If you have made the decision to sell your home, you couldn’t have picked a better time. With summer finally over and children are heading back to school, the real estate market is booming during the fall season. Regardless of what time of year it is, selling a home isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. Continue reading to learn five tips for selling your home in October.

Clean The Front Yard

A first impression can mean you’ve made a sale or you’re in for the long haul. Potential homebuyers generally get their first impression by looking at the exterior of the house. Make sure to tidy up the front yard by getting rid of debris and raking up leaves. It may also help if you give your bushes a trim. Pull every weed you can find and dig up any deceased flowers.

Inspect Your HVAC Unit

When you showcase the interior of your home to buyers, you want the air to be crisp and fresh. If your HVAC unit isn’t working the way it should, it can cause the air to be less than ideal. Before giving a house tour, check on the HVAC unit first. Remove any debris like rocks, leaves, twigs and branches.

It’s also in your best interest to change the air filter. If an air filter becomes clogged with contaminants, it becomes a health hazard, especially to asthmatics. HVAC professionals recommend you change the filter at least once every one to three months.

Add Some Curb Appeal

Presentation is very important, especially when it comes to selling a house. If the exterior of your house comes off as dull, it can turn potential home buyers off. Adding curb appeal will not only add aesthetic, it also adds to the resale price of the home, depending on what you add. If you simply want to add aesthetic, there’s nothing some fall flowers can’t fix.

Don’t Forget The Windows

Although you may not notice anything wrong with the windows, home buyers will. The wind and rain from summer can make your windows very unappealing with all the dust. In order to sell a house during the fall, the windows must shine. Make sure to clean the windows thoroughly and wash down the screens.

Turn The Lights On

Last, but not least, it’s very important to keep every light on when you showcase your home. No one likes being dark and gloomy atmosphere. Having the light shine into the home can really bring out the best of its appearance. Don’t just turn on the kitchen and hallway lights, let the sun light in as well. Open your curtains and keep your blinds pulled up.

As we’ve mentioned before, a first impression can make or break a deal. Even when the real estate market is booming, selling your home can be difficult if you don’t do the necessary preparations. Looking to sell your house? Contact Own Oregon Real Estate by calling our number at 541-840-1909 today!

Now is the time to start preparing your home for the cold winter months. This will allow you plenty of time to get everything done while the weather is still pleasant. Are you not sure what tasks you should complete this month? Check out our September home maintenance guide below.

Prep The Outdoors
Now is the time to lay mulch in your garden. This will protect the area from winter frost. You also need to cut back any shrubbery near your home. It will be too difficult to do once it starts get colder and wetter. Check the outdoor condition of your home, and make repairs if needed. Pay attention to your siding and roof. You don’t want chilly air coming in because these areas need repairs. Once the leaves have started to fall off of the trees, make sure your gutters are clear. You may need to remove leaves and debris from them. Clogged gutters will make it difficult for gutters to do their job efficiently.

Check Your Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms can save your life. However, it’s important that they are functioning properly at all times. During your September home maintenance, test all of the smoke alarms in your house. It’s also a good time to change their batteries as well. If you have a carbon monoxide detector, don’t forget to test it too. Check the expiration dates on all of your fire extinguishers. It’s a good idea to replace them once every five years. Refresh yourself on how to use a fire extinguisher. You don’t want to have to try to read the label when there is a fire just because you forgot how to work your fire extinguisher.

Get Your Fireplace Ready
A malfunctioning fireplace won’t be able to provide warmth when it’s cold outside. This is why you need to take the time to get your fireplace ready even though you may not be using it for a few months. Each year, thousands of home fires originate from fireplaces that aren’t maintained properly. Have your fireplace inspected to ensure that there aren’t any issues. Schedule a chimney sweep to come out and clean it. Check the area around your fireplace to ensure that there aren’t any safety hazards. This area around should be free from items that contain flammable materials. You should also be using a screen around your fireplace. It will catch any sparks and reduce the risk of home fires. If you don’t have a screen, now is the time to get one. If you do have a screen, inspect it to make sure that there is no damage to it from the previous year.

In conclusion, don’t put off your home maintenance. While there is a lot to do, it will be worth all of the effort so that your home will be prepared before cold weather strikes. By utilizing the September home maintenance guide listed above, you can ensure that your home will be ready for the upcoming seasons. If you need any help, give use a call today. We can help you source any of your home maintenance needs throughout the year.

