2/10/2008 12:00:00 AM - February 2008 Newsletter

Charles Wilkins ABR, Realtor Experienced Professional Service Re/Max Achievers (480) 518-5227 clwilkins2@cox.net February 2008

Smothered Filet Mignon SUBMITTED BY: Linda VanHoose PHOTO BY: bhague "A great combination of flavors. Serve with some mashed garlic red potatoes and sweetened green beans for a fabulous special occasion meal. Don't forget to serve a bottle of Cabernet or Zinfandel." PREP TIME 15 Min COOK TIME 15 Min INGREDIENTS 4 (6 ounce) filet mignon steaks seasoned salt to taste cracked black pepper to taste 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons dried rosemary 1 tablespoon butter 2 cups onion slices 1 teaspoon white sugar 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled DIRECTIONS Season steaks with seasoned salt and black pepper, and arrange in a single layer in a large baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and rosemary. Pour mixture over filets, and turn to coat. Marinate for up to 30 minutes. While you are marinating the meat, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion slices in butter until soft, then stir in sugar. Continue cooking until onions are caramelized. Set aside. Preheat grill for high heat on one side, and medium heat on the other side. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place steaks on the hot side of the grill, and cook for 10 minutes, turning once. When the steaks are almost done, move to the cooler side of the grill. Top each filet with a quarter of the caramelized onions and blue cheese. Close the lid, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Smothered-Filet-Mignon/Detail.aspx

Top 10 Unique Romantic Gifts 1. 24k Gold Roses Real roses preserved in 24k gold, 24K Gold Roses last forever, just like your love for her, http://www.romanceher.com 2. Personalize Romance Novel If you really want to surprise your sweetheart with something completely unique, check out http://www.YourNovel.com. 3. Personalized Love Poem Write your own, or check out http://www.agiftofpoetry.com. 4. Her Own Star Name a star after your sweetheart! http://www.starregistry.com 5. Photo Memory Book If you're looking for a timeless gift that documents your romanceTimeless gift at http://www.snapfish.com/regcampaign 6. More Meaningful Flowers Send her a gorgeous bouquet of paper roses, customized with your romantic message. http://www.justpaperroses.com 7. Gourmet Chocolate Covered Strawberries An evening with candles, champagne, and decadent, delicious chocolate dipped strawberries tops the list. 8. Message in a Bottle Letters are placed in the bottle and delivered in gorgeous packaging. http://www.timelessmessage.com 9. Custom Canvas Take your photos and transform them into beautiful canvas prints. http://www.canvasondemand.com 10. Customized Box of Chocolate Now you can create your own customized box of gourmet chocolates. http://www.danschocolates.com List provided by http://www.romancestuck.com/top-10/unique-gifts.htm

Real Estate Corner
Get Top Price for Your Home By Decorating It to Sell From Coral Nafie Set the Stage for a Quick Sale The process of showing and selling your home can go much more smoothly if you get everything ready. Find out how to get your home ready to impress buyers for the best offers and the top price for your home. Preparing your home for sale is a bit like designing a stage for a play. Everything is in just the right place, perfectly arranged, and comfortably set.
There are television shows like Designed to Sell focused exclusively on, not decorating a home, but getting an otherwise drab, cluttered, boring house ready for a quick and profitable sale. Homes that are properly prepared sell faster and at a higher price than similar, unprepared homes. The professional organizaton, Staged Homes trains real estate professionals and other interested individuals in the art of "Home Staging" and issues a certificate as an "Accredited Staging Professional ™." Just what do "Home Stagers" do and how can their theory help you sell your home? Get out the cleaning supplies, boxes, and get ready to sell your home fast! You'll love how easy it is to transform a languishing, slow-moving home into a quick sale with just a bit of elbow grease and an eye for beauty. You may be lucky and just need to do some long-neglected simple home repairs, get rid of clutter and add fresh flowers. Or you might have to repaint or recarpet your home to give it a fresh look. If you're handy, you'll be able to do most things yourself. But you may need to hire a plumber to install a new faucet in the kitchen or other professional to replace outdated light fixtures or window treatments. You need to keep in mind that you're not going to make the changes to live in your home. Your only goal is to show your home at its very best to potential buyers. Without being distracted by clutter and dirt, they'll be able to picture themselves in the home you're trying to sell. They will find it hard to resist making an offer. If you're skeptical about the benefits of going to all this work or doubt that it will make any difference in selling your home, put yourself in the place of a home buyer. Have you ever toured through a development of model homes? The paint is fresh, appliances are shiny, there is artwork arranged around the house, and fresh flowers stand on the kitchen counter. Mirrors are sparkling, towels fresh, and there are no toys on the floor. The rooms look spacious and the furniture comfortable. For the complete article visit the link below: http://interiordec.about.com/od/moving/a/a_homestaging.htm	Room-by-Room Safety Tips Bathroom 1. Keep space heaters, radios, and other electrical products away from bathtubs and sinks. 2. Keep medications, cleaning products, and other poisons away from children and pets. 3. Make sure that you have ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets installed in the bathroom as well as in the kitchen, laundry room and workshop. Kitchen 1. Store all portable and small appliances and their cords out of the reach of children and always keep them a safe distance away from the sink. 2. Keep all portable and countertop appliances unplugged when not in use. 3. Never use or attempt to repair a damaged appliance; always consult a qualified technician. 4. Every home should have working, UL Listed smoke detectors and fully charged UL Listed fire extinguishers strategically placed in the kitchen, garage, and workshop. Nursery/Bedrooms 1. Install UL Listed smoke detectors and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms outside every sleeping area and near fuel-burning appliances. 2. Place halogen torchiere lamps in locations where they cannot be tipped over by children, pets, or a strong draft from an open window. Do not allow curtains or other combustible materials to come in contact with torchiere lamps at any time. 3. Use a tape measure or ruler and look for strangulation hazards and areas where an infant can become trapped. There should be no more than 2 3/8 inches between crib slats, corner posts should not extend more than 1/16 of an inch above the end panels (unless the corner posts extend at least 16 inches high for a canopy), and headboards and footboards should not contain cutout areas. Family/Living Room 1. Use outlet plug covers to prevent children from inserting objects into outlets. 2. Never run an electrical cord under a rug or carpet, or drape it over a hot surface such as a radiator or space heater. 3. Make sure that all portable lamps and fixtures are equipped with light bulbs of equal or lesser wattage than that recommended by the lamp or fixture manufacturer. 4. Unplug all extension cords when not in use and never use an extension cord that is cut or damaged. http://www.ul.com/consumers/home.html

If you are currently working with another Broker please do not consider this a solicitation.