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Winterizing Your New Home – Washington Blade

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Winterizing Your New Home - Washington Blade

So you bought a home in the pandemic and now you need to get it ready for winter? What do you need to be thinking of as the colder months approach, for winterizing your new home?

What to Think About When Winterizing Your New Home

Well, the majority of insurance claims in winter months revolve around broken or busted water pipes. It’s a good idea to know where the main water shut off in your house is, in case you have an emergency. You can also buy pipe insulation that is not too expensive to wrap around exposed pipes.

Another area of the home that is good to consider is the windows. If you swap out screens for storm windows that gives an extra pane of glass to provide protection from the cold winter air. Screens can go back on in the springtime.

The roof is another area – if you know that any roof tiles are loose, you are going to want to fix those before any large snowstorms, so that any ice or snow doesn’t further loosen the tile and expose your roof to moisture when the snow and ice melts. Make sure the fireplace is ready for winter by having a chimneysweep check it out and also make sure the cap is in place to keep animals out of it.

Full Story From the Washington Blade

Fall Mortgage Options – The Washington Blade

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Fall Mortgage Options - The Washington Blade

One effect of COVID-19 has been to throw us off schedule in the normal seasonal nature of real estate sales. At long last, however, we’re beginning to see its return.

Traditionally throughout the nation, spring begins in late March or April and is the most popular time of year for buying and selling homes. In the DMV, however, spring comes early – as early as February – and the market begins to heat up as what little snow we get dissipates.

Summer has usually seen interest wane, while house hunting takes a back seat to vacations, summer camp, and participation in barbecues, family gatherings, and other outdoor activities and celebrations.

Fall has normally been the second major season for housing purchases and sales, ranging from Labor Day to Thanksgiving. Thereafter, during the winter market, people begin to plan for holidays and, although houses sell well when adorned with holiday decorations, the fall market may be better suited to allowing for settlements prior to the end of the tax year. Let’s take a look at some fall mortgage options.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

See the Full Story at the Washington Blade

Haunted House for Sale That Inspired “The Conjuring”

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Haunted House for Sale - From "The Conjuring"

One of America’s most notorious homes is now available – a haunted house for sale in Rhode Island.

Built in 1836, the house located in Burrillville, Rhode Island, was made famous by the 2013 horror blockbuster “The Conjuring.”

Though it wasn’t the property featured in the film, it was the actual home in real life where the Perron family endured nearly a decade of intense paranormal activity in the 1970s. The home has three bedrooms, one-and-a-half bathrooms, and is listed for $1.2 million.

Easing the California Housing Crisis – The New York Times

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California Housing Crisis

No matter where you live, you’re probably familiar with the exorbitant cost of housing in California. The state’s median home price has crept above $800,000, more than double what it is nationwide. Among the 50 biggest cities in the country, we’re home to the top four most difficult places to afford a mortgage. And half of all Americans experiencing homelessness live in the state.

The California housing crisis has a seemingly simple solution, according to the laws of supply and demand: Build more housing. But for decades, resistance from suburban homeowners has stalled development as the problem has only gotten worse.

Bills Address the California Housing Crisis

On Thursday, the state took a step toward creating higher-density neighborhoods as Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two high-profile bills. Though the bills, Senate Bills 9 and 10, endured intense opposition in recent months, neither is all that revolutionary, said Conor Dougherty, a reporter for The New York Times who writes about economics in the state. But the package of reforms passed in California over the past four years, including these two latest measures, “is probably the biggest change in housing in 50 years or more,” Conor told me.

Full Story at the New York Times

California Realtors, Real Estate Agents, Mortgage Lenders and Other Professionals

A Real Estate Primer – Washington Blade

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A Real Estate Primer - Washington Blade

When working with first-time buyers, I often hear them say, “I have a stupid question.” I automatically respond that there’s no such thing.  What they think may be a stupid question almost invariably has been asked before by many other people in the same situation. The answer to a stupid question almost always makes you smarter, so what they really have may be a “smart question.”

Several questions that were recently asked of me have prompted me to take another look at what I discuss in my initial buyer consultations, so let’s start there with a short real estate primer.

Real Estate Primer

A Buyer Consultation is an initial meeting with a buyer, whether face-to-face, by telephone, or by Zoom or similar interactive means, where we exchange information about the buyer’s needs and the services I provide and determine whether we shall work together exclusively and for how long.

If we decide to go forward, we sign an Exclusive Buyer Representation Agreement, which allows an agent to be the buyer’s advocate by solely representing the buyer’s interests in a real estate transaction, protecting the buyer’s confidentiality, and providing essential services reserved for a client-based relationship. In the DMV, absent such an agreement, agents must legally represent and owe allegiance to a seller they have never met of a property they have never seen.

Authored By Valerie Blake
See the Full Story at the Washington Blade

Fix or Sell As-Is – BHGRE

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Fix or Sell As-Is - BHGRE

When you’ve decided to move on — whether you’re upsizing or downsizing, accepting a fantastic job offer in another city, or fleeing to (or from) the suburbs — think long and hard about what you really need to do to get your house market-ready. You may be tempted to go into renovation mode, but you might be better off selling your house as-is. So… fix or sell as-is?

