Pest control options

It can’t be overstated just how beneficial bees are to our ecosystem. Bees pollinate an astonishing 80 percent of the world’s plants, including fruits and vegetables that feed up to 90 percent of the world’s population. Certain nuts and beans would likely go completely extinct, as well as fruits like blueberries and cherries which are almost entirely pollinated by bees. Meat scarcity could arise as cattle feed on pollinated plants, and some common medicines may become difficult if not impossible to manufacture. Life as we know it would become a lot harder to maintain without our friend the humble bee.

Given the importance of bees, then, how do you take care of other pests around your home without putting bees in danger? And what happens if the bees themselves are acting like pests? Here are a few ways to keep your home safe and pest-free while ensuring that you don’t put bees in harm’s way.

Maintain Your Yard

One great way to get rid of pests without running the risk of hurting the bees is to keep your yard maintained. Keep flower beds free of weeds, mow the grass as needed to keep it from getting overgrown and fill in any rodent or snake holes that you find. This helps eliminate cover and potential nesting places for unwanted pests including wasps and yellow jackets. It will also keep weeds under control which might otherwise provide both food and shelter for these pests.

Remove or Contain Attractants

Trash cans, outdoor pet food, spilled sugary drinks and other food sources can attract a lot of pests to your property. As much as possible, try to cover or remove these attractants so the pests don’t arrive in the first place. If you can’t completely remove the items (such as in cases where you have pets who live outside and need food and water), try creating an enclosure for the items or elevating them on stands so they don’t make direct contact with the ground.

Study Pesticide Options

There are some pesticides which aren’t toxic to bees but are still effective when used against other pests. Substances such as gibberellic acid pesticides, corn gluten and pesticides made using bacillus thuringiensis (BT) are not toxic or agents of disease for honeybees, provided they aren’t used in excessive doses. If you need to use a pesticide, research bee-friendly options and apply them late in the evening when bees are most likely to be back in their hives so that you don’t accidentally spray pollinating bees with large doses of the chemicals.

Avoid Catch-All Traps or Baits

It may be tempting to use items such as wasp traps or baits designed to attract certain insects, but these are indiscriminate and can kill bees as well. Traps are especially harmful as the attractants they use to draw in wasps and flies may also attract bees who think that they are detecting flowers in bloom.

Find a Local Beekeeper

If bees themselves are the problem, don’t try to get rid of them yourself. Find a local beekeeper or honey producer and let them know that you’ve found a beehive or have a number of bees on your property. They’ll come and locate the hive, capturing the bees and their queen safely so that they can be moved to a safe hive away from your home. This will not only keep you and your family safe from bee stings, but it will keep the bees safe, healthy and happy as well.

Get Some Help Saving the Bees!

Whether you need to find someone to relocate bees near your home or just want advice on how to avoid hurting the bees, you can find a number of resources on HomeKeepr. Sign up today for free to find bee-friendly pest-control experts, beekeepers and others who can help you in your quest to be pest-free without putting those lovely little bees in danger.

What color do I paint my walls?

Painting your home is a great way to express yourself and let your personality shine through in your living space. The colors you choose for your rooms can really bring them to life in ways that few other changes can. However, a fresh coat of paint can do more than just give your rooms some personality. With the right colors, the paint you choose can even increase the likelihood that your house will sell at a good price when you put it on the market. To maximize this effect, there are a few colors you should consider (and a few you should avoid.)

Picking the Right Color

If you’re looking for a good color to apply throughout the house, consider a light shade of gray or beige. Both of these colors help to liven up rooms by adding just a bit of color but are neutral enough to let each room’s other accents take command. If you want something a bit different, taupe or so-called “greige” colors (mixes of gray and beige) can also work well. Some off-white colors, especially those with hints of brown or other warm shades, can also brighten up your rooms. Many of these colors pair well with white or beige baseboards and trim.

Good Kitchen Colors

If you’re going room by room, the kitchen is a good place to add a bit of darker color. Darker grays and grays mixed with darker blue shades do well in the kitchen; in fact, some reports have shown that homes with a gray-blue shade in the kitchen sell for an average of $1800 more than similar homes with other kitchen shades. Depending on the size of your kitchen and the amount of wall that’s actually visible behind the cabinets and appliances, you may be able to get away with hotter colors such as deep red or dark orange. Just avoid going too bright with whatever color you choose.

Living Room and Bath Colors

The living area and bathroom both benefit from more neutral shades such as beige and gray, but that doesn’t mean you can’t change things up in some cases. Consider the flooring and other fixtures as well as the amount of natural light that comes into the room and look at colors that take advantage of what’s already there. Light green, blue or brown can sometimes work wonderfully, especially if they include hints of gray to keep them from being too bright. You can even choose a bit stronger blues in the bathroom as homebuyers tend to respond well to blue there, just so long as you don’t go for too bright of a shade.

Bedroom Colors

Blue is a popular bedroom color, especially in shades such as cerulean. There are several bold color choices that you can get away with in the bedroom, though. Don’t go crazy with the bedroom colors and avoid anything that’s too bright – but giving the bedroom a splash of color in blue, green or even red or brown can work well so long as it’s not too much of a departure from the rest of the house.

Colors to Avoid

There are, of course, a few colors that you should avoid when painting your walls. Anything too bright or garish should obviously be avoided since it could turn off potential buyers. Black is another color to avoid; not only do many people find it depressing, but it will also be difficult for future homeowners to cover up. Also on the list of colors to avoid? Bright white. You might think that this would give your home a clean look or make it ready for a new homeowner to customize, but bright whites (especially when paired with white trim) often create a clinical look that actually makes buyers less interested in the space.

Making the Choice

If you’re not sure which colors will work best in your home, consider bringing in an interior designer or painter to help you pick the perfect hue. Sign up for a free HomeKeepr account today and you can find the perfect helper for your budget and your sense of style.

Fall decorating ideas

Decorating for Halloween is a tradition that many families take part in year after year. As with most traditions, though, the decorating trends that dominate Halloween change from time to time. Giant inflatables and laser light shows were all the rage just a few years ago, but now things are starting to shift a bit more toward subtle. The over-the-top Halloween decorating style will likely never fully go away, of course; there’s at least one house in every town that goes all out with its display and people always love it. If you’re looking for something simpler (and easier on the power bill), here are a few trendy options to keep in mind.

Candles

With the right candleholders, basic white candles can add a spooky ambiance that hearkens back to older Halloween traditions. Specialty candles are available that are carved to look like bones or horns as well. No need to go overboard with effects-candles, such as those that “bleed” when lit; just a few tapers burned to different lengths and then extinguished serve as the perfect subtle candle accent to your other decorations.

Pumpkins

What would Halloween be without pumpkins? While the traditional jack-o-lantern is still great, there’s an increasingly common trend to display uncarved pumpkins as well. White pumpkins are also seeing an upswing in popularity to really help set your decorations apart from the norm.

Halloween Wreaths

Also seeing an increased popularity are Halloween wreaths. Coming in a variety of styles, these wreaths have a lot more room to experiment than more traditional Christmas wreaths because of the generally spooky nature of the holiday. You can DIY a wreath yourself or buy one of multiple pre-made varieties to give your home a really unique Halloween look.

Lighting and Signs

Halloween lights have been growing in popularity in recent years, providing a decorative option that can be enjoyed even once the sun goes down. Signs, both lighted and non-lighted, are also firmly establishing themselves as Halloween must-haves. Combining the two can give your home a unique look that neighbors can enjoy both during the day and after the night descends.

