Quick Tips To Prepare Your Home For The Winter
The calendar has turned and with that we receive less sunlight, colder temperatures, and shorter days ahead, it’s an opportune time to cross those last-minute maintenance items off your homeowner to-do list.
Practicing preventive care – both inside and outside your home – can save thousands of dollars in repairs come later this winter. What follows is a brief checklist to get you started.
For Outside The Home:
- Inspect exterior lights and outlets. Be sure that none of the outlets are cracked or broken, or have exposed wires.
- Clean gutters and clear all blockages. If leaves are falling, redo after leaves are off all trees.
- Inspect and test outdoor railings and stairs.
- Have problem trees trimmed, including those that may damage your home in a storm.
- Protect outdoor water faucets from freezing. Consider using foam cups, sold at hardware stores.
For Inside The Home:
- Change batteries in all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms, whether they’re “dead” or not.
- Vacuum refrigerator condenser coils, plus the front bottom grill. Empty and clean the drip pan.
- Inspect wood stoves and fireplace inserts. Hire a certified chimney sweeper to clean the chimney, if needed.
- Insulate bare water pipes running through your home to prevent freezing and to limit condensation on cold-water lines.
- Inspect automatic garage door opener. Lubricate chains according to manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure bolts and screws are properly tightened and secured.
As a constant series of chores, home maintenance is a four-season job and one which should not be taken lightly. The tasks of each season are unique and this month is mostly preparatory in advance of colder weather.
If your routine maintenance uncovers larger issues including a faulty HVAC unit, or a leaking faucet, for example, seek professional help to make the repair.
“There’s always something to be thankful for. If you can’t pay your bills, you can be thankful you’re not one of your creditors” – Author Unknown
The National Association of REALTORS reported Monday that pending home sales dropped by -0.60 percent in October after falling at a revised rate of -4.60 percent in September. According to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for NAR, 17 percent of real estate agents reported delays in loan closings due to the government shutdown in early October.
Last week’s scheduled economic news was varied, but mortgage rates fell and jobless claims were significantly lower than expected. The minutes for last month’s FOMC meeting were released, and confirmed the Federal Reserve’s intention to leave its quantitative easing program unchanged at least for the near term.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you’re opening your home for the family get together, that usually means you’ll be decorating. 
The minutes of the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting held October 29 and 30 were released Wednesday. The meeting began with a report from the Manager of the System Open Market Account and included updates on developments within domestic and foreign financial markets.
In order to save up a huge amount of cash for the down payment on your first mortgage, you need a solid savings plan!
The National Association of Home Builders released its Housing Market Index for November on Monday. This month’s HMI reading was 54 against expectations of a reading of 55. October’s reading was also 54 after being downwardly revised.
The Veterans Day holiday on Monday contributed to a quiet week for economic news. On Wednesday the reading for the federal budget deficit for October fell from September’s reading of -$120 billion to -$92 billion.
An open house gives you a great opportunity to look more closely at real estate you might be interested in buying. It also affords you the chance to chat with the owner or real estate agent so you can bring up any issues or hesitations you have with the home.