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Choice Realty & Management

Realtor Bloomington Indiana

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Blog

Does your home fit a Minimalist lifestyle?

February 2, 2021 by Lori Todd

Let’s talk size of home and what we put into it!  You don’t have to live in a Tiny House to be a Minimalist but you should consider the needs and design of space in which you live.  Minimalism is about being practical and efficient; being simple and definitely living within your means.

Decorating a home for a Minimalist usually means focusing on a palette of limited colors and/or patterns.  Decluttering your home is the first step.  I like to think of it as subtracting before adding.  You really need to take away ‘stuff’ so that you can have more empty space. Donating, selling or repurposing duplicate or excessive items will help free up space.  It can be a hard process for those who like to hang on to things, but do we really need a dozen winter coats or four measuring cups or three sets of dishes for company that never visits?

Making a Healthy Home starts with removing chaos so spend time in each room looking around and remove items that are too busy or unnecessary.  You may decide that a Minimalist lifestyle isn’t for you but you may find joy in reducing the clutter.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

New Year, New House. Maybe, Yes?

January 14, 2021 by Lori Todd

The Holiday/Winter Season typically slows down the market activity but when there is extremely low inventory, the market activity can continue steadily.  We also believe the Winter activity depends on the weather conditions.  When the New Year starts off with mild weather, we generally see the Spring market start early.  Or, when we have frigid temperatures or lots of snow and ice, the market activity usually delays until the weather conditions improve.

Our Team is busy generating new listings for the Spring market. We have Buyers qualified and ready to buy.  Even though the market is still a Seller’s Market, meaning that inventor is low so Sellers can push prices up and negotiate less, it is important to preparing a house to sell properly.  Just because it may get a quick, full price offer doesn’t mean you’re clear to close. Most likely, the Buyers will have a home inspection which flag concerns that need to be addressed. And, the Lender will send an Appraiser to do the Appraisal to make sure the property’s value covers the loan amount. If the Appraiser feels like there are issues, s/he can make note of that in the Appraisal Report and could generate a glitch.

We have a Seller’s Packet of information with tips on how to prepare a house to sell.  Consulting with a Realtor is a very important step prior to listing the property to sell.  A Realtor can guide Sellers on what tasks to complete.  If an improvement costs $100 (such as painting) but can generate a higher sales price and/or a faster sale, it is most likely a good investment to make.  However, there may be no reason to spend $3,000 on something if it is not an improvement that buyers would appreciate or generate more money in return.  If you’d like to talk to a Realtor of Choice Realty, just call 812-331-7353 or send an email to: Info@CallChoiceRealty.com and an agent will be available for you!

Filed Under: Real Estate

Winter Maintenance

December 23, 2020 by Lori Todd

Owning a home isn’t for everyone.  If you do not have the time or funds for routine maintenance then living in a condo or renting may be better for you.  Winter weather can be hard on a house. It’s very important to take precautions for freezing temperatures. Servicing the furnace annually each Fall is a must and helps the HVAC system run more efficiently. Making sure you disconnect garden hoses from outside spigots and making sure heat reaches to all indoor plumbing will help prevent busted water pipes.

It’s really interesting to think about the construction and maintenance of houses throughout the Country. Depending on what region and climate a home is located will determine how a house is built and what types of materials are used.  Just think about the difference of a house in Alaska versus a house in South Florida.  One probably doesn’t need Air Conditionally while the other one doesn’t use much heat.  And, some houses are made of brick or stone while other houses are wrapped in vinyl siding.  All of these variations of construction affect the maintenance of a house.  And, Buyers need to consider continuous home maintenance when considering a home purchase.

We have a checklist that can help with routine maintenance. Email us for a copy!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Good Economy, Good Market?

November 13, 2020 by Lori Todd

It looks good on the surface but if we really look hard, we have concerns lingering around us.  We are excited to see the Seller’s Market bring higher prices and faster sales for our Sellers but that also means that Buyers may be forced to pay higher prices and get into bidding wars with other Buyers if they want to buy a house.  So, the ‘Good Market’ depends on what side of the coin you flip. The stock market is good so some say the economy is good; however, due to the pandemic, we have hundreds of thousands of people out of work right now and not able to pay rent or mortgage. You can only kick the can down the road so far until it falls to the curb.

The CDC’s eviction restrictions expire on 12/31/2020. Congress needs to work on plans before then to help Tenants and Landlords deal with past due rent balances.  Homeowners who requested a mortgage forbearance may have a few months with less expense, but that only delayed the payments and interest is still assessed.  The Pandemic has created so many more problems that just an illness that may be more harmful to some than others. In addition to the health concerns, it’s somehow become a political divider, a destructor to finances, and a stress-inducer.

