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Defunct Dilapidated Disaster to Hillbrow Haven

noreply@blogger.com (RobynSimonne) — Thu, 03 May 2012 08:11:00 +0000

The Vodacom Altron Altech Centre

What’s the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word “Hillbrow”? I’m almost very certain that those words didn’t include excellence, classy, divine, replenished or recognised. Recently an old, dilapidated heritage building in Hillbrow has been restored, renovated and refurbished. The site on which Hillbrow Hospital was formerly found has now being transformed into a health precinct for specialised services.

Interior of hospital where old
operating theatre was

The once dilapidated 1982 heritage building which had been completely destroyed and ruined and had been left desolate for approximately 14 years – as a 1997 calendar found during the clean-up phase leads them to believe- has now being transfigured into a health and research facility and is now known as The Vodacom Altron Altech Centre. The centre consisting of delivery and consultation rooms specialises in offering services to women and children who are in vulnerable positions and who are infected with illness such as Tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/Aids. On the same premises, there is also an antiretroviral clinic and a pharmacy for the local people. A second floor has also being developed which is used for the Wits Institute for Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV and Related diseases (WRHI).

e-TOLLING TAKES ITS TOLL

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 08:33:00 +0000

“Government has made a decision and Government is going to proceed to implement that decision. At the time when there's a necessity for that decision to be changed, cabinet will look at that, but at the moment, the cabinet decision stands.”

On the 7th of March, The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) called upon workers to support a protest action by engaging in work stoppages, rallies, marches, demonstrations, placard demonstrations and pickets in all major towns and cities. Amongst other things, the action was to protest the e-tolls. Despite the pressure been put on the government by COSATU to completely abolish the e-tolling system, the government is sticking to its decision of implementing the system at the end of April. This is evident as the opening words of the article spoken by Minister in the Presidency, Collins Chabane after the protests took place, emphasises.

COSATU stated that the reason for their protest is that the roads would become too expensive to travel on for the poor and that the price of food would then naturally have to increase due to the transportation costs increasing. In response to this, The President, Jacob Zuma had this to say: “We know that our people are affected by serious poverty and unemployment, and the e-tolls are an additional financial and administrative burden. But we plead for your understanding, because – at the end of the day – we have to develop and strengthen the road infrastructure of Gauteng.”

COSATU is not alone in protesting the e-tolling system. Freedom Front Plus spokesman Anton Alberts said:”We want to force the government to scrap the toll system completely. The government has to understand that the public's opposition to the system will not go away”. At 7am on Thursday 29th of March, the public had a planned protest convoy that left from the Shell Ultra City filling station on Ben Schoeman highway in Johannesburg; and this certainly isn’t the last protest. More protests have being planned until the end of April, when e-tolling is scheduled to start.

There have also been threats regarding not being able to use the roads and not having access to any traffic services if e-tolls charges aren’t paid as this will be viewed as a criminal offence. The spokesperson from the Department of Transport said: “People who have any form of traffic infringement must address that outstanding matter otherwise they cannot gain access to any traffic services.”

Although everyone knows that this is going to cost them an arm and a leg, the question on everyone’s lips though is, “how much exactly is this going to cost me?” The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) says,” Toll fees are charged per overhead gantry passed, rather than the kilometres a vehicle travels. Each time a vehicle passes underneath a gantry, the toll fee is charged as a single transaction. The cents per kilometre fee is used to determine the gantry cost. The cost per gantry is determined by the kilometre distance the gantry represents. The toll tariff is calculated by multiplying this distance with the cents per kilometre rate for the different vehicle classes. SANRAL has also provided a E-Toll calculator to calculate the exact amount one would have to pay when travelling. To view this, visit http://tollcalc.ensightnetworks.com/etoll/ .

So although many are still hoping to halt the project by means of marches, protests, strikes and by taking legal action, the e – tolling system is going to happen at the end of the month as government has decided! So all we can do now is to grit our teeth, bear it and move on.

WORLD WATER DAY – 2012

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:21:00 +0000

“Water is one of the most basic of all needs -- we cannot live for more than a few days without it.”

Robert Alan Silverstein

Despite our modern knowledge of the increasing scarcity of this limited natural commodity, most people take water for granted. We waste water needlessly and spare little thought that it is a very limited resource.

