Keeping Your Tulsa, OK Home Secure While On Vacation

With all the snow and cold weather, many of us are thinking of leaving our Tulsa, OK home for a a nice warm vacation. Whether you plan on vacationing soon or waiting until later in the year, you will find some excellent information in the article, "10 Tips to Protect Your Home while Away on Vacation" by Kelly O'Ryan. This article give handy tips that will help to keep your home secure, your utility bills down, and your mind at ease. Read on for these great tips:

RISMEDIA, February 11, 2011—With school vacations approaching, many lucky families are planning trips to cure their winter blues. Here are some important things to remember if you leave your home for several days.

1. Turn down your thermostat, but don’t shut it off. You shouldn’t set your thermostat any lower than 55 degrees in order to protect your pipes from freezing.

2. Arrange for snow removal in your absence in case there’s a storm while you are away. Massachusetts law requires residents to clear their own sidewalks and walkways six hours after a storm takes place and you’re not off the hook if you are out of town.

3. Make sure to hold the mail and newspaper. If you can’t have someone pick it up every day, it’s a sure giveaway that nobody’s home and can be a green light for burglars.

4. If possible, leave a key with someone you trust, preferably a neighbor and have them keep an eye on your home while you’re gone. Make sure to offer returning the favor and thank them with a gift when you return.

5. Unplug all electronics that don’t need to used like the television, coffee maker, and home computers.

6. Lower the temperature on your water heater.

7. If you can, leave a car in the driveway and use timers to turn on outdoor and indoor lights to give the impression that someone is home. Leaving the porch light on the entire time you’re gone is a bad idea. If you don’t have a timed light, you can leave an interior light on for the duration of your trip as long as you can’t easily notice it during the day.

8. As excited as you may be to go on vacation, avoid advertising it over Facebook and Twitter. Also, keep this in mind while posting updates from your cell phone on vacation.

9. If you have access to one, place all your valuables in a safe or safe deposit box.

10. Remember, if your house is on the market, you can ask your REALTOR® to stop by and check in. While you’re on vacation, it’s a great time for showings because you won’t have schedule conflicts.

If you follow these tips the next time you are out of town, you will most likely protect your house and your peace of mind.

For Tulsa, OK real estate needs, contact Kelly Howard, McGraw Realtors, 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com.

Luxury Homes For Sale in the Tulsa, OK Area

Gated and Secluded Luxury Estate in Bixby, OK

1724 East 151 Street
in Bixby, OK.

$2,675,000

5 Bedrooms
6.5 Bathrooms
4 Car Garage

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Elegant Luxury Home For Sale in Bixby, OK.

13420 S. Lewis Ave.
$999,000

13420 South Lewis Avenue in Bixby, OK
The Estates of Hampton Hills Addition

5 Bedrooms
5 Full, 1 Half Bathrooms
3 Car Garage

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Secluded Owasso, OK Luxury Home For Sale

15601 East 82nd Street North
in Owasso, OK.

$1,900,000

4 Bedrooms
4 Full, 2 Half Bathrooms
4 Car Garage

For more information on these Luxury Tulsa,OK Area Homes for Sale or for all your Tulsa, OK real estate needs, contact Kelly Howard, McGraw Realtors, 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com

Will Termites Affect Your Tulsa, OK Property Value?

Termites are everywhere. Whether you realize it or not, they are in virtually every area with dirt in Oklahoma. Whether it be your Tulsa, OK home or Tulsa area commercial property, termite damage will not only cost you money to repair and exterminate, but can also cost you value when you decide to sell your property. Properties that have a history of termite damage, treatment and repair can be the hardest hit. To avoid damaging your property value, contact a professional exterminator to exterminate. One of the most effective termite treatments around is the Sentricon Baiting System. Only select exterminators can install and care for these systems. Don't settle for just anyone to install a system. Ensure that they are qualified to install the Sentricon System and will guarantee the extermination of termites as well as check the system monthly! Also, make sure that you have repairs done quickly to prevent further damage.

For more information on the Sentricon Baiting System in Tulsa, OK. or other pest control needs in the Tulsa, OK area, contact Duane Montgomery of Montgomery Exterminating at 918-438-4885 or www.montgomeryexterminating.com.

For information on what affects Tulsa, OK property value, contact Darryl Baskin, McGraw Realtors at 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com.

For all your Tulsa, OK mortgage needs contact Karen Heston of BOK Mortgage at 918-488-7353 or visit her website.

Pending Home Sales Increase!

Although the economy is seeing some slow signs of improvement, there is still far to go. For those trying to buy or sell a home and for real estate professionals, the improvement is welcome news. A recent article found on RISMedia.com, "Pending Home Sales Continue Uptrend", says that "The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator, increased 2.0% to 93.7 based on contracts signed in December from a downwardly revised 91.9 in November. The index is 4.2% below the 97.8 mark in December 2009. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months."

The improvement of the PHSI in attributed partially to more jobs and improved economy, which are giving buyers better conditions with which to purchase an affordable home.

To read the original article on RSIMedia.com, "Pending Home Sales Continue Uptrend", click here.

To buy or sell your Tulsa, OK area home, contact Kelly Howard, McGraw Realtors, 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com.

Things to Consider Before Building a Tulsa, OK Home!

