I have heard this phrase used recently and, more often than not, it has been in tongue in cheek. While some comments have been a bit on the negative side, it has often been used in reference to political issues, increased traffic, more people at Walmart, and a few other things. But now we are truly seeing the impact in Real Estate Pricing. Many realtors post their new listings online and on social media to help advertise for their clients. Often we may see comments on social media, that are negative about the price and how high everything is. The current market seems somewhat reflective of what many of us saw in California several years ago, where prices sky-rocketed. Keep in mind, the local market is indicative of the current demand. We have low inventory (not enough properties for buyers coming in), buyers with the money to pay the higher prices, and sellers who want and deserve to get the highest and best price they can for their property. Real estate listing prices are just reflective of those factors. When someone contacts me to look at their property to possibly sell, I have to find the ‘comps’ or comparisons to help the seller determine the best price to list their property at. To do that, we are trained to find the local properties that have sold in the last 6 months that are truly comparable and calculate what we best feel the value of that property is. It can be a huge challenge in a more rural area where we do not have the cookie cutter subdivisions with all the same size lots, similar construction of the homes, and amenities. Things considered are size of home, age, improvements, outbuildings, land size, amenities, location, and many other factors to try to determine value. An experienced appraiser suggested we may even ‘widen’ our search area to neighboring counties, if need be, to find properties that are truly comparable. In other words, we may not be able to find many homes that have recently sold that are comparable to yours if you have done improvements that are out of the ordinary. We then expand in order to get a good sampling of properties that we feel will work as a ‘comp.’ If it has land, barns, storage buildings, stock tanks, cross-fencing, or other expensive items, the price is adjusted accordingly. Once we determine a possible price, we sit down and go over our findings with the seller. At the end of the day, we work for the seller and the seller determines the price. If they feel the property is worth more and are adamant about it, then we list at the price they want, however we may try to suggest a strategy to adjust it, so it doesn’t languish on the market for a long time. Keep in mind though, that when the market is as active as we are seeing it now, there is a valid reason to adjust the price due to demand. This is part of what is behind the higher prices we are seeing. Many people, escaping the metropolitan areas, or moving here due to job changes, are coming into our local economy with money to burn, and because our housing prices have been so low compared to other states, they are willing to pay above and beyond, to get what they want. While buyers and casual observers may not like it, the sellers are getting the best price for their property and that is what everyone wants. Remember, it is still Texas, just with a little more green-backs! Connecting You with More Fun Happenings and Places!(20+) LIFE'S A BEACH FAMILY DANCE | Facebook Please join us for our fall family contra dance with dance callers Wes and Rachel Hurd. Dancing begins at 6pm and goes until 9pm. Tickets are $6/person or $30/family (single household). Remember, this is an alcohol-free, smoke-free family event. A note on attire: dressy casual or church attire is recommended. Modest apparel for ladies (no midriffs, no short skirts or bootie shorts). We also recommend low-heeled shoes for the best experience dancing. Contra dancing requires no partner and no experience as you will be instructed as you go! Bring a snack, dessert or a non-alcoholic drink to share NOW OPEN! Grand Opening coming June 26th! (20+) Wise Body Sculpt | Facebook Proud to be the first location to offer #thesculptpodpro in Wise County #destinationbridgeport. Come see the #redlighttherapybenefits like inch and fat loss. Want to have a Painting Party?(20+) Wendy's Mobile Painting Parties | Facebook Why go out of town to have fun? Wendy will come to you, set up and walk you step by step through creating your own special painting! Just give her a call, she brings everything you need and it is very affordable. Sunday Buffet at 1 Stop!If you haven't been to 1 Stop, go now! This is so much more than a convenience store, grocery store, or grill. They have clothing, bait, and even a meat market. But one of my favorite things, is their amazing Sunday Buffet. It is so much more than breakfast or lunch. You will enjoy the atmosphere while watching the water on Lake Bridgeport and ready for a nap after you have finished their great food. They have daily specials as well that include chicken fried steak, fried catfish and even enchiladas. Don't miss this great little treasure in Runaway Bay! May you have a blessed week and weekend and please let me know if I can help you with any of your real estate needs!
