Archive for October, 2011

Halloween Safety Tips for You and Your Thomasville Home

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Halloween is a fun and exciting time, especially for children. To ensure that youngsters and your Thomasville home make it safely through the festivities this year, follow these Halloween safety tips: 

1.   Eliminate trip hazards. Remove bikes, toys and garden hoses from your Thomasville home’s front yard and porch. Sweep and rake leaves.

2.   Replace burned out lights. Trick-or-treaters have a hard enough time seeing through their masks; don’t increase the danger by keeping them in the dark.

3.   Restrain pets. You don’t want your pet to jump on a trick-or-treater, or even worse, bite someone.

4.   Use a flashlight or glow stick to illuminate your carved pumpkin. Lit candles are dangerous, especially around small children or crowds of people.

5.   Practice candle safetyin your Thomasville home. Keep indoor jack-o-lanterns with lit candles, and any decorations with open flames, away from curtains and other furnishings that can easily ignite.

6.   Apply makeup as a mask. A loose-fitting mask might restrict breathing or make it difficult to see. Instead, draw on a mask using makeup. If a mask is used, make sure it fits securely and has large eyeholes so the child can see.

7.   Choose flame-resistant costumes. Many Thomasville homes use lit candles as part of their exterior Halloween decorations. A child’s costume could accidentally brush against the flame. Purchase costumes that are labeled flame resistant. If a costume is homemade, spray it with a non-toxic fire retardant.

8.   Add a few strips of reflective tape to costumes and treat bags. This helps drivers see the children. It also helps to have trick-or-treaters carry flashlights – both to see and be seen.

9.   Limit where children go. They should only knock on the doors of homes with a porch light on. Instruct them to never enter a home or a car for a treat. Teach them to stick to well-lit streets, stay on sidewalks and to never cut across yards, use alleys or dash between parked cars. 

Wishing you and your loved ones a fun and safe Halloween!

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Light the Night to Sell Your Thomasville Home Faster

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Have you ever thought about what your Thomasville home for sale looks like at night?  You should, because potential buyers certainly do.

Imagine a potential buyer driving by your home after sunset.  What will they see – a beautifully lit walkway leading to a welcoming front door – or a house that’s dark and dreary?

Many potential buyers want a home that looks lovely both day and night.  Why do they care what it looks like in the dark?  They entertain primarily at night, they frequently come home from a long day at work after dark, and they want the added level of security provided by a well-lit home.

Here are some ideas to light the night to help your Thomasville home sell faster:

● Add landscape lighting.  Create a gentle moon-glow lighting effect on flowers, trees and other landscaping features.  To do this, conceal the light source behind shrubs or other foliage.  Unless the light fixture is the decorative element, you want it to disappear when the lights are on.
● Put in path or walkway lighting.  This adds a measure of safety.  For the best results, use light sparingly.  When you place too many lights along walkways and borders, it creates an unattractive runway effect.  Instead, use taller path- or spread-light fixtures to create pools of light that illuminate the walkway and the surrounding flowers, shrubs or trees.
● Improve security lighting.  A well-lit home is more secure.  Use spot lights and flood lights to spread light across a wide area and light up a work or play area.  Place flood lights above garage doors, sheds and patios.
● Keep the outdoor and indoor lights on.  While your home is on the market, leave the lights on during the evening hours. If you don’t get home until after dark, put the lights on a timer.  You never know when a potential buyer will drive around the area at night checking things out, so be prepared.

Pathway lights, flood lights and accent lights aren’t overly expensive, and provide a dramatic effect. Choose “green” outdoor lighting options to keep your electric bills down.

