News: Fairbairn Inspection Services Featured in Dirks Real Estate Team Newsletter

• How Safe Is The Bottled Water You Drink…
• What To Do If Someone Is Following You…
• Fun Facts and Laughs: 3 Ideas For Happier Holidays, Homemade Flu Fighter, Websites For Medical Advice, And More…
• Trivia Challenge: Win 2 Movie Tickets
• Real Estate Q&A: What Do I Need To Know About Negotiating When Selling My Home?

In today’s Service For Life!^® Free consumer newsletter, you’ll learn three ideas for happier holidays, the new Oakwyn Realty App, what to do if you’re being followed, how to get the designer look for less with eyeglasses – plus fun facts, a trivia challenge, and lots more.

REALTOR^®
Dirks Real Estate Team

P.S. When you notice people talking about real estate in the next few weeks, can you tell them about the free consumer information we provide?

They may be people with a growing family and they need more room. You can help them buy their dream home for a lower payment than they might think is possible by mentioning our Free Consumer Report “7 Secrets For Saving Thousands When Financing Your Home.” To request a copy for a friend, simply email us by clicking here.

Don’t be fooled.  The bottled water you’re drinking may not be any safer than your tap water.  According the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) out of the USA, some bottled water sold in the United States may contain bacteria and/or chemicals. And 30 percent of bottled water sold in the U.S. comes from a city or town’s tap water!

The NRDC cited one incidence where a bottled water brand labeled “spring water” actually came from a well in an industrial facility’s parking lot.  While they reported that most bottled water was safe, about 30 percent of the bottled water they tested contained bacteria, synthetic organic chemicals and inorganic chemicals.

In another recent study, Dutch researchers found 40 percent of the bottled mineral water they tested from 16 countries, (not including the U.S.) showed the presence of bacteria or fungi.

Why should you care? First, people with a weakened immune system (children, the elderly, people with cancer, kidney failure, or AIDS,) may have an increased risk of infection from bacteria. Serious infections can develop fromlegionella, a bacteria causing Legionnaires disease, pneumonia like illness.

Secondly, bottled water is expensive. A five-year supply of bottled water (8 glasses a day) costs about $1,000. The same amount of tap water costs $1.65. There are some regulations on bottled water. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) requires that if water is taken from a municipal source and not treated, the label must say it’s from a municipal source. If, the water is treated (using common technology) there is no requirement to label the municipal source.

The NRDC concluded that bottled water “should not be assumed to be purer or safer than most tap water.”

The feeling that someone might be following you is terrifying. Though it’s not likely, what would you do if the feeling became reality? Being aware of your surroundings is the best way to tell if someone is actually following you. Whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle, here’s how to know if someone’s tailing you and then how to handle the situation:

How to Tell

• Try not to act as if you’re looking for the person following you. Keep walking or driving at the same speed, and try not to look over your shoulder.
• Notice small details. Is the car behind you taking all of the same turns? Does the suspicious person take a turn away from you but re-appear minutes later?
• Walk or drive more slowly. If you’re in a car, move to the right lane and drive a few miles under the speed limit. If you’re walking, stop for a moment and notice if people around you stop as well.

What to Do

1. Stay calm. Don’t speed or panic because you’ll be more likely to cause an accident.
2. Be confusing. Change your route, stop, retrace your steps, take a quick exit or enter a store unexpectedly.
3. Call the police. It’s better to let the professionals handle the situation. Let them know exactly where you are and describe the suspect person or vehicle in detail.
4. If you’re being followed, don’t drive home in case it’s a criminal with bad intentions. You don’t want them to know where you live. Instead, drive to the nearest police station or busy public area.

3 Ideas For Happier Holidays . . .

The holidays can get stressful in a hurry. Try these simple methods for celebrating the season – and make it easier for you and your family.

1. Focus on the act of giving, not the presents themselves. Buy gifts for the kids, but get your kids involved in giving homemade gifts (cookies, picture books) to other family members.

1. Start a family gift exchange. One idea: have family members put books they’d enjoy on an Amazon.com wish list. Share those lists and choose the books you want to give them.

1. Participate in (or donate to) a charitable activity. Check out a site like www.volunteermatch.org, but start looking early to make sure you are matched with the organization you want. On a smaller scale, bake something special and deliver it to a fire station or senior citizens’ home.

1. To ease your own stress, remember to plan ahead. Use a calendar to set aside days for exercise and rest, and learn to say no if you have too many commitments.

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Homemade Flu Fighter. . .

If you’re trying to recover from the flu or a cold, doctors say to get plenty of fluids and electrolytes. Store-bought sports drinks contain processed sugar and artificial ingredients, though, so why not try making your own? This recipe is much healthier.

In a blender, combine:
2 cups of filtered water…
1/2 cup of fresh orange juice…
1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice…
1/8 teaspoon of sea salt…
and 2 – 4 Tbsp. of organic raw honey.

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Websites for Medical Advice . . .

These websites can help you do some research before a visit to your doctor.

www.webmd.com – Find credible, timely information from an award-winning site: helpful medical and health information, online support communities, and expert commentary.

www.mayoclinic.com – The non-profit, number-one-rated hospital has detailed information about healthy lifestyle, drugs and supplements, and tests and procedures.

www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus – The National Institutes of Health provide health reliable information for patients and family in understandable language.

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Featured Partner

Looking for a trust worthy home inspector?  Look no further than David Fairbairn.  You can find him as a ‘Preferred Service Provider’ on our new Oakwyn App. Or contact him directly at: 604-395-2795
www.vancouverinspections.com

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Guess who won last month’s Trivia Question?  I’m pleased to announce that the lucky winners of last month’s quiz are…drum roll please:  Kieren and Melissa were the first two people to correctly answer our quiz question.

What famous skateboarder was the first person to perform a trick called the 900, which is 2.5 rotations in the air?

a) Tony Alva   b) Ryan Sheckler   c) Shaun White   d) Tony Hawk

The answer is d) Tony Hawk – nicknamed The Birdman, he is one of the most successful pro skateboarders in history. He has even skated at the White House – with permission! Let’s move on to this month’s trivia question.

What ancient city and UNESCO site is carved into a sandstone cliff?

EMAIL US BY: Clicking Here OR Call / TEXT Us At 778-997-1890 And You Could Be One Of Our Next Winners!