Will this year’s housing situation be quite the crazy year we had last year? It’s looking like it’s going to be similar.
It’s still a competitive seller’s market as demand, especially with first-time home buyers, will exceed inventory. We’re expecting home sales to be on the rise, but with that, interest rates and home prices will also go up.
Is the thought of a new year making you want to freshen up your space? New décor, new furniture and maybe even new paint? Then you may want to consider what seems to be the color theme for 2022: Green!
While the wind is whistling outside, there’s plenty to do in your home to keep it in tip-top shape! In Central Pennsylvania, the winters get cold and those heating bills can add up, so many of these tips can help you reduce heating costs or at least save you some money on future home repairs.
2020 was unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. We all spent a LOT of time at home, and 2021 is starting off with more of the same. If you’re like us, your new year’s resolutions are usually thrown out the window by January 4, but this year we have some tips that don’t involve cutting out the wine or the chips!
These 12 Home Maintenance Resolutions will help you take care of the place that is currently your office, school, gym, remote doctor’s office, quarantine central, takeout headquarters, and more – HOME. Try to knock out one task per month and we promise your home will be in the best shape of its life!
January – Shop for better homeowners’ insurance rates and discuss adding coverages for things like mechanicals, flooding, public water/sewer laterals, and whatever else your insurance agent might recommend. Did you know your basic homeowners’ insurance doesn’t cover your furnace dying in the dead of winter or your basement flooding from all the melted snow? Now is the time to make sure you have the best coverages and the best rates for 2021!
February – Replace HVAC and water filters because, let’s be honest, none of us remember to do it as often as we should. Hey, while you’re at it, go ahead and put those on Subscribe & Save auto ordering for the whole year!
March – Clean off your roof, clean out the gutters, ensure there are no clogs in your downspouts and reattach those extenders! Ideally, water should flow at least 3 feet away from your foundation.
April – Clean/repair outdoor living spaces to get ready for warm weather. Power wash patios, stain decks, schedule a reseal of your driveway, etc.
May – Repair any water leaks that you may have discovered after all those April showers. Speaking of water, now is a great time to touch up caulking inside and outside your home.
June – Paint touch-up time! Open the windows to help air out the fumes. If you have wood trim on the exterior of your home, be sure to scrape before painting.
July – Clean out the dryer vent and exhaust duct. Run a wash cycle in your wash machine. YES! It’s a thing! We love Affresh tablets.
August – Test and replace the batteries in your smoke and CO detectors. Make sure you have smoke detectors high on the wall, since smoke rises, and CO detectors low by the floor.
September – Clean out your fireplace and chimney to prepare for those cozy fall and winter fires. If you haven’t ever had it done, we also highly recommend a professional inspection.
October – Have all HVAC and gas appliances serviced.
November – Weatherize all exterior plumbing. Frozen pipes can cause lots of damage!
December – Ensure your electric panel box is in good safe condition before going crazy with lights and inflatables!
Cheers to the new year and staying on top of those home maintenance projects!
The Homesnap App puts the convenience of house shopping right at your fingertips. It keeps you informed in real time of new listings, price changes or any other market activity you want to know about.
Last month, I talked about appraisers and appraisals. In this blog, I will touch briefly on the “perception difference” between appraisers and property owners as well as some DO’S and DON’TS when preparing your house for its sale and appraisal.
According to the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, the average appraisal last month was only 1.15% lower than the expectation of the homeowner – – or, in many cases, the sale price established in the pending sale contract. PAR indicates that this is the fourth consecutive month where the gap between the appraisal and the expectation has decreased.
1. Drain and disconnect your hoses and outdoor faucets to keep from getting frozen pipes. So easy but people often forget this important step.
2. Dust snow off of trees to avoid a buildup of heavy precipitation that could possibly down branches and wreak havoc on your property.
3. Create Gift- wrapping central by storing paper, boxes, ribbons and more in an easy to access location. A rolling cart is great for this and can be put away when company comes over.
4. Invest in an extra coat rack or boot mat to prepare for the overabundance of winter jackets, wet shoes and potential mud. This will save time cleaning floors and gathering coats in a rush.
5. Check shovels and window scrapers and be sure you’re ready to handle the possible winter storms. Store salt, extra batteries for flashlights and even propane for extra heaters in case you need them.
Lou Gehrig ’s disease (ALS) is a terrible, terrible disease. The recent national effort to draw awareness and funding is to be lauded.
The ALS Association, the organization behind the Ice Bucket Challenge, supports embryonic stem cell research. While the Catholic Church supports stem cell research, it does not condone stem cell research which frequently involves embryos harvested from the death of an aborted fetus. For me, and likely many others, this has presented a difficult moral dilemma.
As the weather heats up, so has the real estate market. Many industry professionals will claim they haven’t seen a market like this since pre-recession years.