If you’re thinking of selling your Thomasville home, and need help lighting the night, give First Thomasville Realty a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

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Thomasville Home Improvement: Make Your Yard a Refuge

Friday, October 28th, 2011

What’s the best thing about owning your Thomasville home?  Many people say it’s their yard.  No matter your lifestyle, there are things you can do to improve your outdoor space and your quality of life. Here are a few ideas to help you get more enjoyment from your yard:

● Relax:   Buy a lounger for sun bathing or a hammock for shade bathing
● Enjoy meals outdoors:  Add a picnic table to make eating outdoors easier.
● Grow a garden:  Whether it’s a vegetable, herb or flower garden there is nothing more rewarding than eating food or smelling flowers that you grew yourself. Start small if you’ve never gardened before. Like anything else, it’s easy to get burned out if you bite off more than you can chew. A few of your favorite vegetables and herbs will ensure success this year and have you planning more for next year.
● Install a water feature:  You can put in a fountain or a pond. These needn’t be elaborate constructions, as there are small ready-made versions available.
● Go green by adding a clothesline: Believe it or not, there is something very satisfying about hanging your clothes out on the line and letting nature do its job. It’s using low-tech solar and wind energy to save you money. Your clothes, towels and sheets will have a truly fresh smell, as opposed to the cloying smell left by fabric softener.
● Invest in Solar-powered lighting:  Options range from path lights that have built-in solar collectors, to string lights, to glow-in-the-dark globes that make your yard a magical nighttime delight. With no power cords to trip on, installation is a snap, and, of course, none of these features will add to your electric bill.

Day or night, there is nothing like having your own outdoor space. If you’re looking for a new Thomasville home with a yard you can make your own, call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

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Non-toxic Ways to Control Bugs in Your Thomasville Home

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

Summer time and the livin’ is buggy. But before you run and start spraying pesticides, wait! Do you really want those nasty chemicals in your Thomasville home, where you live, eat and breathe? Here are some non-toxic alternative methods to control bugs:

● Keep it clean. Just like your mother said, don’t let dirty dishes pile up, and don’t leave spills and crumbs on kitchen counters. If  you do, you’ll be inviting ants and worse into your Thomasville home.
● Use boric acid. You can get this odorless powder at any drug store. It can be hard to find though, so just ask the pharmacist where it is. It’s cheap, safe and effective. Just sprinkle it lightly wherever you’ve seen critters, especially along cracks and crevices.
● Trap them. When it’s fresh fruit and tomato season, it’s fruit fly season. Who knows where they come from, but there they are. Here’s how to make a simple fruit fly trap: Put a dash of beer, wine or sugar water and yeast in a jar. Then cut the very corner off of a plastic bag and poke that corner down into the jar, keeping it above the liquid level. Secure the bag to the jar with a rubber band, and you have a funnel leading fruit flies in, but they can’t find their way back out.
● Live and let live. They may be hairy, they may be scary, but spiders are doing you a favor. They’re every other bug’s worst nightmare. But ok, you don’t want them inside. Here’s the safest, most nonviolent, good-karma way to get them out: Get a clear glass or jar and place it over the spider. Then use a stiff card like a postcard to slide under it. This acts as a lid on the jar to keep the spider in. Simply take it outside and release the spider to live another day. Show the kids how to do this, and you won’t find any more bugs smashed on your walls.

If you want more handy tips like these to use in your Thomasville home, subscribe to our blog. It’s free!

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Fall Homes Magazine Now Available!

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

The Fall Issue of the Thomasville Area Homes Magazine is now available.  Please drop by our offices and pick up your FREE copy today!

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Selling Thomasville Real Estate: 5 Tips to Pick a Powerful Listing Agent

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Here are five tips to help you identify the best Thomasville real estate agent to get your home sold as fast as possible and for the most money.

1. Hire a full-time Thomasville real estate agent.  Part-time agents typically have less experience and fewer sold properties under their belts than full-time agents.  Because part-time agents usually have another job, they don’t have as much time to take care of your needs and market and show your home to potential buyers.  Full-time agents have bigger networks they can enlist to help find a buyer for your home.

2. Find a skilled negotiator.  A seasoned Thomasville real estate agent understands the psychological nature of selling a home.  They advise you during the contract negotiations to ensure you get the best deal while alleviating your stress.

3. Pick an aggressive marketer.  Without a well-implemented, far-reaching marketing program, your house will sit on the market these days.  You want an agent who promotes your home both online and offline, in order to reach the greatest number of potential buyers.  Simply having your home listed on Realtor.com is no longer enough of an online presence.  You want your home showcased on multiple websites with a lot of professional photos and, ideally, a video tour.

