October Home Maintenance Tips
October Home Maintenance Tips As the colors of autumn signal the change in seasons it's time to start getting your home ready for the winter season. October is the perfect month to tackle essential maintenance tasks that will not only keep your home in top shape but also enhance its value. In this article, we'll provide you with a comprehensive guide to October home maintenance tips. 1. Place foam covers over exterior faucets, drain, and store your garden hoses. Newer homes have self-siphoning hose bibs but installation of foam covers will help prevent any freezing in case of sever cold and high winds. 2. Inspect caulking around windows and doors. - As caulk ages it shrinks and forms cracks where moisture can enter causing rot and failure to the door, window, and surrounding framing. Replace any caulking that is starting to crack. 3. Clean washing machine - Help maintain the freshness of your laundry and help extend the lifespan of your appliance. 4. Have your furnace and air conditioner winterized - Regular service of your HVAC system will prolong the life of the systems. Issues with furnaces can be spotted and repaired before they stop working. 5. Clean gutters and inspect your roof - After the leaves have fallen clean out your gutters to prevent ice damming in winter. Water intrusion into basements is a huge issue in the spring as the ground is frozen and water has no where to go. Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and ready to direct the snow melt and spring rains away from your foundation. 6. Trim trees and bushes - Trim back any new growth that is touching your home 7. Stain and seal your deck - Prevent water intrusion and freeze damage 8. Change the direction of your ceiling fans - Create an updraft in your room which will help distribute warm air evenly. 9. Schedule chimney cleaning and inspection - Make sure your fireplace is in working order and free of debris and buildup prior to your first fire. 10. Lock all windows and remove screens - Check that all windows are locked and sealed closed. If blinds are left closed all the time make sure to leave a gap at the top and/or bottom to allow air circulation and prevent moisture build up. October is the ideal time to address these essential home maintenance tasks for Homes in Madison, WI. By following these tips, you'll not only safeguard your home against the harsh winter but also enhance its energy efficiency.
Dane County July Market Update
July 2023 Market Statistics for Dane County, WI How does this June compare to the last 10 years? Just over half way through the year and we are continuing to see a shortage in listings leading to an increase in prices. We are continuing to see the rate of increase cool a little bit. Are we past the peak increases? It will be interesting to watch as the months continue. The average sale price for a single-family home without including condo listings just crested above $500,000 at $507,608 for the first time. Including single family and condo sales the average is at $473,253 almost double what it was 10 years ago. We do not anticipate to much price relief in the future in Dane County as demand on the buyers side remains strong due to the lack of homes for sale. Demand may be building as the population increases without a sufficient supply of homes for people to buy. The chart below shows the extreme change in the number of listings that are on the market compared to years past. If we note that interest rates started to increase at the beginning of 2022, we can see the decrease in listings correspond directly to the increase in mortgage rates. In July of 2021 rates were just under 3%, 2022 rates where just above 5%, 2023 rates are currently 6.8%. This increase has made a lot of homeowners want to stay put while locked into the lower rates. When will this trend change? There are huge debates between agents, different parts of the country, even local vs state markets have seen changes. In Dane County we may need a crystal ball. Make sure you check back to see how the market continues to change.
Home Maintenance Checklist
Home Maintenace Tips As a homeowner, I understand the struggle of keeping track of all the necessary system checks and maintenance owning a home requires. Therefore, I have designed the checklist below to assist with general upkeep, categorized by monthly and seasonal tasks for easy access. Should you encounter any issues with printing, kindly reach out via text or email and I'll gladly send you a PDF of the file.
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