Energy efficient homes don’t end with the structural and interior elements.  One of the most important factors to operating a more energy efficient home is the landscaping around it.  Not to mention that landscaping is more of a long term plan that one day will affect the re-sale value of the home.  It’s a topic we’re familiar with this time of year, as we make our trips (and more trips) to the local home improvement stores looking for that ideal combination of plants, shrubs, trees, and grasses. With the summer months approaching, we’ll soon be looking at cooling costs that air conditioners …

Just like auto mechanics, dentists, plumbers, financial planners, electricians, attorneys, hair dressers, tailors, Realtors ... you name it: home inspectors are human just like any other service provider.  Some are really good, some are not so good, and some are bad.  Luckily word of mouth typically drives the bad service providers out of the marketplace … but not always. There are a few universal truths about homes and home inspections: There is no perfect house. There is nothing that can’t be fixed for a cost. It is the parts of the house that you can’t see that you need to worry about the …

Staging a house for sale comes in many shapes and forms.  But it is always about making your house more visually appealing to homebuyers – highlighting the positives and minimizing the negatives.   While some staging jobs can cost thousands of dollars, many homes can get adequately staged for little or no cost. But the payoff at sale can be huge.  Time and again, a well-staged home will typically sell faster and closer to list price than comparable homes that don’t show as well. Here are some of the key elements of staging: Simply de-clutter, clean and organize.  This is the singular most …

Whether you’re buying or renting, the search for a house in different towns can take a toll on you. Driving and trying to figure out where to go at the same time is enough as it is. A GPS is a good thing to have with you. Like the one on your Smartphone or tablet, such as an iPad. These devices let you download apps, some of them free, to help you navigate the best route in search of three things: homes for sale or rent and open houses.  Many of these apps feature the ability to pinpoint distances to parks, libraries, train stations, and restaurants from the each location where you end up …

Every home has a predominant odor (sometimes there are competing odors) and most homeowners are so used to the odor(s), that they cannot perceive it. However, according to researchers at UC Berkeley, it takes less than 100 milliseconds for a person walking into a new environment to determine if an odor is pleasant or unpleasant.  But it then takes a few seconds for a person to determine the nature of the odor (i.e.: sour, sweet, musty) and typically, many people cannot correctly identify an odor. They just simply know if they like it or if they don’t. In our opinion, these are the top ten …

Happy Spring to all!  March was no lion, only a wee lamb, but none-the-less it is officially the vernal equinox.  Many people have already begun to clear their garages, sheds, basements, and storage bins of unwanted clutter.  Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a dirty word though.  Just in time comes news from Montgomery County regarding their annual post of dates to recycle and dispose of household hazardous waste (HHW) and electronics.  This popular program is provided as a service to county residents.  It helps us to properly dispose of the leftover hazardous material sitting around our …

Let’s face it.  The economy is tough these days.  Prices of everything seem to be spiraling upward.  Gas, food, utilities… and in many households, the income is not keeping up with the expenses.  Here are a few ways to help at least preserve some of your discretionary income: Refinance – if you haven’t considered this recently and plan to be in your home for the next few years, it may be well worth your time to explore refinancing.  Interest rates are at all-time lows with buyers and homeowners getting 30 year fixed rates of 3.85 – 4.0 percent.  There is no better hedge against inflation than…

If you’ve been watching the evening news or reading Patch.com, you probably have heard tidbits of the tug of war between town residents and Wawa Corporation on proposed new stores next to neighborhoods.  It’s currently happening in Hatboro and Cherry Hill, NJ.  So, how do these retail entities really affect the value of residential real estate?  Many of the residents in both of these towns have voiced how they will be affected by noise and traffic next to a non-stop 24-7, 365-day business.  The strongest opinions usually come from the neighbors whose homes abut the property that Wawa is …

The real estate market is showing signs of heating up, slowly.  The number of showings on properties actively listed for sale is increasing, as well as phone and internet requests for more information on homes in the area.  Also, a greater number of people are preparing for to buy (meeting with mortgage professional).  In talking with other local agents and mortgage brokers, the pulse of the market was unanimously, “getting warmer” and “picking up”.  Offers are being generated, and on occasion, competing offers are being presented.  Can spring be in the air early this year?  The housing …

Every year we witness a similar phenomenon: Showings on listings quiet down at Thanksgiving and then increase after the Super Bowl.  So while football season may be over, the spring real estate market is just getting started. Buyers often put their searches on hold for the holidays saying they will start up again after New Year’s.  But in real estate, New Year’s equates to the Super Bowl.  Maybe it is the cold, the short days, the resolutions, or the recovering financially from the holidays; I think the “real” reason some buyers seem to take January off is that during the football playoff …