Silverstein goes on to say, “more than 1 billion people around the world have no access to safe, clean drinking water, and over 2.5 billion do not have adequate sanitation service. Over 2 million people die each year because of unsafe water - and most of them are children!”

World Water Day (WWD) first came about on the 22nd of March 1993. Ever since then, every year WWD is recognised the world over and will once again be commemorated this week .

The purpose of this day is to bring everyone together and emphasize how important fresh, clean, potable water is. And every year a theme, concerning a certain feature of freshwater, is explored. These were some of the themes of WWD over the past few years:

1999- Everyone lives downstream
2002- Water for development
2005- Water for life 2005-2015
2007- Water scarcity
2008- International year of sanitation

This year, the theme of the day is “Water and Food Security”.

SOLAR GEYSERS

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:30:00 +0000

“The cost of living hasn’t affected its popularity”.

As the abovementioned quote so rightfully says, even if and when the cost of living increases, we all seem to make a plan, adjust and move on. If you think that the constant rising cost of living is excessive, and the media keeps reminding us, Eskom is reported to increase electricity tariffs over the next three years. One of the most effective ways to reduce your electricity consumption and save money is to use less hot water.

Most of us use hot water without even thinking about it: bathing, showering, laundry, washing the dishes, making tea and coffee are several examples, but are by no means the extent to which we use hot water.

At the outset, is seems practically impossible to reduce our use of electricity! Because of this, between 30% and 50% of our electricity bill is made up of the use of an electrical geyser, which in turn contributes to about 1.6 tons of Carbon Dioxide to the atmosphere.

How, then, can we assist in saving the environment by reducing the amount of CO2 that we release into the air? And better yet, how can we assist ourselves in “saving” our pockets by reducing the amount of electricity that we use every month?

SOLAR WATER HEATING
Living in South Africa, with such great, warm weather, why not make use of solar water heating? Making use of this source of heating proves to have many advantages!

PROPERTY PROFESSIONALS

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:42:00 +0000

who can you trust with your keys?

Possibly the two most important financial transactions of your life are; buying or selling property. Of course, you would want to be certain that you have the best representation in these transactions.

How can you be sure that you have found the best person qualified for the job before getting into any business with them and making them the mandated agent for your property?

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PROPERTY PROFESSIONAL
Today, it’s almost practically impossible for an unqualified estate agent to trade in this industry. Very recently legislation was passed that requires all practicing estate agents to comply with, and obtain, certain qualifications. These are overseen by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).

WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS?
NQF4 – This is a Grade 12 / matric or a Trade Certificate of the same equivalence in the Further Education and Training category.
NQF5 – This is a National Certificate/ Occupational Certificate/ National Diploma in the Higher Education and Training Category.
NQF7 – This is a Chartered Practitioner in Real Estate.

WHO IS EXEMPT?
There are a few estate agents who are exempt from these qualifications. Exemptions may apply to applicants over the age of 60, or, those who have obtained tertiary level diplomas or degrees and have, as a result, been accredited through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR AREA?

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:34:00 +0000

Do you know what's going on? Here's some great pro-active news of what is happening in our area!

Distrust and caution are the parents of security.

Benjamin Franklin

Alarm systems, 24-hour armed response, closed-circuit TV, hidden safes, outdoor beams, electric fences and the list goes on. As individuals, living in the times that we do and taking the order of things into consideration, it is only normal that we fear for the security not only of ourselves, but for that of our families and loved ones. As a result we rely on a myriad of security measures.

So often, though, we tend to overlook the help that our local South African Police Service can, and does, provide.

Recently, the Honeydew SAPS sent out a report on taxi searches and a crime brief for the month of February, in the greater Honeydew area. They had this information to report…

LATENT DEFECTS | VOETSTOOTS!

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:30:00 +0000

YOUR 'DREAM HOME' TURNS OUT TO BE A NIGHTMARE...

Rising damp was cool when people lived in castles. Actual castles.

“It’s accepted!” you shout with elation! After viewing multiple houses, you’ve found the perfect one, you put in an offer and it’s been accepted! In a blink of an eye it’s three months later and it’s time for the big move. As you open up the front door to the now empty house, you start noticing cracks on the walls where lovely antique book shelves were placed and cracks behind curtain rails where those stunning heavy suede paisley-print curtains were hanging. Not only that, but there’s a terribly dank and mouldy smell.

