The Hogue Group is your local real estate expert team. Over 45 years experience in real estate. We are Louisville. Depend on us for your next Buy... Sell... or Investment... in Real Estate.
My good friend Jason shared with us on Friday that his company was named the number 1 mortgage company in Louisville Kentucky. The Hogue Group uses two primary vendors for our clients when they do not already have someone to use. Jason and his company have come through for us and our clients on a regular basis. Congratualations Jason Justice and First Commonwealth Mortgage for this honor.
This video by home organizer Alejandra Costello demonstrates her system for organizing items you wish to donate, sell, return, or exchange. You designate an area in the home — preferably near an exit — for the stuff you don’t want to forget to take out the door with you. What we really liked best about this video is that she includes tips for keeping your downsizing efforts on track.
Hazardous household materials
Sure, we all know where to recycle stuff like soda cans and water bottles, but what about dicey items like medications, paint thinners, or asbestos?
Earth911.com, along with its free app iRecycle, is one of the best sources for finding acceptance centers that handle household hazardous waste. Just enter the type of junk you need to unload, like compact fluorescent light bulbs (did you know they have traces of mercury?), along with your ZIP code, and it provides the nearest recycling center to you.
Learn more about stuff that’s considered household hazardous waste, by watching this
hilarious Canadian video made for the city of Toronto.
Old technology
If you want to recycle appliances, cameras, computers, and TVs, Best Buy Recycle will take them, no matter where you bought them originally. The retailer charges $100 to pick up old appliances like TVs if you’re not also having a new Best Buy item delivered to you. It says it destroys CPUs to protect your data privacy. And the recycled bits and pieces become raw materials manufacturers can use to make everything from appliances to park benches. Check out the video:
Watch live streaming video from thebby at livestream.com
New-ish technology
If you want to sell your current smartphone or Mac gadget quickly, Gazelle.com will give you an instant estimate and a free shipping label. Plus, you can take comfort knowing that Gazelle believes in reusing products first before trying to recycle them.
FYI, while the company does protect your privacy by destroying SIM cards and erasing personal data found on devices they receive, Gazelle recommends you remove your SIM card and delete any personal information on your device before sending it in.
The best way to get rid of junk mail from accumulating at home is to stop it from being delivered in the first place. By creating a free account at Catalogchoice.org, you can banish catalogs and assorted marketing items from your home forever. Plus, their MailStop Browser extension for Firefox lets you opt out of mailing lists in real time when you shop online.
Lastly, if you’re willing to pay $35 a year, CatalogChoice will also prevent data brokers from selling your info to other direct marketers. You can check out the endorsement the National Wildlife Federation gave this service.
Kids’ stuff
We all know how quickly kids outgrow their stuff. Once Upon a Child buys gently used clothing, toys, and baby gear. It won’t accept items that have been recalled or don’t meet their safety standards. To find a store location near you so you can swap your items for cash or trade for things your kid currently needs, visit their website.
Books
Discover Books matches second-hand books with people who want them. It uses a proprietary software system to try to find a new owner for your old reads through an online retailer, or tries to donate it to an organization that supports literacy. Plus, if Discover Books can’t find a book a new home, it’s sent to a recycling center to begin a fresh life as something else. To see how this organization supports children’s literacy efforts, check out this video.
Places that buy books outright other than textbooks are becoming increasingly rare. Cash 4 Books pays you for books it wants, plus covers the cost of shipping to their distribution center. Just go to their site and type in the ISBN numbers of the books you plan to sell. Check out the video here to see how this process works.
FYI, if you really want to cut down on your carbon footprint, try donating your books to local libraries, schools, and hospitals. Or build your own free library in your front yard and let passersby help themselves.
Household linens, cleaning supplies, and old cars
If you have old towels, blankets, heating pads, cleaning supplies, and even a car you need to get rid of, consider donating to a local animal shelter like the ASPCA. Every shelter has different needs, from canned dog food to office supplies. But the items we listed are often animal rescue organizations’ top need. To find a local shelter near you, go to the ASPCA site.
Do you need a kick in the pants in order to donate? Check out this happy ending in this video:
Additional ways to part with your stuff
Donate, trade, or sell: Krrb.com is an alterative to sites like eBay, Craigslist, and Freecycle. Krrb makes it fairly simple to buy, sell, rent, trade, or even give your stuff away. Plus, the site offers a republish function that reposts your listings from Etsy, Craigslist, or eBay to Krrb with one click. They also have an iPhone app so you can find stuff for sale right in your neighborhood:
Krrbin’ On The Go – Our Editors Take A Spin On The Krrb iPhone App from Krrb on Vimeo.
