A quick clean can make a huge difference!

The year has flown by, and Christmas is only a week away.  If you're like me, this month has been spent finishing up end of the year projects at work, focusing on getting gifts, and not on cleaning up around the house.  As the holiday approaches, most people will gather with friends and family, and for most, making sure everything looks spotlessly clean can be a source of anxiety.  Party planning and prepping can take so much time, that many people wait until the last possible second to tackle cleaning, and the task can be come overwhelming!

Luckily, the folks over at lifehacker have posted a great article to get you out of this jam! How to Clean Your House in 15 Minutes or Less! is provides a detailed game plan for making your house look great for guests in no time at all! Check out this article and share it with friends and family you know will be hosting guests this year, and let me know any of your secret tips in the comments below.  Don't forget to follow my blog, friend me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter to keep up with everything I ever post!

The Holiday Season is here!

Ah, the month of December is underway! This is a wonderful time of year in which many people celebrate the holidays with their respective customs and traditions.  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other Holiday, this is a wonderful season to gather together with friends and family!  Whether your hosting a holiday theme party for friends, or preparing a meal for family, decorating your home for the holidays can be a fun way to show your holiday spirit!

Checking online, you can find TONS of different ideas, tips, and tricks for holiday decorations.  The folks at Good Housekeeping posted a great article with several DIY Christmas Decorations that are easy to do, and offer a great look around the house.  Check out the gallery and let me know your thoughts or other decorating ideas you have in the comments below.  Follow my blog, friend me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter to keep up with all my posts!

Promising Updates for Real Estate

For many of my friends, customers, and clients, I like to send a monthly report on our local real estate market called "Market Watch".  This month's report had some great statistics that I felt were important to share.  As a Realtor, people ask me how the market is doing all the time, and it's nice to have some facts to share with them.  According to Dr. Lawrence Yun, PhD, the lead economist for the National Association of Realtors, next year should see around a 2% growth in GDP; however, he is even more optimistic about real estate than the economy as a whole.  His projections are that existing home sales will increase to reach a level of 5 million units, along with a 5% increase to the median price.  He also projects that new construction will increase 25% next year, which, while being a huge increase over this year, it is important to note that new constructions levels have been very low for quite some time.

While these national numbers are quite optimistic, it is important to remember that real estate markets can be very localized.  F.C. Tucker Emge REALTORS®, the brokerage I work for, is up over 12% year to date over last year.  The current average sales price in our area is $125,300, and the median price is up over last year as well.  It is encouraging to see these signs of continued real estate growth in our area, and I'm looking forward to the next year!  If you know of anyone who has been thinking of buying or selling a home, feel free to share this information with them! Follow my blog, friend me on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter to keep up with all my posts!