Free Pancakes at IHOP on National Pancake Day, February 28, 2012

How about a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes? IHOP is celebrating National Pancake Day on February 28. They created this day in 2006 and have been celebrating it annually ever since. IHOP does ask that you consider leaving a donation for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals© or other designated local charities. They have raised almost $8 million since it's inception and are hoping to raise $2.7 million this year.

If you go to www.ihop.com you can sign up for the IHOP Pancake Revolution and recieve a free meal for signing up, a free meal on your birthday and a free meal on the 1 year anniversary of signing up.

Kenny

There's An App For That: Krispy Kreme Hot Light™

I love Krispy Kreme's Hot Original Glazed® Doughnuts. I like them best when they are freshly made. When I drive past the Krispy Kreme in Central Park and see the Hot Light™ "on" it's hard not to stop. Now I can tell if there are fresh doughnuts with their new app called Hot Light™ online. With this app you can locate the nearest Krispy Kreme and see if the light is "on" or have an alert sent to you.  You can set a default location, too. The app can be downloaded for Droid or iPhone at http://locations.krispykreme.com/hotlightapp/home.

Kenny

One Of My Favorite Stores: Lowe's

I don't get paid to say it, but Lowe's really is one of my favorite stores. I'm like a kid in a toy store. I grew up working in my father's two Ace Hardware® stores in Stafford County so hardware is in my blood. Maybe literally from some of the accidents that had occurred over the years. I really like the smell of the lumber section. Someone ought to make an air freshener called "Aisle 10 - Lumber". Hmmm... I think someone already has. It's called pine. (I still buy those antique looking green pine tree air fresheners for my truck.)

Lowe's stores have just about everything you would want or need for your home. I go to the store on Route 17 in Stafford County. It's one of their newer stores. The employees have been very helpful. This past Christmas I was going to pick up an inflatable that was on sale. They only had one left on display 20' in the air on top of a rack. It was deflated, too. One of the employees wheeled over the largest set of steps on wheels that I've ever seen. He brought it down, plugged it in and we found it why it was deflated. The fan was not working. Bummer. At least he tried. Then a lady got on their store computer and tried to locate the inflatable. She looked for about 10 minutes with no luck. I really appreciated the effort.

For the young home improvement people Lowe's has Build and Grow™ clinics on Saturdays. Kids get to build a free wooden project. Kids are given a free apron, a project themed patch and a certification of merit upon completion of their project.

Lowe's has free electronic publications called Creative Ideas for Home and Garden™. There are 5 different monthly e-newsletter versions: Indoor Spaces, Outdoor Spaces, Weekend Projects, Gardening and Family Projects. They have a randomly published e-newsletter called Energy-Saving Solutions. There is a bi-monthly e-newsletter for contractors called LowesForPros. There is a weekly e-newsletter called Products and Offers. And of course for us NASCAR fans there is a monthly e-newsletter called Team Lowe's Racing. Subscribe to any of these publications on lowes.com.

There is a Creative Ideas app for the iPad. It gives you full access to the most recent magazine issues. There are project ideas, how-to videos and bonus content. According to Lowe's, the app will be available on other platforms in the future. (Bummer. I'm a Droid guy.) If you don't have an iPad you can go to their webpage at http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/. There you will find tons of ways to spend your money.

Lowe's has three free printed publications. (Say that fast three times.) Lowe's Creative ideas for Home and Garden™ is printed five times a year. There is a Spanish version called Ideas Creativas that is published 4 times a year. And the third publication is Lowe's Creative Ideas for Your New Home™. Subscribe to any of these publications on lowes.com.

Last, but not least there is MyLowes. It's an account that keeps track of your purchases, rebates, projects, your Lowe's store credit card, etc. on line. You can manage your Lowe's subscriptions from here as well. I take my card each time I purchase something in the store so it will automatically update my account online.

Being that I'm a REALTOR® I can send anyone 10% off Lowe's coupons by snail mail or by e-mail. Let me know if you need one.

Home Of David Hyde Peirce a.k.a. Dr. Niles Crane On Frasier Is For Sale

This gated 8,184 sq. ft., 1929 Spanish Colonial Revival on .95 ac. was meticulously restored in 2004. A magnificent rotunda entrance is enveloped by a gracious living room with a baronial fireplace, exquisite den with fireplace; banquet sized formal dining room, veranda with fireplace, 2 powder rooms, a large kitchen/breakfast room and spacious service area. The sweeping staircase capped with a stained glass ceiling leads to a stunning master suite, 3 additional bedroom suites and a library/study. All baths are exquisitely remodeled, artfully blending the original 1920's style. The lower level has a large gym, wine vault, home theater, storage rooms and a spa style bath with steam/sauna and changing room. City/ocean views, a private pool/spa with outdoor fireplace, a 1bedroom/2bath guest house, superb architectural details, and lushly landscaped park like grounds make this a truly special estate! The sales price is $7,500,000. The average cost of a home in this neighborhood is $747,500. The tax assesment for 2011 is $4,154,016. See pictures of the home go here: http://www.remax.com/property/98785701-60041091/2400-INVERNESS-AVE-Los_Angeles-CA-90027/.

