Real Estate Information

Chester County PA single family homes saw pending sales decrease by 6.7% in December 2016 when compared to December 2015. 493 homes sold in December with a median sales price of $310,000, a 6.89% increase from December 2015.  The average sales price increased by 3.21%, and homes were on the market 5 days less.

​

Working from home is the dream, isn’t it? No more long commute (or drama from your cubicle mate). It’s so much easier to be productive, right?

But then … something happens. Your Netflix queue beckons. You can’t unsee that pile of dirty laundry. Your fluffy bed seduces you into taking a two-hour siesta.

Now you’re behind and working weekends to catch up. You need help. You need an organized workspace. “It really allows you to focus on what’s important,” says Calabasas, Calif.-based organizer Lori Gersh.

Here’s how to fix your home work space to pump up your productivity:

1. Purge First

Sure, shopping for organizers is fun. They don’t call it “retail therapy” for nothing. But to create a system primed for maximum output, you first should soldier through the task of ditching paperwork and office supplies that clutter rather than help, and, most importantly, finding homes for all things unrelated to work (well, except for a sentimental photo or two — and plants; plants are good). Consider it boot camp to get your work life in shape.

Plus, the more open and organized your space is, the easier it’ll be to focus.

2. Create a Work Hub — Even if Space Is Minimal

A separate room with only one function — work — is ideal, but so is a beachfront address. Just because you don’t have a spare room doesn’t mean you can’t have an “office.” You can easily create one.

A small desk and storage ottoman for files and supplies may be all you need.

Or a small coat closet could be repurposed if you need something more substantial. Relocate the coats and jackets to hooks in your entry or move them to other closets, and convert that closet into a work nook with a built-in tabletop and floating shelves.

But if you work from a multi-purpose space like the kitchen table, or prefer to roam from table to couch, it’s a bit more of a challenge — but still solvable.

Try a rolling cart loaded with your work supplies. “It helps you focus because you have things right where you need them,” says New York City organizer Stephanie Shalofsky. (There’s a ton of sizes and configurations to choose from, and most are less than $100.) Then simply roll it out of sight when company comes.

3. Use Vertical Space to Organize

It’s surprising how often wall space is overlooked as an organizing solution. When everything you need is right there on your wall and easy to find, your productivity jumps.

Buy ready-to-hang cubbies, or create your own system, and hang them just as you would a collection of pictures. Some other ideas:

Use a pegboard to store supplies such as scissors, calendars, and notes.

Stow files in magazine holders mounted to the walls.

Hang a shoe organizer with clear sleeves to keep supplies such as pens in plain sight (this will work on a rolling cart, too, if you cut it to fit).

4. Separate Household Files From Work Files

If you do business and household duties from the same space, you need separate systems to help you stay focused, Shalofsky says. This is super easy to do. You just need to commit to do it:

Keep two different calendars and to-do lists.

Use different drawers, cabinets, shelves, or file bins.

Then keep those household files out of sight when you’re working. Just like seeing a pile of dirty dishes in the sink, seeing bills waiting to be paid can entice your mind to wander.

5. Turn Away From Temptation

For most home-based workers, the comfort of home is the prime saboteur of productivity. Is your workspace in sight of distractions, such as your TV, or the dining room you still haven’t finished painting? “If it doesn’t have to do with your business, it will clog up your space and your head,” Gersh says.

If you have to work from the kitchen table, choose a seat facing a wall or window rather than the sink or stove.

If there’s no place to set up shop other than next to the TV, sit with your back toward it. If that’s not possible, think about hiding your TV, literally. You can disguise it behind a painting or mirror. That creates a barrier, forcing you to actively choose watching TV over doing business.

Or, if space permits, position a freestanding bookshelf or screen between your work space and household distractions.

Here’s a nice little bonus: These tactics also have the added benefit of putting your work out of sight when you’re ready to relax at home.

6. Set Boundaries on Browsing

OK, this is a challenge even people stuck in the office face: A little bit of Facebook browsing here and a few minutes of online shopping there is all too tempting. But it’s even worse when you work from home because your boss can’t see you.