Charity thrift shop locator: TheThriftShopper.com makes it a cinch to find charity thrift stores in your area by entering your ZIP code. Plus, many of the listings include the shop’s website, so you can learn more about each organization before deciding where to donate.
For more information contact your Eco-Broker below.
Rick Hogue REALTOR, CDPE, Eco-Broker
The Hogue Group
A Place to Hang Your Hat and Call Home
502-554-9428
Find the Nest Learning Thermostat here. If you’re like most people, you set your thermostat and forget it, or program a schedule that doesn’t have much to do with your life. Either way, you’re wasting energy and money by heating and cooling a house during times you’re not even there. Welcome to no more programming, no more constantly changing the temperature, and no more wasting energy. This is the Nest Learning Thermostat, and in just one week, it learns what temperatures you like and programs itself. Nest is wi-fi enabled, you can connect to it by using your smartphone, laptop or tablet, and you can change the temperature, adjust your schedule and even check local weather from anywhere. You’ll start by answering a few basic questions, and then use Nest like you would a normal thermostat. Every time you turn the ring to adjust the temperature, Nest remembers. Energy History keeps track of your energy use, so you can see how much you have saved and why. When you turn Nest to a temperature that will save you energy, you will see this icon, the Nest leaf. As Nest learns, energy saving features like Auto-Away™ and Energy History will become available. With Auto-away, Nest senses when you have been out of the house for a couple of hours and turns itself down. After a week, don’t worry if you need to make a few one-off temperature changes. Nest will not add every temperature adjustment to it’s schedule. It will look for patterns.
For more information contact your Eco-Broker below.
Rick Hogue REALTOR, CDPE, Eco-Broker
The Hogue Group
A Place to Hang Your Hat and Call Home
502-554-9428
Hit the alarm just one more time. Turn over and take a few more good sleep winks before getting out of bed on Sunday morning. Yes it is happening again. That time of year when you “THINK” you are getting an extra hour of rest ust to have it taken away during SPRING Forward.
So how did all of this come about. What wondrous group of people decided to make the calendar closer to being accurate than before? What Mayan Prophecy came about to encourage us to set time straight not once, but twice per year?
According to National Geographic,”Ben Franklin—of “early to bed and early to rise” fame—was apparently the first person to suggest the concept of daylight savings, according to computer scientist David Prerau, author of the book Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time.
While serving as U.S. ambassador to France in Paris, Franklin wrote of being awakened at 6 a.m. and realizing, to his surprise, that the sun would rise far earlier than he usually did. Imagine the resources that might be saved if he and others rose before noon and burned less midnight oil, Franklin, tongue half in cheek, wrote to a newspaper.
“Franklin seriously realized it would be beneficial to make better use of daylight but he didn’t really know how to implement it,” Prerau said.
It wasn’t until World War I that daylight savings were realized on a grand scale. Germany was the first state to adopt the time changes, to reduce artificial lighting and thereby save coal for the war effort. Friends and foes soon followed suit.
In the U.S. a federal law standardized the yearly start and end of daylight saving time in 1918—for the states that chose to observe it.
During World War II the U.S. made daylight saving time mandatory for the whole country, as a way to save wartime resources. Between February 9, 1942, and September 30, 1945, the government took it a step further. During this period daylight saving time was observed year-round, essentially making it the new standard time, if only for a few years.
Since the end of World War II, though, daylight saving time has always been optional for U.S. states. But its beginning and end have shifted—and occasionally disappeared.
During the 1973-74 Arab oil embargo, the U.S. once again extended daylight saving time through the winter, resulting in a one percent decrease in the country’s electrical load, according to federal studies cited by Prerau.
Thirty years later the Energy Policy Act of 2005 was enacted, mandating a controversial month long extension of daylight saving time, starting in 2007.”
Does all of this mean that we are saving energy? Actually no it does not. By having the daylight last an extra hour during the summer months makes the late afternoon even warmer causing people coming home from work to turn the thermostat down to compensate for the heat. On the other hand it is said that by having the time be set forward during the Spring that it allows children not to have to stand at bus stops in the dark. Child safety is a big concern for parents and educators alike.
But for now just enjoy the extra hour of sleep on the first day of Fall Back. Remember if you have any needs for real estate, either buying… selling… or investing… call The Hogue Group to make your dreams in real estate come true and set a place to “Hang Your Hat and Call Home.”
For more information contact your Eco-Broker below.
Rick Hogue REALTOR, CDPE, Eco-Broker
The Hogue Group
A Place to Hang Your Hat and Call Home
502-554-9428
Farmington was built between 1815 and 1816 for John and Lucy Fry-Speed. Both of them came from Virginia families that moved to Kentucky in the 1700s.
