Real Estate During the Holidays

Welcome back, everyone! Who else has had a busy couple weeks now that we are in the midst of the Christmas season? Like our ERA First family, you're likely staying very busy shopping, attending holiday gatherings and programs, decorating, cooking, and volunteering during this festive season. In addition to our holiday activities, we are staying busy around the office with clients who are buying and selling this season.

In the past, the holiday season (Thanksgiving through January) has been considered an unpopular time for many people to buy or sell a home. However, in the past five years or so, we have seen quite an increase in transactions during this time. It's not as busy as spring and summer was as the market has slowed a bit, but we are pleased to share that our wonderful clients are keeping us busy and jolly right through the holidays. We know people need to move 12 months out of the year, and typically the ones who are selling or buying right now truly need to do so for a variety of reasons.

If you're thinking of testing the waters and feel like you're ready to put your home on the market, we would like to share these helpful tips for you!

1. Go ahead and decorate for the holidays, but don't go overboard. Homes look so warm and cozy this time of year with the tree, garland, cheerful snowmen, etc, so you have the opportunity to showcase that as a selling point. However, don't put out so much extra holiday decor that it distracts from the features of the home that are lovely year round.

2. Hire a reliable, ambitious agent. There is definitely some truth to the notion that there are fewer buyers this time of year, as we noted earlier in the post, so your ERA First agent might have to network a bit and utilize some creative marketing to find the right buyer. You definitely want your agent to be willing to work for you!+++

3. Price the home to sell. This is another big perk of hiring the right agent. Be sure he or she does a comparative market analysis and be very realistic in your pricing. If your house is priced competitively, you won't need to do a bunch of little price reductions (which we know is frustrating for sellers!).

4. Ramp up your curb appeal. This time of year, we do not have the advantage of free-flowing greenery and leafy trees, nor can we put out potted flowers and showcase a lush, green yard. That's just not what winter in the Tri-State looks like! So our recommendation is to do all you can do make sure your home looks as great as possible and is as clean and spruced up as possible. A tasteful winter wreath, some potted evergreens or other hardy plants, plus a little garland make a very nice impression.

5. Create a cozy atmosphere. In addition to holiday decor, make your home feel as inviting as possible for showings and open houses. Light candles, turn on the fireplace, put out freshly baked goodies, place a nice blanket on the couch or a chair, and have some pleasant music playing when potential buyers come through. Make them feel like they could just curl up and stay awhile!

6. Be prepared to negotiate with motivated buyers. Like we mentioned, buyers who are looking at houses during the holidays need to find a home, sometimes quite quickly. Maybe they've been transferred for work or want to move closer to family, but they are likely moving out of necessity and potentially have a deadline, so be ready to work with them when an offer comes through.

7. Be flexible. Peoples' hours of availability vary during the holiday season because they are off work or only in town for a couple days. If you don't get your preferred notice before a showing or have a request for a showing a little earlier or later than usual, try to accommodate. It's likely those buyers are devoting an entire day to house hunting and might be pressed for time. Let them see your beautiful home -- it just might lead to an offer!

Please let us know if we can do anything to assist you with your winter real estate questions and decisions. ERA First Advantage agents are always very willing to take calls and answer emails throughout the holidays and will be happy to work with you and your schedule! 

Tis the Season of Giving

Welcome back! We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with family, friends, lots of good food, and fun. We are now officially in the holiday season -- even though we've seen festive touches popping up for weeks, and our offices have been buzzing with talk of the deals on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday (a local favorite!!) and Cyber Monday, which has actually turned into Cyber Week with deals and special offers each day.

One very important day this week was Giving Tuesday. It's absolutely fabulous that there is now a day dedicated to raising awareness about another aspect of the holiday season -- giving to those in need. As important as it is to show our family and friends how much we care for them, we feel it is also important to show our community and deserving charities how much we care as well.

We take great pride in the fact that many of our agents are very active volunteers in the Tri-State community, and as a company, we are so happy to give throughout the year to many deserving organizations. If you recall last year, our Marketing Manager Kristina Arwood began a movement to pay off local school lunch tabs right before Christmas. Her generous and thoughtful contribution sparked our team and many others in the Tri-State do give as well. Tens of thousands of dollars were given to our local school kiddos with the hope that they will not have to worry about a lunch tab they cannot pay off or eating a different lunch than their peers because they have an outstanding balance. Her idea and actions were a perfect example of what this season is truly about. The holiday season is a time when we all try to give and share a bit more, whether it's gifts for families in need, a bit of extra money at church, or our time at a local nonprofit or school. Please, share your love and talents with those who can use it most right now.