As time goes by, you start noticing more cracks and the smell is worsening. Soon you find out that the awful smell is due to rising damp and the cracks are there because of foundation settling. You call the agent and he so conveniently reminds you that you’ve bought the house voetstoots so any problems aren’t his or the owners. Suddenly, your “perfect” home doesn’t seem that perfect anymore.

LATENT DEFECTS

What do you do now that you’ve found this defect that’s been latent and that the seller was unaware of at the time the sale took place?

CAR ALARM JAMMING

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Leaving your car securely parked, with the press of a button, is no longer the case.

In the latest form of thievery, one of Propvest's Directors, Robert Clark, lost his Apple laptop that was stashed away 'safely' in his 'locked car'. With the ease of pressing a regular, off-the-shelf code-skipping gate remote, anyone who is within approximately 15m of your vehicle can prevent you from locking your car with your remote. They don’t even have to pick locks, or bypass alarm systems.

They block your remote, wait until you’re safely inside your destination, and then ransack your vehicle. Imagine having your laptop, ID book, navigation system, driver’s license and wallet stolen. The hassle and the cost would be excessive, and, you won’t be able to claim from insurance if there is no sign of a break-in.

Early last year there were cases reported in Pretoria, and now, it seems to be spreading throughout Johannesburg. What this means is that more and more petty criminals are seeing this as an easy crime and the modus operandi is spreading like wildfire. There was shooting outside a Bryanston school last week and a gang, known for this type of crime, is thought to be responsible.

PEST CONTROL: THE GREEN WAY

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:54:00 +0000

One of the greatest facets of going away for the holidays is being able to relax and recede from the normal expectations and obligations of living at home. However, one is always glad to be headed home and to return to the comforts that you’ve missed. If you’ve been away for more than a week, there’s a high chance that some six-legged squatters have taken up residence in the somewhat quieter abode that you normally keep squeaky-clean.

For many, the first response is to grab the nearest can of Doom and go postal on the pests, but this can be bad for pets. As nasty as the critters under your closet and behind your fridge might be, green awareness is growing and natural pest deterrents are favoured for exterminating the pests without harming the owls in the neighborhood or sending your cat to the vet for a stomach evacuation.

Here are some suggestions that our Propvest team has found to help you put those pesky insects out of your misery:
ANTS

Instead of spraying poison, spray the trail of ants with a concentrated mix of soap and water
Draw a thick line of chalk along window and door frames where the ants might enter
Leave some bitter cucumber pieces in their pathway, they are not fans of old salad
Crushing some dried cloves or mint leaves works as effectively as the cucumber

COCKROACHES

Catnip is rated among the top natural nasties for cockroaches as it has an active ingredient called Nepetalactone, which is most irresistible to cats and mortally injurous to ‘roaches
A mixture of beer and cement, left in a jar lid in small dark corners, is a little inhumane but gets the job done (do not use this option if you have pets)

FLIES

Flies are attracted to meat and petfood, try not to leave uneaten pet-meat lying open and thaw meat in the fridge overnight, instead of on the kitchen counter during the day when you’re out at work
As with the ants, crushed mint works a dream
Citronella candles or an oil-diffuser (you can hang an old rag in a hidden corner…) with eucalyptus oil working fairly well

Anything larger than that… we recommend calling an expert! If you feel the need to leave and find a new place, you know who to contact.

JHB | CHOOSE THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:00:00 +0000

Life slows down, only briefly, in the suburbs of Johannesburg, as the masses flock to the ocean-side holiday destinations of KZN and the Western Cape. But, they’ll be back. Gauteng has been listed as the number one province in South Africa, having sold the most properties from 2008 – 2010. It’s not the most picturesque, but it’s where the buzz is. Home to almost 4 million, it is one of the world’s 50 largest metropolitan areas and holds the title for the largest land-locked city in the world.

The areas of Johannesburg that have shown the highest property sales in 2010 include Bryanston, Fourways Gardens, Eagle Canyon Golf Estate and Weltevreden Park. It is clear that the Northern and Western suburbs are the fastest growing and most popular areas to live; not only in Gauteng, but also in the country. Weltevreden Park, in particular, reflected almost 340 sales (virtually 6.5 properties sold every week!) and these are attributed, in part, to the excellent value for money that the area offers. Homeowners are still looking to buy in areas that offer a realistic balance in affordability and value.

