Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster

I met up with a couple of clients recently from Rock Creek Forest and Rosemary Hills, and the conversation quickly went towards the super low interest rates. While the low rates certainly provided these home owners with a great opportunity to refinance, they wondered what else they could do to pay off their mortgages sooner.

With this conversation in mind, I decided that the information I've posted below would be beneficial for all of my home owners from Whitehall Condominiums to East Bethesda to home owners across the country. So enjoy! I hope it helps you achieve financial freedom sooner than you expected!

BTW If you ever know of anyone looking to buy or sell a home, I'm never too busy for your referral!

Mold Prevention and Control

This posting is from one of my homes inspectors. Mold is a concern from my first-time home buyers to my seasoned sellers. I hope it's not a problem for any of you, but just in case...

Mold is a common occurrence in homes, but it can potentially cause health problems as well as damage to structures and surfaces if it is not controlled. Mold begins growing indoors when spores come in contact with wet surfaces or substances. Once established, mold can be very difficult to remove successfully - so prevention is the key.

MOLD PREVENTION
Mold cannot grow in the absence of moisture. Moisture can take the form of leaks, spills, condensation, and humidity, so controlling sources of moisture is the most important step in mold prevention. Here are some ways to avoid creating conditions in which mold will thrive:

• Look for signs of leaks in supply and waste lines for bathrooms, kitchens, utility sinks, and laundry areas. Have any leaks fixed and dry the area thoroughly.
• Check the condition of grout and tile on shower walls, floors, and around bathtubs. Repair damaged grout, and seal it to prevent mold from being absorbed.
• Increase ventilation to the outside by using exhaust fans, attic ventilation.
• Regularly empty and clean drain pans and hoses for air conditioning units and dehumidifiers.
• Check for roof leaks that allow water to enter attic spaces or build up under roof shingles.
• If possible, lower the overall humidity in the home to decrease condensation and create a less mold-friendly environment.

Places that tend to stay damp, such as showers, may be more difficult to keep entirely free of mold but it can be minimized. Diligent cleaning, opening a window or using a ventilation fan are often enough to keep mold at bay.

MOLD REMOVAL
Once mold has become established in the home it can be difficult to eradicate. Depending on the location and severity of the mold problem, a homeowner may need to engage a professional certified in mold remediation to remove it. A qualified professional will also take preventive measures to lessen the likelihood of recurrences.


If you ever feel that mold is an issue, please feel free to contact me and I'll put you in touch with one of my preferred vendors...and as always, if you are in looking to buy or sell a home, please feel free to contact me, Mynor Herrera, at 301-437-1622. I would certainly welcome the opportunity to earn your business.

Arts Stay Strong in Silver Spring

Over the last ten years, Silver Spring has come into its own as a hub of music and culture in the DC Metro area, earning a designation as an official arts and entertainment district. This past week Montgomery County voted to continue this designation for another decade, and the state will make its decision in early October.

For those seeking a variety of activities, Silver Spring is a perfect destination. During the summer, the downtown area was home for 20 different festivals and the weekly Fenton Street Market. Performance centers abound and include the Round House Theatre, Bonifant Theatre Space, Lumina Studio Theatre, and the recently opened Fillmore Music Hall. For movies and visual arts, there are the AFI Silver Theatre Cultural Center, the Regal Majestic 20 and the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center.

There are also many financial advantages to being a designated arts district including tax breaks for businesses, theatres and arts nonprofits in the area. And as one member of the Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment Advisory Committee noted, “The designation is an economic development tool that will bring more money to the arts community, local businesses, the county and the state.”

Unlike some of the other DC neighborhoods, Silver Spring is a diverse community. The arts play a huge role in helping residents to learn more about and understand the different cultures around them.

Committee members have big plans for the years ahead with a major goal to make Silver Spring an arts and entertainment destination for much of the East Coast, from Richmond, VA north to Philadelphia, PA. They also plan to host smaller local programs with more indigenous music, have local artwork in neighborhood bus stops, and expand the Silver Spring Blues Festival.

