This Months Real Estate Insider Newsletter

What comes to mind when you think of a clean kitchen? Shiny waxed floors?
Gleaming stainless steel sinks? Spotless counters and neatly arranged
cupboards?

They can help, but a truly “clean” kitchen–that is, one that ensures
safe food–relies on more than just looks. It also depends on safe food
practices.

In the home, food safety concerns revolve around three main functions:
food storage, food handling, and cooking. To see how well you’re doing in
each, take this quiz, and then read on to learn how you can make the meals
and snacks from your kitchen the safest possible.

Quiz

Choose the answer that best describes the practice in your household,
whether or not you are the primary food handler.

1. The temperature of the refrigerator in my home is:
a. 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 ° C)
b. 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 ° C)

c. I don’t know; I’ve never measured it.

2. The last time we had leftover cooked stew or other food with meat,
chicken or fish, the food was:
a. cooled to room temperature, then put in the refrigerator
b. put in the refrigerator immediately after the food was served
c. left at room temperature overnight or longer

3. The last time the kitchen sink drain, disposal and connecting pipe
in my home were sanitized was:

a. last night
b. several weeks ago
c. can’t remember
4. If a cutting board is used in my home to cut raw meat, poultry or
fish and it is going to be used to chop another food, the board is:
a. reused as is

b. wiped with a damp cloth
c. washed with soap and hot water
d. washed with soap and hot water and then sanitized
5. The last time we had hamburgers in my home, I ate mine:
a. rare
b. medium

c. well-done
6. The last time there was cookie dough in my home, the dough was:
a. made with raw eggs, and I sampled some of it
b. store-bought, and I sampled some of it
c. not sampled until baked

7. I clean my kitchen counters and other surfaces that come in contact
with food with:
a. water
b. hot water and soap
c. hot water and soap, then bleach solution
d. hot water and soap, then commercial sanitizing agent

8. When dishes are washed in my home, they are:

a. cleaned by an automatic dishwasher and then air-dried
b. left to soak in the sink for several hours and then washed with soap in
the same water
c. washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and then air-dried
d. washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and immediately
towel-dried

9. The last time I handled raw meat, poultry or fish, I cleaned my
hands afterwards by:
a. wiping them on a towel

b. rinsing them under hot, cold or warm tap water
c. washing with soap and warm water
10. Meat, poultry and fish products are defrosted in my home by:

a. setting them on the counter
b. placing them in the refrigerator
c. microwaving

11. When I buy fresh seafood, I:
a. buy only fish that’s refrigerated or well iced

b. take it home immediately and put it in the refrigerator
c. sometimes buy it straight out of a local fisher’s creel
12. I realize people, including myself, should be especially careful
about not eating raw seafood, if they have:

a. diabetes
b. HIV infection

c. cancer
d. liver disease
——————————————————————————–

Answers

1. Refrigerators should stay at 41 ° F (5 ° C) or less, so if you chose
answer B, give yourself two points. If you didn’t, you’re not alone. Many
people overlook the importance of maintaining an appropriate refrigerator
temperature.

The refrigerator temperature in many households is above 50 degrees (10 ° C). Measure the temperature with a thermometer and, if needed, adjust the
refrigerator’s temperature control dial. A temperature of 41 ° F (5 ° C) or less
is important because it slows the growth of most bacteria. The temperature
won’t kill the bacteria, but it will keep them from multiplying, and the
fewer there are, the less likely you are to get sick from them. Freezing at
zero ° F (minus 18 ° C) or less stops bacterial growth (although it won’t kill
all bacteria already present).

2. Answer B is the best practice; give yourself two points if you picked
it.

Hot foods should be refrigerated as soon as possible within two hours
after cooking. But don’t keep the food if it’s been standing out for more
than two hours. Don’t taste test it, either. Even a small amount of
contaminated food can cause illness.

Date leftovers so they can be used within a safe time. Generally, they
remain safe when refrigerated for three to five days. If in doubt, throw it
out.

3. If answer A best describes your household’s practice, give yourself
two points. Give yourself one point if you chose B.

The kitchen sink drain, disposal and connecting pipe are often
overlooked, but they should be sanitized periodically by pouring down the
sink a solution of 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of chlorine bleach in 1 quart
(about 1 liter) of water or a solution of commercial kitchen cleaning agent
made according to product directions. Food particles get trapped in the
drain and disposal and, along with the moistness, create an ideal
environment for bacterial growth.

