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5D REAL ESTATE/rtit C^rlone f ot Thursday, December 29, 2005 Beat winter blues with garden inspired decor Continued from page 4D For floral arrangement ideas, visit your favorite neighbor hood florist or craft store, such as Michaels. Home d6cor items with garden or floral themes can be found through catalogs and Web sites from a multitude of home furnish ings compames. • Sounds of the outdoors Our sense of hearing has a profound influence on our emotions. Whatever feelings your garden evokes — sooth ing, stimulating, relaxed or enei^ed — you can recreate that mood with sound. Recordings of nature soimds, from birdsong to wind moving through tall grass, are avail able from a variety of sources. includingAma20n.com, or the Web sites of your favorite music store. • Let there be natural lig^it Experts tell us lower levels of sunlight are the source of our “VWnter Blues.” Improve ments in home insulaticHi no longer make it necessary to block out the winter with heavy drapes, so consider making the most of the avail able sunlight by listening windows with breezy, bright window treatments. You can supplement nature’s light with lamps and bulbs that mimic sunlight. Prices can range fiom less than $20 for bulbs to more than $100 for a flooi* lamp Check out your local home improvement More protection needed from household fires Continued from page 4D tions. There are two types of incentives. One is economic, such as low-interest loans. The other is design alterna tives (also known as trade- ofis). In either case, the piu*- pose is to reduce the net cost of installing sprinklers. As an example, a developer might be able to install small er water mains and fewer hydrants if fire sprinklers are in place. Such cost reductions have proven effective in catch ing the attention and interest of some larger developers. Increased education efforts are also under way Within the past few years, fire protection organizations have teamed up with fire departments, the homebuild- ing industry and even manu facturers in an effort to edu cate homeowners on the need for greater protection in the home. As people are getting smarter about how and where to use fire sprinkler systems, they are also becom ing more knowledgeable about the materials they choose for their fire protection needs. At one time there were few choices when it came to fire sprinkler systems. But technology has changed that. BlazeMaster CPVC fire sprinkler systems, for exam ple, are made fix>m chlorinat ed polyvinji chloride (CTVC), a high-temperature, specialty material for use in file sprin kler pipe and fittings. Com pared to metal, BlazeMaster CPVC systems offer long term reliability because they are immune to the effects of pitting and corrosion. Approved for more applica tions than any other non- metaUic fire sprinkler system, BlazeMaster fire sprinkler Four simple reminders when creating the outdoor sanctuary of your dreams Continued from page 40 the time, there’s often a com mon reason why gardens incorporating these struc ture are more peaceful and serene than others. Location is Key Remember, one of the greatest assets of any garden structure is its architectural appeal, so make sure the site and size you choose are appropriate for its surroimdings. Consider attaching the structure to your home, usii^ it to shelter a path between the main house and an outbuilding, or simply frame the view of anoth^ landscape feature. Also, keep in mind the loca tion fix)m where the structure will be viewed. Will it be placed so it can be viewed finom the deck, porch, kitchen or dining nook? Where will you ei\joy it the most? These are all questions to consider when deciding on placement You may consider placing structures in the fix)nt yard as well, creating a unique look to the home’s exterior that enhances curb appeal and thus value. Remember, the exterior of your home is the face it presents to the world; it defines the mood and character of the home and reflects the desired unage. • Dimensions 101. Take special care when deciding the proportions of founda tional posts, hand railings or overhead canopy of the struc ture. For instance, a set of 4- by-4 inch posts would be ideal with 2-by-6 inch overhead boards, but not vice versa. Also, make sure the posts are vertically straight and even in heig^it, and ensure the ov^head canopy boards are level and evenly spaced in parallel to each oth^. Atten tion to detail is essential here. •Embrace the environ ment. There’s often a key reason why some yards are more peaceful and serene than oth ers. More than likely, the set ting incorporates designs and materials embracing the nat ural environment, thus creat ing an outdoor haven that is a harmonious blend of architec ture and natme. In fact, through a simple coordina tion of all-natural materials and stjdistically consistent additions gracefully creating a ‘balanced” environment that becomes a component of the larger natural order almost becomes second nature. • Keep it real. An easy approach to enhance and coordinate any landscape environment involves insert ing structures made of all natural materials. Western Red Cedar yard structures have been adding diaracter, balance and elegance to out door spaces for years. These beautiful structures age beautifully and provide a synchronized blend of natur al surroundings and architec ture with all-natural archi tectural materials. Western Red Cedar remains cme of the most widely favored and ver satile landscaping materials that easily lends itself to nat ural surroundings. Because of this, and its aesthetic appeal and physical proper ties, many people choose Western Red Cedar for out door applications. WTth a loi^ history of proven performance, cedar has been known for its «ccep- tional beauty, versatility and longevity for centuries. Since the first residents of the Pacific