To relax and de-stress as a parent, planning to travel with the entire family – children in tow – is not always the answer. Having a staycation in your own, personal oasis is a much better way to unwind. With the money saved by staying home, you can afford to create luxury in your own residence.

Create the Ultimate Staycation with Resort Style

One of the best parts of a resort are the amazing outdoor spaces. By adding a hot tub, sprucing up your deck, or installing an outdoor kitchen, your home can quickly become your favorite destination all year long. If those upgrades are beyond your budget, hanging a simple hammock will create a cozy spot for an afternoon nap or a cool mid-day mai tai.

Get a Hotel-Inspired Interior

At the end of a long day, plopping into a luxurious hotel bed is just what is needed. Make your favorite inn envious by dressing up your lair. Adding plush linens and high thread-count sheets will make any bunk more inviting. For all-day slumber, install some black-out curtains like your favorite lodging. Hopefully, the kids will sleep in.

The bedroom isn’t the only place to consider adding creature comforts. A cozy throw blanket next to the fireplace or on the couch encourages a romantic snuggle.

Add Ambiance

Take note of your favorite bed and breakfast. They engage all of the senses to enhance the experience of their guests. With fresh flowers, subtle scents, soft music, and mood lighting, you can affordably recreate the feeling of a high-end resort.

Eliminate Chores

Nothing can derail a vacation more than the reality of chores. Take a break from the mundane by outsourcing. Hire a cleaning service during your vacation and let a lawn company take care of trimming the grass. If cooking isn’t your idea of fun, hire a delivery meal service and indulge in dinner at your favorite spots.

Let the Ultimate Staycation Begin

Once your surroundings are ready, the relaxation can begin. Simply adding a pair of plush slippers and a soft robe will evoke a spa-like atmosphere. Run yourself a hot bubble bath with some fancy bath salts to kick off some well-deserved pampering.

Enjoy Staying Home All Year Long

Investing in your house will make living there so much more enjoyable every day, and improve your resale value down the road. If you need any ideas or recommendations, I am always here to help.

If you’re looking to sell your home, then you’re probably hoping to spruce it up and make it look as appealing as possible to encourage potential buyers. Color is a great way to make a house look current, stylish, and desirable. If you’re not sure where to begin, then check out these great tips for selling your home with color!

Avoid Brash Colors

When choosing paint colors before attempting to sell your home, make sure you avoid anything overly bold. Bold colors usually make a powerful visual statement that’s very taste-specific, meaning that you’re taking a big gamble in terms of how it will land with your audience.

The same goes for dark colors: Many people find dark paint colors to be gloomy, forbidding, or even unsettling depending on their application.

Be Careful with White

While you don’t want to go for a paint color that’s too extreme, you don’t want to go too far in the opposite direction, either! Lots of people hear “neutral is better” and immediately jump to white. However, while white is certainly neutral, bright, and pristine, it can also easily come off as stark or overly sterile.

Off-whites are risky as well since the appropriate warmth can be hard to nail and the wrong use of shade variety can easily look like a mistake.

Use Tasteful Neutrals in Common Areas

So, if bold colors and classic whites are off the table, what’s a hopeful seller to do? The best choice you can make in order to appeal to the broadest possible range of potential buyers is to think “understated, but inviting”. Neutral, light tones are your best bet, and these should create a sense of warmth and style.

Dove greys, warm taupes, and mousey browns all make for an excellent base palette–especially in places like dining areas and living rooms. It’s also wise to add some gentle, light blues to your bathroom and bedroom areas.

Use Light and Dark Strategically

While stark whites and dungeon greys are a bit much, you don’t want to ditch strong contrast completely! Modern black-and-white color schemes certainly have their place and can be very visually striking and impressive when done right. A touch of white might be an appropriate way to showcase bold tile patterns as well.

If you have darker flooring, then select a light, airy neutral for your paint color. Inversely, if the floors in your house are light, then a warm, gentle brown might be just the thing. Including contrast is key in keeping the house from looking muted or dull!

Sell Your Home with an Eye-Catching Door

Don’t forget to up your curb appeal by painting your front door an appealing, tasteful color. Navy blue is a classic good choice, as is an elegant, rich shade of eggplant purple.

