Eco-Friendly Landscaping

I always think about eco-friendly household cleaners, organic produce, and green flooring. Frankly though, I never thought about eco-friendly landscape. Here are some easy ways to improve your environment through landscaping.

1. Reduce energy costs by planting deciduous shade trees. These trees will allow warmth in the winter and help reduce heat in the summer.
2. Use evergreen trees to reduce cold wind in the Winter. Evergreens should be planted in an area that will block the wind during cold weather months.
3. Add plants that are native to your area.
4. Plan for irrigation, plants, and garden design that will save water.
5. Consider solar powered landscaping lights.

There are many more ways to incorporate eco-friendly landscaping, contact Nathan Vaughn of Bluum Outdoor at 918-599-8500 or www.bluum.net.

Protecting Your Home and Family From Fire!

Fire can be a devastating event. It damages everything in its path and can cause serious injury and death. To help protect your family and home from fire, read on.

• Be prepared ahead of time! Being prepared is probably the most important step of all. This step involves many things. First, make sure you have homeowner's insurance in the event of a fire. Second, have a fire escape plan with all the necessary items such as escape ladders, fire extinguisher, smoke detectors etc. Third, practice your fire escape plan. If you have children, this is especially important. Take time to discuss what to do in the event of a fire and practice this at all hours of the day and night. Don't take for granted that they know what to do.
• Avoid unnecessary risk! Cigarettes, fire places, and appliances are common causes of fires in the home. To avoid these risks, make sure that all cigarettes are put out before going to bed or if you are sleepy. Consider putting them in a glass of water to be safe. Make sure that fires in your fireplace are completely out. If you use it often, install a screen and glass door for extra safety. Finally, avoid putting appliances near furniture. Appliances and heaters placed near furniture can often overheat and cause a fire to start. When a fire starts from any one of the items above, they often start very slowly and smolder for a long time before actually catching fire and being detected.
• Test your smoke alarm! It is very important to test your smoke alarm often to ensure that it is working properly. Also replace the battery at least once per year, even if it appears to be working. If your smoke alarm seems to go off regularly when there is not a problem, such as during cooking, consider moving it a few feet away. If your smoke alarm is 10 years old, replace it.
  
• Keep Emergency Numbers on Hand! Keep emergency numbers near all phones in case of fire or emergency.

No matter how much we prepare, we can't completely prevent fires in our home. should a fire occur, remember to call your homeowners insurance agent and home maintenance professionals to take care of any damage and ensure insurance coverage of repairs.

Contact these professionals for questions or quotes:

• Homeowners Insurance Coverage in Broken Arrow, OK- Mike Tedford, Tedford Insurance, 918-299-2345 or www.tedfordinsurance.com.

• Roofing Repairs in the Broken Arrow, OK area- Jonathon Knapp, Royal Roofing, 918-398-6500 or www.royalroofingllc.com.

• Residential Repairs in Broken Arrow- Jonathon, Residential Repair, 918-621-1020 or www.residentialrepairinc.com.

Title Insurance

Title insurance protects your claim of ownership of your property. When you buy real estate, you count on the paperwork being properly reviewed. You should get a "title opinion" from an attorney but that does not provide you any insurance that the attorney did not make an error or that someone later does not come back and claim an error was made (regardless who is right or wrong.) It is simply the opinion of the attorney you hired.

If you purchase title insurance and someone later questioned your ownership of the property, the title insurance company would be required to come defend your title.

A few things to note:

• Title insurance only covers the period of time before your purchase of the property. It does not cover from the time you purchase and beyond.
• Sometimes "exceptions" can be listed in your title policy. These would be things that were known when the policy was written such as, your driveway or storage building being on the neighbor's property.
• Title problems are often called "clouds" which mean your ownership is not completely clear - that someone could raise questions about it. Even if your ownership would not be lost, it can be expensive to remove the "cloud" on your title.

Title issues can arise from forgeries, improper paperwork filing at the courthouse, incorrectly completed forms, deaths and bankruptcies, lawsuits between other parties, and many other unknown circumstances.

