Did you enjoy making paper airplanes in school? Competing with your friends to see which plane would fly the furthest? Kids today still enjoy making and flying paper airplanes across classrooms, playgrounds and living rooms. To enhance interest in flight, our local Olympic Flight Museum is hosting a spectacular event called “Paper Airplane Flight School.”
The event will be held on Saturday, February 19th from 1-3:30 p.m. at the Olympic Flight Museum, Olympia Regional Airport, 7637-A Old Highway 99 SE, Tumwater. Participants will enjoy professional instruction, construction materials and a snack. The cost for Flight School Participants is $7.00; $5.00 for spectators and general admission.
This hands-on experience will introduce the excitement of paper airplane folding and include a friendly competition. “From the simplest folded paper airplanes to the ‘cutting edge’ in paper airplane technology, you'll learn the basics of aircraft pitch, roll, and yaw! Enter your creations in the Distance and Spot Landing Contests and compete for awesome prizes!” For more information visit http://www.Olympicflightmuseum.com for more information.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Home Foreclosures Up or Down?
Yesterday, a news story today reported “U.S. home foreclosures jumped 12 percent in January 2011 over the month of December 2010.” The implication one could take away is that foreclosures are sharply on the rise. However, December is historically a very slow time for foreclosures. So a 12 percent increase from a smaller number is not a big jump in terms of real numbers.
Perhaps a more important stat compares this January to last. That is a more "apples to apples" comparison and shows a significant drop. According to the real estate data firm RealtyTrac, foreclosures fell 11 percent in January 2011 from January 2010. While Washington’s housing market still faces challenges, it remains healthier than the hardest hit parts of the country. California, Florida, Michigan, Illinois and Arizona have more than half of all foreclosure filings.
To read a related story, please visit: http://cnbc.com/id/41505006.
Perhaps a more important stat compares this January to last. That is a more "apples to apples" comparison and shows a significant drop. According to the real estate data firm RealtyTrac, foreclosures fell 11 percent in January 2011 from January 2010. While Washington’s housing market still faces challenges, it remains healthier than the hardest hit parts of the country. California, Florida, Michigan, Illinois and Arizona have more than half of all foreclosure filings.
To read a related story, please visit: http://cnbc.com/id/41505006.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Helping Hands
If you know a woman currently undergoing chemotherapy, please let her know there is an inspirational service that provides FREE housecleaning - once per month for 4 months while she is in treatment.
There may be a family member, friend or colleague who would find this service a true blessing. Please join us in spreading the word about this caring service: Cleaning for a Reason can be reached at http://www.cleaningforareason.org/
To receive assistance, the patient will need to sign up and have her doctor provide a note confirming treatment. "Cleaning for a Reason" will have a participating cleaning service in her zip code area arrange the cleaning. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women.
There may be a family member, friend or colleague who would find this service a true blessing. Please join us in spreading the word about this caring service: Cleaning for a Reason can be reached at http://www.cleaningforareason.org/
To receive assistance, the patient will need to sign up and have her doctor provide a note confirming treatment. "Cleaning for a Reason" will have a participating cleaning service in her zip code area arrange the cleaning. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
What is a Tag?
You may have noticed something new on the front page of our Buyer’s Guide, on our property brochures, and in other print media. They are called Tags, and otherwise known as QR (Quick Response) codes.
If you are a smart phone user you may already be familiar and using these. A tag will connect you to information, videos, websites and more via your smart phone. For example, scanning a Tag like the one above may open a web site, download contact information, receive a message, or dial a phone number.
A tag reader may be downloaded to your phone for free. Using the Microsoft Tag Reader app on the smart phone you can immediately access information about any Tagged item.
To get the Tag Reader visit http://gettag.mobi/ on your mobile phone browser.
To scan a Tag, use your phone to center the tag in the viewfinder. For best results, make sure the Tag is clearly visible, without being shadowed or reflecting light. If you encounter lighting difficulties, reposition the phone. You can forget about typing long web addresses in your mobile browser and instead scan Tags to quickly access information. Microsoft Tag can be used virtually everywhere in the world.
Have fun. Enjoy seeing videos of listed homes indicated with Tags in our Buyer’s Guide and in our other print materials.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Have you inspected your home lately?
An important part of homeownership is maintenance. As we begin a new year, the following check-list provides insight into maintaining your investment. These maintenance tips were compiled from the National Realtors Association with input from local experts Sunset Air and Reliable Electric.
Furnace Filters, Change Monthly: Clogged filters decrease furnace efficiency and can cause breakdowns. “When filters get very dirty or even plugged they cause a high static pressure that will decrease air flow through your home heating system. The reduced air flow can force your furnace or heat pump to overheat and trip out on a high limit. This can be a dangerous situation and potentially damage your equipment. On top of that the heat you are paying to produce is not allowed to get into your home thus raising your utility costs. Keeping your filters clean is an easy and inexpensive way to ensure proper and efficient operation of your system.” Brian Fleutsch, President, Sunset Air.
Test and Clean Electrical Components: “Turn circuit off and clean your electric heaters with compressed air or vacuum every year. Push the test and reset buttons on your GFCI receptacles every 6 months, if a GFCI fails to trip or reset contact a qualified electrician. Test all smoke detectors and replace the batteries every year. If a circuit breaker continually trips for no apparent reason, contact a qualified electrician.” Dan Meconi at Reliable Electric, Inc.
