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Sept. News Letter

David Burke Tel: 760-250-2570 September 2014 Hi Lauren Welcome to this month's edition of the RealtyRave newsletter. We hope that you find it filled with interesting and useful information! Please think of me with any real estate related questions you may have - now and in the future. It would be my pleasure to be of assistance to you. The single highest and best compliment a Real Estate Professional can receive is a referral to friends, family or colleagues. As appropriate, please feel free to forward this Newsletter and/or my contact information. Thank you! David Burke HEALTH & SAFETY Personalize your health and wellness to help meet your goals (BPT) - When it comes to heath and wellness, nearly 73 percent of Americans are trying to take better care of their health today than just a few years ago, yet 49 percent find that other things take priority. However, experts say the more you customize your wellness plan for your personal needs and style, the more likely you’ll support your fitness and health goals. Here are some tips for creating a custom plan to get fit and feel fabulous.  Stay hydrated. One of the most important aspects of healthy physical activity is proper hydration. Drinking fluids before, during and after physical activity is vital to provide your body the fluids it needs to perform properly, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Instead of bringing money for the soda machine or coffee shop, bring fresh, ice cold water or caffeine-free liquids with you in an insulated, reusable container. Need help tracking your water intake? There are water bottles and apps that can calculate and track your personal hydration needs. Opt for healthier, whole, portable foods. Do your body a favor and hit the farmers market or head to your grocer’s produce section to stock up on apples, bananas and berries, as well as veggies like carrots and broccoli to cut up and take with you. When purchasing other snack products, look for foods made with no artificial colors, flavors, colors, sweeteners or GMO-added ingredients, and opt instead for items made with whole grains, fiber and protein.     Get proper sports nutrition. While eating healthfully is key, 90 percent of Americans don’t meet the recommended daily intake for vitamins and minerals from food consumption alone, according to a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, so sports nutrition supplements can help fill the gaps and help your body perform at its best. Personalize your physical fitness. Functional training and small group fitness are on-trend right now. This more personalized style of training helps you customize workouts based on your current level of strength and endurance and help prevent injury versus big group, one-size-fits-all training. Technology can help. If scheduling fitness into your day sounds impossible, try letting your phone or computer remind you to stretch or get up from your desk. Create a custom playlist to help motivate you and vary your exercises to avoid becoming bored with your workout. Or use wearable fitness technology to track your wellness goals. Get plenty of sleep. Your body needs sufficient rest to recuperate from your day and refresh its energy for the next. So go ahead and enjoy gazing at the stars – but be sure to get to bed on time, so you’re in tip-top shape for tomorrow. HELPFUL HINTS Find relief from occasional allergy symptoms this fall (BPT) - Fall’s arrival brings fun family activities such as pumpkin picking, football watching and Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, it can also bring unwanted allergy and sinus symptoms. Fall allergy and sinus symptoms can be unpredictable and can be triggered by a variety of environmental factors including weeds, mold or even indoor allergens. While these triggers cannot be completely removed from your environment, there are simple precautions you can take to help reduce your exposure to common allergens and treat your symptoms: Check the pollen count. Go to a weather website – or download an app – that provides the most up-to-date pollen and mold counts for your area. If the pollen or mold level is high, be sure to plan accordingly. Delay apple picking and other outdoor activities