Large Home Appliances

Have you made a commitment to live greener? Many people are working toward becoming greener in their everyday lives in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, cut back on their carbon footprints and save money. As part of that effort, green enthusiasts have turned their attention to their kitchen habits. While there are many small steps that people can take to go green in the kitchen, one big step is replacing that old kitchen stove with a more energy efficient model – one that suits the way you cook and reduces the amount of energy that you use to put food on the table.

When it comes to choosing greener appliances, most homeowners rely on the Energy Star rating. Energy Star is a government certification program that labels appliances that are energy efficient. It’s so successful that it’s become an international standard. Choosing a stove that has an Energy Star is the most obvious choice when buying a new stove, but it doesn’t really do much to narrow your choices down. There are other choices you can make that will affect how much energy you use and how much carbon you save.

Electric or Natural Gas

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Considering it is still a relatively small town with a population of 7,116, Prosper has a lot going for it. It has a relaxing small town feel where people can come home and feel they’ve escaped from the hustle and bustle of their busy day. The public school system with a student-teacher ratio of 12:1 is one of the most sought after in the area. Plenty of shopping is located only minutes away, as are the highways leading to the Metroplex.

Originating as a small master planned community, Prosper has expanded and spread its wings, and now the secret of this hidden gem is leaking out – Prosper’s projected growth is estimated to reach almost 85,000 by the year 2035.

One day, real estate prices in Prosper will be out of reach, but for now, home prices hover from the $300s to over $2 million. The variety of real estate is staggering for such a small town, and there are choices for every price range and lifestyle. In fact, it’s rare to find so many choices of quality, affordable real estate in one spot. Where else can you live in a new home with luxury amenities, in an exclusive golf community for just over $300,000?

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Retirement.  Florida.  Golf.  Boredom.  What do these terms have in common?  Not much, according to a mountain of recent studies of the lifestyles and demographics of aging baby-boomers.  Today’s “empty-nesters” are a more diverse group then ever before, taking advantage of their newly found free time and discretionary income.  They’re changing the way we think about the second half of life, living out their dreams and fulfilling life goals.

The notion that life after the children leave necessarily means loneliness and boredom has been swept away.  That myth, it seems, grew from 1960s research on women being treated for depression, according to My Turn, a 1997 book by author Patricia Gottlieb Shapiro.  Shapiro researched the lives of 45 women whose children had “left the nest” and discovered that most felt a sense of relief and freedom.  Other scientific studies have found similar results.

Nearly one-third of America’s population (75 million people) are considered “maturing baby-boomers”, a very large and relatively affluent group that is looking for much more from the “after-family” years than rocking chairs and meals-on-wheels.

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