5 Tips On How To Get Your Dream Home

 Buying a home is an exciting life-changing event. There are so many things to consider from the perfect location to the perfect house. Here are five factors to consider when searching for a home.

1. Take Cost of Living Into Consideration

Different areas in your state or the country may cost more or cost less to live in. These costs include housing, food, utilities, healthcare, and transportation. You need to take this into consideration because this change in funds can affect the purchase price of your new home. There are tons of ways to research the cost of living in different areas.

2. Find a Suitable Climate

Consider weather conditions that you and your family will be comfortable in. You may never get snow where you live, but getting snow all winter might not adapt well to your living situation. Someone from the northwest might not like the warmer humid longer summers in the southeast.

3. Determine What’s Within Walking Distance

Many enjoy a walkable neighborhood where you can walk to eat, live and play. There are tons of ways to research the walkability report of a community that you are interested in. Before you choose a community, walk around it yourself to get a feel for the neighborhood.

4. Know If You Want Turnkey or a Fixer-Upper

Some homebuyers are great at DIY and others are not. Many want to put their stamp on the home in more ways than just designing a nice new home. Many homeowners love an old homes charm and character while others love the newness of new construction.

5. Figure Out the Financing

This is a super important step to take when it comes to buying a home. Both a lender and a realtor can help you with what type of mortgage is best for you. Remember that you will need a big chunk of change for closing costs and a down payment.

If you are thinking of purchasing a home, choose a realtor. A realtor can help you purchase a home and find the right home that would be perfect for you.

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November Sees the Largest Drop In Mortgage Rates Since 1981

 According to reports, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was down 7.8% from the beginning of November 2022. Freddie Mac says this is the largest drop since 1981.“While the decline in mortgage rates is welcome news, there is still a long road ahead for the housing market,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Inflation remains elevated, the Federal Reserve is likely to keep interest rates high and consumers will continue to feel the impact.”

Inflation does appear to be easing up according to the Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index which reported that prices rose slower than predicted in October 2022. Even though interest rates are not directly changed by inflation, it does play a part. Mortgage rates are based on the track of the yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds.

“The 10-year Treasury dropped from 4.15% last Wednesday to 3.68%, as capital markets seemed to cheer the slowdown in inflation as a sign that the Federal Reserve’s monetary tightening is having its intended effect,” said George Ratiu, Realtor.com’s manager of economic research.

“Signs of slowing inflation pushed mortgage rates below 7% for the first time since mid-October, but with rates still relatively high and affordability correspondingly reduced, the average loan amount is now at its lowest level in nearly two years,” said Bob Broeksmit, president and CEO of the MBA.

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Ways to Upgrade Your Bathroom

 When it comes to bathrooms, they are one of the most popular spaces to update in your home. A bathroom can be renovated within all budgets. They say renovating a bathroom is one of the most cost-effective ways to update your home. Here are some remodeling ideas for most any budget.

Maximize Natural Light

An open and bright space is always in style. Letting in the natural light will not only give you free lightning, it will also lower your electric bill. How do you do this in a bathroom without compromising privacy? A perfect way is to install a skylight or use tempered or stained glass in place of regular window panes.

Improve Bathroom Ventilation

Bathroom ventilation is very important as it will help reduce water vapor in the space. Proper ventilation will ensure the water goes away quickly after a hot shower. If water stays in the space for too long, it will cause water damage and mold issues. If your bathroom does not have one, install a bathroom exhaust fan. A bathroom exhaust fan will take care of excess moisture and import indoor air quality.

Swap Out Old Flooring

Depending on your budget great flooring for a bathroom can be marble in a high-end remodel or mosaic bathroom tiles in a more budget-friendly remodel. If you are redoing your floors, maybe add heated floors as a good way to stay warm on cold winter days. Be mindful that installing heated floors is not for DIY but should be installed by a professional.

Freshen Up Your Bathroom Walls

This is a simple yet dramatic way to give your bathroom a new look. A current way to create a striking look is by using geometric wall tiles, adding an oversized painted mural or using patterned wallpaper. Changing the bathroom wall color simply by repainting is another good option.

Incorporate Built-In Shelves

Including built-in storage in a bathroom is a no-brainer! Add things like a recessed medicine cabinet or built-in shower shelves. These will give a great option for storage in this small space.

Update Shower Walls & Floors

Tile has always been a popular choice for flooring and shower walls. To make a bathroom more modern, many are choosing to remove fiberglass shower enclosures. If you have a shower with a shower curtain, changing to a nice glass door is also a way to spruce up the space.