until later in the day when pollen counts are typically lower. Mask on, rake off. Make sure leaves are removed from your yards and gutters. If you remove them yourself, wear a mask to avoid breathing in mold spores. Prepare for travel. With the busy holiday travel season coming, make sure you plan ahead by packing your own allergy-proof pillow or mattress casing to protect against dust mites. At hotels, request a room that is non-smoking and mold-free. Clean allergen-ridden areas inside. It is important to clean the areas in which allergens collect – including floors, ceiling fans, blinds, furniture, refrigerators, carpets, bedding, and pillows. With bedding, make sure to wash it in hot water every week. Keep your pets clean. When pets are indoors more often, the exposure to pet dander escalates, leading to a corresponding surge in allergy symptoms.  Bathe your pet and vacuum your house regularly with a vacuum cleaner with high suction power and filtration. Take an as-needed over-the-counter medication. Stock up on an over-the-counter medication that can treat your specific symptoms. Don’t let an “allergy day” or “allergy night” get in the way of enjoying time with your family and friends this fall. Take the precautions necessary so you can enjoy everything the harvest has to offer. RECIPE OF THE MONTH Marinated Grilled Shrimp Ingredients: Makes 6 servings  3 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup olive oil 1/4 cup tomato sauce 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined skewers Directions: In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice. Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade. Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.      View my website  Email me  View Featured Listings  Property Search   Compliments of: David Burke Re/Max Consultants 47170 Washington Street La Quinta, CA 92253 Tel: 760-250-2570 Cell: 760-250-2570 Fax: 800-774-5902 David@LaQuintaRE.com e-Pro Household Tips Corroded Battery A strong solution of baking soda and water can be used to scrub battery terminal to prevent corrosion.   Garage Parking If your garage wall has been bumped when parking your car, try laying a large board or railroad tie in front of the tires. Ease your car into the garage until the front tires touch the board.   Parking Trick When parallel parking in front of a store, look in the reflection of the store's window to see how much room is left between your car and the one behind you when backing up.   Bug Remover Nylon net makes an ideal bug remover to grille and windshield of cars.   Driving Shoes Dripping oil and grime from floor mats of cars can ruin the heels of many shoes. Keep an old pair of driving in your car.   Solid Foundation For Changing Tires To insure having a solid foundation for the tire jack in an emergency, keep a couple of short boards in your trunk. DID YOU KNOW?"Did you know" Fun Facts: Did you know the only continent with no active volcanoes is Australia Did you know the longest street in the world is Yonge street in Toronto Canada measuring 1,896 km (1,178 miles) Did you know about 90% of the worlds population kisses Did you know Coca-Cola originally contained cocaine Did you know in every episode of Seinfeld there is a reference to Superman Did you know the Internet was originally called ARPANet (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) designed by the US department of defense Did you know sound travels almost 5 times faster underwater than in air Did you know toilets use 35% of indoor water use Did you know the fortune cookie was invented in San Francisco About Us Whether you are looking to buy or sell, we are here to assist you in accomplishing your real estate dreams. Burke and Associates has been awarded the "Top Listing Agent, 2011, and 2012" by Keller Williams Realty. Call today and let us put our tools, techniques and skills to work for you! Also, be sure to ask us about our monthly specials for our new construction developments! P.S. Referrals are the highest compliment a sales professional can receive from a client. Please pass my name around to your friends, family, and acquaintances so that I can provide them with the best real estate experience possible!   If you wish to unsubscribe to this newsletter, please click here

