August 2019 Newsletter

There's still plenty of summer left! While the real estate market is slowing a little in preparation for our coming winter, we're including a few tips on buying and selling this month. First, what causes some homes to be so much more expensive than other, very similar homes? We explore the answers. Secondly, if you're thinking of moving - for whatever reason - you may want to up your timeline by a few months. Studies show winter sellers make more money than May-August sellers! And lastly, for all the new home owners, what home repair skills do you need to care for your new home?

Why Is This House So Expensive?

When you’re house hunting the most disappointing thing that can happen is to find your dream home, only to realize it’s priced way too high for your budget. In some cases, the higher price might leave you scratching your head in confusion. Why is one house priced so much higher than an identical house a few blocks over? Here are a few reasons why homes are priced higher than you expected.

Best Time to Sell

Can I Handle a House?

Many first time buyers are fearful of the responsibility of homeownership. It’s true, moving from an apartment to a home means a big increase in upkeep. Your home, your job - you no longer have a maintenance man to call for all those odd jobs: clogged sink, squeaky door, rattling washing machine. And calling a repair service for every little problem is expensive! With a little courage and willingness to learn, anybody can take care of their home. Here are a few skills you’ll need to acquire right off the bat!

• Boiling hot water - not hot water - BOILING water. The extreme heat will dissolve organic matter in your sink. Don’t use this method if your plumbing is PVC pipes, and if you have a porcelain sink - make sure you pour the water directly down the drain, as the heat can crack the porcelain. 

• Vinegar and baking soda - the combination of these two ingredients create an expanding gas that can help push a clog clear. Start with a half a box of dry baking soda in your drain, then add a half cup of vinegar and stop up the drain. The pressure will build and push down through the pipes.
• Plunge - a plunger works best with a completely clogged drain. Make sure you have the right kind of plunger - for a sink, not a toilet. Fill your sink half full with water and place the plunger over the drain to create a seal. Then pump the plunger sharp and fast to remove the clog.
• Hand operated DIY drain snake - These small, inexpensive appliances are available at most hardware stores and use a long steel wire that can dig into a clog to catch and remove the debris.
• Remove the drain pipe - often times a clog will form in the U-shaped P-trap in your sink. It’s fairly easy to remove this section of pipe from under the sink. Once removed you can simply clean out the debris. Make sure you place a bucket under the pipe before removing it.

AUGUST IS...