Window Décor

Instead of going all-out with inflatables, animatronics and big clunky pieces made of plastic and rubber, an up-and-coming trend is to make use of silhouettes in front of plain curtains to give your decorations a more subtle flair. Some homes even take this a step beyond, using white sheets or similar coverings on the interior windows and then using creative lighting and figure placement to actually cast shadows onto the waiting windows. The shadow puppet feel gives the effect an extra layer of spookiness.

Black and White and Purple Trappings

While black and orange are the dominant colors of Halloween, a big trend in recent years has been to move away from the orange and embrace the holiday’s darker tones. White is used for contrast, with the predominant colors in decorations being black and dark purple. Splashes of other colors may be added as well, but the black, white and purple theme is definitely striking.

Zombie Flamingos

While there has been a move away from some of the cheesier parts of the holiday, the kitsch of putting zombie flamingos on your lawn is a bit too fun to ignore. There are a variety of styles of flamingoes available ranging from silly to gory, giving you plenty of room to find birds that match both your personal tastes and decorating style. Best of all, they can be mixed with a few traditional pink flamingos to give everything a splash of color while totally buying into the Halloween fun.

Need Some Halloween Style?

If you’re not sure what sort of decorations would look best with your home, consider consulting a decorator who has experience with Halloween trappings. Not only will they help you pick the best décor options, but they’ll aid you in choosing accents that go perfectly with both your home style and the decorations you choose. Sign up for a free HomeKeepr account and get matched with the decorator you’re searching for today!

Home warranties

By now, you’ve likely seen the ads, gotten the emails and maybe even hung up on a few robocalls going on and on about the benefits of a home warranty. Are they actually worth getting, though? Let’s take a closer look at home warranties and what they really have to offer. This will help you to decide if a home warranty is right for you or if it would just be a waste of your money.

What Is a Home Warranty?

First of all, just what is a home warranty? This is an important question, because many people don’t actually know what a home warranty is for. A common assumption is that a home warranty is like some version of homeowners’ insurance, perhaps offering short-term coverage after closing on a home. While the timing aspect is pretty close, a home warranty is actually significantly different than a homeowners’ insurance policy. Instead, a home warranty covers certain things within the home to allow for their replacement in case they break soon after buying the property.

What Does a Home Warranty Include?

The specifics of what a home warranty covers can vary a bit depending on the specific home warranty plan you purchase. In general, though, home warranties are designed to cover major systems and appliances within the home. When you’re buying a home, your home warranty will have you covered if something like the refrigerator or water heater breaks down a few months after you move in. In most cases, major systems such as plumbing and HVAC are covered as well. The policy functions like most standard warranties, allowing you to get needed repairs or replacements while the warranty is still in effect.

What’s Not Covered?

Unless it’s specifically mentioned in your home warranty, general home repairs or other maintenance are not included in the warranty. This means that something like a broken window, a weak spot in the floor or peeling paint would have to be repaired as an out-of-pocket expense if they aren’t covered under your homeowners’ insurance. The home warranty is designed to cover only your new home’s appliances and major systems.

How Long Do Home Warranties Last?

Again, the term of a home warranty depends on the specific warranty policy you take out. One of the most common warranty periods is one year, giving you a full year’s worth of peace of mind after you take out the policy. Depending on your needs, however, you may be able to get a home warranty for shorter or longer periods as well.

Can You Add Extra Services?

Depending on the home warranty provider you choose, there may be add-ons that you can include with your warranty service for an additional cost. These can include things like swimming pool maintenance and repair, well maintenance and expanded services such as maintenance tune-ups for your HVAC system. Some providers even use add-ons to create customizable warranty plans, offering up a basic general plan and then expanding it to meet your needs by letting you add only the features you want.

Do You Need a Home Warranty?

Whether you actually need a home warranty or not is kind of a big question. The answer depends on a lot of factors including the age of the home that you’re buying, the amount of coverage you get from your homeowners’ insurance and even what you have in the house that would be covered by the home warranty. The price of the warranty plan should also be a consideration, since this can vary by several hundred dollars depending on the provider and the amount of coverage included. The right home warranty can be a good buy, but it’s worth looking at the cost and coverage to make sure the plan is actually what you need.

Solid Home Warranty Advice

Whether you’re in the market for a home warranty or still on the fence, HomeKeepr can hook you up with someone who can answer all of your questions. Sign up for a free HomeKeepr account to get connected today!

October 2019 newsletter

Welcome to Fall!!! We hope your summer was fun and that you were able to take a little time away maybe for a vacation or at least some downtime and are now looking forward to some fun Fall activities. From apple stores, to hot apple cider, to corn mazes and apple donuts and hayrides with bonfires, and haunted houses, we hope that you will take advantage of some fun Fall activities.

As I write this letter, I am sitting in the San Francisco airport awaiting my flight back home after spending several days with 11 other top agents from across North America in a small-group training program designed to teach us how to provide an even higher level of service to our clients. In a world of technology and automation, which are good and which we use heavily, the role your real estate consultant plays continues to be more important than ever, providing a highly localized, specialized and hyper-sensitive personalized level of service that just can't be touched by a computer or website. We know our clients have many choices when you choose to buy, sell, or build a new home and we want to reassure you that you will never receive a higher level of service or knowledge anywhere else. We are grateful to you, our tribe, and will always be here for you and those you care about when you need us most and will always guide, lead, and protect you during one of the most important times and decisions of your lives. Thank you for continuing to place your trust in us. We will continue to work hard at deserving it!

Brigid, Ana, Tali, & I are excited to go to Boston over Fall Break to see our new niece Elsie Monaghan! She is the second daughter of Brigid's brother Jim and we couldn't be any happier for them! Ana and Tali cannot wait to see their new cousin and love all over her! Ana is enjoying her Freshman year and is helping with the Dance Marathon to be held in the spring. She continues to sing in the school choir and is entering 'busy season' for Indianapolis Children's Choir with a concert Saturday and Sunday night and then she starts practicing for my favorite concert of the year, which is Angel's Sing, which you can see on WTHR Channel 13 around Christmas. She is also singing around Hamilton County with her rock band. If you would like to know where her next concert is, let me know. They sound really good!!!!

Tali is preparing for the start of her competition season in gymnastics. She is excited and will be competing at a higher level than last year, so things will be much more competitive. She is up for the challenge!!

Brigid is is still doing well at Merck and enjoying a little less responsibility this year with special assignments and trainings and is able to focus on just her job.

Jack and Mary Anne are home for the foreseeable future with no big vacations planned the rest of the year. After extensive traveling this year, they are looking forward to staying at home for a while.

The real estate market has been very strange the past few months. Usually, July 4th brings a lull in the market as people take vacations and prepare for school. The market usually picks back up again mid-August, but due to many factors, including the up and down market, it wasn't until mid-September that it picked back up again...and boy, did it ever. If you are thinking about selling yet this year, please give us a call. We would welcome the opportunity to share details about this market and how you can benefit from its resurgence from the summer lull.

Here are some market stats comparing September 2019 to September 2018:
Number of Units Sold-DOWN 0.9% to 2,967 units
Number of New Listings-FLAT at 3,551 units
Average Days on Market-DOWN 0.6% to 40 days
Inventory-DOWN 7.6% to 6,328 units
Median Sales Price-UP 5.6% to $190,000
Average Price/s.f.-UP 5.5% to $113
Percent of Asking Price Received-DOWN 0.2% to 97.4%
Months Supply of Inventory-DOWN 6.8% to 2.1 months
Now, these numbers look pretty strong, however the month over month numbers show a softening of the market, so keep this in mind as you consider buying/selling in the upcoming months. Call us to learn how this will affect you specifically and your situation.

**Please join us for our October Happy Hour which is pushed back one week due to Fall Break. We will meet on October 24th from 5-6:30pm at Matt The Miller's in Carmel. Come join us!! We had a fun time and a great group last month!

