Consider Alternatives to Demolition Are you about to do a remodel of a kitchen?  Before just allowing the contractors to tear everything thing out contact Bill Wood at the Habitat Restore.  His contact info is: (859) 252-2224, ext. 128 or email at: billw@lexhabitat.org. Save money and the environment at Habitat Restore Deconstruction is a better alternative to Demolition Habitat does a terrific job here in Lexington salvaging and reselling construction materials. It won't cost you a dime to give them a call and see if deconstruction is the right choice for you.  It is possible that it may save you a bunch of dimes and even if it cost you a little money you will have the satisfaction of knowing you have recycled rather than added to the world's garbage. Save money and save the environmen... 04/12/2012

The number of homes sold in Central Kentucky continued to rise in March, Central Kentucky Sales Prices Rise and Drop Depending on the County What happened to prices in Central Kentucky for March 2012? Prices continued to fall the first two months of 2012 in Central Kentucky even though the number of houses sold increased.   The number of homes sold continued to rise in March. In fact according the the Rector Hayden Market Report for April 2012 sales continued to rise and prices finally rose also in some counties. Don't get too excited.  Prices are still lower than they were in 2004 for the Central Kentucky housing market and continue to be three percent lower than they were for 2011. Some Central Kentucky Counties Post Gains in March 2012, Others Lose. The best news may be that Fayette,... 04/11/2012

My Fascination with Weather Winter;s Whiteness Blankets Lexington Kentucky   My memories are laced with planning my farming and gardening around the weather.  The weather dictates to a farmer much of what they can or cannot do.  I am no longer a farmer but I still do plant a garden and I am addicted to watching the weather on the Internet. March Weather Madness The largest snowfall of the year in Lexington was in March   Basketball crazed fans here in Lexington are all captivated by March Madness.   March Madness would be a good description of the weather here in Lexington this past month.  We started the month with the years biggest snowfall.  A week later it was pushing 80 degrees and the temperature hovered around 75 or warmer most of the month.  Of course it did cool down for a coup... 04/02/2012

Is this for Real? This stretch of summer like weather has us all wondering, "Is this for real", or will we soon be brought back to reality. Averages are about 15 degrees above normal - near early May temperatures. The average temperature here in Lexington for March 20th is 60 degrees.   The high today is supposed to be 84.  Tomorrow's forecast is for 84 and the next nine days are to average 72 degrees.  The past nine days averaged 72 so that is 18 days at early May temperatures for Lexington. So what do we do as gardeners?   I noticed some people buying small tomato plants at the hardware store today.   My advice is to keep those plants indoors until at least the last week of April.  If you must plant them outside be ready to cover them with something when the cold nights return.  Yes, ... 03/22/2012

Recently my mother came to live with us.  This in itself is a life-changing event for anyone.  Our home is very small…big enough for my husband and myself, but strained at the seams when you bring in another person, her dog, and a big pile of their “stuff”.  We gave her the room I had been using as an office, meaning my office had to be moved to the living room.  Sounds simple, doesn’t it?  Well, I actively participate in 3 home businesses and keeping everything organized is vital.  That said, it was an unholy mess around here.  My house, as well as my brain, was full and cluttered!  I couldn’t find anything…had no idea where to start to organize things, and as Kentucky’s only Feng Shui Master, I was definitely feeling pressure to get this house in shape!  How unprofessional of me to li... 03/07/2012

The Jubilee Team is delighted to announce that the community service project was a huge success this weekend.   The Jubilee Team wishes a huge thank you to The Central Kentucky Volunteers Thanks to a team of volunteers from the greater Central Kentucky area who braved the weather on Friday and then the huge turn out today we finished painting the interior of the house at 5:30 this afternoon. I called the owner and she was bubbling with joy.  This is an opportunity for her to start fresh another chapter in her life. Her son's favorite color is green.  He has been living in a dark Tranquility now reigns with this cheerful green room red bedroom since he was a baby.  Now he has a freshly painted green room.  I put a couple of men from Wilmore, David Cary and CA Post on painting the very re... 03/04/2012

