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Real Estate Blog
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Monday, December 31 2012
New single-family home sales soared to its fastest pace in 2 1/2 years, jumping 4.4 percent over last month, as median prices also rose, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
The sales pace in November for new-home sales was the highest since April 2010, the same time when the federal home-buyer tax credit had expired, the Commerce Department reported.
The median home price of new homes jumped 14.9 percent year-over-year, reaching $246,200.
"New-home sales are gradually picking up momentum as the economy improves," says Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders. "Prospective home buyers who have been sitting on the fence for years are moving back into the market due to continuing low mortgage interest rates, attractive pricing and the improving economy.”
NAHB is projecting new-home sales to post a nearly 20 percent increase for 2012 over the previous year. NAHB’s Chief Economist David Crowe says he also expects a similar gain next year, but the “fiscal cliff” could set the housing market back and affect new-home sales and other aspects of the housing market.
Still, the pace of new-home sales is about a quarter from the high reached in July 2005.
For the first time since 2005, new-home construction is expected to add to economic growth this year.
Source: National Association of Home Builders and “New Home Sales Hit Highest Rate Since April 2010,” Reuters (Dec. 27, 2012)
Friday, December 28 2012
The housing market is poised for a “gradual but steady” recovery in 2013, with housing starts, permits, prices, home sales, and builder confidence all on the rise, the National Association of Home Builders reports. But how close to “normal” is the housing market?
Remodeling has returned to normal levels, says David Crowe, the NAHB’s chief economist, using the 2000-2002 period as a benchmark for normal levels. Mutlifamily production is 69 percent of normal.
"It's the single-family market that has the farthest to go, standing at only 40 percent of what is considered a typical market," Crowe says.
The housing market is expected to make big strides to getting closer to more normal levels, due mostly to a rise in home prices and household formation that is adding to demand, the NAHB reports.
Single-family housing starts are forecasted to reach 534,000 units this year, up 23 percent this year from 2011. For 2013, single-family housing starts is expected to jump 21 percent in 2013 and another 29 percent gain in 2014 to 837,000 units.
Multifamily production is forecast to jump 31 percent this year to 233,000, and gain another 16 percent in 2013 to 270,000.
New single-family home sales are forecast to post a 20 percent jump this year to 367,000 and to rise another 22 percent in 2013, and reach 607,000 by 2014.
Source: National Association of Home Builders
http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2012/12/26/how-normal-housing-market
Friday, December 21 2012
One of the effects of the steady national rise in home prices is a shift in attitude by previously cautious consumers. It’s only natural to find more people focused on buying homes in Evansville while it is still relatively inexpensive to do so.
Homeowners who are listing their own local properties this winter are well advised to be mindful of those and other considerations bound to be motivating prospective customers. Buying homes – especially homes in a faraway locale – gives rise to many concerns. Positioning the way a home is marketed to anticipate those concerns can mean a sale to an out-of-town buyer on a local home-hunting trip.
Some of the questions out-of-towners are likely to be thinking about:
What are the neighborhoods like?
Why not do a little research into how potentially competitive neighborhoods compare with your own. If you don’t have small children, acquaint yourself with where kids go to participate in today’s popular activities, local playgrounds, etc. Have ready links to online resources that will help prospects connect with Evansville residents and groups. Assembling a menu book stuffed with tempting local eateries never hurts, either!
What will my finances look like?
Evaluating relative costs of living is already at the top of the list for anyone buying homes during the last few years. If the COL inEvansville compares favorably with a prospect’s current address, it should be smooth sailing. If not, there may be overriding personal or professional reasons why your prospect is interested in the first place.
What special logistical hurdles are there?
What if, for instance, your perfect home cannot be ready by the mandatory moving date? Knowing local temporary housing and storage options can make an otherwise ‘impossible’ move eminently doable.
Buying homes in Evansville presents a special set of challenges for out-of-towners. Being sensitive to how important they can seem to a buyer can only ease their path to homeownership. If you are planning to make this wintera successful selling season, contact me today. I’ll be eager to share many other tips to help make your sale happen! You can reach me on my cell phone at 812-499-9234.
Thursday, December 20 2012
When you plan on getting a mortgage in Evansville anytime this winter, you’re fairly certain to run into something known as the GFE. It’s the acronym for ‘Good Faith Estimate’-- and despite the reassuring name, the federal government decided they had better make it mandatory (to me, the opposite of having much faith at all).
