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What to buy once you’ve bought your first home

MERRILLVILLE, IN …

The U.S. government’s recent first-time home buyer’s tax credit paved the way for a number of individuals and couples to experience the joy of owning a home. With the excitement of purchasing your first home comes the reality of “what now” in terms of furnishing, decorating, and fixing up that new home. And that’s an expense many first-time home buyers do not plan for ahead of time.

The National Association of Home Builders projects that most homeowners will spend $7,400 on their home, with more than half being spent during their first year of ownership. Even with a tax credit, that’s a mighty hefty price tag. So how do first-time homeowners go about making their new house a home without maxing out their bank account or credit cards?

“There’s a natural tendency when you buy a house to want to do everything right away. What you really need to do is prioritize what you want to buy and do, and then develop a plan,” said Mike Georgeff of DirectBuy. “What’s truly important in developing your plan is taking care of the essentials before making new furniture purchases.”

DirectBuy’s experts recommend:

  • Tools for home improvement projects: Make sure to have a well-stocked toolbox that includes a hammer, screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, a tape measure, and a staple gun. The more you are able to do on your own, the easier it will be to keep costs down.
  • Purchasing “ready-to-assemble” furniture: Ready-to-assemble or “flat pack” furniture offers several advantages. First, you don’t have to wait for delivery. Since the furniture is in boxes, you can load it in your car and bring it home the very same day. More importantly, since you, not the store or manufacturer, will be assembling the furniture, it costs less.
  • Accounting for window coverings in your budget: One consideration that is often overlooked by new homeowners is the increased number of windows in a house compared to an apartment. Be sure to budget appropriately for proper window coverings for your home. This has value from an aesthetic viewpoint (look and privacy), as well as from a cost perspective (e.g. thermal curtains can keep the heat/cold out, reducing energy costs and protecting your furniture from depreciating faster due to sunlight exposure).
  • Garden tools: If you’re moving from an apartment into your first home, chances are a lawn mower, rake, and other garden tools were not in your closet. As a new homeowner, you want to maintain the curb appeal of your home. That starts by caring for the exterior of your home from Day One., which means you should have the basics on hand: lawnmower, garden hose, sprinkler, and a shovel (for winter weather).
  • Basic appliances: While many existing homes usually come with appliances, a new homeowner needs to take inventory of whether or not they will need to purchase big-ticket items like a refrigerator, stove, and a washer/dryer before spending on less critical items, like a home theater system.

“That doesn’t mean everything you do or purchase has to be an essential. It’s just that some new homeowners can get caught up in doing everything at once and digging a financial hole that prohibits them from taking on more improvements,” said Georgeff. “By taking it slow, one room at a time, new homeowners can make their house a home without being house poor in the first year.”

DirectBuy Club offers home furnishings and items and materials for home improvement projects to help all homeowners create their dream homes—all at direct insider prices. DirectBuy also employs product specialists and designers, so if you need some assistance in selecting products or taking on a home improvement project, you have seasoned professionals at your service.

For more information on a DirectBuy Club membership, you can visit directbuycares.com.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting directbuy.com or directbuycares.com.

What to buy once you’ve bought your first homeRead More

Going once? Twice? DirectBuy of Northern Colorado members “sold” on art auction

DirectBuy of Northern Colorado
DirectBuy of Northern Colorado Owner Roger Klopfensteine greets art auction guests.

FORT COLLINS, COLORADO…

When people hear the words “art auction,” saving a lot of money isn’t necessarily the first thought that comes to mind. Attendees of the art auction at DirectBuy of Northern Colorado recently experienced otherwise, with members and guests saving more than $4,400 on artwork.

West End Publishing conducted the live auction on Friday, August 20, 2010 featured 300+ pieces of art. West End Publishing is one of the fastest growing art publishers in the art world today, distributing and representing the artwork of internationally renowned artists such as Duaiv, Gary Benfield, Paula McArdle, and Sir Winston Churchill Fine Art Collection. Fifty DirectBuy of Northern Colorado members and their guests were in attendance.

“Though I’ve never been to Sotheby’s, our art auction had quite a bit of its own excitement and our guests really did get into the spirit of the event,” said Patty Klopfenstein, owner of DirectBuy of Northern Colorado. “Besides being shrewd art buyers and saving more than $4,000, they also took advantage of the other saving opportunities.”