Of course, our business is real estate, but we feel that our purpose goes beyond that. As we have shared before, we often get to know the families we work with quite well, and because of that, we get to hear about new causes all the time and the charitable organizations and groups that are passionately working for them.

We continue to be inspired by our friends and clients, and especially during the holidays we want to give all we can, and we encourage all of you to do the same.

While we don't feel it's appropriate to promote any particular organization because there are SO many deserving groups, we will gladly promote the idea of finding a cause you are passionate about and give what you can to them. We also love the idea of supporting local organizations -- let's ensure our time and gifts truly support our neighbors in need this season.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few ways you can contribute this season:

• Donate old clothes, especially winter gear like coats, hats, gloves & boots to a local church, Goodwill or anywhere taking donations.
• Give just $10 more each week at your house of worship through the holiday season if your budget allows.
• Sign up for a giving tree, where your family can purchase gifts for a family who wouldn't otherwise be able to provide gifts this year. Banks, churches, and schools are typically great resources to find out more. Your resident blogger's family participated in an "angel tree" this year and just turned in gifts, coats, and shoes to two young ladies who needed some help.
• Call local non-profits and ask if they need some extra volunteers this year at any of their holiday events (this is a busy time of year for them too!).
•  Donate nonperishable food items to our local food banks -- they provide lots of holiday meals!
• An idea that one of our agents shared last year is the idea of an Advent Box, where office members or family members bring a can of food each day of December as they count down to Christmas. Right before the holiday, donate all the goods to a food bank. Can you imagine how much food we could give if we all worked on this? Love this idea! It's so easy and could be done in any school or workplace.
• Get the kids involved and have them choose some of their toys to donate before Santa and family members give them new ones. Check online for some really neat, creative ways to facilitate this task. 
• Ask local animal shelters what items they need this time of year. Even better, volunteer to go play with the animals or take them for walks (the best idea is to adopt a furry friend this Christmas season!)

What other ways are you giving this holiday season? We would LOVE to hear what awesome things you're up to!

So Thankful, Today and Everyday

Hello & welcome back! We are posting on a different day this week to accommodate the Thanksgiving holiday and official kick-off of the most festive time of year. As you all are bustling around town gathering ingredients for Turkey Day recipes and maybe even doing a little early holiday shopping, we hope you're taking some extra time to just enjoy the moment and all we have to be thankful for.

It will be so easy to get distracted over the next month or so by the shopping, decorating, parties, and stress of hosting and entertaining. If you're like us, you have to remind yourself to just be in the moment and count your blessings this season. We think this Thanksgiving and the upcoming holiday season are particularly special because we all need a reminder to be grateful for our abundance of blessings. Forget about all the recent political hoopla, say a prayer for the family and friends of those who are sick or have lost loved ones lately, and hold close to your heart those that are struggling this season. 

We feel tremendous gratitude as a company for so many things, and last week, your resident blogger sent out a message to agents and staff requesting gratitude lists. The responses were heartwarming, and absolutely reaffirmed that our ERA family has some of the warmest, kindest, and most genuine people working each day for all of you. What do you notice about each item on this list? They're not things -- and it certainly puts everything in perspective when we look at what we cherish most in our lives.

This week, we'd like to share just a few of the things we are most thankful for this year.

• Family - immediate and extended
• Friends near and far, old and new 
• Faith
• Good health 
• Children 
• Grandchildren
• Nieces & nephews
• Our brave military men and women
• Fulfilling jobs we love
• Wonderful clients
• Husbands, wives, significant others
• Adventures throughout the year
• Life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness
• Our Country
• Our homes
• Support in our careers
• Fabulous co-workers and colleagues
• This holiday season
• Pets

We hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving and can spend time enjoying the holiday with your family and friends. What are you thankful this season and always? Share with us! 

Small Business Saturday 2017

If you're a regular reader of our blog, you know we at ERA First Advantage are enthusiastic supporters of small businesses. As Realtors, we are technically each small business owners in charge of our own success, so we completely understand the excitement, fear, stress, and pride other small business owners experience. We also believe these small businesses make our community stand out; they provide a variety of outstanding products and showcase the incredibly talented makers and designers we have around the Tri-State. We promoting these businesses to incoming residents and visitors to our towns.