For more information about title insurance in Broken Arrow, OK, contact Ann Rollins, at Closings of Tulsa, 918-493-2241 or www.closingsoftulsa.com.

If you live in the Broken Arrow, OK area and have legal problems as a result of your title or lack of title insurance, contact Chuck Richardson of Richardson, Richardson, Boudreaux at 918-663-5070 or www.richardsonlawfirmpc.com.

For all your real estate needs in the Broken Arrow, OK area, contact Darryl Baskin, McGraw Realtors, 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com.

Are Foreclosures Really a Bargain? What You Need to Know

Is Buying a Foreclosure Really a Bargain? What You Need to Know

In today's tumultuous economy, it's no surprise that there are foreclosure properties to be found in just about every community across America—even ours. While a terrible hardship for homeowners to endure, foreclosures can present a unique opportunity for first-time home buyers and investors looking to purchase a "bargain-priced home" with the potential for building instant equity.

As an experienced real estate professional, I want to advise you to tread carefully when it comes to foreclosures—they might not be quite the bargain you expect. Here are some important facts you need to know before venturing out into the foreclosure market:

- Homeowners faced with foreclosure are understandably stressed and resentful, which can often lead to neglecting routine maintenance on a home. Sometimes, even deliberate damage is done. Assessing the home's condition, therefore, is a must.

- Foreclosure properties have often been vacant for an extended period of time. Look for problems caused by damp conditions, such as mold.

- Get a thorough home inspection before bidding on the property. Once the damage/disrepair of the home is assessed, factor this in when bidding on the home.

- Contact a real estate professional—like me, a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®—who is well steeped in the community and can provide information about pre-foreclosure properties, that is, homes that have been scheduled for foreclosure but have not yet gone to auction or been sold off. These homes need to be sold quickly as owners are trying to avoid foreclosure and its impact on their credit.

-Last but not least, go to www.hud.gov for information on how to buy homes acquired by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development as a result of foreclosure action on an FHA-insured mortgage. The site also has information on special programs and opportunities for teachers, law enforcement officers and others.

While buying a foreclosure property takes patience and research, the results can be well worth your time and effort. For more information, please e-mail me, and please pass this on to anyone you know who might be interested in exploring a foreclosure purchase.

Construction Increases Nationwide!

The construction industry seems to be looking up. According to Realtor Magazine, January new home construction was up 2.8 percent to 591,000 from 575,000 in December. The building industry hopes that this is an indication that recovery has started.

Want to build a new home? Contact Rick Oberlender of US Building Systems at 918-518-5913 or usbs@att.net.

For all your real estate needs in the Broken Arrow, OK area, contact Darryl Baskin of McGraw Realtors at 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com.

Home Buyer's Tax Credit

It's almost tax time again. With so many home buyers wanting to claim the tax credit this tax season, what papers are required? According to Realtor Magazine, the Internal Revenue Service is still requiring that taxpayers fill out Form 5405, however they have changed the requirements for the HUD-1 settlement document signatures. In areas, on the settlement statement, where it is uncommon for both the buyer and seller to sign, the IRS is not requiring both signatures as long as the document meets all local laws.

For repeat home buyers claiming the credit, proof must be given that they have lived in the previous home for 5 consecutive years out of the last 8 years.

If you live in the Broken Arrow, OK area, get more information on the home buyer tax credit and find out if you are eligible, contact Karen Heston of BOK Mortgage at 918-230-9432 or visit her website here.

To buy a home in the Broken Arrow, OK area before the tax credit expires, contact Darryl Baskin of McGraw Realtors at 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com.

Celebrating the 2010 Chinese New Year in Tulsa, OK

The Chinese American Association of Tulsa presented an entertaining program to fellow Tulsans at the TCC Vantrease Performing Arts Center located on the 81st street Tulsa Community College campus Saturday night. Performers were from local Chinese churches, martial arts, cultural, and other organizations. The event was open to the public and offered a unique opportunity to experience the Chinese culture in our own backyard.