The art auction included a number of raffle giveaways for pieces of artwork and framing. In total, guests who attended this event took home more than $9,500 in free raffle giveaways. In addition to the raffle giveaways, attendees also received a discount on framing for the artwork purchased, pushing the free giveaways to more than $10,000.

“Based on the success of this event, I can certainly see us hosting another art auction in the not-so-distant future,” added Klopfenstein.

Since opening in 2009, DirectBuy of Northern Colorado has helped consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, flooring, and accessories by providing an avenue to purchase directly from manufacturers or their authorized suppliers. Conveniently located at 2226 East Harmony Road in Fort Collins, DirectBuy Club offers consumers a comfortable setting where members finally have the financial control of buying direct.

About DirectBuy Club

Consumers interested in joining DirectBuy of Northern Colorado are encouraged to attend an exclusive Open House event, which is designed to educate families about DirectBuy’s business model and the benefits of buying direct. The Open House also helps consumers better understand how DirectBuy members avoid traditional retail markup when purchasing brand-name merchandise.

Since 1971, DirectBuy Club has been showing hundreds of thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories, and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy offers its members access to more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada, and more than 700 in the United States.

For more information on a DirectBuy Club membership, visit http://www.directbuycares.com.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service, and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

Going once? Twice? DirectBuy of Northern Colorado members “sold” on art auctionRead More

Resort Maps and TripAdvisor become travel companions

Peter Hans of Resort Maps
Peter Hans, CEO of Resort Maps

WAITSFIELD, VERMONT…

Resort Maps, creator of over 100 hand-drawn maps across the United States, United Kingdom, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, recently entered into an agreement with TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site.

Resort Maps are colorful, hand-drawn maps of towns and cities that feature local attractions and things to do, restaurants, accommodations, retail shops, real estate and other services. Resort Maps are also available in electronic format on Resort Maps’ Web site, www.resortmaps.com. Under the agreement, Resort Maps will run TripAdvisor user reviews of Resort Maps advertisers on its recently enhanced Web site.

“Before going on a trip, many travelers visit our Web site to find out more about their destination and get a head start on creating their trip itinerary,” said Peter Hans, president of Resort Maps.  “Travelers can check out maps of their destinations and places along the way in addition to other travel information and deals. By highlighting TripAdvisor reviews on our site, visitors can receive additional feedback from fellow travelers to supplement their trip planning.”

The partnership will also bring new visitors from www.resortmaps.com to TripAdvisor.com, further broadening their position as the world’s premier travel site.

“We’re delighted to be working with Resort Maps and expect that our user reviews will bring significant value to Resort Maps advertisers,” said Séverine Philardeau, senior director of global partnerships for TripAdvisor. “In turn, we look forward to seeing additional reviews from places Resort Maps users have visited on tripadvisor.com.”

About Resort Maps

Headquartered in the Green Mountains of Vermont, Resort Maps has been creating and publishing advertising maps in the northeastern U.S. since 1986. In 1993, Resort Maps expanded its reach by creating a franchise model for distribution of its colorful, hand-drawn maps of resort towns and cities. Today, that network of franchises has grown to 100 Resort Maps in publication in the US, the UK, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica, with several more in the process of being published.  Nearly 20 million Resort Maps will be printed and distributed in 2010.

For more information on Resort Maps and/or the franchise opportunity, visit www.resortmaps.com or call 802-496-6277.

