National Children’s Dental Health Month

Did you know that tooth decay is the number one chronic illness in children? During the month of February, awareness is raised about the importance of oral health. Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits help children get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Don’t Let Tax Season Tax Your Health…

It’s tax season once again! Tax season tends to be stress season, and an increase in stress can set off a tidal wave of health issues especially for those who are already experiencing chronic stress. Stress is a contributing factor to many health issues including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, skin conditions, depression, and anxiety.

Let Work Life help you to avoid the additional stress that comes with tax season. They have many resources available including articles, assessments, podcasts, webinars, and educational guides to help you with tax preparation and stress management.

Be sure to check out the website to find discounts on tax preparation services such as TurboTax, H&R Block, Liberty Tax Service, and more!

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Show Your Heart Some Love

In honor of American Heart Month, here are 5 things you can do to show your heart some love during the month of February and all year-round:

Know your numbers. Your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels are all important indicators of heart health. Have them checked at least once per year and more often if the results are abnormal.

Brush & floss daily. Keeping your teeth healthy can help keep your heart healthy too.

Studies have shown that people with gum disease are almost twice as likely to have heart disease.

Sleep 6-8 hours each night. Studies indicate that chronically sleeping less or more can increase the risk factors for heart disease such as hypertension, insulin resistance, and elevated levels of stress hormones.

Find healthy ways to cope with stress. Stress is a natural response that can help us to perform better. However, chronic stress left unmanaged can increase risk factors like high cholesterol and high blood pressure. It can also lead to unhealthy methods of coping such as over-eating, smoking, or drinking alcohol.

Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke. The chemicals ingested from tobacco smoke damage the structure and function of your heart and blood vessels. It is a major risk factor for heart disease, especially when combined with other risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and obesity.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Learn the Heart/Head Connection

A heart-healthy lifestyle can lower your chances of having a stroke, and it can also cause different mental abilities. In fact, getting plenty of physical activity, eating a healthy diet, and other behaviors that strengthen your heart can have a profound effect on preventing bad consequences.

Here’s what happens: Those unhealthy behaviors can lead to narrowing of the blood vessels. That reduces blood flow to the brain, and leads to hardening of the arteries of the heart and the brain. When your brain doesn’t get the blood flow it needs, it can begin to malfunction. As a result, you could experience problems thinking, trouble with memory, difficulty finding your way from place to place, and deterioration in cognitive function. If blood flow to the brain is abruptly blocked, you could even have a stroke.

Getting on the Right Path

You need to discuss any cognitive problems you’re having with your healthcare provider. You might undergo testing to evaluate how well your memory is working. You might also need to see a neuropsychologist, who can use brain teasers, puzzles, and other tests to assess your cognitive function and compare it to other people your age.

The next step: Strive for a healthy lifestyle. This includes getting plenty of physical activity and following a healthy diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean protein and fish. Maintaining a healthy body weight, not smoking, and managing your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol are all critical. Although healthy behaviors should ideally start early, it’s never too late.

February is American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.  The month of February is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and increasing knowledge about prevention.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss for Americans age 65 and older. As you age, your risk for AMD increases, but there are things you can do to help. This month focuses on education about reducing the risk of eye disease and vision loss.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

CHECKLIST: What You Can Do To Help Save Our Environment

Water
	1. Use only the water you need, and reuse when possible.
	2. Help keep water clean by using biodegradable and environmentally friendly cleaning products.
	3. Dispose of solid and liquid wastes and medications safely.
	4. Protect your local water source from pollutants, excess pesticides and garbage.
Air
	1. Use human powered modes of transportation to get from place to place! Walk, jog, skip, ride a bike instead.
	2. Pass on gas! Take public transportation, carpool, plan your day to reduce trips and vehicle emissions.
	3. Make sure your home's air is healthy. Tip! Test, Fix and Save a Life from Radon, a colorless odorless gas.
	4. Buy locally, or grow your own! Reduce air pollution caused by food and goods transport.
	5. Reduce your potential for exposure to mercury.
	6. Plant a tree. Or plant many trees!
	7. Prevent additional air pollution by finding alternatives to burning your waste.
Land
	1. Use pesticides safely! Reduce or eliminate where possible.
	2. Learn about composting, try it out!
	3. Learn about 'Greenscaping'! Try it out at home and promote it in your community.
	4. Learn about the native species and the negative effects of non native plants and animals in the environment. Plant native species in your gardens, encourage important pollinators such as bees and birds by planting gardens full of their favorite plants. Join a team in your community that removes non-native species.
Energy
	1. Save energy at home. Choose energy-saving appliances if they're available. Look for Energy Star!
	2. Go renewable! Create your own power from wind, the sun, water, or biofuels.
	3. Find alternate ways to reduce use of diesel and other fuels for transportation, production and energy.
	4. Find out how much of your home's energy is supplied by renewable sources, seek to increase it. Research or contact your local power provider.
Waste
	1. Reduce. Cut back on the amount of 'stuff' that could later end up as waste.
	2. Reuse. Upcycle! Take something that is disposable and transform it into something of greater use and value.
	3. Recycle metals, plastics and paper.
	4. E-cycle. Recycle and/or properly dispose of electronic waste such as computers and other gadgets.
	5. Don't litter! Properly dispose of trash and waste.
	6. When purchasing goods, opt for sustainable, recycled or reused resources. Choose items in less packaging.
Advocacy
	1. Participate in a local environmental festival or event.
	2. Organize a local event!  • Start a recycling competition at work • Organize a cleanup day in your community, share the before and after photos with EPA’s Pick 5 for Your Environment! http://www.epa.gov/pick5/
	3. Establish a Green Award program in your community.
	4. Talk to a friend about Pick5!
	5. Find a 'Green Mate' across the globe, double up to make a difference. Pair up through Pick5 on Twitter, Facebook, let us know how you found each other!
	6. Share your commitment on social networking sites.
	7. Join or start a green club in your community.
	8. Bring environmental education to your local schools and community.
	9. Raise Awareness! Talk to others about the state of the environment, locally or globally.

