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MilitaryByOwner Advertising. Inc.
Newsletter
May 2010
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Letter from the Editor
The month of May is one of gratitude and remembrance, so it is only natural that with Military Spouse Appreciation Day, Mother's Day and Memorial Day we would choose to focus on the amazing people that make these holidays important ones to celebrate!
Thank you to all of the military spouses that gallantly hold down the home front while our loved ones focus on the mission at hand. To all of the mothers that sacrifice their own dreams to help make the dreams of their children come true, to our military members who defend the freedom of this great nation and to those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice, we sincerely thank you!
We have fantastic features this month that highlight something for each one of the stars we celebrate this month. Please take a look at our two featured sites this month. Both of them are inspiring and heartwarming efforts to honor our military.
We also have a great Military Life article for moms that are getting ready to PCS and are looking for ways to make their new duty station home for themselves and their children.
There is no doubt that military families all over the country are frantically preparing for their upcoming move and we want to thank those that have chosen to use MilitaryByOwner.com for all of your housing needs!
With over 85% of our staff being
military spouses, retired military or military dependents, we have the
knowledge and experience that comes with frequent relocation. So please feel free to contact our friendly
staff that is on the other end of both our inbox and our live chat. We are happy to be of assistance!
We love to hear feedback, so if there is ever a subject that you would like to see us cover, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Monica Schaefer
Editor
MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.
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MilitaryByOwner News 
Just a reminder, if you have sold or rented your home advertised on the website, please update your status. This provides home buyers/renters the most accurate home search results.
The next couple of weeks we will be one of the sponsors or attendee for two events. The first is the Army Wives Field Event in Ft. Riley, Kansas the second is Navy Family Readiness Symposium in Virgina Beach. Please email me if you would like brochures for your event.
Have a suggestion? Email us!
Have a safe Memorial Day!
Sharon
866 604 9126, M-F, 9am-5pm EST
Live Chat, M-F, 9am-9pm EST
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Real Estate Corner
Construction efforts at Camp Pendleton help local jobless
Elizabeth
Jones
Monday, May 10, 2010, 11:52:24 PM
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is in the midst of a
substantial $4 billion expansion effort that covers virtually every  corner of
the California installation. While the effort has been a boon for military
housing, it has been an even bigger boon for the ailing construction industry
which has faced serious losses since in the wake of the recent economic
recession.
A recently released impact study performed by the
San Diego Military Advisory Council found that more than $1.4 billion in new
construction projects will get under way during the fiscal year of 2010
including preliminary work on a 512,000-square-foot hospital.
The construction has resulted in the creation of
nearly 10,000 jobs on the 125,000 acre base. Many feel that this statistic came
at just the right time, as the Construction Industry Research Board reports
that not a single commercial building permit was sought in San DiegoCounty in the entire month of March - the first time this has happened
in 20 years.
"Especially at a time when private projects
have virtually dried up, these government projects have become especially
important for us," Rick Bach, a senior vice president in the San Diego office of Turner Construction Company, told the San Diego business Journal.
News brought to you by PCS-Lodging.com - your one stop shop for Camp Pendleton lodging
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USAA Corner 
Does It Pay to Renovate Your Home?
Renovations can make a big difference in how fast you sell your home and how much return on investment you get. But before you hire a contractor, find out which improvements are most likely to pay you back.
"If you're going to stay for less than five years, be budget conscious about what you're doing," says Everett Collier of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. "But if you're going to stay for more than five years, think about what will make you happy."
Recouping Your Investment
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National Average Cost |
Recouped Amount of Cost | |
Minor kitchen remodel |
$21,411 |
78.3% | |
Bathroom remodel |
$16,142 |
71.0% | |
Master suite addition |
$103,696 |
65.2% | |
Midrange sunroom addition |
$73,167 |
50.7% | |
Home office remodel |
$28,375 |
48.1% |
Kitchens
Typically, kitchens cost the most of all rooms to remodel, but you'll also enjoy a big gain in sales price - as much as 80% of what you spend on a major, midrange remodeling job, according to the recent Remodeling magazine Cost vs. Value Report 2009-10.
If resale is your top priority, go for broad appeal.
§ When replacing or adding cabinets, use lighter woods and nothing too contemporary.
§ Stick with features and finishes common to your neighborhood and to the kind of house it is. Don't put granite countertops in a starter home, for instance.
§ Ask local salespeople what sells best.
