The Real Estate Book of North Florida - Christmas Issue

and Save Money With These Heating Tips

Year after year, many homeowners find themselves surprised when their first heating bill arrives. Now that colder weather has arrived, it’s time to find some ways to stay warm while saving money. The frugal-minded tend to turn to extra blankets and multiple layers in lieu of paying expensive heating bills, but at the end of the day, you should be comfortable in your own home.

With a little knowledge and a few behavior tweaks, you can heat your home much more efficiently, without sacrificing your comfort or your hard-earned paycheck:

TURN DOWN THE TEMPERATURE

By setting your winter thermostat to 68 degrees while you’re awake and setting it lower while you’re asleep or away from home, you can save up to 10 percent a year on heating costs. Just simply turn your thermostat back anywhere from 7-10 degrees for approximately eight hours a day.

CHANGE YOUR FILTERS

Dirty air filters restrict airflow and increase your energy use. Changing the filters on your furnace or heating unit at least every three months can save you anywhere from 4-6 percent a

year on heating costs! If you have pets in your home, your filters are probably even dirtier - changing them once a month is recommended. Taking this step will not only save you money, but also likely prolong the life of your furnace. Have your local heating and air company regularly service your furnace to make sure things are running properly.

SEAL CRACKS AND DUCTS

Windows and doors account for a large amount of heat loss in homes. In fact, installing weather-stripping or caulking leaky doors and windows can save you up to 10 percent on heating

costs. Ducts are another culprit of heat loss, accounting for 25-30 percent of heating costs in the average home. Consider having your HVAC company inspect everything before the really cold weather hits to test the tightness of your ducts and repair any leaks or restrictions.

USE YOUR FAN

While ceiling fans are excellent tools for staying cool in the summer, they can also be adjusted to help you stay warm in the winter. Many fan models have a switch that allows the blades to spin clockwise, which will push warm air that rose to the ceiling back down into the room.

KEEP YOUR CHIMNEY CLOSED

If your home has a fireplace, remember to keep the damper closed when it’s not in use. Consider a chimney balloon (an inflatable device that goes in the chimney) to further keep the cold air out and the warm air from escaping.

Follow these tips and reach out to your local heating and air company to give your system a cold weather check-up to save money and stay warm this season.

OR

HOME! $1,100,000 | 4 BEDS | 5 BATHS | 4,018 SQFT | 18.42 ACRES

This traditional southern estate with an inviting front porch overlooks gorgeous rolling acreage! 4br/3bath plus two 1/2 baths. Large first floor master retreat w/ sitting area large bath. Thermador appliances in the light bright kitchen w/ breakfast room. Enormous, amazing sunroom drinks in the views of the pool and the stunning grounds. Fireplace in the family room. Whole house generator. Heated & cooled salt water pool. Irrigation system. 4000 Sq. Ft shop/garage w/1 bedroom apartment that can easily be converted into 2 bedrooms. Cleared rolling land and wooded acreage. It’s all here waiting for your family at the top of the hill! This property is minutes from Head Springs of the famous Ichetuckemee River that has been showcased on National Geographic. It is also in the area that is the cave diving Capitol of the world. Cave diving and rivers a short drive from this amazing property. MLS#117392. $1,100,000

PREPARING YOUR HOME FOR THE MARKET

Whether you’re ready to move into a larger house to fit your growing family, downsize to a smaller place, or simply need to relocate, the process of selling a house is one that requires work. The more work you do to prepare, the higher the chances will be of attracting serious buyers for your house.

To help you prepare for the big sale, follow these tips:

CHOOSE AN AGENT.

Sure, you can try and go at it alone to save on commission. But a real estate agent who understands your home, your community and your expectations is well worth it. An agent can help with everything from advertising your home to setting a fair price and managing the paperwork.

SET A PRICE.

Once you’ve settled on an agent, they will help set a price for your home and conduct a market analysis of current listings and recent sales of comparable homes in your area. Your agent may also request that you have your home appraised. Factors such as your timeframe to sell, and repairs and upgrades you’re willing to make, will also play a role in determining your asking price.

GET A PRE-LISTING INSPECTION.

Many sellers choose to have their home inspected prior to putting it on the market. A pre-listing inspection can help uncover surprises and allow you to get estimates for repair work ahead of time before you reach the final stages of the home sale. Even if you’ re unable or unwilling to make the recommended repairs, knowing how much it will cost to fix or replace faulty items can help during negotiations.

