FIVE FUN AND EASY SPRING CLEANING TIPS

Spring is upon us, and it's time to dust off the old mop and get ready to do some deep cleaning.  

Don't worry-spring cleaning can be a fun and rewarding experience, if you approach it with the right mindset!  

See for yourself-with this letter, I'm including a list of tips to help you get the most out of your spring cleaning experience.  I hope you find these special tips useful as you're settling into your new home!  

Remember to call me with any real estate questions you may have, and remember to tell your friends about me!  You can reach me by email at: valerie@valeriemcconville.com or visit my Web site at www.valeriemcconville.com.

FIVE FUN AND EASY SPRING CLEANING TIPS

Dance while you dust: This is the perfect time to fully indulge your musical interests; break out the iPod or turn up the CD player, and you'll be singing along to your favorite tunes and won't find cleaning to be a chore at all!

Clear out the clutter: Take the opportunity to dig into the closets, storage spaces, and of course, the garage.  You've probably got a veritable treasure trove of old clutter that's just taking up space-now's the time for a yard sale!  Turn that clutter into cash.

Room by room: Try to focus on just one room at a time, and try to complete one room each day.  This will make the whole job seem more manageable, and you'll probably get things cleaned more thoroughly than if you tried to tackle the whole house at once!

Just a little more laundry: One of the things that we rarely attend to is the state of our draperies, shower curtains, and rugs.  Now is your chance: gather up every spare bit of linen in the house and have it laundered; you'll be surprised at how much brighter your home will look!

A room with a view: It's time to tackle those windows!  Set aside a special day to give your windows a good scrubbing.  Clean off any screens while you're at it: your home will literally sparkle once you're finished.

RECOGNIZING POTENTIAL MAJOR EXPENSES IN A NEW HOME

When you see a new home you like on the market, it's easy to get distracted by all the features you love – the wrap-around backyard deck or the spacious rec room with plenty of space for entertaining. 

You just need to make sure that in all that excitement you don’t overlook any expensive maintenance issues that could be just around the corner.

Nothing lasts forever. The major components of every home – from the furnace to the roof shingles – need to be replaced eventually. Knowing when such maintenance issues are likely to arise can help you make a smarter decision about the home you're considering.

How do you do that? When viewing a property, ask for the age of the major components of the home, such as the roof shingles, furnace, air conditioner, water heater, and appliances. Roof shingles may look merely weathered in spots – and you might think they have years of service left – when, in fact, they're due to be replaced in a year.

Also pay close attention to the backyard deck, fencing, flooring, and windows. Do any of those components look aged, worn, and in need of repair or replacement sometime soon?

Finally, don't forget to check the kitchen and bathrooms. Sinks, faucets, bathtubs, showers, and cabinetry have a life-span of about 10-15 years. Of course, there are things you can't see, such as wiring, plumbing, venting, and other components of a property that may require maintenance soon. That's why it's so important to make any offer to purchase a home conditional on passing an inspection by a qualified home inspector.

Want more ideas on buying the right home for you? Email me today at: valerie@valeriemcconville.com

"WINNING THE CLUTTER WARS" PART 3 - BE RUTHLESS

In my Part 2 of my series "Winning the Clutter Wars," I defined clutter as anything that is out of place, broken, unused, or just something you really dislike.  

By the way, if you would like to review any of these helpful hints you can find them here at my blog or on my website blog at www.valeriemcconville.com.  

Today, in this final installment of my series, we are going to start in one small place (a closet or junk drawer will do nicely) and put things in order!

First, you will need four cardboard boxes and a large trash can.  Label the boxes as follows:

• Put Away
• Fix
• Set Free
• Mementos

Set an alarm clock to go off in one to two hours.  You don't want to overdo things!  Open the closet or junk drawer and select the first object.  Now we will use the four definitions of clutter to help us decide what goes in the trash can or which box to use for each item.

The trash can.  You will find plenty of stuff that is absolutely unusable.  Be ruthless.

The “Put Away” box.  Anything goes in here that is out of place and would be better off in a more convenient location.  As soon as the alarm clock goes off you will take ten minutes or so to put all the items in this box where they really belong.

