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What Millennial Homebuyers Should Look For In a Home
Back in March, a study done by the National Association of Realtors revealed that the largest group of current homebuyers were millennials, those who are 34 years old or younger. With todays’s changing demands of what homes should include, there are certain things that millennials look for. Because of that, millennials have become an increasingly important market segment in real estate, and if you’re a millennial, like myself, you should have an idea of what to look for in a home.
The kitchen and bathrooms of a home can become a very costly renovation, so if you’re on a budget due to student loans, car payments, etc., it will be better if you purchase a home that already has them upgraded. When buying a home, you already know you’ll be putting a lot of money into it, so you shouldn’t have to worry about spending additional expenses on upgrades in your new home. Plus, you don’t want to become more stressed in an already stressful time. Although there might be a few things you’ll want to fix after you have settled into your new home, you don’t want to have to focus on shelling out more money for significant renovations later on.
Another important feature you should look for in your home is an office. If you have a family and want to do some work at home, it’s beneficial to have your own separate place where you can go and be alone to get things done. Given how mobile our generation is, the ability to work from home has become a lot more attainable, depending on your profession. If you normally work from home, this is a very useful amenity. If you usually work away from home, you can still use a home office on weekends or other days off when you’re in the mood to get some work done.
Location is another significant factor that you should take into consideration when searching for a home. When thinking about a location, you have to contemplate what will work best for your situation, such as needing access to public transportation; or, if you have children, looking for an area that’s a little more suburban and has a great school district. You don’t really know for how long you’ll be living in a certain home (you might find an even better one in the future), so you want to be sure that it’s not just the home that you think about, but also the location, the community, and what that area offers.
We live in a reality-TV era, and when you’re looking for a new home, there’s a chance that you might get hooked on a reality television show or two about real estate. While it’s okay to watch these shows from time to time, you shouldn’t let your expectations get out of hand as to how the home-searching process is going to play out.
“The millennial buyers are the buyers who have had the most exposure to the popular TV shows that showcase real estate,” said Donald Dwyer, real estate associate broker for Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty and manager of its Yorktown office. “In watching these shows, they are often influenced by transactions occurring out of state and frequently come to our agents with unrealistic expectations. These expectations are often about the condition of homes, size of bedrooms, price, and seller concessions.”
If you’re a millennial, you’re most likely going to ask about the home’s technology. According to a 2013 survey done by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, 56 percent of millennials say that technology is more important than curb appeal, 64 percent wouldn’t live in a home that doesn’t have the latest technologies, and 84 percent believe that modern technologies are a must-have for a home.
Given how mobile devices and the Internet are used heavily in our day-to-day activities, you’re going to be looking for homes that are compatible with today’s technology. In this case, a home that includes excellent phone reception from a mobile carrier’s signal and a Wi-Fi connection from a service provider will certainly be high on your list during the searching process.
“Millennial buyers tend to be very tech-savvy and love to search for homes on their own,” said Dwyer. “They attend open houses and are highly selective. They only involve an agent when they have found a particular home they want. Many of these buyers are straddled with college debt, which often makes them less eligible to buy the house that fits their dreams, which can pose a challenge for their agent. Millennials are going to be 90 percent of the workforce in a decade, so agents must be prepared to work with them and stay ahead of the technology curve.”
Speaking of the Internet, more than 80 percent of homebuyers (of any age) use it for their home search, according to the NAR. So, it’s important that a property looks as appealing as possible to potential buyers when they look online. As a millennial, I know our generation is used to having crystal-clear images on our computers and cell phones, so I’m sure you don’t want to see home photos that are grainy or out of focus. The photos should grab your attention and interest, and that can’t happen if you need to squint at the image.
Being a millennial, I know you want to have the latest entertainment and backyard features that will offer your guests a memorable time when you invite them over. If your budget allows it, having something like a patio, a pool, fire pit, a big-screen TV, or a basement built for entertainment purposes will attract family and friends to your home. Once you purchase a new home, you’ll want to throw a housewarming party, so including any of these fun amenities will have your guests coming back.