We sure don’t have the answers but the American People need to come together to help one another. It’s critical for the Housing Market to remain strong.  When the Housing Market is in good shape, we typically see a good economy.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Working from Home

November 3, 2020 by Lori Todd

Home has always been a place for shelter and safety but now it’s become a place for work and quarantining.  Creating a work space within your home provides an organized place to work efficiently and allows you to separate work from personal life.  Maintaining a scheduled routine is very important while working from home.  Eat in the kitchen, not in your work space. Keep your work space separate from other functions so that you can mentally prepare for work and check out when it’s personal time.  Make sure you have good lighting in your work space and keep your computer backed up, virus and password-protected.  If you have a room or space area in your home that could be set up for a work space, take some time to rearrange and decorate so that you are happy to report to work and avoid being distracted by house chores.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Healthy Home on Purpose

October 24, 2020 by Lori Todd

Have you ever stopped to think about all the chemicals and toxins in our homes?

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) care a group of chemicals that vaporize easily. VOCs can be found in carpetand other household products.  Pesticides can be found in more than 50% of our food and used in spray for household pests like ants and roaches. Cleaning supplies are full of chemicals. And, heavy metals can be found in food, materials and drinking water.

 

So, how can we work towards having a Healthy Home?  We must purposely make changes, even if small changes over time, in order to make our homes and lives healthier.

When you update your home, consider new products that do not off gas VOCs or allow products to off-gas before bringing into the house.  If you buy new living room furniture, unwrap and leave in the garage for a few days before carrying into the rooms. If you paint rooms, make sure you have proper ventilation and take breaks for fresh air often.

For cleaning supplies, consider buying organic products or making your own cleaning solutions. There are many recipes on the Internet so take a little time to research and find what works best for you.  Using essential oils is a popular method for cleaning and one that we use often.  To reduce the need for constant cleaning, make a new rule of NO SHOES in the house.  Think about all the surfaces we walk on and the germs and gunk that we are tracking home! And, keep the bathrooms clean and house at the right humidity to help reduce the growth of mold and mildew.

Love seafood?  I do!  But, I definitely don’t want to cook a bunch of shrimp or swordfish that may be high in mercury. Be sure to use your range/cooktop ventilation when cooking seafood and reduce consumption of foods that may contain heavy metals.  Using a water filter is always good, too!  We used to buy bottled water but trying to reduce waste, we shifted to filtered water pitchers and keep cold water available for good hydration.

General Home Maintenance is a must!  Changing your furnace filters regularly, making sure bathroom and kitchen vents are properly piped to outdoors, avoiding lawn chemicals and increasing household plants for naturla air filtering are good maintenance tasks, habits, and general routine checklist chores.

 

Filed Under: Real Estate

Covid19 Market Conditions

September 6, 2020 by Lori Todd

Although you might expect the real estate market to slow down during a crisis such as a pandemic, there are no signs of any slowing.  Interest rates are at an all-time low. Affordable Housing is nearly extinct.  And, there are fewer listings on the market while there are plenty of buyers searching to make a purchase.  Statistics show a decrease in sales but that is more to do with the lack of listings than the lack of activity.

Here locally, we are seeing multiple offers within hours. That sounds wonderful for Sellers but that means Buyers are forced to pay higher prices and must be prepared to write an offer on the spot. If Buyers decide to ‘think it over’, they will most likely miss out on the house.  Agents must be paying attention nearly every minute to the new listings and Buyers must be pre-approved and ready to write an appealing offer.

As we look ahead to the 4th quarter, we expect a bit of a slowdown as we get through the Elections but we believe the market will continue to be strong through 2021.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Getting Rid of Toxins in Your Home

August 6, 2020 by Lori Todd

Have you thought about all the toxins in your house?  Cleaners, candles, carpets, dust, and allergens can cause toxins in your house.  Getting rid of toxins can be overwhelming and also very expensive.  You can start by taking one room at a time and making small changes.

Candles can be warm and inviting but they can also give off toxins. If you’d like some aromatherapy, consider diffusing essential oils instead of burning candles.  Cleaning a house is important but using natural products instead of chemicals can easily leave your home not only clean but also toxic-free.  Bathroom toiletries can also be quite toxic. Take a look at the products in make-up, deodorant and shampoo.

Learning to read labels and making product changes will lead to less toxins.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Sales Team

July 1, 2020 by Lori Todd

We have a lot of activity happening in our Sales Department!  Realtor Kaili Frye became a new mom and Realtor Lindsey Martin joined our team last month.  Kaili is a 3rd Generation Real Estate Broker and Lindsey has a Marketing Degree.  And, both are busy working the market to help their clients.  Are you looking for a Realtor?  Contact us to interview our team.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Summer Activity

June 30, 2020 by Lori Todd

May & June flew by yet dragged on.  Our Office managed to mostly work from home although the Maintenance Department was busy in the office every day.  It’s been challenging for us just like it has been for everyone. It’s really still hard to fully comprehend what the pandemic has caused and how long we’ll feel the affects of Covid-19.

Our Sales & Leasing didn’t really miss a beat, though.  Due to our video recordings, we were able to continue leasing without scheduling in-person showings.  It’s really allowed us to look forward and improve our marketing so that we can continue this option for future leasing. Sales also continued strong during May & June as we have a housing shortage and low interest rates.

We’ll be busy in July with rental turnover season and plan to kick off some new marketing and announcements for the Sales Department.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Choice Realty and Management
1715 S. Walnut St.
Bloomington, IN 47401
P: 812-331-7353
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