But it’s your home. Your castle. Where you ARE the boss.

With that mindset, think about creating some accountability for yourself. Here are a couple of ideas:

1. Create a different browser profile for work use, so your favorite bookmarks aren’t beckoning during office hours.

2. Enlist the aid of an online tool, such as Focus or Freedom, which can keep you in check by blocking access to sites that’ll suck you in (ahem, Pinterest) when you’re working.

You just might boost your productivity enough to take Friday afternoon off. So maybe you’ll get to finish painting the dining room after all, and still have the weekend off to enjoy it. How sweet is that?

7. Tidy Up Before Clocking Out

When you work from home, there’s no cleaning crew to spruce up your space after hours, and no peer pressure to maintain a somewhat-orderly space. So although it’s tempting to let it be, take just a few moments to toss unnecessary paperwork, remove trash, and make sure your work space is ready for work in the a.m. By clearing the way today, you’ll hit the ground running tomorrow.

Congratulations. You’re now living the work-at-home dream!

Home maintenance may be the last thing on your mind now that the holidays are over and the days are becoming colder and colder.  Sitting in your home wrapped in your favorite blanket by the fire is likely what you are thinking about this winter.  There is some home maintenance items   you should take care of during the winter months however so that you don’t have to deal with issues caused by not doing so later.  Below is a list of a few home maintenance items you need to go ahead and take care of around your house this winter. 

1.  As temperatures continue to plummet this winter you should do your best to protect your pipes from freezing.  You can wrap your pipes with many different things to protect them from the elements such as heat tape and insulated pipe covers.  If your pipes do freeze you can easily thaw them out by wrapping it in a heating pad or using a hairdryer.
2. Another home maintenance  item you need to take care of this winter to avoid issues later in the year is to do an inspection of your roof, your gutters and your siding as well as your chimney.  Make sure that everything is in good working order before the winter pushes your house to its breaking point. 
3. Winter is a good time to do some cleaning that you might not otherwise think about as well such as cleaning out your range hood, refrigerator coils, dusting off ceiling fans, and dusting off light fixtures and bulbs.  These items typically get overlooked when it is warm outside because you don’t spend as much time indoors when it’s nice out.  Being stuck inside on a cold wintery day is a great excuse or reason to clean these types of things. 
4. Lastly you might want to take the time you have in your home this winter to de-clutter your house.  Getting rid of clutter will not only get rid of fire hazards but will also make you feel more at peace when you do have to spend a lot of time indoors. 

These are a few home maintenance ideas that will help you to keep your house in good working order for the year to come.   Why not get started now so that you can then have some time to rest before you have to do it all over again.  

Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.

If you are like the rest of us then just a few days ago you made a list of New Year resolutions.   Many of us however do not stick to our plan when it comes to these promises we make ourselves.  If you plan to purchase a home sometime in this New Year you need to make a few related resolutions that will likely help you to attain your goal and dream of home ownership.  Below these resolutions are listed for you. 

1.  Stop opening credit cards.  It is easy these days especially when you are shopping, to open one credit card after the other.  If buying a home is on your to do list this year however, you need to steer clear of opening new credit cards. 
2. Start paying your student loans on time every time.  Many times when folks get student loans they tend to think they can pay them as they can but that can mess up your credit in no time.  If someone who has good credit and shows they are good at paying bills on time every time puts a bid in on a house you have your eye on and you put a bid on that house as well, it’s likely due to their history that they will win the bid and not you. 
3. Start paying your credit cards every month and on time.  Even if you can’t afford to pay more than just the minimum payment you need to make sure you pay your credit card each and every month.   This type of diligence will serve you well when you go to make an offer on a house.  
4. Make sure you have a little bit of a cash reserve in your bank account at all times.  It won’t look good to a mortgage lender when you ask for a loan if you have a zero balance in your bank account. 
5. Stick with the same job for as long as you can.  Jumping from one job to another during a year is a sure fire way to lose your chance at the home of your dreams.  Lenders want to see stability and staying with the same job for a few years will show them that. 

