It’s March 1^st and it is 79 degrees on my porch.  I am not going to jump on the global warming band wagon here but all I have to say is I have not had to wear a coat this year.  My tulips are starting to bloom and my daffodils have been up for weeks.  Weird!!!

As I walked around outside I started noticing some home-care type things that I had been either putting off or were noticing for the first time.  That got me thinking… “what kind of home maintenance or preparedness must I be thinking about right now?”  So, I did what I always do when I have a question…I went online.  I found so many great ideas that my internal geek-ness just HAD to share with our readers.  Below is some of what I considered seasonally pertinent, but a quick search online can get you printable checklists that are great to have throughout the year.  

Exterior:

• Check that water drains are intact and pointing away from the house.
• Ensure that the fence around the pool is intact.
• Clean window wells and check drainage.
• Clean gutters and downspouts.  (Tip: It’s easier to clean gutters when leaves are still damp.)
• Check roof and siding shingles are in good condition.
• Check chimney, plumbing vents and skylight flashing.
• Look for peeling paint.
• Look for signs of water damage where deck attaches to house.
• Clean dryer vents.
• Check exhaust ducks are clear.
• Make sure all exterior lighting is working, especially motion sensor lighting.
• Trim branches around the roof line to keep squirrels, roof rats and other pesky animals off the roof.
• To keep water shut-off valves from sticking, turn them off and then on again.  If they do not shut-off the water, it is time to replace.  If they do not operate smoothly, a little WD-40 works wonders.

Basement and Crawl Space:

• Ensure there are no wet surfaces or pooling water.
• Check sump pump and value workings.
• Vacuum basement surfaces.

 Interior Walls, Ceilings, Wall and Doors:

• Check the operation of doors and windows.  (Tip, I use WD 40 on the interior workings of my stinky windows.  It is such a fire hazard if windows stick.)

Appliances:

• Clean dryer vents, hoses and screens.
• Clean air conditioning coils and drain pans, if any.
• Clean dehumidifier and check its proper operation.
• Check washing machine hoses for leaks. If one has old rubber hoses, it might be a good time to replace with no-burst hoses available at the local hardware store.

 Electrical Equipment:

• Check for damaged cords.  This is just a good thing to get into the habit of!!!
• Test ground fault interrupters.
• Check smoke and CO detectors. 

 HVAC Equipment:

• Have furnaces and fuel-burning appliances inspected annually by a professional technician.
• Check air conditioner and replace filters where necessary.
• Check Dehumidifier, where you have one built into home.
• Remove sediment from buildup in hot water heater tank.

 Garage:

• Check for signs of water damage.
• Check for signs of rodents, bats, roaches and TERMITES.

 Channel your inner weekend warrior, this stuff is important!

Are You Struggling to Sell or Buy a Home?  Here are a few quick tips that may make it just a little bit easier.  Although a good real estate agent should know the following to be true, we still seem to struggle getting our clients to understand how the below small changes can be the difference between buying or selling a home.    

TURNING OFF POTENTIAL BUYERS:

One of the top complaints from buyers that have them leaving a showing before the smell of chocolate chip cookies has hit the front door is having the seller in the home during the showing.  Honestly, it freaks buyers out!  Buyers feel “stalked” and “stifled” in their ability to explore the home or verbally process their first impressions when the seller is lurking.  As well, buyers have shared that they:

• Cannot envision themselves in a home with the homeowner there.  They feel like they are intruding and it feels awkward. 
• Feel uncomfortable opening up drawers, closet doors, etc.  The buyer leaves feeling like they didn’t get a good look at the home.
• Cannot express thoughts about how the home may or may not be exactly what they were looking for.  They cannot express their dislike of a certain wall or ask their realtor what the cost of pulling up the “ugly” carpet would be.  

