November Newsletter 2019
While it may not officially be winter yet, don't forget to winterize your home before the real chill hits! Here is a quick checklist to follow:
Protect Your Pipes. Pipe insulation is an simple and cost effective way of preventing your
pipes from bursting when the temperature drops and remains low.Time to Weatherproof. Weatherstripping (or installing storm doors and windows if you
need them) will prevent cold air from entering your home or heat from escaping it, which
will reduce your power bills.Check your Fireplace. Animal nests or creosote buildup in your fireplace can be
hazardous. Have an annual inspection before building your first fire of the season.Block the Cold. Caulk around windows and use foam outlet protectors to prevent cold air
from entering your home.Change Your Thermostat. Have you switched out your thermostat to a programmable
version? If not, add this one to your list. A programmable thermostat lets you customize
your heating so the system doesn’t run when you don’t need it.Save on Your Energy Bills. Call your local power company to see if they conduct energy
saving assessments. It’s often a free service in which a representative will identify specific
changes to make your home more energy efficient and save you money.
The Housing Market is Red-Hot in the Heartland!
After years of soaring real estate prices in popular coastal areas, demand has notably slowed in
these markets as home prices have far exceeded wage growth. Now, it’s smaller, midwestern
cities that are gaining all the traction, with real estate in these heartland markets seeing lots of
action.
According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, the housing market has illustrated a
noticeable shift in activity toward the center of the country. The article describes markets that are
seeing so much interest, prices are rising and bidding wars are commencing as a shortage of
inventory – particularly for starter homes – has buyers competing for properties.
But while the economy has been strong, the housing market has not parodied this strength.
Instead, home sales have lagged as houses languish on the market for days. “That divergence
has stumped economists,” the article notes. “But the growing strength of housing markets in the
heartland suggests that strong economic fundamentals are helping, just not where prices have already grown faster than incomes for seven years.”
But will the action in the Midwest be enough to prop up the housing market as a whole? Only
time will tell.