U.S. Mortgage Rates Decline With 30-Year Fixed at 3.54%

Mortgage rates eased this week, as expectations for rapid economic growth were tempered by continued worries about the impacts of the European debt crisis and the potential impact of government spending cuts.

Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 3.54 percent for the week ending March 21, down from 3.63 percent last week and 4.08 percent a year ago, Freddie Mac said in releasing the results of its latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Rates on 30-year fixed-rate loans hit a low in Freddie Mac records dating to 1971 of 3.31 percent during the week ending Nov. 21, 2012.

For 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, rates averaged 2.72 percent, down from 2.79 percent last week and 3.30 percent a year ago. Rates on 15-year fixed-rate loans hit a low in Freddie Mac records dating to 1991 of 2.63 percent during the week ending Nov. 21, 2012.

For five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid-rate mortgage (ARM) loans, rates averaged 2.61 percent, the same as last week and down from 2.96 percent last year. The average rate for the week ending today ties an all-time low in Freddie Mac records dating to 2005 last seen during the week ending Feb. 28.

Rates on one-year Treasury-indexed ARM loans averaged 2.63 percent, virtually unchanged from last week, but down from 2.84 percent a year ago. Rates on one-year ARM loans hit a low in records dating to 1984 of 2.52 percent during the week ending Dec. 20, 2012.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Top 10 Rules to Financing a Condo

Financing a condominium can be a challenging task.  Getting a mortgage for a condo has many more requirements than purchasing a single family home.

Here are top 10 rules to financing a condo.

1. All units and common elements must be 100% complete.

2. 10% of units may not be owned by a single entity

3. 15% of units may not be delinquent over 30 days with HOA dues

4. Association cannot be involved in any pending litigation or lawsuit

5. Commercial space not to exceed 20%

6. Association must be turned over to HOA (Developer may not be in control)

7. 90% of units must be sold/conveyed to purchasers (This can vary down to 70%, but it will also depend on down payment usually 10% down payment or more)

8. No condotels, short term rentals, rental pools, etc.

9. May not be subject to additional phasing/add-ons

10. Any right of first refusal that adversely impacts the rights of the mortgagee to: foreclose, take title, accept a deed or assignment in lieu of foreclosure, or sell/lease a unit acquired by the mortgagee or its assignee

Please note that this list is not exhaustive but these are the first set or requirements that you will want to ensure are compliant.  The above rules are used when looking to get conventional financing.

If you think you want to purchase a condo using FHA financing you will also want to check and see if the condo is on the FHA approved project list go here https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/condlook.cfm

Type in the state and zip code and it will show you all the projects that are approved, as well as their expiration dates. 

 I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Simple Home Design Tips To Give Your House A Fresh New Look

Deck the Walls with The Power of Paint – Just coating one room or even a single wall in a vibrant and compelling color or paint some pictures will give any room a fresh new look. 

WALLPAPER POP OF PATTERN – You can easily choose the well-designed wallpaper to catch the eye. 

RUNNER REFRESHER- Take the area from basic to memorable with a bold runner—a graphic design underfoot is the easiest way to spice up the space. Roll out style in your hallway with a cushy, new carpet runner. 

Accents with Impact –Pile on the Pillows for an easy sofa makeover. The easiest home décor accent to add impact to any room in your home is the pillow. Select a few in fun colors and peppy patterns to give any room a quick update. 

Turn on the Lights adding Plenty of Lamps - A big part of the holiday season’s appeal is its prolonged light show. The most effective way to ease your tasks and also create a more uplifting atmosphere is to create a balance between different kinds of lighting in your rooms by adding table lamps and floor lamps and both upward and downward light. 

Double Duty Throws - Don’t forget to toss a bright throw into the mix during these cold winter months—it’s an opportunity to spread additional color over your perches along with some warmth. 

THE TEA TOWEL TRICK - The kitchen’s answer to the throw pillow is most definitely the tea towel. Just grab a few to add color and pattern to the stove.

Add A Touch of Nature with Fresh Flowers - For the new season, replace the pine and poinsettia with generous groupings of just one type of fresh flower. Flowers and plants are great to have in the house for many reasons because they not only beautify your home, but they also help in providing a pleasant and cleansing smell to the air in your house.