Another complaint from buyers is showing a messy or cluttered house.  The hardest part of trying to sell your home is keeping it clean while it’s on the market.  All sellers have the same complaint but it is a necessary evil. A clean and de-cluttered home will sell over a messy and cluttered home any day of the week.  You’d be surprised how many sellers just don’t listen and pay the price when their home doesn’t sell.  Here some things that will make this easier on you and your family: 

• The easiest way to keep it clean is downsize.  If you pack up your personal items, put all non-essentials in storage, it will be easier to keep clean.   As well, you’ll have less to pack later on!
• Note to those “closet stuffers” or “under-the-bed hiders” out there…buyers will look everywhere.  Don’t bother stuffing it under the bed or in the closet.   
• Get the carpets cleaned, mow the lawn, dust and mop the floors.  These are quick and easy ideas that make a great first impression.

An overpriced home will go a long way to angering buyers.  With access to lots of home pricing data, an abundance of home pictures and home sales data buyers will know if you are overpricing your home.  And don’t forget, we are in a buyer’s market there are more properties than there are people to buy them.  This simply means that if real estate agents and buyers feel your home is overpriced, they will likely not even give it a first look. 

TURNING OFF SELLERS:  
Unjustified or extreme lowball offers: It is safe to say that most sellers these days CANNOT afford to give away their home at a price far below what it’s worth on today’s market. Lowballing a seller at a price far below comparables will likely turn them off.  And that will likely cause the seller to view your offer as disrespectful and wasteful of their time.  If you truly feel you have wiggle room, work with your real estate agent on an offer that is comfortable for you and not maddening to the seller. 

Buyer-side mortgage fails: The worst case scenario for the seller is that they accept an offer only to find out a few weeks, or months, later that the buyer can’t get the loan needed to close the deal.  Most sellers will avoid this scenario by simply not accepting your offer.  The best way for your offer to be taken seriously is to get your mortgage pre-approved. It takes time upfront but will need to be done anyway…this action will never be a waste of your time!!!

Most people buy home owners insurance to protect their property from damage BUT did you know that liabilities from accidents can drive your insurance rates up more than damage can.  Typically when someone is harmed on your or by your property they will sue for millions.  Yes, millions.  Therefore, an insurer will make an assessment of premiums based on what your liabilities are and not just the cost of what it will take to replace what you have.  Here are a few potential liabilities to be aware of:

Fenced In Pool:  Drowning is the leading cause of fatal injury for young children.  The CDC estimates that more than ½ of drowning deaths of young children could have been prevented by properly fenced in pools.  As well, homeowners can be liable for injuries that occur even when their pool is used without their permission.  Sure, insurers will cover homes with pools BUT typically at higher rates and with limited liability on their end. 

Dogs:  Not just another member of the family according to most insurances companies.  Insurance companies take these pooches very seriously.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that more than 4.7 million people A YEAR are bit by dogs!  More than 50% of those bites occur on the owner’s property and 1/3 of those results in insurance liability claims. Ouch!!  

Tree Houses:  Here’s a stat, every day approximately 8,000 children are treated in emergency rooms from fall related injuries which is about 2.8 million children a year.  Tree houses are considered the main culprit of these accidents so some insurance companies have included “tree house exclusion clauses” in their policies, some reject homeowners outright and others put high premiums on their policies.  Make sure you know in advance what your policy covers especially in a neighborhood full of young children.  That tree house looks very tempting especially when no one is around to supervise!!

Heating Fires: Every year heating fires account for 36% of residential fires in rural areas.  Before installing a wood stove or fireplace you may want to call your insurer to see how much/if any your rates may rise.  As well, most insurers may require certification that the unit was installed properly but if they were not notified of its existence will not cover the damage or liability at all.

Sewer Backups:  No one wants to think about this mess but “it” happens and just like floods typically “it” is not covered by a standard homeowner’s policy.  On average, our nation’s sewer lines are 30 years old so depending on how old your neighborhood or home is you could be looking at a high likelihood this will be in your future.  Damage from this disaster can be costly and you’ll want to know if you are covered before disaster strikes.

Home Businesses:  A typical home policy covers a max of $2,500 for business equipment in your home.  This typically does not cover business-related liabilities if a customer or other persons are injured on your property.  If you do not have specific business insurance that covers the business in your home and you don’t notify your insurer of your business you chance not being covered. 