There's An App For That: Garage Door Opener

It seems there's a smartphone app for everything. I came across this one while watching TV. Sears has a 3/4 hp, belt drive, garage door opener that can be opened/closed remotely using a smartphone with an internet connection. It's called the Craftsman AssureLink™ Garage Door Opener. The app will also let you know if the garage door is open or closed.  It is compatible with other home activation products enabled with MyQ technology. The opener has a DieHard® battery backup that is rated for 20 open/close cycles. The Smart LCD Motion Detecting Control Console includes an illuminate digital display, opens/closes the door from inside the garage and controls the Timer-to-Close feature. The console can also sense your presence and turn on the opener lights automatically. There is a menu system that provides time, temperature, light & lock settings and system diagnostic messages. The opener comes with a 10-year motor warranty and 3-year parts warranty. This setup retails for $247.49 on sears.com. There are other options available, too. Watch this Sears video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-3i9tl_Yc8.

Saving Money At The Fuel Pump

We needed to stop at our Giant grocery store to get some gas recently. It was $3.41/gallon. Ouch! My wife, Christine, heard that the prices where going to be over $4.00/gallon soon. When we bought our 2001 Dodge Durango R/T with the 5.9L V-8 gas was around $1.50/gallon. That dog doesn't hunt anymore. We own the Durango and don't want the expense of buying another vehicle right now. I drive approximately 30k miles a year in my Dodge Dakota pickup truck so saving money at the fuel pump has become a priority for me. (Yes, we are a Dodge family.)

Here are a few things that one can do to save money at the fuel pump:

Drive more efficiently.

• Don't be a lead foot and accelerate rapidly. 
• Don't speed. Gas mileage usually decreases at speeds over 60 mph. Each 5 mph over 60 mph can cost an additional $0.28/gallon in gas.
• Minimize the need to brake by anticipating traffic conditions.
• Don't carry unnecessary items in your vehicle. An extra 100 lbs. can lower your MPG by up to 2%.
• Avoid excessive idling. (I'm guilty of this in the winter. I like a warm vehicle when I leave my house in the morning. I should use an ice scraper instead of waiting for the defroster to melt away the ice. This reminds me of how people don't use their garage for their vehicle.) Idling and can cost as much as $.03/min. 
• Use cruise control. Traveling at a constant speed usually saves gas.
• Use the air conditioner only when you need it. Using the "recirculation" setting keeps hot outside air from entering the vehicle therefore reducing the air conditioning load. 

Make sure your vehicle is in good working order.

• Keeping your engine properly tuned can improve your gas mileage an average of 4%. Replacing a faulty Oxygen sensor can save you up to 40%.
• Keep your tires properly inflated. Under inflated tires can lower gas mileage 0.3% for every 1 psi in all 4 tires.
• Use the recommend grade of motor oil. Using a differnt grade of motor oil can lower your gas mileage by up to 2%.
• Replace dirty air filters. Clogged filters can increase fuel consumption by up to 10%.

Find the lowest gas prices.

• I use the GasBuddy app on my Droid phone to find the cheapest gas near me. www.GasBuddy.com.
• I have a Sheetz card that saves me $.03/gallon. There are other benefits to getting a Sheetz card, too. www.sheetz.com. 
• Giant grocery stores give you $.10 off the cost of a gallon of gas for every $100 you spend at their gas pumps and Shell gas stations. There is a $2.20/gallon maximum savings. www.giantfood.com.
• COSTCO Executive Members get  2% cash back at their gas pumps.You can earn 3% or 4% cash back depending on what American Express card you use at COSTCO. Now that can be a significant savings. www.costco.com. 

Plan and combine trips.

• GPS's can save you money by taking you the most direct route.
• Get traffic reports before and during your trip. (I listen to WTOP 103.5 FM. They have "traffic and weather on the 8's." They are on Twitter @WTOPtraffic. Sign up for traffic alerts to be texted to you from your local alert systems. ie www.staffordalert.com.)
• Save as many errands for 1 round trip.

Interesting facts about gas saving products:

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated or tested more than 100 alleged gas-saving devices and has not found any product that significantly improves gas mileage. 
• No government agency endorses gas-saving products for cars.

For further information go to www.fueleconomy.gov and http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt064.shtm.