 I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Keep Those News Year's Resolutions; 5 Ways That Can Help

It's almost March 2013.  Can You believe it?!

How many of you made New Year's resolutions that you have already broken?

Lose weight. Exercise more. Spend more time volunteering. Resolutions so many of us make January after January—and manage to break before the Valentine's Day candy hits the drugstore shelves. Unfortunately for many of us the promises we make to others seem to have a higher value than the promises we make to ourselves. The way to fix this, is to get others involved in our goals. The following suggestions may help you to keep from seeing those resolutions go as flat as that New Year's champagne:

• Announce your goal – Share your New Year's resolution with friends and relatives you trust. Personal pride may be enough to keep you from going back on your word.

• Schedule it – List those commitments you've made at the gym or the food bank like any other appointments in your calendar. Seeing them on paper can make them just as sacred as getting your dog to the vet.

• Get a buddy – Enlist a friend to diet along with you, or a co-worker to join you in a daily lunchtime walk around the block. Having company can make any commitment seem more like fun than work.

• Set a goal – I will save enough money this winter to pay for that cruise I've been coveting....I will lose those pounds by Easter. Having your eye on a specific goal can make it easier to stay on track.

• Reward yourself – Know that if you accomplish your goal, you will absolutely reward yourself—with that beach vacation or size-smaller wardrobe or whatever means a lot to you. Granted, the achievement should be reward enough—but there's nothing wrong with a little self-indulgence now and then if it keeps you on the straight and narrow.

 I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Freddie Mac Average for 30-Year Rate Inches Up

Freddie Mac’s primary mortgage market survey shows that the weekly average for the 30-year fixed mortgage rate, after being flat for three straight weeks, inched up to 3.56%.

The average 30-year rate during the week ending Feb. 21 was up three basis points from the previous week. The 15-year fixed mortgage rate remained unchanged at 2.77%.

Also during the most recent week, the average rate for a five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid mortgage remained stable at 2.64% and the average rate for a one-year Treasury-indexed adjustable-rate mortgage rose by four basis points to 2.65%.

Average points during the week ending Feb. 21 were as follows: 0.8 of a point for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages and 15-year FRMs, 0.5 of a point for five-year Treasury hybrids and 0.4 of a point for one-year Treasury ARMs.

A year ago, the average weekly 30-year rate was 3.95%, the average weekly 15-year rate was 3.19%, the average weekly five-year Treasury hybrid rate was 2.8% and the average one-year Treasury ARM rate was 2.73%.

What does all this mean?  The market seems to be finally stabilizing. Foreclosures are at their lowest level in years, although we are still seeing a significant number of short sales.  Now is the time to refinance and to purchase that new home while rates and home prices are still affordable.

 I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

How Facebook’s New Look Benefits You

Facebook updates its interface so frequently it can be hard to keep up. Yet again, the social media giant is introducing changes that will revolutionize the experience and real estate agents are sure to benefit from it. Here is a quick breakdown of the changes coming and what it means for your business.

Graph Search

What It Is: Graph Search is where social media and search engines meet. You can use graph search to find people, places, and things based on your own search parameter. Find people who share your interests, certain photos, and even discover new restaurants to try or bands to listen to, all based on what your Facebook friends are doing on Facebook.

How You Use It: Type your search parameters in the search bar: "restaurants my friends have been to this month" or "photos my friends have taken in Las Vegas" or something of the like.

How It Benefits You: This broadens your exposure to more prospects on Facebook. When people need a real estate agent, they can use Graph Search to look for "real estate agents my friends know."

 I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

6 Decorating Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them

Mistake #1: Putting Everything You Love in the Living Room

Experiment with your own space by taking a few things away. Try to group similar collections in a single spot. Editing is a way to make your favorite pieces stand out and to create a space that feels supportive, not overwhelming."

Mistake #2: Choosing Furniture That Doesn't Play Well with Others

One of the biggest mistakes people make in decorating is not understanding the importance of scale and proportion. The furniture, like the sofas and chairs, should have similar proportions. Things should not be too big for the room. 

Mistake #3: Bankrupting Yourself for the Perfect Wallpaper

You don’t need to wallpaper an entire room, which can be expensive and make a space feel crowded and busy. Choose to cover a focal surface (like the area behind this bed) so the print stands out, and the room still feels open and airy.

Mistake #4: Remembering What's Inside (but Forgetting What's Outside)

Your room should fit the environment they are in. For instance, in a hot climate, the sense of space and plain floors should be very cooling. Different climates dictate how a place should feel, so therefore, look to local architectural styles to give you the clues you're looking for when trying to decide what to do.

Mistake #5: Getting Everything to Go Together

A typical mistake that people make is relying too heavily on the idea of matching. Select textiles, finishes and furnishings that work together to create an interesting yet unified collection that is an honest reflection of your personal style.

Mistake #6: Succumbing to One-Stop Shopping

Don’t purchase all your furniture for one room from the same store or the same time period. This makes the room feel impersonal. The best rooms will mix old and new with pieces from different stores, different craftsmen and possibly even different regions. That way, the room has a soulful and spirited vibe that looks like the room has evolved over time.

 I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224.  

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders