Leaf Mold

WHAT IS LEAF MOLD?
Leaf mold is the result of letting leaves sit and decompose over time. It is dark brown to black, has a pleasant earthy aroma and a crumbly texture, much like compost. In fact, leaf mold is just that: composted leaves. Instead of adding a bunch of organic matter to a pile, you just use leaves.
BENEFITS OF LEAF MOLD
You may be wondering why you shouldn't just make compost. Why bother making a separate pile just for leaves? The answer is that while compost is wonderful for improving soil texture and fertility, leaf mold is far superior as a soil amendment. It doesn't provide much in the way of nutrition, so you will still need to add compost or other organic fertilizers to increase fertility. Leaf mold is essentially a soil conditioner. It increases the water retention of soils. According to some university studies, the addition of leaf mold increased water retention in soils by over 50%. Leaf mold also improves soil structure and provides a fantastic habitat for soil life, including earthworms and beneficial bacteria.
HOW TO USE LEAF MOLD
Leaf mold has several uses in the garden. You can dig or till it into garden beds to improve soil structure and water retention. You can use it as mulch in perennial beds or vegetable gardens. It's also fabulous in containers, due to its water retaining abilities.
Leaf mold is simple, free, and effective. If you're lucky enough to have a tree or two (or ten) on your property, you've got everything you need to make great garden soil.
HOW TO MAKE LEAF MOLD
There are two popular ways to make leaf mold, and both are ridiculously simple. The one thing you'll need to keep in mind is that leaf mold doesn't happen overnight. Leaves are basically all carbon, which takes a lot longer to break down than nitrogen-rich materials such as grass clippings. The decomposition process for leaves takes at least six to twelve months. The good news is that it's basically six to twelve months with very little work on the gardener's part.
The first method of making leaf mold consists of either piling your leaves in a corner of the yard or into a wood or wire bin. The pile or bin should be at least three feet wide and tall. Pile up your leaves, and thoroughly dampen the entire pile. Let it sit, checking the moisture level occasionally during dry periods and adding water if necessary.
The second method of making leaf mold requires a large plastic garbage bag. Fill the bag with leaves and moisten them. Seal the bag and then cut some holes or slits in the bag for air flow. Let it sit. Check the bag every month or two for moisture, and add water if the leaves are dry.
After six months to a year, you will have finished leaf mold. Impatient? There are a couple of things you can do to speed up the process:
Before adding leaves to your pile or bag, run over them a couple of times with your lawn mower. Smaller pieces will decompose more quickly.
Use a shovel or garden fork to turn your leaf pile every few weeks. If you are using the plastic bag method, just turn it over or give it a firm shake. This will introduce air into the process, which speeds decomposition.
If you are using the pile or bin method, cover your pile with a plastic tarp. This will keep the leaves more consistently moist and warm

Sue Sutto REALTORS, Inc Commercial

Erie BayHawks

Sue Sutto REALTORS, Inc. has Erie BayHawks tickets and we would like to share them with you.

If you have an interest in using two tickets to one of the team’s regular season home games; contact one of the agents at Sue Sutto for availability.

Bob Baer
Ellen Engel
Mary Lou Edgett
Janet Orr
Lisa Rubino
Diane Smith
Stephanie Stevens
Sue Sutto

Sue Sutto REALTORS, Inc. 814-838-8000.

The remaining home games are:
Wednesday, February 4th
Monday, February 9th
Thursday, February 26th
Friday, February 27th
Thursday, March 5th
Friday, March 6th
Sunday, March 8th
Friday, March 13th
Wednesday, March 18th
Friday, March 27th
Sunday, March 29th
Saturday, April 11th.

Additional information on the BayHawks is available on their website—
http://www.nba.com/dleague/erie/

Contact us and come out to support the Erie
BayHawks.