Resort Maps franchises serve cities and towns in California (Carmel, Monterey), Colorado (Boulder, Breckenridge, Cherry Creek, Colorado Springs, Denver, Eagle River, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Summit County), Delaware (Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach), Florida (Clearwater Beach and Gulf Beaches, Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, New Smyrna Beach, St. Augustine, Tarpon Springs), Georgia (Savannah/Tybee Island), Maine (Bar Harbor/Acadia, Boothbay region, Camden-Rockland, Kennebunkport, Kittery, Portland, York-Ogunquit), , Maryland (Annapolis, Eastern Shore, Ocean City,  Solomons Island, St. Mary’s County), Massachusetts (Berkshires, Chatham-Orleans, Falmouth, Hyannis-Yarmouth, Martha’s Vineyard, Newburyport, Plymouth, Sturbridge, Worcester), Michigan (Traverse City, Northern Michigan), New Hampshire (Franconia/Notch Region, Hampton Beach, Hanover/Lebanon , Keene, Lakes Region, Mount Washington Valley, Portsmouth), New Jersey (Barnegat Bay, Cape May, Hoboken/Jersey City, Hunterdon, Lambertville , Long Beach Island, Ocean Grove, Point Pleasant, Princeton, Sandy Hook), New York (The North Fork, Lake George , Lake Placid, Saratoga Springs, The Hamptons,), North Carolina (Asheville, Brunswick County, Hendersonville , Outer Banks, Salisbury and Rowan County, Sandhills, Wilmington,), Pennsylvania (Bucks County, Chestnut Hill, Delaware River Valley, Gettysburg, Lehigh Valley, The Main Line), Rhode Island (Newport, Providence), South Carolina (Charleston, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach), Tennessee (Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge), Vermont (Addison County/Brandon, Barre/Montpelier, Burlington, Killington/Rutland, Mad River Valley, Manchester, Mount Snow, Okemo, Smugglers’ Notch, Stowe, Waterbury/Richmond, Woodstock/Quechee) and Virginia (Northern Neck & Middle Peninsula) —as well as towns and cities in England (Chicester, Lewes) and Puerto Rico (Vieques, Culebra).

About TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor® is the world’s largest travel site, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features (including Flights search, TripAdvisor Mobile and TripAdvisor Trip Friends) with seamless links to booking tools.

TripAdvisor® Media Network, operated by TripAdvisor LLC, attracts more than 50 million monthly visitors* across 17 popular travel brands: www.tripadvisor.com, www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.frequentflier.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com and www.kuxun.cn. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 35 million unique monthly visitors*, 20 million members, and over 35 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 23 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com (http://www.daodao.com). TripAdvisor also operates TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to TripAdvisor’s millions of monthly visitors. The division includes Business Listings, which allows hoteliers to connect directly to millions of researching travelers, and Vacation Rentals, which helps property managers and individual home owners list their properties and showcase hotel alternatives.

TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network are operating companies of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE).

TripAdvisor and the TripAdvisor logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.

©2010 TripAdvisor LLC.  All rights reserved. 

*Source: comScore Media Metrix, Worldwide, June 2010

Resort Maps and TripAdvisor become travel companionsRead More

Designing your home office… DirectBuy of Orlando provides tips on setting up your home office.

ORLANDO, FL…

Not too long ago, the home office meant the corporate headquarters of a company. With more and more people running businesses out of their home or telecommuting to their “day job” a day or more a week, the home office has had to become every bit as functional and comfortable as the cubicle or office at work. To that end, DirectBuy of Orlando, the leading members-only home improvement and home furnishings club with direct insider prices, has some helpful tips on setting up your home office.

For starters, DirectBuy recommends drawing a floor plan of the room or area where your home office will be. Your floor plan should include markings of where the electrical outlets are and accurate measurements of the heights of the windows, doorways and any closet space to give you additional design options.

“If you’re going to be spending significant time in your home office, from eight to 20 hours a week or more, you’re going to want a space that’s a little more comfortable, functional and aesthetically pleasing than the spare room or corner of a room that’s passed for a home office in years past,” said Brian Cohen, owner of DirectBuy of Orlando. “Many of our members work with our designers to create not only a comfortable workspace for one or more members of the household, but also a room you’ll want to show off to guests.”

Some of the things you may want to consider in planning your office space:

  • Ergonomic chairs, desks, and other office pieces.
  • Lower shelves so you can reach for books, folders, and other items without strain.
  • Lighting under workspace shelves to make it easier to read.
  •  A mount or platform for your computer monitor so you can look at the screen without tilting your head up or down.
  • Neutral, soothing colors for your walls like teal blues, soft cool grays, and warm Tuscan colors to create a relaxing work atmosphere.
  • How much natural light does the room get and how much do you want? Do you prefer curtains to blinds? There are a wide range of innovative blinds, sheers, louvers, and shutters to achieve the look you want.
  • The depth of the pieces you’re putting in your office. There’s nothing worse than trying to add a desk to a spot that fits length- and width-wise but leaves no room for the chair.
  • Installing additional outlets to give you more layout and design options.
  • Avoiding wall-to-wall carpeting if possible; offices are high traffic areas and wear will show on your rugs the more time you work at home. Use carpet tiles for the areas you want carpeting, so that you can replace them if they fade or show stains, and use hardwood or ceramic tile for the rest of the space.

