Christmas Brunch Casserole

Written by Anita Bates
December 15, 2010 12:49 pm

Christmas Brunch Casserole

 1 lb. bulk pork sausage, cooked & drained   

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

½ cup chopped green onions                            

2 medium tomatoes, seeded & chopped

2 cups shredded mozzarella                              

1 cup pancake mix

12 eggs                                                                     

1 cup milk

½ tsp  each, oregano, salt & pepper

 Layer cooked sausage, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and mozzarella in bottom of greased 3 quart baking dish.

Combine pancake mix, milk, eggs and seasonings and add to casserole.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees, 45 – 50 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving

Garnish with chopped tomatoes and green onions, if desired.

Home Security

Written by Anita Bates
October 19, 2010 2:23 pm

We all agree that home security is a major concern, but are you taking the basic precautions with your keys and locks?  A recent survey by Kwikset, which manufactures locks and hardware for residential homes, finds that 47 percent of homeowners did not change or re-key their locks when they first moved in to their home, and nearly one-third have never changed or rekeyed their locks. More than half of homeowners surveyed also say they routinely loan house keys to friends or contractors, increasing the chance that the keys could fall into the wrong hands and be copied.

 A few additional tips:

• Don’t hide keys in obvious places, such as under an exterior floor mat or a planter. Most burglars know the most common places to hide keys. If you must hide them, keep keys stored in a secured key box.
• Don’t label keys with your address, so if they are ever lost or stolen, no one can identify where they belong.
• Immediately change or re-key the locks when you move to a new home. A locksmith may charge $40 to $100 or more to re-key locks or, if you prefer to do it yourself, re-key kits are available at hardware stores.
• Keep garage doors locked and secure, especially those that connect to the house from inside the garage and doors leading to the garage from outside.
• Keep windows locked, especially on your home’s lower level where they can be an attractive target for criminals. 
• Seriously consider installing a security system and if you do, check with your insurance company to see if you are eligible for a discounted rate.

How about an App for Safe Driving?

Written by Anita Bates
2:22 pm

The number of accidents caused by distracted driving continues to rise.  According to the National Highway traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving accounted for 448,000 accidents resulting in 5,474 highway deaths in 2009 alone, a 16% increase over 2008.

Many new cars have technology built in that allows drivers to talk on their cell phone, update Facebook, surf the Web, or any other number of activities that can take the driver’s attention away from driving safely.  Even without the built-in technology, many times drivers are distracted by incoming phone calls and text messages on their cell phones.

Well, …. Now  “ there’s an App for That! “

www.DriveSafe.ly  Is a new technology that allows you to download an application to your phone.  When you get into your car, you can turn on the DriveSafe.ly App and when a text message comes in, the application will read it to you automatically, and out loud.  It also automatically sends a reply message that tells the sender that you are driving and will respond as soon as you stop driving and can safely reply.

There are several versions of DriveSafe.ly, including a limited free version, an extended version for a modest amount, a family plan and business version.

It is currently available for Blackberry and Android phones and is in Beta testing for the iPhone.   Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out:

www.DriveSafe.ly

Property Tax Exemptions

Written by Anita Bates
2:20 pm

The Municipality of Anchorage has several types of exemptions from real property taxes.

The most commonly utilized is the Residential Exemption which applies to Owner occupied residential property.  Your home may be partially exempt for 10% of the assessed value, up to $20,000 maximum. You must own and occupy your home by December 31^st and make application by  March 15 of the applicable year. 

The second type of exemption is the Senior Citizen Exemption.  If you qualify, up to $150,000 of the assessed value may be exempt if you are 65 years of age or older and you own and occupy your home.  You also may qualify if you are at least 60 years and are the surviving spouse of a person who qualified as a Senior.  You must file the application by March 15^th of the applicable year.

A third type of exemption is available for Disabled Veterans.  Up to $150,000 of the assessed value of the home may be exempt if it is owned and occupied as the primary residence by a Disabled Veteran, or by a person who is at least 60 years old who is the widow or widower of a person who qualified as a Disabled Veteran.   The filing deadline for this exemption is March 15^th of the applicable year.

Nonprofit organizations may be eligible for tax exemptions if the property is used exclusively for nonprofit religious, charitable, cemetery, hospital, educational or community purposes.  Nonprofits must renew their exempt status annually.

Finally, a little know type of property tax exemption is the Disaster Exemption.  In some situations tax relief is available for owner occupied residential property that is at least 50% destroyed by fire. Application must be made within 60 days of the fire.  Since these situations are on a case-by-case basis, affected homeowners are directed to Contact Property Appraisal at (907) 343-6770. 

If you would like additional information or applications forms for any of these tax exemption programs, please call me at 243-8777 or e-mail anita@anitabatesrealtor.com.

