Gift Gadget
January
Inside this issue:
Winter holidays have just passed and Valentine’s Day is already around the corner. Will you be ready? Get ready and act early so you have one less thing to worry about.
produces a great list of suiting gifts. Now, just browse, pick, pay and have it delivered to your loved one’s place of work to impress his or her coworkers or to the privacy of their home.
Mortgage Rates
2
2009 Realty Predictions
2
The newest gadget on the market allows you to shop based on your partner’s personality, gender, and age. It is called, well what else, SHOP BY PERSONALITY.
You find this gadget on our main
Olde Wythe Stats 2008
2
Party on a Budget
3
Winter Cleaning
3
e the
Should this fail, well you always have me And if you are not sure what your to fall back on. Really, I try to help partner’s or friend’s personality is, it wherever I can and I will even assist you will help you in figuring that out. All in picking the perfect V-Gift. you have to do it answer a few questions in picture form. The gadget then determines a general personality and
by Aleksandra
Burek With Cheese Burek is a Serbian / Croatian meat, cheese or vegetable pie made with flaky filo (also spelled "phyllo") dough. There a are myriad of versions among Bulgarians, Bosnians, Yugoslavians and Greeks. This is particular recipe made in a 9-by-13inch pan, Armenian style, like baklava. The Jack and cottage cheese definitely makes it an Americanized version, authenticity is lost but it is delicious nonetheless! A slice of burek
goes great with a glass of cold kefir.
1 pound (4 cups) Jack cheese, grated 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 8 ounces cottage cheese 1 large egg, beaten 1 pound filo dough, thawed 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) butter
Lightly coat the pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl sprinkle Jack cheese with flour. Add cottage cheese and a beaten egg, mix thoroughly and set aside. Place 2 filo sheets in the lightly butter-brushed pan. Continue laying 2 sheets and then the cheese mix until you have used half of the filo. Place cheese mixture over top … continued on page 4
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
“ If I’d known then what I know now!”
w e b s i t www.YourHamptonRealtor.com, gadget is on the holidays page.
Very few people who bought property 20 years ago look back and say that they regret their purchase. However, almost everyone has heard a friend or family member say, “If I knew then what I know now, I could have bought that piece of property dirt cheap. That property today is worth over a million dollars. I wish I would have acted on it then.” The fact is that real estate values go up every year, even in a buyers’ market. A study conducted by Baruch College and Yale found that the average annual return on real estate was 8.6 percent. Don’t get caught up in shortterm thinking, buy now and enjoy long term gains. Give me a ring if you’d like to discuss personalized potential investment strategies that will bring you sweet success in the future. Source: Point2Agent.com
Mortgage Rates January 2009
2009 Real Estate Predictions
T
he state’s housing mar-
priced foreclosure properties
ket is expected to bot-
still available. This buyer’s
tom out in 2009.
Source: Wells Fargo
market is a great opportunity to buy bigger for less. Pur-
- new administration promise
chase that vacation home,
to crack down on abusive
rental property, or go for that
lending practices.
1031 exchange. Remember
- lenders continued rigorous
the golden rule when increas-
requirement of documenta-
ing wealth?
tion from borrowers.
BUY LOW SELL HIGH
- great mount of foreclosures - oversaturated market with
This is difficult to do when
new construction homes
everyone is in panic, the economy is bad, and we are
We’ll see some recovery in
stuffing away for bad times.
the market the second half of
It is also counter to every
the year. The increased activ-
safety mechanism we have
ity in the real estate market is
learned since we were born,
a sign that consumers are
but we must take advantage
taking advantage of low-
and risk to build wealth. In-
Because History Deserves its Own Website
m o c . ltor
a e R
e h t y
W e d l
O r u Yo
Page 2
Actual Sold Date on Market Median Price Avg Price High Price Low Price
54 64 $175,000 $201,687 $460,000 $ 92,900
Total Dollar Volume
$8,470,848
...continued
Burek
filo and spread well. Finish it off with 2 sheets and butter brush; repeat until all dough is used. Brush the top layer heavily with butter. Tuck overhanging filo, cut into equal bigger squares. Bake in the middle rack for 25 minutes or until golden brown. If top browns early, cover loosely with aluminum foil, but remove again shortly before end. Serve warm as appetizer or full meal and enjoy.