These New Year resolutions, if you do your best to keep them, will do their part towards helping you to purchase the home you have always dreamed about.  

Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.

Don’t break your back shoveling snow. Try these tips to make winter less of a burden.

If you’re a homeowner in a snowy climate, chances are good you rue the winter: All that snow has to go somewhere, and it’s not getting there itself. 

Cue the snow shovel.

Barring a move to a snow-free state or barricading your family inside all winter, there’s no way to avoid the endless task of shoveling snow. There are, however, ways to make the process much easier. Here are three simple hacks to make the morning after a snowfall much less stressful.

1. Spray Your Shovel with Cooking Oil

Snow sticking to your shovel makes an already arduous task even more obnoxious. Avoid it with this hack: Lightly coat your shovel with non-stick cooking oil to make snow slide right off. No more time wasted removing snow from your snow remover. (You can substitute a spray lubricant like WD-40, but the downside is it’s toxic.)

2. Lay Out a Tarp Before the Snow

If you like short cuts, this technique, billed as “the laziest way imaginable” to clear snow, according to a tutorial from “Instructables,” has got your name on it. The day before an expected snowfall, lay a tarp on your walkway. When the snow finishes falling, just pull out the tarp, and voilà: an instantly cleared walkway. (Word to the wise: Make sure pedestrians won’t trip on your tarp; include a sign or use this technique in your backyard walkway if you’re concerned.)

The technique requires a tarp, firewood, and twine as well as some prep work. Pre-storm, use firewood to weigh down your tarp — you don’t want it flying away in the wind! — and tie the twine to both the tarp and to a shovel standing upright in your yard. You’ll use the shovel to pull out the snow-laden tarp.

Although this method might be faster than shoveling, it does require manpower. After all, a cubic foot of snow can weigh between 7 and 20 pounds. So don’t get too ambitious with the size of your tarp or you might not be able to pull it once it’s full of snow.

3. Make a Homemade De-icing Cocktail

De-icers make snow removal easier by cutting through the tough, icy layers that are a pain to remove with a shovel. But an easy solution should be easy on your property as well. Many commercial de-icers are pretty harsh.

Commercial ice-melting substances — magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride (salt) — all cause damage to the environment, according to the University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center. They can also damage concrete sidewalks and driveways, which mean hefty repair costs later.

A better solution: Make your own de-icer using rubbing alcohol or vinegar. You’ll save money, too. Commercial melters typically cost $8 or more. Plus, you’ll avoid the hassle of trekking to the hardware store to stock up.

Use vinegar before a storm to make ice and snow removal easier:

• Combine 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water.
• Spray or pour gently (you still want to avoid runoff into your landscape) before a storm.

To keep the sidewalks and steps from icing after a storm:

• Combine 2 parts rubbing alcohol with 1 part water.
• Apply to minimize runoff.

​

Home improvements can many times take a lot of time and can easily overwhelm you.  The home improvements listed in list article are some that won’t take you a lot of time.  Likely you will be able to get these home improvements done in just a matter of a day or so.   Whether you want to do these home improvements for your own enjoyment or you plan to sell your house, these will get you started in the right direction and won’t take up a lot of your time.   

1. First on the list of quick home improvements is to simply change your front door hardware.  This is a simple and easy fix that won’t take you long at all and it is one that won’t cost you a lot either.   
2. Painting the front door a bright color is another quick home improvement that can really make a big difference in the way your house looks.  Red is a popular color that can make a statement to those who pass by your home.  Another great color to use on your front door is a bright teal color.  Both of these colors are very popular these days so if you want to be part of what is in, you should use one of these colors.   
3. Another quick home improvement that can make a huge impact on how your home looks is to upgrade your house numbers.  You can buy fancy glass or ceramic tiles with your house number on them to match your newly painted door.   
4. Painting outdated or old furniture in your home is another quick home improvement that can make your house look awesome.   
5. Updating your kitchen and bathroom fixtures is a quick home improvement that is easy to do and will make your house look the best it can look.   
6. If you have an old fireplace that is no longer able to be used, why not put some candles in it to spruce it up a bit.  This is a nice cozy improvement to make especially during the upcoming colder months.   