At one time the home held the Speed’s and their 13 children. 2 of which were from a previous marriage that John Speed had.
Hemp was the largest cash crop produced on the 544 original acre farm and the farm was self sufficient as many other vegetables and fruits and animals were raised to help feed and cloth the family.
Lincoln visited their home many times and on one such occasion in 1841 was due to him breaking up with then his fiance Mary Todd. After lengthy discussions Lincoln returned to Springfield and his wooing of Mry Todd who eventually became his wife.
After one visit Lincoln wrote back to the family telling of his anguish over his trip to St Louis where he endured the traveling of newly bought slaves being transported to a plantation. This is probably one of the earliest times showing Lincolns views against slavery.
When Lincoln was elected President of the United States, he asked James Speed, a successful Louisville lawyer to become the Secretary of Treasury. In December 1864, James became Lincoln’s Attorney General and held that position until 1866.
The above history is paraphrased from the complete history located on the Farmington web site.
Be sure to come to the 11th Annual Farmington Harvest Festival on October 14th from 10 am to 6 pm all part of the 13th annual Week in The Highlands Festival.
Here are some things you can expect.
Live music!
Delicious eats from Louisville Food Trucks!
Farmers and Local Artist Markets!
Comfy Cow Ice Cream!
Confederate and Union Battle Reenactments!
A Petting Zoo and Pony Rides!
Photos with Abraham Lincoln!
Even more Family Activities!
Free Tours of Louisville’s Historic 1816 Mansion and Hemp Plantation!
$5 admission per vehicle and per family for walkers and bike riders.
To find homes in the Farmington Area of Louisville go to this link.
For more information contact your Eco-Broker below.
Rick Hogue REALTOR, CDPE, Eco-Broker
The Hogue Group
A Place to Hang Your Hat and Call Home
502-554-9428
Traveling might appear very complex, but if you know what to do, where to go, who to ask for help, and more, you can have a great trip. If you don’t know what to do, you can easily get lost or waste money on something you can get cheaper elsewhere. The tips listed below can help you avoid this.
Always make sure you have someone looking after your home while you are traveling. You need to also make sure that you leave all of your contact information with them in case of an emergency. They will need to make sure they have some way of contacting you in case something goes wrong.
Make sure you carry spare toiletries with you if traveling to a foreign country. It’s odd the things that you will pay a premium price for at some locations. Also, make sure you carry a universal adapter so you always have access to what you need to have access to.
Sometimes the cleanliness of the linens in your hotel room is questionable. Rather than risk it, use your t-shirt as a pillowcase. After a long day of business meetings or sightseeing, turn your shirt inside out and use it over the hotel pillowcase. You can wash your shirt later, and it’s infinitely more appealing than putting your face on suspicious linens.
When booking flights for travel, always select your specific seat in advance. This ensures that you will get the seat you want, be it aisle, window, or emergency exit row. It also helps prevent you from getting bumped to standby in the event of an overbooking, since your seat assignment is locked in.
So as you can see, traveling is not as complex as it may appear. It is involved in terms of research, asking questions, and packing, but it is worth it in the end to have a great trip. With the above tips in mind, you should be smarter when it comes to traveling.
For more information contact your Eco-Broker below.
Rick Hogue REALTOR, CDPE, EcoBroker
The Hogue Group
A Place to Hang Your Hat and Call Home
502-554-9428
If your credit reports contains any inaccurate information, it can affect your ability to obtain any new credit. Taking the time to fix your own credit is the way to go. Check out this article for some expert credit repair advice.
The worst part of a credit crisis may be the collection agencies. Cease and desist instructions can be used to ward off debt collectors to a point, but only really to prevent harassment. Remember, even when the debt collectors stop annoying you by phone, your obligation to pay what you owe is not alleviated.
Take the time to carefully go over your monthly credit card statement. Make sure you aren’t paying for purchases you didn’t make. The responsibility lies with you to verify that each charge is accurate.
A nasty credit crunch can generally be caused by lacking the funds to pay off multiple debts. Split your available funds and make sure that you make payments on each of your debts. A small part payment is always going to be preferable to those you owe money to than no payments at all. By making regular contributions to your debts, you should be able to keep the collection agencies at bay.
Getting a traditional home loan can be difficult, if not impossible, with imperfect credit. Try to secure an FHA loan; these are federal government guaranteed. Even if the applicant does not have money for closing costs or a down payment, an FHA loan is workable.
Look at your credit report to make sure that there are no errors. There could be a mistake or error in the report. If you notice any errors, file a credit dispute. Although it takes some time, it will remove the discrepancies if they’re proven to be invalid.