Of the 19 designated arts and entertainment districts in Maryland, three now reside in Montgomery County: Silver Spring, Bethesda, and Wheaton. The next ten years hold challenges but also many opportunities to make Silver Spring thrive for its residents and those in the surrounding communities.

Theatre, arts, music—the DC Metro area offers a variety of enjoyable activities. Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda & Whitehall Condominium.

Details on the Purple Line & Trail Between Downtown Bethesda & Downtown Silver Spring

Many of you in my neighborhoods of East Bethesda, Rosemary Hills and Rock Creek Forest have been wondering how the Capital Crescent Trail would be affected by the Purple Line. While there has been a lot of change and there is still probably a lot more to come, this piece does a good job of summarizing the latest updates - such as moving the trail to the north side of the tracks, which isn't the ideal situation for most of my clients, but it does provide some positives.

Click here to read more and decide on your own.

Clean Energy for Bethesda and Beyond

Bethesda and the surrounding neighborhoods have so much to offer, and now we can add a commitment to clean energy by area businesses.

On September 15, over a dozen companies participated in the Trans-Atlantic Symposium on Cleantech Innovation and Federal Contracting at the John Hopkins Montgomery County Campus. Among the attendees were American companies such as Lockheed Martin of Bethesda and Clean Currents of Rockville as well as several Swiss companies. The main focus of discussion was clean renewable energy, and there were some outstanding things to share.

Lockheed Martin met its 2010 goals to become a greener company by reducing its carbon output 15 percent.  It also used 22 percent less water and decreased landfill waste by 26 percent.  The company has also been developing energy efficient systems for communities and business parks in Bethesda and elsewhere, the goal being to save money on energy costs and make these systems more environmentally sustainable.

Clean Currents helps businesses amortize the capital costs of clean energy such as wind and solar so they can plan for their electricity usage over time.  And these are just two of many local companies committed to being greener.

Switzerland attended the conference to both share how its companies support sustainable energy and to learn some new ideas from Montgomery County businesses.  The Swiss have been working hard to be more energy efficient since they fit a population equal to New York into a country that is half the size of West Virginia. Both Montgomery County and Swiss representatives would like to create business partnerships to share ideas on renewable energy.

Sustainability is a global issue that will eventually impact the daily lives of everyone in the world. What better place to start than right here where local residents can reap the benefits of a greener earth.

How good would it feel to live in one of the greenest places in the country? Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda & Whitehall Condominium.

Safer Transportation in Metro-DC

September 11, 2001, was unquestionably a day of great tragedy.  However, the lessons learned from that day have led to positive changes that will better protect DC Metro citizens should the unthinkable happen again. The increased security for Montgomery County’s transportation services is a great example of how things have improved.

Currently, over 90 percent of the new Ride On buses in Bethesda and elsewhere have digital cameras with wireless internet which allows events to be monitored in real time. On-board GPS systems track bus locations, and silent alarm systems can alert authorities to a potential threat. About 75 percent of the entire Metro bus fleet now has enhanced surveillance cameras, and there are information displays on all platforms to keep passengers informed.  Intercoms in all rail cars allow riders to report an emergency to conductors. Emergency plans will point drivers on state roads to a safe area if an issue arises.

Actually, our Metro Police began anti-terrorism training some 15 years ago after the 1995 gas attack on the Tokyo Metro system. In the years after 9/11, our Metro system gained 100 officers and started adding new technology to trains, buses and various stations. However the most far-reaching effect of 9/11 was to get state and local agencies to communicate more effectively with each other in the event of an emergency, taking input from all sources about what would and would not work in each situation.

The consensus is that working together in preparation for a major event has helped the smaller events to be more easily addressed and solved.  No one wants another terrorist attack, but it’s good to know that our state and local transportation services are trained and ready to help the DC Metro public should it occur.

It’s great to be in an area where public safety is paramount and people work to help each other. Come and experience a great place to live! Contact me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda & Whitehall Condominium.