Most modern carpet is treated at the factory with various substances that make them stain resistant. It should be noted, stain resistant and stain proof are not the same thing. There is not, as of yet, such a thing as a stain proof carpet. Spills and accidents happen but whether or not they permanently stain your carpet depends upon how fast and how you react when they do occur.

When liquid is accidentally spilled on carpet it is almost a natural reaction to begin scrubbing away at the affected area frantically. This is not the right thing to do. Vigorous scrubbing will spread the stain even further and possibly permanently damage the carpet at the same time. Instead the liquid should be blotted up with a clean white cloth or plain paper towels never use patterned or colored towels.                                                

 If you did not react to a spill in time and you are left with a stubborn stain on your carpet, commercial stain removers can be very helpful but they should be used with extreme caution. Before using any stain-removing agent on your carpet perform a spot test on an inconspicuous area to make sure it will not damage the fibers or cause discoloration. Whatever it might say on the label not all stain removers are suitable for use on certain types of carpet.                                    

To do a spot test the right way, treat the test area with a few drops of your chosen stain remover. Gently press a clean white cloth over it for about ten to twenty seconds. Carefully examine both the cloth and carpet for color transfer or other damage. If there is no transfer or other damage it is fine to proceed.                                            

To when removing the stain, use the smallest amount of solution possible and blot don't scrub. Once the stain looks like it is gone, rinse the affected area with cold clean water and blot it as dry as possible with another clean cloth.                                                     

Remember if you have a large, stubborn stain or a stain that just won’t come out, it is always best to contact a professional. 

Some great ways tostay cool this summer

1.  WATER BALLOONS

Buy a few packages of water balloons, get a group of friends together,pull the hose out onto the lawn and get wet and wild.

2.  WATER WAR                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 It’s war -- with water! Invitefriends over with their best water guns and Super Soakers.  Formteams and let the war begin. Keep dry towels and cools drinks on hand for laterwhen it’s time to make peace.

3.  RUN THROUGH THE SPRINKLER

Sprinklers aren’t just for watering lawns. Running through them isrefreshing, invigorating, fun… and you’ll get to see rainbows too!                                                                  

4.  ICE CREAM SUNDAE POT LUCK

Nothing says “cool” better than ice cream! Invite a bunch of friends overand ask everyone to bring an interesting ice cream flavor plus onetopping. Spend the day sampling different creative combinations ofsundaes. Keep in mind, this party will stretch across the entire day withice cream being your breakfast, lunch and dinner.

5.  PERSONAL POPSICLE PARTY

For a cool and lazy afternoon, sit in front of a big fan eating popsiclesand listening to favorite tunes on your iPod.  Popsicles come in a yummyvariety of flavors, and many are guiltlessly low in calories.

6.  HANG OUT ON A HAMMOCK

Lazy days of summer are just not the same without at least one day ofswinging in a hammock, in the shade, with a cool drink and a cool book.

7.  GROCERY STORE

Hang out in the freezer section of the nearest grocery store just likethe Bundy’s used to do. (not really suggested…)

8.  IF MONEY IS NO OBJECT... HEAD FOR SNOWCOUNTRY!

Australia, Swiss Alps, Austria, Italy, France, Chile, and Argentina aresome destinations where you can find snow in August. In fact, summer in thenorthern hemisphere is winter in Australia, and August is the height of theirski season! Pack your bags and hop on a plane to one of these destinationsif you’re interested in snow skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing or just plainrolling around in real snow in July, August and September.

WHATEVER YOU DO THISSUMMER, WE HOPE YOU HAVE A FUN SAFE SUMMER.

STAY COOL!

Take advantage of a financial and environmental reward on your clients new home with C.A.R.'s REALTOR®'S Energy Audit Program. The California REALTOR®'S Energy Audit Program provides up to a $250 rebate on a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) home energy audit conducted by a certified HERS rater.

To Qualify For The Realtor Energy Audit Program (R.E.A.P.) Applicants Must:



• Purchase a home between Oct. 1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2011



• Conduct a HERS home energy audit of the home before the close of escrow (as part of the Energy Efficient Mortgage*) or no later than 60 days after the close of escrow.