If you’re a millennial homebuyer and are just starting out on your search for a home, make sure to find a place that fits your needs, but don’t go for more than you can afford. Owning a home is a huge responsibility, but if you know what to look for, your search will be a successful one.
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
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How to Hire the Right Contractor
When you own a home, there will come a time when you want to make some changes to the layout. Maybe you’re getting tired of the look, and you’re now in the mood to try something a little different. If your desired renovations are pretty significant, it would be best to hire a contractor to help bring your ideas to fruition. When you pick a contractor, however, you have to make sure they are going to do the best job possible and not cause you any grief. There are several steps to take in doing so, but these are a few to get you started.
The first thing you should do is ask around for recommendations. When you talk to people whose opinions you trust, such as friends, family, or even your building inspector, chances are they will have several names to provide for you, and inquiring others about contractors will give you a better idea of who you might want to consider hiring. If it were me, I would want to talk with my acquaintances first before checking online reviews because you can actually talk with those of the former group, instead of just reading an online review.
After you have done some research and made a list, begin making phone calls to your possible contractors, and also have all of your questions ready, such as if they are insured and licensed, before you start calling around. This is a big job for your house, so you want to make sure you know what you’re looking for and that the contractors know what you’re looking for. It also won’t hurt to ask your contractor for a list of previous clients. This will give you an idea of their past experiences, which will come in handy because you don’t want to hire just anyone. Also, ask the contractors if they will be working on any other projects at the same time as your home. You want to hire a contractor who is going to be able to commit as much time as possible to your home. So, if they have multiple projects going on, you might want to consider hiring someone who will be a little more flexible.
Once you make your calls and narrow down your list, the next step is to meet with your final choices. This will further help you when choosing a contractor because you will get to see how you interact with them in person. Don’t forget, this individual is going to be working on your home for a period of time (depending on how long it takes to finish the project), so even if you agree with the personalities of your contractors, it will be in your best interest to check with your local Better Business Bureau to see if these contractors have had any arguments with previous clients. This is something you need to find out because you have to be sure that you hire someone with whom it will be easy to communicate in a friendly and professional manner. If you’re making changes to your home, the last thing you need is a contractor who’s going to cause problems.
After you meet with your final choices, it will greatly benefit you to contact some of those contractors’ past clients and ask how they felt about those contractors. Without being intrusive, ask those clients if they wouldn’t mind letting you see their finished products. This is pretty much the equivalent of contacting a person’s references on a job application and will give you an idea of the quality of work that these contractors will be doing on your home. All of this feedback from past clients can be an important factor that determines whether or not you decide to hire a certain contractor.
Making considerable changes to your home is a time-consuming task, and you want to make sure that it goes smoothly. In order to make that happen, you have to hire the right person, so take your time in researching who you would like to work with. Once you find your contractor, you will then be ready to remodel your home!
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
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Are We In a Buyer’s or Seller’s Housing Market?
The real estate industry is constantly going through changes, and that includes the climate of the market. If there is high inventory and low prices, you can bet that you are in a buyer’s market, and if there’s low inventory and high prices, you can be sure that you’re in a seller’s market. In the U.S., however, the type of market varies by location. Because of the size of the U.S., some areas might be displaying traits of a buyer’s market, and other places might be showing signs of a seller’s market. It all depends on where you live.
According to RealtyTrac, homes are selling for 108 percent of asking price on average in the Bay Area of California, as well as in Washington, D.C.; Cass County, North Dakota; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In these locations, sellers are receiving more than they originally asked for, which shows that there is a high demand for housing.
Then, there are areas, such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis, where buyers have the most influence and sellers are receiving less than the asking price, and this is happening even though the number of homes on the market are limited.
According to RealtyTrac, less than a third of housing markets in the U.S. have homes that sell for above the asking price, 60 percent have homes selling for below the asking price, and only 14 percent of homes sell at their market value.