4. If answer D best describes your household’s practice, give yourself
two points.

If you picked A, you’re violating an important food safety rule: Never
allow raw meat, poultry and fish to come in contact with other foods. Answer
B isn’t good, either. Improper washing, such as with a damp cloth, will not
remove bacteria. And washing only with soap and water may not do the job,
either.

5. Give yourself two points if you picked answer C.

If you don’t have a meat thermometer, there are other ways to determine
whether seafood is done:

• • For fish, slip the point of a sharp knife into the flesh and pull
    aside. The edges should be opaque and the center slightly translucent with
    flakes beginning to separate. Let the fish stand three to four minutes to
    finish cooking.

• • For shrimp, lobster and scallops, check color. Shrimp and lobster and
    scallops, red and the flesh becomes pearly opaque. Scallops turn milky
    white or opaque and firm.

• • For clams, mussels and oysters, watch for the point at which their
    shells open. Boil three to five minutes longer. Throw out those that stay
    closed.

• When using the microwave, rotate the dish several times to ensure even
  cooking. Follow recommended standing times. After the standing time is
  completed, check the seafood in several spots with a meat thermometer to
  be sure the product has reached the proper temperature.

6. If you answered A, you may be putting yourself at risk for infection
with Salmonella enteritidis, a bacterium that can be in shell eggs. Cooking
the egg or egg-containing food product to an internal temperature of at
least 145 ° F (63 ° C) kills the bacteria. So answer C–eating the baked
product–will earn you two points.

You’ll get two points for answer B, also. Foods containing raw eggs, such
as homemade ice cream, cake batter, mayonnaise, and eggnog, carry a
Salmonella risk, but their commercial counterparts don’t. Commercial
products are made with pasteurized eggs; that is, eggs that have been heated
sufficiently to kill bacteria, and also may contain an acidifying agent that
kills the bacteria. Commercial preparations of cookie dough are not a food
hazard.

If you want to sample homemade dough or batter or eat other foods with
raw-egg-containing products, consider substituting pasteurized eggs for raw
eggs. Pasteurized eggs are usually sold in the grocer’s refrigerated dairy
case.

Some other tips to ensure egg safety:

• • Buy only refrigerated eggs, and keep them refrigerated until you are
    ready to cook and serve them.

• • Cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and white are firm, not
    runny, and scramble until there is no visible liquid egg.

• Cook pasta dishes and stuffings that contain eggs thoroughly.

7. Answers C or D will earn you two points each; answer B, one point.
According to FDA’s Guzewich, bleach and commercial kitchen cleaning agents
are the best sanitizers–provided they’re diluted according to product
directions. They’re the most effective at getting rid of bacteria. Hot water
and soap does a good job, too, but may not kill all strains of bacteria.
Water may get rid of visible dirt, but not bacteria.

Also, be sure to keep dishcloths and sponges clean because, when wet,
these materials harbor bacteria and may promote their growth.

8. Answers A and C are worth two points each. There are potential
problems with B and D. When you let dishes sit in water for a long time, it
“creates a soup,” FDA’s Buchanan said. “The food left on the dish
contributes nutrients for bacteria, so the bacteria will multiply.” When
washing dishes by hand, he said, it’s best to wash them all within two
hours. Also, it’s best to air-dry them so you don’t handle them while
they’re wet.

9. The only correct practice is answer C. Give yourself two points if you
picked it.

Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and
after handling food, especially raw meat, poultry and fish. If you have an
infection or cut on your hands, wear rubber or plastic gloves. Wash gloved
hands just as often as bare hands because the gloves can pick up bacteria.
(However, when washing gloved hands, you don’t need to take off your gloves
and wash your bare hands, too.)

10. Give yourself two points if you picked B or C. Food safety experts
recommend thawing foods in the refrigerator or the microwave oven or putting
the package in a water-tight plastic bag submerged in cold water and
changing the water every 30 minutes. Gradual defrosting overnight is best
because it helps maintain quality.

When microwaving, follow package directions. Leave about 2 inches (about
5 centimeters) between the food and the inside surface of the microwave to
allow heat to circulate. Smaller items will defrost more evenly than larger
pieces of food. Foods defrosted in the microwave oven should be cooked
immediately after thawing.

Do not thaw meat, poultry and fish products on the counter or in the sink
without cold water; bacteria can multiply rapidly at room temperature.

Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Discard the
marinade after use because it contains raw juices, which may harbor
bacteria. If you want to use the marinade as a dip or sauce, reserve a
portion before adding raw food.

