Maintaining Your Heating/Cooling Systems

With summer nearly over, I’m sure you (like me) have been reminded just how much we use our air conditioning. Soon, in the winter, you’ll also be reminded of how often you use the furnace, too.

It’s one of the major systems in your home, and a surprise issue with one of these systems can be a nightmare if handled improperly. That’s why I wanted to share a video from Angie’s List that I recently saw about proper maintenance of your heating and cooling systems.

If either unit is having issues, did you know you can actually hire technicians who are specially trained to work on certain brands? For example, if you have a Trane system, you can find a tech who is trained specifically to work on Trane products.

Secondly, always remember to get a second opinion when someone recommends that you replace a system because oftentimes a repair will do. You want to be certain when it comes to a part of your home that should last 20 years, especially considering the cost of a replacement.

Unfortunately, as the video points out, there are a lot of people out there in that deal in these systems and prey on customers that don’t know any better. If you’re hiring a company, you should investigate them by checking out their web reviews or social media pages.

Also, be proactive with service on these systems. If you wait until the system is broken down and needs repair to get it checked out, you’re now at their mercy.

As always, for any real estate questions for the Syracuse area, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to answer them for you!

April’s Transactions Meant $12,000 in Donations to a Local Charity

Selling your Central New York home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Central New York home?  Search all homes for sale

Today I’m joined by Warren Pfohl with David’s Refuge to tell you about an incredible partnership that raises donations to help continue the mission of caring for the caregiver. Because of the exposure that David’s Refuge got from this campaign, we were able to do 17 transactions in April, which allowed us to donate an amazing $12,000 to David’s Refuge!

"We’re so honored and happy to be a part of the family and part of David’s Refuge."

Do you know what that means? That means David’s Refuge can serve 25 families. These families will leave knowing that they are not alone, that what they do matters, and that God loves them. That is amazing. We’re so honored and happy to be a part of the family and part of David’s Refuge.

If you’re interested in learning more, visit www.davidsrefuge.org.

Old Sellers, Young Buyers Clash in Syracuse Market

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Buying a Central New York home?  Search all homes for sale

A lot of people have been asking me, “What’s the one big thing that’s happening in Syracuse real estate?"

The one big thing happening right now is that we have a big chasm between buyers and sellers. The average buyer is about 37 years old, while the average seller is about 67 years old. So what’s the big chasm?

The chasm is that the average seller bought a home, fixed it up, and made it theirs. They may have put new floors in or made other changes to make it theirs. That’s the way they want to sell their house; the hardwood floors might need to be refinished or the countertops might need updating, or the bathrooms might need renovating. They don’t want to do it for the buyer, but rather have the buyer update the home their way. That’s what they had to do, after all.

Buyers today are considered “entitled” because they want to have things done right for them. The 45 and under buyer really wants to have a house that’s already updated for them, because they don’t have the time, money, or effort to make the updates.

The average seller might not want to put in granite countertops for fear of choosing the wrong color, for example, but the buyer looks at this as a lack of effort to sell. The average buyer would rather pay more for the same house if it’s already updated.

We’re seeing that houses that have professional photos, staging, and updates are selling so much faster than those that aren’t. Buyers are disappointed in the inventory for this reason. What we’ve got to do is coach the sellers to do some of the updating, and coach the buyers to understand that, with the help of a contractor, there’s not much work to be done. Refinishing floors, installing granite countertops or replacing a bathroom vanity doesn’t cost tens of thousands of dollars like some think.

We can help sellers with updating and staging, and we can help buyers get set up with contractors or anyone that can help with a new home. If you have any questions, give me a call or shoot me an email and let’s talk soon!