The GFE has a new format dictated by the federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act which requires lenders to provide an estimate of the charges and fees due at closing. Lenders have three days to make it available.
The GFE looks like a bill. It features a list of fees and charges denoted by three-digit codes. It is grouped into sections to make it more readable, and although at first glance the resulting grid looks overly complicated, after you scan through it once or twice, it actually makes sense. The reason it is a good idea is because of the number of charges that may or may not be on there. It prevents sudden last-minute cash flow surprises at closing.
Once you receive your GFE, you'll also receive a Truth in Lending (TIL) disclosure form. This gives you the annual percentage rate for your mortgage, taking into account mortgage insurance, discount points and other assorted fees.
The GFE is exactly what it says - an estimate. This isn’t so that the lender can suddenly raise the prices: there is a built-in variability to the various processes that truly cannot be guaranteed until the last ‘i’ is dotted and the last ‘t’ crossed. The figures quoted in a GFE can rise as much as 10 to 15 percent or more by closing…they can also fall. The GFE comes in quite handy when you’re getting a localmortgage because you can compare it with the final, see where any differences appear, and be assured that it all makes sense. If getting a mortgage meant waiting until closing to see what surprises appear, the moment would be much less appealing.
Getting a mortgage is an integral part of becoming a local homeowner. Understanding the costs at every step of the way is a big part of the decision-making process – it is just one of the services every one of my clients can be sure I will provide. Please call me if you have any questions. You can reach me on my cell phone at 812-499-9234.
Wednesday, December 19 2012
If you are a homeowner struggling with the decision about whether listing your home for sale during the winter months is good or bad, there are arguments for either choice.
Let’s start with the “pros”:
One of the best things I like about listing your home for sale in the winter months is that the holidays work to your advantage. Nothing says “home” better than a house that is well (and tastefully!) decorated for the holidays. By making sure the decorations accent the house rather than overpower it, you still funnel attention where it belongs: on your house!
Another plus that comes with listing your home in Evansville during the winter months is the logistical reasons that keep the proportion of non-serious “shoppers” from occupying your time. I find that the majority of those who are looking for homes during the winter months are disproportionally intent on actually buying a home.
On the other hand, some of those same logistical forces serve as counterarguments against listing your home during the winter. They are the same reasons many real estate agents tell their clients to wait until the spring to list. It’s true that there are fewer daylight hours for home viewings…not to mention spates of bad weather, and the greater chance that holiday travel will interfere with both buyer and seller schedules.
All in all, I think the arguments cancel each other out: I don’t advise you to allow the time of year to prevent you from listing your home in any season. If you are otherwise ready to sell your home this month or next, I say -- make the most of the season! Who knows – it has happened more than once that the right buyer is out there right now. I have marketing plans for homes that work every month of the year -- if you are ready to sell, I’d be delighted to help you launch your sale this holiday season!
Tuesday, December 18 2012
“High rental occupancy and rising rents” was how economic trend-watcher Kiplinger.com summed up 2012 – and as the nation counts down to the New Year, owners and future owners oflocalrental property are clearly anticipating more of the same. Experienced managers have some timely advice for first-time Evansville rental property owners as they prepare to lease in the coming year.
Rule #1 for attracting quality tenants, they say, is to be hard-nosed about offering a quality product. Rentals are hot, but that doesn’t mean a property will rent itself – especially when the goal is to attract the kind of conscientious tenant who means a trouble-free income stream.
Touch-up and trim renewal can be a quick, cost-conscious way to add appeal to any rental property. Restoration Hardware’s neutral palate (and Benjamin Moore’s counter-offering) are excellent sources for trim colors which breathe new life and visual interest into just about any décor.
Replacing older carpet is a more costly (though eventually inevitable) way to make a big difference in key first impressions; while simply polishing middle-aged hardware can revitalize an otherwise aged look.
Property managers also suggest replacing older appliances in the kitchen before they become failure-prone. Even where there is no budget for new cabinets and countertops, a little stainless steel can command a higher rent – and literally pay for itself.
Rental properties have been a hot topic for more than a year – but opportunities remain. Whether you are preparing to rent property you already own, or are simply weighing the prospects, the New Year promises to be a propitious time to look into our current Evansville rental property offerings. Sound interesting? Call me! You can call me on my cell phone
812-499-9234.
