Eco-friendly tips to protect homes from pesky bugs

Posted on Oct 9, 2013

Cool weather signals homeowners to finalize outdoor chores and cozy up for the long winter ahead. It also signals pesky insects to head indoors seeking food sources and warm, safe places to hibernate. What can the smart homeowner do?

Experts say the record-breaking summer heat has created a bumper crop of bugs. Ohio State University entomologist David Denlinger predicts, If the warmth stays into the fall, insects will continue to do well until frost comes.

Home Invaders

Unwelcome invasive pests like silverfish, spiders, earwigs, flies and ants are typical party crashers once temperatures fall.

In the late ’90s a new pest appeared on the scene: the brown marmorated stink bug. First spotted in Pennsylvania, stink bugs are now in 38 states, destroying gardens and landscapes and over-wintering in homes.

In September and October when plants are harvested and food sources dry up, stink bugs switch gears and seek shelter indoors, says Dr. Qing-He Zhang, lead scientist and director of research at Sterling International, makers of eco-friendly RESCUE! insect traps. It’s important to break the lifecycle now so they don’t survive over the winter months and attack your garden and landscape in spring.

To protect your home from unwanted pests, industry experts share these simple eco-friendly tips to keep pesky insects at bay.

1. Clean up brush and keep mulch and firewood piles away from the house to avoid creating habitats for critters and insects.

2. Seal cracks, crevices and holes with caulk or weather stripping around potential entry points and seal around pipes and utilities. Repair loose roof tiles and screens. Inspect windows and basement foundations and repair loose and crumbling mortar.

3. Clean cupboard shelves of loose grain, starch-based and sugary food and place food in sealed containers or plastic bags.

4. Check where stink bugs hide: warm, dark spaces like baseboards, exhaust fans, ceiling tiles and drapes. Pick stink bugs off by hand with a tissue and flush them down a toilet or drop into a bucket of soapy water. If you vacuum, be warned. When threatened, stink bugs emit a foul odor so dispose of the bags immediately.

New traps help battle stink bugs without the need to touch them. Zhang explains, Once you see the bugs clinging to the side of the house or screens, this is a signal that they are ready to get indoors to hibernate and more may be coming towards the home. The RESCUE! Stink Bug trap uses non-toxic pheromone attractants that lure stink bugs from a radius of 30 feet, intercepting them before they reach the house.

The RESCUE! Stink Bug Trap can also be used indoors with an LED light attachment. It works best when stink bugs start waking up from hibernation – usually January through April.

5. If ants are your problem, try herbs. Briscoe White, herb expert and owner of The Growers Exchange, says bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves repel ants outdoors and indoors. Sprinkle dry crushed herbs around points of entry, cabinets and windowsills to create a natural barrier. Plus, peppermint and spearmint are excellent deterrents against both ants and moths.

For help battling bugs, visit www.rescue.com for how-to videos, info and a list of retailers near you.

Courtesy of BPT

How to improve your YouTube videos: Five tips from professional filmmakers

Posted on Sep 25, 2013

More than 4 billion videos are viewed each day on YouTube, according to statistics from the online video site. This means it’s a great place for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their work to a large, international audience. However, only 30 percent of all YouTube videos get 99 percent of the views on YouTube, according to media-monitoring authority Cision.

“While advances in digital cameras and technology make it easier for everyone to create their own videos, it’s challenging for aspiring filmmakers to create videos that reach the right people and get noticed on crowded outlets like YouTube,” says Gail Fisher, award-winning photo editor and department chair of the School of Film/Communication at Brooks Institute, a leading provider of higher education for film, visual journalism, graphic design and photography. “The good news is that there are simple things you can do to increase the quality of your videos and maximize exposure based on what works for professional filmmakers.”  

 

Here are five tips from Fisher and Karen Farfan, a visual journalist and student at Brooks Institute, on how to make your YouTube videos stand out from the crowd:

* Find inspiration. Everyone has a story to tell. Take inspiration from your surroundings and people you know – go visit your favorite place, try something new, observe people in their everyday lives – and use what moves you to tell a story that will appeal to the masses. According to Farfan, the trick is telling a story in a way that will intrigue an audience – even those who don’t relate well with your subject matter.

* Establish an audience and engage viewers. To build an audience, recruit friends and family to watch and share your videos, and post links to your videos on your blog, website and social networks. Use compelling keywords and cover images for your videos to attract people browsing for the content you’ve created. If users can find your video easily through common search terms and are captivated by your cover images, they’re more likely to watch your videos and share them. Then hook your viewers within the first 30 seconds. Use beautiful imagery, an eye-opening quote or something unexpected, followed by a conflict that will encourage them to continue watching for a resolution.