11. A and B are correct. Give yourself two points for either.

When buying fresh seafood, buy only from reputable dealers who keep their
products refrigerated or properly iced. Be wary, for example, of vendors
selling fish out of their creel (canvas bag) or out of the back of their
truck.

Once you buy the seafood, immediately put it on ice, in the refrigerator
or in the freezer. Some other tips for choosing safe seafood:

• • Don’t buy cooked seafood, such as shrimp, crabs or smoked fish, if
    displayed in the same case as raw fish. Cross-contamination can occur. Or,
    at least, make sure the raw fish is on a level lower than the cooked fish
    so that the raw fish juices don’t flow onto the cooked items and
    contaminate them.

• • Don’t buy frozen seafood if the packages are open, torn or crushed on
    the edges. Avoid packages that are above the frost line in the store’s
    freezer. If the package cover is transparent, look for signs of frost or
    ice crystals. This could mean that the fish has either been stored for a
    long time or thawed and refrozen.

• • Recreational fishers who plan to eat their catch should follow local government advisories about fishing areas and
    eating fish from
    certain areas.

• • As with meat and poultry, if seafood will be used within two days
    after purchase, store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, usually
    under the freezer compartment or in a special “meat keeper.” Avoid packing
    it in tightly with other items; allow air to circulate freely around the
    package. Otherwise, wrap the food tightly in moisture-proof freezer paper
    or foil to protect it from air leaks and store in the freezer.

• Discard shellfish, such as lobsters, crabs, oysters, clams and
  mussels, if they die during storage or if their shells crack or break.
  Live shellfish close up whe the shell is tapped.

12. If you are under treatment for any of these diseases, as well as
several others, you should avoid raw seafood. Give yourself two points for
knowing one or more of the risky conditions.

People with certain diseases and conditions need to be especially careful
because their diseases or the medicine they take may put them at risk for
serious illness or death from contaminated seafood.

These conditions include:

• • liver disease, either from excessive alcohol use, viral hepatitis, or
    other causes hemochromatosis, an iron disorder

• • diabetes

• • stomach problems, including previous stomach surgery and low stomach
    acid (for example, from antacid use)

• • cancer

• • immune disorders, including HIV infection

• • long-term steroid use, as for asthma and arthritis

• Older adults also may be at increased risk because they more often
  have these conditions.

People with these diseases or conditions should never eat raw seafood —
only seafood that has been thoroughly cooked.

——————————————————————————–

Rating Your Home’s Food Practices

24 points: Feel confident about the safety of foods served in your
home.

12 to 23 points: Reexamine food safety practices in your home.
Some key rules are being violated.

11 points or below: Take steps immediately to correct food
handling, storage and cooking techniques used in your home. Current
practices are putting you and other members of your household in danger of
food-borne illness.

Unlike the experience of buying a first home, when you’re looking to
move-up, and already own a home, there are certain factors that can complicate
the situation. It’s very important for you to consider these issues before you
list your home for sale.

Not only is there the issue of financing to consider, but you also have to
sell your present home at exactly the right time in order to avoid either the
financial burden of owning two homes or, just as bad, the dilemma of having no
place to live during the gap between closings.

Six Strategies

In this report, we outline the six most common mistakes homeowners make when
moving to a larger home. Knowledge of these six mistakes, and the strategies to
overcome them, will help you make informed choices before you put your existing
home on the market.

1. Rose-colored glasses

Most of us dream of improving our lifestyle and moving to a larger home. The
problem is that there’s sometimes a discrepancy between our hearts and our bank
accounts. You drive by a home that you fall in love with only to find that it’s
already sold or that it’s more than what you are willing to pay. Most
homeowners get caught in this hit or miss strategy of house hunting when there’s
a much easier way of going about the process. For example, find out if your
agent offers a Buyer Profile System or House-hunting Service, which takes
the guesswork away and helps to put you in the home of your dreams. This type of
program will cross match your criteria with ALL available homes on the market
and supply you with printed information on an ongoing basis. A program like
this helps homeowners take off their rose-colored glasses and, affordably, move
into the home of their dreams.

2. Failing to make necessary improvements

If you want to get the best price for the home you’re selling, there will
certainly be things you can do to enhance it in a prospective buyer’s eyes.
These fix ups don’t necessarily have to be expensive. But even if you do have to
make a minor investment, it will often come back to you ten fold in the price
you are able to get when you sell. It’s very important that these improvements
be made before you put your home on the market. If cash is tight, investigate an
equity loan that you can repay on closing.