DirectBuy of Orlando carries a large selection of brand-name office furniture at direct insider prices from manufacturers or their authorized suppliers. DirectBuy of Orlando also employs product specialists and designers who can help members create the home office that works best for their individual needs and for family members if it’s a shared workspace.

Since 1971, DirectBuy Club has helped consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, flooring, and accessories, by providing an avenue to purchase directly from the manufacturer. Conveniently located at 502 Sunport Lane, Suite 400, in Orlando, DirectBuy of Orlando offers consumers a comfortable, welcoming setting where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

For more information on a DirectBuy Club membership, visit directbuycares.com.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting directbuy.com or directbuycares.com.

Designing your home office… DirectBuy of Orlando provides tips on setting up your home office.Read More

Working for the weekend… Top five Labor Day weekend projects.

CHICAGO, GURNEE, NAPERVILLE, TINLEY PARK, IL …

The initial intent of Labor Day was to provide a day off for workers. For many homeowners, that “off” day provides a perfect opportunity—three full days—to start and finish home improvement projects. Sometimes the largest question to ponder is which home improvement project to take on for the long Labor Day weekend.

“It’s nice to be ambitious and to try and take advantage of that extra day off, but the biggest mistake homeowners can make with the Labor Day weekend is starting something that bleeds into the next week,” said Dave Kushner, owner of DirectBuy of Northern Illinois. “The goal should be to pick one project that you can easily finish in one day so there’s still enough time to enjoy the weekend and rest up.”

Some simple Labor Day weekend projects Kushner recommends include:

  • Paint and wood protection – Painting or finishing wood surfaces usually works best in warm weather. While this summer has been unusually warm, you never know when the weather will turn. So, take advantage of the long weekend to stain/seal your deck.
  • Concrete protection and sealing – Another area where homeowners fail to take precautions before winter. Whether it’s your driveway, walkway, patio or the surface of your storage shed, a coat of sealer can prolong the life of the surface. You can find concrete sealer at most hardware stores and home improvement centers.
  • Clean carpets – You can rent a steam cleaner at your local supermarket or home improvement store. Be sure to start this one on Saturday so your carpeting has time to dry by Monday.
  • Mulching and winterizing flower beds – While most consider mulching to be a spring time activity, mulching again in the fall accomplishes a few things. First, mulch tends to fade in the summer heat, so “refreshing” your mulch is not a bad idea. Second, mulch offers a layer of protection for plants during the winter.
  • Paint – Painting remains the home improvement project that reaps the largest return on investment (a 250% return on your investment for freshly painted interior walls, according to HomeGain.com). Limit costly mistakes and spills by using drop cloths and painter’s tape.

“There really aren’t many days off when you own a home,” added Kushner. “But completing one of these projects can improve the look and feel of your home and give you plenty of time to enjoy that Labor Day cookout.”

About DirectBuy Club

Since 1971, DirectBuy has helped hundreds of thousands of families enjoy a better quality of life, enabling them to buy directly from more than 700 manufacturers or their authorized suppliers. Buying direct makes members’ hard-earned money go much further, while having the selection and choice not available at any retail store. Access to confidential prices, local suppliers, and unparalleled selection helps make members’ dream projects a reality. The DirectBuy Clubs serving the greater Chicago area are part of more than 150 locations throughout North America.

Consumers interested in becoming members may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting http://www.directbuy.com. 

Locations of the DirectBuy clubs serving the greater Chicago area are: DirectBuy of Chicago North, 6325 North Avondale Ste. 110, Chicago, IL; DirectBuy of DuPage County, 1864 High Grove Lane Ste. 124, Naperville, IL; DirectBuy of Northern Illinois, 3900 Washington Street, Gurnee, IL; and DirectBuy of Tinley Park, 18400 S. 76th Avenue Ste. B, Tinley Park, IL.

To learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, visit www.directbuycares.com.

Working for the weekend… Top five Labor Day weekend projects.Read More

Feeling the heat… Radiant heating for your home

MERRILLVILLE, IN …

It’s been a hot summer across North America. Yet with autumn only a few short weeks away, the focus will soon switch to heating your home. For many homeowners, especially those who don’t enjoy stepping onto a cold floor in the morning, radiant heat delivers an interesting alternative.

