"The finest
compliment I
can ever receive
is a referral
from my friends
and clients!"







Renata V. Lewis
REALTY USA
Licensed Real Estate
Salesperson
518-439-2888 ext 243
518-312-2069 CEL
L
(Voice Mail & TEXT)




























The finest
compliment I can
ever receive is a
referral from my
friends and
clients!"
Renata V. Lewis
Licensed  Real Estate
Salesperson
If your house is already listed with a Realtor®, please disregard this offer.
Counter

Easy Organizing: Your Grill and Deck

Your Grill - Set up for barbecue season with a smart outdoor
cook station. Place your grill on a flat surface that’s well
ventilated yet protected
from winds that might
cause flare-ups. Then,
outfit the area like a
mini kitchen: Create an
insta-island for food
prep with a folding
table. Add a grill mat
to protect your deck;
and a trash bucket.
Hooks and magnetic
clips keep tools and
towels handy.

On Deck - Invest in storage that can double as seating. Deck
boxes stow your supplies outdoors where you need them.
What to stash outside: paper towels, aluminum foil, platters
and cutting boards, skewers, grill utensils, a meat thermometer,
a timer, mitts, a lighter or long matches, and bags of charcoal
(if you don’t use a gas or electric grill).

Movable Feast - Save yourself a few trips to and from the
kitchen with a carry-all caddy that gets your fixings, napkins,
plates, and utensils to the table in one shot. Imagine: You
get to eat along with your guests.

Keep vs. Toss - Toss plastic cooking utensils, oven mitts,
and other indoor gear back in the kitchen drawer. Instead,
opt for long-handled metal tools, which give you some distance
from the open flame, and long-armed mitts to better protect
you from splatters and burns. Keep an extra spatula and pair
of tongs to prevent cross-contamination of raw food and
cooked. Designate which you’ll use for uncooked meats with
tape (red for raw, above) around the handles. Toss your grill-
cleaning brush (or replace the head) once the pad or bristles
get too worn to work. If you let residue burn off and clean
while the grate’s still hot, de-gunking shouldn’t be tough.
Source: Good Housekeeping


Designing for Outdoor Living

Umbrellas. A large sun umbrella is a must-have in gardens that
lack shade trees. Tilt to deflect the sun's rays at any time of day,
and fold up when not in use.

Awnings. Long popular in Europe, deck and patio awnings are
                                                 gaining favor here, too. When
                                                 positioned over an east- or
                                                 west-facing window, they also
                                                 do a yeoman's job of keeping a
                                                 house cooler.

                                                 Shelters. A shelter can be
                                                 anything from a small, solid-
                                                 roof arbor for reading to a large
                                                 gazebo for entertaining.  There
                                                 are also portable shelters, tent-
                                                 like structures that give the
                                                 protection of a covered gazebo
                                                 at a fraction of the cost.

Hammocks. Swinging gently in a hammock while suspended in
midair, there's true comfort in being cradled! Its netting is a fine
choice of material, allowing cool air to reach you on all sides.
Tie one between two trees or use a self-supporting hammock
that can be moved wherever desired.
Source: Better Homes & Gardens


Show Me the Money

The Federal Housing Administration has added another
component to the temporary $8,000 first-time home buyer tax
credit. Qualified FHA buyers now have the option of monetizing
the funds. Through short-term bridge loans, buyers can
access the money immediately instead of amending their
2008 tax return or waiting to file in 2009.  These buyers then
have the option of adding it to their FHA-required 3.5 percent
down payment, covering closing costs or buying down their
interest rate. Realtors® believe this will meaningfully impact
home sales and values.

Who Qualifies?
First-time home buyers who purchase homes between January 1,
2009 and December 1, 2009. To qualify as a “first-time home
buyer” the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a
residence during the three years prior to the purchase.

Which Properties Are Eligible?
The 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to
primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos,
townhomes, and co-ops.

How Much Will the Credit Be?
The maximum allowable credit for home buyers is $8,000. Each
home buyer’s tax credit is determined by two factors:
The price of the home—the credit is equal to 10% of the
purchase price of the home, up to $8,000.
The buyer's income—single buyers with incomes up to $75,000
and married couples with incomes up to $150,000—may receive
the maximum tax credit.

If the Buyer(s)’ Income Exceeds These Limits, Can He/She
Still Get a Credit?
Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit.
The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $75,000 and
$95,000 for single buyers and between $150,000 and $170,000
for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit
decreases as his/her income approaches the maximum limit.
Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying
income—over $95,000 for singles and over $170,000 for
couples are not eligible for the credit.

Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid?
No. The buyer does not need to repay the tax credit, if he/she
occupies the home for three years or more. However, if the
property is sold during the three-year period, the credit will be
recouped on the sale.
Source: Realtor.com

For more information click here -
Tax Credit Can Be Used on Closing Costs
.

Suze Orman’s New Credit Card Strategy

I want you to only pay the minimum due on your credit card balance,
and instead, make it your top priority to build as much of an
emergency cash fund as you can. If you do not have an emergency
savings account that can cover up to at least eight months of living
expenses, you need to get very serious about funding that account
ASAP. To come up with the money for your savings fund, I want you
to just pay the minimum on your credit cards, nothing more.
For those of you with a fully-funded emergency account, please
make it a priority to pay off any credit card balances as soon as
possible. My new advice is solely for those of you who do not have
an emergency savings account or have too small of an account.
The single most important action to take in this economy is to build
savings so you and your family will have money to cover your basic
necessities if you no longer have an income coming in. As you have
heard me say before: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. And
right now we all need to be redoubling our preparation efforts.
Source: Oprah.com


Vanilla Raspberry Sundaes with Spoon Shaped Cookies

Ingredients: FOR THE COOKIES
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE SUNDAES
2 quarts Vanilla Ice Cream, softened
2 quarts Raspberry Sorbet, softened
Blueberries, for garnish

Directions:
For the cookies: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla.
Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until dough comes together.
Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate at
least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out 1 disk of dough to just less
than an inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Using a paring knife,
cut out spoon shapes, each about 3 inches long. Transfer to baking
sheets. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes. Roll out scraps, and repeat
once.
Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, about 12 minutes.
Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
Make the sundaes: In 8 small bowls, layer 1/4 cup ice cream, 1/2
cup sorbet, and another 1/4 cup ice cream. Garnish each sundae
with blueberries, and serve with 2 or 3 cookie spoons.
Source: Martha Stewart



KIDS CORNER  




Fireworks Art





Have a blast this Fourth of July with these explosive designs: bursts
of paint that resemble fireworks in the sky.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Acrylic paint  
Drinking straw  
Paintbrush  
Paper (or card stock)  
Water  

Time needed: 30 Minutes or Less

1. For each color, in a paper cup, dilute some acrylic paint with
water to a runny consistency.

2. Using a paintbrush, drip a few drops of paint onto a piece of
paper or card stock (be sure to rinse the brush between colors),
then hold a drinking straw directly over each puddle of paint and
blow gently to create a spectacular starburst effect.
Source: Family Fun.com



July Quote

We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we
practice it.   ~ William Faulkner
518.312.2069
RLewis@RealtyUSA