House & Home March Newsletter: Danielle Carames

MAR 2023

A REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER

Mary Carroll’s

Steps for a Lush Lawn During Spring

All about St. Patrick

C: O:

A message from

your Realtor

Thank you so much for opening up your March edition of my House and Home Newsletter. We are so close to spring- can you smell the green grass and fresh flowers yet? I thought I’d take a moment this month to share a bit about my background and what you can expect in choosing me as your agent.

I was born and raised here on Long Island. My official professional training is in Education and Counseling. As a natural helper (and mom of twin boys!), my strengths include: cultivating relationships, effective communication, mediation, active listening, organization and attention to detail. I am a tenacious advocate for those in my care. I lead with compassion and patience while remaining focused on your desired goals.

What can you expect in working with me? My undivided attention, loyalty and accessibility; complete and detailed communication throughout all stages of your selling or purchase process; assistance in finding the best fit in your vendors from preapproval to closing; a thorough education on current market conditions; a trusted advisor with an acute focus on the best outcomes for you based on your budget and objectives. Lastly, in me you can expect to have made a new friend, someone you can rely on for years to come.

I look forward to working with you in the future!

Sláinte,

Danielle

SPRING LAWN CARE

Steps for a Lush Lawn During Spring

HOME MAINTENANCE

Home Projects to Tackle During Spring

ENTERTAINMENT CORNER St. Patrick’s Day Fun Facts

LOVING LOCAL

Spotlight on Local Business Featured Community Events

MARKET UPDATE

SPRING LAWN CARE Spring is in the air, so don’t let your yard look bare. As winter loosens its grip and the landscape starts to show signs of life once again, we turn our thoughts to our lawns and how we can finally get that lush green grass we’ve always wanted. However, having a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood isn’t something that happens just because we water a little in the spring. Lawn care is something that we should be aware of all year, but springtime is when the real action happens. Use these tips to have the best yard in the neighborhood, bar none.

Rake the leaves. Raking is the first thing you should do to prepare your lawn for new growth. It helps to control the unwanted buildup of thatch and to identify any clumped areas of grass where snow mold has caused the blades to stick together (which is a problem when you seed the lawn).

Aerate, if needed. Check the areas of your lawn that sees heavy traffic for soil compaction - soil that has become dense with roots unable to take hold. If you see this, you can alleviate it by aeration.

Rent a lawn aerator to create openings in lawn turf. This allows water and air to penetrate the soil and reach the grassroots.

Assess the soil for acidity. Grass likes a neutral pH so soil well outside the perfectly neutral soil of 7 on the pH scale can be subject to moss growth.

If you’re experiencing soil that is acidic, you can use soil amendments such as ground limestone to lift the pH back to optimum level for growing grass. Use a fertilizer drop spreader to apply the lime.

You should have your soil checked annually by sending a sample to your county agriculture extension.

Overseed. A lawn riddled with bare spots may need an application of grass seed to fill in those spots. Overseeding is the process of sowing seed over existing grass. Apply a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer or starter fertilizer when you overseed. Keep the new seed moist until it has sprouted and is actively growing.

About five weeks after overseeding, you can begin a normal fertilization routine using quick-release nitrogen fertilizer to really help the new grass.

Now lets talk weeds. For a weed-free lawn, spring lawn care is as much about weed prevention as it is about fostering healthy lawn growth. Depending upon whether a weed is annual or perennial, you will use either a pre-emergent herbicide or a post-emergent herbicide.

A pre-emergent is not a weed killer as much as it is a weed preventer, designed to keep the seeds from being able to germinate and give your lawn a fighting chance. A post-emergent is a weed killer; however, it can kill any plant it comes it comes in contact with. If you have an organic green thumb and do not want to use herbicides, you can always pull the weeds.

Spring H O M E M A I N T E N A N C E

Spring is in the air! For those of us who have been trapped indoors to stay out of the cold, we get to rediscover the outside world again. It’s also time for some home maintenance items that will help avoid huge repair bills later. Follow these seasonal tips to prepare for the warmer months ahead and to manage the regular maintenance on your home.

INSPECT THE ROOF

VACUUM REFRIGERATOR COILS

Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against water damage. Now is the time to inspect and repair any water damage. If you delay, you will risk facing water damage inside your home too.

The coils on the bottom of the refrigerator conduct the hot air from inside the unit. If they’re coated with dust, they do the job less efficiently and cause your fridge to work harder. Use a vacuum cleaner hose or a brush to clean the coils.

CLEAN THE GUTTERS Gutters direct rain away from your roof and home, protecting both in the process. Clogged gutters open your home to water damage - there’s a good chance you won’t notice it until it’s too late.

FIX CRACKS IN YOUR HOME

CLEAN/ REPLACE HVAC FILTERS

CLEAN DECKS AND OTHER OUSIDE SURFACES

A dirty filter forces your HVAC system to work harder and potentially shorten the life of your blower motor.

CLEAN THE DRYER VENT Not all lint is caught in the lint trap; some make its way into the dryer vent. A clear vent reduces the time your dryer has to run while a plugged vent increases that time and also cause house fires.

REPLACE BATTERIES IN SMOKE DETECTORS This is a matter of life or death so take the time to replace the batteries now. (This should be done quarterly).

Unlike the human body, crack in asphalt, concrete, or stucco don’t heal themselves. Fortunately, most of these repairs are easy if done immediately.

Use a pressure washer to make the job easier. If you don’t have one, rent it from a home center.