3. Not selling first

You should plan to sell before you buy. This way you will not find yourself
at a disadvantage at the negotiating table, feeling pressured to accept an offer
that is below market value because you have to meet a purchase deadline. If
you’ve already sold your home, you can buy your next one with no strings
attached. If you do get a tempting offer on your home but haven’t made
significant headway on finding your next home, you might want to put in a
contingency clause in the sale contract which gives you a reasonable time to
find a home to buy. If the market is slow and you find your home is not selling
as quickly as you anticipated, another option could be renting your home and
putting it up on the market later – particularly if you are selling a smaller,
starter home. You’ll have to investigate the tax rules if you choose this latter
option. Better still, find a way to eliminate this situation altogether by
getting your agent to guarantee the sale of your present home (see point number
5 below).

4. Failing to get a pre-approved mortgage

Pre-approval is a very simple process that many homeowners fail to take
advantage of. While it doesn’t cost or obligate you to anything, pre-approval
gives you a significant advantage when you put an offer on the home you want to
purchase because you know exactly how much house you can afford, and you already
have the green light from your lending institution. With a pre-approved
mortgage, your offer will be viewed far more favorably by a seller – sometimes
even if it’s a little lower than another offer that’s contingent on financing.
Don’t fail to take this important step.

5. Getting caught in the Real Estate Catch 22

Your biggest dilemma when buying and selling is deciding which to do first.
Point number 3 above advises you to sell first. However there are ways to
eliminate this dilemma altogether. Some agents offer a Guaranteed Sale Trade-Up
Program that actually takes the problem away from you entirely by guaranteeing
the sale of your present home before you take possession of your next one. If
you find a home you wish to purchase and have not sold your current home yet,
they will buy your home from you themselves so you can make your move free of
stress and worry.

6. Failing to coordinate closings

With two major transactions to coordinate together with all the people
involved such as mortgage experts, appraisers, lawyers, loan officers, title
company representatives, home inspectors or pest inspectors the chances of
mix ups and miscommunication go up dramatically. To avoid a logistical nightmare
ensure you work closely with your agent.

Safety & You

Everyone wants to live in a safe and worry free environment with their
families, spouse, and children. However, most people are closer to a
disaster waiting to happen than they think. Safety may not be an issue that
comes to mind as you go about your daily routine. You may feel safe. Yet,
lurking in your home are dangers that can take lives and destroy property.

Fire Facts

Thousands of people die from fire every year. Most residential fire
deaths occur because of inhalation of toxic gas, rather than contact with
the flames. The tragedy is that many of these deaths could be prevented by
taking a few precautions.

General Fire Prevention Tips

• Do not plug too many appliances into an electrical outlet.
• Make sure that combustibles are not too close to heaters, stoves and
  fireplaces.
• Never smoke in bed, or leave a burning cigarette in an ashtray.
• Do not use damaged or frayed electrical cords or extension cords.
• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
• Teach your children about the dangers of playing with fire.
• Never use extension cords with heating or air conditioning equipment.
• Purchase smoke alarms and fire extinguishers for each floor of your
  home.

Have an Emergency Escape Plan! Practice it frequently!

• Develop an emergency exit plan and an alternate exit plan. The most
  obvious way out may be blocked by fire. A window will usually be the
  second way out of a bedroom. Make sure that screens or storm windows can
  be easily removed. If you live in a two story home, you should have an
  escape ladder for each occupied bedroom. Escape ladders are available for
  purchase, and they can easily be stored under a bed or in a closet.
• Establish a meeting place outside your home to be sure everyone has
  escaped. Every family member should participate in practicing escape
  drills at least two times per year.
• In the event of fire, do not stop to get dressed or gather valuables.
  Seconds count – do not search for the family pet.
• Teach your family that in a fire they must stay low to the floor to
  avoid smoke and intense heat. Passageways may be completely filled with
  dense smoke, so everyone should practice exiting on their hands and knees
  while blindfolded.
• Train family members to feel a closed door before exiting. If the door
  is warm, open it slowly, and close it quickly if heat or smoke rushes in.
• Establish a rule that once you’re out, you never re-enter under any
  circumstances. As soon as two people have reached the meeting place, one
  should call 911 from a neighbor’s house.

Smoke Alarms

Through education and media campaigns, most people now realize the
importance of smoke alarms, and most homes in North America have them.

