60. Look at the people you respect who seem confident – don’t copy them, but identify what it is they do differently that conveys confidence and what you can learn from it.
61. Make a plan to do something, then make deliberate choices to follow through. Seeing progress gives you important self-reinforcement.
62. When you feel yourself focusing inwards and becoming paralysed with doubt or fear, switch to focusing outwards at what you can engage and interact with.
63. Still beating yourself up for failing or screwing up? It might not be a barrel of laughs but it’s not going to help you get through it. Much better to recognise that everything, whether it turns out or not, is how you practice living a rich life.

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John Alesi - REALTOR®

949-510-2154

CENTURY 21 Superstars

Search for homes at: www.YourOCHome.com

DRE# 01730187

Copyright 2011 by John Alesi. May not be copied with out consent.

Mortgage rates drop below 4 percent for first time ever

Mortgage rates drop below 4 percent for first time ever

WASHINGTON — The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage this week fell below 4 percent for the first time ever, to 3.94 percent.

For those who can qualify, it's an extraordinary opportunity to buy or refinance. And mortgage rates could fall even further now that the Federal Reserve plans to reshuffle its portfolio of securities to try and lower long-term rates.

On Thursday, Freddie Mac said the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped from 4.01 percent last week, the previous low. The average rate on a 15-year fixed loan, a popular refinancing option, dipped to 3.26 percent, also a record.

Still, rates have been below 5 percent for all but two weeks in the past year and have done little to boost home sales. This year is shaping up to be among the worst for sales of previously occupied homes in 14 years.

Many people are reluctant to take the risk in this market. High unemployment, scant pay raises and heavy debt loads are deterring many would-be buyers.

Others can't qualify for the historically low rates. Banks are insisting on higher credit scores. And many want first-time buyers to put down 20 percent. Few people have that much cash or home equity to satisfy the requirement.

Mortgage rates have tumbled because they tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. The yield has fallen in recent weeks, largely because investors are worried about the U.S. economy and the debt crisis in Europe. So they have shifted their money out of stocks and into the safety of Treasurys.

A drop in mortgage rates could provide some help to the economy if more people could refinance. When people refinance at lower rates, they pay less interest on their loans and have more money to spend.

Consider a homeowner who owes $250,000 and is paying 5.09 percent on a 30-year fixed mortgage. That was the average rate being offered in January 2010. Refinancing the loan at 3.94 percent could save him or her more than $2,000 a year.

But many homeowners with good jobs and stable finances have already refinanced over the past year. Most economists say rates would need to fall at least a full percentage point before it makes sense to refinance again.

The reason is homeowners typically pay a few thousand dollars in closing costs when they refinance. And the low rates being offered don't include extra fees, known as points, which many borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.

The average fee for the 30-year and 15-year rose to 0.8. The average fees for both the five-year and one-year adjustable-rate loans were 0.6 and 0.5, respectively.

To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country Monday through Wednesday of each week.

The average rate on a five-year adjustable-rate mortgage fell to 2.96 percent. The average for the one-year adjustable-rate mortgage ticked up to 2.95 percent.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Avoid Common Mistakes as an Investor

Avoid Common Mistakes as an Investor

Given the current economy and housing market, now is as good a time as ever to purchase real estate with the intent of renting. For investors looking to hold on to a property for the long haul, there is great money to be made with the right plan in place. However, nothing is ever a sure-shot. If you plan on picking up a piece of rental housing, be sure to avoid the following mistakes to ensure long-term success:

Don't assume a cheap deal is a good one. It's true that there are definitely inexpensive properties out on the market, but don't be too hasty when deciding to buy one. If the neighborhood or area is deserted and vacant, it won't be that appealing to future renters and you could run the risk of having your rental go uninhabited. Do some homework about the town, city or neighborhood before you sign the dotted line.

Don't overlook various costs. Sure, the price is attractive, but have you factored in closing costs? How about maintenance or repair costs? Do the math before buying so you can be sure to not bite off more than you can chew.

Every day your property is empty, you lose money. Avoid any type of extended vacancy in your property. If the property is empty, you aren't making any money. Between tenants, be sure to clean and repair quickly so that a new one can move in.

Understand that being a landlord is hard work. Don't assume that you will get to sit back and watch the rent checks flood in. Not only will there be maintenance work to do throughout the year, but you should also have concerns about finding the right tenants to rent the place. If your renters stop paying, it could take weeks or months to properly evict them. Some landlords may even run into issues relating to theft. Properly screen all possible candidates whenever possible.

Don't assume that owning a rental is the same as owning a home. There are many laws that vary by state that all landlords must abide by. Renters will always make various demands and requests and will definitely take up some of your time. Hiring a property manager is also an option, but with it comes yet another added expense. Make sure you are mentally and financially prepared to take on the task of becoming a landlord.

By being prepared and learning about what it truly takes to become a landlord, you can avoid making one of these common investor mistakes.

Source: www.wsj.com

Just Listed in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

This week's new listing is an attached single family home in the California Tesoro tract of Rancho Santa Margarita (RSM). This home is unusual for RSM in that most are detached houses or attached condos and town homes. The units of this tract are more like a duplex with two units per building with one common wall.

This split level home has nearly 1600 sq ft of living space including 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. The upper level features the master suite with walk in closet, living room, dining room and kitchen while the lower level has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, family room with back yard access and a door to the garage. This is a short sale listed at $349,000. For complete information, click here to see the listing for 4 Calle Fortuna, Rancho Santa Margarita.

There is no local association so yards are maintained by the owners. There is the $55 HOA fee for all of RSM that allows access to all of the city pools, lake beach club, recreation areas and city facilities. This home is one of about 140 in the tract and sits on a quiet corner. There is very limited access this tract so there is only local traffic on the streets as there are no through streets to other neighborhoods.

Feel free to contact me if you'd like to visit this home or have any questions.

* * * * *

John Alesi - REALTOR®

949-510-2154

CENTURY 21 Superstars

Search for homes at: www.YourOCHome.com

DRE# 01730187

Copyright 2011 by John Alesi. May not be copied with out consent.

Mission Viejo Homes and Condos Market Update September 2011

Mission Viejo Homes and Condos Market Update

This is the market update for homes sold from September 1st through the 30st, 2011, in Mission Viejo, CA 92691, 92692 and includes single family residence (SFR) and condos:

Information provided through the CRMLS

The City of Mission Viejo is located in so-called "South Orange County" and has a population of approximately 94,000 people. It is a small community of only about 18 square miles with a topography that consists of flat land, rolling hills and the wonderful, man-made Lake Mission Viejo.

A mixture of housing, light industrial, commercial and retail bring a variety of choices to the residents. Shopping, entertainment, restaurants, recreation and schools dot the landscape. The city is served by the Capistrano Unified School District and the Saddleback Unified School District which provides education services to families living in this area.

Being one of the first planned communities in the USA, there is a diverse mixture of housing choices from apartments and condos to town homes, single family homes and even some luxury neighborhoods including water front homes on the lake. The roads are wide and smooth and the traffic flows easily through the community. Public transportation is available with buses and access to commuter rail lines. The Interstate highway, along the western border of the city provides access to all that Southern California has to offer. It's just minutes to professional baseball (Angels), hockey (Ducks) and the happiest place on earth, Disneyland.

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John Alesi - REALTOR®

949-510-2154

CENTURY 21 Superstars

Search for homes at: www.YourOCHome.com

DRE# 01730187

Copyright 2011 by John Alesi. May not be copied with out consent.

These are the latest market trends for SINGLE FAMILY HOMES in Mission Viejo, CA.

For more information, email to John@YourOCHome.com or call 949-510-2154