Don’t Forget To Vote Tomorrow

Voters around the country are preparing to make choices at the polls.  In Massachusetts, the race for Governor is extremely tight. 

According to www.boston.com,  Secretary of State William F. Galvin is predicting record voter turnout in Tuesday’s election because of a competitive race for governor, major Republican challenges to the state’s all-Democratic congressional delegation, and strong GOP candidates for two open state constitutional offices.

Galvin said he expects 2.4 million registered voters will go to the polls, a non-presidential year turnout that has not been seen since 1990, when the state faced a similar economic and political climate.

”We are expecting a very exciting election,” Galvin said.

Galvin said he based his prediction on the number of absentee ballots that have already been cast. As of today, more than 132,000 voters have filled out ballots. In January, when 2.25 million voters went to the polls to chose a new US senator, 107,000 absentee ballots were cast.

Galvin said, unlike in that election, in which a higher proportion of Republicans had voted absentee, a large number of Democrats are voting early. Independents, who make up over half the voting population, have cast more absentee ballots than voters of either party.

At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”. If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Wilmington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.

North Reading’s Haunted Playground: Saturday 10/16

Don’t miss an event that has been growing since the first day it was introduced to North Reading.  The 16th annual Haunted Playground will take place at Clarke Park on Burroughs Road from 5:30 to 9pm on Saturday 10/16.  “The festival has something for everyone – prize every time games, costume contest, food, magic show, scavenger hunt and haunted tour.”

Graveyard tours have an update to them this year where tours are geared to all ages.  Young children can exit the haunted tour at the graveyard if it gets too spooky for them.  Tours are $5 for children four and up while kids three and under are free.

Free shuttles run from the old Shaw’s Plaza in Rt 28 in North Reading.

Event held on October 16^th 2010 or the Rain Date: October 23^rd 2010, sponsored by Martin’s Pond Assocation.  Money raised helps fund repairs and restoration of Martin’s Pond.

At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”. If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Wilmington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.

Bank of America Halts Foreclosures

Bank of America has halted foreclosures in all 50 states, as reported on Boston.com.

Bank of America Article

The move came as PNC Financial Services became the fourth major bank to announce that it would stop foreclosures in at least some states. It added to growing concerns that mortgage lenders have been evicting homeowners despite flawed court papers.

Bank of America, the largest U.S. bank, had said a week earlier it would stop foreclosures in the 23 states where the process must be approved by a judge. Ally Financial’s GMAC Mortgage unit and JPMorgan Chase had announced similar plans.

Bank of America’s nationwide halt will apply to homes that the bank is taking back itself and those for which it has transferred the papers to mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”. If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Wilmington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.

Fannie Mae offers help for men and women in the Armed Forces

According to MSNBC.com, Fannie Mae today announced, along with the US Army, a new program to hopefully help stop foreclosures of homes owned by service men and women as well as the immediate families of those men and women. Families which are facing mortgage problems after the injury or death of a serviceman or woman can request a delay in mortgage payments of 6 months if their loan was provided to them through Fannie Mae.  

Fannie Mae Article

The 6 month forbearance will be provided by the mortgage lender, and could either be in the form of reduced payments or a suspension of payments altogether for the time period. This would at least allow the family to concentrate on more important things following an injury or death.

The Senior Vice President of Fannie Mae’s National Servicing Organization stated the following regarding the new program, “The men and women of our Armed Forces have shown extraordinary commitment to our country while facing unique challenges as a result of their service. No family impacted by a death or injury in the line of duty should have to face the additional burden of foreclosure as a result of the hardship. We want to do all that we can to provide support to these families at a time of need as we honor their sacrifices and service to our country.”

If you are a service man or woman, you can find more information on this new foreclosure program by calling toll free, 877-MIL-4566.

At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”.   If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Willington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.

Be Prepared For Hurricane Earl!