Dear Friends, The big community service project for The Jubilee Teamis ready to go. The Sherman Williams Logo  We start moving furniture and getting ready to paint tomorrow morning at 7:30.    Thanks so much to all the 2551 Regency Road  Lexington, KY 40503(859) 277-2570, thanks to the Nicholasville Road Chick Fil A, thanks to Sherman Williams on Regency Road for donating almost $300.00 worth of paint. Carson Campbell, (no relation to me) the manager of Sherman Williamshas been a joy to work with. Sherman Williams Store Front  Thanks Carson for not only donating almost half the paint but for giving us a contractors discount on all the supplies and the rest of the paint. The Sherman Williams Address 2551 Regency Road  Lexington, KY 40503 (859) 277-2570 A Great Big Thanks to All our Clien... 03/01/2012

Teasing Buyers The next few days the Jubilee Team will be teasing buyers just a little with some clues about a  house that will be listed soon.   The owner of this house has spent many years adding a variety of perennials and shrubs that give this home wonderful color.   Here are a few photos that she has taken the past few years. An Azalea Spectacular Spectacular Azalea awaits the new buyer.   The blossoms on the azalea remind me of the old cabbage roses I used to grow near Seattle.  These large azalea bushes are placed in front of large picture window to tantalize your senses during the spring. FRAGRANT LILACS Stargazer lillies are waiting for the new owner's enjoyment.   The pink lilac abounds with fragrant blossoms and is complemented by another large purple lilac (not pictured). Pi... 02/28/2012

Malfunctioning Kentucky Radon Mitigation System Video If your Kentucky Radon Mitigation System sounds like a washing machine, it IS NOT running right. (video below)The radon pipe should slope downhill all the way to the ground so that condensation and rain water will go back to the ground.  The company that put the radon mitigation system in this Lexington, KY home obviously doesn't understand the concept.  (No, I won't name names)  The trapped (lowered) area is now full of water.  The manometer shows NO airflow through the system.  This Kentucky radon Mitigation system, video below, is sucking water in the trapped area, not removing radon laden air from below the slab.  The system is NOT removing any air from the ground under this home. For more information on Kentucky Radon issues, vi... 02/27/2012

Today as I was showing homes in Lexington we visited a home with obvious structural problems.  You could see the corner of the house drooping when we drove up.  Walking in the sloping living room confirmed the first impression. A two story house in need of upkeep.  The seller's disclosure had nothing about this obvious problem.  This home has now been on the market most of a year.  Does the owner really want to sell?  It is not a bank owned home, it is not a short sell.  Why would anyone ignore such a problem? Sellers it is to your advantage to disclose serious problems with your house.  Here are just a couple of reasons why it is SMART to disclose.  Disclosing: 1.  Simply sets the buyer at ease about your integrity.  If it is obvious to the buyer it has to be obvious to you the seller ... 02/21/2012

  I recently have had the pleasure of being introduced to MedCare House Calls. MedCare is headquartered right here in Lexington. I am one of the "baby boomers."  As we baby boomers age it is becoming more and more obvious we need an alternative form of health care.  Does it makes sense for the masses of aging to go to a clinic or hospital to see a doctor? Med Care House Calls Sitting in a doctor's office just increases the odds that we will come home even with greater health needs.  Being exposed to another cold or virus is the last thing we need.  Sitting and waiting is also the last thing most aging people want to do. MedCare House Calls allows the doctor you trust now to visit you in your home when it is convenient for you.  MedCare House Calls makes it so easy to see your doctor.  N... 02/21/2012

Today I loaded my trailer with ladders to take to my friends farm to help cover his cold frame with plastic. I had to meet a client first at the property in Jessamine County where perculation holes were to be dug.  Just  before I arrived the trailer began making weird wobbling noises.  I discovered upon investigation that my left rear trailer tire had disintegrated. After digging through my trunk to recover a tire wrench I was able to discover that the lug nuts were rusted on the bolts.  I  dug through the trunk again and recovered a can of liquid wrench.  I flooded those lug bolts so that I was certain they would loosen quickly. Several minutes later I still had not loosened even one nut.  Just before giving up a gentleman from Bluegrass Energy came by and used his brawn and brain to h... 02/15/2012

Interest rates right now are the lowest in my history and I am "old." The current interest rates make buying a home so easy if you have decent credit scores.  Your buying power is so much greater with these fantastic rates.  Look carefully at this chart below.  It does not lie.  When interest rates rise one percent you lose 11 percent of your buying power.  NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY! 02/15/2012

