CREIG SAYS...
Dear Friend:
Happy Groundhog Day! This morning in Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania, world-famous Punxatawney Phil did not see his shadow this morning. What does this mean? An early Spring! This is welcome news considering we have been experiencing frigid temperatures the past few weeks.
Celebrate the news of an early Spring by starting your search for a new home a little early. How? Visit us at one of our great open houses this weekend! We have a variety of great homes available throughout Maryland in all price ranges. Get a head start on your home search:
· Search Open Houses - Just change your search criteria and off you go!
· Search all Northrop Team Listings
· Search ALL active listings on the MLS
In addition to many great open houses being held this weekend, another exciting event is Super Bowl XLI! Airing on Sunday, February 4th on CBS, the Indianapolis Colts will go head-to-head with the Chicago Bears down in sunny Florida, with kickoff scheduled for 6:25pm. While you are enjoying the game, be sure to keep an out eye for The Northrop Team's brand new commercial...it's a winner!
Enjoy your weekend!
Creig Northrop
Click here to view real estate trends
AND THE WINNER IS...
After all entries for our 42" high definition plasma TV giveaway were in, a winner was randomly chosen. The lucky winner is DAN RYAN of ELLICOTT CITY! In the midst of a light snowfall, the plasma TV was personally delivered to Mr. Ryan by Creig Northrop on January 30th. Now, Mr. Ryan and his family are all ready to sit back, relax and watch the Super Bowl this Sunday on their fanastic new TV!
* Be sure to check www.northropteam.com regularly for other exciting contests!
NOMINATE A 2007 UNSUNG HERO
In every classroom around the country, there are students who are doing great deeds, often unnoticed. Creig Northrop & The Northrop Team of Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc. and Patuxent Publishing Company want to change this by recognizing 12 students from Howard and Carroll County high schools for their contributions in music, art, theatre, sports and especially their good works.
Who is an Unsung Hero? An Unsung Hero is a student who:
• Donates energy, time or resources for community causes
• Goes beyond expectations in an inspirational and positive manner
• Inspires and supports other youth
• Enriches the arts in our community
• Overcomes great obstacles to live life to the fullest and inspires
others to meet challenges
Nomination Deadline: April 3, 2007
For more details, click here.
INSIDER TIPS
Feng Shue For Your Home
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placement that creates harmony and prosperity in our lives. If you have walked into a home or a place of business and instantly felt at ease, chances are you have experienced good Feng Shui. If you couldn't seem to get out quickly enough, you were probably in a place that didn't have good Feng Shui. When applied well, Feng Shui can improve the lives of the people occupying the property.
According to Michael Schnippering, a Feng Shui professional based in Dallas, Texas, "Feng shui has about a 20-30% impact on your life. It is all about yin and yang. It is all about balancing energy. If you have it done right, your kids will learn better, you will feel happier, your home will look better."
WHAT TO LOOK FOR/WHAT TO AVOID WHEN BUYING A HOME
Lighting – See if the house is well-lit. If the home is too dark, you will be depressed; if it is too light, you may get headaches. Avoid – Large windows facing west.
Cleanliness/Scent – Does the house have a pleasant or unpleasant odor? Is it clean or dirty? If the house has a bad odor or is filthy, chances are something is wrong. There could be rodents living under the house or maybe the odor is the result of rotting wood or mildew. Bad odors can mean costly repairs.
Lot Shape – Look at the shape of the land the home is on. A square or rectangular lot is the best. A triangular lot with the point in the back indicates that you will make good money but have trouble keeping it, while a triangular lot with the point in the front indicates that you will have a difficult time making money but you will be able to keep the money that you have. An irregular shaped lot may be harder to sell later down the road.
Surroundings – Being close to the water is good, because water takes care of your money, while mountains take care of people. Look for a location with a good mixture of both. This will give you a variety of things to look at, as well as a good amount of aesthetically pleasing energy.
FENG SHUI FOR YOUR NEW HOME
Once you find a home you like, you can implement feng shui techniques throughout your home to create a harmonious environment for yourself.
· When arranging furniture in your home, less is more. Also, be sure the arrangement provides a good flow through the room, which will facilitate a good flow of energy.
· Water features like fountains will keep your abundance flowing.
· Slow growing plants represent slow growing prosperity, especially Jade plants.
· Get in the habit of putting the toilet lid down when not in use; this will help keep your money from going down the drain
· Burn incense, use essential oils or some sort of aroma therapy. Smells, like pleasant sounds and colors, have a healing effect on us.
· Hang wind chimes outside your front door to bring in more opportunities or a promotion at work.
· Put a birdbath or feeder in the yard to attract wildlife, which will increase the amount of energy around your home.
· Clear out any clutter or plant debris that may be in your yard. Clutter blocks the flow of energy and limits the opportunities.
· Spring house clean regardless of the time of year. Clutter limits our choices.
· Put a colorful and inviting welcome mat at the front door.
· Make sure work areas such as home offices have a lot of color. Color stimulates and rejuvenates mental ability.
We hope you found these tips interesting and informative!
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