With our offices on the border of this bourgeoning area as well as the hugely attractive Eagle Canyon Golf Estate, Propvest Realty truly has access to the hottest and most sought after properties in South Africa. We are resident agents at Eagle Canyon, a lifestyle security estate that boasts sophisticated security including: electric fencing, perimeter surveillance systems and internal cameras together with a state-of-the-art control room and call-centre making this estate one of the most desirable and secure places to live in Johannesburg.

If you are looking to move to, or within, Johannesburg, contact Propvest Realty today on 011 792 0077! And now, just before the new year sets in and Christmas celebrations abate, another legend.

THE LEGEND OF THE POINSETTIA

SELLING YOUR HOME

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:00:00 +0000

A new year brings with it new challenges and opportunities. Many of our Propvest Realty clients are faced with the need to sell or buy a new home due to these circumstances. Moving home is one of the most influential external sources of stress in our lives so it is important to make a wise choice in your realty agent.

We are convinced that a strategic and meted approach to selling your home aids in reducing the associated stresses. We have spent time in accumulating the best professional advice in order to maximise your chances of achieving the best return for your home.

Through our extensive knowledge of the Northern and Western suburbs of Johannesburg, and a growing database, we make it our business to continually seek and identify new opportunities. We will also provide you with a comprehensive Seller Feedback report so that you are kept up to date on prospective buyer's comments and progress made. With the new Consumer Protection Act now fairly settled, we are able to advise you within the scope of the latest legislation and avoid unexpected loop-holes in the sales process.

With Propvest Realty, you can expect:

The benefit of a large client base
Sales and marketing expertise
Access to our website
Exposure on our website and in various newspapers
Seller feedback reports

If a move is on the cards for you, contact us and let us help you sell your home.

We leave you with another Christmas Legend!

RENTING WITH PEACE

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:55:00 +0000

With the holiday season upon us and a new year just around the corner, you may be in a position where you are looking to rent out your property, or are in need of new tenants. Propvest Realty is a registered member of the Tenant Profile Network (TPN) and specialise in property in the Northern and Western suburbs of Johannesburg. This makes us ideally positioned to assist you with finding high quality, reliable tenants and manage your property, should you need a managing agent.

As TPN says:
“Simplified property investment begins with quality tenants.”

As an area-established realty agency, Propvest Realty believes in offering our clients peace of mind through:

An extensive client base
Sales and marketing expertise
Exposure on our website and in leading newspapers
Credit screening of potential rentors
Payment history from previous rentals
Reduced risk of fraudulent tenants
Blacklisting of tenants who don’t settle outstanding rent

TWELFTH NIGHT LEGEND

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:30:00 +0000

To all our valued clients we want to wish you an awesome and memorable Christmas this year.

This year, 2011, has brought about many new things and we are grateful for all of your support and loyalty. We wish you and your families the very best for the year ahead!

Please note that our offices will closed from Dec 15 and we will be back on Jan 9th.

As always, our dedicated agents will be available on their cellphones. All of their contact details can be found on our PROPVEST team page.

We leave you with the true legend of the 12th Night of Christmas, as we are sure most of you will already be planning your Yuletide décor and house adornments!

THE LEGEND OF THE TWELFTH NIGHT

Long ago it was thought that leaving the Christmas decorations up would cause a disaster. Folklore told that tree-spirits lived in the greenery (firs, holy and ivy) that they decorated their houses with. The greenery was brought into the house to provide a safe haven for the tree-spirits during the harsh midwinter days and would be hung around the fireplace.

Once this period was over it was necessary to return the greenery back outside to release the tree-spirits into the countryside once again. Failure to do this would mean that vegetation would not be able to start growing again and Spring would not return, leading to an agricultural disaster.

It was also believed that, if you left the greenery in your house, the tree-‐spirits would cause mischief in the house until they were released. Today people still feel uneasy about leaving the Christmas decorations up after Twelfth Night. Despite decorations now being made of foil or paper, and even though the tree-‐spirits are long forgotten, the superstition still survives.

