Almost August 1,2010! Do you have your fall Turkey permit yet??
http://www.kevinraether.com
Friday, July 30, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
WDNR - Deer Hunting in Wisconsin
WDNR - Deer Hunting in Wisconsin: "Deer Hunting in Wisconsin
Current Focus
Wisconsin is recognized as one of the premier deer hunting states in the nation as Wisconsin is home to a thriving deer herd. Wildlife habitat changes during the past century due to farming, logging, and urban expansion have led to the evolution of new method for managing our deer populations in an attempt to control their numbers under a wide array of habitats and social conditions.
Wildlife biologists in Wisconsin have developed population models for deer. The model depends on information gathered primarily from the hunters themselves. Such information includes the actual number of deer harvested annually, and the sex and age of each animal. When applied to a specific geographical 'unit,' it is possible for biologists to accurately estimate the number of deer living in that unit. They can then estimate the numbers that may be harvested to keep populations at healthy levels that are socially acceptable to both hunters and nonhunters alike. For more information, please feel free to read 'Wisconsin's Deer Management Program: [PDF 1.72MB], The Issues Involved in the Decision-Making.'"
Current Focus
Wisconsin is recognized as one of the premier deer hunting states in the nation as Wisconsin is home to a thriving deer herd. Wildlife habitat changes during the past century due to farming, logging, and urban expansion have led to the evolution of new method for managing our deer populations in an attempt to control their numbers under a wide array of habitats and social conditions.
Wildlife biologists in Wisconsin have developed population models for deer. The model depends on information gathered primarily from the hunters themselves. Such information includes the actual number of deer harvested annually, and the sex and age of each animal. When applied to a specific geographical 'unit,' it is possible for biologists to accurately estimate the number of deer living in that unit. They can then estimate the numbers that may be harvested to keep populations at healthy levels that are socially acceptable to both hunters and nonhunters alike. For more information, please feel free to read 'Wisconsin's Deer Management Program: [PDF 1.72MB], The Issues Involved in the Decision-Making.'"
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Turtle season
"July 15
•Turtle season opens statewide in Wisconsin through Nov. 30 for those species that are not listed as endangered or threatened.*"
•Turtle season opens statewide in Wisconsin through Nov. 30 for those species that are not listed as endangered or threatened.*"
Thursday, July 1, 2010
When using fireworks, follow these important safety tips:
4th of July in Wisconsin saftey tips:
• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
• A responsible adult should closely supervise all fireworks activities.
• Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, and flammable materials.
• Light one item at a time, and then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them in metal or glass containers.
• Keep a bucket of water or a hose handy in case of a malfunction or fire.
• Most importantly, if fireworks fizzle and don't go off, douse them with water and do not relight them."
• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
• A responsible adult should closely supervise all fireworks activities.
• Be sure other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from the house, dry leaves, and flammable materials.
• Light one item at a time, and then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them in metal or glass containers.
• Keep a bucket of water or a hose handy in case of a malfunction or fire.
• Most importantly, if fireworks fizzle and don't go off, douse them with water and do not relight them."
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The Fouth of July
"The Fourth of July" is such an easy holiday to celebrate in Wisconsin. The theme, colors, and even lots of traditional foods and recipes are built right in. 4th of July red, white and blue accessories are everywhere! It's so easy to make your backyard the most colorful in town. Make a flag cake for your 4th of July Holiday celebration!"
Friday, June 11, 2010
Log it right!
Consult a trained forester in Wisconsin who will help you define goals for your woodlot. The DNR can provide limited free advice.Check a forester's years and type of experience; professional affiliations and training. Examine a logger's financial stability and records of timely payment; logging practi...ces; care of the site, roads, and remaining trees; safety record; and how salable timber is used. Be sure the logger has liability and workers' compensation insurance.Draw up a contract with both forester and logger. The WWOA has samples of such contracts. Have an attorney review the contracts.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Wisconsin Black Bear Population on the Rise
Wisconsin Black Bear currently has a thriving black bear population, but that was not always the case. Prior to 1985, unlimited and increasing harvests caused the bear population to rapidly decline. Following a close of the bear season in 1985, and with the cooperation of major hunting organizations and the passage of authorizing legislation, a new system of bear hunting and harvest control began in 1986. Since then, the bear population in Wisconsin has nearly tripled.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Whats not to like about Bluebirds
Bluebirds……whats not to like about bluebirds? Bluebirds are on the rebound!! They are a symbol of happiness, optimism and are celebrated in song as the Bluebird of Happiness, the Zip-a-dee-doo-dah bird on your shoulder and even flying somewhere Over the Rainbow. Moreover, eastern bluebird populations are on the rise in Wisconsin. Watch for them in your backyard.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Easily Grow Your Own Herbs Indoors
Have you always wished that you could have a few pots of home grown herbs that could get cut and thrown in your favorite dish, rather than using the dried herbs? Perhaps the spring has been getting to you and making you wish that your apartment had land to start a garden. Well, do you have a sunny windowsill and a few pots? Growing your favorite herbs at home in Wisconsin can be simple, fun, and year-round, providing you with seasonings, teas, and even potpourri fixings all year. This would also be a great experience to involve your children in, if you have any.
Place: First, select a spot that gets at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. Keep the herbs from direct drafts and great temperature fluctuations. Small kitchens are usually not conducive to the environment herbs need because of the cooking fumes and fluctuating heat. In addition, be careful of the hot, dry air directly above a radiator. Think about what kind of planters would look good in that area. What kind of style, color, height, and width of pots will you need? This may also determine how many herbs you can realistically grow in your home.
