5 Things You Should Do When You Move Into a New Home

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1. Change locks

Unfortunately, you can’t assume the keys you’re holding are the only keys to your home that could exist out there. Play it safe and have all the locks changed as soon as you can.

2. Re-program garage door opener

Again, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the security of your new home. Most garage door remotes have a reset button that you can hold down to reprogram the opener. If you want more concise instructions, note the make and model of the opener and contact the company to walk you through the steps.

3. Replace furnace filter

Most manufacturers recommend that a furnace filter be changed once a month during the heating season to ensure the most efficient performance. While there are higher-quality filters that may not require monthly replacement, it’s still a good idea to check the filter monthly and, of course, replace it when you move into a new place.

4. Install new batteries in smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector

You have no way of knowing when the batteries were last changed and if the home has been unoccupied, it’s probably been awhile. Test the alarm and detector and put new batteries in each. This investment of time and a few dollars is well worth it, given the stakes.

5. Replace toilet seat covers

We probably don’t need to go into specific details, but most people insist on swapping out toilet seats. 

2012 Summer Real Estate Market Update for Cedar City, Utah

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We have been watching our local real estate market closely – especially in the aftermath of the 2007 housing crisis that hit the US. It has been a tough ride but at long last, things are finally looking up and looking up consistently!  Today, we are seeing some very exciting things happening in our communities and the most important aspect of it all is that it will open up some new opportunities for lots of folks. Whether you have been on the fence about selling your home for some time or if it seems the perfect time to consider buying your first home – now could not be a better time.

Inventory Levels Dropping

Looking at the previous year’s numbers, the number of available homes on the market today is down a significant 17% this year!  That means that the inventory we have had on the market for some time now is finally moving. Not only that, our average number of days on the market is changing for the better too.

Sales Increasing

The number of sales is actually going up, currently outpacing new inventory levels. This is a welcome occurrence for the homeowners that have been trying to sell their properties for some time now. With interest rates still at their record setting lows and housing prices hovering fairly low as well, many prospective buyers are moving quickly to secure the property of their choice.

Average Sales Price Still Low

The time is ripe for investment and even for existing homeowners to trade up in to a new home that is bigger and better than their current one. Currently, our average sales price is right around $113,000 – lower than the previous year’s average of $130,000. Of course there are other price ranges and if you were to buy today you would enjoy lower prices across the board. The low price is being seen as an opportunity by investors and consumers alike.
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If you have been siting on the fence for some time about buying or selling your home – make no mistake, now is the best time to engage in real estate activity. Keep in mind we are in a dollar for dollar market, so that means if you were to sell your home for a certain price, you would be able to turn that same money around and get a new home. With the low cost of borrowing these days, it’s a win-win situation because you would likely afford more house within the same monthly payment amount.

All this activity marks the beginning of a new phase in our real estate market and before things start to increase, I strongly advise you sit down with me so we can review your options together. I have a lot of ideas of how we can successfully achieve your real estate goals!