Christmas in quickly approaching so it is time to start thinking about local events for the holidays. December 5th from 3pm-5pm is the annual Christmas Parade in Fuquay Varina. On December 2nd is the Christmas tree lighting starting at 6pm.   There will be hot cocoa, photos with Santa and sleigh rides.   For further information please go to http://www.fuquay-varina.org/parks/downloads/Christmas%20tree%20Lighting-FVI%20ad.pdf   Enjoy your holiday!!

In today’s tough economic times people are always looking at ways to cut corners in order to save money. One area you really should not skip is replacing your air filters approximately every 3 months. When you do not change the air filters this makes your HVAC unit work even harder than it should.Over time this will increase wear and tear on your unit which will eventually lead to a phone call to the HVAC repair man. It also will use more electricity which in turn increases your electric bill.
There are many types and brands of air filters out there. You do not have to purchase the high end brands. Go to a big box store and take a few minutes to find the brand that is right for you. I would also recommend that if you have multiple air returns to date the filters when you change them. Another piece of advice is depending on how much carpet you have, the number and type of pets, allergies, etc will also factor into how often you need to change your air filters.

Here is the bottom line do not skip replacing your air filters because over time you will be making a phone call to your HVAC repair man and it will increase your electric bill. So spend a few dollars to replace your air filters or pay a big bill to the HVAC repair man?? With the heat we have in NC right now I really do not want to be with out my AC!!

Look no further…Pet Spa Daze of Fuquay Varina, NC is the place to contact. I have been using Pet Spa Daze for about 3 years now and highly recommend Ricky. Not only does he groom both of my Basset Hounds but he also grooms my cat. There are many things that I like about Pet Spa Daze but the number one thing that stands out is his professionalism. He is one time and provides great care to my pets. His attention to detail is wonderful which is great due to having one seriously stinky hound. Check out his website at www.petspadaze.com   Please keep in mind that the word is now out on how great Pet Spa Daze is so call soon so your pet and you do not miss out!!

On June 5 run the Quay 5K in downtown Fuquay Varina. Do not miss out. For further info check out www.celebratefv.com
Enjoy!!

Starting today the North Carolina Appliance Replacement and Rebate Program began.   This program allows residents of   North Carolina to replace an aging appliance and possibly receive a refund. Does one of your appliances need to replaced? Has the dishwasher been performing about as well as a toddler washing dishes? Is your HVAC system blowing warm air instead of ice cold air on   warm summer days ? If so it may be time to replace your appliances. For further information regarding this program please go to www.ncappliancerebate.com Check out this link and it will give you all the information that you need regarding what products are eligible and the dollar amount you may receive. Do not hesitate act now. There are limited funds available for this North Carolina only rebate program.

I get asked many questions every day but it seems that this question is one of the most popular. ” Do you know a good local vet?” Naturally I do. It has taken me 3 years to find a great Vet that not only do I trust but my pets also like. I never looked forward to taking my pets to a local Vet in Fuquay Varina, NC. The first thing I hated was that it was a lot of work and time. Taking two Basset Hounds seemed like punishment at times. Loading them in the car, waiting at the Vet for 15 minutes because the Vet is always running late. What really made me upset was how my oldest pet was always so nervous and shaking like a leaf. I must admit I had some guilt from that one. So after hundreds of dollars later my husband and I decided to try a mobile Vet but once again who do you try. There seemed to be many mobile Vets around but I could not find anyone who could recommend one. So I decided to try Veterinary Express after seeing the Veterinary Express mobile at Sheetz Gas Station in Fuquay Varina many many times.   Did I really want to spend $50 for a house call visit well No but…
One day my oldest hound was sick and had been sick so I decided to give Veterinary Express a call. They pulled into my driveway and instantly I thought this is great. What really impressed me was that Denise and Dr. Rodgers came into the house to talk with me. Dr. Rodgers said after our initial discussion that he did not see any reason to bring Molly into the van because he was able to figure out her issue right then IN OUR HOUSE. You mean I do not have to lug her to the car, drive 10 minutes, wait 15 minutes to be seen and then wait 10 minutes for the medicine and then drive back home. Holy Cow this was and still is worth the $50 house call charge. After Denise and Dr. Rodgers left I realized that Molly did not get scared or upset when they were looking at her. The reason being is that Molly was in her own environment not a strangers with strange smells and people.   In the end when I looked over the bill it was actually cheaper for me to use Veterinary Express even with the $50 house call. Not to mention the time that I saved which you cannot always put a $ amount on. Sometimes I felt when I went to the Vet in town I could not get out of the office under a $100 even for the simplest thing.

So I blog here today highly recommending Veterinary Express of Fuquay Varina for all of your pets medical needs.   Check out their website at www.veterinaryexpress.com

Would you like to take a tour of an eco friendly home next to Umstead Park in Raleigh? If so it is located at 6105 Lost Valley Rd in Raleigh. You may tour this home March 21-22 or March 28-29 from Noon to 5pm. You may obtain free VIP passes at Whole Foods Market on Wade Avenue. Feel free to check out this website www.ecobldg.com
See you there!

Did you know that Fuquay Varina merged in 1963? How about that Fuquay Springs was charted in 1909? Are you interested in enjoying the celebration through the year? If so go to http://www.fuquay-varina.org/centennial-commission.asp  
On this site you can download the calendar. There are things from a birthday celebration on March 6 and an art exhibition the same weekend. Get out and enjoy the great weather this weekend. Make new friends and see some old ones. Enjoy!