**Hope you received your 'Save The Date' postcard in the mail a few weeks ago for our 7th annual Client Appreciation Event on December 7th at 8:30AM at Hamilton Town Center where we will be showing Frozen 2. We will have food, photo opps and a caricature artist again. Look for your official invite very soon and we hope you will make time to join us again!!!

Thank you for being part of our tribe!! Please let us know what else we can do to help you or someone you care about. Happy Fall!!!

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Your Friends in Real Estate,

Steve, Jack, Kylie, Thea, & Patti

Fall clean-up tricks and tips

Periodic home maintenance is essential, both to keep your house looking its best and to prevent problems that could worsen over time. One of the best times to clean up and maintain your home is during the fall, when temperatures start to drop but winter freezes are still a little way off. Fall cleaning can be a big job, so here are a few tips on how to tackle it in ways that you might not have considered.

Watch Your Flower Beds

A lot of people let leaves and other plant material build up over flower beds in the fall, working under the assumption that doing so will get the beds off to a good start in the spring. After all, won’t the leaves break down over the winter and give the soil a natural boost of fertilizer? The problem with this is that the piled leaves can also give insects and other pests a place to bed down in the winter and possibly gain access to your home. If you have rose beds, diseases and fungal infections may also stick around on those leaves, only to resurface in the spring.

Start Garden Prep Early

What can you do with those unwanted leaves, then? Drag them over to your garden! Spread fallen leaves, compost and any other material that will break down over the winter and cover your garden soil with it. Run a tiller over the whole area, breaking up the soil and driving that compostable material into the soil. This will take care of your leaves and other material AND make starting your garden easier in the spring!

Wash, Then Dry

It’s fairly common practice to unhook and stow your hoses in the fall before cold temperatures set in. Before you do that, though, give them a workout! Give your house a good wash before you unhook the hoses, removing as much dirt and other debris from the siding or bricks as possible. Once you’re done, unhook the hoses and allow them to dry thoroughly before storing them for winter.

Make Leaf Cleanup a Breeze

If you have a lot of leaves to deal with, get a few tarps and spread them out under your trees before the leaves start to fall. Let them get a good coverage of leaves, then drag the tarps over to your leaf pile or other area that you’ve set aside for them. You’ll probably still have a few leaves to rake, but this will take care of the lion’s share of the work!

Aerate for Winter

If you have drainage problems in the winter, fall is a good time to aerate your yard. While you can do this using hand tools, a lot of outdoor and hardware stores have machine aerators that you can rent at a decent price. The aerator will break through the packed-down topsoil, giving water an easier route to drain in the event of a wet autumn or winter season. Best of all, grass will grow better in the spring so you can easily cover up any thin or bald patches in the yard.

Break Out the Mower

Even though the grass stops growing in the fall, there’s still a good case for giving your yard one final mow. Wait until a lot of your yard tasks are finished, then run over the yard with the blade set low. Use a mulching guard and/or mulching blade for even better effect. This will not only nab any stray leaves that might have fallen after your clean-up but it will also ensure that your grass has a nice even cut before it starts growing again in the spring.

Call In the Cavalry

If you don’t have the time or equipment to properly take care of all of these tips, consider calling in a house cleaner or landscaping professional to get your home in tip-top shape this fall. HomeKeepr can help you find the pro that best meets your needs. Sign up for free to find your perfect match!

Selling a house with pets...tips and tricks

When it comes to selling your house, it’s important to get everything as close to perfect as possible before showing off the house. Not only will this let potential home buyers see the property at its best, but it will also help to justify a higher cost than a messy house might. There are a few things that can make this a bit harder to achieve, though. One of the big hurdles that you might need to plan around is if you have pets that live in the home.

This doesn’t mean that pets are a bad thing, of course. There’s a decent possibility that at least some of the people interested in your home will have pets as well – and having a property that’s already pet friendly could actually be a big selling point for them. The issue is that the house is your pet’s home, too, so you have to make sure that they stay safe during showings while also ensuring that they don’t negatively affect the sale.

Thorough Cleaning Time

Before any showing, make sure that your pets are cleaned up after as much as possible. This means freshly cleaned litter boxes with new litter, freshly cleaned carpets to take care of any pet stains or shed fur, odor-neutralizing air fresheners… as much as possible, you want the lingering sights and smells that pet ownership can bring to disappear. This not only puts your best foot forward, but it will also impress potential buyers who may not be pet people.

Time Your Showings Carefully

One big rule to follow when you have pets is that there shouldn’t be any showings when you or your spouse or partner aren’t at home. Even if you have a terrific Realtor or real estate agent helping you to sell your house, your pets are still your responsibility. More importantly, should your pet get out, they are more likely to respond to you calling them than a stranger. This rule is very important for your pet’s safety, so it’s definitely not one to break.

Avoid Direct Interaction

Another important part of showing your home while you have pets is to keep your pets from being in the same area as potential buyers. While you might have a dog who’s just a bundle of cuddles and only wants to love everyone, a potential buyer might be afraid of dogs or could just like cats more and not want to be bothered. This also helps to protect your animals, as it ensures that they won’t accidentally get hurt if they startle a potential buyer or get accused of trying to attack them.

Disclose Your Pet Ownership

Something to keep in mind once you’re ready to start showing your home is that you need to disclose the fact that there are animals living on the property (and in the house, if they’re inside pets.) This not only lets potential buyers know that there may be animals on the premises, but it also serves as a warning for those with severe pet allergies. Even though you should clean thoroughly (remember that first tip?), a potential buyer who has a very severe allergy will know that there might be a risk in your home. It might lose you that particular sale, but that’s still better than making someone sick.

Call in Some Help

If need be, consider calling a friend or relative who knows your pets and see if they can help you watch them during showings. This will get the animals out of the house and give you time to get things cleaned up before potential buyers arrive. If you don’t have anyone, consider a professional boarder or even your local vet if they offer boarding services.

Sign up for a free HomeKeepr account and we’ll help you find the pet professionals who can give your furry friends the care and pampering they deserve. If you need help cleaning or showing your home, we can match you with the pros you need for that as well.

Video doorbells and privacy

Advancing technology has played a large part in improving home security in recent years. This is due, in part, to the rising popularity of the Internet of Things, or IoT; these “Things” are devices that connect via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other wireless networks to perform various functions without the need to be hard-wired or attached to a computer. Security-focused IoT devices include things like window monitors, smart door locks and video doorbells – even security lighting.

While these devices provide a number of benefits, including remote monitoring and automation features, some have their drawbacks, as well. Video doorbells, in particular, are being called out over potential privacy concerns. If you’ve been thinking of getting a video doorbell, here are a few things that you should consider, to ensure a good balance between your home security and your neighbors’ privacy.

How to Video Doorbells Work?

Video doorbells use motion detectors to sense when there is someone around the area where the doorbell is installed. This activates the camera, even before the doorbell itself is rung. The process is automatic; many mistakenly believe that the video feed from the devices have to be activated through interaction with the doorbell, but that isn’t the case. Depending on the model and how it’s being used, the visitor who activated the doorbell is either recorded or the video stream is sent live to an associated app. In some cases, video is both streamed and recorded for later review.

What Privacy Concerns Exist?

One of the big privacy concerns comes from what some users are doing with the video recorded by their doorbells. While the recordings are intended for security purposes, some owners choose to upload the videos (or still images from those videos) to websites where others can see exactly who has been visiting their house. Typically, this is done with the purpose of mocking the visitors without their knowledge or consent. In some cases, they may not even realize that they’re being recorded.

Even without sharing the videos, some video doorbells record a large enough area that they also record portions of neighbors’ properties when activated. This creates a similar concern to the installation of standard security cameras that might target a neighbor’s property. This could cause significant privacy problems if too much of the neighbor’s property is visible and may even open the owner up to action based on the claim that they are recording what the neighbor is doing.