You’ve heard good real estate agents talk about how to prep your home to get it sold, how the first physical visit by a prospective buyer is actually the “second” showing, if it was marketed correctly on the internet with high quality photos, photos and more photos, how condition of the home is as important as location in today’s market.  So if you’re a seller and you’ve completed this check list, what is the next key element?  That would be: making your home as available as possible for showings to buyers.  If the house can’t be shown, it won’t be sold and will linger, adding to days on …

The “Great Recession” has brought a wave of practicality to home buying.  Smaller homes and “green” homes are hugely popular.  As the cost of living seems to be soaring, buyers are looking for affordability and want lower mortgage payments, lower utility bills, and less maintenance/upkeep.  Functionality is still key as buyers adapt to smaller homes.  And outdoor living/entertaining spaces are more popular than ever.  Here is a sampling of what will be popular with homebuyers in the coming year: What’s Hot Spaces, Not Rooms:  Buyers still love open floor plans and spaces that can serve …

What’s the real estate market been doing over the last three months (not counting January, of course)?  Well, according to the statistics compiled by Trend, the Multiple Listing Service, Montgomery County as a whole had more sales in the last quarter of 2011 than it did a year ago during the same time period.  To be exact, there were 1,633 homes sold from October to December 2011. That’s a 7.2 percent increase.  The supply of homes on the market decreased by 12.3 percent during the last quarter compared to the previous year, and it took on average 127 days to sell a home.  The time it took to…

Now, more than ever, buyers are looking first and foremost for a deal.  The longer a home sits on the market, the greater the tendency for buyers to offer lower prices.  It’s only logical.  Even on Day 1, most buyers will want to offer less than the asking price.  But if a house has been on the market for months, there is no doubt buyers will tend to offer prices at much steeper discounts. The real question is, “Does a longer time on market effect the ultimate selling price of a home and, if so, by how much?” The attached graph shows data collected from Montgomery County home sales in 2011 …

Oh, the weather outside is frightful … oops, I still have holiday music floating around in my head. Maybe that’s because it is getting seasonably cold compared to the warm spells we had in December.  Our home heaters will be tested this week, however, with the forecast looking mighty chilly.  If you’re like me, I don’t often think of these things until the weather changes.  There are a few things you as a home owner can do to improve the performance of your heating system while other things should be left to a professional heating contractor.  Here are a few things you can do yourself: …

There are a lot of things that affect real estate: the overall economy, how people feel about their personal situations, interest rates, the willingness of banks to lend money, and housing prices to name a few. The good news is right now is the most affordable houses have been in the last decade.  Consider these facts: Housing prices in Montgomery County:  In January 2011, 356 homes sold for an average price of $291,870.  In November 2011 (final numbers are not out for December), 516 homes sold for an average price of $290,130.  Sales are up without a significant drop in values. Interest …

The holidays are the perfect time to expect the unexpected visitors.  Your aunt happens to be in the area and wants to drop off some presents for your kids.  Your in-laws have a plumbing problem and want to switch dinner from their house to your house.  Your husband invites everyone from the office Christmas party back to your house. It is not that different than accommodating a last minute showing request.  So the strategy we offer sellers would be the same to use if you are suddenly unexpectedly expecting company.  We know how hard it is to keep your home in showing condition (aka visitor …

While you’re making a list and checking in twice during the holidays, consider some of the national and local data on housing prices and interest rates.  You just might say, its time to shop ... for a house or investment property.  Did you know that in many cities across the country the monthly cost of owning a home is more affordable now than at any time in the last 15 years?  And, on top of that, owning is less expensive than renting?  This is because home prices have fallen and interest rates are low (around 4 percent and sometimes lower), while rent prices have increased.  A recent …

Not too long ago, I was attending a home inspection with the buyers for a house under contract.  While in the front yard looking at the foundation, one of our buyers reached down into a flower bed and pulled a statue of St. Joseph out of the ground.  "Look at this! It is St. Joseph," she proclaimed.  She smiled as she carefully put the statue back where she found it. Now I will admit, I am Catholic, I know all about the saints, and I have seen first-hand the power of prayer in creating "miracles."  I have a ton of faith, but I am no holy roller.  I believe more in the theory that "God helps …

It's Thanksgiving week!  Time to clean the house and get your food shopping done if you’re hosting, in my opinion, the best holiday of the year!  Time to make a big turkey dinner for friends and relatives, who also may be staying in your home for a few days!  Let the fun times begin.  Did you ever stop to think how much water you use on a daily basis, not to mention when you have additional people in your home?  Did you know that we use 69.3 gallons per day in the typical single family home?  Washing machines and dishwashers account for most of the water use, followed by a close third is the …