4. Choose an agent who knows your neighborhood.  Each neighborhood has different pros and cons which must be promoted or overcome by the agent.  An effective agent knows how to price your property because they know the local competition, which homes that have closed recently are similar to yours and how much they’ve sold for.

5. Ask for home staging services.  Home staging is no longer a “nice to have;” it’s now a “must have,” if you want to sell your home for the most money in the least amount of time.  Many agents are now professional stagers or have a home stager on their teams.

Choosing a powerful listing agent is your first step toward a successful home sale.

If you’d like to work with an agent who is a skilled negotiator, an aggressive marketer, provides home staging services and works full time, give First Thomasville Realty a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com .

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Purchasing Thomasville Real Estate as Income Property

Friday, October 21st, 2011

With home prices nearing their bottom, now might be a great time to buy Thomasville real estate as income property. Many more people will be looking to rent now that pre-approved mortgages are harder to come by. But, before you become a landlord, you’ll want to make sure your potential rental property won’t remain vacant for long.

6 tips to help you evaluate your Thomasville real estate investment:

1. Determine if your area has a strong rental market. See what kind of homes are for rent and track how long they remain vacant. If the same properties are listed week after week, it might not be the best area to purchase a rental.
2. Get a feel for the stability of the population.  It’s good to find a rental property in a transient community because residents are less likely to purchase their own homes, and more likely to rent, if they know they’re only going to be there for a couple years.  In particular, look for areas with military installations or colleges nearby.
3. Keep an eye on Craigslist and the local Classifieds. Track how many rentals are available at any given time, and get an idea of the size of houses most commonly listed. You won’t want to be trying to rent a 1-bedroom house in a neighborhood that is full of young families.
4. Make sure your potential rental property is located in a good school district. Potential renters with children could be turned off by the quality of the local schools if they have a poor reputation.
5. Check around with local property management companies. They’ll often have the best information about what sort of properties are the easiest to rent out. You can also check their websites to see the properties they have available.
6. Find a house that’s in good shape. Would you live there? If not, either move on to a different property or immediately fix it up.

Owning a rental home can be a great investment. Do your homework, and purchase a home people will be clamoring to rent — not one that continues to sit vacant.

If you have questions about purchasing Thomasville real estate as income property, please call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at  info@FTRealty.com  for more information.

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Questions for Divorcing Couples Selling Their Thomasville Home

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

The housing downturn has a lot of divorcing couples struggling to decide what to do with their Thomasville home. Especially when the house is the largest marital asset, the situation can easily become contentious and unclear. Here are five questions to ask yourself before deciding what to do with your shared property.

1. Does keeping your Thomasville home make financial sense? Often, once a couple splits, neither party can afford the mortgage payment and maintenance of the house by themselves. If this is the case, selling is most likely your best option.
2. Could you manage to keep living together while separated? When going through a divorce, you may not be able to stand each other’s sight. It won’t work in every situation, but you might want to tough it out and continue sharing the house (just with different bedrooms) until the market rebounds and you can make a profit.
3. Are your emotions getting the better of you? Many people can’t help but develop a strong emotional attachment to a house. That’s certainly understandable, but it doesn’t always make the most monetary sense. It might help if you try viewing the house like any other asset. You’re unlikely to let emotion come into play regarding the yard tools and bedspreads; try to treat the house the same way.
4. How will you split the proceeds? You’ll want to make sure you have a plan in place to split the proceeds when the house does sell. If not, you could be thrown back into a huge argument instead of finally moving on with your life.
5. What if one of you won’t agree to a price? The negotiation process won’t go smoothly if it comes down to an argument between the two sellers. Therefore, you should have some sort of agreement as to your bottom-line price. Also, you’ll need to decide how you’ll handle counter offers.

If you need help determining if now is the best time to sell your Thomasville home, call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at  info@FTRealty.com .

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How to Sell Haunted Thomasville Real Estate

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

With Halloween right around the corner, you’re probably planning costumes, decorating for fall and maybe becoming aware of eerie home happenings that you wouldn’t normally notice. While the prospect of living in a haunted home could be scary to some, the idea of selling spooked Thomasville real estate might be even more horrifying! 

