Think your chili is hot?! Enter it in the Windham Community Garden Great Chili Cook-off and compete against the famous chilis of Windham and Southern Maine. If your chili reigns supreme you may be dubbed the coolest chili cooker ever!!
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If you have lost your power, and have no generator, there is an option for those of you who have a sump pump. This only works if you have a PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY.
As part of closing costs for both the seller and buyer is the State of Maine Transfer Tax. How can you calculate it?
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When selling your home, you will want prospective buyers to think that your closets are big enough for them and their clothes. It is imperative that your closets not be jammed to the rafters. I am sure that you have seen those decluttering shows where the person has gone from being unable to see into the closet to having a closet with clothes on hangers and neatly organized. How on earth did they go from a bazillion items to so little. Here are a couple of tricks that were used and that you can apply yourself.
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1. For the illusion of a larger room, use a color scheme that is light rather than bright or dark. Pastels, neutrals and white are all color possibilities.
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I have lived in Windham Me. for 17 years, and after this amazing weekend of community involvement, I realize that we made the right decision years ago. At that point, we did not realize how the decision would affect our family. The friends that our children made, the educators that they had the opportunities to interact with impacted the adults they are today.
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As a home owner for many years, it seems like old hat to get things around the house ready for winter. It just takes some time to do it. Since this past year was full of first time home buyers, I thought it might be helpful to share this list with you as a reminder. Drain and shut off outdoor water faucets. Have your heating system checked by a licensed heating/air-conditioning professional. Most furnace manufacturers recommend at least annual inspections. Caulk around window and door glass and trim. Install or replace weather stripping on all doors and windows. Mark your driveway with stakes...so you will know where to shovel and snow blow. Don't wait until the first snow storm to buy a shovel or two...and remember to pick up some sand or rock salt. If your shovels are in the shed....go get them right now and put them inside the house. If you need a roof rake - now is the time to buy one! OR get that heat tape in place on the roof. Pull in your wind chimes, lawn decor and lawn chairs ..or you might be disappointed in the spring when they are broken. Stock up on some batteries, flashlights and candles for potential power outages. Make a mental note to keep the path clear to your fuel tank, so you can get fuel deliveries in the winter. All in all, its common sense, take a Saturday and get it all done. Then sit back and know that you'll be ready for the snow!
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Energy Efficient Tax Tips Three Things You Need to Know About Home Improvements to Help Slash Energy Bills and 2010 Taxes Simple qualifying improvements include increasing insulation or insulating items such as door and windows, roofing, skylights, etc. These qualify for a 30 percent credit on the cost of the item, not installation, up to a maximum credit cap of $1,500. Certain big-ticket items have no maximum credit cap. The credit is still 30 percent of the cost of the item. These items include furnace, air conditioning, tankless water heater, heat pump, geothermal system, solar or wind installation. It’s a tax credit, not a deduction. That means it reduces the actual taxes you owe, not your taxable income. Use IRS Form 5695, and hang onto receipts and product labels. Don’t forget to check your state and local area for additional incentives. For more info on the federal tax credit, check out: EnergyStar.gov and NAHB.org/efficiencytaxcredit.
Here are some great deck ideas from Lowes!
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