Combat the Summer Heat With These Preventative Measures

Summer is here, and it brings with it a lot of heat, making it necessary to keep your home cool and comfortable.

However, before you break your bank, you can take precautionary measures to keep your home cool and save on the power bill. Cooling your home can be challenging during those hot, sweltering months. This blog post outlines some preventative measures to effectively beat the summer heat in your home.

Utilize Ceiling Fans
Utilizing ceiling fans can be a smart and economical decision when trying to keep cool during summer the air in your home; ceiling fans create a refreshing breeze and insulation layer that can help maintain a comfortable temperature even in the midst of scorching heat. Remember to set your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise, as this will create a cooling effect in your rooms. With this simple step, you can easily reduce your dependence on air conditioning and save money on energy bills while staying cool and comfortable all season.

Invest in Shades, Blinds or Curtains
When summer reaches its peak, shielding your windows from sunlight with shades, blinds, or curtains can be a lifesaver. These window treatments can significantly reduce the amount of heat entering your home, keeping it cooler and more comfortable. During the hottest hours of the day, it's best to keep your shades, blinds, or curtains closed to reduce the sun's heat. This investment will help improve your overall living conditions and save on energy costs since your air conditioning unit won't have to work as hard to keep up.

Plant Trees and Shrubs
Planting trees and shrubs around your house can provide many benefits beyond simply sprucing up your landscaping. These plants can act as natural cooling systems by creating cooler temperatures and providing shade from the sun's direct heat. In fact, studies have shown that plants can be even more effective at cooling than human-made cooling systems. Placing trees and shrubs around your home can save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.

Get Your AC Serviced
Keeping your home cool during the warm summer months is crucial, but it can be difficult to achieve if your air conditioner isn't running smoothly. By neglecting to get ac service to your unit, you risk losing efficiency, which can lead to higher energy bills and discomfort in your own home. Preventative maintenance is key in preventing costly repairs in the future. By hiring a professional to check and service your air conditioner before temperatures rise, you can ensure that your unit operates optimally when you need it most.

Seal Windows and Doors
Another essential step to reduce heat and humidity in your house is to properly seal your windows and doors. Check if there are any cracks or gaps and seal them to prevent hot air infiltration. This will keep your air conditioning system functioning at optimal capacity, reducing the energy bill, and keeping your home cool and comfortable.

Beating the summer heat can be challenging, but with preventative measures like investing in shades, blinds, and curtains, utilizing ceiling fans, planting trees and shrubs around your home, and getting your AC serviced regularly, you can keep your home cool and comfortable throughout the hot summer months. Following these steps will not only make it easier to stay cool and comfortable, but it will also help save money on your energy bills. So take proactive measures now to beat the summer heat in your home.

If the Housing Market Is Down, Why Do Bidding Wars and Offers Over the List Price Abound?

The housing market is supposed to have cooled down. So why are there still bidding wars and homes selling for more than the asking price?

It’s true that the housing market has cooled down—tremendously—from the madness that permeated that desperate hunt for real estate during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, adorable, turnkey homes in desirable locations are still receiving multiple offers and often selling for a premium.

Opposite things can be true at the same time.

The run-up in mortgage interest rates thinned out the ranks of buyers. But the higher rates also scared off many would-be home sellers, many of whom are buyers as well. That’s resulted in many more buyers than there are properties for sale. So every time a move-in ready home with curb appeal in a good school district goes up for sale, buyers pounce. Those homes are selling briskly with plenty of competition.

What’s not selling nearly as well: homes that are eyesores, need some work, are in less popular locations, or are overpriced. Buyers either can’t afford or aren’t willing to pay extra to upgrade these properties. They’re grappling with significantly more expensive monthly mortgage payments, which are about 79% larger* than those of homeowners who bought two years ago.

So first-time buyers seeking a turnkey home in a great community need to have a strategy in place if they want to be competitive.

1. Know your local market

Forget about what’s happening in the national housing market. Focus on what’s going on locally. It doesn’t matter if home prices are falling in one region of the country if they’re rising in yours.

See how long homes are staying on the market in the communities where you would like to live, including those gorgeous turnkey houses. Are they selling for over, at, or under the asking price? Pore over the comps of comparable homes that have sold. Your real estate agent should know if this is a market where you need to waive contingencies and kick in a high down payment to have an offer accepted—or if you can ask the seller to cover your closing costs.

Having this information can help you to figure out how much to offer, what to ask for, and what you might need to concede.

2. Get pre-approved for a mortgage

I’ve heard countless stories of folks who just wanted to see what was out there and visit a few open houses before deciding if they wanted to buy a home. Inevitably, they fall in love with one of those properties. However, they haven’t been pre-approved for a mortgage, so they’re not sure if their credit scores are high enough to get a loan. So they lose the home to one of the six other offers the seller received from pre-approved buyers.

Save yourself the heartache and get pre-approved for a mortgage before you start attending open houses. This critical step will also help you home in on the price range that you can comfortably afford.

3. Find a real estate agent you trust

Your real estate agent is your guide through this unfamiliar, emotional, and extremely stressful process.

It’s important that you find someone you trust with helping you make what might be the largest purchase of your life—one that you might spend the next 30 years paying off.

