WINTERIZING

• As the warm summer days begin to turn into cool fall and winter nights, many homeowners see increases in their electricity bills as they try to keep their homes warm.
  
  
• To help lower the cost of heating a home this winter, homeowners can weatherstrip their homes.  According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, there are many kinds of weatherstripping products on the market.  Since each product is designed to work in a different area of the home, homeowners should read product packaging carefully to determine if it is best suited for windows or doors, as well as indoor or outdoor use.
• Another tip for “winterizing” a home is to get a furnace or heating system inspection, which most professionals recommend homeowners do at least once a year.  An inspection of the working parts can ensure that the house has heat when needed and can prevent costly repairs in the future.

California Foreclosures on a National Scale

California  has had in the last 11 months, more than a half-million homes entered into foreclosure. While California used to have five cities ranked on the list of the 10 highest in foreclosures in the USA, it now has eight such cities.