Subj: Bed Bug Epidemic

A bit of information that you might like to know about.  We have friends here in our community, and one of their sons is an entomologist (insect expert), who has been telling them that there is an epidemic of bed bugs occuring in America.  Recently I have heard on the news that several stores in NYC have had to close due to bed bug problems, as well as a complete mall in New Jersey. 

He says that since much of our clothing, sheets, towels, etc. now comes from companies outside  of America, (sad but true), even the most expensive stores sell foreign clothing from China, Indonesia, etc.  The bed bugs are coming in on the clothing as these countries do not consider them a problem.  He recommends that if you buy any new clothing, even underware and socks, sheets, towels, etc. that you bring them into the house and put them in your clothes dryer for at least 20 minutes.  The heat will kill them and their eggs.  DO NOT PURCHASE CLOTHES AND HANG THEM IN THE CLOSET FIRST.  It does not matter what the price range is of the clothing, or if the outfit comes from the most expensive store known in the U.S.  They still get shipments from these countries and the bugs can come in a box of scarves or anything else for that matter.  That is the reason why so many stores, many of them clothing stores have had to shut down in NYC and other places.  All you need is to bring one item into the house that has bugs or eggs and you will go to hell and back trying to get rid of them. 

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• The National Multi-Housing Council, which measures changes in rental and occupancy rates, reports that the rental market has tightened significantly in the last few months.   Their “Market Tightness” index increased 38 percent from October 2009- April 2010.
• RealFacts reports that they national average apartment rent, for all sizes of apartments, was $943 per month in the first quarter of 2010, up from $932 in the 4th quarter of 2009.
• Hitwise, which tracks online searches, revealed that online searches for rentals surged 171 percent over 2009.

CLICK HERE to see the Hottest Search Terms for Rental Property and Discover Why the Market for Investment Property is Hot Hot Hot!!

Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com.   If you are interested in placing a listing on your local MLS, Realtor.com and all other major search portals for real estate, call 1-800-381-9496 for details!

According to the PMI Mortgage Insurance Company, which makes its money by insuring loans against default, has published its list of the 10 safest and riskiest housing markets.  Seven of the 10 markets facing the highest risk of price declines in the next two years are in Florida.   Six of ten markets which were determined to be of the least risk are in North Dakota and Iowa.

The PMI Risk Index takes considers factors such as unemployment, foreclosures, inventory levels and price volatility.   The good news is that the risk further home-price declines decreased in 93 percent of the 384 markets tracked by PMI.  The huge drop in risk was largly due to improvements in affordability and declining foreclosures.

10 riskiest housing markets
1. Naples-Marco Island, Fla.
2. Lake Havasu City-Kingman, Ariz.
3. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.
4. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.
5. Palm Coast, Fla.
6. Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla.
7. Port St. Lucie, Fla.
8. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.
9. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.
10. Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach, Fla.

10 least risky markets
1. Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn.
2. Fargo N.D.-Minn.
3. Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Texas
4. Fayetteville, N.C.
5. Iowa City, Iowa
6. Ames, Iowa
7. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
8. Morgantown, W.V.
9. Texarkana, Texas-Ark.
10. Bismark, N.D.

Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com.  We have helped thousands of home sellers successfully advertise and sell their property.   We can Help You, Too!!  Call 1-800-381-9496 or visit our website for Details!

BEWARE:   Moving company scams, thefts and frauds are bold, brazen and at a record levels.  Bottom feeder scum bags, with 2 assets…a back and a truck, are preying on thousands of unfortunate people being forced to move.

Watch Out.  The “moving” con artist generally targets the most vulnerable among us.  Their primary victim is the internet price shopper, who enters personal information on ‘moving quote’ type website, promising to provide the lowest, legitimate price or quote for a move.

Devastating like Fire.  Victims report horror stories that range from being extorted out of thousands of dollars to get their belongings off loaded, to even more disturbing reports that some families lost every possession, family photo, etc. that they owned, when the moving truck never showed up at the destination, ever.  

What possibly disturbs me the most, is that like the con artist who  sells “cures” to the dying, stealing what little they have left, the majority of moving scam victims are in the same boat.  They are being forced to move due necessity,  job loss, foreclosure, overall affordability, health problems, old age, wage cuts, etc.   

ACTION:  If you have been a victim of a moving scam or moving quote website, report this crime to MOVING SCAM.COM IMMEDIATELY!!  The website has a single complaint form that they file with various legal and reporting agencies.  In addition, victims can print copies of the compliant form to provide to local police and state authorities. 

Advise:  Search MovingScam.com before you become a victim.  The site also provides great infomations including moving company reviews, helpful links and a consumer forum.

Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com.  We are here to help you sell your home and save money!!  Visit the site or phone 1-800-381-9496 for help and details!

Toxic, sulfur laden sheetrock, Made in China, is making people sick, causing electrical wiring to go crazy and is corroding copper, wire and stainless steel in American homes.   The problem has affected thousands of homes in 20 states, yet, the US court system is powerless to hold Chinese manufacturers (most of which are owned by the Chinese government) responsible for problems caused by their products.