• Use a California REALTOR® in the transaction (referrals do not qualify)

• Primary single family residence must be purchased in California



• Review and download the application. (Application must be submitted by an active
 California REALTOR® )



• See the R.E.A.P. flyer to get more detailed information



You can find the nearest H.E.R.S. certified rater in your area at www.calcerts.com To find out how to upgrade your home with rebates, incentives and money savings energy improvements go to www.energyupgradecalifornia.com



Turkey Roasting Tips:

Roasting a turkey ***-side down for the first hour will keep the turkey moist. Turn turkey over after first hour to finish cooking.

Celery layered at the base of a roasting pan adds flavor to the juices for delicious gravy.

If turkey is browning too quickly, make a tent out of aluminum foil and place overthe top of the bird.

Rub a stick of butter over the turkey before roasting for a more moist turkey.

Places sliced lemon, onion and an apple into the cavity of a turkey while roasting, the flavor will create a tasty juice for gravy.

If you chose to use a roasting bag, open the bag for the final 15 to 20minutes of roasting to allow the skin of the turkey to crisp.

Place the turkey *** side up on a cooking rack in a shallow roasting pan and place the pan inthe center of the lowest rack of a preheated oven

Roast the turkey uncovered at a temperature ranging from 325°F to 350°F. Higher temperatures may cause the meat to dry out, but this is preferable to temperatures that are toolow which may not allow the interior of the turkey to cook to a safe temperature. Some cooks prefer to roast the turkey at temperatures as high as 450°F to 500°F for the first 30 minutes to brown the surface and then reduce the heat to 325°F. It is important to keep the oven door closed as much as possible while the turkey is roasting to maintain a constant temperature in the oven. Basting a turkey provides a crispy, golden skin, but it does not add moisture or flavor to the interior of the turkey. Basting should be kept to a minimum so that the oven door is not opened too often. The more times the oven door is opened, the longer the cooking time will be due to loss of heat. Aluminum foil can be tented over the turkey near the end of the cooking time to keep the skin from becoming too brown.

Approximate Roasting Times

WholeTurkey Cooked at 325º

Oven-Safe Bag

The preparation and roasting steps are identical to the steps used for preparing and roasting a turkey without an oven bag except for the following additional steps:

Add a small quantity of flour to the bag and shake it to coat the inside of the bag.

Place the turkey inside the bag and close the opening with the twist tie provided.

A few holes should be punctured in the bag to allow some steam to escape duringthe roasting process.

The oven-roasting bag keeps the turkey very moist and it speeds up the roasting time. The following cooking times can be used as a guideline for an unstuffed turkey roasted in an oven bag in a 350°F conventional oven. An additional 30 minutes or more may berequired for a stuffed turkey. The only true gauge for determining proper doneness is with a meat thermometer. The *** must reach an internal temperature of 170°F and the thigh must reach 180°F.

Safety First...

Using a thermometer is the only safe way to be assured that food has reached a temperature high enough to destroy harmful bacteria. The following are guidelines to safeguard your friends and family during the holiday season:

Turkey must reach an internal temperature of 185º F

Insert a fork into the thigh or *** of a turkey, if juices are clear the turkey is fully cooked

Do not refreeze thawed poultry

Within 2 hours of the start of your meal, all perishable foods must be refrigerated

If you cook a turkey that comes with a pop-up timer, the cooking process can be almost fool proof. However, if you stuff the turkey, you still need to use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the stuffing to make sure it has reached a minimum temperature of 165°F.

Leftover stuffing that was originally cooked inside the turkey and has been removed should be reheated to a minimum temperature of 165°F.

Stuffing that is placed inside the turkey is often undercooked because many cooks do not allow for the extra cooking time required for a stuffed bird. This increases the chances of food poisoning.

The meat near the bones of a turkey (or any poultry) may still look a bit pink even if a meat thermometer indicates that the turkey is fully cooked. This is because younger turkeys have bones that are more porous than older turkeys, which allows red pigment toleach out from the bones to the nearby meat during the cooking process. The turkey is safe to eat as long as the proper internal temperature has been reached and the juices run clear.

DON’T FORGET,daylight savings is ending tonight.

5 Things to Do Whenyou turn Your Clock back this weekend…

Check on operation or schedule the maintenance ofthese common home items at every clock change!

Checkyour Smoke Detector and Replace the Batteries!