Travelling for Christmas?

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Christmas should be the most wonderful time of the year. (Andy Williams) Whether you live in a lock-up-and-go or a stately manor in the country, leaving your home poses many risks that can make Christmas the least wonderful time…

At Propvest Realty, we want you all to have an amazing time with your families and friends, so here are some of our tips for a safe and festive season!

Home alone
If you have no pets and live in a secure complex, you may choose to leave your house ‘alone’ on Christmas. If that’s the case, take note of these points:

Turn off geyser: apart from the electricity you will save, it also limits the possibility of your geyser bursting and having you arrive home to a flooded mess!
Inform neighbours: if you don’t know your neighbours yet… take them some mince-pies and ask them to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity whilst you are away.
Inform security company: your security company will be able to increase their patrols whilst you are away to have added peace of mind that someone is watching your home for you.
Have someone collect mail/newspapers: if you receive mail or newspaper deliveries to your home, an accumulation of this will alert thieves that your home is vacant and a prime target for a hit.
Install a timer switch for lights: timer switches are fairly inexpensive and are a clever way to keep your internal lights active in the evening. Set them to turn on at dusk, and off later in the evening. The more advanced digital switches can control multiple units and have different timings for different days.

House sitter
If you have pets, or a large house in an open area, you may have booked a house/pet sitter. Here are some tips for you:

DOUBLE COMMISSION | Too many cooks...

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:33:00 +0000

“Too many cooks spoil the broth.”

One of the five core values at Propvest Realty is perseverance. When others get tired or lose heart, we push forward and encourage our clients to stick to their guns! (see about us)

Unfortunately, in the current South African economy, because money is tight, multiple estate agents often market properties before a successful sale is finally achieved.

This is extremely risky and we are noticing increased incidences of sellers having to pay double commission, plus legal fees and undergo immense and unnecessary stress. This can all be avoided with a wise and knowledgeable approach to the marketing plan and mandate contracts.

Here is one such example of a case that was recently heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal. The sellers in question have ended up having to pay double commission, and are down some R450 000 plus legal costs - a situation, held the Court, entirely of their own making.

Eagle Canyon: No Compromise

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:35:00 +0000

We are proud to be resident agents at the esteemed Eagle Canyon Golf Estate. Overlooking one of the most challenging and scenic golf courses in the country, this estate offers idyllic sunset views, tranquil living and a vast compass of homes and stands to choose your dream location.

Eagle Canyon has been crafted from an old quarry and designed to exude the benefits and charm of country living; it is a veritable oasis of calm. It is hard to believe that one is so close to the frenetic activity of the city's burgeoning north-west region once passing through the front gates and engaging with the beautiful scenery, meandering water-features and stunning birdlife.

Residents soon become accustomed with the 40 hectares of parkland, beautified avenues, spectacular eco-wetland area, 18-hole “Colorado Links” golf course, driving range, tennis courts, jogging routes and the catch-and-release fishing in one of the 10 lakes.

GIVING LIFE: DONATING BLOOD

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 04:20:00 +0000

On Wednesday, October 14, the Propvest team (with some friends) headed out enthusiastically to contribute to the Northgate Blood Bank.

The initiative was born several months ago from our aspirations to give back to the community and was spurred by the radio reports of a national blood shortage. The World Health Organization set a goal in 1997 for all blood donations to come from unpaid volunteer donors, but as of 2006, only 49 of 124 countries surveyed had established this as a standard.

“Donating a unit of this “precious gift of life” saves lives of those in dire need of blood. One must develop a habit of donating blood in order that the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) has sufficient blood stock to ensure that in cases of emergency quality blood is always available for needy patients.”

(learn more)

Despite the most valiant of intentions, Rob and Giselle had to sit this one out due to health niggles but showed their support for the rest of the team. SANBS has strict screening procedures to protect both the donors and the recipients. It was a meaningful and worthwhile undertaking that ended in Rob and Norma treating the whole team to lunch.

The next day for donations will be December 9 and we encourage you to join us! Email us for more information.

We support IEASA

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:23:00 +0000

When transacting in the real estate market it’s important to choose your agents as wisely as you choose your new property. Good agents are able to assist you in making a decision that will have long-term benefit and secure the best deal possible, whilst lesser agents may lose you a deal and add significant heartache to a process that requires professionalism and expertise.