Radiant heating systems involve supplying heat directly to the floor or to panels in the wall or ceiling of a house. In contrast to the way a forced air heating system warms a room by circulating hot air, radiant heating warms a room from the heat emanating from a specific heat source (e.g. –  a hot stove). Consequently, radiant heat warms the items closest to the source first, which is why most people install it in the floor.

“Radiant heat offers many benefits in both form and function. Besides avoiding a cold floor in the morning, radiant heat offers a quieter alternative to a noisy furnace,” said Mike Georgeff, of DirectBuy. “The other nice feature of radiant heat is that it allows you to program the temperature for certain zones of the house, like the bathroom first thing in the morning, rather than heating the entire level.”

Typically, radiant heat comes in three forms: electric, hydronic (water), and solar. The most common are electric and hydronic. When the radiant heat system is turned on, energy is forced through a conducive material embedded in floor tile or floor board (if installing the radiant heat in the floor). Both electric and hydronic systems require electricity (the water used for hyrdonic radiant heating is heated by electricity).

In addition to programmable thermostats, most radiant heating systems will also have an ambient thermometer. So, once the desired heat is achieved, the system can be sustained or turned down accordingly. With forced air, the ambient temperature and the programmed temperature aren’t always the same.

“Radiant heat is one of the more efficient forms of heating available and requires significantly less operating time to maintain the desired warmth compared to furnaces and other methods of heating. That keeps operational costs to a minimum,” said Georgeff. “Couple radiant heat’s efficiency with the negatives associated with forced air—noisy furnaces, dust, etc.—and you can dramatically improve your living environment.”

In addition to radiant heating systems, DirectBuy Club offers many products to improve the energy efficiency of your home—all at direct insider prices. DirectBuy also employs product specialists and designers, so if you need some assistance in selecting products or taking on a home improvement project, you have seasoned professionals at your service.

For more information on a DirectBuy Club membership, you can visit directbuycares.com.

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting directbuy.com or directbuycares.com.

Feeling the heat… Radiant heating for your homeRead More

Where it’s easy buying green. DirectBuy provides one-stop shopping solution for green building materials and appliances.

ORLANDO, FL …

There’s a misconception among many consumers that buying “green” refers strictly to products made of natural materials. While that’s part of the equation, there’s much more to it. Like appliances and lighting that last longer and use less power to run, and plumbing that requires less water. At DirectBuy of Orlando, members not only have the opportunity to purchase the full spectrum of green products under one roof, but they also can save some “green” by paying manufacturer-direct prices.

Some of the “green” products available to DirectBuy members include:

●       Faucets and plumbing fixtures that offer low consumption

●       Natural cork flooring and underlayments

●       Flooring made of renewable, natural bamboo

●       Energy Star-rated lighting and ceiling fans

●       Energy Star compliant kitchen appliances, washers, and dryers

●       Cabinets treated with low-voc, LEED-compliant stains

●       Bedroom, dining room, and living furniture manufactured by members of the Sustainable Furniture Council; many of these pieces are made from natural fibres, use eco-friendly foam, and contain organic, halogen-free fire retardants.

“Consumers are always being encouraged to make ‘greener’ purchases, but there’s no real road map as to where to make these purchases and whether or not what they do buy is green,” said Brian Cohen, owner of DirectBuy of Orlando. “The green products our members can buy through DirectBuy have been rated by recognized ‘green’ authorities like Energy Star, LEED, or the Sustainable Furniture Council, so you know the green purchase you’re making is part of the solution.”

In addition to making greener products available, DirectBuy of Orlando has also hosted green building workshops. During these sessions, members learn about the different green construction methods and products available. One Orlando area couple, Barry and Susan Sitkoff, utilized the knowledge they gained from the workshop, along with the expertise of DirectBuy’s product specialists, to build their “dream green home.”

Here are some of the green items that went into the Sitkoff’s green home:

Walls – Constructed with an insulated concrete form (ICF) containing three inches of foam on the outside, three inches of foam on the inside, and a solid three-inch concrete core. Building with ICFs can save homeowners up to 50 percent on energy costs. The benefits of ICFs include reduced noise transmission, resistance to mold and mildew growth, and up to a four-hour fire resistive rating. ICFs can also be built to any seismic or hurricane storm standard.