814-838-8000
agent@suesutto.com

Emergency Preparedness

No one knows when an emergency will happen, but everyone knows that an emergency situation is always a possibility. Being prepared for an emergency is like having a spare tire. You are not expecting a flat tire, but you carry a spare just in case one happens. Being prepared can reduce anxiety, fear and losses during a disaster.
First on the list for being prepared in the event of an crisis is to have an emergency kit.
This kit should contain essentials like first-aid supplies, clothing, blankets, tools, flashlights and battery-powered radios, as well as health supplies like insulin or asthma inhalers for medical conditions.
Depending on the emergency, people could be forced to stay at home for days or leave at a moment’s notice. So the kit should also contain at least three days’ worth of bottled water and nonperishable food for each household member. It should be checked every six months and be in easy-to-carry containers, like backpacks or duffel bags.
Next on the list of priorities is a plan for what to do at home in the event of a catastrophe. The plan should include a written escape route and specify how family members will communicate if separated. An out of state contact is a good idea in the event of a localized natural disaster such as an earthquake, flood or hurricane.
Printed guides and a DVD with more suggestions for preparing your home are offered free of charge at fema.gov/areyouready. The Red Cross (redcross.org) and Homeland Security Department (dhs.gov) offer numerous additional suggestions for handling emergencies.
Plan and prepare to increase your chances of protecting you family and home in the event of an emergency.

GETTING A MORTGAGE IN TODAY’S MARKET

GETTING A MORTGAGE IN TODAY’S MARKET

There are 3 requirements to getting a mortgage:

1. Solid Credit. Prospective borrowers will need a FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation) score of roughly 720 or above to obtain the most favorable mortgage rates.

2. A Down Payment. Nearly all lenders will want borrowers to make some form of down payment to qualify for a loan. The size of the down payment will vary but will be at least 3.5 percent.

3. Income Documentation. Loan applicants will also be required in most cases to provide document verification of their income and their assets.

What can you do?
1. Shop Around. Because the credit crisis has affected different banks in different ways, the streams of credit available in today's market are extremely divergent.
Direct lenders have money to lend. They make the final decision on your application.
Brokers are intermediaries who, like you, have many lenders from which to choose. Lenders have a limited number of in-house loans available. Brokers can shop many lenders for each lenders' store of loans. If you have special financing needs and can't find a lender to suit them, an experienced broker may be able to ferret out the loan you need.
Mortgage brokers, however, are paid with a slice of the amount you borrow, some more than others some less. Internet brokers today perhaps receive the smallest cut, sometimes none at all, and can prove to be a real bargain.

2. Save for a Down Payment. Given the current credit environment, consumers will have to put their financial house in order before they buy a real house. That means if you don't have enough cash for a down payment, you'll have to start saving for one. Borrow the down payment from your retirement plan. Sell some of your investments. Borrow from your parents. Get a second job and save that income.

3. Check Your Credit Report. It's important to make sure that your credit report—which lenders will be using to determine whether or not to give you a loan—is accurate. If you see any mistakes, take care of those inaccuracies.

4. Pay Down Debts. If you want to get a mortgage but have substantial debts, consider paying them down. Lenders are always more willing to work with you the lower your debt load is against your income, because you are not overleveraged.

5. Been Late? Wait. If you have a recent delinquency on your credit report, you're probably better off waiting a couple of months before applying for a loan. If you have a recent blemish on your report, it maybe beneficial for you to wait a few months, maybe even six months or a year; to get that stuff further back in your credit history, this will increase your chances of qualifying for a better rate.

6. Get Someone to Get the Mortgage for You.
If your credit is so low that no one will agree to financing you, see if you can convince
someone with better credit -- perhaps a family member or spouse -- to take out a mortgage for you. Obviously, this can have serious consequences on any relationship, so be sure that the person you ask is someone very close to you -- someone whom you can trust to handle it.

Keeping Cool This Summer

1. Open Your Windows

When the outside air is cooler than the inside, it’s foolish to keep using electricity for something nature can do for you instead.

