Installing a Pool? Tell Your Insurance!Swimming pools can be a lot of fun. They give you a way to cool off during the summer, have fun with friends and family, and even get some low-impact exercise that feels more like play than work. Unfortunately, they can also be a hazard if you aren’t careful around them. As a result, your homeowner’s insurance company is going to want to know about that pool, since it creates a new point of liability.If your home already had a pool when you bought it, your insurance company would have wanted to know about it when you first took out the policy. If you’re installing a new pool, you’re still going to have to tell them, and they’ll adjust your rate accordingly. Let’s take a look at pools and insurance to give you a better idea of how your insurance com... 07/17/2022

Why Is My Furnace in the Attic or Crawl Space?Though it’s not as common as traditional furnace setups, some homes feature a furnace that’s installed in either the attic of the house or in a crawl space. It might seem at first that this would be inconvenient compared to standard furnace locations, and in some ways it can be. There are some advantages to having an attic-mounted furnace or a furnace in the crawl space, however. If you’re thinking of buying a home (or recently bought one) that makes use of one of these alternate furnace locations, it was probably done to take advantage of one or more of these factors.With that said, you may have some questions about your furnace and how to maintain it. First, the good news: A lot of your maintenance will be about the same as you would have ... 04/03/2022

Supply and Demand in Todays Market Some Highlights Todays housing market is the direct result of low supply and high buyer demand. Here's what that means for you and your plans to buy or sell. For buyers, expect competition, be ready to move fast, and be prepared to submit your strongest offer. For sellers, know your house will be the center of attention and that it'll likely sell quickly and get multiple offers. If you're ready to move, lets connect to talk about our local area and how you can take advantage of todays unprecedented housing market.    03/07/2022

Housing Challenge or Housing Opportunity? It Depends.The biggest challenge in real estate today is the lack of available homes for sale. The low housing supply has caused homes throughout the country to appreciate at a much faster rate than what we've experienced historically.There are many reasons for the limited number of homes on the market, but as you can see in the graph below, were well below where we've been for most of the past 10 years. Today, across the country, there is only a 2.4-month supply of homes available for sale.The OpportunityThis lack of homes for sale is creating a challenge for many buyers who are growing frustrated in their search. On the other hand, this is a huge opportunity for sellers as low supply is driving up home values. According to CoreLogic, the avera... 11/05/2021

Keeping the climate in your home under control is important throughout the year. Not only do you need to have a reliable way to keep the heat of the summer sun at bay, but you’ll also want some method of keeping toasty and warm on cool autumn evenings and throughout the frigid winter. For many homeowners, this means a forced-air heat pump, usually as part of a combined central heating and cooling system. This isn’t the only option that’s available, however.Though you might think radiator heating is a product of a bygone era, radiator heating systems are actually the second most popular home heating option out there. Depending on where you live and the type of system you use, they can actually be more comfortable than forced-air heating and may even use less electricity to keep running. ... 09/30/2021

An important metric in todays residential real estate market is the number of homes available for sale. The shortage of available housing inventory is the major reason for the double-digit price appreciation we've seen in each of the last two years. Its the reason many would-be purchasers are frustrated with the bidding wars over the homes that are available. However, signs of relief are finally appearing.According to data from realtor.com, active listings have increased over the last four months. They define active listings as:The active listing count tracks the number of for sale properties on the market, excluding pending listings where a pending status is available. This is a snapshot measure of how many active listings can be expected on any given day of the specified month.What no... 09/19/2021

When it comes to buying a house, you're looking for the perfect place to call home. The problem is, in todays market there just aren't that many homes available to purchase. With inventory hovering near record lows and sky-high buyer demand, a multi-offer scenario is the new normal. Here are five things to keep in mind when you're ready to make an offer.1. Know Your NumbersHaving a complete understanding of your budget and how much house you can afford is essential. That's why you should connect with a lender to get pre-approved for a loan early in the homebuying process. Taking this step shows sellers you're a serious, qualified buyer and can give you a competitive edge in a bidding war.2. Brace for a Fast PaceTodays market is dynamic and fast-paced. According to the Realtors Confidenc... 07/01/2021