Sell Your Old Home!

Ready to get into a new home? Need to sell first? Most naysayers discount the winter season for selling - but - there are ways to do it!  Use some of our tips to sell your old home so you can move on!

Statistically, there are fewer buyers during the winter months - but there is also less competition. Buyers who are out are more serious and looking to buy in a shorter time frame.

That's the good news!

So what can you do to help move the process along?

Exterior:
- Make sure all the windows are clean and sparkle in the winter light
- Create a welcoming entryway using a wreath or porch decor
- Remove any dead landscaping and prune as necessary

Interior:
- If you aren't currently living in the room make sure you have the heat on long before your next appointment shows up
- Create a cozy feel using candles, blankets and the scent of fresh baking cookie or cider

Misc:
- Provide photos of your home in other seasons to highlight the landscaping and help potential buyers visualize themselves in the home year round

Big Game - Big Party!

Whether you are a serious professional football fan or not, the Super Bowl has gained it's place in the line of American past times.  Friends gather to eat, cheer on their favorite teams, watch the half time show or rate the commercials.

This year you're in a new home and the Super Bowl is a perfect opportunity to show it off!  Thanks to Pinterest - we've got plenty of great ideas on how you can make your party a winner!

Need some entertainment for your non-football loving guests? Game Day Bingo!

Personal size snacks - cut down on the double dipping and mess

Fun ways to incorporate retro candy

DIY Decor!

Warm Up this Winter

The winter weather has finally arrived and you are trying desperately to stay warm!

Here are some ways to warm up - the smart way!

1. When you're coming home to a cold house, don't crank the thermostat up too high too fast. Thermostats don't work that way and it will just end up costing you money.

2. At night, or when you're not home, don't let it get too cold. Otherwise it will take a long time to heat back up. The key is to not try and go to extremes with your temperature. Dropping by just a couple of degrees at night is the better way to go.

3. Make use of a programmable thermostat. Automatic adjustments will happen more slowly and more efficiently.

4. During the day, keep your blinds open to let in the warmth of the sunlight. Make sure all of the windows are locked to prevent drafts.

5. Don't close the heating vents in rooms that aren't used often. This could cause an imbalance in your heating system.

Do you have any stay warm tips this winter?

2016 Housing Market

Predictions for the 2016 Housing Market appear strong on a variety of fronts. According to an article in the Washington Post several factors will encourage another year of positive growth.

• Home prices should continue to increase
• Credit requirements - especially for first time home buyers are beginning to normalize
• Housing remains on a more solid foundation with less mortgages underwater
• Homeowners looking to sell and move on to new homes should have an easier time selling in 2016

So will 2016 be the year you purchase your new dream home?

To read the whole article click here

Color of the Year

For the first time Pantone is introducing two colors of the year - Rose Quartz and Serenity.  Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute describes the two tone color combination as "an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue".

The emotional attributes of Rose Quartz and Serenity are a sense of calm and relaxation.

For more information visit the official site of Pantone's "Color of the Year"

New Home Resolutions

If buying a new home is on your wish list for 2016 - there are steps you can take now to make that dream a reality.

Resolve to do these things so you can be living in your new home sooner than you think!

1. Think about what you can really afford. The rule of thumb is that your house payment should be about 25% of your income. Review your budget so you know what type of home you can comfortably afford.

2. Be aware of your credit. Go ahead and pull your latest credit scores. Make sure there are no discrepancies or issues that need to be addressed with the credit bureaus. If you have any problems on your report work to get them resolved as quickly as possible.

3. Talk with a lender to become preapproved. Before you start the home shopping process - meet with a mortgage lender and discuss your financial situation. You can get preapproved which will dramatically shorten the length of the home buying process.

4. Save for a down payment. Received some cash this holiday season? Put that money in a fund towards a down payment on your house. Hold off on any major purchases that are not necessary and use that money towards your dream home.

5. Prepare for the mortgage process.  Obtaining a home loan is a lot of work. Get your financial records in order ahead of time to relieve some of the stress. Pull together pay stubs, W2s, bank statements, investment statements and insurance information.

Start these steps in the new year and you'll be on your way to a new home!

Merry Christmas Trivia

A very Merry Christmas from all of us at Paradime Construction!

Thank you for a wonderful year!

We're wishing you a blessed time with family and friends.  If you need a little help with small talk this holiday...here are a few pieces of Christmas trivia you may enjoy!

1. The typical Christmas tree grows for 15 years before it is ready to be cut and sold.
2. Alabama was the first state to officially recognize Christmas as a holiday - in 1836.
3. The earliest Christmas trees were decorated with apples.
4. Americans send on average 1.5 billion Christmas cards.
5. "Jingle Bells" was originally written for Thanksgiving.
6. For Santa to visit all the homes he needs to on Christmas Eve, he would have to visit 822 homes a second.
7. The best selling Christmas song is "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby.
8. Ebenezer Scrooge's original catch phrase was "Bah Christmas" - then changed to "Bah Humbug".
9. If someone was to receive all of the gifts from the 12 Days of Christmas you would receive 364 gifts.
10. The busiest shopping days of the year are the Friday and Saturday before Christmas.

Happy Holidays!