Monday, December 17 2012
By taking preventive measures before cold weather arrives, you can prevent freezing pipes and the costly damage that goes with them.
Where the trouble lies
"Some pipes are more prone to freezing than others because of their location in the home," explains Paul Abrams, spokesman for Roto-Rooter.
Pipes most at risk for freezing include:
- Exposed pipes in unheated areas of the home.
- Pipes located in exterior walls.
- Any plumbing on the exterior of the home.
Preventative measures for outside
A frozen garden hose can cause more damage than a busted hose; it can actually burst an interior pipe. When the water in the hose freezes, it expands, increasing pressure throughout the whole plumbing system. As part of your regular seasonal maintenance, garden hoses should be disconnected, drained, and stored before the first hard freeze.
If you don't have frost-proof spigots, close the interior shut-off valve leading to that faucet, open and drain the spigot, and install a faucet insulator. They cost only a couple bucks and are worth every penny. Don’t forget, outdoor kitchens need winterizing, too, to prevent damage.
Exposed interior plumbing
Exposed pipes in the basement are rarely in danger of freezing because they are in a heated portion of the home. But plumbing pipes in an unheated area, such as an attic, crawl space, and garage, are at risk of freezing.
Often, inexpensive foam pipe insulation is enough for moderately cold climates. For severe climes, opt for wrapping problem pipes with thermostatically controlled heat tape (from $50 to $200, depending on length), which will turn on at certain minimum temps.
Under-insulated walls
If pipes traveling in exterior walls have frozen in the past (tell-tale signs include water damage, mold, and moisture build-up), it’s probably because of inadequate or improperly installed insulation. It might well be worth the couple hundred dollars it costs to open up the wall and beef up the insulation.
"When nothing else works, say for a northern wall in a really cold climate, the last resort is to reroute a pipe," notes Abrams. Depending on how far the pipe needs to be moved — and how much damage is caused in the process — this preventative measure costs anywhere from $700 on up. Of course, putting the room back together is extra.
Heading south for the winter?
For folks leaving their houses for an extended period of time in winter, additional preventative measures must be taken to adequately protect the home from frozen pipes.
- Make sure the furnace is set no lower than 55 degrees.
- Shut off the main water supply and drain the system by opening all faucets and flushing the toilets.
In extreme situations (vacation home in a bitterly cold climate), Abrams recommends having a plumber come to inspect the system, drain the hot water heater, and perhaps replace the water in traps and drains with nontoxic antifreeze.
Source: http://members.houselogic.com/articles/prevent-freezing-pipes/preview/?nicmp=rcrnl&nichn=link4&niseg=122012
Friday, December 14 2012
Your home is probably your biggest investment. To manage it, create a financial plan that takes into account repairs, upgrades, mortgages, insurance, and taxes.
Use our home financial plan budget worksheet, and start by writing a list of expenses, such as:
- Home insurance, including liability
- Repairs and maintenance, such as new furnace, roof, painting
- Voluntary upgrades, such as a swimming pool, a premium range, a new powder room
What will you learn from this home financial plan weekend exercise?
- How much you have to spend
- How much you need to allot in the short- and long-term for necessary maintenance and voluntary improvements
With this newfound grip on your home’s expenses, you can create a home financial plan that’ll help you there for years with maximum enjoyment and minimum anxiety.
The mortgage: Pay it—and then some
Yup, you already shell out a lot for your mortgage, but can you pay more? Even a little extra each month can add up to an earlier payoff. Let’s say you have $200,000 in outstanding principal and a 20-year fixed-rate mortgage at 5%. Your monthly payment is $1,319.91. But if you can manage to pay another $100 a month, you’ll save $14,887 in interest.
Run the numbers yourself for your home financial plan.
Advantages of an early payoff, says Alan D. Kahn, a financial planner in Syosset, N.Y.:
- Less debt means more money to spend later.
- It feels darn good to own your house outright as soon as possible.
- Minimal tax loss. Toward the tail end of the life of a loan most of your payment goes to the principal, not the interest, so you’re getting only a small tax break anyway.