Next Saturday, November 25 is Small Business Saturday all across the country. Whether you're in the Tri-State or away visiting family and friends, you can get out and shop these wonderful establishments. From Jasper to Newburgh, Evansville to Henderson and Owensboro, we have some seriously fabulous local businesses carrying home decor, stylish clothes for the whole family, gourmet foods, toys, books, and many other unique gift ideas. There are also many businesses in the area that provide gift ideas that aren't things. Consider giving a gift card to a local restaurant, golf course, Sky Zone, Metro Sports, a dance studio, a yoga package, or a spa day. These businesses are all locally owned and operated as well! 

This year, we encourage all of you to venture out and do a little holiday shopping at your local favorites, and may even discover a few new gems as well! In the spirit of celebrating next week's Small Business Saturday, we'd like to share just a few of the benefits of shopping local. 

1. Make a day of it. Enjoy breakfast or brunch at your favorite local eatery. Then leisurely stroll through your favorite stores with your favorite people at your own pace -- no crazy lines or mad dashes for "deals". 

2. By shopping small, you're also helping support your local schools, fire departments, and local governments. The majority of the taxes that small businesses go into our local government to pay for things like sidewalk paving, community safety, education, etc.

3. You're helping raise your property values. It's common knowledge that communities with vibrant, lively social and retail scenes are more desirable for new residents. Theses advantages could lead to a nice increase in home values.

4. You support your neighbors. Locally owned businesses are run by people we know. When you spend your money in a local shop or restaurant, you're supporting, sometimes literally, your neighbor or a business owner who lives in your town.

5. You'll have a "Wow, where'd you get that?" moment. These are the best. Our local makers and curators are fantastic at bringing unique, high-quality goods to our small shops. The staff members in these stores are also knowledgeable and passionate about their goods, so let them help you pick the perfect gifts for your loved ones. 

Why do you shop local, and what are your favorite locally owned establishments? Share with us & our other readers to we can all get out and support local next Saturday! 

Mortgage Choices: How to Find Your Best Fit

Welcome back! One of the most important aspects of the home buying/selling process is financing. It's what allows us to buy a new home in the first place, and then we work to build up strong equity that eventually affords us the opportunity to upgrade to a larger home or pay off our mortgage and enjoy a bit more financial freedom each month.

As Realtors, it is not our place to advise our clients on mortgage options and financial matters. It's just not our area of expertise. We might share various types of loan options we have been informed about through trusted lenders, and we can certainly suggest 3 or 4 local loan officers we know are great to work with, but that is typically our limit in terms of advising our clients on financial matters.

Like finding your perfect home, it's very important to "shop around" for the right mortgage and lender. Our advice is to ask around -- talk to your ERA First Advantage agent of course, but also speak with friends and family members who have bought homes in the area because they will have some insight from the client side that an agent might not.

If you want to be very thorough, consider sitting down with a few loan officers for an informational meeting, and determine what works for you. Here a few things we recommend looking for when choosing your lender:

• Mortgage Options: Be sure your lending institution has a financing option that truly fits your needs. There are so many types of mortgage options now, so be sure yours is right for you and your financial goals.
• Location: Working with a local lender will be a tremendous asset versus finding financing online. If there is ever a confusing issue or problem throughout your transaction, you definitely want your loan officer to be nearby so you can meet and discuss to resolve the problem.
• Financial Advice: Your loan officer should be able to discuss not only your mortgage rate, but also your payments and payoff plan in context with the rest of your financial plan.
• Ease of Communication: Work with someone you feel comfortable with, someone you feel comfortable asking questions and can explain complex financial matters in a way you understand. This person is working on a huge, personal purchase with you, so be sure he or she communicates with you in a timely, efficient manner.

What other questions do you have about finding the right lender? Talk to your ERA agent today for advice and suggestions. We are always happy to answer questions and discuss this important financial decision!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

November Transition Time -- Prep for Winter!

Welcome to November! In the Tri-State, this month is all about transition. We typically see a noticeable shift in our weather during this month, and we also begin to gear up for the holiday season (holiday open houses at our local shops are this weekend!). Summer is long gone, fall has been in full swing, and we certainly need to get our homes (and ourselves) prepared for winter.

