Every month brings home maintenance projects to keep your home in tip-top shape.  Here’s what you need to do in July to keep your home beautiful for years to come!

• If you have an asphalt driveway, patch it or fill holes with gravel. 
• If you have a concrete driveway, determine if you need a new apron or driveway poured.
• Check fences.  Repair or replace damaged portions.
• Have septic tank pumped if you have a septic system.

Do you have any tips to make these home maintenance projects easier?  We’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Today, and every day, we are so thankful to have friends, family, and clients entrust us with their real estate needs.  It is truly a pleasure to assist each and every one of our past and present clients.  We couldn’t do it without you!

To show our appreciation, The Snyder Team invites you to A Holiday Gathering at Krueger’s Christmas Trees!  Please join us for an afternoon of winter fun with free cider, hayrides, and a visit from Santa Clause.  The event will be held Sunday, December 5th from 1:00-5:00pm.  To learn more about Krueger’s Christmas Trees, click here.  We hope to see you then!

Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

With thankful hearts,

The Snyder Team

Forbes recently named Minneapolis-St. Paul the most relaxed city in the United States.  To come up with America’s Most Relaxed Cities, they looked at the 40 metropolitan statistical areas and then measured them on six factors.  The study looked at unemployment, commuting hours, work hours, access to health care, health rating, and exercise levels.

The study found some very interesting statistics.  Fewer than 5% workers in the Twin Cities find themselves stuck in traffic in the morning.  84% of the Minneapolis-St. Paul population reported recent exercise.  That was the highest of any city surveyed. 

Rounding out the top three of America’s Most Relaxed Cities, was Milwaukee at #2 and Boston at #3.  To learn more about why Minneapolis-St. Paul  is the most relaxed city or to see the entire list, click here.

~Information from Forbes.com and Yahoo Real Estate~

Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn are in town to volunteer and raise funds for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.  This week 26 homes will be built, rehabbed, or remodeled on behalf of the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project 2010.  The work is being done on 12 homes in Minneapolis and 14 homes in St. Paul.

Habitat for Humanity offers opportunities for thousands of people and organizations to take action in support of affordable housing in the Twin Cities.  The organization has a Homeownership program, a home preservation program called A Brush with Kindness, and a mortgage foreclosure prevention program.  Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity will assist over 900 families this year alone achieve and keep their homeownership dreams.

To learn more about the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project 2010 or Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity visit www.tchabitat.org. 

We’re proud supporters of Children’s Miracle Network and we hope you’ll consider eating some pancakes for a wonderful cause!

For more information about IHOP’s National Pancake Day Celebration click here.  To learn more about Children’s Miracle Network click here.

Where do you think the real estate market is heading in the Twin Cities?

The National Association of Home Builders also reported on their housing market index.  After two months of decline, the index was raised two points to 17 for February.

Mortgage rates under 5% and a lower unemployment rate in January likely contributed to the increased activity.  The government stimulus plan allowing for home buying tax credits have also been a factor.

*Information from MSNBC and CNN.*

There are 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in the Residence.

The White House requires 570 gallons of paint to cover its outside surface.

For recreation, the White House has a variety of facilities available to its residents, including a tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theater, and bowling lane.

With five full-time chefs, the White House kitchen is able to serve dinner to as many as 140 guests and hors d’oeuvres to more than 1,000.

It is also the only private residence of a head of state that is open to the public, free of charge.

*Information from www.whitehouse.gov*

1.  Choose the right type of paint.  Latex, or water based paint, is the most common as it dries the fastest, emits fewer fumes, and allows for easier clean-up.  Alkyd, or oil based paint, is suggested for interior based jobs that have more than three layers of paint.  Consider mildew and mold resistant paints when working in kitchens or bathrooms.

2.  Choose the right finish.  Flat paint will conceal surface imperfections better.  Semi gloss and high gloss paints wipe clean easier.  Eggshell paint gives more depth and warmth.

3.  Choose the right tools.  All you need is a roller, a tray, and a few brushes for trim work.  These are the most practical tools for interior jobs.

4.  Prepare the surface.  Remove everything from the walls and clean with a bit of detergent.  When dry patch holes with spackle, let dry, and then sand with a fine grade paper to a smooth surface.   Make sure to sand any glossy surface well.

5.  Protect the surface.  Use painter’s tape to cover edges and make sure other items like hardware are covered.  Keep around a damp cloth and paper towels for any drips.

6.  Preparation will make clean-up easier.  Rub hand lotion on hands and arms before painting.  This will make washing easier when you’re done.  Line your paint tray with foil or plastic wrap.  And make sure to have turpentine or paint thinner handy if you are using oil based paints.  If you need to stop for a short period instead of cleaning your brushes, seal them into a plastic bag or wrap them with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

7.  Always prime before painting.  This will ensure a better quality paint job.  Have the primer tinted as well.  You’ll need fewer coats this way, and any blemishes will be covered more thoroughly.

8.  Painting.  When using a brush, dip the bristles of the paint about halfway into the paint and then tap the brush against the edge to remove any excess. Hold the handle at the base and press gently so that the bristles flex slightly. Brush in both directions to avoid any streaking.  Dip the roller into the paint so that it is well covered, but not saturated. Roll the roller over the ridges of the pan to ensure that it will spread the paint smoothly.

*Info from from Darcy Logan and doityourself.com*