GET TOGETHER IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS.

Get together appliance manuals, warranty info, past utilities bills and other paperwork to answer questions from prospective buyers and provide to them after the deal has closed.

BOOST YOUR CURB APPEAL.

Your home’s exterior is the first thing potential buyers will notice, so make sure it makes a good and lasting first impression. Touch up paint or repaint entirely and fix cracks in or repave the driveway. Put down new mulch, pull weeds, plant flowers and shrubbery –whatever you can do to make the exterior of your home as appealing as possible.

CLEAN, DECLUTTER AND DEPERSONALIZE.

A prospective buyer wants to envision themselves living in your home – not see you living in there currently. Clean the place, take down family photos and personal items. And if you have a dog or cat, remove signs of them as well. Not everyone is an animal person.

By following these tips, your house will move quickly – even in a non-peak selling season!

HOW TO KEEP YOUR PROPERTY SAFE OVER THE

The holiday season is all about spending time with loved ones, and for many, this means traveling. There are certain precautions you should take whenever you leave your home for more than a few days, but the holidays specifically tend to lead to an increase in home break-ins and stolen packages. And beyond theft – empty homes are more vulnerable to household calamities like frozen pipes and leaking sinks.

But with the proper preparation, you will be able to enjoy your holiday travels with better piece of mind, leaving you to only fret about the presents you’ve yet to wrap. Protect your property with some of these simple steps:

INSTALL SOME HOME SECURITY

There are many things on the market – such as video doorbells and video cameras – that can help you keep a watchful eye on your home. But nothing compares to the full protection of a home security system, which will help to keep you and your family safe. It’s the perfect holiday gift to your family as well – so reach out to your trusted home security firm today for an estimate.

HAVE A LOOKOUT

Ask around to see if a neighbor or friend is staying in town for the holidays and find someone who would be willing to keep tabs on things for you. If they’re willing, have them do things like bring in your mail or park a car in your driveway to make it look like someone is home. If nothing else, have your neighbor or friend simply drive by your property each day to make sure nothing looks out of the ordinary and that there’s nothing that needs immediate attention.

If you don’t have anyone available, you can even enlist the help of a home watch service, which can provide these services, along with others such as inspecting the house for damage. Just make sure whoever is looking out for you has a copy of your contact info and itinerary.

TIME YOUR LIGHTS

Leaving a few lights on while you’re away to make it look like someone is home is usually a good idea, but if you leave the lights on throughout your entire vacation, your electric bill will be an unwelcome surprise, and potential thieves would notice the constant light. Instead, purchase an automatic timer that’ll turn the lights in your home on and off according to a programmed schedule.

PROTECT YOUR PIPES

If you live in a cold climate, you need to prevent your pipes from freezing while you’re away. Make sure your pipes are properly insulated and leave the heat on low to prevent pipes from freezing. If you’ve recruited a friend or neighbor to keep an eye on things, have them turn on the faucet every couple of days.

Reach out to your local home security firm and see what kind of options they have to protect your home. The holidays are a time to celebrate and relax with loved ones, so don’t spend the season worrying about your home. By taking some simple precautions you can spend your holiday season focusing on what really matters.

WIN MORE LISTINGS.

ARE YOU WINNING LISTINGS IN THE CURRENT MARKET?

Is your real estate brand standing above the competition for prospective clients? Leverage the multi-media marketing power of The Real Estate Book to leave a lasting impression on your potential clients. Gain an advertising edge and win more listings.

Learn more: www.RealEstateBook.com

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LAKE CITY

One owner custom-built home located on 6 acres in the peaceful southern Columbia County. 4/3.5 bath boasts large bedrooms, custom builtins, 2 way gas fireplace in LR & Master suite, large closets, tons of closet space/storage.

MLS#117821 $672,000

LAKE CITY

Move in ready 4/2 with newer roof, A/C, & hot water heater. Open floor plan with new appliances & large porches. Garage with screened porch & extra covered parking. Large 24x45 metal storage building w/two roll-up doors. MLS#117861. $330,000

LAKE CITY

Large home in the 55+ community of Eastside Village Subdivision. Split floor plan home with 3 bedrooms or optional extra large great room. Spacious master with walk in shower, and Florida room with A/C.

