Check out our Legal Shield website at

www.LegalPlans911.com

There’s personal plans, home based business plans, small business plans, identity theft plans and so much more!  They have Provider Firms in every state.  For Maryland:

Weinstock, Friedman and Friedman, PA

Toll Free: 800-223-8688

Direct: 410-559-9020

Spanish Toll Free Number: 800-811-4536

They have Open Houses scheduled every other month!

Please email us if you have any questions!  We highly recommend this to everyone we know!

We recently needed a new interior door installed.  To our surprise NONE of our colleagues had a good handyman they could recommend.  Of course they’ve all worked with several, as have we, but bottomline it came down to there was NO ONE anyone could recommend and trust that they’d do a good job at a fair price.

So the first thing we did of course was a Google Search for local Handymen. We anticipated the job should be around $300-400 material and labor.

We talked to Handyman Matters who over the phone said they would charge a minimum 5hrs labor at $88.00/hr & charge in 15 min increments thereafter.  This was just for labor and the cost of the door, frame & lock would be on top of that.  So that’s $440.00 minimum without the materials!  We thought we could do better.

We talked to another Google search company who over the phone said it would be a $900.00 door.  We didn’t even bother writing their name down.

So Keith decided to give Service Magic a try and gave them a call.  A live person answered the phone and asked us what we needed done.  The rep did a quick search and he said 2 companies came up and he offered to connect us to one right away.  He was willing to stay on the line if we wanted to also be connected to the second referral, but we just told him to email us the info.

So we spoke directly with Ed Nelson of E.W. Home Improvement, Inc. and he came out that same day to provide a quote.  We did end up calling the second referral from Service Magic, but just ended up playing phone tag.  When Ed’s proposal came in later that day at $290.00 material & labor…we signed on the dotted line and gave him the job!

Ed Nelson is a great guy and he said he’s got some 13 teams working right now, is an approved franchise with Home Depot, and his company is getting back into full renovations themselves as well.  All of his contractors are thoroughly checked out…says he has to decline over 50% of applicants due to criminal background unfortunately, but they all get screened thoroughly.

Ed’s company installed our office door within 3 days time. He didn’t require an up front deposit for such a small job.  His contractor had it done in LESS than THREE hours…two hours & twenty minutes to be exact! He was clean, professional, well spoken and the door looks like it’s been there forever (other than looking brand new)!

To make this story even better, the day after we first spoke to Ed, we had a client need an emergency service on a steam boiler on a Saturday.  We called up Ed and he got us connected with his “boiler guy”, Kevin Purnell, right away.  Kevin came out that same day and provided a quote with the job being complete in less than a week for a brand new boiler.  We knew the price he quoted was a good one, but at the client’s request he wanted some other quotes.

We did call  two other professionals to get additional quotes for comparison.  The first one was a contractor we had used before and his quote was a couple hundred bucks cheaper.  But when we asked for his license & insurance information, both were expired.  Can’t blame our client at all who didn’t want to take any chances for such an expensive job!

The second referral came as a high recommendation from a colleague and he quoted a similar price but couldn’t get started on the job until about 8 days later.

So the job went to Kevin and he even offered to do a payment plan for the labor part of the job since it was an unexpected significant expense.  He also said he’s the only one with a Category 1 Master’s License (not sure what that means exactly and we may have said it wrong, but bottomline he had his stuff together).

So can you tell we are quite pleased with Service Magic and the quality of referrals that they provide?!  Their system is efficient and we will definitely be using them again! If you give Ed Nelson or Kevin Purnell a call, please let them know Keith & Shannon French referred you!

Ed Nelson (E.W. Home Improvement, Inc)

410-477-9604 office, 410-491-6094 cell

Kevin Purnell (the “Boiler Guy”) – 443-630-4768

Need a different type job done? Give Service Magic a try!  They have an incredibly VAST network of screened professionals.  Just click on the banner below and get started!  It’s FREE and there’s no obligation!

Steve Cook, Shaun McCloskey and Joe McCall are very dear friends and colleagues of ours.  We’ve been a part of  Lifeonaire since May 2009.  Anyone who knows us well knows that we’ve been around the block over the years and we’re not afraid to explore and invest in potential opportunities.  99.9% of the time, however,  we’re disappointed that whatever we checked out ultimately wasn’t what it was cracked up to be.

Not So with Lifeonaire!

We highly recommend you CLICK HERE and see what these guys are offering for a piddly

$97.00

….fully refundable if you’re not satisfied!

Here is a link to an interesting article titled “Government Considers Ways to Rent Foreclosed Homes”

In summary:

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Obama Administration is considering a proposal to remove Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac owned property from foreclosure sales in order to rent them out.  If this program goes into effect it is intended to help stem the decline in home prices in some communities and provide more rental units.