Northwest referred to Western Red Cedar as the “TVee of Life,” its legendary durability made cedar nature’s gift for building ocean-going canoes, post-and- beam houses, ceremonial dance masks and ancestral totem poles. WTth centuries of proven performance, its no wonder today’s discemii^ homeowners, landscapers and architects aroimd the world still ‘balance” their projects with this remarkable material. From a performance stand point, cedar does not require treatment wilh toxic chemi cals because it is naturally resistant to rot and insects, and its own natural preserva tives help protect it in harsh weather. In other words. Western Red Cedar is ulti mately more earth fiiendly and safer than other material alternatives. Ready to turn your yard into an “Outdoor Sanctuary?” WTth the right planning and all-natmal materials, you’ll be able to create a relaxing outdoor par adise that will become a wd- come respite fiom the hectic pace of everyday life. For more information on making yom outdoor sanctu ary a reality go to www.real- cedar.org or call (866) 778- 9096. Why read The PosiP FerOie links. The Post markets to the African American community, so I read it to learn of social activities and what is going on in general, it’s a way to stay in tune with the black community.” Frank Gil/nore, executive director Charlotte Business Huh Inc. Call (704) 376-0496 to link with news of importance to African Americans tirtje CTtjarlottc ^ojit Expand your horizons beyond the ordinary advertise, in The Post (704)376-0496 OWNING YOUR FUTURE Homeownership is a national priority. HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to increasing homeownership and dedicated to helping first-time buyers and minority families become homeowners. Each year, HUD programs and services help tens of thousands of families accomplish the dream of a life time: owning a home. Most likely, you’ll need to borrow money to buy a house. Getting a fair deal will help you to keep your home and boost your home equity wealth. Home equity is the part of the value of your home that belongs to you—the value of your house minus what you owe on the mortgage. Your goal is to get a loan that doesn’t include high fees or a high interest rate. With low fees and a low interest rate, you can pay down your debt more quickly and own more of your hou.se. Know Your Stuff In order to build and keep the wealth in your house, first be a savvy borrower. Savvy borrowers know their credit score. Some borrowers save thousands of dollars by improving their credit scores before taking out a loan. Borrowers who meet certain credit stan dards are eligible for "prime" loans with better inter est rates. Loans to borrowers who don’t meet tradi tional credit standards are known as "subprime" loans or "non-prime" loans. These loans generally cost more than prime loans. For more information, call 1 (800) 569-4287 or go to www.owningyourfuture.gov and select "Buying a Home." store, or a specialty Web site like www.fiUlspectrunisolu- tions.com. • Smell the roses and the lavender Scent is one of the easiest ways to bring the gaixlen inside your home this wintei: Simply visit your favorite supermarket and choose fiom a wide array of air fiosh- eners for a quick fix For longer-lasting aromatlierapy, considei* a tabletop automatic scent dispenser. Choose scents that will remind you of the outdoore witliout being oveipoweiing, such as laven der oi* strawbeiiy Bringing a garden smell to yom* wintei* home can cost as little as $2 or $3 for a basic air fioshenex, to more than $100 for a table- top scent dispenser. systems perfomi when it counts most^under fire condi tions—and they’ve been doing so for more than 20 years in the field. Light- wei^t, easy to install and more economical than metal lic systems, BlazeMaster (ITVC fire sprinkler systems are quickly becoming the product of choice for safety conscious homeowners. For more information on how you can best protect your family fiom a household fire, visit www.blazemaster.com. At home and in the neighborhood. Cl^arlottc $0lClt World OF RealEctate Realtors, Mortgage Funding, Investors, Contractors, and More! To join this page of ADVERTISERS Please call Your Personal Executive: Pat McNair ext. 106 • Jeri Thompson ext. 104 Sheryl Bradford ext 107 Eran Farrer-Nash ext. 113 OWNING YOUR FUTURE Homeownership is a national priority. HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to increasing homeownership and dedicated to helping first-time buyers and minority families become homeowners. Each year, HUD programs and services help tens of thousands of families accomplish the dream of a life time. owning a home. Most likely, you’ll need to borrow money to buy a house. Getting a fair deal will help you to keep your home and boost your home equity wealth. Home equity is the part of the value of your home that belongs to you—the value of your house minus what you owe on the mortgage. Your goal is to get a loan that doesn’t include high fees or a high interest rate. With low fees and a low interest rate, you can pay down your debt more quickly and own more of your hou.se. Watch You Wealth The wealth you accumulate in a house is no different than money in a checking or .savings account. Be as careful and attentive to your home equity as you would be to your bank account. Be cautious about refinancing or borrowing against your home equity. Remember, refinancing isn’t always a good idea. Don’t let someone sell you a loan you don’t need or can’t afford. Be wary of pitches like "NO CREDIT, NO PROBLEM" or random mail promising favor able mortgage rates. If it sounds too gorxl to be true, it probably is. For more information, call 1 (8(X)) 5694287 or go to www.owningyourfuture.gov and select "Buying a Home." mi mt
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 29, 2005, edition 1
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