I recently saw a news article about this program, and thought it important enough to share.

Efficiency Vermont has launched a refrigerator recycling program that offers free pick up of old, energy-wasting refrigerators and freezers, a $30 rebate check, utility bill savings and state-of-the-art disposal and recycling of the appliances.
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Improve your credit score with the following tips.

• Watch the calendar. If you aren’t doing so already, start paying your bills in time for the payment to process well before the due date. If you always apy on time but find you have accidentally missed a payment, call the company and ask to have the problem waived.
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Efficiency Vermont recently sent out an email with the following message:
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Bennington VT — It’s often said, “What’s Past is Prologue.” In real estate, the past can indeed determine the future, when buyers choose to restore or preserve a historic property. “Opportunities abound for those wanting to purchase a historic home, but so do questions about the soundness of the investment,” says Troy Richardson, Owner/Broker of the RE/MAX Maple Leaf Realty.

Before making an investment in history, Richardson recommends that potential home buyers consider these questions:
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Real estate professionals are very often faced with a question from buyers that has nothing to do with houses: “What are the best schools in the area to which we’re moving?”  When you relocate, the most important thing you’ll be moving is your child, and you want to be certain you are making the right choice for education.

One excellent resource for beginning your research is www.SchoolMatters.com, an online database of public schools.  Begin with statistics that illustrate students’ achievement levels in each school.  Compare reports for all students, including minorities and children in low-income families.  Schools in which all students perform well are providing balanced educational opportunities.
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These simple low-cost items could help you sell your home!

• Paint – simply putting a fresh coat of paint on walls, trims or the front door can spruce up real estate.

• Caulk – remove the old, tired caulk around tub and sink and pipe on bright white for a clean look.

• Screwdriver – take a walk around the house and tighten up those loose cabinet doors, towel bars, or doorknobs!

• Plants – bringing a bit of green into a room will add energy. Or splurge on some fresh flowers when expecting buyers!

Bennington VT — Many consumers think that any home they might want to purchase will be listed on real estate Web sites or in newspaper sections, whether sold through brokers or by owners. And indeed, most properties can be found this way. But limiting any search to just these channels can eliminate many prospects for a new home.

“The ‘hidden’ options of auctions and foreclosures can open up greater possibilities,” says Troy Richardson, Owner/Broker with RE/MAX Maple Leaf Realty. In some cases, these purchase methods can even offer opportunities to consumers who might not otherwise be able to purchase a home.
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The following link will show you the full story on The Bennington Banner website.

C-r-r-razy for classics Bennington Car Show returns to area this weekend
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Anybody who will be selling a property in the spring should get a jump on curb appeal by working now on beautifying the lawn.

Here are some key tasks that will lead to a green and healthy yard in the next selling season:
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Real furnishings, actual home photos, Patent-Pending process and unmatched realism distinguish the Virtually Staging Properties (SM) approach.

ATLANTA, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ — When Atlanta Realtor and professional home stager Krisztina Bell took her substantial experience from staging hundreds of vacant homes and went “virtual,” she became a leader in what has quickly grown to be a national trend in a tough real estate market. Virtually Staging Properties(SM)( )(http://www.virtuallystagingproperties.com), the business Krisztina and her husband, Jay, founded has been featured for its work in the San Francisco Chronicle, The Chicago Tribune, Real Estate Business and California Realtor, as home owners and real estate professionals turn to the new process of virtual staging as one the most cost-effective measures to help sell vacant homes. This new technique generates strong buyer traffic, at a fraction of the cost of traditional home staging, long recognized as one of the most effective means of marketing a property.
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