“Color This!” at Better Homes and Gardens
Here’s a fun and helpful tool for you to test out color ideas for your walls, furniture and accessories. Try “Color This!” at the Better Homes and Gardens website www.bhg.com.

Test out your ideas for interior decorating BEFORE buying paint products. Choose one of their design photos and then change paint colors for either interior walls or exterior siding, along with fabric, window treatments, flooring, roof color, trim and more. Designs can be saved to look at again later, printed out on paper, or e-mailed to a friend. Similar applications can be found at paint manufacturers’ websites such as Valspar, Behr or Benjamin Moore. The one I played with had limited paint color selections, but it was enough to give you a good feel for your pending projects. It might make you feel better about a daring color choice!

What is the PHSI?

Each month I study the Pending Home Sales Index, issued by the National Association of Realtors. The index is based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed.The NAR uses a large national sampling to come up with their report. It ties the level of monthly contract activity to the level of sales that will occur in the following two months. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001 the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales, and it coincides with a level that is considered historically healthy.The most recent index report for March looked positive: It rose 5.1% to 94.1, up from 89.5% in February. The index is below the 106.2 in March 2010. It’s important to note that March & April 2010 activity was at an elevated level in order to meet contract deadlines for the home buyer tax credit.

via What is the PHSI? | Auburn Maine Homes For Sale.

We now feature Sue’s Turner Maine “homes for sale” listings right here on the blog. Click on the link on the top right of the home page and select your property of interest or click on this link for Turner Maine Real Estate Listings.

Do you have a Turner Maine home you’re selling on your own; a for sale by owner?  Would you like us to promote it here?  We can help you out.  Call Sue at 207-784-2525  for details

Looking for fun, modern flooring?

Check out CORK: Cork is a recycled flooring material made from the waste of wine-stopper manufacturing. It is also sustainable, because cork is harvested from the cork oak tree, which is replanted. Cork floors have a variety of designs and fun colors to fit everyone’s taste. In addition to its durability, cork offers a nice cushioned effect and sound reduction, and is easy to install. Check out Expanko or Wicanders.

BAMBOO: Get the traditional look of a hardwood floor, but with a twist. Bamboo floors are environmentally friendly, sustainable and tough. This wood is rated harder than red oak. Bamboo is a cutting-edge trend that’s here to stay. Offering a range of colors and styles, two popular brands are Hawa and Teragren.

The temperature here in Maine is steadily on the rise. Every day there is a noticeable snow-melt and in some areas we are already experiencing Maine’s most famous and notorious SEASON, Mud Season. All this being said, Spring is just around the corner which means Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 a.m. on March 13, 2011. Don’t forget to change your clocks this Sunday!

Daylight Saving Time starts the second Sunday in March and reverts to standard time on the first Sunday in November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.

Want to know more about DST and where it is not observed? I found this site informative, visit http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b2.html

Want to know more about Mud Season? It happens every year when the frost starts to come out of the ground and affects everyone using dirt drives and pathways. Just pay us a visit and you’ll experience it first hand!

Photos via It’s Time To Change Your Clocks! | New Gloucester Maine Homes For Sale.

Another true sign that spring is right around the corner, the Maine Maple Producers Association sponsors the state-wide Maine Maple Sunday on March 27, the fourth Sunday in March every year. There are quite a number of Androscoggin County locations within a short driving distance of Lewiston-Auburn & Turner, so plan ahead to make a visit. Many offer free maple syrup samples, demonstrations on how they make pure Maine maple syrup and some places still offer maple taffy on snow. Some locations also serve up fabulous breakfasts, such as Jillson’s Sugarhouse in Sabattus. Boothby’s Sugarshack in Livermore will be open both Saturday and Sunday. And for a horse-drawn wagon ride, head over to the West Minot Sugarhouse. To see a map of other participating sugarhouses, click on this link: Maple Sunday Map.

Have you thought of “going paperless?”  Online banking and bill paying can save time, money and reduce paper clutter in your home. Since it may not be for everyone, I thought I’d offer up a few pros and cons that might help you decide:

Pros: You will save money, mostly in postage savings. One local bank has just notified customers that you will save $1 per month on fees if you sign up for online statements. Convenience is a huge “pro.” Spend a few minutes setting up your automatic payments, and your bills get paid on time every month.

Cons: Not advisable if your computer is not secure, if you don’t keep up-to-date with your  virus protection, or if keeping track of email notifications and passwords is a challenge. Please remember that some documents should be stored in both electronic and paper versions.

You might just try one bill at a time!

After record lows, mortgage rates have continued to rise in the last few weeks. They are technically still considered “low,” in comparison to years past, but with each increase, a home is that much less affordable. As the interest rate rises, so do monthly payments.

As of mid-February, the average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 5.05% in the week that ended today, according to Freddie Mac, up from 4.81% the week before.

In a separate report, the online lender LendingTree.com reported the average 30-year rate was even higher, rising to 5.31% in the last week.

Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac, explained that…

…read the whole story via As Economy Improves, Mortgage Rates Go Up | Buckfield Maine Area Homes For Sale.

Healthy eating, year-round

Check out the  on the second Thursday of each month. From 5 to 7:30 p.m. Held at the St. Mary’s Nutrition Center at 208 Bates St., it’s an easy way to pick up farm-fresh eggs, locally produced meats, fresh seafood, vegetables, cheese and bread, along with knitted items, teas and herbal products. An added benefit: It makes you feel really good to support local farmers and artisans. If you have time, stay for a quick bite in the café and meet fellow shoppers. Pretty soon, the market will go back to its summer location at Kennedy Park. The next market will be held March 10th.

via Healthy Eating, Year-Round From A Lewiston Maine Farmers Market | Lewiston Maine Homes For Sale.

Warm air leaking out of your home during the winter can waste a lot of your heating dollars. One of the easiest and quickest things you can do to prevent this is to caulk, seal and weather-strip all seams, cracks and openings to the outside. First, test your home for air tightness. On a windy day, carefully hold a lit incense stick next to your windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches and other locations where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have located an air leak that may need attention. See the attached graphic to see where from which areas most heat is lost.  The opposite holds true in the summer, when hot air can leak in.

via Winter Waste – Were Talking About Air Leaks | New Gloucester Maine Homes For Sale.

Moving can be stressful for everyone in the family, but don’t forget to talk about it in advance with your children. Make sure to answer all their questions as honestly as possible. One way to help them in advance is to show them their new room, and help them decide where their furniture and belongings will go. For young children, read books such as “The Berenstain Bears: Moving Day” or “Who Will be My Friends?” by Syd Hoff. Help them sort, pack and label their belongings, and celebrate afterwards with a fun meal. Put together a Moving Day Kit, with essential items they might need. If you are moving to a new town or school district, make sure to help them say goodbye to their friends, and help them stay in touch if possible.

Design tips at your fingertips! Offering the “best of” from the HGTV network, this app allows you to look up real estate videos, photos, tips and review their advice. Watch clips from popular shows, “Curb Appeal” and “Designed to Sell.” Getting ready for an open house? Look up design tips, and tutorials for staging and designing your home for more buyer appeal. Also fun, you can see before and after photo slide shows of their room transformations. Especially great if you you’re like me and don’t have time to watch much TV!

Looking for more Real Estate app choices? Visit http://www.topappcharts.com/search.php?show=search&string=real+estate&start=0&price=free to review or download the top 16 free iphone / ipad apps for real estate. Choose from top names like Realtor.com, Zillow, Loopnet, Trulia, Redfin, Homes.com and more. View Photos of…

…read the whole story via Free App For Your iPhone: HGTV – Plus More Real Estate Apps! | Maine Waterfront Real Estate.

The new trendy Color update is Honeysuckle pink! It’s the “hot” new color of the year, according to Pantone, the world leader in color authority. A lively and energizing shade of reddish-pink, it could be a fun way to perk up a dark room, or if you’re just a wee bit more conservative, try it as a splash of color. We will soon see it in everything from small appliances, to table accessories and clothing. Another economical way to use this color to modernize the look of your home — whether you’re just putting it on the market or if you’ve just moved in — would be to update your bed coverings, accent pillows in the living room, or table-top accent pieces such as candles, flowers or ceramic pieces.

via Hey Hue, Whats New? Color Update | Auburn Maine Homes For Sale.

Do you need a quick reminder of spring, which is — hard to believe —right around the corner? Maybe it’s time to update your landscaping projects?

Check out the 250-acre botanical garden in Boothbay. Free admission from now through March. They offer some great workshops about all things gardening, can suggest some wonderful-sounding “garden getaway” travel packages, and offer a yummy-sounding Kitchen Garden Series Dinners, prepared by visiting guest chefs from Maine. To check out their class schedule and to make reservations for the dinners, call 207-633-4333 or go to www.mainegardens.org.

via Boothbay Maine Region – A Taste of Spring: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens ~ Open year round! | Maine Waterfront Real Estate.

Homebuyer Education Classes are held every week at Community Concepts,  79 Main St., Auburn.
These classes are an easy and inexpensive way to learn how to make smart decisions when buying your home. Get all your questions answered by an expert as you learn how to shop for a loan, qualify for lower rates, budget for monthly payments and unexpected expenses and more. Homeowners who have taken the class say they felt much more confident at every step of the home buying process as a result.

The 10-hour class requires advance registration. Please call Ron Knott at 1-866-221-4383 to register. Classes are made possible through financial support from HUD, MaineHousing, private lending institutions and local non-profits.

Visit our website  How To Buy A Home In Maine to review the home buying process. Download useful documents or ask for a FREE ebook. We’re here to help. Call if you have any questions or for a private consultation.

Keller Williams Realty Mid Maine 34 Center Street Auburn, Maine 04210  |   207-784-2525  |  sue@meservier.com