The front exterior of your home is probably going to be the first thing that potential buyers see, so its first impression is invaluable. Amidst perfectly-manicured greenery and a pristine exterior, you’ll want to use the color of your door to communicate that your house is a cut above the rest in terms of style.

Remember:

Selecting the best possible paint colors to increase your chances of selling your home can be tricky. If you’ve read through these helpful tips on how to go about picking your paint palette and still feel like you could use some help, don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions!

Moving into a new home can often be an overwhelming and extensive process, which can cause a lot of stress. It is important that you are well-prepared and have all of the necessary moving day supplies ahead of time. This will give a closer look at helpful tips regarding several moving day necessities, which you might want to consider in order to simplify the process:

Labels and Markers
Properly labeling all of your boxes can make it much easier to sort, organize, and unpack your belongings. You will want to ensure that you purchase either markers or labels (0r both!). You might want to consider labeling boxes by the rooms that they belong in or by category. This will help you to keep track of things and will make moving a bit more hassle-free.

Boxes and Containers
Another important factor to consider is what you will be packing your belongings into. You might want to consider saving boxes from large purchases or online shipments ahead of time. Additionally, you can purchase moving boxes from local retailers, or you might even be able to ask stores nearby if they would be willing to donate any used boxes to you that they had planned to discard. This can help you to save money, which can you can use for other supplies.

Packaging Materials Needed for Moving Day
It is also important that you use packing materials in order to ensure that your fragile items do not break. For example, you can begin saving up old newspapers and magazines to wrap items up in, or you can buy packing peanuts and bubble wrap. This is an inexpensive way to protect your belongings and is something you will definitely want to have on hand when preparing to move.

A Checklist for Moving Day
Since moving day can be such a stressful ordeal, it is important that you are well-prepared and organized. It can often be beneficial to create a detailed to-do list or a checklist. For example, you might want to write down all of the important steps you need to complete when moving, such as having your utilities shut off and remembering to packing important essentials. Having everything written down will help to ensure that you don’t forget anything important.

Overall, there are many steps you can take to simplify the moving process and make it less stressful. The aforementioned tips make excellent starting points for you to consider. However, there may be numerous other essentials you might need when moving. For example, you might need to purchase or borrow a dolly for moving large items, such as furniture and appliances or you might want to look into buying furniture pads, which will help to prevent your items from getting scratched or damaged while moving them out of the house and transporting them. If you are interested in learning more about the moving process please feel free to contact me if you need any help.

Southern Oregon can experience a wide variety of temperatures from temperatures in the 20’s during the winter to the ’90s + during the summer. Finding plants that can survive and flourish in those summer highs makes your home stand out among neighboring properties with wilting plants. A little green goes a long way, and these plants add curb appeal (and value) to your home since they look great even under the sizzling summer sun. There are a ton of different Southern Oregon plants for you to choose from that will look great and flourish in the heat.

Scarlet Monkeyflower

This plant is native to Southwest Oregon and Northern California. It features beautiful orange-red blooms and has downy leaves. The Scarlet Monkeyflower does best in the shade but can handle full sun which makes it a great candidate for the flowerbeds closest to your house. Planting there gives you lovely summer blooms and the flowers periodic shade throughout the day.

Oceanspray

Oceanspray, more commonly known as Ironwood, grows well throughout the Pacific Northwest. This deciduous bush usually grows to 4 or 5 feet, but can reach 7. It has small leaves and cascading white flowers that look beautiful in gardens. As a bonus, this flowering bush is great for pollinators like bees.

California Fuschia

If you live further inland, you can still find excellent plants that summer well in your part of Southern Oregon. One prime example is the California Fuschia. This low growing sub-shrub loves full sun and can handle some shade. It’s known for vibrant blossoms, a widespread that makes it great for ground cover, and attracting hummingbirds.

Giant Chain Fern

Nothing looks lusher than a good fern, and the Giant Chain Fern is a great option for folks in Oregon. This enormous fern is another native, with fronds reaching 6 feet long. Since the Giant Chain Fern is evergreen, it looks great during any part of the year. It’s a great choice more moist soil and partial shade.

Mountain Mahogany

If you need something a little more subtle than flowers, a small tree is a great way to fill up space and give over plants a bit of shade. Enter this champion, the Mountain Mahogany. Reaching up 15 feet in height, Mountain Mahogany trees are petite. They do best in well-drained soil, like on a hillside. Give this little tree full sun for best results.