The “Fix” box.  If the item is damaged or missing a part, but you are certain you would use it regularly if repaired, put it in this box.  Objects can only reside in the fix box for one week before they have to change residence!  If you do not repair the item by week's end it must go into the “Set Free” box.

The “Set Free” box.  This box will hold items that you dislike, things you haven't used in more than a year, orphaned gifts from friends and family (when you said, “Oh, you really shouldn't have!”), things that still have some good use in them, things that will surely fit again “someday.”  This box will go in the trunk of the car.  You will take the box to a local resale store or to a charity center.  Many charities will even pick up this stuff at your front door-what convenience!  You will be doing a good thing, since someone will be getting some good out of these items right now.

The “Mementos” box.  This one can be a bit tricky.  It's for things that have true sentimental or family heirloom value.  You will want to invest in a cedar chest or other similar sized permanent storage unit.  The items from this box will go into that permanent storage.  But remember, that cedar heirloom chest will fill up rapidly if you are too casual about “what's an heirloom.”  Consider passing on some of these things to extended family members right now-don't wait 20 years!

Now you are one closet closer to having a serene, uncluttered home!  Next week take this same process and tackle another corner of the house!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Whether you claim Irish ancestry or not, it's time to break out the green!

That's right, one of my favorite holidays of the year is rolling around, filled with shamrocks and leprechauns.

While Lá Fhéile Pádraig (that's St Patrick's Day if you don't know your Gaelic!) started out as a religious holiday to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland, over the years it has morphed into a joyous international festival dedicated to Irish culture, and, well, parties.  It also arrives around the onset of spring in the northern hemisphere, marking the perfect time to toast an end to the long cold nights of winter and the beginning of longer, more hospitable days.

To help get your celebration started, here's a great recipe for traditional Irish Soda Bread.  It's delish!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 pint sour cream

2 eggs

2 tablespoons caraway seeds (optional)

3/4 cup raisins

Preparation:

Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

In a small bowl beat eggs and stir in sour cream.

Add the egg and sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon.

Batter will be very thick.

Add the raisins and caraway seeds and stir well with wooden spoon or knead with your hands.

Place batter in a greased 9-inch springform pan.

Dust the top with enough flour so that you can pat the batter like bread dough evenly in the pan without it sticking to your hands.

Make a shallow crisscross on the top with a knife.

Bake for 50 minutes in a preheated 350ºF oven.

"WINNING THE CLUTTER WARS" PART 2

In Part 2 of my series "Winning the Clutter Wars," I will be give you my definition of clutter.

The first step in winning the Clutter Wars is to de-bug your own mind!  Most of us don't recognize clutter when it falls out of the closet onto our heads, so how in the world will we conquer it?  Let's start by defining what clutter is.  Clutter is anything in your home:

• That is out of place
• That is broken
• That you have not used or worn in more than a year
• That you dislike

Now don't panic.  I won't be telling you to throw away everything that falls within the above definition of clutter.  BUT once you get a clear picture in your head of what constitutes clutter you will be better able to deal with it!  In the next installment we still start in one small place to give you some practice in sorting through all that clutter.

"WINNING THE CLUTTER WARS" PART 1

If you have bought a home recently, I hope you have found some time for fun and relaxation now that you are settled in your new home.  

As a longtime homeowner I have had to deal with my #1 enemy-the monster that lurks under every bed and in every closet-CLUTTER!  

Nothing will interfere with your enjoyment of your home as much as disorganization and clutter.

Since you have only been in your new home a short time, I imagine you were forced to deal with most of that clutter at moving time.  So, for the moment at least, your closets should be pretty orderly and your garage should actually have room for the cars.  But this blissful scenario won't last beyond the first year if you don't take a firm stand right now against the clutter monster!  And heaven help you if you committed the act of mindlessly boxing up your clutter and bringing it with you to the new house!!!!

In this three part series: "Winning the Clutter Wars" I will be sharing some tips on how to simplify your household and get organized.  But first, let's look at some ways to prevent the clutter in the first place.  You can call this your Homeowner's Declaration of Independence.

-----

Garage sales are events you stage, not events you attend.  Unless you are a professional junk or antique dealer, there is no reason for you to ever attend a garage sale.  Think of them as the entry level drugs offered by the clutter “drug lord” to get you hooked.