Of course, if you’re still saving for retirement, put the 100 bucks elsewhere:
- An account for the inevitable home repairs
- An account for discretionary improvements, which can raise your home’s value
Insurance: Protect your property
Your vegetable garden is pointless without a fence to keep out rabbits; likewise, your home financial plan will come to nothing without an insurance “fence”:
Homeowner’s insurance. Basic coverage for your home and everything in it. The average cost is $636 per year but this varies widely by state.
Liability coverage. Protects you from a lawsuit if someone gets hurt on your property, for example. Your best bet: An umbrella policy. For about $300 a year you can by a typical $1 million policy.
Various disaster insurance policies. Optional policies cover flood, earthquake, and hurricane damage. As part of your home financial plan, you have to research to see what disaster coverage, if any, you need in your area, and what your standard policy already covers. For $540 a year you can buy flood insurance, for example.
Don’t under- or overbuy insurance
For your basic policy, get homeowners insurance with full replacement coverage in case your house burns to the ground.
That sounds simple, but heads up on calculation. Remember that you own a house as well as the land on which it sits. So even though you bought your home for $300,000, it may cost only $100,000 to rebuild it. Your policy limits should reflect this. This difference will vary widely by region.
Another heads up: Don’t make the common and potentially disastrous mistake of thinking that because your home has fallen in value you need less insurance. If you bought a $1.2 million townhouse in Florida during the boom, it’s true it now may only sell for $600,000. But the replacement cost of the townhouse hasn’t changed much, so you can’t improve your home financial plan by cutting insurance costs that way.
Other ways to cut your insurance budget:
- If you make structural improvements, such as adding storm shutters, your insurer may give you a break.
- If you belong to certain groups, such as AARP or veterans’ organizations, your premiums may be lower.
Repairs and renovations: By choice or necessity
You own a home, so you’ll be spending money on everything from a new faucet to—surprise!—a new roof. Freddie Mac and other authorities say as part of your home financial plan, you should be prepared to spend 1% to 3% of the market value of the home annually on maintenance. To be extra-prudent, open a savings account and make regular payments until your account reaches 1% to 3% of your home’s current value.
To help you budget:
Start with the inspection report you received when you bought the house. Did the inspector indicate that you would need a new roof in five years? A new furnace in 10?
Keep a log of your major appliances’ age so you can estimate when they’ll need replacing. Some estimated life spans:
- Heating systems: 15-20 years
- Water heaters: 8- 13 years
Then get estimates on what replacements will cost and start saving.
Consider ongoing non-emergency maintenance, too. Do you live in New England? Price a snow blower and get bids from plow services.
Resist the siren call of the home equity loan to take care of everything. That just defeats your efforts to pay off the mortgage early.
Separate out what you want from what you need. A $50,000 kitchen remodel is nice, but you’ll recoup only 76% of the project cost your home’s resale, according to Remodeling magazine.
If you can afford to redo, go for it. Just don’t confuse your necessary repairs (new oil furnace—about $4,000) with your discretionary upgrades (Viking range—$6,000 and up).
Taxes: (Almost) no way around them
Even if your lender handles your property taxes from an escrow account, you need to budget for them in your home financial plan. They creep up almost every year, it seems. Take responsibility for tracking the changes in your area: Look over past tax bills to get a sense of how quickly they’ve risen in the past.
Or if your lender handles escrow and you haven’t saved your bills, ask for an accounting. The median annual property tax payment is $2,198, but that hides the enormous range in medians from state to state:
You can generally deduct property taxes on your federal return. A tax pro can tell you how much of a tax break you’ll get, to help you fine tune your home financial plan.
You may be able to reduce your tax burden by getting a reassessment. Do your homework first: Are comparable houses taxed less than yours? Ask the local assessor what formula is used to set tax rates. You can challenge the assessed value and get yourself a rollback.
If you’re in a special group, you might get some help from state or local programs. Check around to see what’s available in your area. New York State, for example, has its Star Program for giving senior citizens some relief from school-related property taxes.
Soyrce: http://members.houselogic.com/articles/home-financial-planning/preview/
Tuesday, December 11 2012
Regular home maintenance is key to preserving the value of your house and property.
“It’s the little things that tend to trip up people,” says Frank Lesh, former president of the American Society of Home Inspectors and owner of Home Sweet Home Inspection Co. in Chicago. “Some cracked caulk around the windows, or maybe a furnace filter that hasn’t been changed in awhile. It may not seem like much, but behind that caulk, water could get into your sheathing, causing mold and rot. Before you know it, you’re looking at a $5,000 repair that could have been prevented by a $4 tube of caulk and a half hour of your time.”