Herbs: You will then want to select the herbs you want to grow. Grab a book that will give you an overview about the basics of indoor herb gardens to help you cater to each kind of plant. And from there you can expand your library to specifics. You also need to identify what purpose you want each herb to serve. Will you be eating them, making potpourri, simply smelling and looking at them? Just a word from the wise: Bushy perennial herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and sinter savory grow better indoors than those with soft stems such as mint and tarragon. Perhaps you are looking more for the scented herbs such as geraniums, lemon verbena, basil, coriander, and some lavender.
Pots: Select a container that will hold several plants and provide adequate drainage, in other words, make sure there is a whole or two at the bottom of the planter. Usually clay, word, or ceramic pots work well. Make sure the containers are at least 8 inches deep and 6 to 8 inches across for each plant. If you are planting multiple plants in a large container, simply allow 6 to 8 inches between each kind of plant. Then lay either screen mesh, a few large rocks, or a few pieces of broken pottery over the planters’ drainage holes and then add a premium-quality, well draining potting soil mixed with coarse sand and mushroom compost (all of which is sold in small bags at nurseries).
Purchase time: Try to buy your herbs from a nursery that specializes in herbs. Your selection will be much bigger than it will at a general nursery, and the staff will likely be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about your idea.
Transplanting: First, wiggle the herb out of the container from which you bought it. Try not to break roots. Lay the herb on its side with all foliage laying the same direction. Check to see how deep of a whole the plant had been living. The rule of thumb is transplant plants at the same depth they were growing in the nursery pots. So, dig a paralleling hole in your new pot and place the herb in its new home. Push soil in around the plant.
Water: Once the herb is in its new home and soil is pushed around. Give the herb hearty water. Stand each pot in an inch of lukewarm water until the soil is moist but not saturated. From here on out, the herb probably only needs to be amply watered once or twice a week. Be careful not to over-water. When the plants are actively growing, feed them once a week using a seaweed extract or fish emulsion.
Care: Make sure to clip outer leaves or springs as you need them, but always leave plenty of vigorous growth on the plant or you will drastically slow down, if not kill, the herb.
General Guidelines and Advice for a Few Basic Herbs:
ROSEMARY: Rosemary resents being moved, so plant it where it intends to stay. Try to buy the rosemary from an herb specialist. Large, general garden centers often do not label specific varieties, coming in several foliage-forms and also bloom in various colors: white, pink, deep blue, or light blue flowers. They like a 12-inch by 12-inch pot with plenty of drainage. Use a light but coarse potting soil such as a cactus soil. Then keep the soil moist but never wet by misting the plant twice a week with warm water. In addition, feed the plants monthly with compost tea. Place the pot in a sunny south or west window.
CHIVES: Chives adapt well to indoor living. They need to be 9 inches to a foot from anything else. The green stems can be cut close to the ground three to four times in a season.
THYME: Thyme comes in a variety of flavors, fragrances, growth habits, hardiness ranges, and flower colors of pink, white or lilac. If you planted thyme seeds, do not be scared if you don’t see anything happen quickly because they germinate slowly. Thyme needs 6-12 inches from other plants and likes a sandy soil mix. Make sure you cut the plants back after they flower to promote bushiness.
MINT: Beware – mint will take over any soil you give it. Mint likes partial shade and moisture. Mint doesn’t grow well from seed, so simply buy your mint plants at any nursery. Mint loves a 10 inch deep and 6 to 8 inch across clay pot with drainage tiles. At the end of each spring, pinch stem ends off to keep plants bushy and at the end of the season, prune the plants back to near ground level and top-dress with compost.
BASIL: Basil grows easily in the ground or containers. Basil needs a soil that drains well and retains enough moisture so that it won’t wilt. Work organic material into the soil to give you the right combination. Water the herbs regularly with air-temperature water to encourage growth. Put the seedlings about 6 inches apart and then when the plants are six inches high, pinch off the tips to encourage bushier growth. Pinch off the buds of flowers are soon as they appear in order to encourage leave growth.
CILANTRO: Cilantro produces the dried seeds called coriander. It thrives in damp, cool springs and hot, dry summers. Like most herbs, cilantro needs sunlight, well-drained soil, and plenty of compost. Cilantro does not like to be transplanted, as it has a taproot that develops quickly. Plant cilantro 4 inches apart from other plants, and give it 12 inches in depth to establish its taproot. Harvest the entire plant when they are 6 inches high if you only want the leaves. For the seeds, wait until the seeds start to ripen and then cut the plants off at the base and hang them upside down in paper bags to finish drying.
Try other herbs such as bay, garlic chives, marjoram, oregano, parsley, sage, scented geraniums, and winter savory. Try a few different herbs each year to spice up your life with new fresh flavors. Good luck and have fun. Enjoy the smell, look, and taste of your homegrown herbs.
Place: First, select a spot that gets at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. Keep the herbs from direct drafts and great temperature fluctuations. Small kitchens are usually not conducive to the environment herbs need because of the cooking fumes and fluctuating heat. In addition, be careful of the hot, dry air directly above a radiator. Think about what kind of planters would look good in that area. What kind of style, color, height, and width of pots will you need? This may also determine how many herbs you can realistically grow in your home.
Herbs: You will then want to select the herbs you want to grow. Grab a book that will give you an overview about the basics of indoor herb gardens to help you cater to each kind of plant. And from there you can expand your library to specifics. You also need to identify what purpose you want each herb to serve. Will you be eating them, making potpourri, simply smelling and looking at them? Just a word from the wise: Bushy perennial herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage and sinter savory grow better indoors than those with soft stems such as mint and tarragon. Perhaps you are looking more for the scented herbs such as geraniums, lemon verbena, basil, coriander, and some lavender.