Hope this information helps you in advance of disaster!!!

The trend in new homes for 2012 is based off the idea that the home NEEDS to provide the owners “flexibility”.  The trend revolves around the prerequisite that rooms must serve many purposes AND homes should be able to accommodate either older children who are moving back home (I know, ugh!) or aging parents / baby boomers.  Broken out, the trend looks like this:

Need for Accessibility:  The most recent survey done American Institute of Architects identified that baby boomers are preparing for their later years and are settling in home that have accessibility for them as they become elderly.  Features like single-story home, grab bars in the bathrooms, fewer stairs and doorways to accommodate wheelchairs are just a few things that baby boomers have on their must-have lists.

Larger Garage Space:  You may not consider yourself a pack-rat but even the most minimalist of home owners find themselves with a bicycle for every family member, children’s toys for every stage of their growth, golf carts, workbench for tools and lots of storage.  After you throw in a lawnmower and a wheel barrel, you probably have to park your car outside.   As well, with almost each household owning at least one SUV, garage space is a requirement not a luxury anymore.    

Home Central:  Long gone are the desire for huge home offices with mahogany bookshelves and rolling ladder.  With the popularity of laptops and iPads, the desire for smaller more centralized “nooks” that include a built in desk and printer is all that is needed now.  These nooks are typically being built next to the kitchen which tends to be home-central anyway. 

Homes with Room for All:  the Census Bureau says that almost 1/3 of American adults are now living in the same household with another generation of their family.  To accommodate more than one generation and not be stepping over each other the growing need is independence!  Think “small apartment” that has its own bed and bathroom, kitchenette, and some storage space.  Voila!! 

Green:  No surprise here but energy efficient homes are fast becoming the only way to create all the energy your home requires and save money too.  Energy efficient homes are becoming top items on buyers “must have” lists these days as well.  Simple updates like CFL bulbs, energy star appliances and windows that don’t leak air can be huge selling points. 

Flow of the home:  We live differently than our parents did and our homes that reflect this change will win out.  Examples like laundry room with direct access to the master suite; pantries located just off the kitchen that can accommodate bulk items and drop zones between the garage and the kitchen where you can drop your cell phones, purse, keys and mail are key to maintaining the true flow of a modern day home. 

Open floor plan:  This is not one of the newest trends but continues to be one of the first thing buyers and builders ask for as well as being one of the major reasons why people do not consider buying a home.    

The good news for sellers in this Lake Norman market is that many of the homes are fairly new and have many of these flexibility-features already.  This is a great selling point and should be used to your advantage as you market your home.

My parents have always lived in neighborhoods with no fancy name, HOA, golf courses or a club house. My parents grew up in apartment buildings (where 99.9% of people rented) in the Bronx and Brooklyn where everyone knew everyone.  As a matter of fact, that’s how my grandparents met. Later on, everyone migrated to single family homes in the burbs where again, everyone knew everyone.  Despite the fact that their neighborhood had no HOA, everyone felt a strong sense of community, there were no pink houses to speak of, everyone took pride in their homes and we always knew our neighbors…near and far. 

Upon visiting my parent’s house recently, I noticed a “for rent” sign in the front yard of their next door neighbor’s house.  I cringed as I imagined the “conversation” that must have ensued when my 77 year old father (100% Italian) saw the sign.  I am grateful I wasn’t there actually.  As I entered the house, I mentally prepared for his bad mood.  I waited to get my Mom’s attention and whispered “so, did Dad see the For Rent sign”?  She promptly called me a chicken and said “yes” then rolled her eyes.  As I suspected he had concerns about renters in his neighborhood; what it meant to the quality of the neighborhood and community, how they will probably never mow the lawn or properly care for the house and the hit to his property value.  “Are they trying to kill me?” he asked.  Despite this, my Dad truly is an intellect so the usual “Dad, don’t worry about it” doesn’t really work.  So as any good daughter would do…I researched it. 

