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2016 Voted in the TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN FLORIDA

2015 Trulia TOP RANKED Real Estate Agent

Based on Client Reviews & Ratings!

Featured in January 2014 FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE

This prestigious award honors excellence among the top 1% of

agents in the country based on 2014 sales and client reviews.

10 Ways to Save on Gas

Looking to save some money at the pump? If fluctuating gas prices are tampering with your budget, use these suggestions from the experts at The Energy Voice to fuel up less and get your finances back on track.

1. Make the grade: Most cars run on regular, which is less expensive, but check the owner’s manual to be sure – using the wrong grade can have a negative impact on your fuel costs.

2. Drive smart: Limit aggressive breaking or acceleration, avoid speeding and idling, and be prepared with alternate routes to steer clear of gas-guzzling traffic.

3. Cruise along: Travel efficiently by keeping a constant speed when driving long distances.

4. Forgo air conditioning: Turning off the AC will save you a nice chunk of change when you don’t have to fill up as often.

5. Tune it: Maintain your car with regular oil changes and filter replacements to squeeze more mileage out of each gallon.

Check the tires: Low tire pressure affects fuel economy, so monitor your tires and fill them up if they fall below the recommended level.7. Lighten up: If you tend to haul a lot of junk in your car, consider removing it – unnecessary weight will add up to more money spent at the pump.
8. Go hybrid: When it’s time for a change, choose a hybrid or otherwise fuel-efficient vehicle to get the most out of every tank.

9. Choose what works: Alternatively, if you’re trading up to a new vehicle and don’t want to go hybrid, select a car that meets your driving needs in other ways. Smaller sedans work well on city streets, whereas diesel-engine trucks are better suited for towing.

10. Commute wisely: When you can, opt for public transit, carpooling or telecommuting to save you trips to gas station. Another benefit? You’ll conserve energy and lessen your carbon footprint.

Christine Cleek

ABR, CRS, SFR, E-Pro

Broker, Owner

Rising Star Real Estate

850-217-0990

2016 Voted in the TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN FLORIDA

2015 Trulia TOP RANKED Real Estate Agent

Based on Client Reviews & Ratings!

Featured in January 2014 FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE

This prestigious award honors excellence among the top 1% of

agents in the country based on 2014 sales and client reviews.

How to Sell Your House When You Own Pets

While almost 71 million Americans own a pet, when you’re viewing potential homes to buy, the last thing you want to see is a barking dog or finicky cat. Many homebuyers consider pets to be smelly, noisy and damaging, so it’s important to make sure that a pet isn’t the reason you don’t sell your home. If you’re a loyal pet owner and a home seller, use the following tips to create the illusion of a pet-free home.

The easiest thing to do is relocate your pet to a friend or family member’s home, or consider pet daycare when showing your home.
For those who choose to keep their pets inside the house during a home viewing, tuck them away in a carrier or kennel with a note attached warning buyers not to disturb them. The last thing you want is somebody sticking their hand inside and getting bit or scratched—especially a child who has come along for the look. Removing signs that you have a pet is simply smart practice and some easy steps can help. Make sure you clean the litter box daily and keep them out of sight. Nothing turns off buyers faster than opening the door to the laundry room and being greeted by a smelly litter box.
Also, keep all food and water dishes somewhere out of the way, or put them away after the pet eats.
Don’t forget about odors and stains. A good investment is hiring professionals to remove all pet stains on the carpet as buyers will spot them and quickly form unfavorable opinions about the rest of the home.

I can always recommend a good local cleaning/ carpet cleaning company. Give me a call and I’ll be happy to help!

Christine Cleek

ABR, CRS, SFR, E-Pro

Broker, Owner

Rising Star Real Estate

850-217-0990

2016 Voted in the TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN FLORIDA

2015 Trulia TOP RANKED Real Estate Agent

Based on Client Reviews & Ratings!

Featured in January 2014 FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE

This prestigious award honors excellence among the top 1% of

agents in the country based on 2014 sales and client reviews.

10 Houseplants That Can Actually Improve Your Health!

“some houseplants filter out dangerous compounds that are commonly found in most homes”

Adding a houseplant or two always seems to improve the look of a room. But as it turns out, certain houseplants can also improve your health. According to recent studies by NASA, some houseplants filter out dangerous compounds that are commonly found in most homes – the kind of compounds that are often associated with respiratory illnesses, cancer, and other conditions.

Because they are enclosed spaces, our homes are vulnerable to gaseous toxins that build up over time. These include:

Benzene – Caused by paints, detergents, and furniture wax
Formaldehyde – Caused by disinfectants or preservatives in consumer products
Toluene and Xylene – Caused by a variety of household and consumer products
Ammonia – Caused by commonly used aerosols and spray

But 10 NASA-approved houseplants are said to be effective in removing air pollutants:

English Ivy – A trailing ivy plant that requires partial shade and light weekly watering
Florist’s chrysanthemum – A lovely floral that needs direct light and frequent change of water
Peace Lily – Produces small, white flowers. Needs weekly watering. But consider carefully before buying, because this plant can be poisonous to house pets
Variegated snake plant – Has tall, broad, green and white leaves. Requires partial shade and weekly watering
Red-edged dracaena – Almost cactus-like in appearance, this plant needs direct sunlight and weekly watering
Cornstalk dracaena – Produces cornstalk-type leaves. Wants partial shade and weekly watering
Broadleaf lady palm – Fern-like plant that likes partial shade and weekly watering
Flamingo lily – Also known as anthurium, this plant produces shiny red flowers and requires partial shade and weekly watering
Devil’s ivy – Produces luxurious ivy leaves, likes partial shade, and needs only monthly watering
Lilyturf – Produces purple flowers. Requires partial shade and weekly watering

Take note: Water lightly in most cases, as over-watering can cause root rot and kill the plant. In some cases, its best to use a mister.