If you want further proof that the U.S. real estate industry can’t be pinned down to one kind of market over the other, there are also areas that have markets where the situation is on even ground between buyers and sellers. These places include the D.C. suburbs of Montgomery County, Maryland; Raleigh, North Carolina; the Phoenix metropolitan area; and Riverside County, California.
To give you an example of the areas around near where I live (the lower Hudson Valley and northern New Jersey), there is definitely a situation where there are certain counties that have markets that are more suitable for buyers, some that are better for sellers, and others that are great for both. Orange County is certainly a buyer’s market with its 30-percent sales increase of single-family homes from last year and a median sales price of $220,000. Dutchess County also has a relatively low median sales price, coming in at $249,600.00, but faired even better than Orange County in terms of sales for single-family homes, topping that region with a 21.4 percent increase. Putnam County experienced changes that have made it a decent market for both buyers and sellers, with sales having shown a considerable increase of 18.2 percent and prices displaying more consistency and a promise of growth.
The northern New Jersey counties near the lower Hudson Valley (Bergen, Morris, and Passaic), have been displaying wonderful activity within their markets. All three counties have enjoyed increases in sales and prices, and they also have the lowest amount of average days on market for their homes (ranging from 76-155 days), whereas Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties in New York have homes that spend a higher average of days on the market (ranging from 170-218 days).
When you’re looking to buy a home, it’s always important to study the current housing market and see where you can get the best deal for a home. Each area has its own market that favors either the buyer, the seller, or both, so you should have an idea about what a certain market is going to offer you before you actually visit that area. As long as you stay on top of the market and use it as a valuable real estate tool, you will surely know where it is best to search for a home.
If you’re interested in Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty’s full market report for the second quarter of 2015, you can find it here on our blog. The QMR includes a market overview and in-depth analyses pertaining to each county that Rand Realty covers.
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
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How to Help Your Children Adjust After a Move
After moving from a home in which you’ve spent several years, to a home in a completely different location, it will take some time to get used to the new surroundings. Although it might be a little easier for adults to get accustomed to the move, it could be a little more difficult for children to come to terms with it because they are used to the routines and familiarity of their previous home life. It could take some time for them to get used to their new settings, but there are ways how you can assist them with this major transition.
One of the main challenges your children will go through is adapting to a new school with having new teachers and making new friends. It can be hard for children to assimilate into a new school, but you should encourage them to have fun with it. A really easy way for them to make new friends is to join any clubs or athletic teams that will give them the opportunity to meet people who share similar interests. Although they might be hesitant at first, this is a time to be supportive of your children and encourage them to come out of their shells. Also, despite being in a new environment, if your children continue to be a part of the same extracurricular activities that they were involved in at their previous school, it will add some comfort to the process of meeting new friends as they will be a part of something that they enjoy and are familiar with.
When you move a significant distance away from your previous home, it will be difficult for your children to visit their friends. When this is the case, have them take advantage of Skype or FaceTime to keep in touch with their friends. Instead of just calling on the phone or texting, your children can use these applications to enjoy a face-to-face conversation with a friend. This will help your children feel better connected to their old friends and will make their conversations a little more special than if it was just a conversation with voices on the phone or words in a text message.
If you have children who are in pre-K or kindergarten, set up playdates between your child and a friend in their class. Younger children may not have as many extracurriculars outside of the classroom, so this will give them a chance to socialize with a friend when not in school and help build stronger friendships.
You should also help your children find fun things to do around the neighborhood. No matter where your family lives, your community is bound to have different events going on that could attract any age. As a family, encourage your children to discover what the town has to offer, helping them get to know many other families within the town.
Most importantly, you should sit your children down and talk with them about why you had to move and why it was good for the family. Depending on how old your children are, it might take a bit of time for them to understand the necessity behind the move. If they don’t seem receptive to the reasoning behind the move at first, they will eventually warm up to it as they start to make memories of their new lives. If need be, provide your children with some space so they can be alone with their thoughts and process the change that is occurring.
