Property maintenance is not the headache many folks make it out to be. It’s true a house or an apartment needs to be maintained to ensure small problems don’t become big ones. But it’s not going to take over your life! Most owners will keep a casual eye on the state of their property or…
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If there is one golden rule that owners selling their home should know, it’s this: first impressions count. Buyers have been known to drive to a home or apartment complex but then keep on going because they simply didn’t like what they saw. Complaints stemming from a poor first impression are numerous – untidy yard,…
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With summer finally here, we’re about to begin our annual vigil against pests that are determined to claim squatting rights in our cupboards, the cracks in the tile grout and anywhere else they can find shelter. When preparing your home for sale, the last thing you want any buyer to see is a line of…
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Do you ever stand in the middle of the kitchen, stretching out crumpled plastic film that’s been used for food packaging to see if you can recycle it? As much as we all want to “save the planet”, it’s not always easy. Sometimes, the packaging is clearly marked as recyclable, other times not so much.…
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One of the most important elements of a buoyant real estate market is the participation of first-time buyers. They are the bedrock on which home values continue to grow. If there is less demand at the entry-level end of the market, everyone else suffers. The good news is that property portal Realtor.com is reporting that…
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As we prepare to celebrate July 4, it’s not well-recognized that the Vote for Independence was in fact two days earlier on July 2, and it took Congress those intervening 48 hours to create and make a public statement explaining the decision. It was Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence that effectively declared our separation…
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There are many myths in real estate. One favorite is that only spring and summer are good times to sell. This is absolutely not true, of course. There’s never a bad season to upsize or downsize. The only criteria should be when your own personal circumstances align so a property transaction makes sense in your…
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An intriguing article has been published on the popular real estate website Realtor.com, claiming mortgage lenders are checking the social media profiles of prospective clients. It says lenders are seeking out information on the professional side of your life, trying to substantiate your work history and make a judgment on your track record as an…
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Government data shows Americans are leaving expensive coastal cities and heading back inland for cheaper property and increasing job opportunities. According to US Census Bureau data, an estimated 39% of our population are now living in heartland America, an increase of 2.65% from four years ago. This trend could be important if you’re a property…
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Conventional thinking suggests we all love a neat and tidy garden – flowerbeds are organised and weed-free, hedges clipped, roses in bloom and trees shaped to perfection. When selling your home, this is the perfect philosophy to attract the greatest number of potential buyers. Of course, it’s not the only approach to gardening. An increasing…
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