Archives for August 2019

10 Houseplants That Can Actually Improve Your Health!

Adding a houseplant or two always seems to improve the look of a room. But as it turns out, certain houseplants can also improve your health. According to recent studies by NASA, some houseplants filter out dangerous compounds that are commonly found in most homes – the kind of compounds that are often associated with respiratory illnesses, cancer, and other conditions.

Because they are enclosed spaces, our homes are vulnerable to gaseous toxins that build up over time. These include:

• Benzene – Caused by paints, detergents, and furniture wax
• Formaldehyde – Caused by disinfectants or preservatives in consumer products
• Toluene and Xylene – Caused by a variety of household and consumer products
• Ammonia – Caused by commonly used aerosols and spray

But 10 NASA-approved houseplants are said to be effective in removing air pollutants: 

• English Ivy – A trailing ivy plant that requires partial shade and light weekly watering
• Florist’s chrysanthemum – A lovely floral that needs direct light and frequent change of water
• Peace Lily – Produces small, white flowers. Needs weekly watering. But consider carefully before buying, because this plant can be poisonous to house pets
• Variegated snake plant – Has tall, broad, green and white leaves. Requires partial shade and weekly watering
• Red-edged dracaena – Almost cactus-like in appearance, this plant needs direct sunlight and weekly watering
• Cornstalk dracaena – Produces cornstalk-type leaves. Wants partial shade and weekly watering
• Broadleaf lady palm – Fern-like plant that likes partial shade and weekly watering
• Flamingo lily – Also known as anthurium, this plant produces shiny red flowers and requires partial shade and weekly watering
• Devil’s ivy – Produces luxurious ivy leaves, likes partial shade, and needs only monthly watering
• Lilyturf – Produces purple flowers. Requires partial shade and weekly watering

Take note: Water lightly in most cases, as over-watering can cause root rot and kill the plant. In some cases, its best to use a mister. 

 

 

Christine Cleek

ABR, CRS, SFR, E-Pro

Broker, Owner

Rising Star Real Estate

850-217-0990

Chris@RisingStarRealty.com

www.RisingStarRealty.com

 

 

2016 Voted in the TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN FLORIDA

 

2015 Trulia TOP RANKED Real Estate Agent 

Based on Client Reviews & Ratings!

 

Featured in  January 2014 FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE 

This prestigious award honors excellence among the top 1% of 

agents in the country based on 2014 sales and client reviews. 

 

Visit Rising Star Real Estate on FACEBOOK!

Join my Network on Linkedin!

Follow me on Twitter!

Decoding Teen Talk: What All Those Acronyms Really Mean

Decoding Teen Talk: What All Those Acronyms Really Mean

 

Teens these days use social media-friendly acronyms and abbreviations to communicate with their peers—and from the perspective of an adult, a lot can get lost in translation. What does all that hip lingo really mean?

ASKfm, a social Q&A network, recently answered that question with the release of their Teen Slang Dictionary. Some of the most popular terms decoded include:

Dime – Refers to the best, or something highest on a scale of 1 to 10
GOAT – Refers to “greatest of all time”
IDEK – “I don’t even know.”
IKR – “I know, right?”
OOTD – Refers to “outfit of the day”
PAP – “Post a picture.”
Savage – Refers to something as positively extreme or hardcore
Ship – Short for “relationship”
TBR – “To be rude…”

If you knew the real meanings behind these shortcuts, congratulations—you’re ahead of the curve! And if you didn’t, take heart. Most adults, says ASKfm, are in the dark when it comes to teen talk. Now you know!

Source: ASKfm

 

 

Christine Cleek

ABR, CRS, SFR, E-Pro

Broker, Owner

Rising Star Real Estate

850-217-0990

Chris@RisingStarRealty.com

www.RisingStarRealty.com

 

 

2016 Voted in the TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN FLORIDA

 

2015 Trulia TOP RANKED Real Estate Agent 

Based on Client Reviews & Ratings!