Attic – A closed cell foam was installed on the roof deck,  while an AC feed and return were installed in the attic without roof vents to prevent energy loss and allow the Sitkoffs to use their attic as living space – something that is virtually unheard of in Florida.

Windows – Double-pane, Low E (the E stands for emissivity) windows were installed throughout the house. Double-pane windows (not to be confused with double-hung windows) have two panes of glass, and can reduce heat loss by 50 percent or more. In addition, the Low E glass used minimizes the impact of direct sunlight by reflecting heat back to its source. The Sitkoffs further reduced the impact of direct sunlight by designing their home with north- and south-facing patios.

Garage Door – A steel-back insulated garage door with R-15 insulation was used to provide excellent thermal performance. R-15 high density insulation consists of more fibers per square inch, resulting in a higher R-value per square inch in less space than standard insulation products.

Toilets and Faucets – The Sitkoffs installed low-flow toilets, showerheads, and faucets that should reduce water usage by 50 percent.

Water Heater – A gas on-demand water heater was installed instead of a typical hot water heater that continuously heats the water in the tank. A tankless hot water heater, like the one installed, can reduce energy usage while still providing hot water by simply turning on the tap.

Appliances – Their gourmet kitchen was equipped with all Energy Star-rated appliances, including a 48-inch dual fuel (electric oven gas) range with a six-burner top and a warming drawer to keep food at the perfect temperature while using less power.

Lighting – All of the lights have dimmers or Eco-bulbs. Eco-bulbs have the following benefits: 

  • High power factor that results in less distortion on the electricity network
  • Last up to twice as long as other energy-saving bulbs
  • Reduce green house gas emissions
  • 15,000 hour life – the equivalent of either 14 standard bulbs or three average energy-saving bulbs.
  • Recyclable packaging
  • Very low amalgam content used in production

Flooring – Carpeting with recycled content was installed, as well as natural stone (travertine floors and bathroom tile with granite countertops for the kitchens and bathrooms). Natural stone flooring and tile are sustainable choices that will last many lifetimes.

The Sitkoffs completed their green home in June of 2009 and since moving in, have spent $100-$150 less a month on their electrical bills than their neighbors with the same size home.

“We might have spent a little more to build green but in the long-run, we will save substantially,” said Barry Sitkoff.

Since 2005, DirectBuy of Orlando South has helped consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, flooring, and accessories, by providing an avenue to purchase directly from manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. Conveniently located at 502 Sunport Lane, Suite 400 in Orlando, DirectBuy Club offers consumers a comfortable setting where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

“We all know we should be making greener purchases, particularly when it comes to products we use in our everyday lives like lighting and appliances,” said Cohen. “By making all these green options available at DirectBuy, we give our members the choice to save money and valuable natural resources.”

About DirectBuy Club

For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories, and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the U.S. and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service, and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting directbuy.com or directbuycares.com.

Where it’s easy buying green. DirectBuy provides one-stop shopping solution for green building materials and appliances.Read More

Franchises touch home base…Prospective franchise owners look toward home-based opportunities.

 WAITSFIELD, VERMONT…

In years prior, shopping for a franchise opportunity often meant checking out locations for your franchise. With the economic recovery still a work in progress and home equity lines equally diminished by a sagging real estate market, prospective franchise owners have turned to home-based franchise opportunities to get into the franchise game without major overhead.

Resort Maps Franchise, Inc., creator of more than 100 customized travel maps across the United States, United Kingdom, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico, recently sold its 100th franchise.  As an opportunity that enables its franchise owners to work from a home office and set their own schedule, Resort Maps has seen the home-based trend evolve with the current economy.

“We’ve had new franchise owners who in other years may have opted for a Dunkin Donuts or some other location-based opportunity,” said Peter Hans, president of Resort Maps Franchise, Inc. “While some of that might be a financial decision, a lot of it is about choosing a lifestyle. Our franchise owners work hard when they work, but it’s not a 24/7 grind like a lot of franchise opportunities.”

Gerry Pelissier, owns Resort Maps franchises in Dennis-Harwich, Massachusetts and Chatham-Orleans, Massachusetts on Cape Cod, represents one of the new faces. A former executive in the corporate world, Pelissier successfully franchised a drive-thru gourmet coffee business before selling it to Chock full o’Nuts. At age 50, he found the Resort Maps to be an appealing option.