Maintenance affects property value
Outright damage to your house is just one of the consequences of neglected maintenance. Without regular upkeep, overall property values are affected.
“If a house is in worn condition and shows a lack of preventative maintenance, the property could easily lose 10% of its appraised value,” says Mack Strickland, a professional appraiser and real estate agent in Chester, Va. “That could translate into a $15,000 or $20,000 adjustment.”
In addition, a house with chipped, fading paint, sagging gutters, and worn carpeting faces an uphill battle when it comes time to sell. Not only is it at a disadvantage in comparison with other similar homes that might be for sale in the neighborhood, but a shaggy appearance is bound to turn off prospective buyers and depress the selling price.
“It’s simple marketing principles,” says Strickland. “First impressions mean a lot to price support.”
Prolonging economic age
To a professional appraiser, diligent maintenance doesn’t translate into higher property valuations the way that improvements, upgrades, and appreciation all increase a home’s worth. But good maintenance does affect an appraiser’s estimate of a property’s economic age—the number of years that a house is expected to survive.
Economic age is a key factor in helping appraisers determine depreciation—the rate at which a house is losing value. A well-maintained house with a long, healthy economic age depreciates at a much slower rate than a poorly maintained house, helping to preserve value.
Estimating the value of maintenance
Although professional appraisers don’t assign a positive value to home maintenance, there are indications that maintenance is not just about preventing little problems from becoming larger. A study by researchers at the University of Connecticut and Syracuse University suggests that maintenance actually increases the value of a house by about 1% each year, meaning that getting off the couch and heading outside with a caulking gun is more than simply a chore—it actually makes money.
“It’s like going to the gym,” says Dr. John P. Harding, Professor of Finance & Real Estate at UConn’s School of Business and an author of the study. “You have to put in the effort to see the results. In that respect, people and houses are somewhat similar—the older (they are), the more work is needed.”
Harding notes that the 1% gain in valuation usually is offset by the ongoing cost of maintenance. “Simply put,” he says, “maintenance costs money, so it’s probably best to say that the net effect of regular maintenance is to slow the rate of depreciation.”
How much does maintenance cost?
How much money is required for annual maintenance varies. Some years, routine tasks, such as cleaning gutters and changing furnace filters, are all that’s needed, and your total expenditures may be a few hundred dollars. Other years may include major replacements, such as a new roof, at a cost of $10,000 or more.
Over time, annual maintenance costs average more than $3,300, according to data from the U.S. Census. Various lending institutions, such as Directors Credit Union and LendingTree.com, agree, placing maintenance costs at 1% to 3% of initial house price. That means owners of a $200,000 house should plan to budget $2,000 to $6,000 per year for ongoing upkeep and replacements.
Proactive maintenance strategies
Knowing these average costs can help homeowners be prepared, says Melanie McLane, a professional appraiser and real estate agent in Williamsport, Pa. “It’s called reserve for replacements,” says McLane. “Commercial real estate investors use it to make sure they have enough cash on hand for replacing systems and materials.”
McLane suggests a similar strategy for homeowners, setting aside a cash reserve that’s used strictly for home repair and maintenance. That way, routine upkeep is a snap and any significant replacements won’t blindside the family budget. McLane’s other strategies include:
Play offense, not defense. Proactive maintenance is key to preventing small problems from becoming big issues. Take the initiative with regular inspections. Create and faithfully follow a maintenance schedule. If you’re unsure of what needs to be done, a $200 to $300 visit from a professional inspector can be invaluable in pointing out quick fixes and potential problems.
Plan a room-per-year redo. “Pick a different room every year and go through it, fixing and improving as you go,” says McLane. “That helps keep maintenance fun and interesting.”
Keep track. “Having a notebook of all your maintenance and upgrades, along with receipts, is a powerful tool when it comes to sell your home,” advises McLane. “It gets rid of any doubts for the buyer, and it says you are a meticulous, caring homeowner.” A maintenance record also proves repairs and replacements for systems, such as wiring and plumbing, which might not be readily apparent.
