November Houston Real Estate Newsletter

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Carratala Group's...

Service For Life! ® Insider Tips for Healthy, Wealthy and Happy Living

Inside This Issue...   Save $1,000 Off Your Annual Energy Bill... How To Prevent Stores From Tracking What You Buy... Fun Facts and Laughs: Mobile Shopping Tip, 3 Brain-Training Websites, And More... Trivia Challenge: Win Real Estate Q&A: What Should I Ask A Mortgage Lender To Get The Best Home Financing?...

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Samuel Carratala Carratala Group, RE/MAX RE Assoc. Phone: (281)781-6969 Email: sam@carratalagroup.com

Dear Friends... As energy costs increase, it’s even more important to look for ways to save money on your home energy bill. In this month’s Service For Life!® Free consumer newsletter, I’ll give you six energy-saving tips with the potential to save up to $1,000 off your annual electric bill without sacrificing your comfort. You’ll also learn what you can do to prevent stores from tracking your behavior online and in the store itself...plus fun facts, a trivia challenge, and lots more. Samuel Carratala Samuel Carratala, REALTOR® Carratala Group, RE/MAX RE Assoc. P.S.  When you notice people talking about real estate in the next few weeks, can you tell them about the free consumer information I provide? They may be people with a growing family and they need more room. You can help them buy their dream home for a lower payment than they might think is possible by mentioning my Free Consumer Report "7 Secrets For Saving Thousands When Financing Your Home." To request a copy for a friend, simply email me at sam@carratalagroup.com.

Today's Brain Teaser . . . What is the only sport in which the ball is always in the possession of the team on defense, and the offensive team can score without touching the ball?   (see answer below)

How To Save $1,000 Off Your Annual Energy Bill Rising electricity costs can be hard on your bank account, but by combining several cost-savings strategies you can save $1,000* on your home energy bill each year. For the biggest savings consider these ways to reduce heating and cooling costs without sacrificing comfort: Add new insulation to your attic. It’s especially smart if your house is more than 25 years old. Sometimes the state will subsidize professionally installed insulation and other energy-efficiency improvements. Check with your gas and electric companies to see what subsidies are available and how to qualify. COST: About $750 for an 800 square-foot attic to do it yourself, or $1,500 if you hire a professional SAVINGS: $600 per year Seal air leaks around the house. Weather strip your windows and doors by filling gaps and cracks with caulking, and use plastic window-insulation kits on older windows. Also, seal gaps from plumbing lines, recessed lighting, and crawl spaces. COST: Tube of caulk is $3 to $6 (save by buying multi-packs), and a window-insulation kit is $10 to $20 SAVINGS: $350 per year Upgrade to a programmable thermostat, which automatically adjusts your home’s temperature settings. You can buy a Wi-Fi model ($100 to $200) with more features that lets you remotely control it by using an app. COST: $25 to $50 (Check for rebates with your utility provider) SAVINGS: $180 per year Wash clothes in cold water. Heating water is the single largest expense to run a load of laundry. Also, hot water shrinks and fades your clothes and should be used only when there are major stains. COST: Free SAVINGS: $130 to $300 per year on water heating costs, depending on the size of your family. Unplug electronics when not in use. Energy “vampires” include TVs, computers, video game consoles, phone chargers (basically anything that “glows”) and account for 5 to 10 percent of household electricity costs even when they’re turned off. Save money by unplugging them, shutting them down, or attaching them to a single power strip than can be turned off. COST: Free or $10 to $40 for a power strip/surge protector SAVINGS: $100 per year Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). While they cost a bit more, CFLs use 75 percent less energy and last at least 6 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs. COST: $5 to $15 each (save by buying multi-packs) SAVINGS: $75 per year in electricity by replacing your five most frequently used bulbs. Savings potential increases since the average home has 30 light fixtures. * All products are available at a home improvement store or online. Savings vary depending on home size, climate, electricity rates, etc. and are based on an average annual energy bill of $2,200.

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Know Someone Having Trouble Paying Their Mortgage? Please tell them not to work with their bank or sell their home without my Free consumer guide, “28 Facts Every Struggling Homeowner Should Know.” My exclusive report will explain all their options to avoid foreclosure and improve the situation fast. Just call (281)781-6969 anytime, or simply email me by clicking here, and I’ll rush a copy out to you.