Rumored ghosts and past suspicious incidents could result in your home being moved from buyers’ purchase lists to their black lists. If you or your neighbors believe your home is haunted, take the following ghost-busting tactics into consideration before you put it on the market. 

Follow the law – If you think your home is haunted, consult with a Thomasville real estate agent to ensure you’re following the law. Every state’s legal procedures are different. You could be obligated to notify potential buyers or face legal ramifications down the road — or you may not have to utter a word.

Squash the rumors – If you don’t think your home is haunted but others do, it falls into the category of stigmatized property, which includes all houses with perceived problems. Talk openly and lightheartedly about the rumored problems, and put an end to scary stories. Also, host a ton of open houses so buyers can experience the home’s aura for themselves.

Seek out professional haunting help – Believe it or not, some mediums make a living from clearing houses of negative energy, ghosts or whatever you want to call the eerie feeling people get inside your home. If your Thomasville real estate agent can tout that you’ve had your home cleansed of negative energy by professionals, you might be one step closer to a closing date.

Reduce and be rid – You might just have to bite the bullet and reduce the price drastically. The goal is to entice an investor who isn’t planning on actually living in the home, but has other plans for it. 

If the cat’s out of the bag about your home for sale being haunted, please call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com  for more ghost-busting information.

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Should You Sell Your Thomasville Home Before Buying a New One?

Monday, October 17th, 2011

When planning on moving from your current Thomasville home, does it make the most sense to buy first or wait until your current property sells? There are a lot of factors that go into that decision. Hashed out below are the pros and cons of each, so that you can decide which factors are higher on your list of priorities.

Buy first if …

● It’s the Thomasville home you’ve always wanted. If you’ve absolutely found your dream house, you should consider buying it now — even if your current house hasn’t sold. You might regret it later if you let the opportunity pass you by.  Just make sure the house is truly worth it.
● It’s too good of a deal to pass up. If you’ve researched the comparables and you know the home you want to buy is a great deal, then you should consider going ahead with the purchase. Waiting to sell might cost you more in the long run if you lose out on this bargain.
● There’s more demand than supply. In a seller’s market (not right now in most places), you won’t need to worry about selling your property.
● You have the money.  Check with your real estate agent to find out how long it’s taking to sell homes comparable to yours these days.  Then, do the math to determine if you have enough in savings to make the down payment on your new home and pay the mortgages of both homes while you’re waiting for your current home to sell.

Sell first if …

● You want to get the most money for your home. If you’re not in any hurry, you’ll be less tempted to take a lower offer. You also have negotiating power. It’s hard to hold firm on a price, if you’re carrying two mortgages.
● You can include a contingency clause in your contract. Add a contingency that allows you to remain in your house until you close on a new property. It may be difficult to get the buyer to agree, but if they do, you’ll have plenty of time to find the perfect new house.  This one may be very difficult to accomplish because you certainly do not want to lose a buyer in this real estate market just to be able to stay in your home longer.
● You can handle moving twice.  If you sell your home first, you can always live in a short-term rental until you find your new place.
● You don’t want to be stressed about selling. The idea of carrying a second mortgage is enough to cause many people to reach for their blood pressure medication.

Give First Thomasville Realty a call at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com, if you need help deciding the right timing to sell or buy a Thomasville home.

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Streamlining Short Sales for Thomasville Home Owners and Home Owners Nationwide

Friday, October 14th, 2011

Just over a year ago, the federal government launched the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program.  It was supposed to streamline the short sale process for Thomasville home owners and home owners nationwide.  This article provides an update on HAFA.

How does HAFA benefit Thomasville home owners?

Home owners who don’t qualify for a loan modification can apply for a short sale through HAFA.  If the home owner qualifies for a HAFA short sale, the difference between the sale price of the house and the loan balance is forgiven.  In addition, HAFA offers qualified home owners $3,000 for moving expenses.

How well is HAFA working?

From April, 2010, to December, 2010, HAFA had disbursed just $9.5 million of the $4.1 billion in its budget.  And, through May, 2011, only 8,541 HAFA short sales had been completed.

