|
|
| Quick Quiz |
|
Each month I’ll give you a new question.
Just reply to this email for the answer.
Dr. Maurice Levy invented the first automatic postal sorter in 1957. How many letters could it handle per hour?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ask the Agent |
| Should I Stage My Home?
Even though staging your home takes time and planning, it will be worth the effort and the cost. You want your home to stand out when you list it so it can have every advantage of getting the best possible price in the shortest amount of time.
Staging communicates to buyers that your home is well taken care of and increases the likelihood of getting a good offer. When you stage your home, it takes away your personality and markets it in a more neutral way. A staged home is more inviting to a buyer and also helps define spaces and room sizes. Every room will have a purpose, and buyers can more easily visualize themselves living in your home.
A competitively priced home that has also been staged to appear move-in ready will help justify its listing price. Successful staging will give your home an edge over the competition without having to compromise on price. A positive first impression will motivate selling agents, who will put your home at the top of their list when showing properties to their clients. |
|
|
 |
| How to Go About Pricing Your Home |
| When you are ready to sell your home, it is important to work with your real estate agent to arrive at a competitive listing price. You have an idea of what your home is worth, but it will be your agent who will help you objectively price your home. Depend on the expertise of a real estate professional to be able to research the market and be receptive to your input. Your team effort will result in a price that will sell your home.
An agent will start by finding recent sales that are comparable to your home in age, location, square footage, amenities, and number of bedrooms and baths. Since no two homes are identical, the agent will make value adjustments to the features of the comparables (also known as comps) that differ from your home. An average selling price will then be taken from the newly adjusted comps to help determine the estimated value of your home. Similarly, active listings will contribute to how your home is priced.
Accurate pricing can’t take place without also factoring in market conditions. Take advantage of online data that breaks down sales by area. Median sales price and the average number of days for past sales will be valuable information when deciding on the final price tag for your home.
Pricing your home to sell in a reasonable amount of time in any market is my goal as your real estate agent. Call or email for an appointment so we can team up to get your home sold. |
|
|
| Want to Sell Your Home Fast? Get My Free Guide |
|
Preparing your home for sale can make the difference between getting the price you want – or ending up disappointed. Discover some easy things you can do by requesting my free guide, “11 Essential Ways to Get Top Dollar for Your Home.”
Just reply to this email and I’ll send it right out to you.
|
|
|
|
|
| Did You Know that Trees Talk to Each Other? |
| A fascinating story in honor of Earth Day is the growing research into how trees are much more social beings than we ever realized. There are widening studies by forestry ecologists into the way trees communicate using networks of fungus in the ground, relaying messages to each other warning of predators, sharing nutrients with their “sick” neighbors, and even forging “alliances” with different tree species.
Likened to the neural pathways in the brain or the lines of communication that form the internet, the underground fungal networks have been described variously as the “wood wide web,” the “mushroom internet” or the “mycorrhizal network.” Vast swathes of mycorrhizal fungus connect different trees in the forest. Trees are then able to send nutrients through these pathways to be picked up by connected trees as well as chemicals that act as “distress signals,” causing their neighbors to release substances that can defend against disease or attack from predators.
Ecologist Suzanne Simard is one of the researchers delving further into these studies. During one of her studies, she witnessed a Douglas fir tree that, having been colonized by insects, sent chemicals acting as a warning to a nearby ponderosa pine tree. This caused the pine to create enzymes that would protect it against insects. In other studies, she has seen older trees sending carbon, nutrients, and water to young seedlings the same way a mother would nurture her child.
What better reason to make sure we’re all doing our bit to save the trees! |
|
|
|
|
| Wondering What’s Happening in Your Neighborhood? |
| How has the price of your home changed in today’s market? How much are other homes in your neighborhood selling for?
These are all critical questions that shouldn’t be overlooked when thinking about buying or selling your home. Whether you’re curious about prices in your area, whether it’s an excellent time to sell, or just need an expert to answer your questions, I can give you the tools and offer guidance through the entire buying or selling process.