When building a new home in Tulsa, OK, there are so many decisions to make, from the location and builder to which carpet and paint to choose. Keep the following tips in mind before you decide to build a new home.

• Location- Work with your Realtor when purchasing land and building your home to make sure that the location you desire will fit your budget as well as the style and size you want in your home. Don't find out after purchasing that you can't do what you want or that the market will not handle your specific plans.
• Building- Select your builder carefully! Ask for recommendations from your Realtor, after all they work with builders everyday. Ask builders for referrals and contact them. Ask plenty of questions and don't be afraid to get more than one quote!
• Products- Once you have purchased land, selected a builder, and begun the building process, there will be many products to choose. Ask about your options and shop around in advance to make sure you get what you want at the price you want. When selecting roofing products and styles- keep in mind your budget, style of home, and the weather in your area. Remember that by adding ridge vents or using certain materials you can decrease your energy costs. When selecting flooring products- remember to check wear, stain resistance, and even product type (such as carpet, tile, or hardwood).
• Mortgage Options- Check with your mortgage banker to find out what mortgage options are available to you. For example, can you qualify for a VA or Rural Home Loan? Also, make sure you know your budget and how much down-payment you have. If you have less than 20% to put down, ask about loans that require less down-payment!

Want more information? Contact these professionals or visit www.tulsahomecare.com:

Home-Building in Tulsa, Oklahoma- Rick Oberlender of US Building Systems at 918-734-1293 or usbs@att.net.

To discuss a Tulsa Mortgage- Steve Currington, Currington Mortgage at 918-810-0092 or www.curringtonmortgage.com.

Roofing in the Tulsa, OK. Area- Judy Smith of A-Best Roofing at 918-587-1426 or www.abestroofing.com.

Tulsa, OK Flooring Products: Jim Ecrette at ProSource Wholesale Floorcoverings at 918-252-7711 or www.prosourcefloors.com/tulsa. Don't Forget to ask about Darryl Baskin's Wholesale Pricing!

For all your Tulsa, OK real estate needs, contact The Baskin Real Estate Specialists of McGraw Realtors at 918-258-2600 or www.darrylbaskin.com.

Some of South Tulsa's Finest Luxury Homes for Sale...

Jenks, OK Luxury Home for Sale

720 W. 108th St. in Jenks
Aberdeen Falls Addition

$1,695,000

5 Bedrooms
5 Full 1 Half Bathrooms
4 Car Garage

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New Construction in Bixby, OK!

12204 South 68th East Avenue
Woodmere Addition in Bixby, Oklahoma
$899,900

5 Bedrooms
4 Full 1 Half Baths
4 Car Garage
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Magnificent Gated Estate in Jenks, OK!

777 West 106th Street
The Estates at Stone Bluff in Jenks, Oklahoma
$2,999,000

5 Bedrooms
7 Full 1 Half Bathrooms
3 Car Garage


For more information on any of these Tulsa, Oklahoma area luxury homes or to buy or sell your home in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, contact Kelly Howard of McGraw Realtors at 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com

Tips to Improve Your Credit Score...

Credit scores have a variety of uses. Those of us that have bought or rented a Tulsa, OK home have had our credit score checked. We have also had it checked when we are applying for a credit card. Did you know. however, that many employers will check your credit score when you apply for a job. Having a low credit score can, in some cases, keep you from getting the job you want. There are many things that you can do to increase your credit score, or at least keep it from going down. Read on for a few tips from "Polishing Credit Score Can Open Financial Doors", an article by Eve Mitchell (RISMEDIA).

1. Most importantly, check your credit report and score regularly. If you find any errors, follow the procedure with the credit bureau and get it corrected. Checking your report for errors might save you from further problems.
2. If you don't have any credit cards, or you only have 1 or 2, consider opening one or two more accounts. This can increase your credit limits as well as allow you to diversify your credit.
   
3. Keep your balances low on all your credit cards and avoid late payments. When your balance is too high or you make a late payment or no payment, it will adversely affect your credit. A good rule of thumb is to only charge to your credit card what you can pay off within the month.
4. Besides your credit cards, make sure your payments are on time on all of your other bills, including your mortgage. Failing to keep your payments current might cause a lower score once the company reports the late payments.
5. If you have had a credit card for several years, keep it. The longer you have had a card, the longer your credit history, which can help your scores.

You might also be asking, what is a good credit score anyway? Mitchell gives the following information in her article:

Credit scores, which can range from 300 to 850, are based on a number of factors, but primarily come down to how well you pay off your bills.

-760 or higher: Excellent. Your score is well above the average score of U.S. consumers and clearly demonstrates to lenders that you are an exceptional borrower.

-725 to 759: Very good. Your score is above average and demonstrates to lenders that you are a very dependable borrower.

-660 to 724: Good. Your score is near the average. Most lenders consider this a good score.

-560 to 659: Not good. Your score is below the average. Some lenders will approve loans with this score.

-Lower than 560: Bad. Your score is well below the average and demonstrates to lenders you are a very risky borrower.

For more information or to read the entire article, click on the link below- "Polishing Credit Score Can Open Financial Doors".

To buy or sell Tulsa, OK area real estate, contact Kelly Howard, McGraw Realtors, 918-230-6341 or www.kellyhowardhomes.com.