* Less is more. Both with the length of your video and the text throughout, brevity will make your videos more engaging. Instead of using text or quotes to explain your story, let your videos communicate through visuals for a succinct message. To keep it simple, Farfan ensures that her stories can communicate a message well visually before even adding in text or audio during the editing process.

* Post often. Create content as often as possible without letting the quality of your work suffer. Keeping your YouTube site updated will encourage your followers to keep coming back for more and also attract new viewers. Farfan sets a goal of posting one new video per month to her site. Create your own goal, taking other work and personal commitments into account, and work to achieve it, whether it’s daily, weekly or monthly.

* Have fun. If you’re passionate about your work, it will show in your videos.

Courtesy of BPT

Easy kitchen updates that won’t break the bank

Posted on Sep 25, 2013

It goes without saying that the kitchen is one of the hardest-working rooms in the home. For most, it’s the heart of family life and usually the one room where everyone gathers together. With so much hustle and bustle, it’s no wonder that the kitchen runs the risk of looking overworked.

A remodeled kitchen not only reinvigorates the space, but the home overall. This isn’t always easy to accomplish though, as a full-blown renovation can be quite expensive and time-consuming. However, even on a tight budget, there are plenty of ways to spruce up the room without breaking the bank. 

 

Courtesy of BPT

Which comes first: The real estate deal or the buyer’s list?

Posted on Sep 18, 2013

This question is kind of like another question where people can’t seem to agree on the answer; “Which came first; the chicken or the egg”? Real estate investors all have a different opinion when they are asked whether you should find a deal first or start a buyer’s list and then find a deal.  For me, the answer has always been “the deal.” If you have a great deal, you can always find a buyer for it.

I had someone email me recently that said they had wanted to begin wholesaling houses for a couple of years, but he just couldn’t bring himself to buy that first investment property. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to sell it. This man had spent a number of years learning the business, but had become paralyzed with fear over this prospect of putting a house under contract that he wouldn’t be able to sell.

If you are just getting started and you find yourself having the same problem, here are 4 tips for you.

1. Know What a Good Deal Looks Like

This is no doubt the hardest part when you are brand new. You almost always pay too much for your first couple of deals. Before you sign on the dotted line, run your potential deal by someone that is an experienced investor. Marginal deals are hard to sell.  If you have any doubt about the numbers or the area where the house is located, just walk away and find another deal. There’s always another one around the corner.

2. Know Where Investors Like to Buy

It won’t do you any good to get a house under contract at a great price if it is in an area where investors don’t like to buy.  Ask experienced rehabbers and landlords where they like to buy. Be sure to find out what types of properties they like, and the price range they prefer. In general, you will be pretty safe in bread and butter neighborhoods; the kinds of neighborhoods for first time homebuyers.  In my area there is a market for more expensive houses, but there are fewer investors in this group.  Buy houses that would work for either a rehab that would be sold to a retail buyer, or a home that would make a great rental and they will always be in demand.

3. Put an Escape Clause in Your Contract

This is vital especially when you are brand new.  Make the deal subject to inspection or partner approval. This is your safety net. It will make it easier for you make offers with confidence.

4. Begin Immediately to Build Your Buyer’s List

There is nothing like having a good buyer’s list to call or email when you have a property you want to sell quickly. It is truly a wholesaler’s secret weapon.  These folks will be loyal repeat buyers if you always have great deals for them, and if you conduct your business with them in an ethical manner 100% of the time.

Implementing these 4 tips will make it easier to make those first offers and get your first few houses under your belt.

Finding a Buyer for Your Deal

There are a number of ways you can quickly find a buyer for the property you have under contract even if you don’t have a buyer’s list.

You can take the deal to your local REIA group where you will find a group of people that are looking for their next house.  At my monthly meeting, we have a table set up for vendors and for folks that want to put out fliers about properties they have to sell. This is usually the first place people head after signing in.

You could list the house on Craigslist. I have sold several properties there, but I would rather much sell to someone at my REIA group; they are usually more experienced investors.  But even if they are brand new, they will almost always be educated to some degree if you find them at this meeting. Most investors are more than willing to help them if they can close the deal.

Concentrate on getting a great deal, and you can be sure you will find a buyer.

Author: Sharon Vornholt

Sharon’s Website: http://LouisvilleGalsRealEstateBlog.com

Courtesy of BPT