“Back when I was 28 years old, I had the drive and the entrepreneurship in my blood,’’ said Pelissier, who was the founder of a double drive-thru gourmet coffee business that he successfully franchised and then sold to Chock full o’Nuts. “I just turned 50 this year and I said to myself, ‘Let’s not create a new wheel.’ There’s a lot less risk and stress without leasing or buying real estate.”

While lower overheads are one reason for home-based franchise opportunity’s rise in popularity, flexibility of hours is another. Because franchise owners are not anchored to a physical location and 9 to 5 schedule, they can create a schedule that fits their personal lives.

“Coincidentally, we’ve had several single parents purchase franchises over the past few years,” added Hans.

Jessica Grentner, a single parent, worked for her family’s hotel business in Florida that happened to be an advertiser on a Resort Map. Grentner saw Resort Maps as not only a way to own her own business but to create a better life for her daughter.

“Working in the hotel business and living in Florida was just not a good fit for me and raising my daughter,” said Grentner. “I had a sister in Breckenridge, so Colorado was at the top of my list.  I started a Resort map in the Vail valley in 2007, then in January 2009 I purchased  an existing,  established map in Summit County. The move couldn’t have worked out better professionally and personally for me and my daughter.”

Resort Maps began creating and publishing maps in the northeastern U.S. back in 1986. In an effort to continue the company’s growth and simultaneously keep the quality of the product, Resort Maps became a franchisor in 1993. Since adopting the franchise model, Resort Maps has grown steadily to over100 maps distributed across 20 states as well as towns and cities in England, Puerto Rico & Costa Rica.

In 2010, Resort Maps will print and publish nearly 20 million maps. And besides travelers, more and more opportunity seekers are becoming fans of Resort Maps.

“Resort Maps is truly a unique and appealing franchise opportunity. It’s not a 9-to-5 gig, you don’t need to take out office space and you don’t necessarily have to work 12 months a year to run a successful franchise. You just have to be willing to work hard when you work,” said Hans. “With more and more people looking to escape the corporate world for an opportunity that gives them some freedom and flexibility and great earning potential, 150 maps is certainly a tangible goal as we attract more franchisees– hopefully one we can meet within the next couple of years.”

For more information on Resort Maps or to inquire about ownership of a Resort Maps franchise, please visit www.resortmaps.com or call 802-496-6277.

About Resort Maps

Headquartered in the Green Mountains of Vermont, Resort Maps has been creating and publishing advertising maps in the northeastern U.S. since 1986. In 1993, Resort Maps expanded its reach by creating a franchise model for distribution of its colorful, hand-drawn maps of resort towns and cities. Today, that network of franchises has grown to over 100 Resort Maps in publication in the US and the UK, with several more in the process of being published.  Nearly 20 million Resort Maps will be printed and distributed in 2010.

For more information on Resort Maps and/or the franchise opportunity, visit www.resortmaps.com or call 802-496-6277.

Resort Maps franchises serve cities and towns in California (Carmel, Monterey), Colorado (Boulder, Breckenridge, Cherry Creek, Colorado Springs, Denver, Vail & Beaver Creek, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Summit County), Delaware (Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach), Florida (Clearwater Beach and Gulf Beaches, Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, New Smyrna Beach, St. Augustine, Tarpon Springs), Georgia (Savannah/Tybee Island), Maine (Bar Harbor/Acadia, Boothbay region, Camden-Rockland, Kennebunkport, Kittery, Portland, York-Ogunquit), , Maryland (Annapolis, Eastern Shore, Ocean City,  Solomons Island, St. Mary’s County), Massachusetts (Berkshires, Chatham-Orleans, Eastham-Wellfleet, Falmouth, Hyannis-Yarmouth, Martha’s Vineyard, Newburyport, Plymouth, Sturbridge, Worcester), Michigan (Traverse City, Northern Michigan), New Hampshire (Franconia/Notch Region, Hampton Beach, Hanover/Lebanon , Keene, Lakes Region, Mount Washington Valley, Portsmouth), New Jersey (Barnegat Bay, Cape May, Hoboken/Jersey City, Hunterdon, Lambertville , Long Beach Island, Ocean Grove, Point Pleasant, Princeton, Sandy Hook), New York (The North Fork, Lake George , Lake Placid, Saratoga Springs, The Hamptons,), North Carolina (Asheville, Brunswick County, Hendersonville , Outer Banks, Salisbury and Rowan County, Sandhills, Wilmington,), Pennsylvania (Bucks County, Chestnut Hill, Delaware River Valley, Gettysburg, Lehigh Valley, The Main Line), Rhode Island (Newport, Providence), South Carolina (Charleston, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach), Tennessee (Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge), Vermont (Addison County/Brandon, Barre/Montpelier, Burlington, Killington/Rutland, Mad River Valley, Manchester, Mount Snow, Okemo, Smugglers’ Notch, Stowe, Waterbury/Richmond, Woodstock/Quechee) and Virginia (Northern Neck & Middle Peninsula) —as well as towns and cities in England (Chicester, Lewes) and Puerto Rico (Vieques, Culebra).