Again, home improvements don’t have to take a ton of time to make a huge difference on how your house looks.   

Chester County PA single family homes saw pending sales decrease by 3.5% in November 2016 when compared to November 2015. 526 homes sold in November with a median sales price of $319,000, a 3.13% increase from November 2015.  The average sales price increased by 11.0%, and homes were on the market 10 days more.

​

It is that time of year again!  The happiest time of the year!  That is true unless you are one of the unlucky ones who ends up bringing bugs into your home via your freshly cut Christmas tree.  Christmas tree bugs are no fun and can be a pain to get rid of once you have them.  Below are a few ideas on what to do about Christmas tree bugs and how to avoid having to deal with them. 

1.  Many Christmas tree lots have mechanical tree shakers that will get rid of the bugs for you before they have the chance of entering your home.  There are some tree lots however that do not have these services.  If you get your tree from a tree farm that doesn’t have this type of mechanical tree shaker, just be sure to do the shaking yourself with the help of a few friends.  Shake the tree back and forth a few times as hard as you can and that should help to get rid of any bugs that might be attached.
2. A good way to check to see if your new Christmas tree has bugs  is to look at it with a bright flashlight.  A few of the bugs that might be on the tree are the following:  mites, praying mantis, psocids, bark beetles, scale insects, adelgids, and aphids.
3. One way that you do not need to try in order to get rid of Christmas tree bugs  is to use chemicals of any kind.  These types of things shouldn’t be in your home and also won’t work well with Christmas lights which can sometimes get hot.  You could be in for a disaster worse than the bugs if you try to kill them with chemicals. 
4. If you find that you do have Christmas tree bugs your vacuum will become your best friend.  Be sure to vacuum around the bottom of the tree and anywhere you see that the bugs may have gone in your home.  This will help to eliminate them even if it is just a few at a time. 

Don’t worry yourself sick if you get home and find that your Christmas tree has bugs living in it.  They like the tree and much of nothing else so you don’t have to worry about them getting on you or your loved ones.  

Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.

All too often around the holidays plumbers receive several service calls for clogged sinks and jammed garbage disposals. Here are a few tips to avoid these problems:

Don’t pour grease, oil or fat into your garbage disposal or drain. Grease will slowly accumulate and impede your garbage disposal’s grinding ability as well as clog drains.

Don’t use hot water when grinding food waste. Hot water will cause grease to liquefy and accumulate, causing drains to clog.

Don’t grind extremely fibrous material like corn husks, celery stalks, onions, and artichokes. Fibers from these can tangle and jam the garbage disposal motor and block drains

Don’t turn off the motor or water until grinding is completed. When grinding is complete, turn off the garbage disposal first. Let water continue to run for at least 15 seconds, flushing out any remaining particles. Then turn off water.

Don’t put too many potato peels down the garbage disposal. The starches in the potatoes will turn into a thick paste and may cause blades to stick.

Don’t put large amounts of food down the garbage disposal. Feed food into the garbage disposal a little at a time with the cold water running; this will help the food scraps flow down freely through the drain pipes and plumbing.

Don’t put expandable foods into your garbage disposal. Foods like pasta and rice expand when you add water in a pot; they do the same thing once inside your pipes or garbage disposal and are the cause of many jams and clogs.

Don’t grind large animal bones (beef, pork etc.).

Don’t put coffee grounds down the garbage disposal. They won’t harm the disposal but they can accumulate in drains and pipes, causing clogs.

Most importantly! Don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach or drain cleaners to unclog the drain. They damage blades and pipes.

For more tips on Home Ownership visit my website!  

If you would like to talk about selling  a Chester County home, give me a call 610-594-7268 or visit my website to Discover your new home.

Scott Darling is a full-time REALTOR and a professional in every sense of the word, he is committed to making sure you have the complete, accurate information and honest advice you need to make a good decision. Scott’s goal is to meet your expectations and hopefully exceed them as it applies to your real estate needs. Learn more about Scott Darling a leader in the Chester County PA Real Estate Market!

Credit Craig Shea