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2B | THEPRESS.NET HOME & GARDEN SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

Advantages of a good fi rst impression

Hundreds of houses are on

the market in East County,

so if its time to sell your

house, how do you compete with

nearly 1,200 other listings?

The answer is simple: curb appeal.While location, location, location is

still a selling point, it’s your home’s curb appeal that brings you offers quicker than anything else. Curb appeal gives potential buyers a fi rst impression of what your house is – and what it can be.

“Curb appeal is everything,” said Wes Olson, owner and realtor for WR Properties in Brentwood. “Especially in this market, when bank-owned proper-ties are selling for a lot less, curb appeal really helps a house stand apart from the competition. Presentation is everything.”

Olson suggests sprucing up the exte-rior of your property before even placing it on the market. He recommends you clean the windows, power wash the exte-rior, keep the lawn green and lush, trim the shrubs and landscaping, and keep a clean car in the driveway. Make sure the gutters are cleaned out, and replace any broken or missing boards in the fence. And put a fresh coat of stain on that

fence while you’re at it.All this home improvement doesn’t

need to cost a lot of money. You can do many of these little jobs yourself over the course of a weekend or two.

“You don’t get a second chance to make that fi rst impression,” Olson said. “If buyers drive by and don’t like what

they see, chances are they won’t come back for a second look. You don’t need to hire professionals to spruce up the yard. You can do it yourself. Once you’ve power washed the house, you might notice that you could use a fresh coat of paint. But a lot of times, you just need to paint the trim. Polishing the trim can

make a big difference. So you just need to be aware of the little things.”

While all the little details matter, Olson suggests you view your entire property as a product you’re marketing to the public, so you want it to look its best. If you drove by, would you want to live there? So don’t leave bikes and children’s toys strewn about the yard, and put the trash cans behind the fence. Get the newspapers out of the driveway and make sure the weeds have been pulled.

Olson even suggests mowing the yard of a neighboring house that’s in foreclosure to help give your house an extra advantage. “You want your home to look like it could be on the cover of a magazine,” Olson said. “When you’re done with the curb appeal improvements, you should be proud to put up a For Sale sign in your yard and show it off. With the economy, there are a lot of short sales, and since the owner isn’t making a profi t, they just let the property go. But a little maintenance can go a long way and give you a competitive edge in the market.”

WR Properties is located at 651 First St. in Brentwood. For more information, call 925-634-3100 or visit www.wr-prop-erties.com.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

S A M I E H A R T L E Y

Your home’s curb appeal makes a vital fi rst impression on potential buyers. Owners who pay attention to curb appeal are more likely to get an offer on their home within a month of putting it on the market.

Photo courtesy of ARA Content

SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 HOME & GARDEN THEPRESS.NET | 3B

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GOT SHADE?GOT SHADE?Navigating the urban forest

Poet Joyce Kilmer said it 100 years

ago: “I think that I shall never

see a poem lovely as a tree.”

But while most of us marvel at these woody wonders and the huge profusion of varieties and species nature has provided, deciding which is the right one to plant in our own yards can be a challenge. Large arbore-tums and nurseries can contain as many as 200

or more varieties of trees in a bewildering array of shapes, sizes and colors.

Trees can provide shade, bear fruit, bring forth magnifi cent fl owers or simply stand tall, acting as a property delineator or landscaping accent. They can grow fast or slow, and picking the best one begins with ideas that spell out what you want to accomplish.

Once you’ve decided what qualities you’re looking for, go to your city’s Web site to fi nd

see Forest page 4B

R A Y C A R T E R

George and Pat Stahl’s Brentwood

home features a nicely pruned

fruitless pear tree for shade and, for accent, a colorful fruitless plum on

the right.

Photo by Ray Carter

4B | THEPRESS.NET HOME & GARDEN SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

Johnson Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.

925.516.71204501 O’Hara Ave., Ste. D / BrentwoodLic. No. 828311

22 888882008 G

OLD MEDALAWARD

out what trees your city’s arboreal experts believe grow well in your climate.