Pots: Select a container that will hold several plants and provide adequate drainage, in other words, make sure there is a whole or two at the bottom of the planter. Usually clay, word, or ceramic pots work well. Make sure the containers are at least 8 inches deep and 6 to 8 inches across for each plant. If you are planting multiple plants in a large container, simply allow 6 to 8 inches between each kind of plant. Then lay either screen mesh, a few large rocks, or a few pieces of broken pottery over the planters’ drainage holes and then add a premium-quality, well draining potting soil mixed with coarse sand and mushroom compost (all of which is sold in small bags at nurseries).
Purchase time: Try to buy your herbs from a nursery that specializes in herbs. Your selection will be much bigger than it will at a general nursery, and the staff will likely be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about your idea.
Transplanting: First, wiggle the herb out of the container from which you bought it. Try not to break roots. Lay the herb on its side with all foliage laying the same direction. Check to see how deep of a whole the plant had been living. The rule of thumb is transplant plants at the same depth they were growing in the nursery pots. So, dig a paralleling hole in your new pot and place the herb in its new home. Push soil in around the plant.
Water: Once the herb is in its new home and soil is pushed around. Give the herb hearty water. Stand each pot in an inch of lukewarm water until the soil is moist but not saturated. From here on out, the herb probably only needs to be amply watered once or twice a week. Be careful not to over-water. When the plants are actively growing, feed them once a week using a seaweed extract or fish emulsion.
Care: Make sure to clip outer leaves or springs as you need them, but always leave plenty of vigorous growth on the plant or you will drastically slow down, if not kill, the herb.
General Guidelines and Advice for a Few Basic Herbs:
ROSEMARY: Rosemary resents being moved, so plant it where it intends to stay. Try to buy the rosemary from an herb specialist. Large, general garden centers often do not label specific varieties, coming in several foliage-forms and also bloom in various colors: white, pink, deep blue, or light blue flowers. They like a 12-inch by 12-inch pot with plenty of drainage. Use a light but coarse potting soil such as a cactus soil. Then keep the soil moist but never wet by misting the plant twice a week with warm water. In addition, feed the plants monthly with compost tea. Place the pot in a sunny south or west window.
CHIVES: Chives adapt well to indoor living. They need to be 9 inches to a foot from anything else. The green stems can be cut close to the ground three to four times in a season.
THYME: Thyme comes in a variety of flavors, fragrances, growth habits, hardiness ranges, and flower colors of pink, white or lilac. If you planted thyme seeds, do not be scared if you don’t see anything happen quickly because they germinate slowly. Thyme needs 6-12 inches from other plants and likes a sandy soil mix. Make sure you cut the plants back after they flower to promote bushiness.
MINT: Beware – mint will take over any soil you give it. Mint likes partial shade and moisture. Mint doesn’t grow well from seed, so simply buy your mint plants at any nursery. Mint loves a 10 inch deep and 6 to 8 inch across clay pot with drainage tiles. At the end of each spring, pinch stem ends off to keep plants bushy and at the end of the season, prune the plants back to near ground level and top-dress with compost.
BASIL: Basil grows easily in the ground or containers. Basil needs a soil that drains well and retains enough moisture so that it won’t wilt. Work organic material into the soil to give you the right combination. Water the herbs regularly with air-temperature water to encourage growth. Put the seedlings about 6 inches apart and then when the plants are six inches high, pinch off the tips to encourage bushier growth. Pinch off the buds of flowers are soon as they appear in order to encourage leave growth.
CILANTRO: Cilantro produces the dried seeds called coriander. It thrives in damp, cool springs and hot, dry summers. Like most herbs, cilantro needs sunlight, well-drained soil, and plenty of compost. Cilantro does not like to be transplanted, as it has a taproot that develops quickly. Plant cilantro 4 inches apart from other plants, and give it 12 inches in depth to establish its taproot. Harvest the entire plant when they are 6 inches high if you only want the leaves. For the seeds, wait until the seeds start to ripen and then cut the plants off at the base and hang them upside down in paper bags to finish drying.
Try other herbs such as bay, garlic chives, marjoram, oregano, parsley, sage, scented geraniums, and winter savory. Try a few different herbs each year to spice up your life with new fresh flavors. Good luck and have fun. Enjoy the smell, look, and taste of your homegrown herbs.
Friday, May 14, 2010
THIS IS A GOOD ONE....IT WILL MAKE YOU THINK!
A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.The next morning while they are eating breakfast, The young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside."That laundry is not very clean", she said."She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap." Her husband loo...ked on, but remained silent. Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments. About one month later, the woman was surprised to see aNice clean wash on the line and said to her husband: "Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this." The husband said, "I got up early this morning andCleaned our windows." And so it is with life. What we see when watching othersdepends on the purity of the window through which we look.
This is a good one!
This is a good one!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Did the Winter Destroy Your Lawn?
Spring has rolled around again, and it’s great to get outside when it’s nice out. However, when you step out onto your front porch to look over your lawn, you are not too pleased. The winter months living in Wisconsin have won, your lawn lost – as evidenced by the overriding brownish color. Or perhaps there are just a few spots on your lawn that need help. Either way, if you want your brown lawn to glow green once again, here are a few steps to pamper your lawn with a little effort. Reviving your lawn does not have to be an intense process or an incredibly time consuming job, but you will need a few bucks and a few hours, perhaps a Saturday afternoon. And DO NOT wait until summer. Grass seed that gets established before the summer heat hits will be less likely to dry out. The following four steps will bring life and health back into your lawn.
Decision
Your first step is to look closely at your lawn. Do you have a few brown spots that need attention or does your whole lawn need help. If you simply have a few brown spots, try to identify why those spots are brown. Maybe you have a water drainage problem. Or perhaps you have skunks or groundhogs digging around for grub, which means that you need to take care of the grub problem first. Or perhaps you have ruts in your lawn. The depression needs to be filled in an inch higher than ground level to allow for settling.
