Delaware County, Pennsylvania Real Estate Blog

Needs A Little TLC - Some Cosmetic Work - Are you sure?

Sometimes words do not convey the true condition of a house that is for sale, nor do pictures.  That is why you must visit a house more than once before buying and have a home inspection and if necessary adjust the price of your offer based on the gathered information from your visits and input from professionals.  If you go into a situation without the guidance of a professional you may just end up with more than you can handle.

Bricks - ABC's OF REAL ESTATE (A-Z/B)

Bricks have been used for constructing houses and building for thousands of years.  Remains of buildings dating back to 5000BC and earlier, have been found in the Middle East in an area formerly known as Mesopotamia made with bricks.  Needless to say, bricks can be very durable depending on how they are made.  In addition to their durability, bricks are fire resistant, require low maintenance and add a layer of insulation to any structure or home.

Red bricks are very common in construction.  Clay and shale are what give bricks their red color along with the firing process.  According to brick manufacturers, it's all in the baking time.  On average, 30 hours of baking is what makes for a good solid brick.

To test the quality of bricks, take two like bricks and bang them together.  If you hear a distinct ringing sound, that is the sound of a high quality product.  If you take lower quality bricks and bang them together you will hear a thud sound, not a ringing sound; quite a difference.  With exposure to the elements, lower quality bricks break down much quicker over time.

If low exterior maintenance is what you are looking for in your home, with colors that conjure up a warm and friendly home, make sure your next home is made of brick. 

Remember, "only stones and bricks are wolf proof".  --- as per one of the 3 Little Pigs.

(Written by Gloria - Thanks to Wikipedia and Acme Brick Company)

ABC'S OF REAL ESTATE: 
Arch Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) - ABC'S OF REAL ESTATE (A-Z/A)

Home Ownership - Part Of The American Dream

To own a home is a big part of the American Dream. To put down roots in a community where you can raise a family, have neighbors that may become your friends, to build equity in an asset that shows the fruits of your labor over the years, these are things that can come with being a home owner. No matter what stage of life you are in, you may have this dream of Home Ownership. So why not research your options?

If you are fresh out of high school or college, now is a great time to start saving your money on a regular basis towards a down payment on a house.

If you have been a renter for many years but now feel like you really want to buy your own home, go for it.

Yes it may take time if you do not have the required money to make a down payment, but find out what are the requirements and make a plan that you can stick with to get you to your dream.

Like any dream or goal a plan needs to be put in place and worked.

Hook up with a Realtor and mortgage person, listen to their advise.

Know your credit score and improve it if you can.

Become wise in your spending habits.

Be patient.

If owning a house is something you really want to experience, you can do it if you find out what is needed to become a home owner. Do your research, find out the steps to home ownership, put a plan into action and don't let fear keep you from your dream. Make it a reality!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One Way To Rid A House Of Negative Energy - Smudging 

Have you ever gone into a house and just gotten the heebeegeebees? Or you find out something really bad happened in the house you just bought, and you want to somehow erase this negative energy from this house's history? (Please read post by Patricia Kennedy)

Well there is one way to rid a house of negative energy and bring new/good energy in if one can find a person who knows how to "smudge" with Sage and Sweet Grass.  Smudging with Sage is the initial step, it removes the bad energy.  Smudging with Sweet Grass, is the second step, this brings in the new and good energy. Do not just smudge with Sage, do both steps.

Many years ago I had the honor and opportunity to learn about smudging from a few Native Americans. For many Native Americans, smudging is used on a personal level as well as in ceremonies and in similar situations mentioned here.

If you are open to such ideas and can find someone who can do a smudging for you, by all means give it a go. On a final note, if you go forward with this, I ask that you please honor the sacredness of this tradition with sincere respect.
                                                     (Written by Gloria)

Doug Durren and Gloria Todor, Realtors^®, CENTURY 21 Absolute Realty
Serving Delaware County Pennsylvania and Surrounding Areas
Take advantage of the Tax Credit before April 30, 2010
- First Time Home Buyers and Current Homeowners -
610-909-0687 Doug       610-328-4300 x131 Office
484-431-3686 Gloria      www.RealEstateDelawareCountyPA.com
Email GloriaTodor@Century21.com