On top of this, some video doorbell owners are also becoming increasingly nervous about their devices as the video doorbell manufacturer Ring has partnered with law enforcement agencies in some areas. While the police do not have unrestricted access to video feeds, they can send out messages requesting images or footage from doorbell owners in the area where a crime was committed. Though the request is voluntary, it has still led to unease among users who don’t want their devices used for neighborhood surveillance purposes.

Privacy-Related Restrictions

As a result of these concerns, some homeowners’ associations and local ordinances have targeted video doorbells. In some cases, they aren’t allowed at all, while in others, only certain brands can be installed, which are known to have a narrow focus. A failure to abide by these restrictions can lead to tickets, action by the homeowners’ association and in some cases, even legal action or eviction.

Finding a Balance

Finding a balance between home security and the privacy rights of your neighbors isn’t always easy. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for compromise, however. There are professionals who can help you find the right video doorbell to meet your needs without sacrificing your neighbor’s rights to stay private. Sign up for a free HomeKeepr account so we can match you with a security-minded pro who can help you find the perfect device to achieve that privacy/security balance.

Ways to Improve Your Home's Marketability TODAY!

Selling your home isn’t always easy. While there’s always a buyer out there somewhere, connecting with that buyer and agreeing on a price sometimes takes a little effort. There are a lot of little things that you can do to make this a lot easier, though. Many of these solutions are fairly easy on the budget and can also be added on short notice – and some of them may only take an hour or two to implement!

Add a Coat of Paint

Touching up the paint in your home can do wonders for the marketability of the place when you’re looking to sell. Fresh paint can cover up colors that weren’t a great choice in retrospect and will also make whites seem whiter. You may also hear suggestions about painting large floor tiles or bathroom fixtures, but that’s a job you should only take on if you know what you’re doing.

Change the Doorknobs

Dull doorknobs can give buyers the doldrums, so swap them out with new hardware for an instant front-door facelift. You can also change out cabinet and drawer handles if you want to add some extra flair to the various rooms of your home.

Update Your Light Fixtures

Other changes you can make to your home’s existing hardware include things like light fixtures, replacing old fixtures with something a bit nicer looking. While you’re at it you can also update your light switches and even electrical outlets to replace anything that seems worn or out of place.

Hang Some Mirrors

Few things can open up a room as quickly as adding a mirror. A few mirrors around the house will create the illusion of more open space and will also help to fill blank spaces on your walls if you’ve taken down family photos or other personal items. (Here’s a tip: Take down family photos and other personal items.) Just make sure that you don’t position the mirrors where they’ll be hit by direct sunlight during the day, since nobody wants to be blinded by their wall furnishings.

Tame That Lawn

Now is the time to put extra care into your lawn maintenance, taking the time to weed, seed and feed that lawn into emerald perfection. Trimming the shrubberies, adding some tasteful decorative bushes and finally doing something about that tree stump from three years ago might be a good idea as well.

Add Accent Lighting

While you’re working on the outside of your home, consider adding some path lighting, home accent bulbs or other outdoor lights. This will not only add to the beauty of the home but it will also give you a chance to show off some of the home’s best features in the evening and at night. As an added bonus, additional lighting around the home can be a good selling point from a security standpoint.

Replace the Toilet Seat

Spruce up the bathroom before you put your home on the market. While you’re in there, consider replacing the toilet seat. Not only will this get rid of one of the things in your home that’s most likely to be dirty, but it will also give potential buyers the thrill of possibly going where no one has gone before.

Get Smart

If you really want to impress, consider swapping out some of the light bulbs with LED smart lights. Be sure to choose Wi-Fi-enabled bulbs that can easily sync with Alexa or Google Home for maximum compatibility – and keep a copy of the syncing instructions for the eventual buyer. If you really want to go the extra mile, pick bulbs that can provide multiple colors of lighting… then have a smart speaker set up so you can show off how they respond to voice commands to your buyer.

Need More Ideas?

Consult a professional interior decorator for easy ways to improve the marketability of your home without breaking the bank. Sign up for HomeKeepr for free to find the pro who can help you move from selling to sold!

Non-Occupying Co-Borrowers

If you’re worried about whether you can get a loan on your own, having a co-borrower can take a lot of the stress off. Because there are two people applying for the loan, the lender has a lot more potential assets to consider and two different credit scores. In most cases, the co-borrower on a mortgage loan will live at the same address as the primary borrower (such as the residence being purchased.) Depending on circumstances, though, it is possible to have a co-borrower who doesn’t live at the same address.

Non-Occupying Co-Borrowers

As the name implies, a non-occupying co-borrower (also called a non-occupant co-borrower, or NOCB) is another person who is willing to take responsibility for a mortgage loan but who won’t be living in the purchased house. In most cases this is a family member such as a parent, sibling or spouse, though the exact restrictions will depend on the loan program you use. The co-borrower’s income is added in with the primary borrower’s for the purpose of qualifying for the loan, allowing the primary borrower to get the loan even if they couldn’t qualify on their own.

Both the income and the liabilities of the co-borrower are considered along with the income and liabilities of the primary borrower. The total income and total liabilities of both are calculated and then used to determine the overall debt-to-income ratio of the two borrowers; provided that it’s favorable enough, they’ll then qualify for the loan. Because they are co-borrowers on the loan, both the primary borrower and the NOCB are equally responsible for the loan payments.

Advantages and Disadvantages

There are a few distinct advantages of using a non-occupying co-borrower for a mortgage:

Can qualify you for a loan that you might not get otherwise
May earn you a better interest rate or more favorable loan terms
Provides you with someone else to help ensure that payments are made on time
May be able to refinance without the NOCB later as your credit score improves
Unfortunately, there are a few disadvantages as well:

Can strain relationships between you and the NOCB
Both borrowers are held liable in case of loan default
Not all co-borrowers will help you qualify for a loan
Not all co-borrowers will be eligible under the terms of your lender
Some lenders don’t allow NOCBs on loans, especially with first-time borrowers
Because non-occupant co-borrower loans are not cut and dried, it can take a bit of research to figure out whether you can even make use of one of these loans.

Should You Use a NOCB?

Assuming that you and your non-occupant co-borrower qualify for an NOCB loan through your preferred lender, the question remains of whether you should even try to add a co-borrower to your loan. There isn’t necessarily an easy answer to this question. The answer relies so much on your specific situation that it’s difficult to give a definitive answer, though there are a few things you can consider to try to find the right answer for you.

Take a moment and ask yourself the following questions: What are the rules concerning non-occupying co-borrowers from your lender? If they’re allowed, how likely is it that the co-borrower you have in mind will actually help your application? Is the co-borrower someone you can trust with this, or will the experience likely be stressful? Consider how reliable your co-borrower is, how it will affect your loan terms and how much this will actually help your case. The more thought you put into it, the closer you’ll be to finding the right answer for you.

Get Some Professional Advice

If you’re still not sure, try discussing your situation with a loan specialist. Here at HomeKeepr, we can help you find the professional to answer all of your questions. Sign up for a free account today and start looking for the specialist that’s right for you and your needs.

Different home heating options

There are a lot of different options available when it comes to heating your home. Some of them, you’re likely really familiar with, while others are newer options that you may not have heard of. Regardless, understanding how different heating options work is an important part of deciding how to best heat your home. Whether you’re building the home of your dreams or just remodeling your existing home, here’s some info on some of the heating options you might encounter.