Nothing is more satisfying than getting a breeze of fresh air after having your home closed up all day.

2. Turn On the Ceiling Fans

While a ceiling fan won’t make your room cooler, it will definitely make it feel cooler by speeding sweat evaporation and fans cost far less to run than your air conditioner. Ceiling fans are relatively easy to install if you do not have them. Once your fans are in, make sure the fan is set to spin in the correct direction: You want the air blowing down in summer and up in winter.

3. Put In an Attic Fan

An attic fan gives you the combined benefits of moving air (like a ceiling fan) and pulling in the cooler air from outside. Of course you need to open your windows to pull in the cooler air so it is best to wait until after dusk to open your windows and then set the timer to run at least until after you’re deep asleep. It’s an investment that can easily pay for itself in a couple of years. Solar powered attic fans are also available.

4. Shut the Blinds

On hot summer days, the sun is your worst enemy. The last thing you want to do is have your air conditioner running full blast to offset the increase heat from the sunlight pouring in your windows. By closing the blinds, you’ll still let in enough light to see by, but you’ll reflect back the rest.

5. Run Your Furnace Fan

Many thermostats will allow you to tell the fan to run without initiating the furnace or air conditioner. By turning on your furnace fan, you cause the air to be circulated throughout the house, balancing out any cold or hot spots so that you whole house feels more comfortable. An added benefit is that it will trap any potential allergens that have been introduced by opening your windows - just make sure to regularly check the furnace filter and replace it when it’s dark enough to block light passing through.

6. Install a Programmable Thermostat

It doesn’t make much sense to cool your home while you’re gone, but it’s hard to remember to tweak your thermostat every day before you leave for work. Program your thermostat to go up by five degrees about 30 minutes or so before you leave and have it come back to your “normal” temperature a half-hour before you return. For added savings, program it to also raise the thermostat by two or three degrees through the night - you’re unlikely to notice the change in your sleep.

7. Turn Up The Thermostat A Degree Or Two

It’s recommended that you set your thermostat at 78 degrees during the summer if you have central air conditioning. It’s a pleasant temperature, but isn’t necessarily the cheapest setting. If you can handle it, raise your thermostat by one or two degrees and realize a savings of about six to seven percent for each degree above 78.

8. Close Unused Vents

If you’re not going to be in a particular room very much or very often, consider closing the vent in that room so you’re not cooling dead space. That will cause more air to come out of the other open vents, potentially allowing you to add some cooling to a room that wasn’t getting it otherwise.

9. Turn Off the Lights

The light filtering in through your closed blinds should be sufficient to get you around the house during the day. When night falls, turn on only the lights you need only when you need them. Not only will you save electricity, but you’ll also do your air conditioner a favor. All light bulbs generate heat as a byproduct of producing light. Use Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) inside. CFLs use 75% less energy and produce 75% less heat than incandescent light bulbs which saves on cooling costs.

10. Hold Off On Cooking

During the summer, do what you can to avoid turning on the stove and, if you must turn it on, turn it on in the late evening and after you’ve opened the windows for the night.

11. Leave Laundry Until Nighttime

Your clothes dryer puts out a decent amount of heat. Much of that heat will be vented outside, but some will still leak into your house. The later you wait to turn it on, the better chance you have of not working against your air conditioner as much. If you live somewhere that has time-based metering of electricity, try to wait until the lower evening rate kicks in.

Of course, nothing beats line-drying in terms of electricity usage, but if your subdivision bans outdoor clothes lines, running your dryer at night is the next best option.

12. Use Your Lowest Level

If you have a basement, don’t hesitate to take advantage of its stable temperatures all year – The higher you go in your house the higher the temperature.

13. Unplug/Switch Off Unused Electronics

Not only are unused electronics eating electricity when they’re not in use, they’re also converting some of that power into heat. By unplugging everything you can and putting the rest on switchable surge protectors, you can potentially save yourself a lot of money and unnecessary heat.