Last week Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke admitted that this proposal is “worth looking at.” It would certainly be controversial because it would place the federal government in the role of landlord and compete with private enterprise in the rental market. On the other hand, advocates claim that the move might help to ease the 3 to 5 year glut of REOs on the market, and rising rental rates could make it possible for the GSEs to cover the hold costs and possibly make a profit.

What do you think?

• Landlords & Investors: Do you think this will help or hurt your rental property business?
• Renters: Do you think the government can handle managing hundreds of thousands of properties effectively?

Beat the Heat with Red Cross Safety Tips

Even just being out looking at properties, it is sweltering out there!  So we thought it’s a good time to share some information that everyone can use regardless if you’re out house hunting for a rent-to-own home or not.

Heat-related illnesses can cause serious injury and even death if unattended. Signs of heat-related illnesses include nausea, dizziness, flushed or pale skin, heavy sweating and headaches. Victims of heat-related illness should be moved to a cool place, given cool water to drink and ice packs or cool wet cloths should be applied to the skin. If a victim refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number immediately.

Red Cross Heat Safety Tips:

• Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. It is also a good idea to wear a hat
• Drink water. Carry water with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body.
• Eat small meals. Avoid high-protein foods, which increase metabolic heat.
• Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day.
• Stay indoors when possible. If air-conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sun.
• Learn Red Cross first aid and CPR.

Know What These Heat-Related Terms Mean:

• Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion, they are an early signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.

• Heat exhaustion: Typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating. Signals of heat exhaustion include cool, moist, pale flushed or red skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body temperature will be near normal.

• Heat stroke: Heat stroke is life-threatening. Signals include hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very high—sometimes as high as 105 degrees.. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly.

General Care for Heat Emergencies:

• Heat cramps or heat exhaustion: Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. If the person is fully awake and alert, give half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not let him or her drink too quickly. Do not give liquids that contain alcohol or caffeine. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths, such as towels or sheets. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness.

• Heat stroke: Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation! Help is needed fast. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.

The CDC also has tips for preventing heat-related illness:

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.asp

Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness

The best defense is prevention. Here are some prevention tips:

• Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
• Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar–these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
• Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library–even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
• Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
• NEVER leave anyone or any pet in a closed, parked vehicle.
• Although any one at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others. Check regularly on:
  • Infants and young children
  • People aged 65 or older
  • People who have a mental illness
  • Those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure
• Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.

If you must be out in the heat:

• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
• Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.  A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.
• Try to rest often in shady areas.
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

**More Pictures & Video Tour Coming Soon***

Awesome Single Family Columbia Home

- 3-4 Bedrooms (3 Upper Level, 1 possible in Basement)
- 3 Full Bathrooms (2 upper level, 1 basement)
- Updates throughout
- Brand New Stainless Refrigerator, Microwave
- Like New Stainless Dishwasher
- Updated Plumbing
- Updated Landscaping
- Central HVAC
- Huge Back Deck off Kitchen
- Fully Finished Basement with Egress to back porch
- Amazing Neighborhood…HOA only $350/year!!! No shoveling snow or common area maintenance! HOA takes care of that!
- 2 Assigned parking spaces
- Hot Columbia location school district

*

Want to View This Home???
CLICK HERE to Schedule a Showing!

CALL SHANNON TODAY at (410) 948-9434

[mappress]

- Brick Center Townhome
- 3 Bedrooms with Practically New Carpet & Paint
- Ceiling Fans in all bedrooms
- Upgraded Bathroom with Ceramic Tile Floor & Ceramic Surround Tub
- Finished Basement with Recessed Lighting
- 9 Foot Ceilings on Main Level & Basement!
- Practically New Spacious Kitchen with Upgraded Solid Wood Cabinets
- All new Stainless Steel Appliances – all just barely over 1.5 yr young!
- New Stackable Washer & Dryer (Separate Units) on main level…just barely 1.5 year young!
- Exotic Hardwood Floors Throughout the Family Room and Dining Area
- Upgraded Fixtures Throughout
- Central Heat w/3+ yrs young furnace
- Back Yard with Privacy Fence
- Security System
- $10,000 Grant Available to Johns Hopkins and other Baltimore employees through the “Live Near Your Work” Program
- Johns Hopkins University within walking distance
- Fantastic Location off of JFX
- Close to Downtown, Loyola, BMA, Charles Village and seconds away from 83, restaurants & shopping
- Tax Assessment appealed BEFORE the full renovation which means LOW, LOW, LOW property taxes for homeowner!

***The minimum down payment for this Rent-To-Own home is $5,000 (VERY flexible). 100% of your down payment goes directly toward the purchase price of your new home!***

Want to View This Home???
CLICK HERE to Schedule a Showing!

CALL SHANNON TODAY at (410) 948-9434

[mappress]