Picking Southern Oregon Plants that Handle the Heat

Picking plants that can handle the heat here in Southern Oregon is just a great choice for your home. Whether you plan on selling your home or sticking around for a few years, the rights plants will make your home more valuable and enjoyable for everyone. If you need any tips on planting around your home or just information on getting ready to sell, contact me for help. The phone number is 541-840-1909, or you can head over to my Contact Page to leave a message.

The summer season is when many homeowners take the time to improve the quality of their home and maintain the property once the weather clears up. Home maintenance is necessary to increase the lifespan of different materials and improve the functionality and appearance of the setting. During the month of July, there are a few home maintenance tasks to add to your checklist to transform your residential property and feel proud to show it off.

Inspect and Drain the Water Heater

The hot water heater is often neglected by homeowners because it’s out of sight and out of mind as it’s stored in the garage or a closet. Unfortunately, minor issues may be present, which can begin to escalate over time. Perform a visual inspection by looking for leaks that may be present, specifically near the water lines and fittings. It’s also necessary to examine the pressure relieve valve to ensure it’s working correctly and doesn’t have any water that has accumulated. Removing sediment during the process is also necessary, which can be done by completely draining the water heater after turning it off. You’ll need to close the cold water supply valve and attach a garden hose that runs outside to remove all of the water. Once the tank is empty, you’ll need to open the cold water valve to flush out all sediment that has accumulated.

Power Wash the Windows and Siding

Remove excess dirt and grime that has settled onto your windows and siding by power washing the surfaces to make your home look new again. Power washing the surfaces will remove mold, mildew, and algae at a fraction of the time that it would take to scrub it by hand. You can also spend this time cleaning an outdoor deck or patio. First, repair any damaged areas where deteriorated wood may be present. Avoid pressure washing surfaces that may have lead paint, which is typically older homes. Using different attachments can also allow you to use the right amount of pressure for each surface to avoid damage.

Repair the Driveway

Those with asphalt driveways can have forms or cracks that form due to inclement weather conditions. Check for cracks or holes and clean them out before filling them with new concrete. Driving over the patched areas can help to compact the new concrete and secure it on the driveway.

Check the Crawlspace

You’ll need to carefully inspect the crawlspace under the building to ensure that the ground is completely covered with a layer of thick plastic sheeting, which will prevent moisture from causing mildew and mold to form over time. Avoid storing any materials like cardboard or wood in the crawlspace, which can attract termites and can also become damaged by moisture.

Feel free to contact me if you want a referral for the help of a professional to maintain your home and improve its overall quality in the summer, which will boost the overall quality and value of the property.

In 2018, Zillow predicted across the U.S. the summer real estate market of 2019 would see home prices increase. So far, the prediction is holding for Home Owners in Southern Oregon.

Its multiple neighborhood communities maintain their personality while sharing an abundance of natural resources and outdoor activities. Southern Oregon has developed into a family-oriented community within a changing world, capturing the attention of buyers from all walks of life.

Heading into summer, the summer real estate forecast looks positive with low inventory and a strong demand helping to boost home prices. Mortgage rates have leveled off, and economic reports expect them to remain steady in 2019, but qualified home buyers can expect to see a slight increase as we enter 2020.

Southern Oregon Market Trends

Home Owners in Southern Oregon can choose between living in neighborhoods consisting of single-family homes, townhomes, and multiple unit developments.

Here’s the region’s 2019 first quarter median housing data. The trend is expected to continue into this year’s summer real estate market, favoring both the seller and buyer.

• Median list price ranges of abotu $283,000.
• Median list price per square foot spans from $344 up to $160.
• Inventory (homes for sale) in some areas were as low as 3 and more than 30 in other locations.

Market Comps & Median List Prices

Median list prices are calculated according to the market comps that compare similar properties in the neighborhood. Keep in mind that the list price is not always the final selling price. Talk with me to help determine your home’s real market value.

If you’re ready to list your property, real estate surveys show the neighborhood and the home conditions are equally important in the buying decision. There are other factors that homeowners should know when it comes time to selling or buying a home.

Showing your home at its best and setting the right price gets your home sold. I have the knowledge and experience to establish a list price that attracts qualified buyers. Sellers, this is all about the house, let me what I do best – Sell.

Ready to list your home? Is it time to move to a larger house or do you want a change of scenery? Are you ready to downsize and enjoy retirement? Give Gail a call today!