MLS#117514 $215,000

Text: RBJJSNW To: 52187

MADISON

11.24 Acres located in the rural area of Madison County. Property has a slight roll, giving that hilltop feeling. Timber has been removed; with some work you could have a beautiful homesite for your home or mobile home.

MLS#353035 $75,000

MADISON

Newly built home on 57 acres that's ready for horses. Home built in 2019 features 3 bedrooms, 2 baths,

Decorate Your Home for the Holidays

SAFELY AND STRESS-FREE

Tis’ the season to start transforming the family living spaces with holiday lights, decorations, trees, candles, poinsettias and more. But the thought of decorating can be stressful – with so many other obligations and things to do – and that’s before you factor in the safety aspect.

So, to help make decorating less stressful, consider these options:

Get a fake tree. Taking care of a real one will just give you more to worry about, and you’ll avoid the mess of a real one. You also don’t have to worry about dry branches posing a fire hazard and boxing up a fake is much easier than hauling a real tree outside. Plus, “fake” trees more than ever look like the real thing.

Stick to simple. Don’t feel pressure to cover your whole house in garland, or your entire yard in lights. Sometimes simple is better. Make the most of lights and ornaments on your trees, and as for other decorations, stick to things that are easy to set up and put away, like nutcrackers, poinsettias and other displays.

And to help minimize the risks from accidents associated with this wonderful time of year, remember the three “Ps”: prepare, prevent and protect.

Prepare. Make sure you have working smoke alarms around your home, ideally ones that are interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound. Keep a fire extinguisher around as well, especially if you have candles and fireplaces going.

Prevent. When hanging lights, garland and other decorations, use caution when climbing a ladder and enlist the help of someone to hold the ladder and hand you things. Don’t connect more than three light strands together and turn them off when not in use. Finally, keep your tree away from a heat source – one in six tree fires are started when a tree is too close to one.

Protect. Check with your insurance agent to ensure your home is adequately covered in the event of a loss. Most experts recommend a policy with a guaranteed replacement cost provision so you can rebuild to the same quality, regardless of rising material or labor costs.

Holiday decorating is one of the best ways to create a festive atmosphere, but some holiday decorations and the task of decorating a home can pose risks and lead to stress. Fortunately, if you prepare properly, prevent and protect, you will be stress free and safe this holiday season.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

BEFORE LISTING YOUR HOME AS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL

It’s the holiday season and you may be traveling out of town. So, you might be thinking, “Why don’t I list my home as a shortterm rental? Someone can stay it in, while I stay somewhere else.” Kill two birds with one stone, right? Someone “watches over your house” while you make some needed money during this time. Or maybe you have a second home that you would like to rent out. Companies like AirBnb, HomeAway and Vrbo make this process easier than ever. But before you log-on and list your home, make sure you’re prepared and able to do so. Some things to consider:

KNOW YOUR REGULATIONS

Not all cities facing an increase in home-sharing see it as a win-win. Many municipalities are only now coming to terms with the economic impact of the trend, and, as a result, are passing new regulations that are often designed to curb its development. Ask your local agencies questions before signing up with Airbnb, or other service. Does your city or county have a framework for short-term rentals? Are there any legal restrictions? Do you need a license, and if so, how expensive is it?

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Before you move forward with your plans, think carefully about the impact of a short-term rental on your neighbors and neighborhood. For instance, will your neighbors have to compete with guests for on-street parking? Will your neighbors feel less secure with strangers in their neighborhood? You don’t need to get your neighbors’ permission before renting rooms to others, but as a courtesy, you’ll want to let your neighbors in on your plans. Additionally, if you have a home owner’s association, they also may

have rules or regulations about shortterm rentals. You’ll want to establish clear house rules for your guests, especially about noise or late-night outdoor socializing.

KNOW YOUR COVERAGE

This is the scary part. In London, a shortterm renter threw a party for 100 people, unbeknownst to the homeowner, during which floorboards were destroyed and a television pulled off a wall. Instances like that are rare, but they remind us of the risks that come with letting a stranger into your home. It’s important to make sure you’re covered. Home-sharing companies such as Airbnb or HomeAway offer basic insurance coverage, but what they offer may not be enough, or could be severely limited by exclusions. Your best option is to ask your insurance provider about the nature of the protection, liability coverage and deductible.

Sharing you home with others can be a great way to make extra money –especially during the holidays when every penny counts. Just make sure you’re well prepared to make the commitment.