Spring Yard Care

The official first day of spring is only 6 days away and it's time to begin prepping your yard for flowering plants and summer gardens.

Here are a few ways you can start preparing your yard for Spring and Summer's bounty!

• Apply a pre-emergent in early March to stop those pesky weeds from coming back up
• Rake - remove the dead grass stems that have built up over the winter. They will prevent moisture and sunlight from getting to the healthy grass.
• Sharpen the blade on your mower for a clean cut.
• Overseed patches where the grass is thin due to heavy traffic or poor conditions.
• If you fertilize, only use a light amount in the spring months. If you fertilized in the fall your yard is still getting the benefits from that application.

What tips do you have for starting off the warmer months with a green and healthy lawn?

Daylight Savings Time Starts This Weekend!

Despite the lingering winter weather, this weekend the clocks will spring forward to adjust for

This change is often more difficult for people than in the fall where we gain an hour of sleep. However both adjustments upset our body's natural sleep rhythm and can require some time to reset.

To help make the transition a little easier, here are some tips you can use to prepare for the time change.

1. Start Going to Bed Earlier - In the days leading up to Daylight Savings Time go to bed a half hour early to begin preparing for the lost hour of sleep.

2. Limit Caffeine Intake - Try to restrict caffeine intake after the lunch hour.

3. Adjust the Lights - Expose yourself to natural light early in the morning and dim the lights an hour before going to bed at night.  This includes the light emitting from electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets.

4. Wind Down - Give yourself a one hour wind down time which means not exercising or eating too close to bed time. Limit electronics usage and noise levels in the home.

What tips do you have to maintain a healthy sleep regimen during the time change?

January New Home Sales

Despite the bad weather and poor economic predictions, January's new home sales reached its highest level in more than 5 years!

Consumer confidence remains stable, home prices are increasing as inventory decreases and interest rates remain at historic lows.

Economists predicted a 6% drop in new home sales for January and were pleasantly surprised to see the increase especially after some brutal snow and ice storms kept many people home.

The south experienced a 10% increase in new home sales. See the chart below for more detail on the rise and fall of home sales and the upward trend we are pleased to be on!

Saving on Energy!

As the weather continues to fluctuate and cold temperatures have you pushing up your thermostat, you may wonder if there is anything you can do to keep your home energy costs low.  The answer is yes! Even as winter continues on, there are simple things you can do around your new home to help balance out your energy usage.

Here are a few tips:

• Use your dishwasher! It takes less water to run the dishwasher than wash by hand. Make your dishwasher more efficient by running full loads then let the dishes air dry instead of using the dry setting on your dishwasher.
• When washing and drying clothes, make sure you always clean the lint trap in your dryer. Dry consecutive loads to take advantage of built up heat from the previous load.
• Lower your thermostat at night and during the day when you aren't home. Reverse your ceiling fans to help circulate warm air from near the ceiling.
• Check the temperature on your water heater. Lowering this temperature a few degrees can help save on energy costs.
• Allow foods to cool before putting them in your refrigerator. Putting warm or hot items in the refrigerator cause it to work harder to maintain a cool temperature.
• Replace regular light bulbs with more energy efficient LED or CFL bulbs

What do you do to keep energy costs low?

Hosting An Olympics Viewing Party

The winter Olympic games have begun and in honor of this event here are some ideas on hosting your own Olympic themed viewing party! You don't have to be at the games to really get into the spirit. Let these snack ideas inspire your Olympic-sized ambitions!

The Olympic Torch

 Fill ice cream cones with cheddar flavored popcorn.

Gold Medals

Use Golden Oreos and roll out fruit snacks

Olympic Rings

Give cups of hot chocolate a dusting of colored sanding sugars for a real Olympic treat!

What ideas do you have for hosting an Olympic-themed party?

Historically Low Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates are at historic lows. To get a better idea where mortgage rates have come from and why now is a great time to buy - take a look at this infographic created by Zillow.com.

Galloway Achieves Certified Master Builder Designation

Clint Galloway of Galloway Family Homes is the newest home builder to earn the designation of Certified Master Builder.  “This means that Clint has gone far beyond merely holding a state builders license,” said Master Builder Chairman Edward Friend.

Friend explained, “The Master Builder Program was created by the Home Builders Association of South Carolina as a way to increase the professionalism of home builders in the state and to provide an increased level of protection for consumers.”

In order to reach this level, Galloway had to participate in 20 hours of continuing education, provide reference letters from customers and business associates, assure a one-year warranty on all his homes and show at least five years' experience in home building. The education alone sets him apart from all other builders because the state of South Carolina does not require licensed builders to maintain any level of continuing education.

“This program is good for our builders” said Friend, “but it is even better news for consumers.”  Friend said only twenty states require a person to take a written test to be licensed.  “We believe that by going beyond what the state requires of builders, we set ourselves apart from the average builder.”

Master Builders must meet a long list of set criteria to be accepted into the program. Once a builder has been accepted, he must maintain a level of continuing education. A complete list of program requirements can be found online at www.masterbuildersc.org.