However, HAFA short sales have increased.  There were only 320 HAFA short sales pending in September, 2010. Now, there are 18,000 pending nationwide.

What went wrong with HAFA?

Because the loan balance is forgiven with HAFA short sales, lenders cannot collect that amount.  Lenders can collect the loan balance on short sales that go through them, so the majority of short sales are still handled by individual lenders’ programs.  Although HAFA provides a $1,500 incentive to the lender, it isn’t enough to entice them to go along with the program.

What’s next for HAFA?

The HAFA program expires at the end of 2012, and by then, the U.S. Treasury hopes to have a model process with uniform documents that banks could use to speed the process and avoid greater losses that come with foreclosure.  In the meantime, changes are being made to HAFA to ease eligibility requirements.

If you have any questions about selling your Thomasville home, whether through a regular sale or a short sale, please give First Thomasville Realty a call at 229-226-6515 or email us at  info@FTRealty.com .

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Tips for Will and Kate to Buy Real Estate

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

As Britain’s Prince William and his bride, Kate, traveled through the United States last month, people were wondering if the royal couple might be looking to purchase vacation property. I’m sure there were many REALTORS® who would have happily sold them a chic Los Angeles bungalow, a high-rise New York penthouse or a relaxing Hawaiian retreat.

While Will and Kate may never buy Thomasville real estate, plenty of foreigners are looking for investment and vacation properties within the fifty states.  If you live outside the United States and are considering purchasing property, below are a few tips to help point you in the right direction.

● Ensure you’ll actually visit – If your purchase is for pleasure, make sure you have the funds set aside to vacation at your new abode at least once a year. If flights are hard to come by and you can’t make the trip, you may come to resent your relaxing retreat.
● Hire a Thomasville real estate agent – Even if you visit the area often, employ the expertise of an agent who knows the location and the housing market. She or he will be able to provide you with a wider selection, find you hidden gems, know up-and-coming hot spots and send you information on properties that fit your priorities as soon as they’re on the market.
● Take advantage of tax benefits – The US government supports foreign investment and has created many tax deductions and credits for overseas buyers.
● Look into a real estate attorney – You may want to seek out and hire a lawyer who specializes in dealing with foreigners’ property purchases. He or she will be able to ensure all of your documents are properly drawn up, overseas legal errors are compensated for and you’re receiving all of the eligible tax breaks.

Don’t spend a minute feeling confused about the process of buying Unites States property. If you’re interested in Thomasville real estate, call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at  info@FTRealty.com  for more information … We promise to treat you like royalty!

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Tips to Gain Independence from Your Thomasville Home for Sale by Owner

Monday, October 10th, 2011

In order to get the most buyers through your front door, you’ll need to do more than just stick a sign in the front yard. An aggressive and thoughtful marketing campaign can make the difference between a quick sale and your house continuing to sit on the market with little activity.

Make plans for a long weekend to take the time to thoroughly market your Thomasville home for sale by owner (FSBO).

1. Take a lot of good photographs. You have to expect that buyers will look at your property online before they decide to take the time to visit it in person. Make sure you have a lot of photographs online and that they do your house justice. Take pictures from multiple angles in each room and choose the best ones. Also, if you have a great yard, make sure you show it off.
2. Make the most of your signage. Ensure your phone number is clearly visible. Also, check with your homeowners association and neighbors that live at busy intersections to find out if you can put a sign with an arrow pointing toward your house.
3. Put ads on every website you can. Most buyers start their search on the Internet, so make sure your Thomasville home for sale by owner has a strong online presence.
4. Don’t forget about print ads. Many buyers still look at newspaper Classifieds, so make sure your house appears there. You can often place large ads in smaller publications for relatively little money.
5. Host open houses. Not every location is especially suitable, but try it a couple of times and see how many people turn out.  If you’re getting good foot traffic, keep it up.

If you need help marketing your Thomasville home for sale by owner, please call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email me at  info@FTRealty.com  for more information.

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Start a Bidding War for Your Thomasville Home This Fall

Saturday, October 8th, 2011

If you’re looking to sell your Thomasville home this autumn, then don’t fall into the same rut as everyone else on the market. Leave them behind by sparking interest and creating a war for your property — a bidding war that is! 