CHECK SEALS AROUND WINDOWS & DOORS Winter weather can harden and crack caulk and other weather seals. Inspect and repair now to reduce your A/C bill and prevent water from entering your home and causing damage.

CLEAR AROUND THE A/C COMPRESSOR To work efficiently, the compressor needs good airflow.

Prune any plant growth blocking it.

entertainment CORNER

LOCAL

Spotlight

Did You Know?

Did you know St. Patrick was not actually Irish or that the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held here in America? The observance of St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland began in the 17th century as a religious feast day that commemorates the death of St. Patrick in the fifth century. According to Time.com, Patrick is credited with having brought Christianity to Ireland, and as such became a figure of national devotion and, in due course, the nation’s patron saint. The day’s importance was confirmed in 1631 when it was recognized by the Vatican.

Here are some noteworthy fun facts: The first recorded celebration of St. Patrick’s Dau in the U.S. is March 17, 1737 in Boston, Mass.

St. Patrick was not Irish. He was born in Britain, kidnapped by Irish pirates at age 16 and after 17 years as a slave, he escaped and returned to Ireland as a missionary.

The Irish stout is the drink of choice on St. Patrick’s Day. On a typical day, Americans drink about 600,000 pints of the Dublinbased beer. But on St. Patrick’s Day, about 3 million pints of Guinness beer are consumed.

Mary Carroll’s

“Possibly the Best Pub Ever” Mary Carroll's opened it's doors in 1997 by proprietor Conor Hartnett from Limerick, Ireland. Conor moved to New York when he was 25 to pursue the American Dream. Five years later his dream came true when “he bought a dump in Babylon Village, and set about turning a pigs ear into a silk purse.” A lot has been done in 25 years and Conor considers it a life long project to try and attain the perfect pub.

Today, Mary’s is living and breathing and full of life with a loyal following. But just like CHEERS, newcomers are given the Irish welcome and made to feel at home right away. It is a no judgement zone.

Live and let live, and have a great time!

121 Deer Park Ave., Babylon

Featured Community Events 03/01/23

West Side Story at Argyle Theater through April 2nd

03/04/23 NYS Defensive Driving, Babylon Library 03/09/23 North Babylon Library Job Fair 03/12/23

Afternoon Tea at the Conklin House

03/19/23

St. Patrick’s Day Parade (1st annual!) 2pm

03/25/23 Shilelagh Law Comes to Lily's Babylon!

04/01/23

Easter Egg Hunt and Breakfast with the Easter Bunny: Babylon Village

04/07/23 The Ultimate Donna Summer Tribute starring Rainere Martin at The Argyle Theater *Contact venue to confirm event details

MARKET

Includes Babylon/West Babylon/North Babylon *As of Feb 2022

Featured Listings

253 Montgomery Avenue West Babylon, NY 11704 List Price: $530,000

Market Statistics 81

CURRENT LISTINGS AVERAGE LISTING PRICE

$609,884 103

UNDER CONTRACT HOMES SOLD

Average Sales Price 2022

$583,041

2023

$578,764

$578,654

AVERAGE DAYS ON MARKET

43

2022

707

2023

68 *as of 1/1

Average Days on Market

Current Market: SELLER

430 Walker Street West Babylon, NY 11704 List Price: $539,999

Total Homes Sold

68

*as of 1/1/23

AVERAGE SALES PRICE

Market Analytics

2022

48

87 Court Street West Babylon, NY 11704

2023

43

List Price: $550,000

Market Insights At this time, housing inventory is extremely low in Babylon Village. As of 2/28 there were only 10 homes for sale within the Babylon School District. In order to broaden the scope of market data and given that Babylon is one of 3 villages and 11 hamlets in the Town of Babylon, I have chosen to use the Village of Babylon’s direct neighbors of North Babylon and West Babylon in this data set as well. If you have specific questions about the inventory of homes in the Babylon Village, please message me directly.

ALL ABOUT

Babylon Village Situated on the South Shore, Babylon is a vibrant community of approximately 13,000

people. Its official name is The Incorporated Village of Babylon. It is commonly referred to as Babylon Village, to distinguish it from the Town of Babylon, of which it is a part. Situated just 30 mi east of New York City, Babylon attracts residents who seek the benefit of suburban living supplement by the educational and cultural resources of the city. today is part suburban bedroom community, part small-town Babylon and has a substantial shopping and business district.

Today the village is best known for its restaurants and shops, and hosts numerous shopping events during the fall as well as a popular crafts fair.

But what about the houses??

The commercial and housing stock in Babylon reflects its longevity as a

Serving approximately 1586 students in three schools: one grade school, one elementary school and one juniorsenior high school.

community. Because of the 140-year presence of the railroad, and its earlier status as a way station on Montauk Highway, originally the only through highway on Long Island's south shore, most of the core of Babylon dates to the era from before the American Civil War to World War I. As a result, there is a mix of building styles, including pre-Civil War, colonial, Victorian, and more recent designs. ecause of this history, and the general unavailability of large tracts of building land, Babylon Village has very few tract houses or developments.

Some of the few areas developed after World War II reflected the conversion of remaining farms and remains of large estates and mansions.

These areas generally contain 1950s-style ranch houses, but there are some Colors: Orange and Black Mascot: Panthers characteristic Long Island split level homes and high ranches.

B

“Next Stop! Amityville, Copaigue, Lindenhurst and Babylon!”