New-Home Sales Edge Higher

"New-home sales edged slightly higher last month, as more Americans hunted for bargains in the struggling housing market.

                                                                                                                                                                   The Census Bureau reported an annual sales rate of 307,000 new homes last month, up 1.3% from a downwardly revised rate of 303,000 homes in September. Compared to new home sales a year ago, October sales were up 8.9%. 

The 307,000 rate fell just short of expectations. Economists had forecast a sales rate of 312,000 new homes, according to consensus estimates from Briefing.com.

While the higher rate in October indicated that consumers are chipping away at the huge inventory of homes on the market, there's still a long way to go.

There were about 162,000 new homes on the market by the end of October. That represented a 6.3-month supply at the current rate of sale. The median sale price was $212,300. 

Last week, a separate report showed that more house-hunters are also eyeing previously owned homes. Sales of existing homes rose 1.4% in October, slightly more than economists had expected, according to the report." [Continue reading...]

Winterizing Your Home

1) Furnace Inspection

• Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts.
• Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.
• Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.
• If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them.
• Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.

2) Get the Fireplace Ready

• Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds.
• If the chimney hasn't been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
• Buy firewood or chop wood. Store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
• Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.
• Check the mortar between bricks and tuckpoint, if necessary.

3) Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows

• Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.
• Use weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering the home and caulk windows.
• Replace cracked glass in windows and, if you end up replacing the entire window, prime and paint exposed wood.
• If your home has a basement, consider protecting its window wells by covering them with plastic shields.
• Switch out summer screens with glass replacements from storage. If you have storm windows, install them.

4) Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts

• If your weather temperature will fall below 32 degrees in the winter, adding extra insulation to the attic will prevent warm air from creeping to your roof and causing ice dams.
• Check flashing to ensure water cannot enter the home.
• Replace worn roof shingles or tiles.
• Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris.
• Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters or extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home.

5) Service Weather-Specific Equipment

• Drain gas from lawnmowers.
• Service or tune-up snow blowers.
• Replace worn rakes and snow shovels.
• Clean, dry and store summer gardening equipment.
• Sharpen ice choppers and buy bags of ice-melt / sand. 

[Continue reading...]

Realty Bill May Open New Doors to Transparent, Secure Home Buying

"For many, buying a residential property is the biggest investment they make in their lifetime. Last week, the government released for public comments a draft Real Estate Regulation Bill, which is said to be on its way to becoming a law in the winter session of Parliament. As such, this is a step towards bringing some semblance of consumer protection to the decidedly anti-consumer practices of the real-estate industry. 

However, this news did give me a strong feeling of deja vu. When I googled the phrase 'India real estate regulatory bill', I came across a newspaper article from 2006 saying that a real estate regulatory bill was expected to be passed in the 2006 winter session of Parliament. 

I also came across another article from 2008 that said a real estate regulatory bill was expected to be passed in the 2008 winter session of Parliament. Not just that, I also also came across a draft of a model bill dated September 2009 with a covering letter from a government official attached. 

The letter said that the bill should be put up on the web by November 9, 2009, and comments invited from the public. So, I wouldn't keep my fingers crossed too hard. 

Nonetheless, if and when this bill does become a law, it will be a huge improvement for house-buyers in India. Many, if not most, of the problems associated with buying a house at every step could be solved substantially. 

For example, right at the beginning of the process, buyers face the problem of getting trustworthy information about the identity of the promoter and basic facts regarding the legal and approval status of the land and the project concerned. " [Continue reading...]

How To Prepare Your House For Sale

Prepping and staging a house. Every seller wants her home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it's not luck that makes that happen. It's careful planning and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home. 

Here's How:

1. Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.
   • Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.
   • Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.
   • Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners!
   • Say goodbye to every room.
   • Don't look backwards -- look toward the future.
2. De-Personalize.
   Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can see myself living here."
3. De-Clutter!
   People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it.
   • If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
   • Remove all books from bookcases.
   • Pack up those knickknacks.
   • Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
   • Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
   • Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway. [Continue reading...]

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

From our family to yours, we would like to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! Be safe and enjoy the turkey!

Carving the Perfect Turkey

The Best Roast Turkey Recipe For Thanksgiving