All posts by Ben

Real Estate

Be Safe with DIY Home Security Systems and Sensors

Good article on the many security systems today that can be customized for every security need.

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With today’s wireless connections, homeowners can build their own network of cameras, sensors, and interconnected hubs without being tied to a single vendor or ongoing contracts.

Owners can even monitor the home themselves or set up a month-to-month contract with a monitoring company. Today’s systems give your clients peace of mind. They’re even great for vacation properties and rentals.

“DIY systems give customers the flexibility to build the system they want and the freedom to include the devices and sensors that fit their specific needs. This is important because no two households are the same,” says Chris Carney, CEO of Abode.

SimpliSafe, for example, was one of the first self-install home security companies that came on the market 10 years ago. Now, new technology is helping the market grow and making advancements in the products available, according to SimpliSafe CEO Chad Laurans. “With our app, for example, you can stream video from your doorbell or cameras on your phone, or you can see alerts and let people in and out of your house,” he says.

These affordable DIY security solutions also provide real estate professionals and home sellers a competitive edge when listing a home for sale. “This can increase the marketability of the home and potentially increase the value of the listing,” says Carney. “An agent can easily deploy a whole-environment solution built around an Abode system including a smart lock, thermostat, and connected lights, all for under $1,000 and all easily controlled by one app.”

A system can also be given as closing gift to protect the new home and “help establish the real estate agent as someone that buyer will call on again or recommend to a friend,” he adds.

Via Realtor.com

Off Grid Living

8 Simple Ways To Live Off Grid On Less Watts – Off The Grid News

Here’s a few good tips to reduce your power usage. Solar power works fine, but often one has to adjust to the whims of nature, and on the cloudy days use less power.

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Here are just a few of the changes that we made to our off-grid lives that helped us use less watts:

  1. We never took a shower before the sun was up.
  2.  Also, we never took a shower when the sun was down.
  3. Made sure we only did laundry between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and only one load per day.
  4. We went to bed early and got up early (this proved to be most productive).
  5. Always used battery-operated lanterns and book lights for evening reading.
  6. Made sure we unplugged everything — the coffee pot, the toaster, etc. – when not in use.
  7. We rarely used the microwave.
  8. Never left the TV on, and we used it sparingly.

Source: 8 Simple Ways To Live Off Grid On Less Watts – Off The Grid News

Real Estate

Mortgage Rates Near Record Lows

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage continued to hover near historical lows this week, lowering borrowing costs for home buyers and refinancing homeowners.

Freddie Mac reported that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.60% this week, unchanged from last week’s average. “The sound and fury of the financial markets continue to warn of an impending recession; however, the silver lining is mortgage demand reached a three-year high this week,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

“The decline in mortgage rates over the last month is causing a spike in refinancing activity—as homeowners currently have $2 trillion in conventional mortgage loans that are in the money—which will help support consumer balance sheets and increase household cash flow. On top of that, purchase demand is up 7% from a year ago.”

Source: Mortgage Rates Hover Near Record Lows | Realtor Magazine

Arizona

Check Out the Kingman Visitor Center Website for Everything Kingman

Kingman, the Heart of Historic Route 66 & one of the hidden treasures of Arizona, is conveniently located on Interstate 40 and is the perfect launching point for “Route 66 and Beyond.” Scenic hiking, historic charm, great cafes and restaurants, and the allure of Route 66 combine to make Kingman a remarkable destination.

Source: Kingman AZ Visitor Center

We like Kingman Arizona. I first fell in love with this area in 1995, and moved just a short year later. We still get mail in Kingman, and our official address is there, but we reside way out where Grand Mohave desert meets blue Sonoran skies.

Check them out for upcoming events & activities. Then come and get your kicks!

Arizona, Real Estate

Home Prices Gain in Second Quarter

We have a great need for housing in Mohave County. Prices have risen to “bubblicious” levels once again. Most who grew up here can no longer afford to own a home. No relief yet…

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Home prices in the second quarter continued to rise in the majority of housing markets across the country.

Ninety-one percent of 178 metros tracked saw home price gains in the second quarter, according to the latest report from the National Association of REALTORS®, released Wednesday.

5 Priciest Markets in Q2

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., metro area: $1,330,000 (median existing single-family price) San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif.: $1,050,000 Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, Calif.: $835,000 Urban Honolulu, Hawaii: $785,500 San Diego-Carlsbad, Calif.: $655,000.

5 Lowest Cost Markets in Q2

The five least expensive metro areas in housing in the second quarter were: Decatur, Ill.: $97,500 Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio: $107,400 Cumberland, Md.: $117,800 Binghamton, N.Y.: $119,300 Elmira, N.Y.: $119,400.

The national median existing single-family home price was $279,600 in the second quarter, up 4.3% from a year ago.

Ninety-three of the 178 metros tracked saw price growth of 5% or more. Ten metro areas posted double-digit increases, mostly in more modestly priced markets like Boise City-Nampa, Idaho; Abilene, Texas; Columbia, Mo.; Burlington-South Burlington, Vt.; and Atlantic City-Hammonton, N.J.

Tight inventory conditions, particularly at lower price points, are prompting home prices to accelerate in several markets, notes Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.