Discover the joys of borrowing.  Let's be honest.  There are some things you might only use two or three times a year (fondue set, espresso maker, sewing machine, Super Dooper Foot Spa, etc.).  You don't need to buy these things!  Your friends will be happy to dig them out from under their beds and loan them to you upon request.

Throw away those full-color store ad inserts in your newspaper and the mailbox-do not browse them first.  I'm talking about the good ones from Walmart, Kmart, Target, Kohl's, etc.  Those ads exist for one reason only-to make you think you need more stuff.  I know, you think you are just window shopping, but that is the first step to buying a juicer with ten attachments, a second George Foreman Grill, or a desktop fountain like the one in your attic.

Treat eBay (and other internet shopping sites) like disaster sites-steer clear of them.  You will not escape unscathed.  Clutter will leap into your shopping cart of its own volition!

Finally, if you absolutely must buy something, do it only to replace something you already have.  It's OK to replace your grill, the refrigerator, your coffee table-just don't multiply them!

-----

I look forward to sharing more Clutter Fighting Tips with you in part 2 & 3 of this series.  Don't forget to email me with your real estate questions and concerns!

HOUSING SALES PICK UP IN FEBRUARY

The REALTORS® Association of Edmonton reports that the housing market in the Edmonton CMA1 remains active. Residential listing activity on the Edmonton Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) was up 7.3% as compared to January and sales increased by 24.4%. The all-residential price (includes single family detached, condominiums, duplexes and row-houses) rose 2.9% in a month.

The average condo price was up just 1.6% from January to $238,854 with the median sale price at $224,750. Single family detached homes showed stronger gains rising 2.7%, (which could be contributed to the 8 properties that sold over one million dollars in February compared to 3 in February 2013) at an average price of $425,782 in February ($416,344 in January). Duplex and rowhouse prices were also up month-over-month at $335,625 on average with the median sale price at $338,250. The all-residential average price was $359,973 (up 5.3% from February 2013) and the median sale price was $338,250.

“February turned out to be a busy month for REALTORS®,” said President Greg Steele. “Spring arrives officially this month and sales activity will continue to increase as they do every spring. The inventory of available homes has increased in all price categories and we expect numerous informed sellers to come onto the market in the face of continuing strong prices.”

The pattern of sales in various price ranges has changed this year. “Confidence in the strength of our local economy and a shortage of attractive properties at the lower end of the price range are both moving consumers to consider higher priced properties if their budgets allow,” said Steele.

At the end of February, there were 3,906 residential properties listed in the MLS® System which reflects a 10.4% increase from last month. The days-on-market was 54 as compared to 57 at this time last year. With home sales of 1,122 reported and 1,955 homes listed in February, the sales-to-listing ratio was 57%, up 2% from a year ago. Total Board sales for February were valued at $462,504,482.

FINDING YOUR PERFECT HOME

As the old saying goes, real estate is all about location, location, location. 

But, there is a lot more to it than just plain geography when it comes to finding your perfect home. 

There are a lot of things to consider during the search because, for most, a home is the most significant purchase they will ever make.

Choose A Good Area

When searching for your perfect home, the obvious place to start is with the selection of a location.  If you have children, you may want to choose a home that is close to good schools and is also located in a family-oriented neighborhood.  Many people also look for a home that offers a short commute to and from work.  If you are shopping within a specific price range, you can also narrow the choices by finding an area that offers the best value for your dollar.

Select A Style

The perfect home for you is one that has all of the elements that you want.  Whether it's a garage, basement, extra bedroom or bath, a large kitchen, fireplace or open floor plan, choosing the style of home that you want is an important first step in finding the perfect place to hang your hat.  You may also want to consider whether you prefer a single-level or two-story home.  Many home buyers also factor in floor plans when searching for a house, including those that offer an open and flowing design.

Get Pre-Qualified

Now that you know what you want and where you want it, it's important to find out how much of a home you can afford.  Pre-qualification is not the same as pre-approval.  With pre-qualification, your lender will request specific information relating to your income and expenditures and will offer a possible price range for you to keep in mind while shopping.  Pre-qualification does not guarantee that you will receive an approval, but it does give you a good indication of how much you can afford based on your current situation.