Franchises touch home base…Prospective franchise owners look toward home-based opportunities.Read More

Tips for selecting an energy-efficient refrigerator

CHICAGO, GURNEE, NAPERVILLE, TINLEY PARK, IL …

While it’s the objective of most homeowners to run a greener household, the other kind of green—dollars—often dictates how much you can commit. When selecting household appliances like a refrigerator, however, homeowners should consider the potential energy savings more so than the sticker price.

“At this stage of the game, consumers know they should be selecting an Energy Star product, but beyond that, it’s back to how much it costs rather than how much you can save,” said Jeremy Vest, owner of DirectBuy of DuPage County. “By doing a little research and examining your needs, you can save some green and be green.”

Vest recommends:

  • Shopping for Energy Star-rated refrigerators that exceed the government’s minimum requirements.
  • Reviewing energy guides supplied by the U.S. government that compare kilowatt-hour usage and estimated yearly energy costs associated with refrigerators. Energy guides are available online.
  • Buying a refrigerator with a highly efficient compressor and good insulation. Poor compression or insulation can allow cool air to escape, which will raise energy costs.
  • Selecting a refrigerator that enables you to choose the exact temperature you desire for both the refrigerator and freezer.
  • Choosing freezer-on-top models that have an energy saver switch, which allows you to deactivate the anti-sweat function. This lowers moisture content, a feature that’s only necessary when humidity is high.
  • Purchasing the smallest refrigerator that will comfortably meet your needs (smaller refrigerators consume less energy than their larger counterparts will because they have to less space to cool).
  • Considering separate refrigerator and freezer units. This will increase the food-storage capabilities of both units and decrease the radiant loss from one compartment to the next (the amount of cold-air “leakage” from the freezer into the refrigerator that occurs with refrigerator/freezer combinations).

“Selecting an energy-efficient refrigerator reminds me of the old expression ‘don’t work harder, work smarter,’” said Vest. “While it’s an important first step to select an Energy Star-rated refrigerator, doing your due diligence can really make a dent in your monthly energy costs.”

The leading home improvement and furnishings club with direct insider prices, DirectBuy Club offers manufacturer-direct pricing on products ranging from energy-efficient refrigerators to televisions to kitchen cabinets, all from more than 700 manufacturers or their authorized suppliers. DirectBuy Club also offers design, delivery, and installation services.

With several convenient locations in the greater Chicago area (Chicago, Gurnee, Naperville and Tinley Park), consumers can enjoy a comfortable country club setting, where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

For more information on a DirectBuy membership, you can visit http://www.directbuycares.com.

About DirectBuy Club

Since 1971, DirectBuy has helped hundreds of thousands of families enjoy a better quality of life, enabling them to buy directly from more than 700 manufacturers or their authorized suppliers. Buying direct makes members’ hard-earned money go much further, while having the selection and choice not available at any retail store. Access to confidential prices, local suppliers, and unparalleled selection helps make members’ dream projects a reality. The DirectBuy Clubs serving the greater Chicago area are part of more than 150 locations throughout North America.

Consumers interested in becoming members may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting http://www.directbuy.com. 

Locations of the DirectBuy Clubs serving the greater Chicago area are: DirectBuy of Chicago North, 6325 North Avondale Ste. 110, Chicago, IL; DirectBuy of DuPage County, 1864 High Grove Lane Ste. 124, Naperville, IL; DirectBuy of Northern Illinois, 3900 Washington Street, Gurnee, IL; and DirectBuy of Tinley Park, 18400 S. 76th Avenue Ste. B, Tinley Park, IL.

To learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy Club membership, visit www.directbuycares.com.

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