Friday, April 12, 2013
CNN reports foreclosures are down.
http://money.cnn.com/2013/04/11/real_estate/foreclosures/index.html
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Maryland Real Estate by Pamela DuBois: Protect your investment - one of your most valuabl...
Maryland Real Estate by Pamela DuBois: Protect your investment - one of your most valuabl...: 4 Spring Updates to Protect Your Investment When homeowners think about protecting their home’s assets, they may immediately think a...
Protect your investment - one of your most valuable investment
4 Spring Updates to Protect Your Investment
When homeowners
think about protecting their home’s assets, they may immediately think about
large maintenance issues, like a new roof. But checking on—and updating, if
necessary—small details can have a huge impact on the health of your home over
time, saving you big dollars by warding off monumental repairs. Below are a
handful of things you should keep up-to-date to lower bills and avoid costly
repairs later on, regardless of whether you plan to stay or sell.
Check the ventilation
Spring can be wet, and a build-up of moisture can peel paint, cause mold and mildew and ruin flooring, carpets and fixtures. At the start of the season, check out kitchen or bath ventilation fans, and consider installing dehumidifiers anywhere prone to excess moisture. Check out basements and any overlooked crawl spaces, too, to make sure they aren’t prone to leaks. Homes can change over time, so just because you have never had a ventilation problem before, doesn’t mean you never will.
Give your AC some TLC
Spring is the perfect time to service your air conditioner, which will get it into its best shape for summer, and help extend the overall life of your system. Replace your air filters at the start of the season, and every 90 days of use.
Insulate, insulate, insulate
A well insulated home is going to have lower energy bills. By checking gaps and cracks around your home, and filling in any seals with a sealant, you can monumentally reduce your energy bills. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, as much as 40 percent of your home’s energy loss can be blamed on shoddy insulation.
Water works
Spring often brings rain, and excess water means excess strain on your plumbing. If you have a sump pump, check that it is in working order by pouring a few buckets of water into the sump pit and monitoring the response. Check all indoor and outdoor faucets. Turn on your hose—if there is a sudden leak inside your home, you may have had a frozen pipe that cracked over the winter and needs to be replaced. Also, you should consider replacing your water heater if it’s more than 15 years old; newer water heaters are more energy efficient.
As a Member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have a wealth of real
estate and homeownership information that may be of help to you. Feel free to contact me any time to learn more about this
important information, and be sure to forward this article on to any friends or
family that may be interested as well. Check the ventilation
Spring can be wet, and a build-up of moisture can peel paint, cause mold and mildew and ruin flooring, carpets and fixtures. At the start of the season, check out kitchen or bath ventilation fans, and consider installing dehumidifiers anywhere prone to excess moisture. Check out basements and any overlooked crawl spaces, too, to make sure they aren’t prone to leaks. Homes can change over time, so just because you have never had a ventilation problem before, doesn’t mean you never will.
Give your AC some TLC
Spring is the perfect time to service your air conditioner, which will get it into its best shape for summer, and help extend the overall life of your system. Replace your air filters at the start of the season, and every 90 days of use.
Insulate, insulate, insulate
A well insulated home is going to have lower energy bills. By checking gaps and cracks around your home, and filling in any seals with a sealant, you can monumentally reduce your energy bills. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, as much as 40 percent of your home’s energy loss can be blamed on shoddy insulation.
Water works
Spring often brings rain, and excess water means excess strain on your plumbing. If you have a sump pump, check that it is in working order by pouring a few buckets of water into the sump pit and monitoring the response. Check all indoor and outdoor faucets. Turn on your hose—if there is a sudden leak inside your home, you may have had a frozen pipe that cracked over the winter and needs to be replaced. Also, you should consider replacing your water heater if it’s more than 15 years old; newer water heaters are more energy efficient.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Housing Market Improves and is moving up.
Following seven consecutive months of gains, the list of improving U.S. housing markets remained virtually unchanged in April, with 273 metros on the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI),
Thursday, April 4, 2013
My New Mobile Real Estate Search App
I have a new mobile real estate search app that I'd like to invite you dowload and try. It will be a helpful tool for buyers and sellers alike. Helping buyers get access to information on the go helps everyone. This app lets you search by GPS, map, address, property type, and more. You can then view results on a map or in a sortable list. If you're interested in a property, you can then look at the details right on your phone. Another great feature is that you can look for nearby open houses while out driving around, which could help you find a house you didn't know was there or help you save time by planning your open visits by their proximity to each other. If this sounds like something you're interested in, click on the link below for download instructions.
Pam's Mobile Real Estate App
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