Mortgage rates eased recently hitting their lowest level this year, hurt by concerns about the U.S. economy and the recent shake up in overseas stock markets, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. The average rate on 30-year fixed-rate loans fell to 6.14 percent for the week ending March 8, from 6.18 percent the week before. That marks [...]

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Income tax, sales tax, estate tax, excise tax, alternative minimum tax…and just when you thought you’d paid them all…along comes your property tax bill as a homeowner. But did you know that the National Taxpayers Union estimates that as many as 60% of homes are assessed for too high of a value, resulting in an [...]

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Calif. median home price - January 07: $559,640 Calif. highest median home price by C.A.R. region
January 07: Santa Barbara So. Coast $1,150,000 Calif. lowest median home price by C.A.R. region
 January 07: High Desert $317,380 Calif. First-time Buyer Affordability Index: Fourth Quarter 06: 25 percent (Source: C.A.R.) Mortgage rates - week ending 3/1: 30-yr. fixed: [...]

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Place a washcloth with a few drops of your favorite essential oil into your dryer when drying sheets and towels.

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1/4 lb. orange peel
1/8 lb. lemon peel
1/4 lb. whole star anise
1/4 lb. whole clove
1 oz. orris root fixative*
1/2 oz. orange or Christmas oil*
Break the orange and lemon peel into pieces the size of a penny. Mix together all ingredients except for the fixative as possible. Sprinkle the fixative on top and add the [...]

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The days when you could throw a "For Sale" sign in the front yard and have your home sell quickly are over, at least for now. Around the country, home inventories are up, and the result has been a drastic increase in average selling times. Add to that the fact that your home may not [...]

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2 cups dried lavender leaves*
1 1/2 cups dried lavender buds*
3/4 cup junniper berries*
1 1/2 tablespoons orris root powder*
8 drops of lavender oil*
4 drops of rosemary oil*
Combine all ingredients in a tightly covered container.  Allow fragrance to blend for two weeks, shaking the container every two days.  Using 4" squares of a pretty fabric and ribbon.
The [...]

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Spring is typically the busiest time of the year for the Real Estate Industry, and 2007 should be no different. In fact, during this spring selling season, home buyers will be greeted with the first buyer’s market we’ve seen in the Real Estate Industry in some years. With inventories up in numerous regions throughout the [...]

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1/3 cup Epsom salts (available at drug stores)
1/3 cup sea salt (available at grocery stores)
1/3 cup baking soda
15 drops of essential oil*
You can create your own special blend of essential oils or use a single scent, such as rose.
You may like to try this refreshing blend:
4 drops of juniper
4 drops of grapefruit
7 drops of lavender
Combine [...]

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