Emotionally, moving to a new home can be one of the most difficult things a person can do, especially for children. It’s a period of leaving behind what you have all come to know and starting a new chapter in your lives. This can be a challenge for children, but not one without its silver linings, so remind your children to always try and find the positives in a big life change. If they do that, then they will surely come to love their new home.
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
How to Make Friends When You Move to a New Neighborhood
Moving to a new home can be one of the most exciting chapters in your life, but it can also bring a few transitionary challenges, one of which is that you’ve moved away from your friends in your previous neighborhood. Although this may seem hard at first, today’s technology will allow you to keep in better touch with them, and you now have an opportunity to make a whole new set of friends. Here are some ways to establish friendships with the residents in your new neighborhood.
One of the first things you should consider is throwing a housewarming party. An event such as this will surely attract several neighborhood residents to your house. If you know a few of your guests better than you do others, you can ask one of the former to introduce you around to some of the neighbors you’re not yet too familiar with as a way to create more friendships. Other than food and music, you should include some fun games that require teamwork, which will therefore strengthen the connection between you and your new neighbors.
If you have young children, and if some of your neighbors do as well, you can set them up on a playdate. Not only will this help you bond more with your neighbors, but it will help your children establish new friendships as well. Also, if your children and your neighbor’s children go to the same school, you can volunteer with other parents to chaperone at any school functions or join the PTA. When you and your neighbors have children, this will also give you the chance to go to any local family-friendly events that you all can enjoy together.
Another way you can connect with your neighbors is to try and find common interests. This will open a whole host of opportunities where you can bond over hobbies you love, which will make those hobbies more enjoyable when in the company of friends. If you all like community service, find an organization at which you can volunteer. If you like to exercise, you can go on daily runs, bike rides, or join a gym together. If you’re sports fans, catch a game. When living in a sizable neighborhood, you’re very likely to find at least a few other people who enjoy what you enjoy.
You might also want to think about establishing a weekly or monthly tradition, such as a movie night, game night, or date night. Creating traditions will give you and your friends something to look forward to in the middle of your busy schedules and will provide you all with a chance to spend time with each other if you haven’t done so in a while.
The workplace is also a possible spot where you can make new friends. You can connect with your coworkers by assisting them with certain tasks, and you can also connect with them on lunch breaks or at work events. As you get to know your coworkers when assimilating into your new career surroundings, this could lead you to spending time with them outside of work, such as taking part in some recreational activities.
Getting to know everyone is all part of the moving process, and it can also be the most fun. While meeting your new neighbors might seem a little intimidating at first, you have to remember that they were in the same position as well when they moved to that neighborhood. All you have to do is be friendly, and then everything else will fall into place.
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
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How to Stay Safe When Enjoying Summer Activities
With Memorial Day weekend approaching, many people are going to start heading to the beaches, strolling the boardwalks, and firing up their barbecues. There are countless things you can do during the summer while enjoying the comfortable warmth of the weather, but it’s important to know how to keep you and your children safe while doing these activities, so here are some tips on how to do so.
During the summer, I love to eat barbecued food as much as possible, and I’m sure you do as well. If you decide to have a big get-together and want to barbecue, you have to be especially careful if young children are present. When the grill is heating up and then cooking the food, always make sure that all children are a safe distance away. Also, keep any sharp grilling tools out of their reach.
If you’re going to be outside during the day and the heat is fairly strong, supply yourself with a sufficient coating of sunscreen as protection against sunburn and any illnesses caused by overexposure to the sun. If you plan on being outside at night, use some bug spray in order to fend off any pesky mosquitoes.
Some of the bigger safety measures you have to take during the summer is when you go swimming. If you’re a parent and take a young child to a pool or the beach, make sure you keep an eye on them so you know they don’t go into a deeper section of the water. In the event that your child is feeling daring and wants to venture into deep water, provide them with a set of water wings. As far as going in the water right after eating is concerned, recreational swimming shouldn’t cause a problem, but if you’re swimming as a form of exercise, you should wait an hour after you eat before going in.