Include a Shower Bench

A custom built-in shower bench can give your walk-in shower an awesome focal point. This is a great way to make sure your bathroom has that luxury touch.

Put in Low-Flow Fixtures

These are a great way to make sure your bathroom is environmentally friendly. Installing a low-flow faucet, shower head, and toilet means you will use a lot less water than you would with traditional fixtures.

Repurpose a Dresser Into A Vanity

This is a good way to save money but looks like you spent a lot on a renovation. There are many DIY remodeling ideas online such as upcycling an old dresser to make a nice bathroom vanity. You can personalize the item with a certain color and your choice of hardware. For a bonus, create a double vanity for extra space.

All these tips are perfect to make your bathroom look and run efficiently. If you are worried about any effect it will have on the resale of your home, contact a local Realtor who can help you determine the best ways to create your dream bathroom.

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5 Ways To Boost Your Homes Appraisal Value

 Pearl Certification, a market-based firm approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), just released a study that focused on home sale prices across four large US markets. The study shows that certified high-performance homes could get a 4.75% sales premium. Here are five high-performing upgrades that can increase your home’s appraisal value.

Seal Your Building Shell

Your home’s building shell is the first line of defense between the outdoor elements and your cozy living space. In order to have the building shell at its peak performance, you need to use air sealing around the bathroom and kitchen pipes, ductwork, electrical outlets, windows, doors, and your attic and basement or crawlspace. A good way to make sure your home’s shell is up to par is to do a whole home energy audit with a blower door test.

Upgrade Doors and Windows

Making sure all of your doors and windows are ENERGY STAR® certified is the first step. Using these will stop the drafts that seep into your home through doors and windows. In fact, having these can reduce your bill by 12% on average. The National Association of Realtors says that steel and fiberglass doors have around the same ROI, vinyl windows have a slightly higher ROI than wood windows.

Install High-Efficiency HVAC Systems

Your HVAC system can have a major impact on your utility bills and your home’s inside environment. “Don’t go for the standard or minimum efficiency model. For a high-performance home, choose the highest efficiency model in your price range,” says Woody Fincham, a professional appraiser who specializes in high-performance homes.

According to the Department of Energy, a heat pump model can help reduce electric bills up to 50%! You want to choose the right system for the climate you live in. A heat pump is not necessarily the choice for a homeowner in Florida.

Opt for ENERGY STAR® Appliances and Water Heaters

Again, ENERGY STAR® appliances and water heaters are the best choices for your home. They are considered a high home asset for homes on the market. A heat pump water heater uses 70% less energy than one that is not certified. “One certified appliance won’t add much to your home’s value,” Fincham says. “But if everything is certified? That definitely helps.”

Install Smart Home Technology

Smart homes are very common nowadays and are great for your home’s resale. They are one of the most attention-attracting assets for your home. In a 2021 survey done by Security.org, out of those homebuyers surveyed, 78% said that they would pay more for a home with smart technology.

Remember these upgrades are all nice, but you can only decide which upgrades are right for your home. If you want to make sure you are on the right track, contact a local Realtor who can help you with what will increase the value of your home.

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Top Ways to Winterize Your Home

 Winter can be a very harsh environment for your home. Your home has to work very hard to keep the inside cozy and perfect for those cold winter nights. Here are the top things you should do to winterize your house for the winter.

1. Clean your gutters — but be careful!

This can be a hard and tricky job so you need to be careful. You want to make sure your gutters are clear and clean of any debris to get ready for rain, snow or ice. You will want to clean out all of the leaves, twigs and dirt so that the ice or rain will not clog your gutters. Clogged gutters can not only harm your gutters but also your roof. This job includes using a ladder so if you are not comfortable hire a professional.

2. Inspect your furnace

It is a good idea to have a heating and cooling company to do maintenance service on your systems. A service technician knows what to look for and will go over your furnace with a fine tooth comb. The worst time to find out your furnace is not running efficiently is during a cold winter day.

3. Insulate your pipes

Most anyone should be able to do this step. There are foam insulation tubes designed for covering pipes. All you will need to do is cust the length and pop them on. Insulating your pipes close to the outside walls will prevent them from freezing.

4. Seal your doors and windows

A good test and indicator that you need to do this is to see if you can see daylight around the edges of your doors or windows. If so, they need o be sealed with caulk. Another step even further is to put up storm windows during the winter which will keep the heat inside.

5. Reverse your ceiling fans

This should be an easy one. Heat rises so you want the fans to push the heat back down. This will keep your house toasty during the winter. There is a switch on most ceiling fans that can be switched so that the fan will go counterclockwise.

