Northern Virginia Real Estate Blog

When functioning properly, gutters can extend the life of a home. By directing water away from the physical structure, gutters protect a home’s foundation, its siding, and its landscaping. 

The key to reliable gutter performance is simple — keep them clean.  Twice annually, experts recommend a thorough gutter cleaning and the project can be a do-it-yourselfer,  if you’re so inclined. 

The basic toolset is likely already on hand:

• A ladder
• A scoop
• A trash bag
• A garden hose
• Protective gear

Watch the video above for a quick tutorial, or if DIY is not your thing, reach out to me anytime. I’d be happy to refer you to a reliable professional in the neighborhood.

Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and 1 out of 15 homes has elevated levels of the radioactive gas seeping into it.

Despite the risks, however, radon is a potential problem that many homeowners ignore.

Radon can enter a home at many different points. A partial list includes:

• Earth and rock beneath a home
• Joints in construction materials
• Gaps around pipes and wires
• Cracks in flooring and walls

But, because radon is odorless, colorless, and scentless, it’s impossible to detect without the use of tools.

There are do-it-yourself, at-home radon testing kits which can be purchased at Lowe’s for less than $20, or you can hire an EPA-approved professional to site-test for you.

If the tests are positive for radon, fixing the problem in your home can cost anywhere from $800 to $2,500, depending on the home’s architecture.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nearly one million homeowners have taken radon-reducing steps in their homes over the years, saving 6,000 lives. Their Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction provides more information about what radon is and how to mitigate the problem if you find high levels in your home. If you’re buying or selling your home, you may also want to have a look at their Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon.

Source
My $1,200 Radon Job
Gwendolyn Bounds
The Wall Street Journal Online https://online.wsj.com/article/SB120855599410427459.html

Average gas prices reached an all-time U.S. high Tuesday, touching $3.40 per gallon. San Francisco and Tulsa are the nation’s bookends at $3.94 per gallon and $3.11 per gallon, respectively.

But before you wonder if relief is coming to your family budget, remember that “rising gas prices” is a conversation we have every April.

Using data from gasbuddy.com and looking back to 2004, we can see that gas prices tend to rise during the Spring season.

If the pattern holds, we’ll should see another 10 percent increase at the pump before gas prices settle back down over the summer and fall months.

Every two years, the Jump$tart Coalition issues a “personal finance” exam to high school seniors.

The test highlights the importance of personal financial literacy among America’s youth and comes at an especially important juncture.

Many experts — including Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke — believe that basic financial knowledge is essential for (and lacking in) teenagers. Jump$tart’s exam did little to disprove this.

This year, 12th graders answered 48.3% correct on average and posted the lowest scores since Jump$tart first issued the test in 1996.

A sample question from the 31-question test:

Which of the following types of investment would best protect the purchasing power of a family’s savings in the event of a sudden increase in inflation?

1. A twenty-five year corporate bond
2. A house financed with a fixed-rate mortgage
3. A 10-year bond issued by a corporation
4. A certificate of deposit at a bank

Find out the answer to the sample questions and 30 other questions by taking the complete Jump$tart Personal Financial Literacy test for yourself online.

The average adult scores 68%.

In three weeks, the Federal Open Market Committee will meet again and markets anticipate another cut to the Fed Funds Rate.

Based on data compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland at the close of business yesterday, traders put the probabilities of the Fed’s next move at:

• 62 percent chance that the Fed Funds Rate falls to 2.000%
• 36 percent chance that the Fed Funds Rate falls to 1.750%

Currently, the Fed Funds Rate is 2.250%.

Cuts to the Fed Funds Rate are meant to stimulate the economy by lowering borrowing costs for banks, businesses, and consumers. When less money is spent on interest payments, more money is available for goods and services and that tends propels the economy forward.

And, because Prime Rate is tied to Fed Funds Rate, home equity lines of credit and credit cards grow “cheaper” when the FFR falls. That can makes financed home improvement projects a little less expensive.

Cuts to the Fed Funds Rate, however, do not equal cuts to mortgage rates - this is a pretty common misconception.

Mortgage rates are based on the price of mortgage bonds and — although it exerts an influence — the Federal Reserve does not set the prices for mortgage bonds any more than it sets the price for other investments such as stocks or mutual funds.

Since September 2007, the Federal Reserve has lowered the Fed Funds Rate by 3 percent. Over the same period of time, conforming mortgage rates have been mostly unchanged.

For it’s simplicity, comfort, and “green” status, radiant heating is a growing trend in home building.

Radiant heating is the process by which a room’s temperature is controlled using warm (or cold) water flowing through plastic tubing. The tubes are typically installed under the room’s flooring, but are also applied in walls and ceilings on occasion.

Radiant heating works by heating the floors of a room which then heats the mass of the room. Unlike air duct systems, the heat stays lower in the room and temperature remains constant throughout.

There are other reasons why homeowners and builders are moving towards radiant heat, too:

1. Dust- and mold-circulating air ducts can be eliminated making the home more allergen-free
2. Without ductwork, heating and cooling is much more quiet
3. Heating bills are lower by up to 20 percent because the water in the pipes doesn’t need to be as hot as the water in a traditional radiator

That said, installing radiant heating can be expensive.

Radiant heating is recommended for construction projects in which rooms are completely gutted, or for a new room additions to a home, or for new homes built from scratch.

Homeowners wanting to retrofit a room (or rooms) for radiant heating should talk to an experienced contractor for opinions and cost comparisons.

Source
Perks of Radiant Heating
Leslie Banker
REALTOR.org
https://www.realtor.org/RMOArch.nsf/pages/ArchCoach200802?OpenDocument

(Image courtesy: Moser, Inc)

As a twist on the typical “Best Places To Live” surveys, CNN Money released its 2008 “Best Places to Live and Launch“.

The rankings rate the business friendliness of 296 Census-designated metro areas, and then identify that area’s town that best combine business and pleasure for its residents.

In 2008, the Top 10 Live and Launch cities are:

1. Bellevue, WA (pop. 111,608)
2. Georgetown, TX (pop. 37,963)
3. Buford, GA (pop. 13,576)
4. Marina del Rey, CA (pop. 8,891)
5. Bethesda, MD (pop. 59,475)
6. Portland, OR (pop. 535,421)
7. Denver, CO (pop. 555,932)
8. Charlotte, NC (pop. 596,123)
9. Fort Worth, TX (pop. 595,062)
10. Franklin, MA (pop. 29,642)

For the Northern Virginia area, Leesburg made the list at #31. Other cities and towns in Virginia include: Virginia Beach (#14), Charlottesville (#18 - Go Hoos!!), and Blacksburg (#43). View the complete, 100-city listing.