Lori Blank

24

Oct

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Home Seller Tips

Your Home List Price, Should You Lower It?

Are you trying to sell your home and finding that it is not selling very well? This might be due to a number of reasons that you can't control, such as its location or the fact that the home layout is somewhat unusual. If you are struggling to sell your home, there is one factor that you can alter that might change things – the price. Many homeowners are reluctant to lower the price of their home, because it feels somewhat like a defeat. However, while you want to make as much money from your house sale as possible –…

23

Oct

By Lori Blank

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Around The Home

How To Manage Those Fallen Leaves

The kids are back in school, the weather is getting cooler and your yard is covered in a layer of fallen leaves. Yep, it's that time of the year again, but don't think of fall leaves as a chore. They can be a useful resource for fertilizing your lawn or even decorating your home for autumn. Finish The Raking It's tempting to just let the leaves lie in the yard. It's good fertilizer anyway, right? Wrong. You should rake everything up as soon as the trees begin to look bare, or else risk the blanket of leaves smothering your lawn…

22

Oct

By Lori Blank

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Housing Analysis

The Government Shutdown And Its Effect On Existing Home Sales

Existing home sales for September fell by 1.90 percent from August's revised reading of 5.39 million sales to 5.29 million sales. Economists had expected 5.30 million sales for September, so a slow-down in existing home sales had been anticipated. The National Association of REALTORS cited higher home prices and mortgage rates as factors contributing to fewer sales of previously owned homes. Home Prices Easily Outpaced Income Growth According to Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist, home prices "easily outpaced income growth." Consequently, affordability has fallen to a five-year low. Mr. Yun also indicated that a government shutdown was expected to affect home sales…

21

Oct

By Lori Blank

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Housing Analysis

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 21, 2013

Many of the economic and housing reports typically scheduled were delayed by the federal government shutdown. The National Association of Homebuilders Wells Fargo Housing Market Index for October was released Wednesday with a reading of 55, lower than the projected 58 and previous month's revised reading of 57. The original reading for September was 58, which was the highest measure of builder confidence since 2005. NAHB cited concerns over mortgage rates and the federal government shutdown and its consequences as reasons for homebuilder confidence slipping. While the NAHB HMI reading was lower than last month, it remains in positive territory…

18

Oct

By Lori Blank

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Around The Home

Tips On Protecting Your Home From Sneaky Pests

As the temperatures start to drop, we spend less time outdoors and more time inside where it's warm. Unfortunately fall pests have the same idea. This is the season when rodents and cockroaches seek shelter from the cold. They can carry diseases like salmonella and Hantavirus as well as cause damage to your wiring; so make sure you take precautions to keep the pests away from your home. Seal Up Your House Pests have an incredible ability to sneak into your home through the tiniest of holes. A mouse can squeeze through even a dime-sized hole. Double check the screens…

17

Oct

By Lori Blank

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Housing Analysis

Housing Market Index Shows Builders Continue To Have A Positive Outlook

The National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index dropped two points to 55 from September's revised reading of 57. Builder concerns over labor costs and availability and economic uncertainty related to the federal government shutdown were noted as factors contributing to the lower reading for October. Key Points Noted In October's HMI included: Builder confidence remains above 50, which indicates that more builders have a positive outlook on housing market conditions than those with negative sentiment. The October HMI cites pent-up buyer demand in markets throughout the US as a positive influence on October's reading. A spike in mortgage…

16

Oct

By Lori Blank

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Home Seller Tips

Remove Those Pet Odors With These Quick Tips

You might love your furry friends, but are their pet odors turning off potential buyers when you are trying to sell your home? Many cat and dog owners are around their animal companions so often that they become immune to the smell and don't notice it in their home, so you might not even realize that your home smells of pet odor. However, when you are selling your property first impressions are very important and if a potential buyer gets a whiff of pet odors when they walk in the door this can really make them lose interest in your…

15

Oct

By Lori Blank

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Home Buyer Tips

Nail The Final Walkthrough Before Closing

By the time you get to the final walkthrough on your property, the home buying process is almost complete. However, it is still important to pay close attention to this final step, as it will be crucial in the success of your home purchase. The final walkthrough is your last opportunity to ensure that everything in the home is in working order and that there are no potential problems waiting for you when you take over ownership of the property. While conducting a final walkthrough of the property, give yourself enough time to look carefully at everything and not be…

11

Oct

By Lori Blank

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Around The Home

4 Tips On Giving Your Mudroom A Makeover

From crunched-up leaves stuck to bottoms of shoes to bulky coats shed as soon as kids walk through the door, mudrooms are ideal for keeping outdoor dirt, wet clothing and outerwear from being strewn throughout your home. Mudrooms not only keep the rest of your house clean, but they also designate a spot for those last-minute grabs, such as coats, umbrellas and purses, when you're running out the door. These rooms are great catchalls. However, an organized mudroom can make your life and those hectic mornings much less stressful. Below are smart tips for getting your mudroom ready this fall.…

10

Oct

By Lori Blank

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Homeowner Tips

5 Strategies To Secure Your Home Against A Break In

Having your home broken into is completely violating. Burglars don't just steal your stuff; they steal your peace of mind. While this is the sort of thing you think will never happen to you, it's worth the time and effort to make sure you're not a target. Below are five strategies to help secure your home against a break-in. 1. Use Landscaping As A Barrier Purposefully place plants in spots that create a natural barrier to your home. Plant thorny rose bushes in front of bedroom windows and remove overgrown shrubs that provide coverage for creepers. Also, trim back any…