Ifyou have a smoke detector that runs on batteries, now is the time to replace them! In addition, it may be a greattime to consider upgrading to a new smoke detector that runs on the power of your

home!

Checkor Replace Carbon Monoxide Detectors


If youhave a CO detector in your home, check the functionality and like the smoke detector, replace the battery!

Scheduleyour Fall Furnace Tune Up!


Callyour local HVAC Contractor and schedule a spring tune-up of your furnacesystem and have the furnace filter replaced! If you wait until its cold, or the unit breaks, you will wait longerand pay more!

ChangeYour Whole House Humidifier Pad!


Ifyou have a duct humidifier like a mister 50 or a water pad model, now is the time to change the pad!

  Change your Refrigerator Water Filter!


  Often overlooked is the refrigerator water filter! These disposablefilters get dirty like any other, and should be changed out twice a year!

*A parent or responsible adult should always accompanyyoung children during

 theirneighborhood rounds.

*Remind Trick-or-Treaters to:

   -Carry a flashlight.

   -Walk, don't run.

   -Stay on sidewalks.

   -Obey all traffic and pedestrian regulations.

   -Look both ways before crossing the street, and always walk as a groupat      

   -established crosswalks.

   -Avoid hiding or crossing the street between parked cars.

   -Stay in familiar neighborhoods.

   -Avoid cutting across yards or driveways.

   -Wear a watch that can be read in the dark.

   -Make sure costumes don't drag on the ground.

   -Avoid wearing masks while walking from house to house.

   -Approach only houses that are lit.

   -Be cautious of animals and strangers. Never enter a stranger's home orcar

      for a treat.   

    *Accept treats only indoorways, never inside houses.

-Say thank you after receiving your treats.

-Bring treats home to be inspected before eatingany.

     **Notify law enforcementauthorities of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

1. Tax breaks. The U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay onyour mortgage, your property taxes, as well as some of the costs involved inbuying your home.



2. Appreciation. Real estate has long-term, stable growth in value. Whileyear-to-year fluctuations are normal, median existing-home sale prices haveincreased on average 6.5 percent each year from 1972 through 2005, andincreased 88.5 percent over the last 10 years, according to the NATIONALASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. In addition, the number of U.S. households isexpected to rise 15 percent over the next decade, creating continued highdemand for housing.



3. Equity. Money paid for rent is money that you’ll never see again,but mortgage payments let you build equity ownership interest in your home.


4. Savings. Building equity in your home is a ready-made savings plan.And when you sell, you can generally take up to $250,000 ($500,000 for amarried couple) as gain without owing any federal income tax.



5. Predictability. Unlike rent, your fixed-mortgage payments don’t rise overthe years so your housing costs may actually decline as you own the homelonger. However, keep in mind that property taxes and insurance costs willincrease.



6. Freedom. The home is yours. You can decorate any way you want andbenefit from your investment for as long as you own the home.



7. Stability. Remaining in one neighborhood for several years gives you achance to participate in community activities, lets you and your familyestablish lasting friendships, and offers your children the benefit ofeducational continuity.


CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® releases itsCalifornia Housing Market Forecast for 2011:
Small increases projected in bothhome sales and median home price

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 4) – A weaker-than-expectedeconomic recovery will result in a projected decline in California home salesfor 2010, although home sales are expected to edge up slightly in 2011,according to the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) “2011 CaliforniaHousing Market Forecast” released today. 

California home sales for 2010 are forecast todecline 10 percent from the 2009 sales figure of 546,500 homes sold. Sales in 2011 are projected to increase a lackluster 2 percent to 502,000 unitscompared with 492,000 units (projected) in 2010.  After two consecutiveyears of record-setting price declines, the median home price in Californiawill climb 11.5 percent in 2010 to $306,500 and increase another 2 percent in2011 to $312,500, according to the forecast.

“California’s housing market will see smallincreases in both home sales and the median price in 2011 as the housing marketand general economy struggle to find their sea legs,” said C.A.R. PresidentSteve Goddard.  “The minor improvement in the housing market next yearwill be driven by the slow pace of recovery in the economy and modest jobgrowth.  Distressed properties will figure prominently in the market nextyear, but we also expect to see discretionary sellers play a larger role,” hesaid.