Source: http://members.houselogic.com/articles/value-home-maintenance/preview/
Monday, December 10 2012
It may be a little early to start putting the champagne on ice, but looking over last week’s releases of housing reports gives us a fairly good idea of how our local housing picture for the year 2012 is likely to end up.
“The housing recovery that started earlier in 2012 continues to gain momentum,” according to CoreLogic’s Chief Economist. The monthly data report covered final national numbers for October (a year-over-year rise of 6.3%) as well as a probable 7.1% increase for the month just ended.
CoreLogic was also “seeing an ongoing strengthening of the residential housing market” as well as “improving buyer demand.”
If CoreLogic’s take was not quite definitive enough to trigger an early break for the bubbly, there was additional news from the financial soothsayers. Seekingalpha.com stayed with its months-long view that “there are immediate long-term opportunities for homebuyers,” while Barron’s quoted RDQ Economics’ John Ryding’s pronouncement on the housing market: “the recovery is running ahead of our expectations…”
Meantime, the Wall Street Journal was blogging about the ‘Five Reasons Home Prices Have Been Rising’ – including favorable affordability, lowered levels of distressed sales, and rising rent levels. They also pointed to plunging inventories that “see more buyers chasing after fewer properties.”
Of course, the complete localhousing picture for the full year won’t be known until December is in the books. But considering how the year has treated us so far, we are very well ahead in sales for Southwest Indiana. This certainly is a good time to list homes as we have low inventories. Please call me if you are interested in listing your home. You can reach me on my cell phone at 812-499-9234.
Friday, December 07 2012
There are of course many, many different kinds of pests out there that want to get into your house. Depending on what part of the country you live in, its climate, and your own propensity for taking out the trash, you may end up dealing with a relatively benign infestation of easily squish-able ants or the repeated clawing of a possum looking to bust through the floor of your raised home for reasons only a possum knows. Below are eight things you can do to keep a broad range of unwanted critters outside of your home where they belong.
1 Seal your home:
Mice, rats, and cockroaches are just a few of the lovely visitors who can find their way into your home through the tiniest of cracks, including cracks in your foundation and between your walls and floors. Caulking, a foam sealant, or steel wool are all materials you can use to effectively seal up those cracks. As an added bonus, by sealing up your home you save energy, which in turn saves you money on the cost of heating or air conditioning your home.
2 Keep food in canisters:
Pests can get into food even when it’s shelved in cupboards that close and contained in its cardboard or plastic packaging. Hard canisters, either metal or plastic, are a great alternative for storing and keeping food fresh and deterring mice or cockroaches. As an added preventive measure, you should regularly wipe down any area where food is shelved and stored in your home.
3 Rake soil and mulch away from house:
To keep pests like termites and other insects out of your home, keep soil and mulch raked away from the structure of your house. Experts suggest you keep firewood at least 20 feet away from your home and five inches off the ground in order to deter termites. You should also keep your gutters cleaned out, your bushes trimmed back, and your lawn regularly mowed.
4 Clean under kitchen sink:
The space beneath your kitchen sink can be both moist and cluttered, which is a combination pests love. Take a half hour to remove all the stuff from beneath your sink and clean the area thoroughly. Check for leaks and be sure to seal up any cracks where a pest might enter.
5 De-clutter:
Pests love to hang out in piles of stuff, including newspapers, cardboard, and dirty clothes. Make it a project each season to do a serious cleaning of your home, throwing out or better yet recycling stuff that has piled up over the months. If you discover droppings as a result of your cleaning, you’ve got pests and may need to call an exterminator.
6 Vacuum:
Vacuuming regularly ultimately won’t get rid of an infestation of fleas or bedbugs, but as a preventive measure, it’s extremely effective and only costs whatever you end up paying for the electricity you use. To make sure any pests you sucked up don’t return to your environment, after each vacuum, be sure the empty the vacuum bag outside.
7 Clean and plug drains:
When water subsides in the sewers, cockroaches, sometimes euphemistically referred to as “water bugs,” can find their way into your home by climbing up out of your drain. Keeping your drains clean is a smart thing to do regardless, and doing so will also help deter these unwanted visitors. Try using a combination of baking soda and vinegar to clear and clean your drains, and use a chemical product like Drano just once a month. When not in use, keep those drains plugged!