If there is an occurrence of a heat wave, don’t go outside if you don’t have to; just stay inside and turn up the air conditioner. If you do have to go outside, remember to stay hydrated, use plenty of sunscreen, and don’t overexert yourself.
Going on a hike is another activity that you should consider when you have a beautiful day to enjoy. Before you go on a hike, make sure you have the right materials, such as enough water, some food, a first-aid kit, a cell phone, sunscreen, bug spray, and if you’re not familiar with the path you’re taking, make sure to bring a map with you. If you encounter a bear or any other sizable animal while on a hike, make sure you have an escape route.
This is the season where trying to avoid bicyclists on the road becomes something of a sport, but it’s important not to get frustrated with them. If you decide to go out for a relaxing summer drive on a sunny day, odds are that you’re going to encounter some bicyclists. Be careful that you don’t drive too close to them, and don’t try to speed past them; just wait for a chance to pass the bikers so everyone evades danger.
If you happen to be a biker, try to stay as much to the side of the road as possible in order to avoid vehicles, and if there’s a bike lane, stay in it. Although it’s better and safer to bike during the day, people sometimes might want to do it at night. If that’s the case, make sure you have a reflector on the front and back of your bike so the headlights of any vehicle coming towards you will spot you and know to be extra careful. Also, whenever you bike, whether it be by yourself or in a group, it’s very important to be familiar with the different hand signals. Lastly, always wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads.
You want to have a much fun as possible during the summer, but that doesn’t mean you should disregard any safety precautions. If you ignore these and get injured, that’s going to prevent you from taking part in other recreational activities during the season. Remember, it’s okay to be adventurous, but you also have to be careful.
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
How Realtors Can Protect Themselves When Showing a Home
During the spring and summer, realtors host and abundance of open houses and give private showings of their clients’ homes. If you’re a realtor and show a home to a potential buyer, you always have to make sure you know how to protect yourself. You can take numerous easy steps to accomplish this, so here are some that will help you stay safe when you’re with a homebuyer.
If a potential buyer calls your office and acts suspiciously, such as not providing any required information, requesting to view a home at strange hours, or not wanting meet at your office before seeing a property, refuse to arrange a showing with them and make other agents in your office aware. By doing so, you won’t only be protecting yourself, but you will also be protecting any other agents this person might have planned to contact.
Before you go out for a showing, you should always let a coworker know where you will be and the time of the showing. Make sure the coworker has your exact address and phone number, and always keep both phones turned on during the time you’re out.
If you’re showing a home in an area that doesn’t feel safe to you, you should definitely ask another agent to accompany you. Safety comes first, so don’t feel embarrassed about asking someone to join you. In these situations, it’s always better to have another agent come with you instead of risking going by yourself.
Whenever you show a home to a buyer, be sure to have them in your sight as much a possible. Don’t make it look as though you’re helicoptering over them, but keep them within your vision. You can do this by having the potential buyer lead the way as you’re going from room to room, especially if you’re going up or down a staircase.
As soon as you’re done showing a home, always make sure that all of the doors and windows are locked to prevent anyone from breaking in. If you return to a home and see any signs of a possible entry, call a police officer and wait outside for them to reach the scene.
When you arrive at a home, make sure your car is parked in a location where you can easily make a quick getaway if the buyer starts exhibiting threatening behavior. You may want to consider parking in the street; that way, if anything happens, you can just drive straight away without having to worry about maneuvering out of the driveway.
It would also greatly benefit you to enroll in some self-defense classes when trying to heighten your protection. You can even get a group of agents together from your office and work out a time when you can all take the classes together. These sessions will provide you with another level of defense tactics that you can use if they’re ever needed, while also working as bonding and team-building activities for you and your fellow agents. Besides knowing some self-defense moves, you may also want to carry some pepper spray as another way to hinder an attacker.
