Welcome to CENTURY 21 Elevated Real Estate

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.”
― Peter F. Drucker

Fall is here and the weather is beautiful!  Now is the time to enjoy this beautiful place we call home. (Montrose, Colorado)  The fall is also a time to ponder “what did I accomplish this year?”  Is it what I wanted to do?We all still have time to begin and finish those things that we thought we would prior to the end of year!

I’m a Dreamer.  I think I will do so much each and every year until I realize time is slipping away from me and then I realize I haven’t even started on my projects and accomplishments!  One day I finally realized that I didn’t have a plan to follow in the year.  Because of this I noticed I made no progress towards my end results.  Is this you too?

If you have a personality like me I encourage you to MAKE YOUR PLAN NOW!  Decide on what you want to happen before the year is over and get busy on your plan. There is still time…..   Here is a list of some things that you still have time to do!

1. Learn something new.
2. Visit a friend or your family.
3. Travel to another state or even out of the country.
4. Buy a new home or sell one.
5. Start a new business.

These are just some examples of things you can do. Fill out more on your personal plan.  In the meantime I encourage and challenge you to make the plan…and follow it for the remaining year.  Make yourself Proud!

There is still time if you begin NOW.

“If you want something you never had, you have to do something you never did”

Napoleon Hill

Winter is approaching and the bitter cold will be here before we know it. Winterizing your home has many benefits and will save you money in the long run. Fall is an excellent time to get prepared and make repairs before the big storms hit. Here are a few simple, low cost tips that will protect your home from the elements.

1. Keep the drafts out! An easy and cost efficient fix is a draft snake or stopper! You can purchase them or easily make one yourself out of a rolled up towel or fabric filled with sand. All you have to do is slide that under the door and the draft will disappear. Pre-made draft stoppers can be purchased for as low as $5.00. Now that’s a cheap way to keep your heating bill down!

2. Don’t let those little cracks and holes let the bitter cold in! Simply get some caulk and seal them. Always check the windows, doors and walls for any holes. If you can feel a breeze then it is time to get them sealed! Caulk can be purchased for as low as $4.00! Come on, you can’t beat that over an outrageous energy bill!

3. Everyone wants a warm home during the the winter, but do you really need the heat blasting all of the time? When you’re not at home during the day and sleeping during the night, keep your thermostat programmed to a cooler temperature and you will also save money that way. And the nice thing is, it’s free to make this change! If you have an older thermostat, think about upgrading to a new one. There are some pretty cool smart thermostats out there. Some can even be controlled with your phone when you are not even home. Awesome right!

   

   4. How about turning down your water heater in the winter! Most people don’t even think about lowering it or that it can save you money. Most times you have it set on a default setting and never think twice about it. Try setting it to 120 degrees and see if your bill is slightly lower.

5. Now, the easiest of all! Change those furnace filters! It is so easy to forget yet it is so important to change or clean them regularly. Filters that are dirty and old restrict air flow and in return increase your energy demand. There also is the option to switch to a permanent filter if that will be less stress to worry about.

At the end of the day, these are simple and relatively inexpensive tasks to upkeep your home and they don’t take much time at all. Remembering these small things will keep your home cozy and your pockets happy.