To learn how to spot a problem in your home, follow ongoing litigation, read about disclosure requirements and implications for homeowners insurance… CLICK HERE

Thank you for visiting Why 6 Percent.  We are here to help sellers and buyers connect, while saving thousands of dollars in commissions and fee’s.  Check out our program online or call our toll free number 1-800-681-9496 for questions and details!!  Have a Great Weekend and Happy Home Selling and Buying!!!

Whether you have  school age children or not, the quality of the local schools is one of the biggest selling factors that helps define a Good Location.

Under the U.S. Fair Housing Laws, real estate agents are prohibited from recommending or warning buyer about the differences and reputations of local schools.  So, where can home buyers find reliable information about public and private schools before they buy??

1. Go to the web and look up the school’s website.
2. HomeFair.com provides a Free School Report that contains information about student-teacher ratios, dollars spent per pupil, before and after school programs, gifted and talented programs, number of computers per student and percentage of seniors who attended college.
3. GreatSchools.net provides information about private and public schools.  It also serves up data and news about state education programs and departments.
4. Many states offer online information about public schools and links to public education sites.

Tip for Home Sellers:  Become informed about your local school system and provide information to buyer’s who need it.   Thanks to the internet, finding useful information on neighborhood schools has never been easier, so get to know about the public and private schools located near you, whether you use them or not.

Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com.   The MLS is searchable by school system for a reason.  Everyone wants to know about the local schools, just like they need to know price and ammenities.  Do your homework!!

The answer is YES. 

In response to the thousands of readers who are looking for real time information about bed bug outbreaks, we finally found it.  The secret keeping is over. 

CLICK HERE to see a map of actual bed bug outbreaks.  And, Check Reports of bed bug infestation in hotels, apartments, condo’s, houses or street addresses before you make a reservation, buy or sign that lease.

Thank you for visiting Why6Percent.com.  We are here to help you sell your home and save money.  Visit our website and learn how to reach 10 Million home shoppers every month with one Click of your Mouse.

I’m sure we’ve all heard our parents warn, “and, don’t let the bed bugs bite”, as we toddled off to bed…but most of us have never considered that bed bugs were real pests, because most of us have never seen a bed bug.  

As creepy as it is, Bed Bugs are real and they are back with a vengence.  The use of DDT eradicated bed bugs more than 50 years ago, which explains why most of us have never seen one.   Today, exterminators use roach traps, instead of insecticide sprays, which do not wipe out the bed bugs along with the roaches.  So, the tiny bed bug is making a resurgence in a big way.

How Can You Find Bed Bugs before You’re Eaten?

They hate light and only come out in the dark.  They travel quickly to hide in pipes, floorboards, carpet, mattresses, bedframes, furniture, baseboards, inner walls, or any clothing or bedroom clutter.    They are most active right before dawn and feed heavily an hour before sunrise. 

Look for them specifically in the mattress seams, carpet edges, pillow cases, behind headboards and bed rails.  Watch for bloodstains, droppings, eggs.  They tend to congregate together, so look carefully at any tiny fold or seam.

They are usually brownish, but the young can be transparent.  They are about a 1.4 inch long.  About the same size as an apple seed or lentel.

Can They Infest Your Home or One You Are Buying?

Yes.  Bed Bugs can be picked up at hotels, be carried in luggage, brought in on infested furniture or used clothing, or even carried in on your person.   They also travel from room to room in multifamily buildings, such as condo’s and dorm’s and apartments.  They can even ride in on the back of your family pet.

How Can You Get Rid of Bed Bugs?

Getting rid of bed bugs can be tough.  They can travel up to 100 feet to feed.  They can survive up to 1 year between blood feasts and they can hide in places you can’t see.  Bed Bug infestation is so bad, it is regarded as “House Herpes” by those unfortunate enough to be infested with them.

1.  A Fabric Steam Cleaner will kill eggs and bugs.  Since steam can penetrate mattresses and furniture, the heat will kill them in a couple of seconds.  Repeat steaming once a week until no sign of them remains.
2. Spray Rubbing Alcohol on them.  It kills them instantly.
3. Bed bugs can’t cross Vasoline or petroleum jelly. Crossing Glass and metal is also difficult.  One old prevention was to place bed legs in tin cans coated with petroleum jelly.  They can’t climb up onto the bed.
4. Sticky tape around bed legs also works.
5. Call a professional exterminator for bombing and spraying.

After bugs have been successfully treated, enclose your mattresses, etc in “bed bug proof cases” until you are certain they are gone for good.

Thank you for visiting Why 6 Percent.com.  If you are interested in an MLS or Realtor.com property listings, we can help.  Millions of buyers are waiting for your posting.

Real estate and housing have trends have changed, permanently. 

Click here to read the 6 Reasons why we won’t be returning to “normal” anytime soon.

Thank you for visiting Why 6 Percent.com.   Give yourself the power of the MLS and Realtor.com, while selling your home by owner.  We have helped thousands of home sellers and we can help you, too.   Buyer’s are waiting.

Do you need to sell your home now?  Are you wondering why it is still on the market, when others have sold?  Could you use some unbiased advise?  And, Would you like to be on TV???

If so, take a minute to read this short article.  (courtesy of InfoTube.net. ) 

Thank you for visiting Why 6 Percent.  We can place your home on the MLS and Realtor.com, and you keep your “by owner” selling status.  Visit the site or call 1-800-381-9496 today and reach 10 million home shoppers each month.