Source: NAR: Home Prices Post More Gains in Second Quarter | Realtor Magazine

Land, Real Estate

Would you pay top dollar for your own property?

Great article about the importance of viewing your home or other property through the eyes of your buyers. It’s so easy to ignore the little cosmetic things that over time we take for granted.

It’s also very important to use lighting to your advantage, and neutral colors often influence buying decisions in residential sales. Clean, neat, and smelling good are vital to sales.

With vacant land, there are many factors that go into pricing, but any property that at least has a small driveway leading to a parking/camping area already has a leg up on the competition, and it can be accomplished with just a few hundred dollars.

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Most sellers realize they are expected to do a few things to “spruce up” their home before they sell.

Do you understand exactly what you need to do and why? This information is vital to understand to positively position your house to sell.

This is just one part of the larger “total home transition”, but a critical part that will directly affect the list price, DOM (days on market) and ultimate sales price of your house.

The biggest mistake sellers make is not looking at their house through the eyes of the BUYER and not making the necessary visual and cosmetic updates in order to meet BUYER expectations.

Ask yourself, would you pay top dollar for your own house? If not, you need to understand why not and what to do about it.

We strongly encourage sellers to do a thorough (buyer-based) interior and exterior assessment of the house and property, in order to determine what “negative” issues need to be addressed to entice todays buyers.

Be objective and non-emotional when you do the assessment to create a task list and remain in control of the process. Gather the estimates to make a decision on which items will create the most positive impression and ensure the highest ROI (rate of return) on your investment.

Don’t get overwhelmed or be discouraged, it’s just a list. You have control of what you will ultimately decide what you will do and what you are willing to spend to do it. Understanding the financial impact of the decisions you will make is part of the process.

Source: Would You Pay Top Dollar for Your Own House? – Realty Times

Gardening, Off Grid Living, Prepping

Nutritious Food Plants You Can Harvest Quickly

Here’s a great list of quick vegetables that everyone should see.

We’ve grown them all!

We only need a few weeks to produce some nutritious vegetables and enjoy them for a great lunch or dinner.

Imagine having fresh spinach harvested four to six weeks after planting. Even better, a vegetable garden in your backyard will complement that verdant, green lawn and add some color and texture to your landscape.

There are many wholesome veggies you can grow, relatively quickly, a few steps away from your kitchen. Here are five vegetables to get you started.

Source: Nutritious Food Plants You Can Harvest Quickly – The Prepper Journal

Off Grid Living, Prepping

Homemade Bug Spray: Natural & Effective Repellent Recipes

Here are four all-natural homemade bug sprays that can kick those pesky insects to the curb.

If you don’t like the idea of spraying too many chemicals on yourself or your children, these recipes take seconds to mix up and really work for every day sprays.

KNOW THY ENEMY

As soon as we step outside, bugs have a way of finding us. Some use the CO2 we exhale to locate us, others go by scent, body heat, vibrations, or even the colors we wear.

For example, deerflies are attracted to CO2, warmth, motion, and dark colors. One way to make yourself less attractive to insects is to avoid using fragrant soaps, lotions, perfume, hairspray, or aftershave. Instead, use scents that block their receptors, making you harder to find.

Mosquitoes hate citronella, lemon eucalyptus, cinnamon, geranium, and catnip.

Ants and flies dislike mint, basil, and bay.

Tiny gnats (such as No-See-Ums) are repelled by citronella, lemongrass, and rose geranium.

Ticks and lice avoid lemon eucalyptus and geranium.

Source: Homemade Bug Spray: Natural & Effective Repellent Recipes | The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Off Grid Living, Real Estate

How to Detect Air Leaks & Save Money

It doesn’t matter if your home was built in 1968 or 2018: There’s a good chance it has at least a few air leaks.

So what, you ask? Well, an increase in unwanted airflow could cut into your cash flow in the long run. “If you’re not sealing your home against air leakage, you’re significantly reducing your energy efficiency,”

Source: How to Detect Air Leaks and Stop Hemorrhaging Money | realtor.com®

When one lives off-grid, every bit of power can be used just for cooling in the summer. The generator is our friend (although an expensive one.)

Today, our temps are expected to be around 110 degrees Fahrenheit, so we like that our super insulated straw bale house is keeping us in the high 70’s inside.

Batteries & solar panels become less efficient in the extreme heat, so it’s a double blow to our power needs.

Mornings are nice. We started off the morning at 86 degrees outside, but by 9:00 am it has jumped to 98 degrees.

Stay cool!

Gardening

Discover 20 Self-Sowing Flowers! | Old Farmer’s Almanac

Many flowers reseed themselves! Here’s a list of over 20 annual and perennial flowers that you can plant once and enjoy for years. And if you are busy deadheading your flowers—stop! Take a look at the seed heads you are cutting off.

Let some of the seed heads ripen until they turn brown and split open. These seed capsules are like salt shakers full of tiny seeds. Scatter the seeds anywhere you would like them to grow or just let them drop where they are.

Next spring, keep a sharp eye out for the seedlings when weeding. Some may be slow to emerge. If there are more than you want you don’t have to keep them all. Thin them out to allow enough space for the plants to fully develop. Relocate the extras or pot them up to share with friends.

Gardening-advice/discover-20-self-sowing-flowers 

Via Old Farmers Almanac