Joe Montana's Home Is For Sale - $35 Million

Hall of Famer and 4-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana is trying to sell his California wine country home again for $35 million. He knocked off $14 million off of the original sales price this time. What do you get for $35 million? I'm glad you asked. Here is what you get: a 9,700 sq. ft. home built in 2003, 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 5 car garage, 500 acres of land, guest house, olive farm, full bocce ball court, basketball court, equestrian stable, skeet shooting range, an exquisite pool and spa. If you are not going to pay cash then here is some financing information for you: Sales Price - $35,000,000; Down Payment (10%) - 3,5000,000; Interest Rate - 3.5%; Length of Loan - 30 years fixed; Monthly Payment - $141,449.08. This is principal and interest only. This does not include taxes and insurance. It sounds like a deal to me. Contact us if we can assist you purchasing this fine home. Part of our compensation though will be unlimited use of the guest house, pond and skeet shooting range. Pictures of the home can be found here: http://www.remax.com/property/92458500-60041084/-Calistoga-CA-94515/.

FEMA Approves Earthquake Assistance for Albemarle and King George Counties

An e-mail I received through King George Alert:

FEMA Approves Earthquake Assistance for Albemarle and King George Counties

~Deadline to Register is March 5~

RICHMOND - Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that individuals in Albemarle and King George are now eligible for federal disaster aid to help them recover from a 5.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Virginia on Aug. 23 and led to more than 60 aftershocks.

FEMA denied Virginia's original request for assistance for Albemarle and King George on Dec. 29, 2011. Governor McDonnell appealed and now the counties join Culpeper, Fluvanna, Goochland, Louisa, Orange and Spotsylvania counties and the city of Fredericksburg in eligibility for FEMA's Individual Assistancem.
"I'm pleased that FEMA is providing assistance to help homeowners in these counties repair their homes, said Governor McDonnell. "The damage is significant and federal disaster assistance will make a difference".
The federal Individual Assistance Program provides grants, disaster housing assistance and low-interest loans. Individuals and families in need of earthquake recovery aid can register immediately by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585, or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov. Phone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Online registration is available at any time. Those with smart phones or other mobile devices also can register at m.fema.gov. The deadline to register is March 5, 2012.

Residents also can visit one of the Disaster Recovery Centers Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They will close Feb. 11, 2012.

• Louisa County Disaster Recovery Center at Triangle Plaza, 502 E. Main St., Suite 6000 (former Video 2000 store), in Louisa.

• 8960 Courthouse Road in the Spotsylvania Courthouse

Business owners can apply to FEMA for low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Those applying should be prepared to provide basic information about themselves (name, social security number, address and phone number), insurance coverage and information to help substantiate losses.

Residents in areas of the state not eligible for FEMA assistance should contact their local emergency manager to learn about volunteer groups in their area. Volunteer groups have been active statewide during 2011, helping Virginians recover from disasters where state and federal governments have been unable to assist.

Sent by Steven Lynd to All users (e-mail accounts, pagers, cell phones) through King George Alert

...powered by the Roam Secure Alert Network
--------------
- Tell friends or colleagues about King George Alert by forwarding this e-mail to them.  Have them register for this free King George County service at http://www.kgalert.com

Happy Birthday To My Partner, Tina.

For the record, I'm the younger one of this partnership. I thought I'd do something different, fun and possibly embarrassing for Tina's birthday. Tina and I were in the 11th grade together when North Stafford High School first opened it's doors. It was the 1981-1982 school year. Obviously, I still have our 1982 yearbook. So I thought I would share some pictures of us from the yearbook...

Tina was on the Varsity Gymnastics team.

I was on the Varsity Baseball team with her brother, Gregg Ritchie, even though this was a picture of me playing softball on my church youth softball team. The baseball team never made the yearbook for some reason.

Tina was cool with her hair style and preppy clothes.

I guess I was cool with my 1967 Mustang convertible.

Wow. That was 30 years ago. It doesn't feel like it. Stafford County sure has grown up a lot since then. I wonder what Stafford will be like in another 30 years? Hmmm...

Happy Birthday, Tina. I'm blessed to have you as a real estate partner.

In Case Of Emergency...

Here is a list of organizations that give emergency updates. Personally, I use the Stafford Alert system. I get text messages on my Droid for Stafford weather and traffic. I turn on the park closings option during softball season. Probably most areas have an alert system now.


Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
     There is an app for Android & Apple
     ready.gov - FEMA's web page to help you before, during and after an emergency.
     FEMA has a monthly newsletter

FEMA Region 3 - region that Virginia is a part of
     Twitter - @FEMAregion3


Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM)
     http://www.vaemergency.gov/
     Twitter - @VDEM

Virginia Emergency Management Association
     http://www.vemaweb.org/
     Twitter - @VEMAWeb

USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
     http://earthquake.usgs.gov - you can sign up for earthquake notifications


Local Emergency Services

     City of Fredericksburg
          Fredericksburg Alert
               https://www.fredericksburgalert.com
          Fredericksburg Police Department
               Twitter - @FredPD_VA

     King George County
          King George Alert
               https://www.kgalert.com
          King George Emergency Services
               Twitter - @kgva_Firerescue

     Spotsylvania County
          Spotsylvania Alert
               https://www.spotsyalert.com

     Stafford County
          Stafford Alert
               https://staffordalert.com
          Stafford County Fire & Rescue
               Twitter - @SCFR