City of Brentwood landscape facilities manager Roger Stromgren is pleased with the performance of the Chanticleer fruitless pear as well as the fruitless plum, which puts out dark reddish leaves. The city is looking into the use of a tree called the Sonoran paloverde, a beautiful yellow-leaved tree.

The American sycamore has been used extensively in local communities, but its shallow root system tends to spread out and interfere with irrigation systems. This tree grows rapidly but should be planted with a root barrier.

Another popular East County tree is the crepe myrtle, now cultivated widely throughout the world. Crepe myrtles vary greatly in size,

from small shrubs to tall trees. Flowers can range from white to pink, magenta and purple.

No discussion of urban tree selection would be complete without mentioning fruit-bearing trees such as dwarf apple, apricot, peach, pear, cherry, citrus and plum. Most can be found in local nurseries such as Pompei Nursery, 4701 Main St. in Oakley, where box queen palms are also available along with a nice selection of ornamental trees at 20 percent off. Check with Landscape Advisor Terry Gwin.

The University of California Cooperative Extension, www.groups.ucanr.org/cagarden-web/index.cfm, provides valuable information about evergreen, shade, fl owering and fruit trees, including how to choose a planting location, and manage pests and diseases.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Forest from page 3B

The following categories, offered by Arbor Day Foundation, involve important considerations when shopping for trees:Mature Height – The average height of the species when it reaches maturity.Mature Spread – The average width the species might achieve when it reaches maturity.Sun – The sun and shade requirements best suited to the species.Soil – The type(s) of soil for optimum growth. Kits and instruments are available from garden stores or forestry suppliers

that allow you to determine the pH of your soil. Complete analysis, including soil pH and the presence of nutrients, can be done by commercial laboratories, your state agriculture university or local arborists.Hardiness Zone – The region in the United States where the species can be expected to grow in the zone’s tempera-ture extremes, as determined by the lowest average annual temperature.

For more information, visit the Foundation’s Web site at www.arborday.org.

Tree points to ponder

SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 HOME & GARDEN THEPRESS.NET | 5B

How to clean your house like a pro

For some of us, housecleaning

is about as appealing as a visit

to the dentist or an IRS audit.

But household grime doesn’t disappear

on its own, and with a little prepara-

tion and the proper tools, those dust

bunnies and spider webs can be kept

at bay with a minimal amount of effort

and the maximum success.

According to Adriana Beddingfi eld, owner of Absolute Housekeeping in Brentwood, the single biggest step residents can take to keep their homes in tip-top shape is to start at the beginning. “The fi rst thing I always tell my clients is to start with a deep cleaning,” said Beddingfi eld, whose company services hundreds of homes throughout East County. “And that includes cleaning items such as the oven, refrigerator, baseboards, showers and tubs. Then after that, those heavy items can be checked once or twice a week and kept up with that way.”

But if paying a housekeeper is not in the cards or you prefer to do it yourself, there are plenty of strategies to keep the

dust away without becoming a slave to your mop and broom.Make a list

Whether it’s the junk drawer in the kitchen or the shower in the guest bath-room, make a list of to-do items and check

it off as you go. After just a few weeks your house will be in great shape, and in a lot less time than you’d imagine.Keep up with the clutter

Instead of piling your clothes on the Stairmaster or dropping everything on the

dining room table, make a conscious effort to put things away as you go. It’s easier said than done, but keeping up with the items that collect into piles makes cleaning and mopping a breeze.Clean in short bursts

Got fi ve minutes before your favorite TV show comes on? Grab a cloth and dust the television, pictures and tables in the family room. Catching up on the phone with an old friend? Multi-task while you’re talking and clean off the hallway table or dump a load of laundry in the wash. Every little bit helps.

So what kind of cleaning supplies do the best job and which ones should you stay away from?

“We use water spot removers, degreas-ers and window cleaners that work well and make the job go faster,” said Beddingfi eld. “What I don’t use are toilet cleaning tablets. I fi nd that they aren’t very good and can leave a ring in the toilet. It’s better just to use detergent and a brush.”