Old Fashioned Cream of Tomato Soup

Written by Anita Bates
October 13, 2010 12:52 pm

Old Fashioned Cream of Tomato Soup

 2 -  14 ½ oz. cans diced tomatoes              2/3 cup half & half

1 Tbsp. chopped onion                                  2 Tbsp. sugar (secret ingredient J)

2 Tbsp.  butter                                                   Pinch of baking soda (other secret ingredient J)

1 – cup chicken broth

 In a 2 quart sauce pan sauté onions in butter till golden.   Add tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, and soda.  Simmer 1 hour.  Carefully transfer to blender and coarsely puree.  Return to sauce pan.  Heat cream in double boiler (or microwave)  and add to hot tomato mixture.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Experiment with adding different spices (i.e. basil, tarragon, more onion) or condiments (i.e. grated parmesan, chopped green onions, crumbled bacon or feta cheese).

 Serve with warm crusty bread and a green salad.  So Healthy!!! (except for  the cream & sugarJ)

Creamy Broccoli & Zucchini with Pasta

Written by Anita Bates
September 13, 2010 1:03 pm

Creamy Broccoli & Zucchini with Pasta

2 C chopped fresh broccoli                2 C chopped zucchini

¼ C chopped onion                            1 clove (or more) garlic, minced

2 Tbsp butter                                       3 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp parsley                                                ½ tsp salt

½ tsp oregano                                     ¾ c whipping cream

1 ½ C ricotta or cottage cheese                     8 oz. cooked fettuccine noodles (spinach or plain)

In medium saucepan cook broccoli & zucchini in small amount of boiling salted water till crisp-tender (2 – 4 minutes). Drain.

Sauté onion & garlic in butter in large skillet. Blend in flour, parsley, salt & oregano.  Add cream.  Cook & stir till thickened and bubbly.  Add ricotta or cottage cheese.  Cook & stir till cheese is nearly melted. Stir in cooked vegetables & heat through. Serve over hot pasta and pass the Parmesan!!

Use Me….

Written by Anita Bates
July 19, 2010 2:38 pm

 As a resource.  With summer well underway, many of us are involved in, or contemplating, home improvement projects.  I have a number of licensed professionals that I can recommend for handyman services, electrical, roofing, painting, etc.  If you need a contractor, call or e-mail me.  I might be able to help.

What Do I Do For You?

Written by Anita Bates
2:36 pm

Handling real estate transactions is becoming more complicated and challenging with each year.   Here are some things I offer to the buyers and sellers I assist:

Personalized Solutions: 

I understand that each client and each transaction is unique and it is important that I identify your specific needs.  I do this by asking questions and listening to your concerns so I can better focus my efforts on your behalf.

Tough Situations:

Difficult markets sometimes make people difficult.  However, because my job is to achieve results, I look for creative ways to get beyond the roadblocks and find the solutions that will help you achieve your goals.

Stressful Details:

Buying or selling a home is one of life’s more important decisions and involves many steps.  I can explain the process so you know what to expect and assist in making your real estate transaction flow as smoothly as possible.

Professionalism:

While I want to be a supportive friend, more importantly I will be honest by giving you straightforward answers to your buying and selling questions.  Your goal is to buy or sell a home.  Mine is to provide the caring professionalism to help you do just that.

Potential Tax Change:

Written by Anita Bates
2:31 pm

The National Association of Realtors issued a call to action on May 16, 2010 bringing attention to a proposed tax change that will impact real estate.

Congress proposes that ANYONE who receives rental income will be required to file IRS Form 1099 reports if they make payments to any contractor (such as plumbers, HVAC repairmen, lawn services and the like) if they pay the contractor $600 or more in any particular year. The proposal would apply even to those who own just one property.  Many landlords only own one property and use their real estate investments to supplement their income.  Requiring them to file a Form 1099 could force them to go to the extra expense of hiring a tax professional and subject them to additional risk of penalties for not filing.

The Numbers Are In….

Written by Anita Bates
2:26 pm

According to the latest statistics published by the Alaska Multiple Listing Service, year to date sales prices for single family homes in the Anchorage area (not including condominiums, income properties, or mobile homes) are up 2.19 percent over last year.  As of May 10, 2010, the average sale price is $327,895.

The number of sales taking place in April of this year was substantially higher (225 as opposed to 149 in 2009), mostly due to the end of the Homebuyer Tax Credit that expired on April 30, 2010.

 Inventory remains fairly low at a little over 4 months of supply in the $275,000 to $400,000 price range which makes up 36% of the market.  In the $400,000 to $750,000 price range (31% of the market) there is a 7 to 8 month supply.  And for homes priced at $750,000 or more, ( 9% of the market) there is enough inventory to last from 16 to 20 months.