5 ADVANTAGES TO BUYING A HOUSE IN THE WINTER, Alexandria VA

Some professionals in the real estate industry believe that buyers should never wait if they’re ready to buy a home. But here are some reasons why you should consider purchasing during the winter months.

1.  Less competition …. There is less competition from other buyers.   Many buyers don’t want to brave the cold and icy roads by driving the neighborhoods and looking for properties during this time of the year.  This can translate into lower prices and better deals.
2.  Prices decline …. Prices are typically less this time of the year, proven by the statistics from PPAR and from Realtor.com.
3.  More time from your Realtor…..  Your real estate agent isn’t as busy this time of the year, you may get more of their time and expertise.
4.  Not as many properties are receiving multiple offers …. During the summer season many houses that were priced correctly had multiple offer on them, which translated into higher prices for the seller.  All great news for sellers, not such great news for buyers. There is an emotional trigger than happens in multiple offers, and buyers can sometime offer more for the house than they had originally planned on.
5.  Ugly Ducklings….. Some houses that are still on the market in December and January may have been on the market for a long time. This could be for a variety of reason, including that the home has been priced incorrectly.  Or it could just be that the property doesn’t show well.  Maybe it’s too crowded with personal belongings, maybe the interior paint color is horrible, maybe the lighting is bad, or maybe the home is dirty.   All of these are easy things to fix once you own the property, and if you can look through these items, you may be able to get an ever better deal.

9 Unexpected Energy (and Money) Savers, Alexandria Va

Put lamps in the corners: Did you know you can switch to a lower wattage bulb in a lamp or lower its dimmer switch and not lose a noticeable amount of light? It’s all about placement. When a lamp is placed in a corner, the light reflects off the adjoining walls, which makes the room lighter and brighter.

Switch to a laptop: If you’re reading this article on a laptop, you’re using 1/3 less energy than if you’re reading this on a desktop.

Choose an LCD TV: If you’re among those considering a flat-screen upgrade from your conventional, CRT TV, choose an LCD screen for the biggest energy save.

Give your water heater a blanket: Just like you pile on extra layers in the winter, your hot water heater can use some extra insulation too. A fiberglass insulation blanket is a simple addition that can cut heat loss and save 4% to 9% on the average water-heating bill.

Turn off the burner before you’re done cooking: When you turn off an electric burner, it doesn’t cool off immediately. Use that to your advantage by turning it off early and using the residual heat to finish up your dish.

Add motion sensors: You might be diligent about shutting off unnecessary lights, but your kids? Not so much. Adding motion sensors to playrooms and bedrooms cost only $15 to $50 per light, and ensures you don’t pay for energy that you’re not using.

Spin laundry faster: The faster your washing machine can spin excess water out of your laundry, the less you’ll need to use your dryer. Many newer washers spin clothes so effectively, they cut drying time and energy consumption in half—which results in an equal drop in your dryer’s energy bill.

Use an ice tray: Stop using your automatic icemaker. It increases your fridge’s energy consumption by 14% to 20%. Ice trays, on the other hand, don’t increase your energy costs one iota.

Use the dishwasher: If you think doing your dishes by hand is greener than powering up the dishwasher, you’re wrong. Dishwashers use about 1/3 as much hot water and relieve that much strain from your energy-taxing water heater. Added bonus: you don’t have to wash any dishes.