Gas Heat

As the name implies, gas heat means that your system produces heat by burning a flammable gas (typically propane or natural gas). Depending on where you live, the gas either comes from a city-supplied utility line or a standalone tank that sits on your property. The heater functions by adjusting the gas passing through the heating chamber to make flames larger or smaller, controlling the amount of heat the flames release into the air that passes through the chamber. Propane heat may also come in other forms, such as gas fireplaces that serve a decorative purpose, as well as providing localized heat.

Forced Air

A forced air system is one that uses fans or other blowers to move air over a heating element and throughout the heating system’s ductwork. These are some of the more common heaters that you will encounter, as variations of forced air heating is used in most central heat and air systems and in many portable heaters.

Baseboard Radiators

There are a few different types of baseboard radiators that you might encounter. These heaters sit at or around floor level around the edges of a room, generating heat and allowing it to rise naturally throughout the room or house. Different materials are used in these heaters, with more modern varieties using pipes filled with heated oil to hold and radiate heat at a lower power cost than similar heating options like older, electric floor radiators.

Radiant Heat

An increasingly popular option for heating the home comes in the form of radiant heat flooring. A closed liquid heating system is embedded in concrete or other flooring material, heating the floor itself and allowing that heat to radiate upward naturally to provide gentle heat over a larger area without the need for high energy costs. There are a wide range of radiant heat options available, including everything from electric heating to systems that are heated from a wood stove outside of the home.

Solid Fuel Heaters

Also referred to as “pellet stoves” or “biomass heaters”, solid fuel heaters are stoves or other heating units that burn solid materials such as wood pellets or shavings instead of liquid or gas fuels. This is seen as something of a green option for homeowners who want to use wood and other materials that would otherwise be considered waste by the forestry industry. The fuel pellets or shavings are loaded into the heater and released into the burning chamber gradually, providing more control over the temperature and heat intensity than you would have with traditional wood-burning stoves.

CHP Systems

An emerging technology, “combined heat and power” or CHP heating systems are designed to be another environmentally-friendly heating option. These systems use a generator that produces power for the home or other buildings on the property, then reclaims heat energy released by the generator to heat the home. These systems are not yet available in all areas and may not be for everyone since they do provide more than just heat. For those planning for the future, however, keeping an eye on CHP systems may be a way to heat the home while simultaneously reducing dependence on external power.

Turn Up the Heat

If you aren’t sure what type of heating system is best for your needs, HomeKeepr is here to help. Sign up for free and we can help you find a professional that will match you with the heating solution that best fits your home and budget.

Tips for Surviving A Remodel

Remodeling your home is a major project. Most people don’t realize just HOW major of a project it is until they’re deep into it, however. If you aren’t careful, a remodel can cover everything with dust, throw off your day-to-day plans and leave you feeling more frazzled than you’ve ever been. More than one homeowner has found themselves wondering, well before the job was complete, why they ever decided to undertake such a monumental task. Whether you’re already hip deep in a remodel or you’re just considering one, here are a few ways to keep you from experiencing this same sense of mid-remodel regret.

Start Small

While it’s tempting to launch into a full remodel and get everything done at once, taking the time to prioritize certain aspects of the remodel can make it much less disruptive and easier to control the budget. Consider which issues are the most pressing as well as which would be the most difficult to pull off. Avoid projects that are excessively difficult such as moving plumbing unless there’s a good reason to take them on. Prioritize everything else so you can complete each project in turn and move in on the big picture over time.

Respect the Construction Zone

Remodeling creates a LOT of dust, debris and noxious odors. Many contractors will put up plastic sheets and take other precautions to try and keep all of this out of parts of the house where they aren’t working, but there’s only so much that can be done in this regard. Try to plan your time at home so that you aren’t there during the worst of the noise and fumes. Pick up an air filtration system or two that you can put near the work areas to grab as much dust as possible. Pack up belongings that you don’t want exposed like you would if you were moving, putting them in boxes and sealing them with tape. This lets the remodel proceed as quickly as possible without giving you such a huge mess to clean up afterward.

Stick to the Budget

One big issue when remodeling is that the budget tends to spiral out of control. Once you get going, you may find that there are extra bits of spending that are needed to finish the job. There’s also the temptation to upgrade some of your plans since the newer version wouldn’t cost that much more. Unfortunately, changing your plans or upgrading your purchases can really add up over time. Make a budget for what you want, add about 20% to 25% to account for the unexpected, then stick with it. If there’s anything that you REALLY want to upgrade but aren’t sure that the budget can handle it, save it until as close to the end as possible before authorizing the cost.

Talk It Out

Communication with your contractors is a key component to making it through a remodel unscathed. This doesn’t mean that you should require them to report every little thing back to you, of course; unless there’s a problem that they need your insight or authorization for, you’ll be best served to let the pros do their job. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check in and see how things are progressing, especially if you need to structure part of your day around the work that’s being done. Talking with your contractors regularly helps you to plan your life better around the remodel and saves them the trouble of tracking you down when they need to check with you about something.

Find the Right Remodeling Contractor

Perhaps one of the biggest things you can do to make your remodel more survivable is to hire the right contractors from the start. HomeKeepr can match you up with the best people to get the job done quickly and without any more disruptions than absolutely necessary. Sign up for a free account today and see how we can help you change your remodel from dreaded to done.

Is your house ready for an electric car?

While they aren’t quite dominating the automotive market just yet, electric vehicles are definitely seeing a rise in popularity. More and more consumers are embracing the vehicles as a stylish and more environmentally friendly way to get around, and charging stations are starting to appear in places such as hotels, rest stops and even shopping centers. There’s definitely a market for electric cars out there, and it’s growing.

If you’ve considered an electric vehicle before, you should stop and ask yourself if you’re actually ready for one. This isn’t a trick question or a suggestion that electric cars are somehow superior; it’s a legitimate question that you’ve probably never given a thought to. Electric vehicles need to be plugged in and charged somewhere, so you need to figure out whether your house is actually ready for an electric car.

Electrical Access

A lot of garages have electrical outlets in them, but not all of them do. Even for those that do, they aren’t always conveniently located for plugging in an electric vehicle. Either way, this can be a big problem when it comes time to recharge your car. Without convenient outlets you will have to get creative while charging, and an electric vehicle isn’t exactly something you want to risk running a questionable extension cord to. When trying to determine if your home’s ready for an electric car, this is one of the big points that you need to consider. If you don’t have an outlet where you need one and aren’t willing to try some more creative parking options to get to the closest plugs, you may need to wire and install an entirely new outlet.

Can You Handle the Draw?

Electric cars pull a decent amount of electrical current while they charge. This isn’t a major problem in many modern homes but depending on what else is on a circuit with the vehicle, you may end up tripping a breaker or blowing a fuse. In some cases, the added draw of the electric vehicle may actually push you into using more electricity overall than your main panel was designed to handle. If you live in an older house, you could wind up facing a lot of hassle with your electricity if you get an electric car. Depending on how bad the problem is, you may even need to get some wiring reworked or have a new service panel installed to handle the increased electrical requirements.

Charging Station Issues

While the points made thus far have dealt with basic charging options that plug into a standard electrical outlet, home charging stations are also an option. These stations recharge electrical vehicles much faster than chargers that plug into an outlet, though they also have to be installed before you can use them. Depending on where you live, there may be laws or ordinances restricting who can install an electrical vehicle charging station and where they can be installed. Permits and inspections may also be required, all of which will cost money in addition to the cost of the charging station itself and professional installation.

An Alternative Consideration

To reduce or eliminate the cost of recharging an electric car, some owners choose to install solar panels that provide power to a dedicated charging station. This can be a great option, as it eliminates long-term costs while also providing a greener method for keeping your car charged. Unfortunately, there may be restrictions or other ordinances surrounding the installation of solar panels, as well. Solar panels also often have a high up-front cost, though depending on the size of the panel you choose you may be able to keep this down.

