Monthly Archives: July 2021

Flooding Isn’t Fun

28 Wednesday Jul 2021

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Flooding—whether it’s from a tropical storm, burst pipe, or overflowing bathtub—can cause serious damage to your property. And if you don’t want to deal with excess water damage (and all the costs that go along with it), it’s important to do everything you can to protect your home from floods.

A recent article featured in REALTOR® Magazine outlined a few key steps homeowners can take to protect their homes from flooding, including:

  • Purchase flood sensors… Flood sensors alert you when water is present when it shouldn’t be—and placing them strategically around your home, in areas that are prone to flooding (for example, in the basement or bathrooms) can help protect your home.

  • …and an automatic shut-off valve. Flood sensors will let you know when flooding is happening. But if you’re not there to stop it, there’s not much you can do. An automatic shut-off valve can turn off your main water line any time a flood sensor is triggered—which can add an extra layer of floor protection to your property.

  • Invest in flood insurance. You can do everything you can to prevent a flood, but in case a flood does happen, you want to make sure your property is protected. Homeowner’s insurance policies typically don’t cover floods—so make sure to purchase an additional flood insurance policy.

We have other tips that we’d love to share with you. Get in touch today – Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

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Do You Believe in Any of These Real Estate Superstitions?

20 Tuesday Jul 2021

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Tons of people think the number 13 is unlucky. Some don’t. But pretty much everyone has at least heard that the number 13 is unlucky. 

With Friday the 13th upon us, I thought it’d be fun and interesting to send along some superstitions we come across in the real estate industry, which you may have never heard about…

Lucky numbers

Real estate agents sometimes find themselves working with clients who have superstitions based upon lucky (and unlucky) numbers. 

This is often a cultural superstition. And the lucky or unlucky numbers are different from culture to culture. 

This can affect whether or not someone will buy a house, if the street address is an unlucky number, or even adds up to an unlucky number. 

It can also affect the specific dollar amount they will offer or accept for a house…

What direction a house faces

Does your house face East? If it does, that’s great… for some potential buyers. 

But others may not see it that way, and would never buy a house unless it faces South.

Again, these superstitions are typically cultural, and no one direction is right for every culture.

So, don’t worry what direction your house faces…there’s always someone who will be fine with whatever direction it is facing.

Mercury in retrograde

This is less cultural, and more a matter of whether someone is into astrology…

It is believed that when the planet Mercury is in “retrograde” (backward), it is a bad time to enter a contract.

So, if a client is sensitive to this, there is a good chance there isn’t a deal good enough to get them to buy or sell a house while Mercury is in retrograde.

Smudging

Ever hear of smudging? That’s when you burn a sacred plant (often sage), and walk around the house wafting the smoke, in order to get rid of negative energy in a house.

Does that sound crazy? Sound like someone’s been smokin’ the smudge!?

As real estate agents, we wouldn’t call it crazy…

While an agent may not believe in a client’s superstition, or even understand it…they won’t consider it crazy.

It’s a real estate agent’s responsibility to represent their clients’ best interests.

So we wouldn’t consider any of the above examples (or anything else you could throw at us) crazy…because if it is a concern for our clients, it is a concern for us.

Wishing you nothing but luck this Friday the 13th.

P.S. Out of curiosity… do you have any superstitions when it comes to buying and selling a house? Let me know, we’d love to hear! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com

These Are the Kitchen Features Home Buyers Are Looking For

05 Monday Jul 2021

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The kitchen is the heart of the home; for many buyers, the design, features, and amenities of a kitchen can make or break a home sale.

So what, exactly, are buyers looking for in their kitchens in 2021?

A recent survey from the National Association of Home Builders asked over 3000 recent or prospective homebuyers to rate how important different kitchen features were in their home purchase. Some of the top features buyers ranked as “essential” (defined as “unlikely to buy a home without this feature”) or “desirable” (defined as “seriously influenced to buy home if included”) are:

  • Side-by-side double sink: 81 percent
  • Walk-in pantry: 81 percent
  • Table space for eating: 78 percent
  • Central island: 77 percent
  • Drinking water filtration: 76 percent
  • Granite or natural stone countertops: 73 percent

The Takeaway:

So, what does this mean for you? If you’re thinking about selling your home (or renovating your kitchen!) knowing the kitchen features buyers want most can help you position your house in a way that appeals to potential buyers—which can help you sell faster and for a higher profit. Give us a call and let’s talk kitchens! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com