8 Call an exterminator:
Keep in mind that some pests are just impossible to eradicate without professional help. If you own a home, consulting with and hiring an exterminator is a good investment, especially in areas of the country where termites are prevalent. A good exterminator will closely inspect your home for pests and treat it accordingly, depending on what evidence he or she finds of an infestation.
Thursday, December 06 2012
Decorating homes and businesses is a long-standing tradition around the holiday season. Unfortunately, these same decorations may increase your chances of fire. Based on data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 250 home fires involving Christmas trees and another 170 home fires involving holiday lights and other decorative lighting occur each year. Together, these fires resulted in 21 deaths and 43 injuries.
Following a few simple fire safety tips can keep electric lights, candles, and the ever popular Christmas tree from creating a tragedy. Learn how to prevent a fire and what to do in case a fire starts in your home. Make sure all exits are accessible and not blocked by decorations or trees. Help ensure that you have a fire safe holiday season.
Christmas Trees
What’s a traditional Christmas morning scene without a beautifully decorated tree? If your household includes a natural tree in its festivities, take to heart the sales person’s suggestion – “Keep the tree watered.”
Christmas trees account for hundreds of fires annually. Typically, shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters or matches start tree fires. Well-watered trees are not a problem. A dry and neglected tree can be.
Selecting a Tree for the Holidays
Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needles should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long and, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.
Caring for Your Tree
Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
Disposing of Your Tree
Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.
Source: fema.gov
Tuesday, December 04 2012
Here are six tips to get great Christmas tree lights.
Your Christmas tree can look grand if you follow these six tips for holiday lights from Mary Beth Gotti, director of the GE Lighting & Electrical Institute:
- Know your lights. If you’re buying new lights, make sure they’re compatible with your existing light strings.
- Unsure how many lights you need for your tree? Figure 100 to 150 lights per vertical foot of the tree.
- Use LED holiday lights on your tree. LED holiday lights use up to 80% less energy and are cooler than traditional incandescent lights.
- Add movement. Want that snowflake display to sparkle or your eight tiny reindeer to trot? Give the illusion of movement with color changing lights. Many options are available, including twinkling, chasing, and fade-in, fade-out styles. Check into cascading icicles with a circuit that gives off a melting effect.
- Mix lighting styles. To make holiday lighting stand out, pair strings of different sized lights together to add depth to decor. On the tree, set a base of white lights at the bottom and continue upward, adding strands of large bulbs and novelty lights for color and variety.
- Find inspiration. Every year, thousands of tree lighting ceremonies take place all over the country. Draw ideas from these magical designs.
Source: GE Lighting & Electrical Institute
Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/news/lighting/6-tips-terrific-holiday-lights/#ixzz2E6T0M16a
Monday, December 03 2012
With the rancorous elections finally behind us and localproperty prices on the rise, public sentiment is markedly improving. Last week, Neilson released its Consumer Confidence Survey, now showing the strongest level in more than four and a half years.
My guess is that 2012 will likely mark the year that holiday tipping makes a comeback, too. “People are more generous this year because when the economy gets better, people do better.” is what international etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore had to say. The founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach added, “They tend to be happier around the holiday time.”
That’s true outside of Palm Beach, too: many Evansville homeowners who felt forced to become latter day Scrooges during the previous few years may be feeling slightly less anxious about the future of the family budget. Those who feel they want to thank the people who help run their households and maintain their property will, as usual, run into the perpetual query: what’s enough? What’s too much?
Like gift giving in general, tipping is totally optional – if there were hard-and-fast rules, part of the pleasure of giving (and receiving) would be lost. Nevertheless, I thought I would share these guidelines I came across in a story on Yahoo! Finance:
Garbage Collector
Suggested Tip: $15 to $30
Beautician
Suggested Tip: Cost of One Session
Dog Walker
Suggested Tip: One Week's Pay
Extracurricular Instructors
Suggested Tip: Creative Gift
Landscaper/Gardener
Suggested Tip: Cost of One Visit
Personal Trainer
Suggested Tip: Cost of One Session
Mail/Package Delivery
Suggested Tip: Gift
Teacher
Suggested Tip: Gift/Gift Cards
Favorite Real Estate Blogger
Suggested Tip: Your Next Listing
(Okay, I might have added that last one). But with property values on the rise, if you are considering buying a home this winter, you needn’t let the holidays delay your plans. Sometimes the best time to buy a property in Evansville is when everyone else is out shopping!
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