“As the U.S. economy continues its tepid recovery,we’ll see some improvement in California’s economy,” said C.A.R. Vice Presidentand Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young.  “We expect a net jobs increaseof approximately 1.4 million jobs in California for the year to come and animprovement in unemployment figures,” she said.

“The situation in the California housing marketcontinues to be a tale of two housing markets,” said Goddard. The segment ofthe market under $500,000 has been driven by distressed sales, while higher-pricedareas of the state have been constrained by restricted financing options, andincreasingly have experienced an increase in the number of distressedproperties.  Sales in the low end have been constrained by a lack ofinventory, putting upward pressure on prices.  Multiple offers onlower-end homes have been very common, according to Goddard.

“A lean supply of available homes for sale willdrive prices up at the low end, but larger inventories and limited, lessattractive financing will cause continued softness at the high end,” saidAppleton-Young.  “There’s some indication that lenders will accelerate thenumber of foreclosures coming on market, further adding to the housing supply,but we do not anticipate that lenders will flood the market with distressedproperties,” she said.

“The wild cards for 2011 include federal housingpolicies, actions of underwater homeowners, and the strength of the economicrecovery,” said Appleton-Young.  “What is certain is that favorable homeprices and historically low interest rates will continue to make owning a homein California attractive for those who are in a position to buy,” she said.

We’re starting off the new month with some great news from Washington, DC today.

Late yesterday, President Obama signed a resolution that included a provision extending through fiscal year 2011 the current conforming loan limit of $729,750 for high-cost areas, including many areas in California. The same limits will also be extended to loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration.

Without the extension, which was set to expire at year’s end, FHA loan limits would have dropped by as much as 50 percent in some areas, and the conforming loan limit would have dropped by about 40 percent. Furthermore without the extension of the higher loan limits, many of California’s borrowers would have a harder time refinancing homes and obtaining financing for new home purchases. We hope Congress will now focus on making higher loan limits permanent.

C.A.R and the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR) have long advocated making permanent higher conforming loan limits. As a result of C.A.R.’s and NAR’s efforts, a provision of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 included temporarily raising the conforming loan limits from $417,000 to $729,750 in high-cost areas and extending the limits through 2009. Yesterday’s actions effectively extend the higher conforming loan limits for Fannie, Freddie, and FHA loans through Sept. 30, 2011.

Information received since the Federal Open MarketCommittee met in March suggests that economic activity has continued tostrengthen and that the labor market is beginning to improve. Growth inhousehold spending has picked up recently but remains constrained by highunemployment, modest income growth, lower housing wealth, and tight credit.Business spending on equipment and software has risen significantly; however,investment in nonresidential structures is declining and employers remainreluctant to add to payrolls. Housing starts have edged up but remain at adepressed level. While bank lending continues to contract, financial marketconditions remain supportive of economic growth. Although the pace of economicrecovery is likely to be moderate for a time, the Committee anticipates agradual return to higher levels of resource utilization in a context of pricestability.

With substantial resource slack continuing torestrain cost pressures and longer-term inflation expectations stable,inflation is likely to be subdued for some time.

The Committee will maintain the target range forthe federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and continues to anticipate that economic conditions, including low rates of resource utilization, subduedinflation trends, and stable inflation expectations, are likely to warrantexceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for an extended period. TheCommittee will continue to monitor the economic outlook and financialdevelopments and will employ its policy tools as necessary to promote economicrecovery and price stability.

In light of improved functioning of financialmarkets, the Federal Reserve has closed all but one of the special liquidityfacilities that it created to support markets during the crisis. The onlyremaining such program, the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility, isscheduled to close on June 30 for loans backed by new-issue commercial mortgage-backedsecurities; it closed on March 31 for loans backed by all other types ofcollateral.

Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke,Chairman; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; James Bullard; Elizabeth A. Duke;Donald L. Kohn; Sandra Pianalto; Eric S. Rosengren; Daniel K. Tarullo; andKevin M. Warsh. Voting against the policy action was Thomas M. Hoenig, whobelieved that continuing to express the expectation of exceptionally low levelsof the federal funds rate for an extended period was no longer warrantedbecause it could lead to a build-up of future imbalances and increase risks tolonger run macroeconomic and financial stability, while limiting theCommittee’s flexibility to begin raising rates modestly.