Dethatch
Your next step is to look closely to see if the lawn is compacted with more than a half inch of thatch. What is thatch? Thatch is simply dead grass and leaves pressed down among the roots. Thatch blocks water and nutrients from reaching grass roots, weakening the whole plant. Thatching can also trap moisture near the blades of your grass, which can lead to lawn disease. By regularly dethatching the grass buds are forced to grow near the base of the grass stem, freeing up the new grass to grow in healthy and thick. If the thatching is less than half an inch, simply rake it out. If you have heavy thatching, you may need to rent a dethatcher or a power rake.
Aerate
Your lawn may need aerated if your soil is too compacted from heavy use. Buy or rent a coring device that will cut three to four inch deep holes in the soil, leaving the cores on the lawn to decompose naturally. The holes created by the aerator provide the grass roots with the ability to receive fertilizer, water, and oxygen.
Overseed
Before you jump into reseeding, you must get rid of current weeds. You can either dig them out with a pronged tool, or spot spray them with a broadleaf herbicide. Then give the area a good soaking. To prepare the soil, drag a rake over the bare spots. Then, take a good look at your lawn and determine which kind of grass seed you will need. If you have blue grass, an overseed of any kind of blue grass will do just fine. But do not use the old seed in the garage, it may be dead already. Do not put all your hard work down the drain by using dead seed to try to replant. After you get the seed, sow the seed at twice the rate that is recommended for a new lawn and simply use your hand to lay the seed. Then lay a very thin layer of light organic topsoil so that the seed won’t blow away, approximately an eighth of an inch. Make sure that the topsoil is not laid more than a forth inch thick.
Fertilize
Your final step is to fertilize. Use a spreader to distribute slow-release granule over the entire lawn. Keep the newly seeded area moist until seeds germinate, at which point you can back off of watering.
Now you are equipped to transform you’re struggling lawn to a healthy, thriving lawn. Have fun reviving your land.
Decision
Your first step is to look closely at your lawn. Do you have a few brown spots that need attention or does your whole lawn need help. If you simply have a few brown spots, try to identify why those spots are brown. Maybe you have a water drainage problem. Or perhaps you have skunks or groundhogs digging around for grub, which means that you need to take care of the grub problem first. Or perhaps you have ruts in your lawn. The depression needs to be filled in an inch higher than ground level to allow for settling.
Dethatch
Your next step is to look closely to see if the lawn is compacted with more than a half inch of thatch. What is thatch? Thatch is simply dead grass and leaves pressed down among the roots. Thatch blocks water and nutrients from reaching grass roots, weakening the whole plant. Thatching can also trap moisture near the blades of your grass, which can lead to lawn disease. By regularly dethatching the grass buds are forced to grow near the base of the grass stem, freeing up the new grass to grow in healthy and thick. If the thatching is less than half an inch, simply rake it out. If you have heavy thatching, you may need to rent a dethatcher or a power rake.
Aerate
Your lawn may need aerated if your soil is too compacted from heavy use. Buy or rent a coring device that will cut three to four inch deep holes in the soil, leaving the cores on the lawn to decompose naturally. The holes created by the aerator provide the grass roots with the ability to receive fertilizer, water, and oxygen.
Overseed
Before you jump into reseeding, you must get rid of current weeds. You can either dig them out with a pronged tool, or spot spray them with a broadleaf herbicide. Then give the area a good soaking. To prepare the soil, drag a rake over the bare spots. Then, take a good look at your lawn and determine which kind of grass seed you will need. If you have blue grass, an overseed of any kind of blue grass will do just fine. But do not use the old seed in the garage, it may be dead already. Do not put all your hard work down the drain by using dead seed to try to replant. After you get the seed, sow the seed at twice the rate that is recommended for a new lawn and simply use your hand to lay the seed. Then lay a very thin layer of light organic topsoil so that the seed won’t blow away, approximately an eighth of an inch. Make sure that the topsoil is not laid more than a forth inch thick.
Fertilize
Your final step is to fertilize. Use a spreader to distribute slow-release granule over the entire lawn. Keep the newly seeded area moist until seeds germinate, at which point you can back off of watering.
Now you are equipped to transform you’re struggling lawn to a healthy, thriving lawn. Have fun reviving your land.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Preparing Your Home for Spring Selling in Wisconsin?
Preparing Your Home for Spring Selling in Wisconsin ?
Spring has probably come faster than you expected, meaning you are supposed to have your house ready to be sold in just a few weeks, or even days. Well, fear not. Preparing your home for walkthroughs and selling does not have to be consuming or stressful. The following will help clean and make repairs to your home in a systematic fashion so that your life does not have yet another wrench thrown in the wheel.
Step One: Exterior. To begin, start by getting organized. Grab a pad of paper and pen. Then, take a stroll around your house. Make notes about anything that’s not perfect. Take your time because you are probably accustomed to the imperfections of your home since you’ve walked by them so many times. Perhaps you should take a friend or neighbor with you. Remember, this process shouldn’t take that long, as you are not fixing the issues right now, but simply identifying them. Are the stepping-stones broken? Are there any gutters that need to be repositioned or cleaned out? Do the bushes need trimmed? Does the house need power-washed or painted? Think of a few flowers that would brighten up your home for the spring.
