Delaware County, Pennsylvania Real Estate Blog: December 2010

Do you want to make this the year to GO GREEN and share the passion to help clean up the environment?

Taking small steps in our individual lives can make a difference in the world and the resources we are using up.

The concept of "Pay It Forward" can be an all inclusive term when sharing things that are good and can help others.  As we share with one another we are paying it forward in many aspects of our daily lives.

Each year as I clean up the Christmas decorations and gather up the cards I take time to cut off the written area  and create post cards with the clean section which is usually the top with the graphic on the other side.

The Re-purposing of the Christmas card begins at that point.   A Thank you note can be written on the left side of the post card with the address on the right side with the stamp. 

Attach a label on the top left hand side of the card which says:

" This card has been Re-purposed!                                                                                                                  In 2011 we are trying to enhance our Recycle, Reduce and Reuse awareness!                                          We invite your to join us in taking global issues local doing what we can to make the world a better place!    Pay this idea forward to your friends and family!                                                                                        Together we CAN make a difference!"

Watch the video and see if this is something you might want to share!

Let's make 2011 the year to become aware of all the different ways we can Re-purpose, Recycle, Reduce and Reuse.

 

       

Cosmic Cow Pie

Carra Riley

 

Today is the 3rd day of Kwanzaa! For those celebrating...Happy Kwanzaa!

Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga and it's purpose is to celebrate family, community and culture. Dr. Karenga, a professor of Africana Studies at California State University, Long Beach, author and scholar-activist, stressed "the indispensable need to preserve, continually revitalize and promote African American culture." *

Kwanzaa is not a religous holiday, but a cultural one and has it's roots in the "first harvest" celebrations of Africa. In fact the name Kwanza "is derived from the phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits" in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language." *

Celebrated from December 26th through January 1st, this special holiday is a time to gather and share the bond of those with African decent.

Happy Kwanzaa Everyone!

*all quotes and specific information was taken from the website: The Official Kwanzaa Website

 

Karen Fiddler
Broker/Associate
The Fiddler Realty Team/eVantage Real Estate
Lic # 01494165

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Listing your home for sale in winter can be a great time to attract serious buyers, especially in the Western Prince William County, VA real estate market.  We tend to see increase in average market value near the end of the year.  Logic tells us that the fewer homes on the market, with buyers still in the hunt for a home, mean prices will increase a bit.  It never fails.

If you are planning to list your Bristow, Gainesville or Haymarket home during the winter, there are some things you should keep in mind. 

1.  Winterize your hose bibs.  This one goes for home owners in cold winter climates whether they are selling or not.  I was the victim of a hose bib freeze during the winter.  The plumbing cracked and began to leak inside a wall in the spring.  Oops!  That's a mistake my household will never make again.

2.  Shovel and de-ice your walkways and driveways during snow storms.  You wouldn't want the perfect buyer for your home to fall and bust their rear before they ever made it inside your home.  You also want to make sure they have a place to park.  If they can't even get out of the car, that's just as bad.

3.  Keep your home WARM.  Nothing says welcome home like coming in from the ice cold weather outside and being greeted with warm air.  When your home is on the market, winter is not the time to be miserly with the temperature. 

If your home will be vacant, make sure you have contracted with a local landscaping company to handle yoru snow removal and de-icing.  And make sure you've left on the utilities.  The winter marketplace has been going full speed.  Follow these tips, in addition to the others you'd normally follow in spring (minus planting flowers and mowing the lawn) and you'lll be under contract in no time.

 

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker- Licensed in Virginia, GRI, SFR, Northern Virginia Short Sale Specialist. Affiliated with Long & Foster, 7526 Limestone Drive, Gainesville, VA 20155.  To contact Chris Ann, call 703-402-0037 or email chrisann@LNF.com.  Or you can visit her website:  www.nvarealestate.net.

Header photo is the Bristow, VA community of Bramear, taken by Chris Ann Cleland during the blizzards of 2009-2010.

 

Even though the weather isn’t great in winter and holiday preparations eat up lots of time, the holidays are still a great time to go shopping for a new home. While it is true that the inventory may be slightly lower than in summer, there are still a few benefits to buying a home around the holidays.

 

• A seller who has a home listed at the holidays is very motivated to sell. Generally, if you are going to let complete strangers traipse through your home during the holiday season, you have to be pretty motivated, right?
• There is much less competition from other buyers for the homes that are currently on the market. Lots of buyers are taking the holidays ‘off’. So, a property that may receive multiple offers in June might only receive one offer around the holidays.
• Your team will have more time to provide you with excellent customer service. Real estate agents and lenders have lighter loads around the holidays; this means that they can have the opportunity to showcase their top-notch service just for you. 
• Interest rates are so low right now. The lower the interest rate, the more home you can buy.
• Homes decorated for the holidays are so pretty with the gorgeous tree and all the trimmings. And, who can ignore the small of fresh baked goods right out of the oven? Who wouldn’t want to view a home that smells like chocolate chip cookies or gingerbread?

If you or anyone you know is considering waiting until summer to explore the idea of buying a new home, I urge you to reconsider. And, don’t forget to contact Broadpoint Properties. Our agents can show case their top-notch customer service and maybe even show you the home of your dreams.

 

 

Broker, Realtor®
DRE #01324959
Broadpoint Properties, Inc
San Diego County Short Sale Specialists
Short Sale Expeditor®

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