Don’t Know the Answer?

If you aren’t sure if your home is ready for an electric car, it’s time to call in a pro. Sign up for HomeKeepr and we can help you match up with an electrician who will ensure that your car can get all of the power it needs.

Inspection negotiations 101

Inspections are an important part of the home-selling process. The home inspector will locate any potential problems with the property, making sure that all involved know what’s wrong and what needs to be fixed. What happens then, though? Whose responsibility is it to fix the issues that the home inspector discovered?

As with a lot of problems, the answer is a resounding “It depends.”

Gauging Severity

One big determining factor in how problems found in a home inspection are dealt with is how severe the issues are. A major problem with a property can be a deal breaker for many buyers. Depending on where you live, such a problem may even have to be addressed before the property can be sold. State-level restrictions vary, but most are rooted in making sure that sellers can’t avoid fixing potentially dangerous problems or leave them for the buyer to discover on their own. Even if a problem isn’t critical, most states require that any problems found by a home inspection be disclosed to potential buyers. This disclosure is a big deal, as it can significantly affect how much the buyers are willing to pay.

Loan Program Requirements

Beyond repair and disclosure requirements that vary from state to state, different loan programs (such as those offered by the Federal Housing Authority or Department of Housing and Urban Development) may have additional requirements when it comes to problems discovered during a home inspection. Many programs have very specific guidelines regarding the condition of the property that a buyer can purchase using those loans. If a loan program won’t allow a purchase while unsatisfactory conditions exist, the issues must either be repaired or have satisfactory arrangements made to facilitate the repair before the purchase can continue. Keep in mind that not all loan programs will make allowances for future repairs, either; in those cases, the repairs will either have to be made in full or the buyer will have to find a different lender that does not follow the same strict requirements.

Negotiating Repairs

In the event that there aren’t specific regulations at the state level or restrictions in the buyer’s loan program concerning problems with the property, it falls to the buyer and the seller to determine what repairs will be made. This is typically part of the price negotiation, as buyers are willing to pay more for a property that they don’t have to make extensive repairs to. In many cases, sellers may offer to cover the most pressing repairs and address any serious issues while the seller assumes responsibility for any other issues found in the seller’s home inspection disclosure. In many cases this will be agreed to in writing, either at the request of one of the parties or as a condition of the mortgage loan that the buyer is using for the purchase. By formalizing the agreement in writing, it ensures that both parties understand their responsibility and protects the seller from potential legal action regarding issues that weren’t addressed (provided that the seller completed all of the repairs that they agreed to.)

Market Strength

The strength of the housing market can have a big effect on who does the bulk of repairs on a property. If similar properties are plentiful and interest rates are low, it creates what’s referred to as a “buyer’s market”; buyers have a lot of options and can easily walk away from the purchase if they don’t get what they want. In this situation, the buyer has a lot of leverage and can usually get the seller to agree to either a lower price or a higher percentage of the repairs. When the opposite occurs and there are few choices and higher interest rates, a “seller’s market” is created. Buyers can’t walk away as easily and be guaranteed a good deal elsewhere, so sellers can often hold their ground more and get buyers to agree to higher prices or a greater percentage of repairs.

Need Some Help?

Regardless of whether you’re buying or selling, having a seasoned pro on your side can make navigating repair negotiations a lot easier. Sign up for HomeKeepr for free to find the help you need to ensure the deal you deserve.

Tips to beat the heat while working around your house this summer

When you’re a DIYer, it’s not unusual to have a variety of projects to work on over the summer. Some projects require warm temperatures and long days to get everything done, while others just happen to pop up during the summer months. Regardless of the reason you’re working on things during the summer, there’s one inevitable truth that you’ll have to face: It can get really hot when you’re working on things around the house during the summer months and into early fall.

Obviously, every summer sees higher temperatures than other seasons. In recent years, though, we’ve experienced some of the hottest summers on record. Too much heat and sun exposure can cause a variety of serious health issues including heat stroke and heat exhaustion, so it’s important to play it safe when you’re working out in the sun. Here are just a few things that you can do to avoid heat-related problems.

Stay Hydrated

This one should be obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t drink enough during the hot summer months. Increase your water intake before, during and after any periods where you’ll be out in the heat and sun. As hard as it is to hear, you should also try and avoid coffee, tea and other drinks with caffeine before going out in the sun as well, because the caffeine content can actually make you lose more water. Avoid sugary carbonated drinks and alcohol, though the occasional sports drink or other beverage with electrolytes won’t hurt, since your body needs electrolytes for proper functioning, as well.

Take Your Time

Depending on the conditions you’re used to, it can take anywhere from 7 to 14 days for your body to get used to high temperatures. If you’re going to be working outside a lot in the heat, then you should increase your heat exposure gradually. If you’re used to air conditioning, trying to take on a full workload outdoors can significantly increase your risk of heat-related health problems. Instead, try tackling smaller tasks with big breaks between until your body gets accustomed to being out in the sun.

Dress for the Weather

When it’s hot, it’s tempting to wear as little as possible. This can be a bad idea when you’re working outdoors, though. Not only does less fabric increase your risk of sunburn but it can also make you more likely to experience some sort of injury when you’re working. Contrary to what might seem logical, you should cover up more when working out in the heat. Cover as much of your skin as possible with light-colored, lightweight material that’s loose enough that it doesn’t cling to your body. Choose a fabric that breathes, or clothes made of wicking material designed to help keep you cool. Don’t forget a hat and sunglasses or other eye protection, either. Not only will this keep you from getting burned, but it will also slow down the rate at which your sweat evaporates (which is a good thing, as it will keep your body cooler than sweat that evaporates quickly.)

Build Some Shade

One thing that can make a big difference when working outside is having a little bit of shade to take a break in. In some cases, you’ll have plenty of trees or other overhangs to create shade for you. If you’re not that lucky, build a small shelter from the sun using some posts and a tarp or other material that can block the sun (making sure that you only cover the top and not the sides to allow for airflow.) If you really want to maximize the value of this cool-down spot, set up a fan that you can turn on to create a little bit of artificial airflow, if there isn’t any breeze when you stop for a break.

Watch for Warning Signs

Common signs of heat-related illness include greater-than-expected amounts of sweat, confusion, lightheadedness, slurred speech, dry skin, increased body temperature and loss of consciousness. If you start to notice any of these issues, get out of the heat immediately and seek medical assistance, if necessary. Since some of these symptoms can be hard to identify in yourself, it’s also not a bad idea to have a friend or family member come check on you at least once an hour to make sure that you aren’t starting to show signs of overexposure.

Need an Extra Hand?

One way to keep from overdoing it in the sun is to bring in an expert to help get the job done. As days start getting shorter, this is a great time to sign up for a free account with HomeKeepr and find the pro who can help you wrap up all of your outstanding summer projects.

Exterior brick care

Having brick siding installed on your house gives it a classic look. Unfortunately, a lot of people view brick as an install-it-and-forget-it option and allow that look to deteriorate over time. Brick homes require basic maintenance and care just like vinyl and wood siding do, though the specifics of maintenance may be a little bit different. It’s just like with anything: If you want the look, you have to put in the work to keep it up.

Fortunately, maintaining your brick isn’t that difficult. Even better, the maintenance you do now can help prevent your brick siding needing major repairs in the future. So long as you’re willing to put forth a little effort, you should be able to keep your home looking great for years to come.

Cleaning Your Brick

The brick on your home is exposed to the elements on a 24/7 basis, and the rough surface of most bricks make them ideal for picking up dust and dirt. This can lead to damage over time, so once or twice a year you should take the time to clean your bricks. Most of the time this is as simple as spraying them down with a garden hose to remove any dirt and grime that’s built up on your home, though particularly tough spots and areas may need a scrub brush with soapy water as well. Avoid the temptation to use a power washer as the high water pressure can damage the brick.