Hurricane Earl is on the way to New England.  Here are some helpful ways to prepare, as noted at 

http://www.keesler.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070530-053.pdf

Store Extra Food:  Dried and Canned products, grains, nuts, trail mix, protein bars, instant coffee/tea/cocoa/milk

Water:  One gallon per person per day, use clean sterilized plastic soda bottles or water containers.  Date and store in a cool, dark place, rotate often.  Emergency water sources include ice cubes, reservoir tank of toilet and hot water heater (with gas or electricity off, open drain at bottom of tank, turn off water intake valve and turn on a hot water faucet.  Refill tank before turning gas or electricity back on.)  To disinfect water, add two or three drops of household bleach per gallon.  Shake well and let it sit for 30 minutes before using.

Kitchen Items:  A manual can opener, paper plates and cups, plasticware, paper towels.  Fondue pots fueled by candles or Sterno fuel can be used indoors, propane and fuel stoves or grills can only be used outdoors.

Safety items:  Flashlights, extra batteries, battery/solar/wind-up radios, fire extinguisher, hand tools, plastic sheeting, duct tape and towels to seal air gaps, blankets, area map with highlighted evacuation routes, waterproof matches and lighter, candles, battery-0perated lanterns

Health:  First aid kit, family and pet medications, feminine hygiene supplies, waterless hand cleaner, chlorine bleach, baby supplies, extra medications and prescription glasses.

Car:  Gas tank should be at least 3/4 full.  Place five gallon can of gas in trunk.  Road maps, flashlights, first aid kit, cell phone, flares, jumper cables, blanket, compact tent, jackets/rain gear, hat, extra socks and shoes, freezer bags, quart and gallon size, cash, change and credit cards.  Remember to pack personal hygiene supplies, medications, and food in the car if you leave home.  Miscellaneous car supplies:  pen or pencil, paper, extra batteries, glasses, scissors, sunglasses, deck of cards, needle and thread, book, metal cooking pot.

Home:  Sanitation items such as a portable toilet or a 5-gallon trash can with lid and plastic liners, odorless sanitation liquid or tablets and toilet paper.  Needle, thread and safety pins, forty gallon garbage can with lid and plastic liners, cash and credit cards, entertainment items for kids such as games and cards, change of clothing and shoes, extra set of car and house keys, documents in fireproof safe or airtight plastic container such as birth and marriage certificates, passports, insurance policies, deeds, recent tax returns, social security cards,  bank accounts, credit card info, stocks and bonds, health records.

Other helpful online resources:

www.redcross.org

www.iprepare.com

www.ready.gov

www.areyouprepared.com

www.preparedness.com

www.fema.gov

www.nhc.noaa.gov

www.keesler.af.mil

www.mdot.state.ms.us

At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”.   If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Willington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.

Underground Search Engines

Top 6 Underground Search Engines

The normal search engines used are Google or Yahoo but sometimes they just don’t cut it.  This is where the underground search engines come in handy.  These search engines are termed the “invisible web,” which is info that standard searches don’t have access to.  Here are 6 of the best to use by Ryan Dube.

#1 – The Best Torrent Search Engine

“The available list of Torrent sites that are plugged into this meta-search is impressive, and even more impressive are the search results….”

#2 – Free Bargains and Deals

“At MakeUseOf, you’ll find a lot of excellent resources for how to find awesome deals, such as coverage of the great bargain search engine FreshBargains. FreshBargains aggregates results from 15 top websites, which is excellent. However, another fantastic and barely known website to find freebies is called Prospector….”

#3 – House Sales and Sales Foreclosures

“An even better as-yet unknown search engine that also deserves mention is Trulia. Trulia is yet another young search engine that provides collected real estate information from various sources, and offers it to you, the homebuyer, completely free of charge….”

#4 – Public Records Search Engines

“While it is more of an underground “portal” than a search engine, it is actually a portal to some of the most obscure, yet useful, public information search engines on the Internet. Starting at this one site, you can find the government search engines where you can search for court judgments and liens, conduct asset searches, and even look up copyright and trademark information….”

#5 -  A Legal Search Engine

“There are similar search engines buried throughout this excellent legal resource. If you have any interest in law at all, take some time to check this one out – it’s a diamond in the rough.”

#6 Paranormal Search Engine

“Of course, if we want to go really underground, we’ve got to go paranormal. And there’s really no better underground paranormal search engine out there than UFO Seek. Don’t let the name fool you, this particular niche search engine isn’t just focused on UFOs and aliens….”