Here is what I found.  An undisputable fact is that homeownership is trending downward right now. I couldn’t find evidence that renters or even an increased number of renters in a neighborhood as a cause of lowering property or resale values. Having said that, there were some anomalies in places where jobs relied solely on one industry – for example car manufacturing – where renting percentages were rising slightly above 1%. But overwhelmingly research showed that home vacancies are devastating for local property values.  What else effects property and resale value?

Location, Location, Location – Did this surprise anyone! The primary factor that determines property value is location.  Ask yourself the following questions about your property: 

• Are their vacant homes near the property? This is considered to be devastating to your resale and property value.
• Is the home in a good school district?
• Are you close to shopping and restaurants?
• Are you close to a cemetery?  As you’d suspect, much research has come back with the obvious…no one wants to live near a cemetery. 
• What is your proximity to a park? 20% of couples are looking to live close to a park.   

Physical Characteristics of the Property - 

• What is the square footage and plot size?
• What is the age of the home?
• Have there been renovations?  Are the renovations esthetically pleasing to most people or is it overly customized/individualized?
• Has the interior had upgrades? For example the kitchen and bathrooms.
• Does it have Curb Appeal? Those homes with un-kept landscaping couldn’t even get folks in the front door!!

So what did I tell my Dad?  Basically that having a renter next to you may not be anyone’s first choice BUT having a vacant home next to you is not only bad for you property and resale values…vacant homes bring a host of other concerns, such as safety concerns due to the higher likelihood of criminal activity.  He seemed to understand and I think it’s safe to go back over there for a visit now!!!

Just like my teacher used to say “there are no stupid questions”…this holds true here. Your home is one of your most important assets so finding the right real estate agent is one of the most important decisions you will make before buying or selling a home.  You should feel comfortable asking agents anything and everything, especially prior to signing a contract with them.  Below are just a few of the important questions that should be asked before signing a contract BUT a simple internet search will give you more questions than can be asked in a life time! This list will give you a great starting point. 

WHAT IS THE AGENTS MARKETING PLAN FOR SELLING YOUR HOME? One of the biggest advantages of hiring a real estate agent is increased access to resources for marketing your home. Immediately upon signing with you, your agent should post your house on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) but what other venues will they use? The most effective and most increasingly popular venue for selling homes is the internet. More than half of buyers use the internet to search for homes. Does the agent plan on holding any open houses?  How soon and how many? Depending on your needs, the agent should have a variety of options to offer regarding marketing your property.

HOW WILL THE AGENT KEEP YOU UPDATED?  Find out what kinds of news you’ll be updated on, the frequency and how they will be communicated to you? If you’re a buyer, there are a number of details to handle, even after a seller has accepted your offer. This includes home inspection, potential re-inspection, mortgage paperwork, title search, title insurance, repairs and other items. Will you get a weekly update, or just on an as-needed basis? Will it be with a phone call, an email or both? You may have your own preferences, and the agent may or may not accommodate them.

HOW DOES THE AGENT GET PAID? During the interview, you’ll want to talk money. Some agent’s charge a flat fee and some agents do not. Typically if they do not charge a flat fee they will take a percentage of the home’s final sale price. What percentage are they suggesting? The typical fee is around 6% of the selling price. 

DOES THE AGENT HAVE A CANCELLATION POLICY? What if after signing you hear that your neighbor’s friend is interested in buying your house? Or, if you’re buying a home, you stumble upon one on your own. Find out if the agent will still be entitled to the full commission/flat fee and what cancellation fees may or may not apply.

FINALLY, ASK THE AGENT WHAT PROBLEMS THEY SEE IN YOUR HOME THAT MAY AFFECT THE SELLING PROCESS? If the agent tells you what sounds like legitimate drawbacks, then they may be a keeper.  On the other hand, if they don’t point out what you already know are flaws, this could be an indication that they may have only a half-hearted dedication to selling your home.

Why Absorption Rates are Important When Selling Your Home

First important thing to understand about absorption rate is that appraisers are required to use it to determine your homes current value.  Therefore it is something that you will need to understand so you can make sure your home is being valued properly. 