This week, we are sharing a few maintenance ideas for homeowners to work on throughout this month. Speaking from experience, it's best to try to get these items completed before Thanksgiving. Then you will be able to relax and work on your normal cleaning and cooking for holiday festivities, and of course just enjoy time with family and friends.

November Home Maintenance Tips

1. Review the family fire escape plan with every member of your household. Statistically, more house fires occur during the winter months because of space heaters, generators, candles, etc.

2. When setting clocks back to Standard Time (fall back 1 hour this Sunday), change the batteries in all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

3. Inspect your automatic garage door opener and lubricate the tracks according to the manufacturer's directions. Make sure all the bolts and screws are properly tightened and secured. This is important because your garage door function will be affected by the freeze/thaw pattern we experience during the winter.

4. Check for leaks around your washing machine. According to our research, prime locations for leaks are the water supply hose washers that connect to the machine. Inspect the hoses and replace if necessary. This is just part of annual home maintenance. 

5. Prepare your fireplace for use during the winter. Discard old ashes if your fireplace is wood-burning, and ensure the flue/damper is open to allow air to freely move through the chimney. If the air becomes cold, close the damper after you've cleaned it or all that cold air will make your home chilly. Check the damper handle and springs to ensure the flue is operating correctly, so when you build that cozy fire, it will ventilate properly.

6. Make sure your gutters are clean. Clear out leaves and other debris so they do not freeze and crack your gutters as the weather gets cold. This could get very expensive and cause other problems if it's not taken care of before we have snow or freezing rain -- those forgotten leaves will get heavy very quickly!

We hope you all enjoy this beautiful month, and be sure to get outside and make the most out of the remaining nice days in our forecast! We should all try to take advantage of warm weather as we make our way through November because we know cold days are ahead.

Have a great week! 

Safety Tips for a Boo-tiful Halloween!

Welcome back on this boo-tiful day! We are all getting into the Halloween spirit and preparing for a fun-filled, spooky day of tricks and treats. Whether your neighborhood has lots of kiddos that venture out for candy or just a few that stop by (leaving all the chocolate for you!), we want to make sure you're covered.

So, today we've got a few safety tips and last-minute Halloween ideas to ensure your little goblins and ghouls are prepared for the day.

Trick or Treating Safety

• Plan your route in advance. Prevent little ones from getting tired and cranky after walking too much, and make sure you're sticking to familiar areas. If your kids are older and go out with their friends, they should stick to your agreed-upon route and arrange a time to be home.
• Wear comfy shoes with costumes. Sneakers or other walking shoes should be worn. Avoid heels or ill-fitting costume shoes because they can cause tripping.
• Take flashlights or glow sticks to keep your path lit and help drivers see you walking. Bonus points if you can put reflective tape on kids' treat bags.
• Trick or Treat in a group. Parents can help keep an eye on all the kids and groups are usually easier to see as it gets dark outside. A trusted adult should always be nearby, and obviously kids should never go up to a strange house alone.
• Drivers need to slow down in residential areas even more than usual. Stay alert because kids are excited to be out trick or treating, and they often move and run around in unpredictable ways.
• When you get home, examine all treats before eating. Look for choking hazards, allergens or signs of tampering. Only eat candy that has been factory-sealed and toss homemade treats made by strangers.

Homeowner Tips

• Clear your lawn and sidewalks/driveway of debris to prevent tripping. 
• Keep your porch lights on to let trick or treaters know you're still "open for business".
• Put your pets in another room or in the backyard if they jump or bark to avoid scaring kids, especially little ones who may be out trick or treating for the first time.
• Consider offering treats that do not contain allergens. Food allergies are more common than many people realize, and other parents will appreciate your sensitivity. Here's a list of candies that are allergy-friendly. 
• If you prefer to offer an alternative to candy, try handing out festive coloring pages or fun, inedible trinkets. 

After Halloween is over, what do you do with your remaining loot of candy? There's only so much sugar the kids can handle, so consider trying these clever ideas to use leftover treats. 

• Locally, many dentists "buy back" leftover candy to send to our troops overseas. Check with your dental group to see if they participate in Operation Gratitude.

Finally, if you haven't finalized your costume decisions yet, here are a few easy, affordable DIY costumes that can be done over the weekend. We wish everyone a safe, fun and spoooooky Halloween!