§ Change out cracked and stained countertops, but not always with pricey granite. Less expensive options include ceramic tile and concrete.
§ Select up-to-date appliances. If you're on a budget, visit retailers that sell secondhand appliances or those almost as good as new.
§ Keep in mind that if the kitchen is shabby to begin with, any upgrades will help impress potential buyers.
Bathrooms
A major redo with new flooring, pedestal sinks, designer tubs, and showers with multiple shower heads can cost as much as $40,000, says Gregory A. Miedema of the National Association of Home Builders. "It's the higher-end options like granite, frameless glass shower doors, and basin vessel sinks that add to the cost," he says. A midrange bathroom remodel costs $16,142.
However much you spend, upgrading the bath garners rewards at resale. Recoup 71.0% for a midrange job, and in some regions even more - in the Pacific Northwest, for instance, up to 77%, according to the Remodeling report.
A few quick fixes include:
§ Painting cabinet doors and updating hardware.
§ Adding stylish new faucets.
§ Reglazing worn tub and tiles.
§ Replacing older fluorescent lighting fixtures.
"Lighting changes can make a big difference in buyers' reactions," says Pat V. Combs, president of the National Association of Realtors.
Master Suite
Remember, if you upgrade your home you may need to upgrade your insurance coverage, too. Renovations can up the cost of what it would take to rebuild, so make sure you have enough coverage.
A spacious master suite with a sitting nook, a changing area, and a closet that has organizers in place can make buyers swoon. And the master bath is a real selling point.
Without big bucks, plush towels, candles, and new cabinet pulls can make the master bath seem inviting and updated.
Outdoor Deck
If right for your climate, outdoor living areas make great investments. You can recoup more than 75% of the cost. To dress up an existing, weathered deck, restain it for minimal cost, says Dean Herriges of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. Power-wash synthetic decks or clean them according to the manufacturer's directions. "Buyers are looking for the least amount of work they'll have to do, so if these things are done, it adds value," Herriges says.
Attics and Basements
The attic might transform into an extra bedroom, an office, or a playroom. "Especially in older houses, look into it," Ms. Farrar-Wegener says. "Get it as cleaned out as possible. Put in good lighting so people can see the potential." Basements, too, have potential for more living space, Ms. McCormick says. But she says not to spend a lot on them. Buyers often expect this part of the house to be unfinished, so it's not necessary to spruce it up just to sell the home.
Choose Upgrades Wisely
Not all additions add value. A midrange sunroom addition can average $73,167, with a potential for recouping the cost of only 50.7%. Home office remodels cost on average $28,375, recouping only 48.1% of their cost. Look at neighborhood trends. "It doesn't make sense to put in a media room when no one else in the area is doing that," Ms. Farrar-Wegener says. "Yours isn't a neighborhood where people will look for those kinds of amenities."
Bottom Line
"People want to envision living in your home," Ms. McCormick says. "If you let things go and get out of date, the impression will be that you've left other things, like the roof and furnace, unattended, too."
However, before spending loads of money on upgrades, consider whether your home is in a declining market. If so, it's less likely that you'll be able to recoup your costs.
Remember, if you upgrade your home you may need to upgrade your insurance coverage, too. Renovations can up the cost of what it would take to rebuild, so make sure you have enough coverage.
Source for all average cost figures: Remodeling 2009-10 Cost vs. Value Report, Remodeling magazine.
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A DOZEN WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR MILITARY! | #1 Call or email your representative and ask them tosponsor the NMAM 2010 Proclamation. | #2 FLY THE FLAG ON YOUR HOUSE, CAR, or BUSINESS DURING MAY | #3 SEND A CARE PACKAGE TO A SOLDIER THROUGH USOCARES | #4 ORGANIZE AN EVENT IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY, AND AT YOUR WORKPLACE | #5 ASK YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AT ALL LEVELS TO RECOGNIZE OUR MILITARY | #6 SEND AN EMAIL OR LETTER OF THANKS THROUGH A Million Thanks | #7 ADOPT A HERO AT SOLDIERS' ANGELS! | #8 ASK LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS, ORGANIZATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN RECOGNIZING OUR ARMED FORCES | #9 ASK LOCAL MEDIA (TV, RADIO, NEWSPAPER) TO FEATURE | #10 WHEN YOU SEE A PERSON IN A MILITARY UNIFORM, SHAKE THEIR HAND AND SAY, "THANK YOU FOR SERVING OUR COUNTRY" | | #11 WEAR A SUPPORT OUR TROOPS WRISTBAND OR SHIRT | | #12 HIRE A VETERAN - VISITHIRE A VET FIRST FOR MORE INFORMATION |
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Military Life
ROA...Repositioning
Once Again
Holly Rowlette
Doesn't ROA, Repositioning Once Again, better capture what a PCS is?
