• ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- Better Judgements eZine Terria Judge, Realtor CRS, ABR, GRI, Broker Associate Better Judgements is a newsletter on home matters, from Terria Judge, your Garden City, KS real estate agent! Contact Terria Judge at 620-271-2129! Terria Judge Coldwell Banker, The Real Estate Shoppe, Inc. John P. Judge, Broker 1135 College Dr. Suite E Garden City, KS 67846 620-275-7421 x 223 http://terriajudge.com tjudge@gcnet.com Subscription Management at end of newsletter. Thanks for your subscription to Better Judgements, the newsletter from your Garden City Kansas Realtor, Terria Judge. ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- In this Issue ============= 1. Easy Fix Recipe: Easy Lemon Meringue Pie 2. New Listings 3. Article: Cozy Nooks: Creating a Secret Outdoor Place 4. Article: Home Equity Loans ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- Recipe ====== 1. Easy Lemon Meringue Pie Filling: 1/2 cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled) 1 can sweetened condensed milk 2 egg yolks Mix milk and egg yolks till smooth, add lemon juice and stir till well blended and thickening. Pour into graham cracker crust. Set aside. Meringue: big pinch of cream of tartar 2 tblsp sugar 2 egg whites Beat till stiff peaks form. Top pie, making interesting peaks in meringue. Broil till brown (a few seconds). Chill at least 4 hours. No need to bake this pie or "cook" the filling, as the lemon cooks the filling for you. May also substitute Key Limes for a great Key Lime pie. This is a very old recipe and wonderful at potlucks. The best lemon meringue pie in the world! New Listings ================== 1. 705 Evans -- http://terriajudge.com/705evans.html 2 Plus 2 Bedrooms Nursery or Office area & plumbed for 1/2 bath Up Bedrooms have hardwood floors Formal dining area 2 Garages--detached has 220 amp service This home has a great view overlooking a park. Shade trees complete a fenced back yard. Two garages are a great feature. 2. 514 Colony -- http://terriajudge.com/514colony.html 5 bedroom, 3 bath Up laundry off garage with ceramic tile Large Family room down Kitchen with nice dining area plus eating bar Lots of walk-in closets in bedrooms All brick 5 bedroom, 3 bath home with up laundry, gas fireplace and lots of walk-in closets in bedrooms. Very large family room down. Kitchen has nice dining area plus eating bar, oak cabinets and ceramic tile. --See all of Terria's listings at http://terriajudge.com! ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- Cozy Nooks: Creating a Secret Outdoor Place By Debbie Rodgers Everyone seems to love a secret -- and when the secret is a nook in your outdoor space, all the better. A nook is defined as a private or secluded quiet inner place. Any outside space, from a balcony to an acre estate can benefit from including a nook. Here are points to consider: Purpose It doesn't make any sense to set up a secluded garden reading bench if you never have the time to pick up a book. But maybe you'd like to spend 15 minutes in the morning over coffee with your partner, or want to have a quiet spot for conversing with a special friend. Or maybe your nook will be an intimate dining space for four. Consider what you really want to do with your outside space and then make your nook available for that. Otherwise, you'll end up with a space that's lovely to look at but seldom used. Mystery Much of the charm of a nook is the secrecy of the space. To achieve this, hide the furnishings at least partially from view. In a garden you might do this with a fence, the wall of an outbuilding or a hedge. On a porch or balcony, consider using fabric panels or drapes, pots and planters or a decorative screen. Lattice screening is especially appropriate to create a nook area on a deck. If your space is small, consider keeping the height of any dividers under 4 ft. That will allow for a feeling of privacy in the nook, yet not completely cut off the visual flow of the space. Boundaries Hiding the furnishings from view may also help with another design principle that should be applied in your nook -- defining the boundaries of that space. A nook is often closed in on three sides by walls, plantings, trees, arbors, fences and so on. You can also define the nook's space by changing the flooring in that area. This might mean a few flagstones in the grass; a different color of stain (or a painted faux rug) on the deck; or a scatter mat on a protected balcony or porch. Consider, too, the ceiling. A leafy bough overhead, a pergola or a ring of mosquito netting can all serve as a roof for the area. It's not necessary to have three walls, and a delineated floor and a roof, but at least some of these elements will help define the nook and create the cozy feel of a hideaway. A well-defined point of entry also adds to the welcoming effect. Comfort What furnishings your nook will hold depends on your use for it. But whether it's a reading chair, a conversation bench or a small dining table, be sure the furniture is comfortable to use. Seating should support you properly and tables should be the proper height for relaxing dining. Side tables for coffee or books should be easily accessible. If you'll be reading in the evening, you'll want to consider lighting that is restful to your eyes. And have always have lots of cushions and pillows so you can sink into them! Finishing Touches Try to include some greenery in your nook if it isn't there naturally. It will add color, texture and luxury to the space. If you can, include a favorite piece of whimsy that personalizes your nook. Remember that, although the view looking into your nook is half the fun, the view looking out can add immeasurably to the pleasure of the time you spend there. Keep it in mind when you're situating your space. Use these principles and create a secret nook that will give unexpected delight to you and your guests alike. E-mail: debbie@paradiseporch.com Author's URL: http://www.paradiseporch.com Debbie Rodgers, the haven maven, owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Her latest how-to guide “Attracting Butterflies to Your Home and Garden” is now available on her web site. Visit her at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on “Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space”. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- Home Equity Loans By Levetta Rivera A home equity loan allows you to cash-in on the equity you have built-up in your home. The funds you receive can be used for debt consolidation, home improvement, college education, investments or any purpose. With a home equity loan your home is used as collateral to secure the loan. If you default on the payment you can lose your home so it is important to insure that you can afford to take out the loan before you sign on the dotted line! Many homeowners get a home equity loan to consolidate bills. This can be a great strategy if you are overburdened with high interest credit card and/or consumers loan debt. A home equity loan can usually be obtained at a lower rate and all or a portion of the interest you pay on the loan may be tax deductible. If you are considering a home equity loan to consolidate your debt it will be wise to cut up your credit cards and close out the accounts. The last thing you want is to take cash-out of your home and end up back where you started from because you did not have the discipline to stop using your credit cards! A home equity loan can also be a great source for obtaining cash to make home improvements. Next to debt consolidation, home improvements are the 2nd most widely used reason that consumers obtain home equity loans. Depending on what kind of home improvements you are making, it can increase the value of your home which may help to justify the added monthly payment expense you incur when you obtain a home equity loan. A home equity loan can either be in the form of a fixed-rate loan or an adjustable-rate line of credit. With a fixed-rate home equity loan you receive all of your money in one lump sum and the amount of your monthly payment is the same for the duration of the loan term. With an adjustable-rate home equity line of credit you are approved for a credit line amount in which you can draw from as needed. In most cases you will only pay interest on the outstanding amount and your interest rate is subject to change. As such your monthly payments may vary depending on the outstanding loan amount and interest rate in any given month. There are many home equity loan lenders online who will lend to people with good or bad credit. You may want to compare the rates and programs of several lenders before making your decision to increase your chance of getting the best possible deal. Also, consult with your tax advisor to see how much of your home equity loan interest will be tax deductible. E-mail: babyann@alltel.net Author's URL: http://www.badcreditloanshop.com Levetta Rivera is a successful author and publisher of the following financial related websites: http://www.equityloansource.com and http://www.badcreditloanshop.com ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- This newsletter is compiled and published by Mitone Cooke, http://drbusinesscards.com, http://funkyfranks.com

  July 16th, 2004 at 5:45 pm

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