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Connecting you with the Knowledge You Need for Summer! Texas has experienced some record setting cool temperatures this spring and while it has been nice, stay on top of your HVAC maintenance and care so you can still be cool when the triple digits arrive in August. Living in Texas, most of us know what we need to do. Some folks are very diligent in the care of, and maintenance of their unit, others, not so much. Still others, who have recently moved here, are unaware of the issues they can face if they don't know how to manage and maintain their unit. I wanted to put together a little quick of just a few things you can do to possibly prevent problems as the summer heat begins to increase. #1 - Change your Filter According to my friend, Mark Ary, owner of Ary A/C & Heat, LLC, in Decatur, the filter is the biggest problem they see with AC units in the summer. While many think it is like the oil in your car, you should change it when the light comes on, the AC unit won't always 'tell' you there is a problem. Then one day, you begin to realize it is warmer in your home than it should be. Remember, your ac is running every day and the filter is working hard to help protect the unit. The filters are designed to protect the unit from dirt, dust, pollen, dander, and other foreign air-born particles. A clogged filter will cause your ac to work harder, increasing your energy cost, and is the most common culprit for ac service requests. Changing your ac filter regularly is a quick and simple way to help your air conditioner run more smoothly and efficiently. Check your filter monthly to determine if it needs changing can make a huge difference. Keep in mind, not all filters are created equal. Make sure you are using the proper size and a good filter (not cheaply made) to ensure you are protecting your unit. HVAC units are expensive and need to be maintained properly to give you good service and a comfortable home. My ac company (Ary A/C) changes the filters for me. They use filters that are designed for my unit and by changing it, they can keep an eye out for any impending problems. It costs a bit more than just buying the filters and doing it ourselves, but it gives us peace of mind, knowing our unit is in good hands. Besides, the techs can get to the unit in our attic a little easier than I can. #2 - Keep it Clean Last summer, literally during one of the worst heat waves we had seen, our house began to get a bit warm. After a while, on a Saturday afternoon, I walked over to the thermostat to see that it was just over 80 degrees in the house. Our home usually stayed between 73 - 74 degrees constantly, so I knew we had a problem. Luckily because we do have a good service company, we were able to get someone out early Sunday morning to fix it. A quick fix and a service fee, and we were cool once again. While it was a part that had gone out, I was afraid it was ants. Yes, ants. In Texas, ants are brutal. Ants, including red ants, love electrical utilities. In Texas alone, costs associated with fire ant damages to electrical and communications equipment total around $146 million per year. A chart showing the breakdown of their faves, seems to indicate that 42.9% of the issues associated with damage from ants is to Air Conditioners. (see Ants and Electrical Equipment – Ant Pests (extension.org)). So keeping an eye out for ants around your outside unit or even around any entrances or trails to the inside unit could save you big bucks. However to 'see' the ants, you need to keep your unit clear of bushes, weeds, grass and other debris. I know many people like to hide their outside unit by planting bushes or building fences, however you may be inviting problems. Keeping it out in the open so you can treat for pests, and so your technician can easily access the unit for repairs is crucial. If your unit is shaded by trees or collects wind-blown grasses, wash it off regularly to prevent build up around the unit. Ants and other critters just love to gather round and cause other damage. #3 - Program your Thermostat Take time to program your thermostat and you won't have to think about it anymore. I know, I know, it can be a pain and can be a little difficult to navigate, but it can really save you money. Taking advantage of the schedules, making it a little warmer during the day when no one is at home and only cooling when you are home, can save you money in the long run. If you don't have a programmable thermostat, get one. Constantly adjusting the temperature can be hard on the system and on your pocketbook. Keep in mind the system isn't just cooling the air, it has to cool down all of the soft surfaces in your home as well. So allowing the system to work the way it was designed, will keep you comfortable. Keep the temp up a bit and run your fans. You may find that if you kick your thermostat up a couple of degrees and run ceiling fans in all of the rooms, it will keep the air moving and it will feel cooler than you expect. If you like polar bear temps, try to keep curtains and blinds closed. Also, this is a good time to check your windows and doors to make sure they are closing well to prevent cool air from seeping out. During the winter, I kept feeling a 'breeze' by my favorite spot. Finally my husband found a window that had not been closed tightly from weeks before. Double checking your windows and doors is an easy fix with a big payoff. #4 - Regular Maintenance We learned the value of regular maintenance years ago. If you have ever thought "I can't afford to have a maintenance agreement, I'll just call if I have a problem" then you are asking for trouble. We bought a home and the inspector told us the unit was very old, but had been well maintained and if we took care of it, we could still get a few years life out of it. We reached out, got a maintenance agreement with a local AC company and they came out regularly to take care of it. That unit lasted several more years. Today, a maintenance agreement or service contract is just part of our annual budget, just like any other utility bill. They come out regularly to check it and ensure it has everything it needs to run properly and keeping an eye on that filter for me. As I mentioned before HVAC units are expensive, good maintenance will give you many, many years of comfort with little problems. Plus, the service company is always very quick to respond if you have problems. Without a service agreement, you call around hoping to find someone to come fix your unit when you do have a problem and when you have no heat or ac during severe weather, that can be brutal. Bite the bullet and set it up, it may not be as expensive as you might think, and it is well worth it. Shout out to Ary A/C & Heat,LLC and my friend Mark for taking good care of us for so many years. His technician even gave me a 'class' on my fancy thermostat. So they truly are a full-service company. If you need a good HVAC company, go to http://aryhvac.com/ and connect with them. You will be glad you did! Connecting you with Fun Happenings and Places!!!777 BBQ Supply Grand Opening (20+) GRAND OPENING | Facebook 3936 US-287, Decatur Memorial Day is a day for outdoor cooking. What a great time to check out this great new business! Doors open at 10AM for the GRAND OPENING! There will be sampling a variety of all different seasonings, as well as beverage mixes! (20+) Rhome Veterans | Facebook Take time to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice by joining the Rhome Veterans on Saturday morning! Live Music with Jarod Grice |
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