Water Heater, Drain At Least Once A Year: Draining your tank will carry away sediments along with the water. Removing these sediments can prolong the life of the heater.
Baseboard Heating, Clean the Coils: If you have baseboard heating units that use hot water, clear dust from the coils inside the units to maximize heating efficiency. Clean dust whenever you see it accumulating. If you have a hot water boiler/furnace, you should also oil the pump inside the furnace twice a year. Look for the three spots on the pump designated for oiling.
Check for Drips and Leaks: Look under sinks periodically to check for leaks or water stains that might indicate leaks. Catching a small problem early can prevent water damage. Use a plunger to clean out sinks and tubs whenever water doesn’t drain normally.
Keep Water Out: Water can be a major enemy of your house and we get plenty of it here in the Pacific Northwest. Check each season for signs of water damage to your home. Flashing, the metal pieces used to seal the areas between roofs and chimneys and around doors and windows, are especially vulnerable to damage by wind or age. Loose flashing can let water seep under a roof or inside walls, which in turn can cause mold.
Inspect Your Home’s Foundation: Check your home’s foundation for cracks or gaps that could let in water or animals. Also look at the ground around your house. As homes age, they often sink slightly below the surrounding ground. Settling can let water puddle against the foundation and possibly damage it. Doing major landscaping work also can cause changes to the ground’s pitch that may lead to water flowing toward the house instead of away from the foundation.
Chimneys. In the Northwest, chimneys take a great deal of weather abuse. Visually inspect your chimney each year for signs of loose mortar or loose or missing bricks. Have the insides of chimneys cleaned every two to three years.
Furnace Filters, Change Monthly: Clogged filters decrease furnace efficiency and can cause breakdowns. “When filters get very dirty or even plugged they cause a high static pressure that will decrease air flow through your home heating system. The reduced air flow can force your furnace or heat pump to overheat and trip out on a high limit. This can be a dangerous situation and potentially damage your equipment. On top of that the heat you are paying to produce is not allowed to get into your home thus raising your utility costs. Keeping your filters clean is an easy and inexpensive way to ensure proper and efficient operation of your system.” Brian Fleutsch, President, Sunset Air.
Test and Clean Electrical Components: “Turn circuit off and clean your electric heaters with compressed air or vacuum every year. Push the test and reset buttons on your GFCI receptacles every 6 months, if a GFCI fails to trip or reset contact a qualified electrician. Test all smoke detectors and replace the batteries every year. If a circuit breaker continually trips for no apparent reason, contact a qualified electrician.” Dan Meconi at Reliable Electric, Inc.
Water Heater, Drain At Least Once A Year: Draining your tank will carry away sediments along with the water. Removing these sediments can prolong the life of the heater.
Baseboard Heating, Clean the Coils: If you have baseboard heating units that use hot water, clear dust from the coils inside the units to maximize heating efficiency. Clean dust whenever you see it accumulating. If you have a hot water boiler/furnace, you should also oil the pump inside the furnace twice a year. Look for the three spots on the pump designated for oiling.
Check for Drips and Leaks: Look under sinks periodically to check for leaks or water stains that might indicate leaks. Catching a small problem early can prevent water damage. Use a plunger to clean out sinks and tubs whenever water doesn’t drain normally.
Keep Water Out: Water can be a major enemy of your house and we get plenty of it here in the Pacific Northwest. Check each season for signs of water damage to your home. Flashing, the metal pieces used to seal the areas between roofs and chimneys and around doors and windows, are especially vulnerable to damage by wind or age. Loose flashing can let water seep under a roof or inside walls, which in turn can cause mold.
Inspect Your Home’s Foundation: Check your home’s foundation for cracks or gaps that could let in water or animals. Also look at the ground around your house. As homes age, they often sink slightly below the surrounding ground. Settling can let water puddle against the foundation and possibly damage it. Doing major landscaping work also can cause changes to the ground’s pitch that may lead to water flowing toward the house instead of away from the foundation.
Chimneys. In the Northwest, chimneys take a great deal of weather abuse. Visually inspect your chimney each year for signs of loose mortar or loose or missing bricks. Have the insides of chimneys cleaned every two to three years.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Land Use Regulations Hearing Tonight
Thurston County will consider interim prairie regulations at a public hearing tonight, which begins at 5:30 p.m. in Room 152, Building 1 of the Thurston County Courthouse. For more information please read The Olympian article on the subject at http://www.theolympian.com/southsound.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tacoma Home and Garden Show
Is your new year’s resolution to remodel your home? Update a tired room? Freshen your yard or garden to improve your curb appeal? Or simply to add the latest and greatest appliance to your kitchen? If so, the 28th Tacoma Home and Garden Show is a great place to start. The Tacoma Home and Garden Show is Washington’s largest combined home and garden event and will be held in the Tacoma Dome from January 26th-30th. Event visitors will find a huge range of products and services by over 1,000 exhibitors--providing a "one-stop" shopping and information-gathering experience for show goers. For additional information and discount coupons visit http://otshows.com/shows/ths/attendees/show_information.htm
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