Homeowner News

Did Anyone Die In This House?

October 24, 2013 by admin

Wallingford PA Real Estate - Wallingford PA - Web Site Determines If Someone Died In Your Home

Do You Want To Find Out If Anybody Died In Your Home?

If you are concerned about whether or not there has been a death in the home you are planning to buy there is a web site that will provide that information for you, for a fee of course.

Didedinhouse.com searches public record databases and determines who used to live at a requested address, and whether or not they are still living and if not did they die in the home.

Some home buyers are particularly concerned about knowing if there has been a death in a home, and it might have a bearing on whether or not they buy a particular property. Under current Pennsylvania real estate disclosure law a person’s demise in a home is not considered a material defect, and thus does not have to be disclosed by a seller. So it is a case of buyer beware…..of possible ghosts!

If knowing whether or not someone has died in a particular interest to you, there is an associated scary fact – the charge is $11.99 to search for the information.

My suggestion is to just ask the neighbors, they always know everything.

Wallingford PA Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

Fall Maintenance Tips

September 24, 2013 by admin

Fall has arrived, and already the mornings have been brisk. Along with the arrival of colder weather are a number of key maintenance tasks homeowners should tackle in order to save energy and keep their home’s systems running properly.

By completing these tasks now, you will allow plenty of time to sit back and enjoy all the fun activities typical of the festive autumn season:

– Clear debris from your gutters, even if you have a covered gutter system. Any leaves or other materials left in the gutters can freeze and damage the gutters themselves, and could also force freezing water up under your shingles and damage the roof.

– Have your heating system serviced before the cold weather sets in.

– Check your heating ducts for air leaks. Leaky ductwork can significantly increase your heating bills.

– Cover or remove window air conditioners.

– Adjust any light timers to account for shorter daylight hours.

– Lock all your windows to make them more draft resistant.

– Protect your outdoor air conditioning unit from icicles and snow by placing a sheet of plywood over the top and draping a drop cloth over it. When doing so, don’t create a fully enclosed space, as that can trap moisture and offer a cozy winter home for rodents.

Wallingford PA Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

Smoking Negatively Affects Home Values

August 27, 2013 by admin

Wallingford PA Real Estate - Wallingford, PA - Smoling Odros Can Decrease A Home's Value

Smoking Odors Can Turn Off Buyers Big Time

As if the negative health effects and cost of cigarette smoking are not enough to get you to stop, a recent article in the Chicago Tribune cites a survey of 400 Canadian real estate agents and brokers, sponsored by Pfizer Canada, found that smoking in the home could lower the value of your property by up to 29 per cent.

A heightened awareness by non-smokers of a home with smoking odors can make a smoker’s property difficult to sell. Smoke can permeate almost all surfaces and fabrics in a home and leaves odors and smells that are difficult to eliminate.

The impact of smoking in the home is not just cosmetic – it may significantly affect property values. Almost half, 44% of real estate agents and brokers surveyed said smoking in the home affects resale value. Of these, 32% said smoking in the home may lower the value by 10-19% and another 32% said it may lower the value by 20-29 per cent.

Over half of the survey respondents say buyers are less likely to buy a home where the owners have smoked, with 27% of that group unwilling even to consider a home in which the sellers smoke.

Wallingford PA Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

Roof Maintenance

August 23, 2013 by admin

A home’s roof is an important part of its curb appeal, and is something that will quickly catch a homebuyer’s attention when assessing your home. Because they are also relatively costly to replace, roofs tends to attract a very critical eye. You can protect the investment you’ve made in your roof, prolong its life and help ease buyers’ concerns by performing regular maintenance.

First, be sure to clean your gutters twice a year – in the fall and spring. Clogged gutters can lead to a multitude of problems, including damaged paint on siding, a wet basement and even major roof damage. If your gutters are full of leaves, water is forced upward where it can be absorbed by, and even rot, roof sheathing and rafters.

In addition to the gutters, you should also remove leaves from roof valleys and from around chimneys. Leaves that are left on top of the roof will trap moisture and decompose, allowing moisture to build up on the roof and possibly lead to weed growth. There are many ways to remove leaves, including a roof rake, blower or hose. Just take care not to use a pressure washer which can force water under the shingles.

You should also have overhanging branches trimmed regularly so they are 10 feet away from the roof. Not only will this help keep leaves and moss off your roof, but it will also help protect your roof from damage from branches blowing in the wind, as well as from squirrels and other rodents who can no longer gain access to your roof from the trees.

Above all, be constantly checking the roof for curling, loose or missing shingles, especially after a storm. If anything appears to be wrong, call a roofer as soon as possible to limit damage.

Wallingford PA Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

Your Math Skills Can Affect Your Chance Of Foreclosure

July 29, 2013 by admin

$Wallingford PA Real Estate - wallingford Pa - A Borrower's Math Skills Can Effect The Chances Of Foreclosure$

A Borrower’s Math Skills Affect Chances Of A Forecosure

Borrowers with poor math skills made up a higher percentage of homeowners in foreclosure during the housing bust than those who were skilled at arithmetic.

According to a study released Monday, math-challenged borrowers were five times more likely to default on their loans.

“Whether you’re good with numbers predicts how likely you are to default,” said Stephan Meier, an associate professor of business at Columbia Business School, who authored the report along with economists from the Federal Reserve of Atlanta and the University of Lausanne.

The study examined several hundred borrowers who held mortgages issued in 2006 and 2007 — right before the mortgage meltdown. Of the study subjects, 25% of the borrowers who scored in the lowest bracket for math skills had defaulted on mortgage payments within five years of getting the loans. Meanwhile, only 5% of those in the top tier for math skills defaulted.

The survey sample included homebuyers from a variety of backgrounds, from blue collar workers to corporate professionals. Their math ability covered the gamut — from those with very limited abilities to a mathematician with a six-figure salary, according to Kristopher Gerardi, an economist with the Federal Reserve of Atlanta.

The researchers controlled for differences in overall intelligence by measuring for verbal and general IQs, as well as math skills, and controlled for socioeconomic factors, such as age, sex, income, ethnicity and local labor market conditions.

From CNN’s Bad At Math? You’re More Likely To Lose Your Home

Wallingford PA Real Estate – Wallingford, PA 19086

« Previous Page

Borrowers with poor math skills made up a higher percentage of homeowners in foreclosure during the housing bust than those who were skilled at arithmetic.

S. Clark Kendus