At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”.   If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Willington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.

Shooting Stars

August 12th is the next meteor shower with a name of, Perseids.  The last meteor shower took place on May 5th with the name of Eta Aquarids.  Here is how you can learn more.

What are meteors?

“Comets shed the debris that becomes most meteor showers. As comets orbit the Sun, they shed an icy, dusty debris stream along the comet’s orbit. If Earth travels through this stream, we will see a meteor shower. Depending on where Earth and the stream meet, meteors appear to fall from a particular place in the sky, maybe within the neighborhood of a constellation.”

How can I best view a meteor shower?

“For example, drive north to view the Leonids. Driving south may lead you to darker skies, but the glow will dominate the northern horizon, where Leo rises. Perseid meteors will appear to “rain” into the atmosphere from the constellation Perseus, which rises in the northeast around 11 p.m. in mid-August.”

How do I know the sky is dark enough to see meteors?

“If you can see each star of the Little Dipper, your eyes have “dark adapted,” and your chosen site is probably dark enough. Under these conditions, you will see plenty of meteors”

At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”.   If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Willington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.

Night Rainbows or An Aurora Borealis

Northern Lights

               Want To See The Northern Lights Tonight?

               Here’s Everything You Need to know. . .

A rare opportunity is presenting itself tonight where, if you’re in the right spot, the sky will be filled with life.  The best chance of seeing it is in the darkest place you can find and as far away from lights.  Give your eyes a chance to adjust to the dark and even the moon can cause problems.  To see what the moon is tonight look here.

J. Thomas is updating his website every two minutes to give you the latest news and the best chances experience to this wonder.  Look to the North and wait to see this site of color and awe.  For serious Aurora Borealis watches plan to spend the night outside from 9 pm – 3 am.

Interpreting the Aurora Forecast

“Auroral activity tends to come in waves during an evening, which are called auroral substorms. Even during an active period, there will be lulls in which the auroral activity is subdued; however, the patient observer will often see a new burst of activity within an hour or two.”

At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”.   If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Willington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.

Give a Home

What:   Kitten Adoptathon!

When:       Sunday August 15, 12pm-4pm
Who:         Dozens of Kittens expected of all colors, shapes and sizes!
Where:     MSPCA at Nevins Farm, Noble Family Animal Care & Adoption Center 400 Broadway, Methuen, MA

This is your time to help an animal in need.  These cats just want a home and this is a fun and creative way to find a new friend.  Will you be the first to give a home to an animal in need?

Provide a safe place to raise a younf kitten in a new home.  At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”.   If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Willington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.

New Home Decorating Tips

Is there a room in your house that is under decorated from lack of open space?  Then I have some decorating tips for you.  Any windows found in a house can be used to bring in light which not only brightens the room, but makes the room seem as if it has more space.  To bring attention to the light put up curtains, something light to draw the eye. 

Now unless you want to over whelm your guests and family members keep the colors bright.  Dark colors soak in the light and can make any size room look smaller than it is.  Examples of workable colors are mint green or an ocean blue.  Colors can be mixed with one another but be careful in your choices you don’t want one piece of furniture to stand out more than the rest.

Mirrors are not only great for looking at ones reflection now they are used to make your small room seem bigger.  A suggestion would be to pick up objects that seem to reflect an image back, as in a glass object that can be placed on a side table along with a sleek new lamp.

Be smart and creative when designing any room in a new home.  If your home just does not seem big enough for your family and you think it’s time for a move look up Renaissance REALTORS.  We are here to help you.  If you are looking for other decorating tips click here.

At Renaissance REALTORS we offer you “Personal Service and Experience You Can Trust”.   If you’re looking for a REALTOR  in Reading, North Reading, Willington, Andover, North Andover, Lynnfield, Wakefield, and Stoneham call us today at 978.276.1000.  We’re always happy to answer your questions about buying, selling, renting or listing a property.  Please call one of our friendly agents at 978.276.1000.  You can always visit us online at http://www.renrealtors.com/. And now, you can find us on Twitter© and Facebook© and check out our blog.