Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Appeal Your Property Taxes....Just Call Kim


What to do if you Disagree with the Taxable Value of your Home
If you live in Clark County you should have received a statement from
M.W. Schofield of the Clark County Assessor's Office that contains a statement indicating the assessed value of your home.
When you review that form, look in the center portion of the inside tri-fold section, and you will find an area that reflects your TAXABLE VALUE. If you have any hesitation about this taxable value and if it accurately reflects the current market value of you home, just give me a call and I will do the additional research that is needed.   This appeal must be submitted and received by the assessor's office on or before January 15, 2011.

You may be qualified for an exemption toward your real property tax and personal property tax which includes business personal property and manufactured housing. As an option you may choose to apply the exemption toward your motor vehicle governmental services tax. To use your exemption toward the governmental services tax on your motor vehicle, you must obtain a DMV voucher from the Assessor's Office.
Exemptions are available for certain qualifying persons such as veterans, surviving spouses, and blind persons who are Nevada Residents. There are requirements to meet in order to be eligible for the exemptions and further investigation would determine if you qualify.
Seniors can also apply for assistance, this is offered through a Senior Citizen Tax Assistance/Rental Rebate program to persons 62 year of age or older who meet the maximum household income requirement. This program applies to any person meting the age, residency and income requirements regardless if you own your own home or rent an apartment or house, or live in a manufactured home. The maximum benefit is $500.00.

Again, CallKim and I will direct you to the appropriate departments.
Kim Duclos
Coldwell Banker Wardley
(702) 521-3939
(888) 949-2890

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Chandeliers for Alternative Decor - CallKim

Let's Look at Some Alternative Ideas for you Home Decor

Once a symbol of wealth, the chandelier has become a decidedly more democratic decorative element in recent years. While chandeliers are expected in grand entryways, formal dining rooms, ballrooms and the like, they also pop up in more unlikely places. Here are a few unexpected places to find chandeliers, and advice for how to recreate the look in your home:

The kitchen although not usually thought of as a place for a chandelier, is a wonderful alternative to add some pizzaz to the area.












Ever consider the a touch of light at your bedside by way of a chanelier? It does not have to be frilly, it can lean masculine or feminine depending on your choice of lighting. These pictures demonstate some alternatives.















I love the nursery idea, such a refreshing change to the usual decor in one's nursery. Often times you can visit second hand stores and find some treasures in way of chandeliers. Visiting normal lighting outlet stores also offer a variety of colors, styles and choices.

Being creative and keeping one's mind open is key when adding a touch of life to your living space.

For all of your real estate needs, please give me a call @ (888) 949-2892 or on my cell @ (702) 521-3939

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Christmas Cookies


Most Popular Christmas Cookie Recipes

Peanut Butter Blossoms Cookie Recipe
Hershey's Chocolate Kisses are provocatively placed on top of tender, mouth-watering peanut butter cookies and rolled in sugar. With a combination like this, how can anyone go wrong? Peanut Butter Blossoms are the number one, most requested cookies this year so far. Hershey has come out with a number of chocolate Kisses the past few years. Not only are plain milk chocolate Kisses popular, but the cute little striped Hugs & Kisses are also gaining popularity. Hershey Truffle Kisses or the Special Dark Kiss will make choosing a favorite cookie very hard this year!



Sugar Cookies Recipe
Soft Sugar Cookies come in second place on most lists. These sugar cookies are not the rolled cookie cutter sugar cookies. They're nice and soft, melt-in-your-mouth delicious pillows of sweet goodness, rolled in colored sugar. The cream of tartar in the recipe gives them that nice creamy texture. No cookie platter should be without these colorful Sugar Cookies!

Read on . . . .
Pecan Butter Balls
Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
Snickerdoodles come in a close third on the most wanted Christmas cookies list. In terms of stats, they're right behind the Soft Sugar Cookies, but not by much. These beloved cookies are the easiest drop cookies this side of the North Pole! Also made with cream of tartar and rolled in sugar, but with an added surprise - cinnamon!

Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Traditional buttery Shortbread Cookies - easy to make and even easier to eat! Remember the familiar red tartan cookie tin everyone gets for Christmas? These Shortbread Cookies taste almost identical to Walkers Shortbread cookies. Dip them in chocolate, roll them in nuts or roll them out and use classic Christmas cookie cutters. Whatever the choice, these are the best Shortbread Cookies without going to Scotland to get them!
Here's the rest of the most popular list.
They're just a click on link above!

Peanut Butter Blossoms
Soft Sugar Cookies
Snickerdoodles
Shortbread Cookies
Thumbprint Cookies
White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
Pecan Butter Balls aka Mexican Wedding Cakes
Santa's Whiskers Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Cherry Kisses Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft Molasses Cookies
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gourmet Chocolate PB Cup Brownies
Gourmet Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Dangers of Walking away from you Mortgage





4 dangers of walking away from your mortgage

Homeowners who skip out on their loans face a slew of consequences.

Some homeowners who are "underwater," or owe more on their mortgage than the home's current value, are turning to "strategic defaults" in which they simply walk away from mortgage debt. But financial experts warn the cost of skipping out on mortgage debt can be high.
The American Bankers Association recently informed homeowners about the consequences of strategic default, including the possibility of the bank obtaining a judgment to pursue the homeowner's assets, such as bank accounts, cars and investments.


Here are four dangers of which homeowners should be aware and more information on the strategic-default environment.

1. Wrecked credit
Regardless of whether a foreclosure is because of a strategic default or other circumstances, it damages a consumer's credit score.
"A foreclosure is one of the stronger predictors of future credit risk," says Craig Watts, public-affairs director of FICO, a credit-rating company.

Foreclosures remain on a credit report for as long as seven years, with the impact gradually lessening over time. Watts says FICO scores "generally begin to recover after a couple of years," assuming the consumer stays current on all payments and other credit accounts.
He says the impact of a foreclosure on a credit score depends on other factors in the borrower's credit history. The ABA says a foreclosure drops a FICO score by 100 to 400 points.

2. Difficulty getting new mortgage
A voluntary foreclosure also can affect a homeowner's ability to qualify for a new mortgage for years to come.

Peter Fredman, a Berkeley, Calif., consumer attorney, says Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will not approve a mortgage for four years after foreclosure, while the ABA says it can take three to seven years to qualify for a new mortgage. In addition, Fannie Mae this past summer announced a tough new sanction on people who deliberately default on their mortgages. These borrowers will be ineligible for a new Fannie-backed mortgage for seven years after the foreclosure date.

3. Taxes still due
Tax liability is another potential danger of defaulting.
Although the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 offers protection from federal taxes after a foreclosure through 2012, state taxes still may be due on unpaid debt.


4. Deficiency judgment
A lender can also pursue the remaining debt from an unpaid loan by obtaining a deficiency judgment against the delinquent borrower, or it may work with a collection agency to recoup losses.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Halloween Safety

It’s the scariest night of the year! But with a little attention to safety, you can keep it fun and not frightful. Here are a few tips for you to follow........Boo!

Don’t Frankenstein Your Lights

Do not connect more than three miniature light strings together. Also, be sure to check the rating on your extension cords and do not plug in more than the recommended wattage. Cords should not be run under carpets or tacked-up with metal nails or staples.

Inspect Decorations with Fiendish Care

Inspect all of your electric lights and decorations for damage or wear. Cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires and loose connections may pose a fire or shock hazard. Look for a red UL mark to indicate that lights are certified for both indoor and outdoor use. A green UL mark indicates certification for indoor use only.

Beware of Candles!

Candles, especially in a Jack O’Lantern, should be off the ground and out of children’s reach. Try battery-operated LED candles for an even safer option.


Don’t Trip Up Your Goblins

Halloween costumes should allow full movement for your kids. Costumes that drag, constrict or drape pose a dangerous hazard, especially at night. Check to ensure that costumes don’t restrict your children’s vision, and instruct them to watch out for tripping hazards, such as cords.


Say Boo! to Unsafe Costumes

Be sure to purchase or make costumes out of flame-resistant materials such as nylon or polyester as these specially marked fabrics will resist burning and extinguish quickly. Make sure your child knows to stop, drop and roll in case their costume catches fire.


Be Safe and Bright

Choose costumes that are lighter in color and attach reflective materials to costumes. Make sure each child has a flashlight to help them see and be seen.
Keep Hungry Monsters from Feeding

Never let your kids eat Halloween candy before you inspect it in the light at home. Even if you know your neighbors, you should always check to be safe and throw away open candy or anything that looks at all suspicious.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Las Vegas, Water, Helpful tips

BEST TIME TO DRINK WATER
Another little tidbit that's news to me.
Always knew to drink a lot of water, but who knew the timing affected things.

Drinking water at the correct time maximizes its effectiveness on the Human body:
2 glasses of water after waking up helps activate internal organs

1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion
1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure
1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack

Great Information to share with the people you care about.......
Kim Duclos - Coldwell Banker Wardley - (888) 949-2890 or (702) 521-3939

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Clever Ideas Worth Knowing



Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store.If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster..I didn't know that!

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil.It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of Spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.

Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!

Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up.Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg.Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size.You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

Reheating refrigerated bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them ina microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the foodmoist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper weeds away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers,put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and for-get about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will notget through wet newspapers.

Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.

No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it. (Wonder if this works with rabbits? Sure gonna give it a try)


Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
Reducing Static ClingPin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... TA DA! ... Static is gone.

Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelopes
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside,
just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.

Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!


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