Home Owner Tips: Keep Cozy this Winter

Home Owner Tips
Keep Cozy this Winter

The way your home feels is what makes it home! 

Making your home a brighter warmer place to live is always a good idea for this time of year. With the first major snowfall likely to hit us this weekend, here are a few tips for feeling more snugly. 

Flame on! 

Anthropologists can go on about why humans love fire, but all that matters is that having some flames, or flame like things, about will change the feel of your home and possibly your mood. Good old fashioned candles, and fancy new electric candles are a great way to check this box as well as simply using your fireplace. If you don't have a fireplace consider a gel fuel fireplace, or an electric space heater with flamey character. Using warm colors in your decorating can also help (in case you wanted an excuse to paint a room orange!) And if none of that sounds good, maybe download a fireplace app for your phone, or check it out on Netflix. 

SAFETY FIRST! Please always follow directions and use common sense when dealing with fire. Check your smoke detectors and fire extinguisher before busting out those winter candles. 

Lighten up 

It's a really simple thing, but dusty light bulbs and fixtures can impact the amount of light you're seeing from them. Especially with how long lived bulbs are these days, make sure you're getting the best from your lights by taking the time to dust your bulbs and fixtures. 1. Turn off the electricity to them 2. Wipe with a dry cloth to prevent water getting into any of the electronics. Same goes for dirty windows. 

Seal air leaks 

Use an incense stick to watch the way air moves in your home and find drafts. Seal them appropriately depending on the nature of the draft. This can make an impact on your utility bill as well.

Focus on Hygge

Hygge is my new favorite Danish word which loosely translates to cozy with a side of it's cold outside, but I have the love of my family and friends. Further reading: Fight the winter doldrums with Hygge, Blog post with more ideas on how to Hygge and the best part is how to pronounce Hygge.

Northern Virginia Real Estate Market Update

2015 Regional Market Update: The DC regional housing market continued to see strong sales activity in 2015 with year over year gains in sold volume every month. The median sales price for the region was $410,000, up 1.1% from 2014, and comparable to the median price at the height of the market in 2007.  

NOVA Market Update: Northern VA home prices remain stable. Fairfax County median sales price year to date is $474,844, up 3.2% from year end 2014.  

Rate Update: You may have heard about the Fed raising rates in December. And if you didn't (or if you want to know more) you can check out my blog post about it here. Mortgage lending rates have done what most experts expected for the initial time being and not changed significantly. The current rate for a 30 year fixed mortgage is 3.73%