You may have thought you’d never experience a real estate bidding war again.  When you employ these tactics, you might just start a bidding war for your Thomasville home: 

♦    Compare your house to others in the neighborhood. Research other properties for sale in your area, and arm yourself with information to help buyers make an objective decision — such as proximity to schools, number of foreclosures, and how many are represented by real estate agents versus those for sale by owner.

♦    Highlight your property’s unique features. With hundreds of houses on the market, you need to find something that differentiates your property from others. You’re striving to make buyers think that your house is special, so take a lot of pictures of your property’s distinctive features.

♦     Price appropriately. The goal is to create a bidding war and hope that the competing buyers push the price above the original listing price. You need to list your house at an attractive price point in order to draw as many buyers in as possible.

♦    Have buyers meet each other. Host a widely-advertised open house, so that potential buyers run into each other. This shows purchasers that there is definite interest, which means competition and that they should bid quickly. If the open house is sparse, tip the scale and call a couple of friends over to do a little acting.

♦    Manage your war. If you get interest from multiple parties, set a date for preliminary bids. If you receive more than two, set the highest bid as your new minimum and start over. Continue this until you stop receiving bids and go with the highest offer. If you only receive two initial bids, then ask the lower party if they’d like to resubmit another. 

Do the smart thing this fall and set your house apart from the others by creating a bidding war. The more offers you have, the higher the bids are likely to go for your Thomasville home. Call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com  for more marketing strategies.

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Thomasville Real Estate: Buying Remains More Popular Than Renting

Friday, October 7th, 2011

In today’s environment, do you think buying Thomasville real estate has become less popular than renting?  If so, you’ll probably be surprised to learn that 81% of American adults still think that buying a home is the best investment a person can make.

In comparison, two decades ago, a CBS News/New York Times survey found that 84% of American adults thought buying a home was the best investment a person could make.  That’s only a 3% decline in 20 years.

The new information is based on two nationwide studies performed this year by the Pew Research Center and Trulia, a real estate website.  The Pew Research Center’s survey sample included 2,142 adults.  Fifty-seven percent of the people who answered the survey own a home, 30% rent and the remainders have other arrangements, such as living with family members.

Here are some other findings provided by the studies:

● Buying is more affordable than renting in 78% of America’s major cities.
● 81% of renters would prefer to own a home rather than continue to rent.
● 47% of homeowners say their home is worth less now than before the recession started.  31% say its value is the same.  17% say their home is worth more than before the recession.

The bottom-line?   In most areas of the country, even though home prices have declined in the past four or five years, homeownership is still preferred and is also a practical financial decision.

If you’re ready to buy Thomasville real estate, First Thomasville Realty can help you find a home that you’ll love in a price range that fits your budget.  To find the Thomasville real estate home of your dreams, give us a call today at 229-226-6515 or email us at  info@FTRealty.com .

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Bring More Natural Light into Your Thomasville Home

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

Why would you want to bring more natural light into your Thomasville home? Any time you don’t need to turn on a light switch, it saves energy and money. It discourages mold and mildew. It’s cheering and feels expansive. Even if your power goes out, you can see and possibly even read by natural light. Here are some ways to do it:

●  Paint it bright. You may be amazed at how much brighter a room becomes when the walls are a lighter color. Try it.
●  Use mirrors. Hanging a mirror on the wall opposite a window will not only make the room seem bigger, it will bounce the light around and banish dark corners.
●  Install a skylight. This is a good solution if your Thomasville home is wide and light from windows can’t reach the interior.
●  Install a tubular skylight. This is not your father’s skylight. This is a smaller, better insulated version that does not afford a view of the sky, but resembles a ceiling light. Tubular skylights emit a surprising amount of light for their size, due to the reflective surface of the tube that comes down from the roof, intensifying the light. They’re great for internal rooms with no windows or even for closets. Be aware that they also emit moonlight. Some people love to be in touch with the phases of the moon in their bedroom, others do not.
●  Install bigger windows. If it’s time to upgrade to tighter, better insulated windows, consider making them larger on the south side of your Thomasville home. Windows on the south side allow more light inside in winter, while keeping sun out in summer. Keep windows on the north side small, as they do the opposite.
●  Open up your floor plan. Many homes have interior walls that block sunlight from penetrating into the living area. If you can remove walls that do so, or cut openings in them, it makes the area feel much more spacious. This works especially well if you have a wall between the kitchen and dining room. Some dark hallways can be eliminated entirely.

