Santa Claus’ Home Jumps in Value

Santa Claus' North Pole home got a face lift! Thanks in large part to a 2013 remodel and updated Zillow listing, the jolly guy's home increased 6.5 percent in value to $710,559 compared to last year's Zestimate.

The 2,500-square-foot home was added to the site last December; the listing has since been updated with home facts and new photos. This has contributed to a dramatic increase in price.

To calculate the Zestimate—the site's price estimate for homes that aren't for sale—Zillow looked at similar homes in remote locations and applied a "Santa premium," according to Zillow. The company also predicts that Santa's home, which has never been sold, will rise another 7 percent over the course of next year.

"The real estate market across the country is booming, so it's no surprise that one of the most valuable residential properties in the Arctic rose almost 7 percent since last year," says Zillow CMO Jeremy Wacksman.

The 25-acre lot that Santa's home sits upon features a toy workshop, stables for reindeer and a garage space for sleighs. Built in the 1800s, the house now features modern comforts thanks to a remodel in 2013.

"Santa is synonymous with the holiday season," says interior designer Marian Bright, who oversaw the remodel. "He has inspired people around the world to change their home decor for at least one month out of the year. How could I say no to a challenge like that?"

The three-bedroom, two-bath cabin features a massive river-rock fireplace and a fully-equipped kitchen (with a hot cocoa tap). Take a look at some photos of the interior below:

Source: Zillow

For more information, please visit www.zillow.com.

Posted on Nov 28 2017 - 4:17pm by Jameson Doris

5 Tips to Reduce Your Home’s Holiday Energy Consumption

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The smell of pine and cinnamon, cookies baking in the oven, lights twinkling inside and outside your home, and…

An enormous electric bill. Ouch.

The holidays in America are known for being a little over the top, and excessive energy consumption from lights, decorations and appliances are no exception. While it may be exciting to make your house light up like a beacon that can be seen from outer space, it’s not actually that great for your wallet (or the planet, for that matter).

If you’re thinking about having a greener holiday season, try the following tips:

Use Better Lights
Based on a report from WIRED, Americans spend an extra $233 million on utility bills each year because of holiday lights. To keep your energy consumption in check this season, try LED or energy-efficient bulbs instead of traditional ones. Incandescent lights draw up to 90 percent more watts than LED lights, so switching to LED strands—or going with wreaths, bows and lawn ornaments that don’t use energy—can save you a ton.

Use Smart Plugs
It’s easy to forget to unplug decorations and lights, but doing so can make a real ding in your monthly budget. That’s where smart plugs come in handy. Smart plugs monitor your energy usage and break it down into an easy report each month so that you know exactly how much energy your holiday decorations consume.

Some smart plugs can also be programmed to run on a timer or manually from an app on your smart device. When you’re toasty in bed, you can turn off your lights to save on energy. Plus, if you’re away on vacation, you can pull a "Home Alone" and make it look like you’re home, which can help deter holiday theft.

Cook Wisely and in Batches
Holiday cooking is one of the best parts of the season. (Hello, pumpkin pie.) But, firing up the oven and stove accounts for 4.5 percent of your home’s energy consumption, and that number jumps to 15 percent if you add in the energy your fridge and other kitchen appliances consume. This season, when you’re making lots of cookies, roasts and goodies, remember to bake in batches so you don’t waste energy heating and re-heating the oven.

Also, use appropriately-sized cookware. Glass or ceramic pots and pans can be heated to 25 degrees less than recipes recommend, and cast iron retains heat easier, making these types of cookware a good option to help you save more on energy costs. You can even go green entirely by making recipes that require low or no energy to prepare. And don’t forget that the oven will act as a temporary space heater when you're cooking, so be sure to turn down your thermostat.

Light a Fire
A roasting fire is a festive holiday accessory—and it’s a great way to cut down on grid-powered electricity this season. Fireplaces can actually be an eco-friendly (and super cozy) way to heat your home. You don’t even need chestnuts to get the full effect.

As you’re doing this, try keeping your thermostat 7 - 10 degrees cooler than normal for eight hours per day to save up to 10 percent on your utility bills. For example, you could turn your thermostat down early in the morning and at night, then turn it up during the day. It’s sweater weather after all, so bundle up and let a fire warm you.

Use Your Foyer Wisely
The more the merrier, but when guests come and go for the holidays, your home can lose a lot of heat through the opening and shutting of doors. Try adding a draft-blocking device to insulate your home. You should also open other doors inside your home to increase proper air circulation and make it easier for your furnace to heat the space.