Let me know how I can help by simply giving my office a call at 210-232-2310 to set up a time to connect. |
|
|
|
|
| Egg Muffin Cups |
| Serves 6 |
|
|
|
| Ingredients
5 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
Mix and match fillings:
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
chopped spinach
finely diced onion
finely diced bell pepper
diced tomato
cheddar cheese
parmesan cheese |
|
|
| Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease muffin tin.
In a measuring cup, beat eggs until smooth. Set aside.
In a muffin tin, arrange the desired combination of fillings into each muffin cup. Season each with salt and pepper.
Pour eggs into each muffin cup until liquid almost reaches the top.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until set. |
|
|
| Do These Things in April to Prep for a Stress-Free Summer |
| April is the month to set the wheels in motion to get your home ready for a carefree summer. Summer is one of the best times of the year, so by doing some simple preparations now, you will be able to enjoy those times without any homeownership worries.
Start your prep by checking the toolshed to make certain that your yard maintenance tools will be up and running for the summer months. Be sure the lawn mower engine has new plugs, a new air filter, and a fresh tank of gas. Sharpen the blades of the mower and all of your gardening tools.
An efficient AC will be your best friend when you crank it up, so schedule a springtime preventative maintenance tune-up. If it’s determined that your AC has limited life expectancy, then be prepared and get an estimate for a new unit.
Don’t let pests ruin your summer fun. Seal up any openings that could allow insects to take refuge in warmer weather. Before it gets too hot, check your attic for signs of animals that may have taken up residence there during the winter.
April also signals a good time to tend to bird feeders. To keep rodents away and to safeguard the birds of summer from disease, dismantle your feeders and give them a deep sanitizing. Do this for any birdbaths, and clean up under the feeders as well.
Since summer can bring heavy rains that can lead to water damage, make April your time to check if winter left behind any roof or gutter damage. Examine the basement for any leaks or cracks, and take time to create water diversions away from your foundation on the outside of your home.
Call or email me for other springtime prep ideas so you can have a stress-free summer. I am always here to help. |
|
|
| Share This Newsletter |
|
If you find this newsletter helpful or interesting, share it with those you care about.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Here Are 5 Ways to Volunteer Virtually |
| With the news full of things that fill us with worry, many of us are often looking for ways we can make a difference in the world around us. Thankfully, the beauty of the internet means that you can still volunteer your time to help others from the comfort of your own home. Here are five ideas for virtual volunteering.
Crisis Text Line. Volunteers for the Crisis Text Line offer 24/7 support via text messaging to people suffering through crises. Volunteers commit a few hours a week and receive a full course of training and support.
Translators without Borders. If you’re able to speak a second language, this is a perfect way to offer your services to those in need. Translators without Borders provides translations for international humanitarian efforts in fields such as education, crises, and healthcare.
United Nations Volunteers. The UN’s volunteering network is a place where you can join a worldwide community as a volunteer. UNV connects volunteers with organizations across the globe working on projects focusing on peace efforts and international development, whatever your skills are.
Amnesty Decoders. Amnesty Decoders is a digital volunteering network operated by Amnesty International researching global human rights violations online. Volunteers conduct tasks including finding evidence of drone strikes from satellite images and flagging social media content inciting violence against women.
Catchafire. Essentially a search engine for volunteers, Catchafire helps you search for nonprofit projects you can volunteer online with. Tasks range from writing thank-you notes to graphic design and photo editing.
For more ideas, you can visit Points of Light to search for a virtual volunteering opportunity now. Head to https://tinyurl.com/link0422. |
|
|
|
|
| This newsletter and any information contained herein are intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial or medical advice. The publisher takes great efforts to ensure the accuracy of information contained in this newsletter. However, we will not be responsible at any time for any errors or omissions or any damages, howsoever caused, that result from its use. Seek competent professional advice and/or legal counsel with respect to any matter discussed or published in this newsletter. This newsletter is not intended to solicit properties currently for sale.
|
|
|
|
