Washington County Weekend Post

1 1 - 2 3 - 1 4 • W a s h i n g t o n C o u n t y R e a l E s t a t e • 7 Get organized for easy holiday decorating Celebrations go a long way toward mak- ing the holiday season a special time of year. Each holiday offers the opportuni- ty to transform both the interior and exterior of a home into a holiday won- derland blending both store-bought and handcrafted decorations and ornaments. It's easy to get overwhelmed by holiday decorations, but organizing such items can make the process of giving your home a holiday facelift that much easier. Color-coding Storage bins are the unsung heroes of holiday decorating. Such bins keep treasures safe and out of the way in attics, basements and closets. Employing a color-coding system to organize holi- day decorations will make it easier to identify items and their corresponding holidays. Christmas objects can be housed in red or green storage contain- ers, while Halloween decorations can be placed in orange containers, and so on. Investing in durable, plastic bins with lids will keep items clean and orderly. Designate a storage spot Hunting and pecking around the house for holiday decor can make the process of decorating that much more time-con- suming. Not knowing where the strings of lights or extra extension cords are stored can drag out the time it takes to decorate. Establish a designated storage area for ornaments, lights, wreaths, and other items used to decorate your home come the holidays. Out-of-the way spots like attics or seldom-used closets make good storage spots for holiday decora- tions, guaranteeing that such items won't get in the way throughout the rest of the year. Sort and replace as you go Take the time to periodically go through decorative items, removing anything that is broken or worn beyond repair. It takes time to go items through piece by piece, but this will save time next year when decorations are taken out again. The longer you wait to sort items and do a little cleaning, the more time it ulti- mately takes to clean house. Keep a running list Although you may have a general idea of the items you have packed away, some things may be forgotten. Keep an infor- mal inventory of decorations and sup- plies so you don't purchase any dupli- cates. If you notice your list is lacking some items, shop pre- or post-season sales when items tend to be less expensive. Try to avoid shopping for holiday deco- rations right around that holiday, when stores are running out of stock and prices are typically at their highest. Decorating for the holidays can be fun, and it's even more fun when homeown- ers take the time to carefully organize their decorations. 241036005 HARTFORD RANCH CONDOS 2-4BR, 2-3BA, 2-3GA 1000-1800 sf $129-229,900+ Now/Spring. Exp LL / Sunroom / Woods / Inlaw. $95mo Snow / Lawn / Clubhouse Walk to Eat / Shop / Bank / Medical / Park www.hartfordsquareII.com Builder • 262-569-1516 HARTFORD RANCH CONDOS OPEN SUN & WED 10:30-12 Hwy 60E behind K-Mart OPEN SUN & WED 10:30-12 NEW LISTING NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION 405 Willow Lane, Hartford Call Denise Flanagan if you have any questions: 414-870-2464 2.6% Co-Broker Commission ➺ 2,217 sq. ft. ➺ 2 story NEW construction home ➺ 4 bedrooms plus office ➺ 2.5 bathrooms ➺ 3 car garage (insulated & drywalled) ➺ MLS# 1385209 HIGHLIGHTS $316,900 Asking Price: 240878001 www.WiHomeEvaluation.com FREE recorded message 1-800-479-8209 ID# 1041 OR HOMESELLERS Find out what the home down the street sold for. FREE computerized list with pictures of area home sales and current listings. Emmer Real Estate, Inc. 238725001 240931006 A survey of competitive mortgage rates. Participants pay a fee to be included in this feature. Assured Mortgage, Inc. (262) 754-4024 Last update 11/19/14 www.assuredmortgage.com/mschell 2375 W. Washington Street • West Bend, WI 53095 (262) 754-4024 • NMLS #262877 Look at all these LOW RATES!! Close in less than 30 days. Underwater Mortgage? We may be able to help. Peoples Home Equity, Inc (262) 306-6800 RATE PROGRAM PTS/APP Fees % DOWN LOCK APR/LOAN AMT. 4.000 30 yr. Fixed 0/$425 5% 45 days 4.049/200,000 3..875 20 yr. Fixed 0/$425 5% 45 days 3..924/200,000 3..250 15 yr. Fixed 0/$425 5% 45 days 3..299/200,000 3 .750 30 yr. FHA 0/$425 3.5% 45 days 4 .101/200,000 3 .750 30 yr. VA 0/$425 0% 45 days 4.029/200,000 3 .875 30 yr. USDA Purchase 0/$425 0% 45 days 4.187/200,000 Brian Riley, Branch Manager NMLS #272359 • (262) 306-6800 Harp 2.0 available; refinance regardless of your home's value. Call