Trying to make your home eco-friendly through the holidays doesn’t have to be a burden. In fact, besides saving you some serious change and reducing your carbon footprint, it can actually be a holiday mood booster as you make things more nostalgic and cozy. Who knows? You might even create a new holiday tradition.

Posted on Nov 29 by Elaine Thompson on http://blog.rismedia.com/author/housecall/

Best Financial Investments for Your Home

Over the last couple of years, rehabbing TV shows have become increasingly popular. In these shows, people fix or introduce new features to their homes while adding substantial market value to the house in the process. If you own a home, you can make many of these types of fixes or additions to increase the value of your home, too. You can also enjoy these changes for as long as you live there. Some of the best financial investments you can make to your home include:

Major Problem Fixes

The first high-return investment you should make in your home is to correct all major problems. If your home has serious issues, such as a broken air conditioner or a pipe leak, fixing those issues should be priority No. 1. Repairing or replacing the roof and siding can be a great investment, and potential buyers will generally factor in both the time and cost of having to fix it. Problems like these are always easier to fix when they're small than later after having put them off.

Exterior Improvements

Investing in the facade of a home can also bring great returns. Replacing garage doors is one of these investments. If your garage door looks new, your house will look new, as well. Painting the outside of your home is another good investment in the exterior. If you don't want to take the time and money to fully repaint your home, pressure-washing can be a quick way to make the outside of your home look much more presentable.

Entryway Improvements

Another good investment is to invest in a new entryway door. Like the garage door, the front door is important in making a good first impression on a potential buyer. Replacing your front door with a steel door can also make your home safer; increasing the safety of your home can be another great selling point for a potential buyer. Replacing windows is another way to make the outside of your home look better, as well as improve the home's energy efficiency.

Fixes and additions to the inside of your home can be a great financial investment. A fresh coat of paint to the interior can add value by making the home look cleaner and brighter.

Update Bathroom, Kitchen and Appliances

Improving your home's bathroom, particularly visible elements such as vanities, lighting, toilets and tubs, can create a high return. For bathroom improvements, you may obtain a better return on investment by spending your money on items in the bathroom that a potential buyer would see, instead of completely gutting the bathroom.

Kitchen remodels can be another way to significantly improve the value of your home. For kitchen remodels, you'll want to spend money on functional items such as cabinets, drawers, pantry doors and appliances. Appliances such as refrigerators don't have to be completely new, but they should keep up with current trends. Kitchen remodels should also suit the home. A kitchen that looks like it belongs in a $300,000 home will feel out of place in a $150,000 home.

Adding high-efficiency appliances to a home can modernize it and also save you money on electricity. Some states and cities have tax programs that could reduce your taxes if you buy and use high-efficiency appliances that require less electricity.

Overall, you should research the investment potential of your home before making any purchase. If you are trying to increase the value of your home, you need to make sure your fix or addition will increase the value of the home not only for you, but also to potential buyers.

By Craig Middleton. This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of RISMedia and Levesque Realty.

2018 Real Estate Trends to Watch: ‘Surban’—That Sweet Spot Between City and Suburb

No—”surban” is not a typo. Think of it as the melding of two words to form a new one in the same manner as celebrity name fusion—think Brangelina, Bennifer or Kimye. Surban refers to a suburban area that has the feel of an urban area, with walkability to great retail and restaurants from a house or apartment, and it’s what all the real estate trend predictors are talking about.

What Is Surban?
Surban is defined as a suburban area that has the feel of urban; it is a blend of the best of urban and suburban life. Urban planners would previously have described these as “mixed-use” areas, but surban is a relatively new term that fits a bit better.

Characteristics of surban areas include:

• Located in suburban, not urban areas
• Anchored in areas with highly-rated schools and low crime rates
• Dominated by a number of housing options, from single-family residences to condos to townhomes
• Surrounded by great retail and shopping areas in walkable distance
• Highlighted with social venues such as restaurants, bars and entertainment

There is much being written about the current trend of surban living. The Urban Land Instituteestimates that these areas will draw at least 80 percent of the coming wave of households and will attract the most families in the next 10 years. Noted real estate consultants John Burns and Chris Porter recently authored a book, “Big Shifts Ahead,” and devoted an entire chapter to the surban way of life.

The Suburban and Urban Past
From 1950-1980, the real estate profession witnessed the trend of suburbia. Homeowners were moving out of the inner city and relocating in suburban areas. They were willing to sacrifice some incredible commute times to cities and suffer other inconveniences to experience an upscale lifestyle. This was because crime rates in urban areas were high and school performances were low.