PCSing...isn't that an oxymoron? There is no true permanence to moving from base
to base. There is so much that goes into
getting ready to move. The checklist
seems to never end. The appointments
continue on and on with practically every base agency. It is downright
exhausting from the physical nature of the move and then there is the emotional
side of things. One thing that concerns our family during PCS season is how is
our oldest going to deal with the change? He is a creature of habit. He has a
tender, sweet spirit and having to say good-bye all but crushes his precious
little heart. Just watching him say good-bye to another teacher turns on my
water works while watching him melt into pieces of sadness. Moving just isn't
easy!
So, as parents, how do you prepare your children for a pending PCS? I
believe that looks differently depending on the age of your children. When my
kids were preschool aged, finding a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group was
high on my checklist. After finding our house, I found the closest MOPS group.
MOPS was a place where I could feel safe and immediately find connections and a
sense of community with other moms. I knew no one in Fayetteville, North Carolina. As you read this,
I hear the echo of "Fayettenam" or "No Hope Pope". Contrary to popular opinion,
we loved the area and the community truly embraced us as a military family.
But, I found intimacy in my MOPS group. I got to know civilian moms and
military moms like me. My kids instantly had little playmates on MOPS mornings.
I felt a connection with other moms that
'got' me and our weird lifestyle of cyclical deployments. They befriended me
because we had this season of motherhood in common. You go to MOPS and it isn't
an off-shoot of the Family Readiness Group or the base spouses club, but a
place of non-judgemental love, support and encouragement. It is a place to
rally together as moms and everyone desired to be the best mom they could be.
During our last PCS, my kids were now school aged. It was important for
them to meet friends and feel connected. Thankfully, we moved to a neighborhood
with lots of children. They felt a sense of security in getting to see the neighborhood
we moved to prior to getting there. They could put a picture to it and that
seemed to settled their nerves some. I
often remind them that being a military brat means that you have friends all
over the world. Making an intentional effort to reconnect with old friends and
neighbors is important to our children as it is to us. It is easy to stay busy
in our current life, but forget the old friends. That means taking a moment to
make a long overdue phone call or dropping a note in the mail. I'm convinced
that Skype and Facebook were created for our military families. Each is free
and a wonderful way to stay connected across the miles or continents. Our children feed off of our attitude. If
we're excited about a new adventure, then they will be too. If we are upset and
grumbling, they will be too.
If you are a mom with preschool or school aged children, I highly
recommend that you look for a MOPS group or MOMSnext group. These groups are
designed to connect moms together so that they can be the best moms they can
be. One focuses on moms of children ages birth through kindergarten and the
other for moms of school aged children. This is a great place to start in
meeting new people and feeling a part of your new environment. We even have
MOPS groups on military bases around the world. Currently, we are in over 35
different countries and have over 100,000 moms registered with MOPS. If you are
interested in finding out more about MOPS, go to www.mops.org or www.mops.org/military
for Military MOPS. Holly
Rowlette is the Military MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Area Coordinator for MOPS
International. She works with a small team of leaders to encourage, equip and
develop moms in close to 40 Military MOPS groups worldwide. 
Holly was
born at Ft. Belvoir, VA while both her parents were
stationed at nearby military installations. She met her husband while serving
on active duty in the Air Force.
She
has been involved with MOPS for eight years. She is passionate about our
military families and the challenging lifestyle they endure. Her desire is for
all moms to better understand military moms and the unique challenges they
face. She has a heart for young moms and military families facing frequent
moves and separations due to deployments or extended TDYs. She was a military
brat, served on active duty and now enjoys the title of spouse. She has two
children, Grant 8 and Gracie 6. She and her husband, Phil, currently live in Valrico, Florida
near MacDill AFB
3213 Partridge Point Trail
Valrico, FL33596
813.315.8214
militaryMOPS@philnholly.com
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Military Life II
Utah to see new military hotel at the Canyons Mark
Brighton Thursday, May 06, 2010, 11:11:13 PM In an effort to increase the travel options of
American military personnel and their families without breaking the bank,
organizers with Park City, Summit County and the Utah Military Installation  Development Authority (MIDA)
have entered negotiations to establish a new military hotel at the Canyons, a
resort in the state's largest ski area.