Anything that impacts the home’s operation needs to be fixed before you list, including a leaky roof, a broken furnace, plumbing and the electrical system. These are all things sellers are legally obliged to disclose. If not, a home inspector will identify them to a potential buyer, possibly leading to an offer being withdrawn.

Here are some things to consider when selling your house.

Fix or Sell As-Is: Renovation ROI may not be there

Most home renovations don’t pay off instantly. Complete bathroom and kitchen renovations add the most value but also cause the most disruption and can be very expensive. If these rooms haven’t already been renovated, don’t start now. Focus on making sure the existing selling features of the home are in great shape.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

See the Full Story at BHGRE

Knowing When to Buy a Vacation Home – BHGRE

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When to Buy a Vacation Home - BHGRE

When to Buy a Vacation Home

If you’re lucky enough to have reached the time in your life when you can seriously contemplate buying a vacation home, there’s much to be excited about. According to the National Association of Realtors, one in eight homeowners are thinking of buying a second home. While summer may be the time of year you start to think longingly about sun, sea and sand, it may not be the best time to buy a cottage.

Here are some things to consider when deciding when to buy a vacation home.

Peak of Season is Seldom a Good Idea

Avoiding peak seasons makes sense in supply and demand terms. Peak season, whether you have your eye on a Vail ski chalet or a Cape Cod sea shanty, is when the area in which you’re looking is at its finest. Since vacation homes can be sentimental investments, many who’ve inherited them rent them out as additional sources of income so they can hang onto a property.

They may be sharing it with siblings or have had to buy them out. They also may be part-time vacation home investment owners who got in early on a new resort but need to ensure 100 percent occupancy during peak season to make their investment pay off.

Full Story from the BHGRE Blog

Solar Power Could Provide 45% of US Energy By 2050

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Solar Power - Pixabay

The Biden administration on Wednesday released a new report that shows how the U.S. could boost its use of solar power to as much as 45 percent of U.S. electricity use, an effort that could help the U.S. meet goals to limit climate change.

The Energy Department study outlines three possible scenarios including two in which the U.S. grid is 95 percent decarbonized by 2035 and an ambitious third one in which the grid is fully decarbonized by 2050. One way to fulfill that scenario would be to have solar power comprise 45 percent of electricity generation by 2050.

To reach the target, the U.S. would need to produce twice as much solar energy annually as it did in 2020 over the next four years before doubling the output again between 2025 and 2030.

Full Story From The Hill

Getting Your House Ready to Rent

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Getting Your House Ready to Rent

Even if you bought your home to live in rather than as an income property, you may end up renting out your house at some point. A contract opportunity on the other side of the country (or the world), a drop in property values that means you want to build up more equity in your home before trying to sell it, or a formal or informal sabbatical might mean you want to rent rather than sell.

Here’s how you can get your house ready to rent. While it may seem like a lot of work and a moderate amount of money, it’s well worth it. Good tenants are attracted to well maintained, trouble-free properties, and good tenants are hopefully the only kind you’ll ever have to deal with.

Start With The Exterior

Make sure all your exterior maintenance is up to date. That includes landscaping, raking, gutter cleaning, roof repairs, and checking, cleaning and replacing exterior lights and/or sensors. Test and repair any exterior railings and make sure pathways are safe. Replace any broken interlock.

Get the screens cleaned and the exterior windows washed.

At Gay Realty Watch, we look for news to share with you about the gay real estate market – both lgbt real estate news and news specific to gay and lesbian real estate meccas.

See the Full Story at BH

Reduce Your Environmental Impact at Home – The BHGRE Life

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Reduce Your Environmental Impact - Deposit Photos

More people are recognizing the importance of saving the planet, and companies are stepping up with creative ways to reduce our collective environmental impact. From products that promote a sustainable home to electric cars, it’s not hard to find ways to promote greener living while preserving the world’s resources for future generations. Finding ways to reduce your environmental impact can also save you money, particularly if you choose to seek sustainable home ideas.

Recycling is Still Important

Experts claim that the United States produces well over 250 million tons of trash each year. Much of this finds its way to incinerators and landfills, and recycling can redirect waste to better places. Paper, tin and steel cans can still be recycled. Check with your municipality or state to see what kinds of plastic can be recycled in your area. You can also recycle broken electronics, dry cell batteries and car batteries as long as it is done properly.

Recycling also applies to clothing, and there are many organizations that accept gently used goods. Real Simple advises donating to The Vietnam Veterans of America, the Salvation Army and Goodwill. Shelters, hospitals, synagogues and churches can also accept clothing and other goods. When buying new clothes, check out brick-and-mortar and online thrift and consignment shops. These are also great sources for finding children’s toys and other household items that can reduce your environmental impact.

Sustainable Eating

One of the best ways to have a sustainable home is to start the habit of composting. Gardeners like Martha Stewart refer to it as “black gold,” and for good reason. It turns everyday food scraps and other organic materials into soil treatments loaded with nutrients and moisture that boost plant health. You can buy a compost bin or use another large container, and toss in food waste, branches and dry leaves to reduce your environmental impact.

Full Story From The BHGRE Life