Lawn Care

Great article on Lawn Care.....


Spring is in the air and that means that homebuyers are going to be paying just as much attention to the exterior of a home than the interior. Those shopping for a home want to envision their kids playing in the yard, their friends coming over for barbeques and the lazy Sunday afternoon laying on the lawn.
While people are inclined to bring in flowers, paint the deck and work on the curb appeal, often the lawn itself is neglected. The positives of a well-maintained grass yard are many and it’s important to get your grass in tip-top shape before showing your home.
When it comes to growing grass, consistent care is key and failure to invest in long-term turf care can open the window to any number of problems in your lawn.
It’s also important to give your grass the fertilizing lawn care and control treatments it needs based on the season. Lawn care for growing grass as we enter May has different needs than what is expected in late summer and fall.
The way you mow your lawn can either make growing grass easier or harder. In the spring, you need to keep the grass high. You never want to remove more than one third of the total blade height when mowing, or you could chop off the food-producing parts of the grass blade and end up with a brown lawn instead of a green one.
You should also leave grass clippings on the lawn to help recycle important lawn fertilizing nutrients.
Lawn care experts share that growing green plants is the best thing you can do to clean the air and grass is considered to be better than most other plants or trees at removing carbon and other impurities from the atmosphere. Through the process of photosynthesis, grass takes carbon from the air and stores it in the ground.
“A grass lawn enriches the soil by providing a home for beneficial micro-organisms and insects that eat nature’s leftovers—decomposing grass clippings, plant leaves and other vegetation—and recycle nutrients back into the soil,” said Michael McDermott, a lawn care expert in Larchmont, N.Y. “It also pollinates plants and serves as food for other animals, making grass an important part of nature’s cycle.”
An important component of growing grass is to properly water it, and it is better to water deeply (down to a depth of 6 inches) and less frequently, than lightly and more often. If your lawn dulls in color or begins to wilt, then your lawn needs water. Make sure to sweep any fertilizer that lands on driveways and sidewalks back on to the lawn.
Grass also acts like a natural air conditioner that cools the air as it releases water vapor through its blades. The water evaporates and draws heat, cooling the air in the process. As a result, lawns are a safer surface for children to play on and provide the cool comfort we desire on hot days. Those are selling points that can help any home sale.




Prudential Fox & Roach is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential company. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Real Estate For Sale in Willow Grove Upper Moreland Twp PA, Joanne Genesio Prudential Fox & Roach REALTORS

Real Estate For Sale in Willow Grove PA, Joanne Genesio Prudential Fox & Roach REALTORS

Short Sale Homes: Things You Need to Keep In Mind When Buying

Now is a great time to purchase short sale properties. This is because of the abundance of properties whose values are less than the value owed to the lender. However, it is not that easy to buy a short sale. You will need to think of various considerations when buying such property. An advantage of a short sale is that the seller is motivated to sell the property. This means that you have the upper hand during the negotiation process. Although this is the case, you will still need to be careful when making an offer. Another benefit is that there are several short sale properties to choose from. This means that most of the properties are in good shape because sellers want to attract buyers. And since there are fewer buyers, you have the luxury of choosing the property that works for you. But what is short sale in the first place and why are these properties cheap? Short sale happens when a lender accepts a discounted payment for the mortgage. This usually happens when the balance of the mortgage exceeds the value of the property. However, the steps taken are not simple. The buyer making an offer will not be able to close the deal right away. It is true that a short sale is a waiting game. You will need patient if you want to be able to acquire the property. If your first offer was rejected, you can make a higher offer and wait for the decision of the lender.

Here are some tips to help make the short sale purchase easier.

Work with an experienced agent. It is essential that you work with a realtor who has handled short sale purchases before. This way, he can assist you better and can help you make favorable decisions. He will be able to have access to listed short sale properties as well. Moreover, he can negotiate with the seller and facilitate the immediate approval of the short sale application.

Find the right home or investment property. If you are looking for a property, where you can move into right away, and then rethink the purchase of a short sale property. As mentioned earlier, it is unlike that you will be able to close it in a month. In addition to that, making an offer will not guarantee that you will be able to purchase the property. This is because the lender may still reject it.

Make a good offer. This is crucial in owning the short sold property. If you have a good offer, the lender may approve it and you will be able to close the deal. But what is a good offer? The best thing to do is to have the property appraised. This will help you identify the real value of the property. Your offer does not have to match the appraised value. However, it would greatly help ensure the approval of the short sale. If the lender agrees to the offer you made, you will be able to purchase the property and close the deal.

North Wales, Montgomery County Pa. New Construction Pulte Townhomes

North Wales, Montgomery County Pa. New Construction Pulte Townhomes

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Home Sellers: Cut to the Chase in Home Repairs and Enhancements

2011 opens as a strong buyer’s market so home sellers must be on their toes to give their homes maximum appeal. Not only should sellers complete the home repairs they know must be made, they should also hire a certified home inspector to thoroughly and impartially evaluate their properties. If this inspection results in a fix-it list, review the list with your real estate professional to establish necessities and priorities. Depending on your budget and objectives, you may want to repair only items that could cause significant deterioration to your property, such as a leaky roof. Ideally, the closer you can get your home to “move-in-ready” status, the more likely you are to attract today’s cautious and discerning buyers. Among the most common repairs and enhancements yielding immediate buyer appeal include:
Paint inside and outside in neutral colors
Steam clean or replace carpets
Polish or replace hardwood floors
Clean or re-grout kitchen and bathrooms
Replace light fixtures
Change light bulbs throughout and replace wall-switch covers
Repair dripping faucets
Fix sticking door
Repair broken fencing
Home sellers wanting to do more should consider the findings of Remodeling magazine’s 2010-’11 Cost vs. Value Report, released in December 2010. The survey used input from REALTORS in 80 cities to rank home remodeling projects according to those that bring the greatest cost recovered at sale. Many of the top projects focus on exterior replacements, as replacements are generally less expensive than other types of projects and they add all-important curb appeal – essential for today’s competitive market or any other. The Top Five projects in the Cost vs. Value Report include:

No. 1 – Entry door replacement (steel)

No. 2 – Garage door replacement (four-section door, reuse existing motorized opener)

No. 3 – Siding replacement (fiber-cement siding)

No. 4 – Kitchen remodel (minor: new cabinet doors, drawers and hardware, plus new energy-efficient appliances, flooring, counters, sink and faucet)

No. 5 – Deck addition (wood)

When the dust clears and projects are complete, be sure that you and your real estate professional document your repairs and enhancements, and share the report with prospective buyers. Walk prospects through the enhancements and include their costs. A home in good condition demonstrates pride of ownership. Taking the time to make enhancements helps ensure your home is presented in its best-possible light, primed for sale.