Christine Cleek

ABR, CRS, SFR, E-Pro

Broker, Owner

Rising Star Real Estate

850-217-0990

2016 Voted in the TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN FLORIDA

2015 Trulia TOP RANKED Real Estate Agent

Based on Client Reviews & Ratings!

Featured in January 2014 FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE

This prestigious award honors excellence among the top 1% of

agents in the country based on 2014 sales and client reviews.

Decoding Teen Talk: What All Those Acronyms Really Mean

Decoding Teen Talk: What All Those Acronyms Really Mean

Teens these days use social media-friendly acronyms and abbreviations to communicate with their peers—and from the perspective of an adult, a lot can get lost in translation. What does all that hip lingo really mean?

ASKfm, a social Q&A network, recently answered that question with the release of their Teen Slang Dictionary. Some of the most popular terms decoded include:

Dime – Refers to the best, or something highest on a scale of 1 to 10
GOAT – Refers to “greatest of all time”
IDEK – “I don’t even know.”
IKR – “I know, right?”
OOTD – Refers to “outfit of the day”
PAP – “Post a picture.”
Savage – Refers to something as positively extreme or hardcore
Ship – Short for “relationship”
TBR – “To be rude…”

If you knew the real meanings behind these shortcuts, congratulations—you’re ahead of the curve! And if you didn’t, take heart. Most adults, says ASKfm, are in the dark when it comes to teen talk. Now you know!

Source: ASKfm

Christine Cleek

ABR, CRS, SFR, E-Pro

Broker, Owner

Rising Star Real Estate

850-217-0990

2016 Voted in the TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN FLORIDA

2015 Trulia TOP RANKED Real Estate Agent

Based on Client Reviews & Ratings!

Featured in January 2014 FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE

This prestigious award honors excellence among the top 1% of

agents in the country based on 2014 sales and client reviews.

How To Survive Living Onsite During a Home Renovation

Congratulations! You’ve made the commitment to upgrade or renovate your home. You’ve hired the best certified and verified construction professionals available. Now comes the most challenging part of all – living in the messy chaos of a construction zone day in and day out.

Don’t worry! We’ve got some great tips to help you get through these trying days of sawdust, clutter and noise.

Prepare with Pre-Construction Meetings
Communication is the key to working with your general contractor and any subcontractors, architects, designers, etc. Clearly outline your expectations, wishes and concerns upfront. They can point out any areas of concern that could hinder your original design, like structural issues, electrical problems, plumbing concerns, etc. Together, you can adjust your plans before the hammer meets the first nail.

Also, confirm that everyone agrees on budgets. Surprises happen. So, go ahead and talk about scenarios that could impact costs, so that your professionals can get an idea of where you’re open to splurging on some things, and where you may choose to save others. Throughout the construction process, all major issues that will impact the budget should be approved by you before any work moves forward.

Plan Alternatives for Daily Life

When temporarily moving out of the space isn’t a possibility, be ready to relocate the spaces within your home. For example, if you’re renovating your kitchen, you may make your bedroom a makeshift cooking and pantry station with a microwave on your dresser and a portable refrigerator as your nightstand. If you’re renovating your bathroom, you might have to take your shower at the gym or at a friend’s house.

Set Expectations for the Crew

Establish daily schedules and communicate house rules up front. One suggestion is to designate a different “crew” entryway into the house. This will help keep the construction mess to a minimum, as well as reduce interruptions to workflow. If you will be away during the times that the crew must come and go, work directly with your main contractor to arrange secure entrance into your home. Do not freely give your keys and alarm codes to the entire crew.

Minimize the Mess with Plastic and Tape

Inevitably, your furniture, floors, ceiling fans and even air-ducts, will be covered with several inches of drywall dust, insulation, sawdust and more. Do yourself a favor and invest in plenty of plastic sheets and painter’s tape. You can section off the construction zone from the rest of your house to help keep your other living spaces as comfortable as possible.

Be Flexible and Patient, and Remember the Goal

Most likely you will encounter obstacles or surprises that cause delays to your timeline and/or changes the way you envisioned the final reveal. For instance, receiving damaged product, uncovering code violations, obtaining required permits or adjusting to budget restraints may impact your project. During these stressful times when you think you might lose your mind, take a minute to remember why you started the project in the first place. In the end, all of the struggles will be worth it!

Check Your Crew’s Clean-Up Plan

Ask your general contractor about his/her crew’s cleanup plan. You should expect them to clean up as they go, as well as performing one big sweep and wipe down of their work area at the end of each work day. On the other side of the plastic wall – where you’re tucked away from the home renovation projects – apply the same practice of wiping down furniture and sweeping floors everyday. Even the walls will start to collect inches of construction debris.

Renovation projects can certainly test our patience and stamina but ending up with your ideal home is usually worth it. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying a brand new living space!

Christine Cleek

ABR, CRS, SFR, E-Pro

Broker, Owner

Rising Star Real Estate

850-217-0990

2016 Voted in the TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN FLORIDA

2015 Trulia TOP RANKED Real Estate Agent

Based on Client Reviews & Ratings!

Featured in January 2014 FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE

This prestigious award honors excellence among the top 1% of

agents in the country based on 2014 sales and client reviews.