6. Get your chimney swept

A fire is a great way to stay cozy and warm during the winter. If you have a fireplace, then you need to make sure it is in working order. A good way to do this is to get your chimney swept. Creosote can build up in your chimney and can actually cause a fire so this can be dangerous.

If you follow these tips for winterizing your home, then you should be comfy and warm all winter.

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Homes Sales Dropped For The 9th Consecutive Month October 2022

 Among these sale price drops seen in the past nine months, rising mortgage rates and high prices are two of the catalysts of the current situation. Buyers are getting fed up with this and are backing out of the housing market.

The National Association of Realtors reported that sales that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops are down 28.4% from October 2021. Every region in the country saw a decline. This is the longest decline seen in home sales since 1999.

Home sales have been the weakest we have seen since May 2020 during the height of the pandemic. Current homeowners are not wanting to sell because of the uncertainty in the market. This is keeping the inventory low which is not helpful.

October reported 1.22 million units for sale. This is down from the month before and a year before. Currently, it would take only 3.3 months to get through what is currently on the market. A balanced market has around 4 to 6 months of supply. “Inventory levels are still tight, which is why some homes for sale are still receiving multiple offers,” Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist added.

Yun also reports that household incomes have not risen enough to keep up with home prices. “First-time buyers are really struggling with high prices, the high bar to get into the market and high mortgage rates,” Yun says.

“This is why more new home construction is needed, as well as more rehabilitation of disused buildings into residential units,” said Yun, noting that while construction of apartment buildings remains robust, single-family starts are below one year ago and well below historical averages.

“In the meantime, mortgage rates are falling from the peak levels of last month and the gate is opening for more homebuyers to qualify for a mortgage.”

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Eco-Friendly Tips To Refinishing Hardwood Floors

 Hardwood floors are a beautiful touch to your home, but they can be high maintenance. If your wood floors look worn then refinishing them can give them a whole new fresh look. Hardwood floors can be refinished without the use of products with harmful toxins. If you are worried about harmful toxins, then follow these five tips to make sure you are keeping the process healthy for home.

1. Get Your Game Plan in Place

Whether you want to change the color of stain or just bring back the original look to your dull wood floors, you need to have a plan in place before you start the job. Start by researching products to make sure the ones that you want to use are not harmful. Many companies will list all the specifications of their products on their website for you to research.

You will also want to plan what style or color you will want to use for the new look. You want to research different refinishing companies and flooring pros before choosing the right one. Once you have done this, the pros can bring in samples and give you recommendations. Many company websites have a floor visualizer tool that can help you get a digital picture of what your design will look like in your space.

2. The Finish Makes All the Difference

Research wood floor finishes because many finishes will leave behind toxic fumes for your household to breathe in. Less expensive finishes such as Swedish finishes have a high level of volatile organic compounds. These organic compounds can have huge effects on your indoor air quality. These finishes are acid-cured finishes that have formaldehyde as an ingredient that can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and irritation to the eyes, nose and throat. Waterborne (water-based) finishes are an environmentally friendly solution for your hardwood floors.

“For me, focusing on eco-friendly products just makes sense from an environmental and health standpoint for myself and my family. Knowing I am making a good choice that benefits everyone feels good, especially because the results are just as good, if not better, from floors to paint to furniture,” says Krissy Peterson of K. Peterson Design.

3. The Right Contractor is Key

After your research, it is important to now find the right contractor for the job. When choosing a contractor, you need to hire a certified craftsmen who will  guide you through the process and deliver your game plan without shortcuts or compromises.

“The most important aspects of the refinishing process for me were minimal down time and a quality result and color. I have two you kids, so being out of our house was going to be hard. Selecting a company that I knew would do a quality job set us up for success right from the beginning,” says Peterson.

4. It’s Dustless or Bust

The dusty process of the job can also be harmful to your health. The dust particles will not only cover your furniture and electronic devices but can get in your lungs causing allergic reactions and asthma. Every job will have dust, but how you handle the dust is the important part. Make sure the contractor uses a tested dust-containment system. This system will cut down on the spread of dust in your home.

5. Keep an Eye on the Upkeep

There is still some upkeep once your floors are completed, remember to use only water-based products and cleaners. This will ensure that your home is safe for you and your pets. A light touch is all it takes to clean your hardwoods. Do not use mops or vacuums as they may cause damage. Also be sure to use cleaning products tailored to wood floors that will gently remove dusts, dirt and grime without harming the floors or leaving behind a dull residue.

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