Step Two: Interior. You are going to do the same thing with the interior of your house as you did with the exterior. Walk through each room slowly. Ask yourself a few questions. Are the walls dirty? Does the ceiling need a fresh coat or paint? Are the majority of people going to feel comfortable in this room? If not, what needs to change? Is there simply too much in the room? Decide what can be stored until you move into your new home (furniture, clothing, artwork, pictures, shoes, books). Are the doors of each room aligned and in decent shape? How about the carpets? Have any animals destroyed the area rugs? Does water leak anywhere – faucets, pipes, shower head?
Step Three: Organize and Schedule. Now, sit down and start making a new list. Figure out the repairs that you can afford and make list of things you need. Do you need any new door handles? A few gallons of paint, a few brushes, and a roller? Try to get the larger repairs like plumbing and heating problems fixed before the Comparative Marketing Analysis to give the house a higher suggested listing price. Decide which contractors need to be called and set a date for repair. Then, realistically schedule when you are going to take the time to do the repairs. Choose anywhere from one to five a day, depending on the severity of the job. Do not overload yourself, but do not waste time. Try to schedule a few make up days, as unexpected events always occur and push you behind schedule.
Step Four: Clean. You can also start spring-cleaning your home at this time as well. Buyers actually react more negatively toward dirt than clutter. They assume that if you have let the cleaning go, that you’ve also neglected larger maintenance issues. So, do not just give a quick wipe down, thoroughly clean your home. Maybe you should hire a professional to give your home the jump-start it needs to be maintained easily. But, take this step seriously.
Step Five: Clear Horizontal Surfaces. Every horizontal surface such as windowsills, tables, night stands, dressers, coffee tables, counter tops, desktops, and sinks should be totally cleared off and thoroughly cleaned. Why? The less stuff you have around, the larger your rooms look, making the room open, inviting, and deceivingly larger. Once everything is removed, you can go back and add a decorative touch to random surfaces – but no more than one or two things. Fight the urge to put back picture frames and unnecessary candles. In the kitchen, try to keep only one or two things on the counters, such as the microwave and coffeemaker. Train yourself not to drop your belongings around the house, but rather put them away immediately.
Step Six: Buy a clutter collector. These large, flat, and plastic containers can be purchased at any hardware store. When you are told last minute that someone is on their way to see the house, you simply run around the house and throw anything out of place in this box – the mail, the kids homework, book bags, brief cases, socks, shoes, jackets, etc. You can then simply slide the box under a bed to show off your house.
Step Seven: Focal Points. Once your home has been cleaned, repaired, uncluttered, take another walk around the interior of your home. Decide what the best feature of each room is. If the bedroom has a walk-in closet, make sure that the doors are open for them to explore this luxury. If the living room has a nice view, make sure the windows are clean and are decorated in a way that attracts people’s attention. If the kitchen has a special set-up or feature, make sure that people will somehow be able to see that feature without hearing a sales pitch. If a room doesn’t have a focal point, try to create one. For bedrooms, try coordinating the comforter, area rug, and curtains. In the bathroom, invest in a few new towels and soap dispenser. If you have a fireplace, try to make that focal point, as most people enjoy that asset.
Well, you now have a lot to do. Good luck. Try to follow the laid-out steps if possible because they are prioritized for you.
Spring has probably come faster than you expected, meaning you are supposed to have your house ready to be sold in just a few weeks, or even days. Well, fear not. Preparing your home for walkthroughs and selling does not have to be consuming or stressful. The following will help clean and make repairs to your home in a systematic fashion so that your life does not have yet another wrench thrown in the wheel.
Step One: Exterior. To begin, start by getting organized. Grab a pad of paper and pen. Then, take a stroll around your house. Make notes about anything that’s not perfect. Take your time because you are probably accustomed to the imperfections of your home since you’ve walked by them so many times. Perhaps you should take a friend or neighbor with you. Remember, this process shouldn’t take that long, as you are not fixing the issues right now, but simply identifying them. Are the stepping-stones broken? Are there any gutters that need to be repositioned or cleaned out? Do the bushes need trimmed? Does the house need power-washed or painted? Think of a few flowers that would brighten up your home for the spring.
Step Two: Interior. You are going to do the same thing with the interior of your house as you did with the exterior. Walk through each room slowly. Ask yourself a few questions. Are the walls dirty? Does the ceiling need a fresh coat or paint? Are the majority of people going to feel comfortable in this room? If not, what needs to change? Is there simply too much in the room? Decide what can be stored until you move into your new home (furniture, clothing, artwork, pictures, shoes, books). Are the doors of each room aligned and in decent shape? How about the carpets? Have any animals destroyed the area rugs? Does water leak anywhere – faucets, pipes, shower head?
Step Three: Organize and Schedule. Now, sit down and start making a new list. Figure out the repairs that you can afford and make list of things you need. Do you need any new door handles? A few gallons of paint, a few brushes, and a roller? Try to get the larger repairs like plumbing and heating problems fixed before the Comparative Marketing Analysis to give the house a higher suggested listing price. Decide which contractors need to be called and set a date for repair. Then, realistically schedule when you are going to take the time to do the repairs. Choose anywhere from one to five a day, depending on the severity of the job. Do not overload yourself, but do not waste time. Try to schedule a few make up days, as unexpected events always occur and push you behind schedule.
Step Four: Clean. You can also start spring-cleaning your home at this time as well. Buyers actually react more negatively toward dirt than clutter. They assume that if you have let the cleaning go, that you’ve also neglected larger maintenance issues. So, do not just give a quick wipe down, thoroughly clean your home. Maybe you should hire a professional to give your home the jump-start it needs to be maintained easily. But, take this step seriously.