The 1990s and 2000s brought with it an age of urbanization centered around the renewal of inner cities, development of mixed-use properties in urban areas, increased attention to mass transit, and a renewed focus on downtown condos. However, the economic downturn of the last decade left little job growth in the urban areas. In addition, crime rates are still relatively high, and school rankings and commitments to education remain low.

Paving the Way for Surban Areas
In order to truly understand what is meant by a surban area, let’s examine some specific examples. Think grown-up college campus. A walkable place to dine, work, live and play. Strip mall retail. Less emphasis on giant suburban malls. Let’s start with one of the original town centers.

In 1964, an internationally known planned community known as Reston, Va., was founded. When Reston founder Robert E. Simon, Jr., bought the Northern Virginia farmland 20 miles outside of Washington, D.C., he had the vision of developing a community that would embrace walkability, density, access to green space and a diversity of races and income levels.

In 1990, Reston Town Center opened. This iconic town center is described by CityLab as “a dense cluster of offices, restaurants and shops, centered on a wide-open plaza with a fountain…a community gathering spot.” Nearly 24 years later, the Silver Line Metro station opened in Reston, which ultimately perfected the interconnectedness of the community and city center by decreasing the need for cars.

When Reston Town Center was nearing completion in 1990, Kenneth P. Wong, senior development manager for the project, told the Washington Post: “The idea of a downtown in the suburbs was something that no one really had a grip on; it’s a very complicated proposition that needed a long [research and development] gestation period.”

The Surban Future
Today, suburban downtown areas are popping up throughout the country. Though Reston wasn’t the only place developing the blueprint for “surban” developments, it is often referred to as one of the most successful influencers.

Here are some of the other notable surban developments:

• Downtown Naperville, Ill., in the suburbs of Chicago
• Old Town Pasadena, Calif., in the suburbs of Los Angeles
• A-Town in Anaheim, Calif., in a neighborhood around the Angels Major League Baseball park
• Legacy Town Center in Plano, Texas, in the suburbs of Dallas
• Santana Row in San Jose, Calif., on a former rundown mall site
• City Centre in Houston, Texas, on a former rundown mall site
• Downtown Tempe, Ariz., in the suburbs of Phoenix
• Larkspur, Calif., north of San Francisco, with new housing sandwiched between a top-notch high school and a rejuvenated old downtown
• Geneva, Ill., in the suburbs of Chicago

These types of livable areas are projected to have a profound impact on many areas of real estate in the next several years.

Experts predict that surban developments will replace shopping centers. More retail stores will become places that sell experiences rather than goods, and more development will combine housing and retail to satisfy consumer demand for sites that offer convenient car-free shopping. Suburban office demand will also return. As Gen X and millennials move into more senior management roles and start families, many will move from urban cores to the suburbs to live in areas with good schools, but which are also near employment hubs and entertainment and recreational amenities. They will be willing to share space and work remotely.

What the Surban Trend Means for Housing
The focus is on rental properties, as rates are expected to surge over the long term. The de-emphasis on ownership will be reflected in soaring demand for rental units.

Well over half of the 12.5 million net new households created over the next decade will rent, including those who have never owned, and those making the switch from owning to renting as they age. Some experts believe homeownership will decline, with the national rate anticipated to be 60.8 percent by 2025—the lowest point since the 1950s.

As more people join the already large number of retirees, competition for workers will push up wages, contributing to a favorable environment for rent increases.

There may also be broader choices in housing options. For the most part, housing areas have historically been categorized based on single-family residences, townhomes, condominiums or multi-family buildings. The development and advancement of surban living have already begun blending housing options in a selected area. It will not be uncommon to find townhomes and condos mixed in with single-family residences. Ownership and rentals will exist in closer proximity to widen the retail base of the homes and provide an array of options for millennials.

By Len Elder, Instructor, McKissock Learning and Superior School of Real Estate

For more information, please visit www.mckissock.com or www.superiorschoolnc.com.

For the latest real estate news and trends, bookmark RISMedia.com.

10 Air Quality Control Tips for Home and Health

Air quality has a direct impact on our health, both in and outside of our homes. While much is being done to improve the air outdoors, maintaining a healthy level of air quality inside is evenly important.

A range of triggers can lower indoor air quality, including carpets, chemical cleaners, heat sources and humidity. Build-up of these pollutants may result in “Sick House Syndrome,” which poses health risks to residents if not addressed. Airborne lead particles and radon are especially harmful.

