Blog - Tracey De Simon

Home Owner Education

Lawn Care

Lawn care needn’t take up all your time, but you do need to make a commitment to having healthy grass. Why? It not only provides a comfy carpet for kids to play on, but prevents soil erosion, absorbs many air pollutants and filters contaminants from rainwater. Healthy grass also helps clean the air by […]
Real Estate

Interest Rate Buy downs

Interest Rate Buy downs What is an interest-rate buy down? It’s a tool to help you qualify for a larger loan and purchase a higher-priced house than you could under normal circumstances. A buy down allows you to pay extra points up front in return for a lower interest rate for the first few […]
Home Owner Education

Burglar-Proof Your Home

Burglar-Proof Your Home Burglars break in to 65,000 American homes per year. That’s a scary statistic, but you don’t have to become part of it if you know how to protect yourself, your family and your valuables. Think that hollow plastic rock out front where you keep your key fools anyone? Never leave keys in […]
Wellness

Alleviate Stress

Alleviate Stress List the things that cause you stress. Change the way you think about these stressors by putting a positive spin on them. Practice being optimistic. Reframe things in the context of a larger positive plan. Recognize that troubles are temporary. Don’t blame yourself needlessly. Put things into perspective. Let go of what you […]

Home Owner Education Lawn Care Lawn care needn’t take up all your time, but you do need to make a commitment to having healthy grass. Why? It not only provides a comfy carpet for kids to play on, but prevents soil erosion, absorbs many air pollutants and filters contaminants from rainwater. Healthy grass also helps clean the air by […]

Real Estate Interest Rate Buy downs Interest Rate Buy downs What is an interest-rate buy down? It’s a tool to help you qualify for a larger loan and purchase a higher-priced house than you could under normal circumstances. A buy down allows you to pay extra points up front in return for a lower interest rate for the first few […]

Home Owner Education Burglar-Proof Your Home Burglar-Proof Your Home Burglars break in to 65,000 American homes per year. That’s a scary statistic, but you don’t have to become part of it if you know how to protect yourself, your family and your valuables. Think that hollow plastic rock out front where you keep your key fools anyone? Never leave keys in […]

Wellness Alleviate Stress Alleviate Stress List the things that cause you stress. Change the way you think about these stressors by putting a positive spin on them. Practice being optimistic. Reframe things in the context of a larger positive plan. Recognize that troubles are temporary. Don’t blame yourself needlessly. Put things into perspective. Let go of what you […]

Home Owner Education How to Increase Your Home’s Value How to Increase Your Home’s Value There is really only one reason to try to increase the value of your home: if you’re trying to sell it. If you’re not, deliberately increasing your home’s value most likely will increase your tax bill as well. There are ways to increase your home’s value for resale that […]

Home Owner Education Home Inspections Home Inspections Atop the long list of items to do when buying or selling a house is the home inspection. But what is involved? How much does it cost? Why is it done in the first place? It’s important to understand what a home inspection entails and how it affects the sale of your home […]

Wellness Healthy Holiday Eating Healthy Holiday Eating How about making a New Year’s resolution before the New Year? Resolve to maintain your weight during the holiday season, since the average American gains five to ten pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. But how can you maintain your weight surrounded by your favorite high-calorie goodies and holiday drinks? Read on […]

Wellness Get Active Stay Active Get Active Stay Active Summer is here, so below is a quick-and-dirty primer on the reasons you should be exercising coupled with some rah-rah motivational strategies to get you going and keep you going. Exercise benefits Energy increase Manufacture and release of endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemicals Amplified strength and stamina Increase in brain power, […]

Finance Foreclosure Investment Myths Foreclosure Investment Myths Foreclosure—the very word strikes fear in the hearts of most homeowners. Unless, that is, you are looking to take advantage of a foreclosure from a buyer’s perspective. Then it can be music to the ears. However, you’ll want all the facts before you jump in. There are plenty of myths regarding foreclosures, […]

Uncategorized When to Get Excited About the Housing Market When to Get Excited About the Housing Market Real estate professionals get that consumers, by and large, ignore housing statistics and the market until they become involved in the purchase or sale of a home. It’s only natural then that what impacts the market is a bit of a mystery to many. What determines a […]

Home Owner Education Servicing Your Furnace Servicing Your Furnace When it’s cold, it’s easy to remember that the furnace is your friend. On winter nights, the convenience of pushing a button or dialing a knob to produce a comfortable climate is worth its weight in gold. But you can’t afford to consider your furnace only when you need it. For reliable […]

Home Owner Education Build Home Equity Faster Build Home Equity Faster Equity is the part of your property that you actually own. It’s the current value of a property less the amount of the liens secured against it. If you own property that’s worth $250,000, and you have a mortgage with a remaining loan balance of $100,000, your equity in the property […]

Home Owner Education Top 4 Deal Killers for Homebuyers Top 4 Deal Killers for Homebuyers Falling in love is exhilarating. It can also be a bit scary, especially when a home has captured your heart. What if something goes wrong and you end up not spending the rest of your life with this stack of brick and mortar you’re lusting after? No matter how […]

Real Estate New Build or Existing Home: Which One Is Right for You? New Build or Existing Home: Which One Is Right for You? Homebuyers today are facing a huge dilemma. There simply aren’t enough homes for sale.1 Nationwide, there were 1.27 million active listings in September, down 13% from the previous year. According to the National Association of Realtors, that’s about 2.4 months of inventory, which is […]

Home Owner Education HOUSE CARE CALENDAR: A Seasonal Guide to Maintaining Your Home A Seasonal Guide to Maintaining Your Home From summer vacations to winter holidays, it seems each season offers the perfect excuse to put off our to-do list. But be careful, homeowners: neglecting your home’s maintenance could put your personal safety—and one of your largest financial investments—at serious risk. In no time at all, small […]

Real Estate Top 10 Myths That Trip Up First-Time Home Buyers Top 10 Myths That Trip Up First-Time Home Buyers If you’re thinking about buying a home, you’ve probably received your share of advice from family and friends. Add to that the constant stream of TV shows, news segments, and social media posts that over-simplify the home buying process for easy entertainment. With so much information […]