Step Five: Clear Horizontal Surfaces. Every horizontal surface such as windowsills, tables, night stands, dressers, coffee tables, counter tops, desktops, and sinks should be totally cleared off and thoroughly cleaned. Why? The less stuff you have around, the larger your rooms look, making the room open, inviting, and deceivingly larger. Once everything is removed, you can go back and add a decorative touch to random surfaces – but no more than one or two things. Fight the urge to put back picture frames and unnecessary candles. In the kitchen, try to keep only one or two things on the counters, such as the microwave and coffeemaker. Train yourself not to drop your belongings around the house, but rather put them away immediately.
Step Six: Buy a clutter collector. These large, flat, and plastic containers can be purchased at any hardware store. When you are told last minute that someone is on their way to see the house, you simply run around the house and throw anything out of place in this box – the mail, the kids homework, book bags, brief cases, socks, shoes, jackets, etc. You can then simply slide the box under a bed to show off your house.
Step Seven: Focal Points. Once your home has been cleaned, repaired, uncluttered, take another walk around the interior of your home. Decide what the best feature of each room is. If the bedroom has a walk-in closet, make sure that the doors are open for them to explore this luxury. If the living room has a nice view, make sure the windows are clean and are decorated in a way that attracts people’s attention. If the kitchen has a special set-up or feature, make sure that people will somehow be able to see that feature without hearing a sales pitch. If a room doesn’t have a focal point, try to create one. For bedrooms, try coordinating the comforter, area rug, and curtains. In the bathroom, invest in a few new towels and soap dispenser. If you have a fireplace, try to make that focal point, as most people enjoy that asset.
Well, you now have a lot to do. Good luck. Try to follow the laid-out steps if possible because they are prioritized for you.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Be Wary of Mortgage "Specials" Sent to Your Home after Applying for a Loan
Be Wary of Mortgage "Specials" Sent to Your Home after Applying for a Loan
Privacy laws and requirements have become a hot topic in recent years, resulting in consumers’ growing awareness of the need to protect their personal information from computer hackers, perpetrators of fraudulent scheme, and other criminals.
Most people do not understand that when you apply for a mortgage loan and then receive advertisements and targeted letters touting “special promotions” and “special rates,” it is because their private data has been sold. But it is not the lender that you have to watch out for!
Instead, it is the very same organizations that consumers tend to believe are the watchdogs of consumer protection, the credit bureaus.
What happens when you make a loan application? First your application is reviewed by one of the lender’s loan officers, who runs a credit report.
This credit report informs the credit bureau(s) that you have applied for a mortgage. Your information is then earmarked by lenders who buy targeted lead information from these companies.
No matter how hard consumers work to protect their personal information, this is the harsh reality. The credit bureau codes your information and, if a lender or other organization requests a list of leads that have applied for a similar loan product, you will receive their junk mail (and legitimate offers), regardless of whether you are approved for your loan.
The technical term for these targeted lists of information is a “trigger list”. A trigger list is sent to the requester with the promise to forward new additions to the list within a specific time period following the credit check. This could be as little as an hour, but it is usually within two business days.
You need to watch not only your mailbox, but also your telephone and email inbox. You will receive ads there as well if you provided that contact information in your application. You may receive calls to your home from soliciting lenders, emails from these lenders and even, in rare cases, a home visit.
Unfortunately, there is more bad news. Trigger lists do not stop with your name and contact information. Requesters may also receive information from your credit report, such as the details of student loans, credit cards, revolving charge accounts and car loans. They have access to almost unlimited information about you, despite all your efforts to keep such information private.
Consumer watchdog groups are trying to limit or eliminate credit bureaus’ ability to release this information to anyone who offers to pay. The National Association of Mortgage Brokers is one group that is disheartened by current practices. It is working to protect the interests of consumers while also maintaining its own wellbeing.
What about legitimate lenders who purchase leads from credit bureaus? Most industry experts believe that unless a lender has enough information to make a firm offer of credit, it should not be allowed to contact consumers on the trigger lists.
Under fire, the credit bureaus defend the practice and claim that their activities comply with all the regulations imposed on them by consumer-protection programs.
Why is the largest consumer of trigger lists the vast collection of internet companies that specialize in producing lead lists for their clients? Again, the argument is raised that if the leads are not going to a company that is prepared to make a genuine and firm offer of credit, the consumer should never be contacted.
Fortunately, consumers have a way out of this situation. Your personal information can be excluded from these trigger lists. A simple call, letter, or email to the credit bureaus will place a note on your record that your information may not be released to any third party without your explicit permission.
Hopefully this information has been enlightening and you will never become a victim of a scam related to trigger advertising. You have a choice. By opting out of prescreened advertising and trigger lists, you can secure your personal information and protect your privacy.
Recipe 1
Amazing Carrot Cake
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
3 (4 ounce) jars carrot baby food
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 cup flaked coconut
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the oil and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chopped pecans, carrot baby food, grated carrots and coconut. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Privacy laws and requirements have become a hot topic in recent years, resulting in consumers’ growing awareness of the need to protect their personal information from computer hackers, perpetrators of fraudulent scheme, and other criminals.
Most people do not understand that when you apply for a mortgage loan and then receive advertisements and targeted letters touting “special promotions” and “special rates,” it is because their private data has been sold. But it is not the lender that you have to watch out for!
Instead, it is the very same organizations that consumers tend to believe are the watchdogs of consumer protection, the credit bureaus.
What happens when you make a loan application? First your application is reviewed by one of the lender’s loan officers, who runs a credit report.
This credit report informs the credit bureau(s) that you have applied for a mortgage. Your information is then earmarked by lenders who buy targeted lead information from these companies.
No matter how hard consumers work to protect their personal information, this is the harsh reality. The credit bureau codes your information and, if a lender or other organization requests a list of leads that have applied for a similar loan product, you will receive their junk mail (and legitimate offers), regardless of whether you are approved for your loan.
