Fall Home Checklist

No, Game of Thrones hasn't returned - that's sometime in 2019. And it's not truly fall yet - that's September 22 - but it is close enough to think about the simple fall maintenance items you can check off to protect your home and save money in the long run.

Get Your Head in the Gutter

Or pay someone to do it. Either way, don't neglect your gutters this fall. Whether you get ahead before the leaves fall and have mesh guards installed or if you do an annual clean out after the leaves are done. Make you won't have any drainage issues as frozen gutters can be costly. Also, ideally make sure all downspouts run about 10 ft away from your foundation.

Semi-annual HVAC Inspection

Twice a year it's good to have your HVAC system inspected and maintained, though you can get away with doing it once if you want to save a few bucks. If you haven't had your heating system checked in a while, do it before you start running it a lot this winter. This is usually under $100.

Inspect Your Roof

Take a step back in the yard and survey your roof. Look for rusty exposed metal, dislodged or missing shingles, tears, moss, etc. You'll have water sitting on top of your house for weeks at a time this winter. If there's a hole, it will find its way in and start causing damage.

Check the Chimney

This one is important. Every year or every 2 years, you should really have your chimney cleaned and inspected. A failing or clogged chimney could be incredibly dangerous. This inspection should also cost less than $100.

Winterize Early

Typically you won't use your outdoor faucets very much in the fall, so disconnect the hoses, drain them both, and shut them off before the weather gets cold. It's always nice to have some winterization done early. The same goes for your irrigation system.  

A Quick Spring Checklist

Maintenance makes a difference! As much of a pain as it can be at times, some small maintenance items can save you quite a bit of money. Here are five things to accomplish this spring:

Get your HVAC serviced.

HVAC repairs can get expensive quick so having your system cleaned and serviced yearly before you run the A/C all summer can make a difference! Usually this will only run you about $75-100. At the VERY LEAST make sure you change the filter and clean your condenser. Hose it off, use a shop-vac to clean out the coils, and make sure there isn't any dirt or plants up against it. These things will trap moisture and cause the unit to deteriorate.

Clean your window weep holes.

What's a weep hole? At the base of your window on the outside, you'll see small holes or slits (like this). Make sure they are clear, use a small pick to clean them out if necessary. These weep holes allow your window to drain any water that may have seeped in which could lead to rotting if it stays trapped.

Seal cracks and check for rotted wood.

After the winter your home and driveway has likely suffered some frost damage. Take a walk around with an acrylic caulking gun and reseal any cracks or gaps you may see on the outside of your home. And if any of the wood appears to be rotten then it would be good to replace it. Also, check your driveway... Have any major cracks sealed to prevent further deterioration. No one wants to repave their driveway if they don't have to!

Clean your dryer vents!

These last two items are important safety concerns. Make sure to clean out your dryer vents both from the inside and outside of your home. You'll be surprised how much lint makes it passed your filter and a clog can lead to a greatly increased risk of fire.

Test your smoke & CO detectors!

We say this a lot, but it can not be stressed enough! Make sure your detectors work, have fresh batteries, and are not expired. A small chore like this can quite literally save your life. A good rule of thumb is to do this every time you change the clocks back or forward.

Home Inventory is Down 37%

Over the past 3 months, home inventory (single-family and condos) through Massachusetts has dropped 36.6% from 15,879 total homes on market to 10,066.

What does this mean?

It means two things. First, if you've been thinking of selling, now is a great time to get your home listed for sale. In these market conditions, a good agent who properly markets your home should be able to make your home stand out among the rest. While it can't be guaranteed, the low inventory should help your chances of seeing a multiple offer scenario. > Learn about selling with us and reach out for an estimate of your home's value.Second, if you're a buyer, the market is going to be fairly competitive as new homes pop up for sale. This means that you need to set your self apart as a "strong buyer". You should have a solid pre-approval, the ability to put down a decent deposit on the home, and the flexibility to adapt to what the seller is ideally hoping for. These factors vary from home to home and seller to seller, so an experienced agent will know to ask the right questions, and will then be able to position your offer for the best chance of success. A great first step is to have a quick discussion with us about your situation. > We'd love to help find you a home!

Don't forget to prep your home for winter!

There are a few simple, inexpensive maintenance items that every home owner should do before winter hits. Remember, it's always cheaper to prevent rather than repair, and some of these maintenance items could save your life!Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors!We say this a lot but it can't be stressed enough, especially in the winter when your furnace will be running 24/7.Have your furnace and chimney inspectedThese inspections very important and thankfully cheap to do (usually under $100). Make sure your furnace is running efficiently and that your chimney is properly ventilating your home.Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clearGutters clogged with fall leaves will lead to poor drainage which could weigh them down with ice in the winter and lead to wood rot, which is never fun to replace.Shut-off external water pipesOutdoor spigots and irrigation systems should be drained to prevent freezes and breaks.Remove your window screensThis will prevent them from being damaged by frost and driven snow, plus it will allow more light in during those dreary winter months and increase the passive solar heating from direct sunlight.

Is condo living right for you?

While this might seem like a simple question to answer, it’s helpful to have the important factors laid out in front of you.Living Space:Typically condos are smaller in both living and storage space, which means that there’s less to clean and maintain, but it can also be limiting to certain lifestyles. (Bonus: It keeps you from saving things that aren’t worth saving!)Close Neighbors:Depending on the style of condo you buy, your neighbors will either be next to you, above you, below you, or all of the above! So if you’re someone who has a tough time getting along with others, lives a noisy lifestyle, or is looking for a great deal of privacy, then condo living may not be for you. On the other hand, you could make some great friends and there is alway someone else around to look out for anything going amiss.Outdoor Space:Much like living space, the majority of condos don’t offer much in the way of a yard. This is a nice plus from a low-maintenance / zero yard work perspective.The above points are great to get you thinking about the condo lifestyle. Also, we recommend you take the time to jot down what is important to you in your day to day living. This will go along way to helping you make the decision that’s right for you.Nearly every day we are helping someone buy or sell a condo, feel free to reach out to us with any questions about the condo lifestyle.