The Second Reason You Should buy Right Now is because prices of homes for sale in Lexington, Nicholasville, Georgetown  and other Kentucky communities are lower than they were in 2004.  That is right!  Take a peek at the chart below.   Prices have dropped! Time to Buy a Home! Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to own your own home.  In most places in  Central Kentucky right now your house payment will be less than rental would be for the same home.  I have had clients purchase three bedroom, two bath homes with very little down that are paying less than $750.00 a month to buy their own home.   January 2012 sales of homes in Central Kentucky continued to drop. So prices are now even lower than the above chart depicts.  Check out the January 2012 sales on the bottom of the next chart o... 02/14/2012

GOOD NEWS! Those who are volunteering to help The Jubilee Team paint a home for a needy family will be eating well on Saturday March 3rd.  My good friend called this afternoon with the joyful news that the Nicholasville Road Chick Fil A will be providing 15 box lunches with a sandwich, chips and a brownie for lunch for our hard working volunteers. Thanks to Jeff Stryker and all the wonderful staff at the Nicholasville Road Chick Fil A  for once again showing their love for the greater Lexington Kentucky community.  We Love You Jeff! 02/13/2012

Home sales for Central Kentucky for the month of January in 2008, January 2009, and January 2011 were respectively: 2008 - about 500 2009 - about 300 2010 - less than 400 2011 - about 350 So what would you expect home sales in Central Kentucky would be for January 2012?   The weather has certainly been much warmer than last year.   Interest rates are the lowest in history. Employment has increased. All these would seem to show that home sales would be up. Not only were home sales up but they increased almost a hundred percent from 2011 and were 57 percent higher than the average of the previous four years.   Central Kentucky Market Report   We continue to see a steady stream of buyers so hopefully this is the beginning of the recovery of the housing market. 02/09/2012

Dear Friends, The Jubilee Team with your help and also some donated paint from Sherman Williams on Regency Road will be painting the inside of a home. Come Help Us Paint a House Thanks so much for considering how you may be involved in this project.  The family we are serving is so excited and blessed to know there are people who care about them enough to paint their home. First of all we want all of the volunteers to enjoy the time.  So there will be food and drinks available at all times during the work.  So I would like some volunteers to make muffins and cookies that will be available all day Friday and Saturday.  I would also like lunch types of snacks to be available those two days.  Sandwiches, chips, veggie or fruit snacks or whatever.  We will need a lot more food on Saturday. ... 02/09/2012

3269 Malone Drive in Lexington Kentucky is waiting for the family that prefers a large home with lots of space to play, garden, and just enjoy the beauty of Kentucky. The long list of premium features includes granite countertops, lot of built-ins, vaulted family room, built in luxury book cases, a finished basement with a kitchenette. This home is within walking distance of Rosa Parks Elementary and Dunbar High School. Convenience of walking to parks, shopping and schools are just a few other great reasons to check out this home. There will be an open house from one to three this Saturday, February 11, from one to three in the afternoon.  Don't miss this opportunity to view this spectacular home. 02/08/2012

I ran up to Chinoe Center this morning.  It was 37 degrees.  Just a little nippy so that my ears were a bit touched before my body warmed up. As I run I am usually thinking of how I get to the next goal.  It is mostly an uphill run.  My lungs seldom hurt but my legs begin to feel a little like marsh mellows at about a half a mile.  If I keep my thoughts on how to get to the next spot without stopping I can push on and continue to push on a few hundred feet at a time. I think pushing through frustration while running is much like all of life.  Life continually confronts us we routines, problems, and sometimes perplexing challenges that require us to keep on going. Keeping on going is so much easier when we have a community that can support us through the struggles that happen. I have dea... 02/08/2012

I had a really fun time this afternoon getting my new business photos at Studio Walz on Reynolds Road in Lexington with my new business partner Dorothy LaBar. Dorothy recommended Studio Walz and once again she was right on! Scott Walz knows how to get people to relax and be ready for a photo sit.  He also has a great sense of humor.  He uses his wit to get one to laugh at the appropriate time.   There are a bunch of photographers in Lexington.  Scott Walz is not just any photographer.  In my view he is the best! Scott's info is: Location: 216 E. Reynolds Rd, Suite B, Lexington, KY 40517 Phone: 859.245.1333Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm. Evenings and weekends by appointment. 02/08/2012