It is for this reason that Propvest insists that all our agents are registered with IEASA. The Institute of Estate Agents of South Africa (IEASA) is a board that seeks to improve and maintain the ethics, conduct and integrity of estate agents and agencies.

“The prestige of any professional body depends to a great extent on the ethical standards observed by its individual members, both in their association with one another, and in their relationship with the community in general.”

IEASA

I'm ready to buy!

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:08:00 +0000

No matter what shape the economy is in, whether you’re buying for the first time or the umpteenth time, buying a property is both exciting and stressful. At Propvest, securing the perfect address for you is all in a day’s work.

Our team of professionals is intricately knowledgeable of the complex and constantly changing property market that requires the highest levels of local expertise to help you find your dream home.

Register with Propvest Real Estate and take advantage of our growing database. Whether you’re looking for something smaller, or something bigger, our handpicked Lifestyle Estate and residential properties are sure to match your needs. If you find something you like, call us or send us an email and we will arrange an appointment that is convenient for you during weekdays, evenings, Saturdays or Sundays.

Multi-Listing vs Sole Mandate

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:31:00 +0000

For over 100 years, estate agents have made use of a unique collaboration that assists them in finding buyers and sellers of real estate from a net that is larger than their own. This collaboration is known as Multi-Listing Services (MLS). MLS’s have existed in many forms over the last few decades but the principles remain the same.

Through an agreement to share and promote properties through the many members of an MLS association, our agents are able to source buyers and sellers faster and broaden the range of search criteria, making the whole process far more efficient to accurately sell or procure property for our clients.

On the other hand, herein lies the MLS vs Sole Mandate argument. Our simple answer is this – we need to be flexible.

"My opinion is that the only time Sole Mandate works well is if there is a shortage of property stock. We need to remain flexible and balanced in our marketing approaches."

Norma Taylor - Propvest Director

Counting on you

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:39:00 +0000

One thing we hate more than telesales at 18h00 on the home phone, is a knock at the door from someone we don’t know, just as we’re about to sit down and relax in the comfort of our own home.

The third and largest census of South Africa, as a democratic country, will take place during October 2011, where all people within the borders of South Africa will be counted.

In the interest of our country, we need to be cooperative AND cautious!

In the interest of informing all our staff and clients – current and future homeowners – here are some tips that we, at Propvest, have picked up.

If a Census worker knocks on your door, they will have an ID badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag and a confidentiality notice.
Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions.
Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information.
Do not give your identity number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the Census.
Remember, no matter what they ask, you really only need to tell them how many people live at your address.
They may ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, but you don't have to answer anything at all about your financial situation.

Eagle Canyon: The Garden Club

noreply@blogger.com (timslatter.com) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:33:00 +0000

Great looking gardens don’t just happen… have you ever noticed how the plants that you water don’t grow and the weeds that you ignore flourish? Hard as it may be, a manicured, landscaped garden holds immense reward and enhances your property invaluably.

Recognising this value, Norma Taylor and Peggy Gilmour, of Propvest Real Estate, together with Brandon Mansour (4 Seasons Group), Elmine Durandt (ECHOA) and Debbie Smit (Foxgloves Landscapes) initiated the Garden Club for Eagle Canyon Residents.

“We can’t believe that it’s been a year already! Our 32 members have been enriched and educated on fantastic topics by guest speakers - it has opened our imagination and has let our inspirations run wild,” comments Norma Taylor.

With the new year and season upon us, Propvest Real Estate and 4 Seasons Group (sponsors of the group) have handed the torch over to the members, but will maintain their support of the group.

At the monthly meeting, held on Tuesday 13 September, a new committee was chosen for October 2011 – October 2012. Greg Tosen (Stand 291) was voted chairperson and Karen Tyrer (Stand 115) as treasurer. The other committee members are Colleen Tosen (Stand 291) and Louise van Gool (Stand 35).

Congratulations! We wish them and their team all the best for the new year.

The guest speaker at the meeting was the renowned Terry Moller. When Terry retired from her nine-to-five, she had a dream to live out her passion for gardening. She consulted for Lifestyle Nursery on Public Relations and was their Marketing Manager for many years.