 

Featured in  January 2014 FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE 

This prestigious award honors excellence among the top 1% of 

agents in the country based on 2014 sales and client reviews. 

 

Visit Rising Star Real Estate on FACEBOOK!

Join my Network on Linkedin!

Follow me on Twitter!

How To Survive Living Onsite During a Home Renovation

 

Congratulations! You’ve made the commitment to upgrade or renovate your home. You’ve hired the best certified and verified construction professionals available. Now comes the most challenging part of all – living in the messy chaos of a construction zone day in and day out.

Don’t worry! We’ve got some great tips to help you get through these trying days of sawdust, clutter and noise.

Prepare with Pre-Construction Meetings
Communication is the key to working with your general contractor and any subcontractors, architects, designers, etc. Clearly outline your expectations, wishes and concerns upfront. They can point out any areas of concern that could hinder your original design, like structural issues, electrical problems, plumbing concerns, etc. Together, you can adjust your plans before the hammer meets the first nail.

Also, confirm that everyone agrees on budgets. Surprises happen. So, go ahead and talk about scenarios that could impact costs, so that your professionals can get an idea of where you’re open to splurging on some things, and where you may choose to save others. Throughout the construction process, all major issues that will impact the budget should be approved by you before any work moves forward.

 

Plan Alternatives for Daily Life

 

When temporarily moving out of the space isn’t a possibility, be ready to relocate the spaces within your home. For example, if you’re renovating your kitchen, you may make your bedroom a makeshift cooking and pantry station with a microwave on your dresser and a portable refrigerator as your nightstand. If you’re renovating your bathroom, you might have to take your shower at the gym or at a friend’s house.

 

Set Expectations for the Crew

 

Establish daily schedules and communicate house rules up front. One suggestion is to designate a different “crew” entryway into the house. This will help keep the construction mess to a minimum, as well as reduce interruptions to workflow. If you will be away during the times that the crew must come and go, work directly with your main contractor to arrange secure entrance into your home. Do not freely give your keys and alarm codes to the entire crew.

 

Minimize the Mess with Plastic and Tape

 

Inevitably, your furniture, floors, ceiling fans and even air-ducts, will be covered with several inches of drywall dust, insulation, sawdust and more. Do yourself a favor and invest in plenty of plastic sheets and painter’s tape. You can section off the construction zone from the rest of your house to help keep your other living spaces as comfortable as possible.

 

Be Flexible and Patient, and Remember the Goal

 

Most likely you will encounter obstacles or surprises that cause delays to your timeline and/or changes the way you envisioned the final reveal. For instance, receiving damaged product, uncovering code violations, obtaining required permits or adjusting to budget restraints may impact your project. During these stressful times when you think you might lose your mind, take a minute to remember why you started the project in the first place. In the end, all of the struggles will be worth it!

 

Check Your Crew’s Clean-Up Plan

 

Ask your general contractor about his/her crew’s cleanup plan. You should expect them to clean up as they go, as well as performing one big sweep and wipe down of their work area at the end of each work day. On the other side of the plastic wall – where you’re tucked away from the home renovation projects – apply the same practice of wiping down furniture and sweeping floors everyday. Even the walls will start to collect inches of construction debris.

 

Renovation projects can certainly test our patience and stamina but ending up with your ideal home is usually worth it. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying a brand new living space!

 

 

 

Christine Cleek

ABR, CRS, SFR, E-Pro

Broker, Owner

Rising Star Real Estate

850-217-0990

Chris@RisingStarRealty.com

www.RisingStarRealty.com

 

 

2016 Voted in the TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL

REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN FLORIDA

 

2015 Trulia TOP RANKED Real Estate Agent 

Based on Client Reviews & Ratings!

 

Featured in  January 2014 FLORIDA REALTOR MAGAZINE 

This prestigious award honors excellence among the top 1% of 

agents in the country based on 2014 sales and client reviews. 

 

Visit Rising Star Real Estate on FACEBOOK!

Join my Network on Linkedin!

Follow me on Twitter!