ENERGY savings in 2010!

If you are planning any energy related changes to your home, 2010 is THE YEAR to do it!  The same holds true if you are considering the purchase of new appliances.  There are not only some terrific values out there, but also a tax credit available from the government.   I have gathered information from several local retailers for you.

1) The Window Store -- TWS provided me with information for you and also a valuable coupon of up to $500. Please drop me an email to request this information.  This is a win-win-win-win situation.  You could put in new windows, get a discount from the window store, have valuable energy savings afterward, and potentially file for an energy credit on your income taxes!

2) H.E.S. - Home Evaluation Services - Kerry Noble has opened an office in Chocolay in the Togo's plaza that deals with energy related services.  Kerry has recently teamed up with Gary Horwood previously of The Window Store.  This business can advise you, point you into the direction of other retailers/service providers, do an energy audit on your home, etc.  The energy audit is the neatest thing!  They test your home and provide you with a report that will identify and prioritize the changes you could make to improve on your energy savings. The audit provides both the cost to do the change and the savings the change will provide.  You will be able to clearly see how long it will take you to breakeven.  Some changes may pay for themselves in a matter of months, and others may take years -- easy straightforward decision-making.  Stop in or call on HES -- you'll be glad you did!

The government is providing a tax credit for energy related items also.  Please go to Energystar Gov Tax Credit  to find out more. 

Hope this information helps -- saves you money -- and gets you a tax credit this year!!

Win-win-win-win!  ~ Liz

Liz the Gardener

I spent all four days surrounding the Memorial Day holiday beginning to tackle my back yard gardening.  We have quite a large back yard that has some great features, but needs a complete overhaul.  Bill tilled the perimeter for me, and then left me for the long weekend to fend for myself.  Me and a shovel, some peat, manure, and a checkbook - we had some quality time together!  I found lots of beautiful plants and shrubs, and worked to find different textures, heights and both spring and summer-fall bloomers.  Bing supervised (mostly by laying flat on his belly in the dirt) and by late Monday evening I had completed probably a 35' strip along one fence line.  (I'll come back and add some pics.)

Im going to try to attend the 3rd annual Garden Conference going on at NMU on June 26th.  See details below, and for more info check out the Marquette Beautification Committee's website at:    http://www.mqtbeautification.org/index.html

MBRC 2010 Garden Conference


Saturday, June 26, 2010

Schedule

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Keynote: Eight Months of Color

Janet Macunovich and Steven Nikkila

11:00 a.m. - noon Workshop Session A

1. Fifty Favorite Gardens, Before and After Janet Macunovich and Steven Nikkila

2. Oh Those Pesky Lawn Weeds!

and How to Eradicate Them Lynn Adams

3. Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening Chris Ainsle

4. Building a Healthy Soil Jim Isleib

5. Won’t You “Bee” My Neighbor? Lee Ossenheimer

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Workshop Session B

1. Fifty Favorite Gardens, Before and After Janet Macunovich and Steven Nikkila

(repeat of Session A 1)

2. Gardening in Containers Linda Andriacchi

3. You Can Grow Clematis Bill Van Kosky

4. Gardening 101: Playing in da U.P. Sandbox Kari Stordahl

5. Coneflowers as Garden Favorites Larry Pagel

2:50 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. Workshop Session C

1. Native Gardening with UP Wildflowers Teri Grout and Elizabeth Coyne

and Shrubs

2. Bearded Iris 101 Marsha Preston

3. Tips for the Vegetable Gardener Norm Hefke

4. The Home Orchard for Beginners Jim Isleib

5. Tropical Plantings - Panama Plus Judy Quirk

Website Find - Walpole Woodworkers

Oh my -- just my style. Guess if you painted anything white, I would like it. This website offers wonderful garden elements such as arbors, cupolas, lantern posts, fences, etc. Buy or just get ideas. http://www.walpolewoodworkers.com/

Enjoy our Summers and make your home your special place! ~ Liz

Website Find - Garden Artworks

Truly awe inspiring garden fountains and artwork. Must convert pounds to U.S. Dollars. High end incredible designs. www.allisonsgarden.com

Enjoy the Garden! ~Liz

Assessment Notices Mailed

March is the time for local Assessing Offices to mail out to property owners, their Assessment Notices for the upcoming year. I welcome you to contact me if you have any questions about your notice. As a previous City Treasurer for nearly 12 years, and also as a Realtor/Assoc. Broker I understand these notices.

This Notice tells you a number of important things. A change in Assessed Values should tell you something about your very local market. These numbers generally (there are other reasons) change based on Sales of homes near your own, over the past 1-2 years. There are places in our community that actually are showing pretty significant decreases - which of course, we have not seen in a number of years. Changes differ from neighborhood to neighborhood though.

Your change in Taxable Value - if you just purchased - is important to examime because it was allowed to become "uncapped" and can move considerably the first year following your purchase. This new number establishes where you will go from here in large part with your property taxes, so you will want to take a good look at it.

If you didnt move last year, your Taxable Value is adjusted based on the following formula. TV will be adjusted by the Cost of Living (set statewide) or 5% whichever is less. This began with the passage of Proposal A in 1994. 2010 is the very first year ever that the Cost of Living is actually a negative number -- and therefore, Taxable Values went down slightly.

Taxation can be complicated. My advice of course is to contact your local authorities if you have questions. You only have so much time to discuss or appeal this information, so please heed the dates on your notice. I would encourage you to discuss your notice with the local authorities if possible first, and then understand that Board of Review is in place as an appeals process.

Good Luck!! ~Liz

U.P. Builders Show Mar 5-7

Come check out the UP Builders Show this weekend. We consider it the kick-off to our Spring Real Estate Market. You'll also find vendors of all kinds, with new products and new ideas for all your home improvement projects. Its fun for the entire family. I'll be there Saturday morning. For additional information check out www.upbuildersshow.com

See you at the show! ~ Liz

Heikki Lunta Winterfest this Weekend in Negaunee!

Heikki Lunta Winterfest in Negaunee is set for this upcoming weekend January 16 and 17 and will feature events such as: a fishing derby, fireworks, bazaars, bonfires and blooper ball!! Few things are as fun as sitting near a bonfire along Teal Lake and watching Fireworks in the Winter sky. Enjoy everyone!


Please visit www.negauneeirontown.com for all the details.