Other household cleaners that might not be worth the money include:

Antibacterial sprays and soaps. The jury is still out, but many consumers believe that an excess of antibacterial products

♦

see Clean page 9B

R U T H R O B E R T S

Commercial cleaning products are helpful, but don’t forget good old soap and water for many day-to-day housekeeping tasks.

6B | THEPRESS.NET HOME & GARDEN SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

Inc.A-PROPest Control,Integrated Pest Management Service

We do pest control differently.“Sensitive solutions”

Chuck Payton Steve Shoemaker

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As temperatures begin to drop,

ushering in a new season,

some of Mother Nature’s least-

desirable offspring will try to take refuge

in your house. But fi ring your bug spray or

setting mouse traps in every corner might

not be the best way to rid your home and

garden of pests.

“When people fi nd pests in their homes and gardens, all they want to do is get rid of them as soon as possible,” said Chuck Payton, owner of A-Pro Pest Control. “And the easiest way to do that is to reach for a spray and start zapping. But with some patience and planning, there are ways to keep pests out before they ever become a problem.”

The method Payton refers to is called Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a tech-nique designed to use chemical pesticides as a last resort. Rather than wait for the pests to come to you, IPM suggests you take preventive measures to keep pests away in the fi rst place. Not only is this organic method of pest control better for the environment; it’s better for you.

Chemicals found in common over-the-counter pesticides can be harmful to humans, pets and plants while contaminating the air, water and soil, so opting for a defensive and natural approach will benefi t you and your home and garden.

As autumn is on the horizon, Payton said insects will soon take a backseat to rodents as the most annoying pest of the season. Rather than setting out poison pellets, a standard snap trap is most effective, as it provides an instant kill, said Payton. Glue traps also work, but don’t try to peel the rodent off the trap and release it outside. It’ll just try to come back inside – or you might detach its tail in the process of removing it from the trap.

But you shouldn’t wait for rodents to

enter your home before taking action. Utilizing the IPM method, make sure that all the weather stripping on your doors is secure. Also, trim bushes near your home so that rodents don’t use your landscaping as a command post before entering your home.

“Keeping pests out of your home has a lot to do with habitat management,” Payton said. “Make sure to check the weather strip-ping on your house. Plug any holes or cracks so that pests can’t use those as entry points. Also, move the trash cans away from your house. Don’t give pests a reason to come near your house in the fi rst place.”

If insects are your problem, Payton said a compound of soap and water is just as power-ful as a chemical, but regular hand soap is a lot safer than what’s found in pesticides.

If your garden is under attack, there are organic ways to rid your garden of unwanted guests. Instead of spraying chemicals, rely on other insects, such as ladybugs, nematodes and praying mantises, which pray on garden pests such as mites. Household products such as cinnamon, canola oil and baking soda can also be used to keep pests away. The important thing to know is what you’re fi ghting before you attack.

“When people fi nd pests in their gardens or lawns, they often spray the entire yard, but you need to fi nd out what you’re dealing with and what the pests are after before you spray anything,” Payton said. “Even if you buy a product that claims to be natural, the ingredi-ents are still toxic to some degree, so you don’t want to spread it everywhere.”

Payton said customers are often open to the IPM method, but ultimately they just want to be rid of the pests. A-Pro Pest Control, which services Brentwood, Discovery Bay and Oakley, offers preventive maintenance programs to help you keep your home and garden pest-free this coming winter. For more information, call A-Pro Pest Control at 925-634-3811.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Integrated approach controls pests bestS A M I E H A R T L E Y

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Growing Italian delightsIf you think fresh veggie pizza, spaghetti

sauce and pasta with pesto sauce sound delec-table, you’ll be happy to know that you can grow your own fresh Italian ingredients simply and easily right at home.

All you need for a delicious garden is a plot drenched in sunlight. Classic Italian ingredients such as tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, plus herbs such as basil, oregano, rosemary and parsley can be grown in pots or small raised beds.

