5 TIPS FOR WRITING MEMORABLE HOLIDAY CARDS

Do you get writer's block when you sit down to write holiday cards?

If you’re like many people, writing holiday cards can be a nerve wracking experience. You want your message to be memorable, but you may become hung up on finding the perfect thing to say. Instead of focusing on perfection, remember the spirit of the season and channel generosity with these five tips.

Start on a positive note. Beginning your note with “Happy Holidays,” “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Hanukkah,” etc. will set a bright, positive tone for the rest of the card.

Example: Happy Holidays from the Jones family! Our year has been full of many blessings.

Remember, it’s a note not a novel. Although it’s tempting to recount everything that happened during the year, try to stick to the highlights. Focus on one or two memorable things such as a job promotion, a fun family vacation or your son getting into his dream college.

Example: We had a great time hiking through Yosemite this summer with the kids before Tommy headed off to the University of New Hampshire in the fall (Go Wildcats!).

Reflect on a happy holiday memory. Take family and close friends on a stroll down memory lane with a funny or sentimental holiday memory that will make them feel good.

Example: I had to laugh the other day when Mary and her friends were building a snowman. Remember when we built that huge snowman and dressed it in Dad’s clothes? Even Nana and Pop-pop got a good chuckle out of that.

Don’t make it all about you. While you should tell the recipient what’s going on in your life, remember to ask about them and their families. Congratulate them on something good that happened this year, or say that you look forward to meeting up with them soon.

Example: Linda, congratulations on your new job! Your company is very lucky to have you! Hard work pays off. How are Mikey and Hannah doing? Is Hannah still planning to play softball in the spring?

Bring your message home with a great sign off. End your sentiment on a positive note.

Example: We wish you and your family all the best in the coming year.

MAKING YOUR HOME CRITTER PROOF

You may love animals, but with the exception of your family pets, you don’t want them in your home. Here are some tips for keeping the wildlife around your property where it belongs: outside.

• Don’t place bird feeders too close to your windows. Doing so may cause birds to associate a window with food and therefore try to peck their way inside.

• Make sure window screens are secure. If you can push a screen loose with your hand, so can a bird or other animal.

• Check screens on dryer vents and chimneys. If they are damaged, fix or replace them.

• To determine how animals are entering your home, stuff wadded paper in the suspected entry point. If the paper is disturbed the next day, you’ll know where they got in.

Never leave food outside, unattended. After a barbeque, for example, take all remaining food inside. Follow these simple steps and you will reduce the risk of having unexpected visitors to your home.

LET IT SNOW! BUT FIRST...SOME WINTER SAFETY TIPS

Preparing your home and property for cold weather conditions and responding to them effectively can reduce some of the effects caused by winter's weather challenges.

Experts agree that the following measures can be effective in dealing with the effects of severe winter weather:

• Have your snow removal equipment serviced and ready for action.

• Have rock salt on hand to melt ice on walkways.

• Make sure your walls and attic are properly insulated.

• Caulk and weather strip doors and windows.

• Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside.

• Have an ample supply of wood if you have a fireplace.

• Have safe portable space heaters available.

• Wrap water pipes in insulation or layers of old newspapers to keep from freezing.

• Let faucets drip a little to avoid freezing.

• Know how to shut off water valves.

• In case the power goes out, have disaster supplies on hand such as a flashlight & battery operated radio (and extra batteries), a first aid kit and extra blankets & sleeping bags.

• Develop an emergency communication plan in case family members are separated from one another during a winter storm.

• Teach children how and when to call 911, police, or fire department, and which radio station to tune to for emergency information.

Winterizing Your Vehicle

Preparing your vehicle for the winter season is one of the most important keys to safe winter driving. Have a mechanic check the following items on your car before the temperatures drop.

• Battery Antifreeze

• Ignition system Thermostat

• Lights Flashing hazard lights

• Exhaust system Heater

• Brakes Defroster

• Oil level Tires/tread

• Wipers and windshield washer fluid

Also, be sure to keep a windshield scraper and small broom for ice and snow removal, and maintain at least a half tank of gas at all times during the winter season.

Follow the steps above and Ol' Man Winter will be just a little more bearable.

WHY LIST YOUR HOME DURING THE HOLIDAYS?

As Fall gives way and Winter begins to make its present felt, this is the time of year when we approach the holiday season. 

Many home owners thinking of selling typically wait during this period because of the mistaken belief that the market is slowing down and they may not be successful in selling their home this time of year.

If you are considering selling your home but are hesitant to do so, here are 12 reasons why listing during the holiday season might be your best bet.