Whether you’re a new or experienced agent, there isn’t such a thing as being too safe. It’s sad to say, but you can’t be too trusting in this day and age, so the importance of knowing how to protect yourself can’t be understated. If you follow these steps, you will feel secure and be much more prepared as you get ready to show a home to a buyer.
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
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Local Attractions to Visit This Summer
Now that the warm weather is here, you’ll probably start looking for local activities to enjoy. The lower Hudson Valley and northern New Jersey have many attractions that will offer a lot of fun for its visitors. So, if you’re not sure how to spend a lazy summer day, here are some destinations right in your local communities that will add some wonderful memories to your time together.
In Rockland County, one place you should really consider visiting in the gorgeous weather is the Stony Point Battlefield. I know this might not appeal to children right away because they’ll see it as too educational for their summer vacation, but trust me, having been there a couple of times, it’s a really fascinating place to visit. Not only will you get a rich sense of the history that Rockland has in relation to the Revolutionary War, but you’ll also be treated to stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Going to the Stony Point Battlefield will surely add a new dimension to your appreciation for local history.
If you have a child who’s interested in animals and other aspects of nature, then take them for a visit to the Trailside Museums and Zoo at Bear Mountain State Park, located on the border of Rockland and Orange Counties. While there, your child can learn about the different kinds of mammals, birds, and reptiles that are native to New York State. Visitors can also take the opportunity to visit any of Trailside’s four museums: the Natural Study Museum, the Herpetology House, the History Museum, or the Geology Museum. When you bring your child here, they will be amazed at what they can learn about nature, and it’s even more fun to do so at a site as gorgeous as Bear Mountain.
While in Orange County, try the Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, New York, which is considered to be one of the world’s top sculpture parks and has been in operation since 1960. When looking for someplace local that offers a day of magnificent artistry, you can’t do any better than here. With there being over 100 sculptures to marvel at, you can spend the whole afternoon gazing at and analyzing the works in front of you. If you bring your child here, it will provide them with an early appreciation for art and show them the importance of expressing creative potential.
If you want to satisfy your hunger for adventure, you should attend the Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo Park, New York, which operates on Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day from August 1 to September 27. The surrounding forest landscape offers much to the medieval-period feel of the faire and serves as an ideal location for the event. If you want to add thrills and excitement to your summer, but don’t want to go far away, go on a day trip to Tuxedo Park to take advantage of the local summer fun that your community offers.
Amusement parks are always fun to visit when you’re on summer vacation, and if you live near or within Westchester County, you don’t have to go far to find one. I’m talking, of course, about Playland in Rye, New York. It has rides for both younger and older patrons, and if you want to cool off after walking around the park and enjoying the rides, you can go for a swim at Playland’s beach. I remember going to this park when I was younger and having a blast, while also thinking how lucky I was to have a fun destination such as this that is so close to home. You’ll have a spectacular time when at Playland, and once you leave, you’ll be begging to go back.
When in the vicinity of Pleasantville, New York, nature lovers are treated to the opportunity of visiting the Rockefeller State Park Preserve. This preserve offers much for its visitors, with one of its most significant features being a system of carriage roads, built by John D. Rockefeller, which gives visitors the chance to take in the richness of the surrounding environment. There are also 180 species of birds in this preserve, making it the ideal place for birdwatchers. Some other notable attractions that are located in or near the preserve are: a 22-acre lake, a fern garden, an art gallery, and a bird-feeder area. If you’re looking to visit a place that shows tremendous appreciation for nature, this preserve won’t disappoint.
For those who are closer to Bergen County, you can visit Van Saun County Park in Paramus, New Jersey. It is one of the perfect places to go on a sunny day, and whether you’re coming from near or far, it will be worth the trip. This park provides many opportunities for visitors to have a memorable day of family fun, including train rides, a carousel, a zoological park, and a playground that’s ADA (American with Disabilities Act) accessible. With everything this park has to offer, you’ll want to spend the whole afternoon there.
