Connie White

RE/MAX Realty Advisors

(617) 697-5566

conniewhite@remax.net 

www.conniewhite.net 

          

 

 

 

 

Many local community groups and organizations need the skills of professionals and tradespeople, especially when big events arise. If you're great with fundraising, power tools, computers, marketing, etc., an organization in your area may be able to use your talents. 

 

Many municipalities have a volunteer coordinator on staff who can match you to great opportunities in your community. Volunteer for a few hours to help at a race event or family fun day, or on a monthly basis to keep walking trails in top shape. Volunteer coordinators can match you to projects that meet your time availability and interests.

 

Non-profit organizations are always in need of funds in order to keep their programs going. Help them accomplish their mission by hosting a fundraiser for them. 

• Host a garage sale. Have friends and neighbors donate items to sell, and donate all of the proceeds to charity.
• Host a pot luck or seasonal party and have guests bring a toy or non-perishable food to give to charity.

 

Community organizations in the area often have fundraising events several times a year. Go to one and bring your friends. Be sure to donate a little extra money as well. 

 

For many people, donating money is more convenient than donating time. Whether it's putting money in the Salvation Army bucket or giving to a national organization, the holiday season is a great time to contribute funds to charitable organizations.

•  Before you donate, research the organization to ensure that it's a legitimate charity. Go to the American Institute of Philanthropy (www.charitywatch.org) or Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) to learn more. 
• Keep your receipt; your contribution may be tax-deductible. 

 

 ©2012 Buffini & Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission. 

 

1. Know where allergens lurk

 

The bedroom: Dust mites and other allergens love to live on pillows, bedding, and curtains.   

 

The living room: Dust mites also find a home on fans, in the fireplace, and on your upholstery. 

 

The bathroom: Mold grows best in dank environments such as your shower, sink, and around the toilet.  

 

The kitchen: Mold can also grow around your faucets, refrigerator, dishwashers, and garbage bins.

 

 

 

2. Reduce allergens at the source

 

Keep your air dry to reduce dust mites. Use a dehumidifier to keep humidity in your home at around 30-50%.

 

Purchase impermeable mattress covers and pillows to prevent dust mites from making a home in your bedding. Wash bedding once a week in hot water and put it in the dryer on the highest heat setting to kill existing dust mites.

 

Dust with a damp cloth or dust mop. Vacuum furniture and rugs twice a week with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter and wipe hard surfaces with a damp cloth.

 

Keep everything dry; it only takes 48 hours for mold to start growing. Mop around the refrigerator, sinks, and toilets with mild dish soap and diluted hydrogen peroxide to prevent mold growth, and make sure you fix any leaks in your plumbing.

 

 

 

3. Keep Fluffy at bay

 

If fluffy pets are at the root of your allergies, keep them out of the bedroom and be sure to clean your home often. 

• Cover bedroom vents with filtering material, such as cheesecloth, to prevent allergens from other rooms from coming into the bedroom.
• Use an air cleaner with a HEPA filter for at least 4 hours each day.
• Keep your pet brushed and clean.

Source: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

  

 ©2012 Buffini & Company. All rights reserved. Used by permission. 

200 Falls Boulevard, Quincy, MA

What a privilege for me to work with a member of our Coast Guard to help her purchase her first home. She passed papers on her new townhome on Friday and shipped out on Sunday.

As I watched the members of the Coast Guard rescue sailors from the sinking HMS Bounty, I wondered where she was during superstorm Sandy.

For me now, Veterans' Day no longer is just a day to reflect on our history and give thanks to those who serve and have served in our Armed Forces. 

Traditionally, it's a day of images: the school holiday, photos of the laying of a wreath, parades, musical tributes, and war movies that remind us of the sacrifices that our military have made over the multitude of years. It's a day to give thanks.

Yet, during these past few years, Veterans' Day has become more meaningful. On a personal level, I am more aware of the sacrifices our men and women and their families have made. My husband served in the Korean War, the forgotten war. 

Plus, now I have the honor of getting to know and helping men and women who are serving or who have served in the Armed Forces to find homes - for many, their first home. 

So...for me, every day is a Veterans' Day - a day to thank members of our Armed Forces and help them in whatever way I can.

  

Visit my website

Home Buyer Workshop

 

Real estate professionals anticipate ten major threats impacting the overall real estate market over the next three decades.

How investors respond to these trends will separate the winners from the losers:

1. An aging population

 

2. Student debt burdens

 

3. Public funding

 

4. Changing demand for office space

 

5. Changing demand for retail space

 

6. Liquidity in the real-estate capital markets

 

7. Global change and uncertainty

 

8. More sustainability

 

9. Overvalued commercial properties

 

10. Political gridlock

Click here to learn more about these top ten threats.

 

Here are 3 real estate trends currently being observed in the market:

1. New construction and housing starts are improving.
 

2. New and existing home sales are on the rise.
 

3. "Shadow inventory" is declining.

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