1. Buyers who are looking in November and December are typically very serious home Buyers.

2. Smaller supply for Buyers to choose from… better odds than at any other time of the year for a home Seller.

3. Number of homes for sale in January and on will increase dramatically.

4. A home that is decorated for the Holidays shows very well!

5. Holiday emotionalism is also at a peak for home Buyers… more open to higher prices.

6. Buyers looking during the Holidays typically have more time to look for a home than they do during a normal working week.

7. Significant percentage of Buyers must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons. Often times in the case of a transfer, the buying decision must be “on the books” by the end of December.

8. January is oftentimes the month for transferees to begin jobs. Homes must be on the market earlier to be available for those individuals.

9. You can restrict showings at peak times of the month. Minimizes the inconvenience factor.

10. Sell now for more money and arrange a longer closing. This will allow the home Seller to have a larger selection to choose from in the new year.

11. Sell now, become a firm home Buyer and strengthen your negotiating position when the supply increases in the new year.

12. Possible increase in interest rates can negatively affect prices.

If your ready to sell, call me today! (780) 700-8638

SHOULD YOU RENOVATE OR MOVE?

If you need to decide whether you should renovate or move, start by reviewing your home and identifying what is currently lacking. Then determine what it would cost to improve it. 

Consider overall upgrades, such as new windows, a new roof, or new HVAC and security systems. 

Then examine each room and determine how improvements could benefit your family’s living environment, now and in the future. You might even consider the possibility of adding one or more rooms.

With estimated renovation costs in hand, have a brief consultation with your REALTOR® who will be able to add the estimated cost of affordable renovations to your home’s appraised market value. This will give you a rough idea of how much you might be willing to spend on your next home, provided it has all of your desired features.

If such desirable homes are price over the cost of your current home after upgrades, you might be better off renovating. Your renovations may even add more selling value than they cost. A good REALTOR® can help you determine that too!

SAVE ON YOUR HEATING COSTS THIS WINTER

The cold is coming, and in some places it is already here. If you haven’t done so yet, take advantage of some simple tune-ups you can make around the house to dramatically lower your heating bill.

The laws of thermodynamics can be expensive. When the big winter weather arrives, the heat can leach from your home through a variety of obvious and unexpected ways, resulting in high heating bills. Wouldn’t you rather put that money into holiday shopping or upgrades for your house?

The most obvious culprits are in plain sight: Doors and windows. The weatherstripping around doors shouldn’t admit any light, and when it comes to windows, you’ll want to look for holes in the caulking. You could even upgrade your windows to double-pane, or go with storm windows to improve insulation. But the less obvious and less dramatic options are available to you, too. Here are 5 tips you may not have thought of when it comes to heating leaks and your overall energy spend:

1. Cover up your water heater. For $20 - $40 you can secure a water heater blanket at most hardware stores. This will help keep your water heater insulated, which in turn means the water heater will use less energy to keep you in those warm showers. You might even consider dropping your water heater temperature from 140F/60C down to a safe but reasonable 120F/49C.

2. Swap out rugs and drapes. In the warmer months, you may enjoy sheer window coverings or go with bare floors, but in the winter laying in heavy drapes and thicker rugs will help trap heat. (Plus, it makes a room feel all the more cozy when it’s cold outside!)

3. Shutter your fireplace when it’s not in use. Is cold air whistling down your chimney? Does your flue close completely? Unless your fireplace is in constant use, remembering to seal it up when you’re not burning wood is a good place to save. Just remember to open the flue before you use it, or else you’ll end up with a smokey hazard!

4. Swap out your furnace filters. The harder you make your furnace work to exchange air, the more you’ll pay for it. Stay on top of filter changes in the winter. The money you spend on filters will lower your bill and help save on your furnace’s wear and tear.

5. Invest in a programmable thermostat. From your basic clock-based models to your fancy smart thermostats like Nest, programmable thermostats will help you turn down the heat when you’re not home and when you’re sleeping. A modest expense will pay for itself many times over as the winters add up.

Stay warm on the cheap this year! If you find yourself looking for a more energy efficient home, I'm also here to help: valerie@valeriemcconville.com

WE REMEMBER

UNDERSTANDING MULTIPLE OFFER SITUATIONS

In a seller’s market, multiple offers are not uncommon. But what does that really mean? 

And how should you and your agent work together to generate the most interest in a multiple offer situation? Find out more in my post… 

When inventory is tight and a market heats up, sellers often dream of finding themselves in a multiple offer situation. In a multiple offer situation, more than one potential buyer submits a written offer on the home. With multiple offers on a property, the listing agent can then try and “shop the top offer” in order to try and get the best deal possible for their client.

If you live in a hot market, how do you structure your listing in such a way that you get the best possible offers in a multiple offer situation?