The MIDA, a state agency created to help develop
military lands, has been working closely with the Air Force to develop both a
hotel and a commercial property on the Wasatch Back for nearly 13 years. As the
planning wore on, the hotel grew necessarily larger, resulting in plans for the
largest inn in the area that would have to rent rooms to the public as well as
military men and women in order to cover the expense of operating the facility.
The latest plan will see organizers using tax
revenue from local commercial centers to subsidize the room rates of military
personnel, and allow the MIDA to build their hotel.
Stuart Adams, the chairman of MIDA board, says
that the process has been a long one, but the MIDA is committed to doing what
is best for the area as well as the soldiers.
"We've tried to work amicably with the local
jurisdictions, with the city and the county. They have been very fair," Adams told the Daily
Democrat. "I think it's an exciting time. I think it accomplishes what the
city and county wanted to have."
News brought to you by PCS-Lodging.com - your one stop shop for Military Hotels
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Featured Site
At a time when so many military spouses are holding down the homefront now more than ever, there is a wonderful new organization that was the brain child and dream of one of those military spouses that understands sacrifice.
Rebecca Kahn proudly supports her husband's Air Force career and believed that her aspiring career in the cosmetology field would be a perfect fit for finding a way to support, honor and recognize other military spouses that lovingly do the same for their loved ones.
And so A Pink Heart was born!
"Creating " A Pink Heart" has become my mission, as I work to learn everything I
can to become a successful cosmetologist. " A Pink Heart" will provide support
and recognition to military spouses. Spouses of deployed members of the Armed
Services will be awarded with beauty regiments at no cost or a small voluntary
donation. Services will be provided to all other military spouses at a fraction
of the cost of mainstream salons. All of my tips received on top of regular
priced services will be put into " A Pink Heart" to continue and build the
program. It is my hope that this award will help to build the self esteem of
military spouses, making their jobs a bit easier."
Thank you Rebecca for all that you are doing to recognize and celebrate military spouses!
Rebecca Kahn
Founder of A Pink Heart
Proud wife of 1Lt Jordan
Kahn
U.S Air Force http://apinkheart.org/
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Featured Site II
 
There has never been
a better time to get involved in finding a way to pay tribute to the amazing
men and women that have sacrificed their lives to protect the amazing freedoms
we enjoy each and every day.
Join in the National Campaign of Remembrance by signing the petition to adopt the Honor and Remember flag as a permanent
symbol to fly continuously in eternal honor and remembrance of all fallen
military service men and women.
OUR MISSION
To establish a
tangible national symbol of gratitude, as a visible
public reminder
to all Americans, that perpetually recognizes all
military lives
lost in defense of our national freedoms.
In the more than 200 years of our
nation's history there has never been an officially recognized symbol that
reminds us daily of the sacrifices made by members of our military and the
lives lost in service to our country. We propose the Honor and Remember Flag as
a national emblem for that purpose.
Click here to sign the petition or visit the site to learn more about this remarkable effort!
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Featured Home
For Rent / For Sale By OwnerRent: $2,399.00/month Price: $425,000.00 Mandeville, LA - Sweet Bay Drive6 Bed, 3.5 Bath (Single Family)  Description:Beautiful French Country w/elaborate triple crown molding, elegant columns and
picture windows. This 6br/3.5ba house is perfectly suited for a large family
with approx 3500sqft of living space. Gas fireplace encased with built-in
cabinets + glass transoms. Gorgeous scored & stained concrete in the living
and kids bedroom, hardwood in kitchen/dining/foyer as well as hardwood upstairs.
Beautifully renovated kitchen w/stainless appliances, granite counters. Large
600sqft covered patio bordered by fish pond is perfect for backyard BBQs.
Conveniently located close to neighborhood pool, tennis court, and playground.
Great Mandeville school district and neighbors; we are very sad to
leave. MilitaryByOwner Price: $425,000.00 MilitaryByOwner
Rent: $2,399.00/month MBO144316 |
Testimonial
Had very good response to this ad. Almost 2000 viewers! As of now, I can't think of a way to better the system. The only thing I notice is that it's used more in DC than Utah, but I think word of mouth is spreading and it's only a matter of time before everyone is using this site.
M.G.
Hill AFB, UT
5/10
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