Recommendations:

• Purchase a smoke alarm for every floor of your home, and read the
  instructions on how to use it and where to position it.
• Smoke alarms should be placed near bedrooms, either on the ceiling or
  six to twelve inches below the ceiling on the wall.
• Local codes may require additional alarms. Check with your fire
  department or building code official.
• Locate smoke alarms away from air vents.
• Test your alarms regularly to ensure that they still work.
• If you have a battery powered alarm, change the battery every six
  months when you change your clocks.
• For maximum protection, install BOTH ionization and photoelectric
  smoke alarms in the home for the optimum detection of fast flaming fires
  and slow smoldering fires.

Fire Extinguishers

To guard against small fires or to keep a small fire from developing into
a big one, every home should be equipped with a fire extinguisher. Because
almost all fires are small at first, they might be contained if a fire
extinguisher is handy and used properly. You should take care, however, to
select the right kind of fire extinguisher, because there are different ones
for different kinds of fires. Install fire extinguishers on every level of
the home and include the kitchen, basement and garage.

Selecting a Fire Extinguisher

Extinguishers are classified according to the class of fire for which
they are suitable. The four classes of fires are A, B, C, D:

• Class A fires involve common combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth,
  rubber, trash and plastics. They are common in typical commercial and home
  settings.
• Class B fires involve flammable liquids, solvents, oil, gasoline,
  paints, lacquers and other oil-based products. Class B fires often spread
  rapidly. Unless they are properly suppressed, they can re-flash after the
  flames have been extinguished.
• Class C fires involve energized equipment such as wiring, controls,
  motors, machinery or appliances. They can be caused by a spark, a power
  surge, or a short circuit and typically occur in locations that may be
  difficult to see or reach.
• Class D fires involve combustible metals.

A typical home or office fire extinguisher should have an ABC rating.

Carbon Monoxide

One of the greatest threats to your safety is the quality of air within
your home. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a subtle yet dangerous threat because the
gas is colorless, odorless and tasteless.

Each year, hundreds of people die from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Thousands of other people suffer the effects of the gas without realizing
it. Because CO symptoms mimic the flu and other common illnesses, CO
poisoning can be easily missed during a routine medical examination.

CO is produced when any fuel does not burn completely because of
insufficient oxygen. Mild exposure to CO gives most people a slight
headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue (“flu-like” symptoms) followed by a
throbbing headache, drowsiness, confusion, and fast heart rate. If the
entire family becomes ill after a few hours in the home, and feels better
when they leave the home, carbon monoxide poisoning should be suspected.

Possible sources of CO include:

• Furnace or boiler
• Gas or fuel-oil water heater
• Gas or wood fireplace
• Gas kitchen range
• Plugged, rusted, disconnected, or defective chimneys or vents
• Back drafting of combustion gases into the home
• Automobiles in attached garages

Certain clues can indicate a carbon monoxide problem. Check to see if you
have any of the following:

• Rusting or streaking on chimney or vent
• Loose or missing furnace panel
• Soot on venting or appliances
• Loose or disconnected venting
• Debris or soot falling from chimney
• Moisture on interior side of windows

CO can be produced and spill into your home without any of the preceding
clues present. Heating appliances that appear to be operating correctly can
still be sources of CO. Burning charcoal or wood produces CO that can spill
into the home. Gasoline engines, when first started, produce large amounts
of CO. Autos in attached garages are often sources of CO.

How To Protect Yourself

To avoid CO exposure in the home, it is important to:

• Make sure heating appliances are installed and used in accordance with
  manufacturer’s instructions.
• Make sure chimneys and vents draw all gases out of the home.
• Have the heating system, chimney and vents inspected and serviced
  annually by a qualified heating contractor.
• Never use charcoal grills indoors.
• Never heat your home with a gas kitchen range.
• Always use a kitchen range hood, vented to the outdoors, when cooking
  on a gas range.
• Never warm-up or run vehicles or other gasoline engines in garages or
  indoors.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that every residence
with fuel burning appliances be equipped with at least one CO alarm. For
added protection, place one on every level of the home. Read and follow
manufacturers’ instructions.

If your alarm indicates high levels of carbon monoxide in your home:

• Immediately move outdoors to fresh air and do a head count
• Call your emergency services
• Do not re-enter the home until emergency service responders have
  arrived, aired out the house, and determined it is safe to re-enter
• Correct the problem before starting the heating appliances
• If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds again, repeat the above steps. Do
  not ignore alarms.

Fires are traumatizing and frightening, as is a carbon monoxide incident.
It is essential to fully recognize the hazards of fire and carbon monoxide
poisoning and to take preventative action. A regular home inspection, smoke
and carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and an emergency exit plan
will help you and your family live more safely.