Here are tips on helping your Italian garden thrive:Start with the Soil

To help an in-ground garden get off to a strong start, fi rst address the soil. Simply remove stones or debris from the garden area and add a 4-inch layer of Miracle-Gro Garden Soil for fl owers and vegetables or Organic Choice garden soil, work-ing it into the ground.

For a container garden, make sure your pot has a hole for drainage, add a few small stones over the hole and fi ll to about 3 inches under the rim with a quality potting soil.Dig In

Check the instructions on your herbs and veggies for proper spacing. Plant in the early morning, dig a hole twice as wide as your plant’s root ball, gently place your plant in it, then backfi ll with soil.What to Plant

Tomatoes. To create rich, complex fl avors in your tomato sauce, use more than one variety. Plant red and yellow tomatoes and remember to use cages or stakes for support.

Peppers. For bell peppers, wait until temperatures are over 60 degrees before

♦

♦

planting. Pick while green if that’s your preference or leave on the vine to ripen into yellow or red peppers for a sweeter fl avor.

Onions. Onions should be planted early in the growing season. Make sure you select a variety best suited to your climate - short-day onions do best in the south while long-day onions thrive in the north.

Garlic. Fragrant, delicious garlic does best when planted in the fall and harvested in the spring and summer. If you can’t wait, you can plant it before the last frost date

in your area, but the bulbs will be somewhat smaller. Herbs. Basil, oregano, rose-

mary and parsley are easy to grow. To encourage new

foliage, avoid picking more than one-third of the plant at once.Water and Feed

If you water your garden regularly, feeding

about once every two weeks. You’ll be amazed at how

beautifully your plants respond.Mulch

Protect in-ground plants by putting down a layer of mulch around them. This will keep weeds from cropping up and will help your garden retain moisture. A two-inch layer should do the trick.Harvest and Enjoy

Pick your homegrown produce and with these few fresh ingredients, you’ll be able to whip up tempting Italian dishes such as pesto, marinara and pizza.

For more tips and recipes, visit groyou-rown.miraclegro.com.

Miracle Gro products can be purchased at Ace Hardware stores, which can be found in Brentwood at 8900 Brentwood Blvd.; in Oakley at 305 Fifth St.; and in Antioch at 501 Sunset Drive.

– Courtesy of Family Features

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♦

♦

8B | THEPRESS.NET HOME & GARDEN SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

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SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 HOME & GARDEN THEPRESS.NET | 9B

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MEMBER

can diminish the body’s natural resistance. Better to stick with plain old soap and warm water.

Furniture wax and polish. Sometimes all a wood fi nish needs is a quick dusting. Avoid that waxy build-up by wiping smudges with a damp cloth and saving the sprays for an occasional, deeper cleaning.

Drain cleaners. For regular maintenance, your best bet is prevention. Baking soda and vinegar often work better than the harsher commercial products. Try pouring a half-cup of baking soda and a half-cup of vinegar down the drain once a month or so for fresh-smelling sinks and clog-free drains.

When it comes to housecleaning, we

♦

♦

all have our own approach. But even if you can’t afford a regular housekeeping service, a one-time or holiday housekeeping-service visit can help you keep the grunge under control.

“Most of our clients like us to come every other week,” said Beddingfi eld. “But people also call us for one-time clean-ings when they are moving in or out of a home, or for a good cleaning just before Thanksgiving or Christmas. My rule of thumb is to make each house look like I would like my own home to look, and that’s what makes our customers happy.”

For more information on Absolute Housekeeping, call 925-240-0576 or 925-516-6932.

Clean from page 5B

Tackling items on a list of small

tasks, such as cleaning out that

junk drawer, will pay off in a

cleaner house – a little at a time.

It’s not diffi cult to fi nd cheap furni-

ture made out of particleboard

– just about any big-box discount

store handles those items. But what if

you want a piece or a room full of stylish

furniture that will look good for years to

come? That could pose a dilemma.

