Real Estate Blog

Talk of a national "real estate crisis" has made local buyers and sellers nervous and confused about today's real estate market. However, the local market statistics suggest that the market is not so bad, even positive in some aspects.

Many people tune in to the television, internet or other media for their information on real estate. This information is usually dramatized for ratings and focuses on the nation as a whole.

 As local real estate professionals, we saw a need to educate people about their local real estate market, so they can make wise decisions in real estate. Therefore, we created a series of workshops geared to the local market.

Visit www.WiseRealEstateDecisions.com for more information

Treat your home like you would treat yourself.

A professional pest inspection is extremely important, particularly since your home is often the largest single investment you will make. A pest inspection is a little bit like an annual check-up at the doctor, only in this case the patient is your home, the examination is the inspection and after the diagnosis the prescription is the recommended treatment.

A few things your inspector will be checking for are:

• Active infestations
• Evidence of wood destroyers
• Roof and plumbing leaks
• Earth-to-wood contact around your foundation
• Cellulose and wood debris under or near your home
• Where firewood is stored in relation to your structure
• Proper ventilation and air flow in the crawlspace and attic
• Proper exclusion (holes, cracks, compromised vent screens, etc.)

Speaking in terms of the pest control industry, moisture is the root of all evil. Most basements and crawlspaces are susceptible to moisture issues and water penetration. The type and degree of moisture-related trouble varies, but even if the water doesn't immediately damage your home’s structure it could create an environment conducive to wood-destroying organisms and insects that will. The four most common types of wood destroyers are termites, carpenter ants, wood beetles, and fungi that cause dry rot.

Your pest inspection is limited to visible and accessible surfaces only, but a trained inspector can identify evidence of pest infestation as well as conditions that are conducive to an infestation. It is recommended that you have your home inspected annually.

The best medicine is prevention.

Be sure that your “doctor” is a reputable pest company that offers:

• Thorough, honest inspections – before giving you a quote
• Treats your home with natural products -- safe to humans and environment
• Gives you a one year warranty -- with unlimited service

Provided by: Steve Rowland and John Paxin of All Natural Pest Elimination

www.nobuggy.com

Here is a quick look at sales of single family homes with less than 1 acre of land in the city of Albany as of May 1st 2007. 

Active Listings

Total - 369 Homes

Under $200,000 - 139 Homes

$201,000-$300,000 - 125 Homes

$301,000 and up - 104 Homes

Sold Listings Jan. 1st - May 1st

Total - 273 Homes

Under $200,000 - 161 Homes

$201,000-$300,000 - 84 Homes

$301,000 and up - 25 Homes

For more information on today's market in Albany or other areas please email me at.

Jason@ConserRealty.Com

Does the cost of fossil fuels change the housing market?

I know that fossil fuels and energy efficiency have become a very popular and even political topic. I am not taking sides or trying to change your feelings on the subject, however the cost of fossil fuels such as oil, gasoline, coal and natural gas definitely has an impact on housing in several ways.

It directly impacts the cost of new homes the most. Many products used in new homes either contain petroleum products and/or take large amounts of energy and heat to produce, and fossil fuels are still used to produce a good percentage of energy today. The distribution and delivery of the materials used in home production is generally done by diesel trains or trucks. For these reasons the prices of materials used will often rise.

The contractors who build the new home will often raise their rates as well due to their costs of operating rising. The machines used on the job site often run on gas or diesel and the handheld power tools often use electricity or compressed air that was generated by electricity or gas/diesel. They will also have higher commuting costs when the cost of fuel rises.

Another impact on costs of homes will be the consumer demand for more energy efficient homes. At this time it costs more to make a home more energy efficient due to costs of energy efficient products and the extra materials and labor used in construction.

The pre-owned market will suffer as well. If energy efficient homes are in demand the energy efficient home will bring a premium price and less energy efficient homes will need to upgrade their energy efficiency to compete, both will raise the market price. We could also see the demand for large homes decreasing.

There maybe many options to reduce energy consumption or dependence on fossil fuels however it will take decades to have a big enough impact. In my opinion this will become the reality in the not so far future.