You will be able to buy a house and finance it if you maintain a good credit rating. One way to help improve your credit is to pay your monthly mortgage payments on time. Owning your own home also improves your credit score in the form of having large assets to borrow against. If the need arrives to obtain a loan for any reason, this will be a valuable asset for you.
Carefully check all charges on your monthly credit card statement for errors. if you find any, then you need to get in touch with the company right away so this does not become a blemish on your credit record.
For a better credit rating, lower the balances on your revolving accounts. You can improve your score by lowering your balances. The FICO system makes a note when your balances are at 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 percent of your available credit.
A good way to start repairing your credit is to open new credit, but pay it off as soon as possible. This proves that you are taking responsibility for your credit.
If you are having trouble creating or maintaining a budget, discuss your situation with a credit counseling service. These agencies can normally negotiate with your creditors on your behalf so as to come up with an affordable repayment plan. It will also teach you about how to use finances in general, as well as how to be responsible with past obligations.
Pay all your bills to fix your credit. Agencies that specialize in helping people with credit issues can be a major assistance.
As this article shows, there are a number of steps you can take to improve your credit. If you follow these tips you could see your credit score improve in just a few months. A better credit score is within your reach.
For more information contact your Eco-Broker below.
Rick Hogue REALTOR, CDPE, EcoBroker
The Hogue Group
A Place to Hang Your Hat and Call Home
502-554-9428
Spring and summer are when yards and gardens retake their rightful places at the center of attention. This month, Pillar To Post takes a look at several steps that homeowners can take to make their outdoor spaces and their home live compatibly.
Keep water away from the house
Be sure that the ground slopes away from the house all the way around the perimeter. This ensures that any moisture from rain and sprinkler systems will be directed away from the foundation.
The base of shrubs and other plantings should be kept at least 2′ away from the foundation to avoid potential problems with roots and drainage. In addition, window wells should be kept free of debris and lined with gravel to help water drain out of the well and into the ground.
Do not leave sprinklers on for too long. Excessive water will not do plants and lawns any good, and may cause problems if there are drainage issues in certain areas.
The right plant in the right place
When a tree is growing very close to a structure, there can be potentially serious problems if the tree grows too tall or too wide for the space. Damage to eaves and roofs can be caused by overgrowth, and there is even a danger of branches or an entire tree falling onto the home. Existing trees should be professionally pruned to lessen the potential for hazard. When planting new trees, homeowners should research potential “candidates” to find how large the tree will eventually grow and make decisions accordingly.
Homeowners should also consider grouping plants that have similar water requirements to avoid overwatering plants that don’t need as much. Not only will plants do better, but water bills will be lower over time as well.
Choose plants with maintenance in mind
Some plants end up requiring more maintenance than a homeowner expects. When selecting new planting material, homeowners should seek advice from qualified personnel at a local nursery who will know what plants will do well in their area, their growth habits and maintenance requirements.
Lawns should not be mowed too short or too frequently. Allowing the blades of grass to shade one another helps with water retention and allows grass to grow in more fully. Many newer turf grasses require less mowing than older varieties, and should be considered for new lawn installations. Homeowners can find out more at their local agricultural or extension office.
These are just some of the ways homeowners can increase the enjoyment of their outdoor spaces while ensuring that home and yard are in good shape.
For more information contact your Eco-Broker below.
Rick Hogue REALTOR, CDPE, EcoBroker
The Hogue Group
A Place to Hang Your Hat and Call Home
502-554-9428
One of the best art festivals in the Louisville area will be happening on the 12th and 13th of May just off Brownsboro Road in the parking lot of Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church.
This event happens rain or shine every year. It is a tradition for local and international arts to come to this festival and it is always a big program.
Did I mention There is a FREE shuttle to all of the activities at the festival and the admission to the festival is also FREE? Well I meant to.
Come out and support your local artisans, be part of the mini Health Fair have your blood pressure checked, buy some art, listen to some music, eat some of the many delights that will be served, and enjoy a fun packed day with your family. You wil not be disappointed. Or you could go to the Wine Garden at the festival and sit back and just relax.
This area of town has some of the best homes for sale of anywhere in the city. Just a few short steps from the festival. Contact Rick Hogue, EcoBroker for more information on homes in the area. He is happy to help get you where you want to be.
Look for this and other festival reviews in the weeks and months to come.
If you are looking to make your home more Green friendly, email Rick Hogue or visit his website at http://www.louisvillekyhomefinder.com for more information about how you can get started saving energy for you and the planet. Sorry no Real Estate agents.
For more information contact your Eco-Broker below.
Rick Hogue REALTOR, CDPE, EcoBroker
The Hogue Group
A Place to Hang Your Hat and Call Home
502-554-9428