to see if you qualify. Last update 11/19/14 RATE PROGRAM PTS/APP Fees % DOWN LOCK APR/LOAN AMT 4.000 30 yr. Fixed 0/$375 5% 45 days 4.092/200k 3.250 15 yr. Fixed 0/$375 5% 45 days 3.392/200k 3.000 5/1ARM 0/$375 5% 30 days 2.926/200k 3.625 30 yr. USDA 0/$400 0% 45 days 4.729/100k 3.750 30 yr. FHA 0/$450 3.5% 45 days 4.287/150k 3.625 30 yr. VA 0/$375 0% 45 days 4.029/150k 4.250 30 yr. WHEDA 0/$375 3% 45 days 4.646/100k Commerce State Bank (262) 247-2800 RATE PROGRAM PTS/APP Fees LOCK APR/LOAN AMT 4 000 30 yr. 0/$395 30 days 4 .061/$100,000 3.125 15 yr. 0/$395 30 days 3 .231/$100,000 4.250 WHEDA 0/$395 45 days 4.337/$100,000 3 .750 FHA 0/$395 30 days 5.343/$100,000 1700 South Silverbrook Drive, West Bend, WI 53095 W61 N297 Washington Avenue, Cedarburg, WI 53012 Mortgage Officers: Doug Hall NMLS#779480, Amy Schmoldt NMLS#457083, Tom Sloey NMLS#826254, Eric Bast NMLS#477273, or Linda Chesak NMLS# 523660 Check for current rates and/or Apply online. www.Commercestatebank.com Purchase a home with $0 down! Fast Turn Times - Close in less than 30 days! E Q U A L H O U S I N G OPPORTUNITY Member FDIC www.Commercestatebank.com Last update 11/19/14 UNBEATABLE SERVICE Kohler Credit Union (262) 268-7240 RATE PROGRAM PTS/APP Fees % DOWN APR/LOAN AMT. 1.990 6 mon. Const 0/$450 20% 2 .990/150,000 4.000 30 yr. Fixed 0/$450 5% 4.045/100,000 3.125 15 yr. Fixed 0/$450 5% 3.204/100,000 N/A FHA 0/$450 3.5% N/A/100,000 2.990 5/1 ARM 0/$450 20% 1.738/100,000* 3.200 Paid-in 10 0/$599 20% 3.309/$100,000** Dan Bodart 262-268-7240 Ext 2604 or 888-528-2595 Ext 2604 NMLS#474451 Now 24 hour mortgage application access through our Website WWW.Kohlercu.com. $150 closing cost credit for Web applications. Credit Union Membership open to all who live or work in Ozaukee and Washington Counties. Last update 11/12/14 *Down payment may come from gift for qualified borrowers **Refinances only. Total closing costs $599 Mortgage Market Legend: The rate and annual percentage rate (APR) are effective as of the "Last Update (date)" for each individual lender. The APR may increase after consummation and may vary. Payments do not include amounts for taxes and insurance. Annual percentage rates (APRs) are based on fully indexed rates for adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs). All rates, fees and other information are subject to change without notice. Some or all of the companies appearing in this table pay a fee to appear in this table. Sample Repayment Terms - ex. 360 monthly payments of $5.29 per $1,000 borrowed ex. 180 monthly payments of $7.56 per $1,000 borrowed. We recommend that you contact your lender directly to determine what rates may be available to you. To appear in this table, call 262-306-5022. • Turn off ambient light- ing. Christmas tree lights or the lights framing a picture window should be sufficient to light up a room. Keep lamps and overhead lighting off while the tree is lit to save money and energy. • Lower the thermostat. When entertaining, turn the thermostat down a few degrees. Having extra people in your home will raise the temperature. Similarly, heat generated by the oven and other cooking appliances can warm up a home. Don't waste energy by keeping the heat turned on high. • Invest in rechargeable batteries. According to Energy Quest, 40 percent of all batteries are pur- chased during the holiday season. To power those many gifts and devices, use rechargeable batter- ies which can be used again and again. • Change your cooking practices. Smaller appli- ances use less energy. Put those toaster ovens, slow cookers and electric fry- ers to good use. Only use the oven if you are cook- ing a large meal. • Wait until the dishwash- er is full. Pack in the dish- es from holiday meals, and only run the dish- washer when it is full. • Reuse items whenever possible. Many items around the house can be put to good use as decora- tions, holiday servers or gifts. Take inventory of what you have before you go out and purchase new decorations. Decorative lights can consume a considerable amount of energy. Scale back or invest in LEDs, which are more energy-efficient lights. Since the marketplace is forever changing, your marketing plans need to as well. Our staff of professional Advertising Consultants will help design an ad that packs a powerful punch. Call The Weekend Post to help you create a successful advertising campaign. We'll help your business move in the right direction. 100 South 6th Street, West Bend, WI 53095 262-306-5000

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