One strategy for cultivating multiple offers is letting buyers know that the seller will only entertain offers on a certain date. Rather than deal with offers dribbling in one at a time, there’s a deadline for offers. When this happens, buyers know they have to have a truly exceptional offer on the table if they hope to be in the running for the property.

With a deadline on offers, buyers will look at ways to gain an advantage over other offers. This often extends beyond pricing, though pricing is a part of the picture. “Escalation clauses” are frequently built in should a buyer’s offer find stiff competition from another buyer. The clause ups the amount the buyer is willing to pay in the face of a legitimate competing offer.

In addition to escalation clauses, buyers may also waive other terms and contingencies relating to inspections, title, or financing. In some multiple offer situations, an all-cash buyer will have a considerable advantage over those who must still navigate the additional complications of their financing.

Be aware that in a multiple offer situation your agent may not be eager to try and instigate the next level: An all out bidding war. While the agent has an obligation to secure the best possible offer for your listing, bidding wars can generate a lot of bad blood between agents who have worked together the past (and hope to work together in the future). Some sellers will push an agent the direction of a bidding war, but those who do must realize there’s an inherent risk in making an enemy out of buyers and buyers’ agents. (Everyone has their limits!)

Do you live in a market that’s hot? How in demand would your home be if it happened to be on the market right now? Have you talked to an agent about the prospect of generating multiple offers on your property?

Contact me and I can help answer all of these questions and more: valerie@valeriemcconvlle.com

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN EVALUATING SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Even if you don’t have kids, the quality of a school district can have a direct impact on the value of your home. 

If you’re buying and you want to make sure your home is in a good district, use these criteria to see if your the local district makes the grade.

Given the way most communities work, the location of a home dictates the local school district. The quality of the school district can have a direct impact on the value of your home. Even if you don’t have kids or don’t have to plan kids, the quality of the local schools can positively or negatively effect your home’s value. Buyers tend to prefer homes in good school districts, either because they have school-aged children, or they are thinking of resale value down the line.

So how do you know if your local schools make the grade? What signs point towards an improving or declining school district? Here are a five things you’ll want to consider:

1. Test scores. It’s a basic measurement of student performance and educator effectiveness. Look at the performance historically for an idea of which direction things have been heading.

2. Graduation rates. High graduation rates mean a large percentage of students complete a particular school’s program, and generally reflects well on the district.

3. Student-to-teacher ratios. A low student-to-teacher ratio is generally positive, as it indicates a higher percentage chance of students receiving individualized attention. It also suggests that teachers at the school will be more attentive to the quality of the education as they are not overwhelmed by their student load. (If you already have a relatively high student-to-teacher ratio in a community that’s growing fast, beware.)

4. School amenities. No, we’re not talking about hot tubs! But we are talking about athletic programs, music programs, and special education programs. If a district is impoverished and has cut all but the essentials from a public education, you may want to hold off.

5. Local parental opinion. Ask parents what they think of the schools. How well does the staff communicate? Do the teachers seem engaged? How are the libraries? Are parents engaged, or is there little sense of community?

Though school districts are but one factor in the myriad of environmental and neighborhood conditions influencing home value, they remain an important one. Do your homework!

Curious about the local schools? I am happy to help you understand the local school district and homes near great schools. 

Get in touch with me here: valerie@valeriemcconville.com

WHEN IS IT THE RIGHT TIME TO TALK TO A REALTOR®?

When would you talk to a car salesperson? Probably only once you’re ready to buy a new car. You would do some initial research (perhaps on the internet), get an idea of what you want, and then go to the dealership to meet a salesperson, test drive the car and make the purchase.

Although that approach may work when you’re buying a car, it’s not the best approach when it comes to real estate.

You see, successfully buying or selling a home requires a lot of planning and legwork. You want the process to go smoothly, the right decisions to be made, and the best possible deal to be negotiated.  

After all, this is the purchase and/or sale of your home!

So, the best time to talk to a REALTOR® is as early in the process as possible.

In fact, even if you’re just thinking of buying or selling — and simply want to explore the possibility of making a move sometime this year — you should have a conversation with a good REALTOR®.

A REALTOR® will answer your questions, provide you with the information and insights you need, help you avoid costly mistakes, and make sure you’re heading in the right direction.

When you are ready to buy or sell, having worked with a REALTOR® early in the process will help ensure you get what you want.

So talk to a good REALTOR® when:

·  You have a question about the local market.

·  You want to know what your home might sell for today.

·  You’re interested in checking out homes currently available on the market.

·  You’re in the midst of deciding whether or not to make a move.

·  You’ve decided to buy or sell.

Getting a good REALTOR® on your side early in the game makes everything a lot easier for you.

Looking for a good REALTOR®? Visit my website then call today.