-Aristophanes, Greek dramatist, (450 BC - 388 BC), Plutus
Tip of the Month
As
a homeowner, you may love taking care of your lawn or you
may hate it. Or you may simply not have the time for it. If
you fall into one of the last two categories, you may be interested
in hiring a lawn-care company. Now is a good time, especially
as summer is gearing up! There are, however, a few things
to keep in mind. Some companies will quote a rate that sounds
good but actually only includes certain services, while other
services are “a la carte.” This can be a big surprise
when you get your bill. John Gibson of PLANET, a trade group
of more than 4,400 lawn care companies, recommends the following
before settling on a lawn-care provider:
1. Decide which services (mowing, weeding,
liming, fertilizing, aerating) you are interested in and obtain
estimates from several companies for those services. This
will prevent surprises later.
2. Question the details of the services. One company’s
fertilization service may not be the same as another company’s
and may include only one application.
3. Be sure that a prospective company knows its lawns. Although
hiring a neighborhood kid to mow your lawn is cheap and easy,
he or she may not be an expert on landscaping or lawn care.
Your lawn-care company should have experience dealing with
turf-grass, plants, insects and disease problems. It should
also follow environmental laws and possess the right equipment
for the job.
4. A good lawn-care company should be willing to put the work
order in writing. Ask for a detailed list of services and
their associated costs, as well as a written estimate and
length of service agreement.
5. Check that your chosen lawn-care company meets all state
licensing requirements and has workers’ compensation
insurance in the event an employee is injured on your property.
You should also ask if the company is a member of its state
or national lawn-care or landscaping association.
If you don’t know how to get started, contact PLANET
at 800-395-2522.
(Source: USA Weekend)
Welcome to the June 2007 issue of “At
Home with HouseHunt,” HouseHunt’s monthly
consumer newsletter. Summer is here and this month we
offer several pieces on how to welcome the summer. There’s
drought in many parts of the country, and even if you
live in a drought free area, there’s plenty of
good reasons to save water, so look to our story on
ways to conserve water for the summer for some handy
tips. Summer can bring sun and lazy days, but it can
also bring its share of pests as well. Be sure to read
our article on how to make your home pest free this
summer. Nothing better compliments a home in the summer
than a sharp green lawn, and our feature on lawns will
ensure that you have a “green” lawn, in
every sense of the word this season. There are a few
things more exciting than buying a brand new home, and
our feature on smart ways to look at new construction
will help guide you through the process. If you’re
looking to sell your home, one of the fastest ways for
it to sell is to “stage” it well. This month,
we offer tips on how to best prepare your home to make
it as appealing as possible to the greatest amount of
people. Finally, it’s not summer unless you roll
out the barbeque. Our Seasonal Suggestion will tell
everything you need to know to make you a grilling guru
this summer!
The HouseHunt Team - Information
you need for all your real estate needs
Survey Question
What would be your primary reason for firing your real estate agent? (Please select one answer and hit submit)
Recent
years have seen drought in many parts of the country,
and environmental concerns make it more important than
ever to conserve water. It’s not as hard as you
think – we’ll share many easy ways you can
do your part. more>>
In
many ways, buying a newly built house is easier than
buying an existing house. In many ways, it is also more
challenging. We’ll walk through good information
to know when buying new construction.
more>>
Not
only are pests damaging to your house and sensibilities,
they can also pose a health risk. Here are some of the
most common pest problems and what to do about them.
more>>
“Staging”
your house is the process by which you make it presentable
to as many people as possible, while making it as appealing
as possible. Here are several ways to get you started.
more>>
You
may dream about a perfect, lush, thick green lawn. But
what is the cost to the environment? Keep your lawn
– and the environment – healthy with our
tips.more>>
Feedback: Please tell us what you think of this newsletter. Just send us
an email.
Summer
is the season for grilling! You've probably started
enjoying your grill already, but here are a few tips
to attain grilling genius. 
Recent
years have seen drought in many parts of the country,
and environmental concerns make it more important than
ever to conserve water. It’s not as hard as you
think – we’ll share many easy ways you can
do your part. 
In
many ways, buying a newly built house is easier than
buying an existing house. In many ways, it is also more
challenging. We’ll walk through good information
to know when buying new construction. 
Not
only are pests damaging to your house and sensibilities,
they can also pose a health risk. Here are some of the
most common pest problems and what to do about them.
“Staging”
your house is the process by which you make it presentable
to as many people as possible, while making it as appealing
as possible. Here are several ways to get you started.
You
may dream about a perfect, lush, thick green lawn. But
what is the cost to the environment? Keep your lawn
– and the environment – healthy with our
tips.