Opening windows can significantly improve the quality of the air in the home, but in many households, doing so is just one of several necessary steps. A checklist:

1. Clean your home frequently, preferably with natural or non-toxic cleaners, a HEPA-filter vacuum and a mop. Regular cleaning eliminates dust, which could be contaminated with lead if the home was built prior to 1978.
2.  Aim for less than 50 percent humidity inside the home; a higher percentage can lead to mold. A hygrometer can help determine the humidity level. Use an exhaust fan while bathing, cooking or using the dishwasher. Invest in a dehumidifier, if necessary.
3. Take care not to disturb lead-painted surfaces, especially if remodeling the home. If the paint is peeling, consult a lead removal specialist as soon as possible.
4. Test for radon. Most hardware stores carry do-it-yourself testing kits, and some utility companies offer the service free of charge. A qualified professional can conduct a longer-term test to determine radon levels at varying times throughout the year. He or she may recommend installing a radon mitigation system.
5. Dispose of paint, gasoline or any other chemicals at a certified hazardous waste disposal center. Visit search.earth911.com to locate a local facility. For future paint projects, purchase products labeled “low VOC.”
6. Replace the furnace filter every three months to reduce the amount of airborne dust circulating through the home.
7. Remove wall-to-wall carpeting, if possible—it traps particles that can exacerbate allergy and asthma symptoms, and may even contain formaldehyde, depending on the manufacturer. (Pressed wood materials, such as cabinets and furniture, may also release formaldehyde.)
8. Place plants where possible. House plants filter out airborne toxins, including ammonia and benzene, that can be detrimental to health. To reap the most benefits, use these NASA-approved species.
9. Remove shoes when entering the home, and place a floor mat at each entrance to deter any pollutants tracked in by guests. Dirt and pesticides brought in from outside can become airborne inside the home.
10. Insist the home remain smoke-free, if possible. Secondhand cigarette smoke, which lingers long after the smoker leaves, can have devastating effects on members of the household, including children and pets.

For more tips on indoor air quality and other home maintenance ideas, contact me today!

3 Ways to Get More From Your Carbon Monoxide Detector

Hopefully, you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home. But do you know if it’s working? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 20,000 Americans visit the emergency room yearly for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.  

"Carbon monoxide can be produced from any system or appliance that burns fuel. While all home appliances are designed to vent properly to the exterior, cracks or blockages can cause leaks into the home," says Steve Truett, president of Aire Serv, who stresses the importance of scheduling annual maintenance for all equipment including furnaces, water heaters and space heaters. “Routine upkeep and other preventative measures, such as installing carbon monoxide detectors throughout the home, can help ensure the health and safety of the entire household."

Below are three tips to get more from your detector.

- If a vehicle is left running in the garage, the dangerous gas can build up inside the home. Place the detector within a few feet of the internal door to the garage.

- Avoid placing detectors in places that receive direct sunlight, or near open windows or other areas where there is a strong draft.

- Though detectors are meant to alert homeowners when there is a leak in a fuel-burning appliance, it's important to place them at least 15 feet away to prevent a false alarm.Source: Aire Serv 

Cyber Week Special

Cyber week special, list with us this week and receive all of the services you would at 2.5% commission for 1.5%, save thousands of dollars, this week only!! Don't let the holidays keep you from listing. With record low inventory, it is a very strong sellers market right now. And, your holiday decor makes your property that much more warm and inviting. Let's take advantage of low competition and get it sold today!

Thinking about selling your home during the holidays?

We are here for all of your real estate needs. Inventory is at an all time low. It is very much a sellers market right now. We have many buyers looking and there are not enough properties to show them. Don't let the fact that we are in the holiday season discourage you if you are thinking about selling now. Please do not hesitate to contact us to find out how we can get your home sold today. It is an honor and privilege to serve you.

Moving? 5 Tips to Relocate the Garden

Moving itself is strenuous—moving fragile belongings, like plants, can be even more challenging.

Relocate the garden with these tips, courtesy of Ferguson Moving & Storage:

• Prepare plants for the move with a liberal dose of water. Damp roots and moist soil will help keep them thriving while being transported, and watered stems will hold up better during the move.

• Plant smaller flowers and shrubs in lightweight, temporary pots—this will make them easier to re-plant at the new home.

• Reduce the weight of heavy planters during the move by partially filling them with packing peanuts.

• Pack plants in the primary vehicle, if possible—not a moving truck or van.  If they must be packed in the truck, load them last so that they can be removed and tended to upon arrival.

