Winter Lawn Care

Right now with no snow on the ground, Winter may have your lawn looking less than stellar. To keep your neighbors happy -- and potential buyers interested -- take a look at these lawn care tips.

By taking a few precautions during the Winter, you can ensure a healthy lawn come Springtime.

The first, and perhaps easiest, step is to pick up any leaves that cover your lawn. If left sitting over grass, they will create dead spots.

The same goes for clutter and debris, such as toys. You may think that grass is completely dormant during Winter months, however, grass still needs oxygen and sunlight to maintain life. If you have it covered, you have it smothered.

The next step, do not drive on the grass. Winter is a time for holiday parties and family get-togethers. Many people may be tempted to park on lawns. Resist the urge!

You can take lawn care two steps further, as well.

If your lawn has pH issues, now is the time to treat it with lime and other additives. Contact your local lawn specialist for more information.

Late Winter is also the time to aerate your lawn. Aerating is making small holes in the surface of your lawn, you allow for deeper root growth. You also allow nutrients to gain direct access to the grass roots. This should give you a fuller, thicker lawn.

Follow these simple steps and wake up to a beautiful Spring lawn!

Christmas Mailing Deadlines

So, just in case you are one of those people that wait until the last minute for everyting, (unlike myself, ahem) it's not too late to get those presents out!

If you still haven't mailed out your Christmas gifts to Uncle Bob and Aunt Shirley, or your Christmas cards with the yearly family newsletter novella, you still have time for them to get there by Christmas!

For first-class cards and letters to be delivered by Christmas, you need to mail them by Monday, December 20th.

For priority mail, the deadline is Tuesday, December 21st and for express mail, it's Wednesday, December 23rd.

So, get out there and get going, but maybe next year to save some stress, plan ahead. Happy Holidays!

Mortgage Rates Inch Up Again, It's Time to Buy

Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), which found that both fixed- and short-term mortgage rates continued to rise this week. This was the fifth week in a row where fixed-rate mortgage rates were up.

30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.83 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending December 16, 2010, up from last week when it averaged 4.61 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.94 percent.

What does this mean to you, the buyer? It means rates are still low but inching up. Rates are still lower than last year. So, perhaps you should get while the gettin's good? It may be time to buy before rates go up much higher.

Homeownership Going Back to a Long Term Investment

Is there value in owning a home? The recently released 2010 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers brings some promising results. Today homeowners are living in their homes longer, and after several years of price declines, are seeing rises in home equity gains.

It was only earlier this decade that so many buyers jumped on the investment bandwagon. They bought and sold within incredibly short time frames, and walked away with profits. But as the booms busted, many sellers found they had bought at the top of the market and as prices corrected, they lost more than just dollars. Foreclosure rates skyrocketed. Historically, however, homeownership is a long term investment, and one that brings many rewards.

Current market and economic conditions have created a shift from the house flipping ways of the boom. The house flipping and quick gains which occurred during the boom period were abnormal, driven by risky, easy-money financing that should never have been allowed in the market.

American are still buying, however. And surveys have found there are particular reasons behind these purchases. These include the desire to own a home, the desire for a larger home, a change in family situation and taking advantage of the home buyer tax credit, a job-related move, and then the current supply of affordable homes.

And once they buy, homeowners are staying put longer. A typical seller has been in their home for 8 years, but the survey reveals first-time buyers are planning to stay for 10 years, and repeat buyers for 15 years.

Even with several years of price declines, the typical seller who purchased a home eight years ago experienced a median equity gain of $33,000, a 24 percent increase, while sellers who were in their homes for 11 to 15 years saw a median gain of 40 percent. So, once again buying for the long-term is steering its way back into value.

A Fun Christmas Tree Fact...

There are few traditions more grand than the Christmas tree that adorns Rockefeller Center every year. But did you know that is not the tallest Christmas tree in America?

The tree at Rockefeller Center comes in at just number 9 this year at 74 feet high. The other top 10 are as follows:

10. Houston's City Hall, 70 ft.

8. Portland, OR, Pioneer Square, 75 ft.
7. Boston, MA, Fanueil Hall, 85 ft.
6. Toledo, OH, Toledo Zoo, 85 ft.
5. Kansas City, MO, Crown Center Square, 100 ft.
4. Los Angeles, CA, The Americana at Brand & the Grove at Farmers
Market, 100 ft.
3. Anthem, AZ, The Outlets, 110 ft.
2. Ferndale, CA, Victoria Village, 150 ft.

And topping the list...

Number 1, Coeur d'Alane Resort, IA, Coeur d'Alane Resort, 161 ft.

The number 1 tree is 87 feet taller than the Rockefeller Center Tree! Come on NY, we can't be outdone! Although, perhaps a tree that tall is a bit showy. Keep it classy NYC. *wink*