Vegetation and Mildew Removal

While some plants such as ivy provide what some consider a dignified look, any vegetation that grows on your brick will damage it. Remove any vines, moss or other plants that you notice growing up your brick wall, making sure to wear gloves in case the plant is something that you don’t want to touch like poison ivy. You should also periodically check your brick for signs of mildew or mold, both of which can damage the brick surface as they grow. Scrub the area where you notice these growing, spraying them with a diluted solution of bleach and water to kill off any remaining remnants or spores. It’s a good idea to wet down the brick before you spray it, though, as this will prevent bleach from collecting in deeper contours of the brick and causing discoloration.

Checking for Damage

There are two types of damage you should check for at least once per year when you have a brick home. The first is impact damage, resulting from something hitting the brick and causing cracks, chips or other damage to it. This can come from a variety of sources, including things as ordinary as a lawnmower throwing a rock. The second type of damage to look for is water damage, which occurs when rain or splashing water repeatedly hits an area of the brick and starts to wear it away. Both of these can damage not only the bricks but the surrounding mortar as well. When damage is found, scrub the area to remove any loose material and keep an eye on the area to see if the damage gets worse over time. If the damage is caused by splashing water or other environmental issues, you might also adjust your landscaping or install additional drainage to redirect water and prevent further damage.

Repointing and Repair

As brick and mortar become damaged, you may need to make repairs from time to time. If the damage is just to the mortar, scrape and chisel away any damaged portions and apply new mortar to the entire area where wear and damage is present; this is typically known as repointing. If there are bricks that are damaged to the point that they need to be replaced, chisel away the mortar surrounding those bricks until they can be removed. Apply fresh mortar and new bricks to fill the damaged area.

Getting It Just Right

If the thought of replacing bricks or mortar intimidates you, we can help. Sign up for HomeKeepr today and we’ll help you find the masonry professional that can get the job done exactly the way you want it.

September Steve & Jack's Home News

Welcome to the end of summer! It seems as if school just let out for the year and here we are back at it again! We hope you did enjoy your summer and created some fun and lasting memories. If you have kiddos in school, hopefully the transition back to school was a smooth one and you are settling back into your routine.

Real estate usually cools a bit from July 4-mid-August and, after another white-hot spring, that is usually a welcome respite for most agents, buyers, and sellers alike so we can catch our breath. The market is already picking back up again, as usual for the fall push before it quiets down a bit mid-November for the holidays.

Interest rates have fallen again and are averaging around 3.75% right now, which is an extremely good rate. If you or someone you know is thinking of buying/selling/building yet this year, please give us a call. The market is good and the interest rates are even better making for the perfect combination!

Back-to-school for Steve's family has been pretty good, but stressful for Ana as she started her freshman year at Westfield High School. It is hard to believe she turns 14 in little over 1 week! With such a big school and large student population, it does take quite a bit of getting used to, but she seems to be adjusting well and finding her way around as well as settling into high school classes and teachers. She started up her last year with the Indianapolis Children's Choir this week and the hectic schedule they lead. She is also having fun with her rock band and performing around Carmel/Westfield. Let us know if you would like to come and see her band perform. They are actually quite good! Tali is loving her 4th grade teacher at Maple Glen and still practices 4 days/week for gymnastics. She still seems to love it, so we will keep running a taxi service until she says otherwise!

Jack & Mary Anne absolutely loved their trip to Switzerland and Germany and enjoyed the castles, cathedrals and mountains. They have one more trip to Fairfield Glade with some friends and then enjoy being at home for the foreseeable future.

Kylie and her family are doing well and back into the swing of things with the new school year. She continues to add systems to our team to provide an even higher level of service to our clients. Our newest teammates Patti Sircy who is our Director of Marketing and Thea Charnas who is our Buyer Specialist are both fitting in extremely well. If you have had the pleasure of working with them, you know just how good they are and they are both learning so much in such a short amount of time. They both have been such great additions to our team!

Here are the most recent MIBOR stats comparing July 2019 to July 2018:
Median Sales Price-UP 5.6% to $190,000
Closed Sales-DOWN 1.9% to 20,026 units
New Listings-DOWN 2.0% to 25,813 units
Pending Sales-DOWN 0.1% to 22,497 units
Days on Market-DOWN 10.2% to 44 days
Price per s.f.-UP 4.7% to $111
% of Ask Received-DOWN 0.2% to 97.8%
Active Inventory-DOWN 2.1% to 6,015 units
Absorption Rate-DOWN 5.6% to 1.7 months
We hope you are looking forward to our 7th Annual VIP Client Appreciation Event on December 7th from 8:30-11AM! We will be showing the newly-released Frozen 2 and will have our popular caricature artist return again this year as well as food, fun photos, and good times. Look for your invitation in the mail in the coming weeks.

Also, look forward to Pictures with Santa again this year. We will be sending out invites in the coming weeks. It is always fun and you get some great photos to include with your holiday cards.

Have you been able to attend one of our monthly Happy Hours this year? We would love to see you! Please stop by our next one on Thursday, September 19th from 5-6:30PM at Matt The Miller's in Carmel. Free food and drinks on us as a thank you for being a loyal client/referral partner.

Check out this month's newsletter full of fun articles, stories and tidbits. We also are mailing these via USPS. If you aren't receiving it and would like a copy, please let us know and we will put you on the list!

Click here to read our September newsletter

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Click here for a 1-minute video explaining what happened this month in real estate

Click here to see what some of our clients are saying about us

Click here to learn about our Senior Advantage Program

Click here to download the most powerful real estate app available

Thank you for being a client/referral partner and know we appreciate you! Because our business is built strictly on introductions from clients and referral partners we need your help. Who is the next person you know who is thinking about buying/selling/building a new home? Please connect us so we can help them achieve their real estate goals and feel confident they are receiving the highest level of service. Again, thank you!!!

Your friends in real estate,

Steve, Jack, Kylie, Thea, & Patti

P.S. Please don't keep us a secret.

Decoding New Windows

New windows can make a huge impact on your home. Not only can installing new windows make your place look better, but those windows can also make it a lot easier to heat and cool as well. Sure, replacing old windows can eliminate drafts, but that’s only a small part of how installing new windows can increase your home’s energy efficiency.

Information about the efficiency of new windows is printed on a sticker that’s attached right to the glass. Unfortunately, if you don’t know what you’re looking at then these stickers may raise more questions than anything. If you need a little help understanding exactly what you’re looking at on your window sticker, here’s a rundown of everything you need to know.

What’s the U-Factor?

When looking at window stickers, two values are listed as “Energy Performance Ratings.” The first of these is the U-Factor, which provides information about the insulating ability of the window. This is similar to the R-Value that you find on insulation, and the U-Factor value will usually be somewhere between 0.20 and 1.20 on new windows. The lower this value is, the better the window is at insulating your home and preventing heat transfer between the inside and outside. If you want to think about this in terms of R-Value instead, simply divide 1 by your U-Factor value and you’ll end up with the corresponding R-Value (so a U-Factor of 0.20 would correspond to an R-Value of 1 ÷ 0.20 = 5, while a U-Factor of 1.20 would correspond to an R-Value of 1 ÷ 1.20 = 0.83.)

What About Solar Heat Gain Coefficient?

The other value listed under “Energy Performance Ratings” is the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). This measures how much heat is transferred through the window from sunlight (as opposed to the air heat transfer that is indicated by U-Factor.) The SHGC scales between 0 and 1, with lower values indicating a greater ability to block heat transfer from sunlight.

What Is the Visible Transmittance?