Home Buyers Can WIN up to $5000!!

Remind your clients and contacts to register for #therighthome Sweepstakes by Thursday, Sept. 18.
The winner takes home $5,000 while their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital also receives a $5,000 donation in the winner’s name. It's a great way to give and receive.

The sweepstakes is sponsored by RE/MAX and Scripps Networks. To enter, your clients should visitwww.hgtv.com/therighthome and submit their name, address, birthday and email – that’s it!

More than 100,000 entries have been received so far. That's fantastic visibility for you as a RE/MAX Associate and the contest is an easy way for your clients to add to their down payment.

Make sure your contacts don't miss this opportunity to win for themselves and for sick children at their local CMN Hospital. Use #therighthome hashtag as you promote the sweepstakes in your social media posts. 
Visit the sweepstakes website for complete contest rules and details.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and D.C., age 21 or older. Void in Alaska, Hawaii and where prohibited. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Sweepstakes starts at 9:00 a.m. on August 18, 2014, and ends at 5:00 p.m. ET on September 18, 2014. For full official rules, visit www.hgtv.com/therighthome. Sponsored by Scripps Networks, LLC dba Home & Garden Television, 9721 Sherrill Boulevard, Knoxville, Tennessee 37932.

September Real Estate Updates, RED FLAGS for home buyers

Red Flags for Homebuyers Home buying season is upon us, and while some buyers get caught up in the emotions of finding their new home, an important part of buying a home is paying attention to red flags. Red flags are those items that could potentially cost you a lot in the future, or even in the beginning - essentially, warnings of a danger or a problem. According to HouseMaster, a major home inspection company with offices in the United States and Canada, 40 percent of previously owned homes have at least one serious defect (housemaster.com). Provided is a list of items and things to consider or avoid when looking for your next home. 1. You're also buying a neighborhood: Neighborhoods are a vital part of the home buying process - make sure you visit at different times of the day to get a true sense of the neighborhood. Also, consider trends when looking for your next home. Does the neighborhood have an HOA? Are the homes in need of repair? Is the neighborhood going down rather than up-and-coming? What is local crime like? A neighborhood can be the most obvious red flag for a buyer. 2. Fixers: Fixers can be great deals, but it's important to know how much you're getting into when you buy a fixer. Do you have a comfortable level with renovations? Are renovations going to make the purchase not economical? Will they break your bank? If a fixer will cost you more in renovations than your budget can handle, or go above what the home is worth, it's a potential red flag. 3. Issues with a Home Inspection: A home inspection is not required to buy a house, but it is always recommended, as an inspection can shed light on potential red flags. All offers should be contingent upon a satisfactory home inspection - if there are issues, you can potentially negotiate with the seller. Also, some issues can prevent financing for a mortgage. Always get a home inspection, and be wary of homes being sold "as is." 4. Additions and Decks: Are there additions to the home or property? Do they look like a DIY job? Any work should be done to code, especially when it comes to remodeling. Additions that are not done to code can be expensive to fix, and they can potentially lower the value of the home. If work has been done, you can contact the county or city for work permits and check if the city tax records match what the seller claims. If a home has a deck, ask the seller who built the deck and when it was built. Decks are notorious for being costly to fix or repair, and there's potential that it will have to be rebuilt to be fully safe. An unsafe deck, or one that just doesn't look right, is a definite red flag. 5. Noticeable Structural Problems: Always check doors and windows to make sure they open and close without issue, as they can be indicators of structural issues below the house. Foundation issues can be very expensive; look for large, noticeable cracks on the outside of the house and any cracks in concrete floors where the sides are not even. Foundation fixes generally cost thousands to fix - unless you have a large budget for repair work, avoid this big red flag. 6. Pest and Termite Damage: Pest damage to homes can be very costly. If the pests have chewed into any studs, the structure of the home is compromised and can be expensive to fix. If a home has been inspected and treated for pests in the past, the seller needs to disclose this to a buyer. Some pest issues will return without proper treatment and management; be sure to ask the seller if they have had pest issues in the past. 7. Water Damage: When walking through a property, look for moisture or water stains. With a proper home inspection, the inspector will look under the house for potential water issues. Moisture and water can be signs of drainage issues and can lead to some very expensive fixes. Water issues are a huge red flag when it comes to finding a home - they can affect the foundation, structure, roof, and a number of other areas in a house. 8. Faulty Electric and Old Wiring: Is the home an older home with outdated electrical? Be very wary of a home with faulty or inferior electrical work. Older homes with outdated electrical cannot handle additional electrical work that builds up over the years, and knob and tube wiring or aluminum wiring found in older homes can be extremely costly to replace or repair. 9. Asbestos: Asbestos was used as an inexpensive fire-retardant material from the 1940s through the 1970s. We now know that asbestos can be extremely detrimental to lung health. Asbestos was used in blown-in attic insulation, vinyl floor tiles, some glues and linoleum, window caulking and glazing, roofing material, HVAC duct insulation, siding material, plaster, fiber cement siding, some forms of paint, and thermal insulation on basement boilers and pipes. Asbestos is as much a red flag as mold. 10. Mold: Mold is a part of the natural environment, and molds begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. Molds are a health hazard to humans; some molds produce mycotoxins - toxic compounds - that can lead to neurological problems or worse. Both asbestos and mold are huge red flags when found in a home, not only for health reasons, but also both are notorious for being extremely costly to eliminate. Asbestos and mold are two issues that should always be addressed by trained professionals to insure the issues have been properly treated and disposed of. Buying a home is an emotional process: red flags are a way to take a step back and take a moment to truly evaluate a house. The last thing you want to do, as a homebuyer, is buy something you'll end up hating or regretting. A house is a huge commitment, and making sure you get the most for your money is always top priority. Your family and your agent can both help you when it comes to discussing your dream home - you're not alone. Back To Top

David Burke Phone Number Direct: 760-250-2570 Mobile Phone: 760-250-2570 Office Fax: 800-774-5902 License Number 01426860 Email Address David@LaQuintaRE.com Web Site www.davidburke.remaxagent.com Mobile Search davidburke.m.remaxagent.com Mailing Address RE/MAX Consultants 47170 Washington Street La Quinta