Talk To A REALTOR®

Nobody knows the real estate business like a REALTOR®, so let them help you in your search for the perfect home.  They can answer questions relating to the neighborhood, recent inspections on a particular home and any needed repairs.  Because a REALTOR® has access to a number of area homes, they have the ability to show you various choices within your preferred area and price range.

Ask About Amenities

One of the most significant concerns of any home buyer is what a home has to offer.  Utilities, such as water, sewer, cable, phone and electricity are just a few of the things to consider.  If the home is in a subdivision that requires the payment of association dues, how will these funds be used?  What amenities does the home owner's association offer?  These are all questions to ask your REALTOR® when shopping for the perfect home.

In conclusion, you should know that the search for your perfect home is a journey.  It may be either long or short and with or without some bumps along the way, but the greatest satisfaction will be at the journey's end and your future's beginning.

CALCMOOLATOR...THE FINANCIAL CALCULATOR THAT SAVES YOU MONEY

Not all that strong in math? Looking to demystify the truth behind various financial arrangements, loans, offers, and situations? Check out this all-in-one financial calculator.

Financial health and stability depends upon making informed decisions about loans, debt, taxes, savings, and more. Unfortunately, most people (including first-time homebuyers!) lack a true understanding of how to apply math to help them clearly understand these essential areas.

While there are many specialized calculators out there for a particular area (say debt, or mortgage payments), there are few which consolidate all of the most popular financial calculators in one place. Not to mention, you can chalk up quite a bill paying $2 - $5 for each independent calculator you may need.

Recently I discovered CalcMoolator, a handy online collection of calculators which also has easy-to-use apps for both iOS and Android devices. The most popular calculators include:

•         Auto Lease vs. Buy

•         Auto Loan Estimate

•         First-Year Baby Costs

•         Estimate Your Credit Score

•         Pay Off My Credit Card Debt Sooner

•         My Lifetime Earnings

•         Salary to Hourly Wage

•         Rent vs. Buy

•         What If I Pay More?

•         Mortgage Payment Estimate

What's more, you can even embed web-based CalcMoolator calculators in your own website/blog. It's very handy for showing Rent vs. Buy and Mortgage Payment estimates.

Check out CalcMoolator for yourself:
 http://www.calcmoolator.com/

Thinking about getting your “financial house in order” before you buy real estate? Let’s connect!  Email me today at: valerie@valeriemcconville.com

5 FACTORS THAT CAN HELP PREDICT NEIGHBORHOOD VALUE

What does the future hold for the neighborhood you’re considering? How can you know if values will rise or fall? Here are five things to look out for as you’re evaluating neighborhoods.

How do you predict the value of a neighborhood? While no one can say for sure how home values in a neighborhood will rise or decline over time, there are big-picture economic factors that you can look for to help get handle on where they may be going.

1. Major regional employers. If a community depends upon one or two large companies for a high percentage of local employment, you can bet that as the company fares, so will the neighborhoods. While “company towns” are hardly the norm these days, don’t overlook the possibility.

2. Number of properties currently for sale. Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with a neighborhood just because the inventory (i.e. number of homes on the market) is high. Other times, something may be amiss. If you’re seeing street-after-street of “FOR SALE” signs, ask questions.

3. Major construction. Is that a new school they’re building, or is it a supermax prison? Did they clear that land for a new shopping center, or is it a new loop for the interstate? Certain types of construction can improve home values while others can hurt. Getting in touch with the local planning commission as well as the local newspaper’s business section (or website) can help illuminate what’s behind those bulldozers and cement mixers.

4. Rental density. People who own the homes they live in tend to take better care of them. Also, it’s preferable to have long-term neighbors versus high-turnover tenants. Absentee landlords or seasonally rented properties can also be a drag on a neighborhood. Get a feel for the rental density and the direction it’s heading. Rental density matters.

5. Environmental conditions. One industrial accident that poisons a water supply is enough to annihilate home values. How susceptible is the region to extreme weather? Don’t rule out environmental liabilities or benefits.

Nobody’s crystal ball is perfect, but to ignore major macroeconomic factors is dangerous. Even if you’re only planning on staying in a location for 5 - 7 years, do yourself a favor and try to position yourself to make, not lose money, on your home with these tips in mind.

Have questions about a neighborhood in your part of the country? I’m happy to help. Get in touch today: valerie@valeriemcconville.com