Beyond the “Energy Performance Ratings” entries on a window sticker, three other values are also provided to help you choose the window that best fits your needs. One important listing among these additional performance ratings is Visible Transmittance (VT). As with SHGC, the VT of a window scales between 0 and 1. In most cases you will want a high VT, however, as it indicates how much light passes through the window glass to provide daylight for your home.

What’s the Condensation Resistance Rating?

As the name suggests, the Condensation Resistance (CR) rating of a window indicates how well it can resist the formation of condensation on its surface. This not only indicates how likely you are to experience “fogging” and liquid condensation but can also indicate the likelihood of frost formation in the winter as well. This rating ranges from 1 to 100, with higher CR numbers indicating a greater resistance to condensation.

What Does Air Leakage Mean?

Another important performance rating is Air Leakage (AL). As the name implies, this measures how much air can leak through the window and affect the internal climate of your house. These values typically scale between 0.1 and 0.3, with lower values indicating a smaller amount of air leakage. One thing to keep in mind is that this is considered an optional rating, meaning that not all manufacturers will provide AL data; as a result, some window stickers might only have ratings for the other four values.

Need Help Crunching the Numbers?

Even knowing what the numbers on your window stickers mean, finding the window that has the best balance of these values for your home can be tricky. If you aren’t sure which windows to buy, let the pros at HomeKeepr help you find the perfect window for your needs. Because our system is built on recommendations instead of generic ratings, you can rest assured that the professional you choose will be just the right fit.

Should you pre-pay your mortgage?

A mortgage is one of the biggest single debts you’re likely to willingly take on. As such, being able to properly manage your mortgage is very important. With so many options when it comes to loans, repayment and refinancing, it can all get a bit confusing. One point in particular that you might hear a lot of talk about is prepaying your mortgage.

Should you prepay your mortgage? Should you focus on other things first? Before rushing into prepayment, make sure you have all of the information first. We’ll start by looking at exactly what mortgage prepayment is and how it works.

What Is Mortgage Prepayment?

As the name suggests, mortgage prepayment is the act of paying some or all of your mortgage principal before it’s actually due. This can take a number of forms, from paying a higher amount than the actual payment that’s due each month to making additional payments in months where you have money to spare. Some homeowners even make a single large additional payment every year after getting a tax return. Regardless of the specific form that prepayment takes, the end result is the same: More of your outstanding mortgage balance gets paid off, resulting in a decrease in both the amount that you still owe and the amount that interest can be applied to.

What Are the Benefits of Prepaying?

There are several benefits to prepaying your mortgage, regardless of how often the payments are made. Consider the following and how they might apply to your mortgage situation:

Faster repayment of the mortgage loan
Decreased cost of the mortgage over time
Equity is accrued at a faster rate
Prepayment reduces principal, making it easier to qualify for refinancing
Essentially, prepayment gives you more control over your loan and helps you to save money, build equity and pay off the loan faster. Because you’re paying it down at a faster rate, you’ll likely have an easier time refinancing for a better interest rate and loan terms down the road as well. And since the prepayment is optional, you can always skip prepayments and simply pay the monthly payment due if money is tight. Because of this, many people choose to incorporate prepayment plans into their overall preparations for retirement.

Are There Any Downsides?

While there are definitely benefits to prepaying your mortgage, there are potential downsides as well. Some mortgages, especially those with adjustable rates, are designed to not allow prepayments; if you attempt to prepay on the mortgage, this can trigger a penalty fee. Additionally, some lenders only accept prepayments in certain forms and will apply any other money received as simply an early payment against the next month (which means that the money will go toward interest and principal and not just your principal loan balance.) Attempting to prepay when you have significant debt elsewhere or don’t have a safety net built up for yourself isn’t a good idea, either; your mortgage likely has a lower interest rate than most if not all of your other debts, so you may be better off paying them off and building up savings and retirement funds first before you start worrying about prepaying a mortgage.

Should You Prepay Your Mortgage?

Whether or not you should prepay your mortgage depends on a number of factors. You should consider the type of mortgage you have, how much your monthly mortgage payments are and what your interest rate looks like. You should also take a look at your overall finances and how well prepared you are for emergencies and retirement; it’s possible that your money would be better off going elsewhere at the moment. Even if prepayments seem feasible and affordable, make sure that your lender accepts prepayments without penalty and that you know how they prefer to receive prepayments. Those extra payments won’t do much good if your lender simply applies them against interest or charges you a penalty fee because prepayments aren’t allowed by your loan.

Making the Right Decision

Deciding whether or not to prepay your mortgage is a big decision. If you’re not comfortable making it alone, let HomeKeepr help you find a mortgage expert who’ll assist you in weighing all of the pros and cons. Sign up today and find the advisor you need based on recommendations from the people you trust.

Proper Paint Disposal

A lot of DIY projects involve paint. Unfortunately, the majority of them don’t use the exact amount of paint that comes in the cans you buy. This leaves you with extra paint that you don’t have anything to do with, and over time you might even build up quite a collection of excess paint cans. Don’t just dump them out or throw them away, though… doing so is illegal in most areas. If you’re not sure what to do with all of the paint you’ve got left over, here are a few things to think about.

Know What You’re Dealing With

The very first thing you should do when getting ready to dispose of the paint you’ve used for a project is to identify the type of paint you have. You should have either oil-based paint or latex paint, and if you aren’t sure then you need to check the label. There are typically more options available to dispose of latex paints than oil-based paints, so taking the time to figure out which type of paint you have is essential to make sure you don’t dispose of your paint in a way that could get you in trouble.

Let It Dry

If you have latex paint to dispose of, you should be able to throw it out once it has dried. If there is only a little bit of paint left in the can, you can accomplish this by simply leaving the lid off of the can for a few days until it dries out. If you have a larger amount of paint, you’ll need to get at least some of it out of the can first. Consider pouring at least some of the paint into a cardboard box that you’ve lined with a plastic bag or otherwise sealed to prevent leaks. You can also apply the paint over cardboard, wood or paper with a brush or roller to create thick coats that you then allow to dry. If you still have unwanted paint, commercial hardening agents are also available that you simply mix into the paint and wait while the paint hardens.

Soak It Up

As latex paints are soluble in water before they dry, you can take advantage of this by diluting the paint with additional water. Once the paint is suitably watery, pour it over absorbent materials such as paper or foam. Allow these to dry and then dispose of the materials that will have the remaining paint soaked into them. If drying seems to be taking a long time, try setting the wet items outside and spreading them out as much as possible. The heat, sunlight and increased surface area will increase evaporation speeds, resulting in a faster overall drying time.

Upcycle the Paint

Before you get rid of your latex or oil-based paint, think about whether you have any upcoming projects that could benefit from it. Using the paint for other projects will help you to use up whatever’s left of the paint and will also save you from having to buy additional paint when those projects come around. It could even be that you have a project planned that you hadn’t originally considered painting at all but that might benefit from a coat of paint. Even if you don’t have any future painting projects coming up, others might; ask any DIYers that you know if they need paint or check online for DIY groups in your area that trade paint and other supplies.

Safe Disposal Services

Knowing where to recycle or otherwise dispose of liquid paint is important, especially if you have oil-based paints that can’t simply be thrown away. Recycling centers, environmental groups and hazardous waste disposals often have paint recycling and disposal services that accept both latex and oil-based paint. If you aren’t sure where to look, check online or ask around at local hardware and paint supply stores to get recommendations.

Still Not Sure?

At HomeKeepr, we have pros of every variety waiting to help you. You can even find someone to advise you on what to do with your leftover paint, or who’ll be willing to come pick it up and take care of it for you! Sign up now and take that first step toward cleaning up your act (and your garage, and your workshop…)