PEST CONTROL TIPS FOR FALL & WINTER

When the cooler months roll around, pests look for reliable sources of warmth and food… that includes your house! Here are some practical tips for keeping them out.

When the temperatures begin to dip, humans aren’t the only ones who appreciate the warmth and shelter of a cozy home. Insects, rodents, and other small mammals are also drawn to the comforts your house provides. Ever have a mouse die in a wall? It’s not the sort of smell that one appreciates during the holidays.

No one wants an expensive electrical repair when a rat chews its way through wiring in the attic or basement, either. Do yourself a favor and protect yourself from pests this Fall and Winter.

Here are some tips:

• Inspect the outside of your home for ways animals may sneak in. Often utility vents and areas under eaves have gaps which should be sealed or screened.

• Look for gaps around door and window frames, and caulk or repair those gaps. Tiny entry ways can lead to big problems.

• Examine trees around your home. Are any branches close to or touching the roof? These branches can be pathways for rodents to access your roof and any access ways the roof may provide to your attic, walls, or crawlspaces.

• Make sure your garbage and recycling bins have tight fitting or locking lids. Hungry animals will find those scraps, trimmings, and drips, and they can more or less provide an invitation to come close to the house. It’s not a bad idea to buy containers with latches or locks that won’t interfere with garbage pickup, but will deter most animals. (Raccoons are particularly clever, though!)

• If you have a wood pile for a fireplace or other stove, keep it at a distance from your home. If you’ve been keeping it close to the house because of the cover a roof provides, consider relocating the wood and using a tarp to keep it dry.

• Inside your home, try not to store food on countertops as it will attract flies and rodents. Airtight containers inside of cabinets an drawers is a better bet.

• Never leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight if you can help it. Just like food on the counter, it’s an invitation for bugs.

• Wash your floors with water and a cleaner. Food residue from spills will attract ants.

With a little prevention, you can keep your home pest free this season. Even with the best protection, pest control can become a necessity, though. If you need a referral for a trusted pest control company, feel free to get in touch with me.

email: valeriemcconville@gmail.com

SHOULD YOU WORRY ABOUT MOISTURE ON WINDOWS?

You’re standing by your window admiring the view. Then you notice it. Moisture has built-up around the edges of the glass.

Should you worry? It all depends on the reason for the build up.

Assuming you have traditional double-pane glass in your windows, there are a few things to look for if you notice moisture.

Often, moisture at the bottom of the windows is simply caused by too much humidity in your indoor air. If that’s the case, simply adjust your humidifier.

If the moisture is on the exterior of the window, typically there’s also no problem with the window itself. It may have rained recently or the outside humidity may have spiked causing the accumulation. Generally, there’s no reason for concern.

However, if the moisture is in between the two panes of glass, the seal has broken and surrounding air – along with its water content – has made its way in.

This disrupts the thermal barrier of the window, reducing its energy efficiency. In fact, the glass might feel noticeably colder than your other windows on chilly days. In that case, you’ll need to replace the pane.

Similarly, if the moisture is coming in through only one spot — the bottom right corner, for example — then you might have a leak. If you have a wood frame or sill, you may also notice a growing water stain. It’s important to get leaks fixed quickly. There may be water damage occurring within the frame that you cannot see.

SELLING A HOME IN A CROWDED MARKET

When you’re about to sell your home, it may be disheartening to see so many other properties for sale in your neighborhood. 

You may be thinking, “That’s a lot of competition! Will our property get noticed?

Fortunately, there are many proven strategies for standing out in a sea of For Sale signs.

First of all, keep in mind that many home purchasers come from the REALTOR’S personal network of buyers who want to move into your area. So, choosing the right REALTOR® is crucial.

Second, remember that when there are other properties for sale on your street, curb appeal becomes even more important. There are many simple things you can do to make your property look great to those driving around looking at homes. Make sure your property looks as picture perfect as possible.

In a competitive market, it’s also more important than ever to highlight features of your home that are unique and enticing. If, for example, you have a large backyard deck and brand new hardwood flooring, make sure these are mentioned prominently on the feature sheet.

Finally, be as flexible as you can be when scheduling viewings and open houses. Don’t forget that other listed properties in your neighborhood draw in buyers, who may notice your home. It’s not uncommon for a buyer to view a property and then scout the neighborhood.