• Make the moving company aware of the plants (to mitigate erratic driving) and request that they be unloaded as soon as possible at the new home.

Source: Ferguson Moving & Storage

4 Things to Know about Purchasing a Second Home

Often, those looking to purchase an additional home get confused between a second home and an investment property. However, the two are not interchangeable – especially when it comes to their financing.

Second-Home, Defined
A second home is real property that the homeowner intends to occupy in addition to their primary residence for part of the year. Usually, second homes are used as vacation homes. Second homes may also be properties that the homeowner visits on a regular basis.

Examples of second homes may include:

• A condo in a city where you frequently conduct business
• A beach house that you and your family occupy during the summer months
• A house in a different state where you have seasonal work

Getting a Mortgage
If you can’t purchase a second home out-right, you’re going to go the traditional route and look into obtaining a mortgage. In order to qualify for a second-home loan, the property is usually required to be located in a resort or vacation area (like the beach or mountains), or be a certain distance from the borrower’s primary residence.

Understanding Interest Rates
Most lenders consider second homes to be more of a risk than primary residences, but not as big a risk as investment properties. Typically, interest rates will show this; second-home mortgages may have lower interest rates than investment property loans, but not necessarily. It can all depend on the borrower’s entire financial picture.

Understanding Rules
Second-home loans often include a second-home rider along with the mortgage. This rider states certain rules the borrower must abide by in order to qualify for the loan.

These rules often include the following:

• The borrower will occupy and use the property as his/her second home
• The property will be kept available for the borrower’s exclusive use and enjoyment at all times
• The property cannot be used as a timeshare or be subject to any rental pool arrangement

The property cannot be subject to any agreements that require the borrower to rent the property or give a management firm (or anyone else) control over the use and/or occupancy of the property.

Ghostly Listings: What It Costs to Own a Famous Haunted House

After purchasing a house, learning that your new home has a grisly past would be a real-life nightmare for most people. For horror movie fans and those interested in the macabre, these homes are sought out for photos and bragging rights that you actually saw the haunted house.

However, despite drawing the public's interest, residences that have inspired Stephen King novels or classic scary movies often sit on the market for a long time and fetch far less than the asking price. Below are examples of iconic haunted houses and what they sold for (if they were sold at all).

Source: Newsday

Amityville Horror House (Long Island, N.Y.) – Sold in 2017 for $605,000

The basis of the book and subsequent film series went on the market last summer for $850,000 and sold earlier this year for more than $200,000 less than the asking price. With other homes in the Amityville neighborhood of Long Island regularly fetching upwards of $1 million, the home's past is likely to blame for the price drop.

Source: Jezebel

The Old Arnold Estate (Harrisville, R.I.) – Listed in 2015 for $400,000

The owners of this 14-room farmhouse in Rhode Island threatened to sue Warner Bros. following the release of The Conjuring (2013). Their property, which is the basis for the film, was constantly trespassed upon after the film became a hit. It eventually became too much and they listed the house themselves. It has since been taken off the market.

Source: Associated Press

Pet Sematary House (Orrington, Maine) – Listed in 2017 for $255,000

This is the home that Stephen King and his family rented in the late 1970s where he thought of the idea for his novel Pet Sematary. Not only was his daughter's cat hit by a truck in front of the home, but children in the neighborhood constructed an actual pet cemetery behind the four-bedroom Maine home that is still there today.

Source: StreetEasy

The Dakota (New York, N.Y.) – Sold in 2017 for $21,000,000

Probably most well-known for being the Manhattan co-op in front of which John Lennon was killed, The Dakota has a storied supernatural history. The most famous ghost in the building is the Crying Lady who is said to walk the co-op's halls. Also, the film Rosemary's Baby (1968) was set in "The Bramford," which was actually The Dakota, where most of the movie was filmed. This year, a three-bedroom went for the stunning price of $21 million.

Source: realtor.com

The Sowden House (Los Angeles, Calif.) – Listed in 2015 for $4.79 million

In 1947, this house was made famous because of the Black Dahlia murder. The home, built in 1927 and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, was allegedly where local physician Dr. George Hill Hodel dissected the body of Elizabeth Short. Years later, in the early 2000s, Hodel's son Steve brought a cadaver dog into the home's basement and claims it detected the scent of decomposed human remains. There have also been reports of people hearing voices and chains being dragged.

Posted on Oct 19 2017 - 11:10am by Housecall

By Jameson Doris