Former Brentwood mayor Barbara Guise sold furniture for decades under the name Brentwood Furniture. “Just about all of the furniture you can buy today comes from China,” Guise said. “There are hardly any (furniture) manufacturers left in this country. Look at the items you’re about to purchase very carefully.”

She believes solid wood items provide the best overall value because they stand up well to traffi c and can be refi nished if scratched or damaged. Inferior pieces are typically boxy and made with veneers that tend to peel. Wood graining can wear off, raised or stained when exposed to hot liquids.

According to Nancy Nguyen of Home Furnishings, 2410 Sand Creek Road, “The key

to good quality is to buy products made by manufacturers like Simmons, who are known for their good reputation.” She helps operate Home Furnishings, one of the largest furniture galleries in the area that also pledges low prices.

Mark Colburn is a manufacturer’s rep who has spent 20 years in the furniture business. He agrees with Guise that most furniture and fabrics now originate in China. “There isn’t anything like the fabric selection we used to have when upholstered furniture was made in the states,” he said.

According to Colburn, 50 to 70 percent of fabrics used to cover today’s furniture is “micro-fi ber” made from man-made materials such as nylon or rayon. “These fabrics are easy

10B | THEPRESS.NET HOME & GARDEN SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

100°

When buying a couch,

the fi rst thing to do

is determine your

needs. Do you need a sofa your

kids can spill drinks on? Do you

want to be able to wipe your sofa

with cleaning spray? Do you simply

want the luxurious feel of leather

when you’re sitting?

Once you’ve made these choices, the next step is to learn how to distin-guish superior from inferior products.

If you choose leather, it’s impor-

tant to look all around a sofa to make sure there are no large solid pieces of (what looks like) leather. Pieces more than about 2 feet wide without a seam is a good indication that they’re not real leather. Many companies adver-tise leather sofas constructed of only segments of leather.

If you’ve decided on cloth, make sure a sofa’s seams and frame inserts (that serve as reinforcements) are fi rm. Feel all around to make sure there are no insuffi ciently cushioned spots. If you don’t see seams and you get the feel-ing you could sew the cover yourself from an old blanket, keep walking.

Read more on how to choose quality furniture at eHow.com.

Selecting a super sofa

The width of the panels a sofa is made of can be a tipoff as to whether it’s real leather or something man-made.

Photo courtesy of E-How.com

Solid wood means solid performance

Look at the items you’re

about to purchase very

carefully.

Barbara Guise, Brentwood Furniture

see Solid page 11B

R A Y C A R T E R

SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 HOME & GARDEN THEPRESS.NET | 11B

Accepted:batterieshousehold cleanerspaintmotor oilpesticides & insecticideschemicalsfluorescent tubeselectronic waste •CPUs •monitors •TVs

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• Keep in original containers

• Pack in a sturdy box or tub with newspaper

• Transport a maximum of 15 gallons or 125 pounds

• When you arrive – stay in your car!

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to clean with just soap and water,” he said. Heavy corduroy fabrics have become popular for couches and overstuffed chairs.

Leather furniture offers excellent wear properties, is easily cleaned and can be purchased in colors to coordinate with wood pieces. Make sure the leather feels thick but nice and fl exible to the touch. Guise suggests you sit on a piece of upholstered furniture for several minutes to make sure the foundation remains fi rm and won’t slump under your weight. Furniture should be rigid – shake it in a couple of directions to make sure it’s well constructed.

Colburn said you should do business with a reputable dealer who has been around for a while and is willing to work with you in case a problem develops. It’s also a good idea to do business with a dealer who advertises quick turn-around on one-year warranty replacements.

Shopping around for a piece you’ve seen at one dealer can lead to savings. Guise suggests you compare prices for quality items at several locations. By letting businesses know you are shopping their competitors, you might fi nd one who’ll offer you a bargain you can’t refuse.

To comment, visit www.thepress.net.

Photo by Ray Carter

Experts say the best furniture is made out of solid wood pieces made by reputable manufacturers. These pieces were part of the inventory at Home Furnishings on Sand Creek Road in Brentwood.

Solid from page 10B

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