© Aleksandra, YourHamptonRealtor.com
Little Party, Big Fun — Happy Hour at Home Today’s economic status makes us more inventive. When our grandparents were young and entertained friends at home the menu was whiskey sours and a can of cocktail nuts. Sometimes the menu was as simple as beer and pretzels. Nothing extra or fancy, simply something to stop working, sit back and enjoy a little conversation without braking the bank. The economy will not bring me down to my knees and make me give up life's little pleasures. “Drink’s in the Driveway” or “Happy Hour at Home” is a great and inexpensive way to spend time with friends, neighbors, and co-workers for much-needed laughs. This is a much more personal way of mingling.
Going to the restaurant for drinks and food, having to be quiet and paying about $30.00 per person, just doesn’t do it today. It wasn’t a big deal a couple of years back, but now we have to watch every penny. And to be honest, you just can’t have the same fun as you would in the comfort of your own surroundings. Hosting your own happy hours can save money and still be fun if some general rules are followed.
Rule # 1 ROTATIONS Rotate with friends for location of hosting happy hours. Have the gathering at least once a month. The host provides food and drinks. Cap spending at $20 or less, which should be enough for snacks
Winter Cleaning Winter is a great time for some deep cleaning inside your home. The cold weather may have you trapped inside, but you can take advantage of this hibernation to improve the quality of your home through cleaning it. The following tips can help to guide you in your winter cleaning. Before you begin cleaning your home, do a little preparation. First, have a plan. Make a list of everything that you want to accomplish. If your cleaning is going to take more than a day, it helps to create a timeframe. You’ll also want to gather your supplies before you begin. Take advantage of your time indoors during the cold weather to tackle the following cleaning projects.
Clean the chimney (especially if you use it regularly). Have this professionally done by a chimney sweep.
Have your heater serviced so it is prepared for the cold weather. Be sure to change the filters.
Abbitt Realty Company, LLC
and limited drinks. Do not serve meals as the pressure of preparing a get-together will make you enjoy yourself less.
Rule #2 LIMIT TIME Just like at the restaurant, you can leave whenever you want. No obligation, but you should stay not longer than 2 hours. Don’t clean, declutter kitchen counters, tables, and ensure the bathroom is straightened.
Rule #3 HAVE FUN & BE CAREFREE Light a few candles for ambience. Dim the lights and turn on some music. No need for fresh flowers; this is not a gathering to impress. It's happy hour!
Mobile: 747 746 7715 Office: 800 969 3003 Fax: 757 827 1183 info@YourHamptonRealtor.com
Rid your mattresses of dust mites. For cleaning the mattresses, vacuum them after removing the bedding and flip them if possible. Also, wash all bedding on the hottest temperature possible.
Clean out the pantry. Throw out any food that is past its expiration date. Donate any cans that you bought but never used.
Clean your computer. This involves cleaning off its desk as well as cleaning the keyboard, monitor, and printer.
Tackle the junk drawer. Cleaning it out at least once a year guarantees room to throw your car keys in there, and you just might find a coupon or gift card before it expires. Go through the holiday decorations. As you take them down, organize them. Buy bins to keep them in if necessary. Get rid of any that you no longer use. Focus on the indoors for winter cleaning. It’s too cold to be working outside, but there are plenty of tasks to keep you busy cleaning and maintaining the inside of your home to impress potential buyers. After seeing 10 homes in one day buyers might not remember everything Page 3
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2114 Executive Drive | Hampton, VA 23666 | 757.746.7715 | 800.969.3003 | referrals@YourHamptonRealtor.com
Do you know anyone looking to sell or buy real estate in the Hampton Roads Virginia area? Your referral is appreciated. Have them contact me through my website and receive a $25.00* gift certificate to a merchant of your choice.
www.YourHamptonRealtor.com 757.746.7715 *Rules and restrictions apply.