If you’re looking for a Thomasville home with lots of natural light, or a fixer-upper you can work on, First Thomasville Realty can help. Call us today at 229-226-6515 or email us at  info@FTRealty.com .

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Thomasville’s Deep South Fair Opens Tonight

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011

Once again the 54th annual Deep South Fair is set for Tuesday through Saturday at the Thomasville Exchange Club Fairgrounds.

Tuesday and Thursday are Demolition Derby days, Wednesday and Saturday are Cheehaw Park days, and Saturday is Kids Day. The arts and crafts, as well as commercial, exhibits will be open throughout the week during fair hours.

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Fall Maintenance Checklist for Your Thomasville Home

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011

The change of seasons is always a good time to pay attention to home maintenance. Here are some tips to get your Thomasville home ready for winter.

Put away garden hoses and turn off outdoor spigots. If you don’t, the first hard freeze could cause your hoses to burst, or even worse, freeze the water in outdoor pipes. This is a headache you can easily avoid. 

Clean out gutters. After the leaves have fallen is a great time to do it. While you’re at it, consider installing downspout extensions, which are inexpensive and easy to install. 

Pick up all outdoor extension cords and check all cords for potentially dangerous nicks or frayed spots. Store extension cords neatly in the garage or basement. Extension cords are for temporary use only. 

 

Find those air leaks. To find leaks in your Thomasville home, turn on all of the exhaust fans in the house (including any kitchen fans that vent outside), and put the clothes dryer on the air dry setting. Then, light an incense stick. Use the smoke to detect drafts around windows, doors, and other gaps so you know where to caulk. 

Check around the furnace. Before you turn it on, make sure no flammables (like paint, turpentine and sealants) are being stored near the furnace. These create a fire hazard. While you’re there, go ahead and change the filter before heating season.  

 

Clean the filter in the hood of your kitchen range. You can just throw it in the dishwasher, and it’ll be as good as new. 

 

Check the toilet. Put some food coloring in the toilet tank. If the water in the toilet bowl changes color without flushing, your toilet is leaking and probably needs a new flapper or other seal.

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Safeguard Your Thomasville Home with a House Sitter

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

Have you ever thought about hiring a house sitter for your Thomasville home?  If you’re going on an extended trip, hiring a house sitter could prevent potential problems.  Here are the basics you need to know about house sitters.

What are the benefits of having a house sitter?

●   It’s safer.  If you are going out of town for any length of time, your Thomasville home is statistically less likely to be burglarized if it’s occupied.
●   You’ll save on insurance fees.  If your home is empty for over 30 days, you may not be able to buy homeowner’s insurance for it or the insurance may be very costly.
●   Your pets can stay in their home.  Your pets are going to miss you, but at least they’ll be more comfortable in familiar surroundings.  They’ll also have less risk of infections such as kennel cough.
●   Your home is maintained.  Whether you have a garden or in-door plants that need to be watered, your house sitter is there to take care of it.  He or she can also cut your grass and get leaks fixed.  Imagine the mess you’d come home to if your ice maker sprung a leak!

How much do house sitters cost?

The cost of house sitters depend on how long you want them to stay in your Thomasville home and what you want them to do for you.  For example, you can have the house sitter stay overnight or make daily visits.

Some house sitters care for your home in exchange for free lodging.  For those who charge, daily rates start as low as $15 and go up from there. If you want your dog cared for and walked daily, you’ll pay extra for those types of services.

How do I find a house sitter?

If you have friends or neighbors who’ve used house sitters, ask them for referrals.  You can also use a house sitter referral service such as House Sitters America or House Carers.

Need help finding a house sitter?  Give First Thomasville Realty a call at 229-226-6515 or send us an email  info@FTRealty.com  for more information.

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