So, you want buyers to be able to see your home on short notice and at a convenient time for them. If there are several other nearby properties for sale, it means things are hot from a real estate point of view. You want to roll out the red carpet to buyers.

COMPOSTING TIPS FOR HOME OWNERS

Do you live in an area which offers free and easy composting? Here are some quick tips you can use to make composting easier and more effective.

Do you compost?

Composting is a great way to reduce the waste which goes into our landfills. More and more communities are providing curbside compost pick-up service. 

Whether a part of regular trash and recycling, or provided by a private company, composting is no longer an affair where you have to turn a drum of scraps in your backyard or worry about pests. If you already compost privately, you know that composting is a spectacular way to turn your table scraps and other biodegradable waste into “black gold” for gardening!

Below are some great composting “hacks” you can use to enhance your composting experience:

1. Use toilet paper in the kitchen. Have an oily pan? Don’t dump the oil in the trash or down the drain. Instead, keep toilet paper handy in the kitchen. Wipe the pan out with the toilet paper and place the soiled paper in the compost container. Not only do the microorganisms feast on the toilet paper, but they thrive on the oils, too. This trick actually does double duty, because in addition to helping your compost, it reduces the amount of dish soap and water you need to finish cleaning the pan.

2. Freeze the stink. If you’re worried about the short-term possibility of foul smells in your kitchen, and you don’t have an indoor compost bin designed to reduce odors, you can actually use your own freezer to store the compost until you dump it in a larger bin. Line a paper bag with a biodegradable sack and place it in the freezer. When you’re ready to dump it, you can put the entire bag and its contents right in the compost bin.

3. Compost coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are incredibly rich in nitrogen, which is essential to a healthy compost mix. Put your grounds in the compost bin, but be sure to add other carbon-rich materials such as paper to-go cups.

4. Carbon filters are your friend. Inexpensive compost keepers like the Norpro 1 Gallon Ceramic Compost Keeper can be used with charcoal filters which will help eliminate odors if you’re squeamish about using your freezer. (You can check out 10 of the best kitchen compost bins here: http://heavy.com/garden/2015/02/best-small-indoor-kitchen-countertop-compost-bin-pail-bucket-collector/)

Get greener with a little compost power!

valeriemcconville@gmail.com You can also visit my website at www.valeriemcconville.com

HERE'S HOW TO KNOW IF YOU'RE READY TO SELL YOUR HOME

Selling a home is an emotional experience with heavy financial repercussions attached. If you try and sell before you’re truly ready to move, you could find yourself in a stressful, costly situation which wastes a lot of time. 

Here’s how to ask yourself if you’re really ready to sell.

I love to sell homes. It’s a privilege and an honor to be a part of the process. I get great satisfaction from making my living helping people move on to the next phase of their life, whether it’s upsizing, downsizing, or simply relocating to a new neighborhood.

But there is one sort of home seller I can’t really help: The seller who’s not really ready to sell.

If you’re thinking about selling your home, don’t enter into the process lightly. It’s a big deal. There’s some stress and there’s a great opportunity for joy. There’s a big investment at stake. This, along with a lot of other reasons large and small, is why you want to be 100% sure you’re ready to sell your home. If you think you’re ready to sell, but it turns out you’re not, you waste a lot of time and energy (and sometimes money). 

So how do you know if you’re really ready to sell your home?

1. You’re fine with the process. You must have no problem with the idea of a stranger poking around your house, talking about renovating it, or treating it like a used car. If you’ve lived in your house a long time, it’s natural to have emotional attachments. So if the process of selling the house makes you feel protective or defensive, you may not be ready. 

2. You are flexible on the right price. Motivated sellers understand selling a home involves negotiation and competitive market pricing. If you have a number “you must get” in order to sell, then you might want to think again. Also, if all of the agents who price your home come back too low for your standards, take a breather and ask yourself if it’s go time or not.

3. You know where you’re going next. Prepared sellers have plans, even if those plans aren’t 100% firm. They’re anticipating the move and they are probably even shopping for houses, if only casually at the moment. If you can’t clearly answer the question, “Where would you like to live after you sell?” then you’re not quite there yet.

If you’re iffy on any of these, take a step back and consider how you feel. While some markets favor sellers more than others, a home can sell in any market for the right price. Don’t jump into something before you’re ready.

However, when you’re ready, I’d be happy to help. Give me a call when the time is right:

valeriemcconville@gmail.com or visit my website at www.valeriemcconville.com