Nature enthusiasts living in New Jersey or closer to New Jersey have the beauty of the Closter Nature Center, which is complete with forests, meadows, ponds, and brooks, all of which are sprawled across 136 stunning acres. Visitors can also take part in nature walks and lectures. For children ages 4-14, this center offers a summer program, which is an outstanding opportunity for youths to admire the splendor of nature and do some exciting outdoor activities.
With everything that these communities can provide for local residents, it all goes to show that you don’t have to travel far to have summer fun.
Be sure to check the websites for these locations for their hours and rates.
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
How to Keep Your Home Safe While on Vacation
As we all know, May will be here on Friday, marking the unofficial start to the summer season. The cold weather is finally gone, pool covers will soon be taken off, and the barbecues will begin to fire up. While there are plenty of summer activities to do at home between May and August, there is still the strong desire to go on vacation. Whether you’re going to another country or just a few hours away, you should always make sure your home is properly protected from any dangers. Here are some tips on how to prepare your home against safety hazards while you’re away.
The very first thing you should do to protect your home is to have a security system installed to hinder any possible intruders. It’s only the end of April, so odds are you’re not going on vacation just yet, meaning if you still don’t have an alarm system, now might be a good time to purchase one before we get further into the summer. You don’t want to be without a security system while on vacation, and then receive a call to find out that your home has been broken into. Also, make sure that all of the doors and windows of your home are firmly shut and locked. With all of this in place, you won’t have to worry about constructing any traps styled after those of Kevin McCallister’s in “Home Alone.”
Always make sure to check that everything is turned off, be they lighting fixtures or faucets, and also unplug or turn off any appliances that shouldn’t be left on while you’re away. You don’t want to be one of those people who are on vacation and constantly ponder over whether or not they remembered to turn off the oven. With that being said, it won’t hurt to double check to make sure everything is turned off, or maybe even triple check. Although that can be a bit of a pain, it beats worrying during your time away from home.
If you have any pets that require a lot of care, you can’t have them running loose throughout your home while you’re away, and you can’t just keep them in a cage the whole time without anyone at home to watch them. So, ask a trustworthy friend or relative to take care of your pet while you’re away. You can supply this individual with an extra key to your home so they can go inside to feed your pet, take care of it, and let it get some exercise; or, if this person is really good with animals, they might even volunteer to take your pet into their own home to watch over it.
I know whenever you’re about to go on vacation, you feel overjoyed about getting away, and odds are you’ll end up telling a few of your friends where you’ll be going. That’s okay to do, but prevent yourself and the rest of your family from revealing too much information and broadcasting it all over social media for hundreds of other people to see. If you want to give a few details to some close friends and family, that’s okay, but it isn’t everyone else’s business as to where you are going and for how long you will be gone for. Instead, wait until you return home, and then you can share stories and photos with however many people you want.
While you’re away, it will also help if you stop the delivery of your newspaper and have the post office hold your mail; or, you can have a neighbor collect it all from day to day if you decide to still have it delivered. If the wrong person sees that your newspapers and mail have been piling up, they’ll know that’s a sign that you’re not home and might consider breaking in. If you have a mail slot, the pileup of mail won’t be seen, and you can just ask your neighbor to take your newspapers from the front door and put them through the slot. If you have a mailbox, the mail and newspapers will be seen if it all keeps accumulating within, so in this case, you’ll want to ask a neighbor to take in whatever comes. When you get rid of the pileup of mail, this will all help in keeping up appearances that someone is at home.
You’ll surely enjoy your getaway a lot more if you know your home is safe from any harm. Once you have an idea of when you’ll be going away, use that time to make sure that your home is thoroughly protected from any risks. When you’re done with these precautionary measures, it will be time to pack your bags because your summer travels await!