Is Your Store Tracking You? Online retailers have been tracking what you look at and what you purchase for years, and now some brick-and-mortar stores are gathering customer data using video surveillance, cellphone signals, and mobile apps. While some people don’t care or actually like it (stores may send coupons to your phone if you’re in the store), others think it’s an invasion of privacy. If you don’t want to be tracked, do the following: In the store: Turn off your GPS and Wi-Fi when you go into a store. Pay with cash, not credit card. On the internet: Frequently clear your “cookies” (bits of information your browser sends back to the site each time you visit a page). Use guest check-out when buying an item online. If you register, the store has your address and credit card on file.

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Are You My Client Of The Month? Every month I choose a very special Client Of The Month. It’s my way of acknowledging good friends and saying “thanks” to those who support me and my business with referrals, word of mouth and repeat business. This month's Client Of The Month is Jenny Utley You might be my next Client Of The Month too! Watch for your name here in an upcoming month.

Fun Facts and Laughs Mobile Shopping Tip . . . Never shop on unsecured Wi-Fi. It’s fine to browse the web at Starbucks but if you buy something, you are leaving yourself open to identity theft. If you do shop on your smartphone, use your 3G or 4G internet connection instead. Forward this article to a friend Brain-Training Websites . . . • www.fitbrains.com – Enhance your memory, focus and brain speed by playing these brain games 10 minutes a day. • www.brainmetrix.com – Designed like a fitness workout, these games will stretch and train your brain to the limit. • www.lumosity.com – Build your personalized program on this popular site based on principles of human cognition. Forward this article to a friend Toss Old Plastic Containers . . . Containers with recycle codes 3 or 7 may contain BPA, a chemical that leaches into food as containers age or get heated in the microwave or dishwasher. Tupperware made before 2010 also can have BPA. Replace with new plastic or glass containers, which don’t have BPA. Forward this article to a friend Have A Laugh — Maybe An Elephant . . . The teacher asked students to name an animal that begins with an “E.” One boy said, “Elephant.” Then the teacher asked for an animal that begins with a “T.” The same boy said, “Two elephants.” The teacher sent the boy out of the class for bad behavior. After that she asked for an animal beginning with “M.” The boy shouted from the other side of the wall: “Maybe an elephant!” Forward this article to a friend

Here’s A Free, Valuable Resource... Now You Can Search The Home Market, Get Helpful Community Information, AND Receive Important Resources For Saving Time And Money When Buying Or Selling At www.Carratalagroup.com

Trivia Challenge for the Month... “Who Else Wants To Win ?” Guess who won last month's Trivia Question? I'm pleased to announce the lucky winner of last month's quiz. And the winner is...drum roll please: Ross Grimes was the first person to correctly answer my quiz question. Who is the youngest player ever inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame?   a) Gale Sayers (Chicago)   b) Troy Aikman (Dallas) c) Walter Payton (Chicago)   d) Jonathan Ogden (Baltimore) The answer is a) Gale Sayers. The Chicago Bear was inducted in 1977 at the age of 34. So, let's move on to this month's trivia question. Ken Jennings won over $2.5 million as a contestant on what popular TV game show in 2004? a) Jeopardy b) Wheel of Fortune c) The Price Is Right d) Deal or No Deal EMAIL ME BY: Clicking Here OR Call Me At (281)781-6969 And You Could Be One Of My Next Winners!

Brain Teaser Answer: Baseball

Thanks For Thinking of Me! Did you know I can help you or any of your friends or family save time and money when buying or selling a home? Thanks for keeping me in mind with your referrals...and spreading the word about my services.

Real Estate Q & A . . . Q.  I’m seeking financing to purchase a home. What questions should I ask a mortgage lender to get the best deal on a home loan?   A.  Before you meet with the lender, learn important financing terms such as origination fee, discount points, and lock period. This way you’ll be prepared to ask relevant questions. Here are some examples: Will I be charged an origination fee? If so, how much? Will I be charged separate discount points? If so, how much? Will I be charged any of these separate fees: processing, document preparation, underwriting, tax service, or flood certification? Will there be additional fees at closing? Is there a lock period with this loan? If so, how long? For definitions of these terms and more financing tips, ask for my Free Consumer Report called “7 Secrets For Saving Thousands When Financing Your Home.” Call me at (281)781-6969 or simply email me by sam@carratalagroup.com and I’ll send a copy right over to you. Do you have a question you want answered related to real estate or home ownership? Feel free to call me at (281)781-6969 or email me by clicking here. Perhaps I'll feature your question in my next issue!

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