Get recommendations from friends, check online reviews, and make sure they have worked with buyers in a similar price range in the areas where you’re looking. Make sure this is someone who you’re comfortable with spending the next few months, or however long it takes, to find a home.

If your agent pressures you to put in offers on homes that you aren’t sure are right for you or offer more than you can afford, or simply doesn’t take your concerns seriously, find someone else.

Related Links

• Real Estate Market Update

• Property Taxes Explained by a former County Appraiser!

• How to Make Hummingbird Nectar

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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How to Make Hummingbird Nectar

In a few easy steps, you can bring these nectar-loving birds to your feeder.

by the Audubon Society

Hummingbirds may be some of the smallest birds in the world, but fluttering those tiny wings can be quite a workout. Flapping away at up to 90 beats per second burns up calories fast; to maintain their momentum, hummingbirds need to eat—a lot! To satisfy their speedy metabolisms, these busy birds consume half their body weight in bugs and nectar, feeding every 10-15 minutes and visiting 1,000-2,000 flowers per day.
You can help these hardworking foragers get the nutrients they need by providing them with their favorite post-workout meal—nectar. This hummingbird sweet treat can be made right at home with a few simple ingredients. By filling your feeder with this DIY delight, you can complement nectar-rich plants and watch these beautiful little birds feed and flitter all day.
Materials:
• 1/4 cup refined white sugar
• 1 cup boiling water
• Bowl
• Spoon
Note: Please do not substitute honey, which can promote dangerous fungal growth, or use red food coloring, which is not necessary and could also prove harmful to birds.Steps:
1. Mix sugar and boiling water until sugar is dissolved.
2. Cool and fill feeder.
3. Hang up your feeder outside and wait for the hummingbirds to come.
***
You Can Help! Attract hummingbirds naturally by planting nectar-bearing native plants in your yard or community.

Related Links

• Real Estate Market Update

• Property Taxes Explained by a former County Appraiser!

• 5 Reasons Millennials Are Buying Homes

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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Real Estate Market Update

by Nick DiPasquale

The housing market continues to favor sellers, and that will likely remain the case for the foreseeable future.

For buyers, the market remains highly competitive. Low inventory and high demand are leading to bidding wars and higher home prices, as well as an increase in multiple offer situations and a sharp decline in days on market from February to March.

However, numbers across the board show the market is cooler than this time last year, when interest rates were much lower. Higher interest rates will always have a significant effect on the market, both impacting buying power and keeping homeowners, most of whom are paying much lower rates on their current mortgage, in their homes unless they have to move.

Expect activity to continue gaining momentum, even in the slower areas, over the next several months, as March through July is the seasonal busy period for the housing market. Interest rates will temper that, though, and keep us below the craziness we experienced in the past few years.

This post-pandemic housing market is starting to look more like it did prior to 2020, but will continue to present things we have not seen before. While some have predicted a market correction or downtick, the market has shown an historic resilience, even from the greatest fluctuations in the market.

Navigating through it all successfully will come down to knowledge, creativity and lots of patience. This starts with having a great team of trusted advisors around you — from your financial advisor to your lender to your Realtor.

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If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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How To Maintain Your Plumbing and Avoid Costly Repair Bills

A plumbing system is a complex network of pipes, fixtures, and valves that all work together to bring you clean water and dispose of your wastewater.

Although this system is designed to last, it can become damaged or worn over time due to age, wear and tear, or even just poor maintenance. Fortunately, there are some simple steps that homeowners can take to extend the life of their plumbing system and avoid costly repair bills down the line. 

Check for Leaks Regularly
Leaky pipes are one of the most common causes of water damage in homes and can be extremely expensive to repair. The best way to avoid leaks in your plumbing system is to check for them on a regular basis. Look under sinks, around toilets, and behind appliances for any signs of moisture or water damage. If you do find a leak, it's important to call a professional plumber as soon as possible to help you identify the source and make repairs.

Clean Out Drains Regularly
Clogged drains are another common problem in many homes. To prevent clogs from forming in your plumbing system, make sure you clean out your drains regularly using an enzyme-based drain cleaner or hot water mixed with baking soda or vinegar. This will help keep debris from building up in the pipes and causing major clogs down the line. It's also important to never put grease down your kitchen sink as this can solidify inside your pipes and cause major blockages over time.

Inspect Exposed Pipes Occasionally
Inspecting exposed pipes occasionally is one of the best ways to ensure that they remain in good condition over time. Look closely at any exposed pipes for signs of corrosion, rusting, or other damage, such as cracks or leaks. If you notice anything unusual, it's important to call a professional plumber right away before small issues become big ones! And don't forget about your water heater—check it regularly for rusting or any other signs that it needs replacing. 

Maintaining a healthy plumbing system doesn’t have to be difficult - but it does require some regular attention from homeowners! Taking proactive steps like checking for leaks regularly, cleaning out drains often, and inspecting exposed pipes occasionally will go a long way toward extending the life of your plumbing system - saving you time and money in the long run! So don’t forget: when it comes to plumbing maintenance, prevention is always better than cure!

Get more on RISMedia.

Related Links

• What’s the Difference Between a Home Inspection and an Appraisal?

• Got a tax refund? 6 Home Improvements Will Level Up Your Living (and Help Sell Your House)

• The Three Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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