Secondly, you will need to know the absorption rate so you can determine how aggressively you will need to price your home and to get an estimation of how long it may take your home to sell given current inventory. 

What Is Absorption Rate: essentially absorption rate is a method to determine how fast homes are selling in a given area AND weighs supply and demand of current housing inventory on the market. A declining figure indicates the inventory is decreasing as more homes are being sold than are coming onto the market. A rising absorption rate implies that there are more homes coming onto the market than there are buyers willing to buy at the market prices. 

For instance: If 12 homes sold in the last 12 months that means that the market will absorb 1 house per month on average.  If there are 10 homes currently on the market, there is a 10 month supply and so on.

¨       a 6 month supply is considered a balanced market:

¨       less than a 6 month supply is considered a sellers market, and

¨       more than a 6 month supply is considered a buyers market. 

This figure is pretty easy to determine. You’ll need to know two things – the total number of active listings (homes currently for sale) and the total number of homes that sold over a specific period of time. To get the absorption rate for your area, divide the total number of active listings by the average number of sales per month and you get the absorption rate.

Using Absorption Rate To Sell Your Home: Once absorption rate is figured you will have a good statistical estimate of how many months it will take to sell all the homes in your area at the current rate they are selling. Keep in mind this number is a snap shot and looks only at current inventory.  The higher the number, the more aggressive you’ll have to be to get your home noticed and sold. 

Armed with the absorption rate you can decide how aggressive you will need to be.  If you have a high absorption rates and need to sell your home in the first few months you will truly need to have one of the “best deals” of all the competition…meaning best combination of location, condition and price. Also remember that as homes sell, news ones come on the market that may be priced more competitively, so keep track of what your competition is doing so you can act accordingly.

Overlooked Problems in Home Inspections

Home inspectors aren’t guaranteed — or required — to catch every flaw in your next home. A home inspection is never a guarantee that your new home is going to be in perfect working order but being knowledgeable about the process can help you make sure you find out what you are really getting in the house you seek to purchase.

Roof leaks – One of the most significant things to get missed in a home inspection is a roof leak. This is because a home inspector doesn’t go onto the roof to check on its condition. Instead, an inspector generally examines the roof from ground level with binoculars or looks out higher windows to get a view of roofing below. Inspectors will note torn or missing shingles and nail pops that may or may not indicate a full-fledged problem. If you want to guarantee that you are buying a house with a durable roof, one suggestion is to hire a licensed roofing contractor to provide a full evaluation.

Faulty appliances     Part of a home inspection is checking that all major appliances are functioning properly. That being said, this is another top issue to be missed by a home inspector.  To confirm that all appliances work, the inspector should run each appliance through one or two cycles to make sure there’s no trouble, such as a leaking refrigerator or a smoking dryer.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning     Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) are one of the top problems that home inspectors can miss. Inspectors may be reluctant to run the air conditioning in extreme cold or to check the furnace in blistering heat. The inspectors do this because they do not want to do damage by running the unit too long in adverse conditions or they do not want to be held responsible for repairs if it breaks a few days after the new homeowner moves in.

When the home-inspection report is issued, it usually contains a disclaimer that relieves inspectors of this liability. To cover any glitches with your heating and cooling systems down the road, don’t be afraid to have the system checked by a licensed specialist separate from the home inspection. 

Under the carpet     Inspectors look for evidence of significant wear in plain view, but the things that can’t be seen pose a risk. Do not be shy about shadowing the home inspector to address the concerns you have about the house and probe what is under some potentially moldy carpet or issues that you may think is lurking behind paneling.  Ask your realtor if language can be added that buyers can seek sellers’ permission to remove superficial facades for the inspector to take a deeper look.

What you should do next     If the home inspector reports a problem with your dream home, the process should not end there. It is in your best interest to follow up on the problems to assess their severity.  Whether it’s a roof contractor or an air-conditioning technician you need to further investigate the problem. It may cost some money upfront, but that’s a savings compared with the thousands of dollars that unreported or unresolved problems could cost after the sale has been finalized.