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
Source
How to Go Green at Home
Today is Earth Day, the time of year where we give an extra boost of awareness to the importance of being eco-friendly. Although this is only a one-day observance, you should take the initiative to go green all year and do whatever you can to make Earth cleaner. The place where you can begin is your own home, so here are some actions you can take to start your commitment to bettering the environment.
We’ll begin with one of the biggest steps, and that is to install solar panels on your roof. Lately, I’ve been seeing more and more homes with these panels, and it’s easy to understand why they’re becoming increasingly popular; not only do these panels help you save money on electricity, but they will also add more value to your home if you ever decide to sell it. The EPA and Department of Energy will even provide Americans with tax credits for using solar energy. After reading some of these benefits to solar panels, I really hope you consider this valuable addition to your home.
In terms of electricity, there are several things you can do to make sure you don’t waste it, one of which is to turn off any lights in a room if you won’t be using that space for a while. Also, if you have an exhaust fan in your bathroom that you turn on before getting in the shower, don’t set the timer for longer than you expect to be showering. For any electronics that might require a charger, make sure to unplug the charger once the appliance’s battery is full. The charger can still draw energy when it’s left in an outlet, even if it doesn’t have the device plugged into it, so make sure to unplug your charger once you’re done using it. I’m sure you can think of at least 10 other ways you can save electricity, but these are a few to get you started.
Speaking of saving energy, you might want to consider switching from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. If you don’t care for the glow of the CFL bulbs, even just using one or two in your home can hinder the emissions of hundreds of pounds of greenhouse gases. According to the National Park Service, if every household in the U.S. replaced just one incandescent bulb with an energy-saving bulb, we would decrease global warming pollution by more than 90 billion pounds during the life of these bulbs. After reading that bit of information, you might want to save reading the rest of this post for later so you can take some time to go out and purchase a couple of these energy-saving bulbs.
When recycling, you should really have separate containers for paper and plastic products. You probably won’t have too many spacial issues with plastic products, but as far as the paper products go, if you have to put something in the container that will take up a lot of space, like a pizza box, make sure to fold it or cut it up to make it easier to throw out, which will leave room for other discarded paper products.
To limit your use of too many water bottles, commit to drinking more tap water. I know that might not be ideal for some, but if you’re worried about the content of your tap water, have a water softening system installed in your home. It will take any unwanted substances out of your water, and you can then use a stainless-steel bottle and refill it with tap water whenever you need it, instead of buying a bottle of water every time you’re thirsty. Once you have clean tap water, you might as well use it.
If you buy canned drinks with the six-pack plastic rings on top, be sure to cut them up before you throw them out, in order to prevent any animals from getting caught in them if they come in contact with the plastic.
As you’re saving water, it always helps to either take shorter showers or purchase shower heads that lessen the water pressure. Also, when you brush your teeth and shave, don’t keep the water running. Even though these two tasks don’t take up much time, you will be surprised at how many gallons of water you can waste if you keep it flowing.
It has started to get warmer out, which means you’re going to start firing up your air conditioner. I know it may seem tempting to leave it on all day when you’re not at home because you want to come back and be instantly cooled down, but doing this is a severe waste of electricity. If you turn the air conditioner on when you get home, it won’t take long for you to cool off, so there isn’t much of a point to keeping the AC on all day if there isn’t anyone home. Also, if there happens to be a summer night with a refreshing breeze, save some electricity and open a few windows to cool down. Sometimes, it might not seem that a breeze will be as effective as an AC, but on certain nights, it’s the way to go.
Although Earth Day only comes once a year, you should definitely do your best to make your home more eco-friendly. You don’t have to completely change your lifestyle to make this happen, but you can take small steps here and there to live a greener life. Whatever you do to accomplish this, it will all make a difference.
To learn more about Rand Realty, visit their website and Facebook page, and make sure to “Like” their page. You can also follow them on Twitter.
Sources
Solar World
Turbo Tax
Duke Energy Progress
House Beautiful
National Park Service
The Telegraph