Are you a first time home buyer? You are if you have not a owned a principal residence in the past 3 years. This according to the federal government. Are you interested in the latest tax credit? If so here is some information regarding The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This Act authorizes a tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first time home buyers who purchase a home after December 31, 2008 and before December 1, 2009. Pay attention to the last date. It says December 1, 2009 not December 31, 2009. I have already seen some confusion regarding this date. Please keep in mind that I would highly recommend consulting a tax advisor for more information on how the tax credit will impact you. Tax laws are complex and you should be well informed. If you have any questions go to http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204672,00.html

I look forward to helping you with your search and purchase.

Looking for a ranch with a large private lot? Check out my new listing on www.1632quailgrove.com
Let me know what you think. Home is located just 2 miles from Fuquay Varina. Just 20 minutes from downtown Raleigh and Cary. Homes is located on the east side of Fuquay Varina off of Route 42. If you would like a showing let me know. Do not miss out on this updated home with a fenced private backyard. Bring the kids and the dogs.

According to the latest issue of Money Magazine Cary, NC is rated #16 in the Best Places to live in 2008. Click on the link to get the full story.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/snapshots/PL3710740.html

See you in Cary!
Of course there are many great places to live in the Wake County area. Fuquay Varina, Apex, Holly Springs are just a few of the great towns in the Wake County area. If you are thinking about relocating to this area let me know I would love to “point you in the right direction”.

In my opinion Fuquay Varina, NC is growing quickly. I will have lived here for 4 years in September and this town has grown leaps and bounds. In the last week Starbucks has opened and Verizon Wireless has also. Both are located in front of the Tractor Supply Store on Main St. For those of you whose directions revolve around food then the stores are located next to Taco Bell. This fall Kohl’s will be opening. If you are interested in applying they are accepting applications at the Holiday Inn Express in Fuquay Varina. I hope that soon Target will be here. I really do not like Wal Mart for many reasons. Needless to say I go to Target when I am in Cary or Garner which is frequently when you are in real estate.

In Thursday’s issue of the News and Observer newspaper on the front page it talks about Cary being the 5Th fastest growing city in the nation. If you take a look at the article on the front page you will notice a box talking about the N.C.’S FASTEST GROWING and Fuquay Varina is number 6 out of the 17 that are listed. According to the article it states that the population of Fuquay is 15,394. I believe it. My husband was saying a few months ago how much longer it takes to get home in the evening coming through town. I see it at the stores, at the bank, etc. I love to see this. I hope Fuquay will grow but still keep its small town feel. Although Cary has somewhat struggled with that over the past few years.

In yesterday’s newspaper of the News and Observer on the front page was an article stating that once again Cary, NC is in the 5th fastest growing city in the nation. I have lived in NC for 13 years after living in New York. I love this area. I first moved to Greensboro then onto Graham. I have lived the Triangle for 4 years now and would not live any place else. I love the area, the parks, the people, the houses, the shopping, etc. Of course the wonderful weather certainly does not hurt either. I also love being so close to the ocean and the mountains. My husband and I love the coast so much we got married in Corolla five years ago this October. Take a look at the article and let me know your thoughts. If you are thinking about relocating here I would recommend it not only for the reasons mentioned above but for the overall job growth and stability.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/wake/cary/v-print/story/1136652.html

For some reason the past 4 years that we have lived in Willow Springs, NC the flies have been terrible during the heat of the summer. Well needless to say I am not very good with a fly swatter and I refuse to use toxic spray so what do I do? Well after much searching I have found a great way to kill flies. Take a spray bottle fill it with water and detergent. I use dish detergent but I am sure laundry detergent would work just as well. I used a fair amount of detergent. Then in the morning the flies seem to have a morning pow pow in the front living room window. Well fully armed with my green spray bottle I squirt away. Now a key thing to keep in mind is that squirting the fly in mid-flight is not as effective as getting him when he is still. Give the fly a couple of squirts and he is stunned. Then I take my napkin and scoop him out. Dead he is. Now I know what you are thinking. Flies have tiny hairs on their bodies which help them breath. Well when you cover those hairs with soapy water they suffocate. Now keep in mind that this will not kill them instantly which is why I have the paper towel with me. Once the fly is stunned I then pick him up with the paper towel squish him and toss it. The first few times I did this I was not really effective but this is the process I follow now. My husband laughed at me at first but even he is coming around to this method. Also, if you squirt the fly a couple of time when he is on the window you will need to do a quick wipe down but if you have kids or pets or both then your windows may always need a quick wipe down.

My next test will be cornmeal on ant mounds. I will let you know what my results are in my next edition of killing pests the ecofriendly way.

The House of Representatives passed The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act

on June 4, 2008. The passing of this act is great news for the future of our kids. The act will allow our schools to become healthier and more energy efficient. This historic piece of legislation will now move onto the Senate. Hopefully they will listen to what parents want and what our kids deserve. We need to invest in our kids for they are the future. If you would like further information regarding this act please go to www.earthday.net.

www.http://.wcpss.net/news/2008_leed

Click on the above link to see what Wake County School system is doing to be more green. Wake County School system has been building green since 2001. Hopefully in time the schools will be certified with LEEDS. Not only is building green good for the environment but it is good for the body. Kids today have asthma, allergies, etc. If you take steps along the way the road will not seem so long in the end. Stop using toxic paint, remove rugs, improve your air filtration system or install one. Once schools start doing this maybe they could start focusing on removing the plastics and Styrofoam that is used in the cafeterias. Everything we do has a impact on the environment. Unfortunately most of what we do has a negative impact. Isn’t it time we start taking better care of ourselves and the environment? I have a feeling that once we start doing one of them the other will follow on its own.