Chester County PA Market Trends October 2022
Chester County PA Real Estate Market Trends for October 2022
Chester County PA single-family homes saw pending sales decrease by -30.6% in October 2022 when compared to October 2021. 453 homes sold in October with a median sales price of $465,000.The average days on the market stayed the same. If you are thinking about selling your home get a free instant home evaluation Learn More.
Make Your Outdoor Decorating Merry, Bright and Safe
For many people, this is the time of year for dressing up their home and yard in lights galore! The planning and prepping are exciting and fun but keep safety in mind. Following these tips will have your outdoor decor safely sharing holiday cheer!
Outdoor decor requires lights and extension cords that are manufactured for outdoor use. Look for this information on the packaging or tag at the end of the cord. Heavy-duty extension cord plugs should have a three-prong ground plug.
Do not use lights that have stayed out since last year! Non-commercial light strands are only safely exposed to the elements for 90 days. Any longer, and deterioration of the insulation will begin.
Outdoor receptacles should be ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets which will shut off power in case of electrical overload. If your home does not have enough outdoor outlets, purchase a portable outdoor GFCI plug. Safety outweighs any extra cost.
As you unpack the decorations, inspect older lights for frayed wires, nicks, or cuts along the outer cord, as well as broken bulbs. Broken bulbs can be replaced but toss the strands with damaged cords in the garbage.
Use clips or hangers that are UL-approved--never nail, tack, or staple lights to any fixture.
Before adding lights to tree branches or tall fixtures, make certain no power lines run through the branches, and keep all lighting at least ten feet from power lines.
Only connect strands with the same number of bulbs--in other words, do not connect a 100-strand with two 25-strands.
Avoid using a metal ladder if you are having to get up high with your lights--use wooden or fiberglass instead. If metal is your only choice, do not plug the lights in until installation is complete.
LED light strands should never be connected to incandescent lights. Now may be the time to think about using all LED lights. The start-up cost will be higher, but it will save money on your power bill as well as in replacement costs--LEDs can last up to twenty years!
Know your home’s electrical limits and use common sense and care while decorating. No one wants the friendly neighborhood competition to turn into a disaster or experience a classic Clark Griswold power outage at home. Keep your holidays merry, bright, and safe!
Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.
Photo credit: www.grandinroad.com
End-of-Year Giving!
With a little less than a month left in the year, many begin to think about charitable donations. Once you’ve decided on an amount to give, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Did you give last year? Do a quick check of the organization’s website, or give them a call to see what sort of strides they’ve taken. If you’re not satisfied, or don’t see progress, consider another charity.
- As difficult as it can be to narrow your donation to one organization, a larger gift can be more beneficial as one gift, instead of spreading your donations around.
- Keep in mind that there are thousands of charities who don’t have it in their budgets to advertise. Consider giving to a local charity, or a national one that’s lesser known.
- Once you’ve narrowed down your list, call the charities if you can’t find their mission statements online, and ask questions. It’s the best way to get the information you need.
- Although there’s nothing wrong with giving to your alma mater or the hospital that took such great care of a family member, find out if your local homeless or domestic violence shelter needs help. These kinds of organizations usually struggle to make ends meet in providing services.
- Make sure your charity is legitimate, and it’s very important to check their finances. Charity Navigator’s website will let your search a charity’s name and get feedback.
- Because donations are tax-deductible, the IRS has a search tool that allows you to see what organizations are eligible for tax-deduction gifts. There are other handy options, such as seeing what organizations are no longer allowed to be considered exempt.
- Avoid scams--charitable giving is at a high at the year’s end, and crooks abound. Use the above IRS search tool to make sure your charity is a legitimate charity.
- Keep receipts, check stubs or letters of thanks for when you’re filing taxes. If your donation isn’t monetary, but something valued at over $5,000, the IRS requires an appraisal for your deduction.
- Do you volunteer? Any out-of-pocket directly related expenses--even mileage--are tax deductible.
- Keep in mind that last-minute online donations made December 30-31 are eligible for a tax write-off.
Deciding who should benefit from your generosity can be a tough or easy decision, depending on what you already know. Just look for charities that depend on your generosity to keep their doors open, or who need your physical presence to be successful. Giving isn’t always about money.
Courtesy of Chester County PA Realtor Scott Darling.
Photo credit: http://yis.org/end-of-year-giving/