The technical term for these targeted lists of information is a “trigger list”. A trigger list is sent to the requester with the promise to forward new additions to the list within a specific time period following the credit check. This could be as little as an hour, but it is usually within two business days.
You need to watch not only your mailbox, but also your telephone and email inbox. You will receive ads there as well if you provided that contact information in your application. You may receive calls to your home from soliciting lenders, emails from these lenders and even, in rare cases, a home visit.
Unfortunately, there is more bad news. Trigger lists do not stop with your name and contact information. Requesters may also receive information from your credit report, such as the details of student loans, credit cards, revolving charge accounts and car loans. They have access to almost unlimited information about you, despite all your efforts to keep such information private.
Consumer watchdog groups are trying to limit or eliminate credit bureaus’ ability to release this information to anyone who offers to pay. The National Association of Mortgage Brokers is one group that is disheartened by current practices. It is working to protect the interests of consumers while also maintaining its own wellbeing.
What about legitimate lenders who purchase leads from credit bureaus? Most industry experts believe that unless a lender has enough information to make a firm offer of credit, it should not be allowed to contact consumers on the trigger lists.
Under fire, the credit bureaus defend the practice and claim that their activities comply with all the regulations imposed on them by consumer-protection programs.
Why is the largest consumer of trigger lists the vast collection of internet companies that specialize in producing lead lists for their clients? Again, the argument is raised that if the leads are not going to a company that is prepared to make a genuine and firm offer of credit, the consumer should never be contacted.
Fortunately, consumers have a way out of this situation. Your personal information can be excluded from these trigger lists. A simple call, letter, or email to the credit bureaus will place a note on your record that your information may not be released to any third party without your explicit permission.
Hopefully this information has been enlightening and you will never become a victim of a scam related to trigger advertising. You have a choice. By opting out of prescreened advertising and trigger lists, you can secure your personal information and protect your privacy.
Recipe 1
Amazing Carrot Cake
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
3 (4 ounce) jars carrot baby food
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 cup flaked coconut
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the oil and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chopped pecans, carrot baby food, grated carrots and coconut. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Springtime Gardening and Landscaping Safety in Wisconsin
Spring in Wisconsin is a great time for outdoor projects. The arrival of warm weather may make you want to get outside and moving. However, spring projects and spring weather come with some hazards. Here are some ways to protect yourself and your home.
Call Before You Dig: In most areas, an organization or public official needs to give approval to excavate even the smallest areas. This is because of the damage and destruction that can result if an unaware homeowner compromises a natural gas or electrical line.
Major utility providers will almost always send a representative to the proposed dig site to evaluate the safety of the proposed location. Utility lines and pipelines are often located deep underground, often with a marker indicating their depth. If the proposed excavation is extremely dangerous, a building inspector or code enforcement office may become involved and deny the necessary permit.
Never dig without notifying the utility providers. Otherwise, you could experience tremendous loss and put other people in danger.
Keep an Eye out for Dangers: Gardening is a favorite spring pastime, but beware of potential dangers lurking in your lawn and gardens. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are dangerous plants that can cause life-threatening reactions in many people. Know how to spot them and safely remove them from your property.
Also, keep an eye out for pests. Moles, chipmunks and other small animals present little threat to your family, but if you find a nest of field mice, a litter of baby raccoons, or any other potentially dangerous animals, call the local authorities to request traps or removal services.
Insect threats are also common in the spring. If you notice a beehive, wasp hole, or termite nest, call the exterminator or carefully remove the hazard on your own. Wear protective gear and a mask if you are working with dangerous chemicals. Spring is a good time for this extermination, because in many areas of the country the fledgling insects have not yet hatched or are still docile and harmless.
Don’t Overdo It: Most people have limited physical activity during the winter. Therefore, be extremely cautious when starting outdoor projects in the spring. Just because you could easily lift your mower over a walkway in September does not mean that you won’t hurt yourself in April if your muscles are out of practice.
Take your projects slowly. You do not want to spend the rest of the spring recovering from a muscle injury that could have been avoided easily.
April Showers: The old adage is true – April showers do bring May flowers, but they can also bring dangerous conditions in some areas. Spring storms may cause flooding or power outages. If you live in a flood-prone area, be prepared. Keep your basement clear and keep your belonging off of the floor as much as possible. Most items damaged by floodwaters become unsafe and need to be replaced.
Power outages are almost always uneventful, but it is best to be prepared. Candles are an excellent source of light, but they should never be left burning unattended. Avoid accidental fires by being vigilant when burning candles during a power outage.
Unplug your electrical equipment. A single power surge can destroy computers and stereo equipment. Once the power is on again, plug in only one item at a time.
Spring is a wonderful and beautiful season. It is the perfect time to pay attention to your home and garden and ensure that the rest of your year will be free of danger. Protect your assets against the damage caused by springtime storms and heavy rainfall that are common in many areas during April and May. If you take preventative measures now, you can relax knowing that you have taken the necessary steps to increase the beauty and safety of your home and garden.
http://www.kevinraether.com
Call Before You Dig: In most areas, an organization or public official needs to give approval to excavate even the smallest areas. This is because of the damage and destruction that can result if an unaware homeowner compromises a natural gas or electrical line.
Major utility providers will almost always send a representative to the proposed dig site to evaluate the safety of the proposed location. Utility lines and pipelines are often located deep underground, often with a marker indicating their depth. If the proposed excavation is extremely dangerous, a building inspector or code enforcement office may become involved and deny the necessary permit.
Never dig without notifying the utility providers. Otherwise, you could experience tremendous loss and put other people in danger.
Keep an Eye out for Dangers: Gardening is a favorite spring pastime, but beware of potential dangers lurking in your lawn and gardens. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are dangerous plants that can cause life-threatening reactions in many people. Know how to spot them and safely remove them from your property.
Also, keep an eye out for pests. Moles, chipmunks and other small animals present little threat to your family, but if you find a nest of field mice, a litter of baby raccoons, or any other potentially dangerous animals, call the local authorities to request traps or removal services.
Insect threats are also common in the spring. If you notice a beehive, wasp hole, or termite nest, call the exterminator or carefully remove the hazard on your own. Wear protective gear and a mask if you are working with dangerous chemicals. Spring is a good time for this extermination, because in many areas of the country the fledgling insects have not yet hatched or are still docile and harmless.
Don’t Overdo It: Most people have limited physical activity during the winter. Therefore, be extremely cautious when starting outdoor projects in the spring. Just because you could easily lift your mower over a walkway in September does not mean that you won’t hurt yourself in April if your muscles are out of practice.
Take your projects slowly. You do not want to spend the rest of the spring recovering from a muscle injury that could have been avoided easily.
April Showers: The old adage is true – April showers do bring May flowers, but they can also bring dangerous conditions in some areas. Spring storms may cause flooding or power outages. If you live in a flood-prone area, be prepared. Keep your basement clear and keep your belonging off of the floor as much as possible. Most items damaged by floodwaters become unsafe and need to be replaced.
Power outages are almost always uneventful, but it is best to be prepared. Candles are an excellent source of light, but they should never be left burning unattended. Avoid accidental fires by being vigilant when burning candles during a power outage.
Unplug your electrical equipment. A single power surge can destroy computers and stereo equipment. Once the power is on again, plug in only one item at a time.
Spring is a wonderful and beautiful season. It is the perfect time to pay attention to your home and garden and ensure that the rest of your year will be free of danger. Protect your assets against the damage caused by springtime storms and heavy rainfall that are common in many areas during April and May. If you take preventative measures now, you can relax knowing that you have taken the necessary steps to increase the beauty and safety of your home and garden.
http://www.kevinraether.com
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Rural property, an American opportunity.
Real Estate… That term in itself means so much to so many people, yet means different things to each. There are investors who put their money in REIT’s, other types of investors who purchase rental properties both commercial and residential. There are the middle class working people who may want to realize the American Dream of home ownership, and possibly a second home on a lake or maybe some hunting land. There are farmers who need land to make a living. And there are real estate developers who buy large tracts of land and sell individual lots to people who want to build. This is not all the ownership types or even close to all of the reasons to invest in real estate. For the purposes of this story it will set us up for the next part of the discussion which is buying and selling rural properties.
Rural property and rural property owners are much different than property in town and the reason is primarily you can have more land for the money in the country, as well as more land altogether. They are sports men and women who are out on the land, they know the rural areas where they work, because they not only work with the land, they hunt it, fish the lakes, and help their neighbors with their land. You see this in areas that practice various forms of Whitetail deer management…one landowner puts up a sign and tells all of his neighbors that he is not going to harvest an animal unless it meets his specific criteria. Then all of the neighbors start talking about this to their friends and neighbors, then next thing you know you have entire townships which all practice harvesting deer the same way, and if that way is good for getting deer to be more mature and have larger antlers its considered by many to be successful. With real estate, it’s important to have a model that puts people in the best possible places for success. Rural property owners have special needs, and knowledge that their realtors must posses in order to be able to professionally do their jobs. Take a realtor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and ask him to explain a “septic” system. Vise Versa, there are many things that people in real estate in the country don’t particularly know about city property.
The other thing that works so well for this type of scenario is that with rural people who only practice in a rural area, you begin to develop a special symbiosis which can lead to a fantastic buying or selling experience. As far as specific knowledge goes certain real estate companies have sprung up to specifically work these areas and provide service to ONLY rural property owners. This is specialization of the highest order and will prove to be the way rural property gets purchased or sold. You don’t hire an insurance claims lawyer to sell your business, you could…but what would the point be? You will then be paying for them to learn how to sell a business. It’s not their specialty; they are not the best at it. Look at rural property specialists when you need rural property information and I promise you will be much better off when you need to buy or sell.
Rural property and rural property owners are much different than property in town and the reason is primarily you can have more land for the money in the country, as well as more land altogether. They are sports men and women who are out on the land, they know the rural areas where they work, because they not only work with the land, they hunt it, fish the lakes, and help their neighbors with their land. You see this in areas that practice various forms of Whitetail deer management…one landowner puts up a sign and tells all of his neighbors that he is not going to harvest an animal unless it meets his specific criteria. Then all of the neighbors start talking about this to their friends and neighbors, then next thing you know you have entire townships which all practice harvesting deer the same way, and if that way is good for getting deer to be more mature and have larger antlers its considered by many to be successful. With real estate, it’s important to have a model that puts people in the best possible places for success. Rural property owners have special needs, and knowledge that their realtors must posses in order to be able to professionally do their jobs. Take a realtor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and ask him to explain a “septic” system. Vise Versa, there are many things that people in real estate in the country don’t particularly know about city property.
The other thing that works so well for this type of scenario is that with rural people who only practice in a rural area, you begin to develop a special symbiosis which can lead to a fantastic buying or selling experience. As far as specific knowledge goes certain real estate companies have sprung up to specifically work these areas and provide service to ONLY rural property owners. This is specialization of the highest order and will prove to be the way rural property gets purchased or sold. You don’t hire an insurance claims lawyer to sell your business, you could…but what would the point be? You will then be paying for them to learn how to sell a business. It’s not their specialty; they are not the best at it. Look at rural property specialists when you need rural property information and I promise you will be much better off when you need to buy or sell.
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