With fall around the corner, you are happily saying goodbye to the bugs of summer, but don’t be fooled: there are still plenty of creepers sticking around for fall.

One of your top priorities at the beginning of the new season should be insect and rodent control. As the temperatures change, pests will be looking to migrate to warmer temperatures. The last thing you want is for these tiny creatures to find their way into the confines of your home. Fortunately, there are many ways to prevent these unwanted guests without emptying your bank account. Here are a few tips for keeping falls pests out of your home.

Seal Cracks and Holes Outside of Your House

Bugs such as ants, beetles and roaches can easily fit in between even the smallest crack in a wall. You can fill in these gaps with acrylic latex caulk, which can be purchased for under $10. Not only will the caulk keep the bugs out of this house, but it will keep the cold and wet weather out too. Roaches and other insects look for warm, moist areas to live in during the colder seasons, making the use of a durable caulk more important for added protection. For larger gaps in your home’s infrastructure, you can cut mesh screens into the necessary sizes. The use of an extra-strength adhesive will help keep the cover in place.

Maintain your Landscaping

You can find bugs crawling around in leaves, soil and mulch. It is important to make sure these common outdoor items don’t pile up during the fall season. These items will often hold moisture which will attract insects and will make it easy for them to hide. You will also want to keep all trees and bushes near your home appropriately trimmed. Any branches or bushes that come in contact with your house give insects easy access to explore the walls and windows of your home. It is also suggested that you keep any firewood at least 20 feet from the house. Firewood is an ideal resting place for small critters and an easy way of transportation inside. Only bring in what you need!

Properly Store all Food Items

Not only will bugs and small animals use your home as an escape from seasonal changes, but they will use it as a source of food as well. It is important to not let food sit out for extended periods of time. Keep anything edible inside plastic airtight containers or bags. You should also consistently clean your kitchen and dining areas. Even if your food is kept away properly, crumbs and residue from your meals will attract pests and let them know exactly where food may be. This may lead to them making more frequent visits to your kitchen.

Higher an Exterminator

Although hiring an exterminator can be pricey, it may be incredibly beneficial. If you come across a nest or infested area in your home,call a professional. A pest control professional will be able to gauge the severity of the infestation and give advice on how to solve the situation. An exterminator will also be able to remove pests with the proper technique, using certain pesticides and tools that are safe to your home and family.

Moving during the fall season can be a difficult task. You schedule fills up with work as well as kids’ school schedules and extra curricular activities. As busy as you may be, there are ways to make moving during the fall less stressful.

Negotiate the price of moving companies

While the fall is a busy season for you, it is the ideal time to search for a moving company. Moving companies are busiest during the  summer months, and as their business slows in fall their prices become more competitive. Gas prices also typically drop in the fall. These two points are primary factors to negotiate a cheaper price. Also, do your homework: take the time to research different companies, their services, and the base prices for their assistance.

Setup your utilities ahead of time

You want your new home to be move-in ready. Some utility companies take several days to get a service started and these services are essential for living comfortably. Especially during a season where temperatures begin to change, utilities like electricity and gas are a necessity to make your home move-in ready.

Keep your current property clean

Trying to move out of your house will become a hassle with the elements of autumn blocking your way. As the leaves begin to fall, you will want to begin sweeping or blowing leaves off of your walkways before your move-out date. This will also minimize the risk of injury while moving. You may own heavy items that are difficult to move around even with the help of others. By clearing out a path from your house to the moving truck, you are helping to take away the risk of slipping and falling.

Only pack what you don’t need

Making a move to a new home does not happen overnight. The process of moving can take weeks or even months and you will have to decide what items you can’t live without. But while it is smart to pack ahead of time, there are some things you need to keep out to ensure you’re comfortable right up to the move. For example, there are things in the kitchen you use every day (i.e., plates, cups, silverware) and things you don’t (that fondue pot you received as a wedding gift). Pack those things you seldom use ahead of time – or give them away if you don’t really need them – but keep out enough to be able to function as usual.

Moving during the fall can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. Make a game plan and consider what fall moving tips will make your life easier.

It can be so easy to get caught up in things like curb appeal and low prices while searching for a new home. While these things are definitely enviable qualities for any new home, they also tend to distract potential home owners from other, more unworthy elements a house on the market might be hiding. Buyers should always be mindful of these red flags:

Neglected Septic Systems

A surprising number of homeowners will put their house on the market with a septic that hasn’t been serviced in years. As a general rule of thumb, buyers should always ask the seller for documentation showing the last time they got their septic serviced, inspected and pumped—which should be every three to five years.

Rotting Wood    

There are a handful of issues that buyers can work with after purchasing a home. Rotted wood isn’t one of them. Wood that has been subjected to vast amounts of moisture over extended periods of time isn’t just a pain to replace, it could also jeopardize your health (read: fungus exposure). Buyers should always carefully inspect the kitchen, bathroom, exterior, deck and trim for signs of rotted wood.

Faulty Repairs  

It might be hard to tell exactly what has been worked on over the years in a home that has recently placed on the market. Even still, buyers must keep an eye out for any incomplete or flawed repairs throughout the house they’re looking to purchase. Faulty plumbing, electric and even appliance repairs will cost buyers more time, effort and money in the long run after buying a house that has them.

Poor Drainage    

When a home has an improper drainage system, it opens a can of worms that not even the most optimistic Fixer-Upper lover will want to deal with. If a seller confides in a buyer that their house is subject to drainage issues, it usually means that there is poor drainage surrounding the home’s exterior. This will almost always lead to extra water leaking into spaces like the basement and garage—and will seriously affect the foundation of the home.  

Old Heating and Cooling Systems     

Heating and cooling systems are a pretty important element of any home, whether it’s in a residential development or a townhouse community. Aged heating and cooling systems are usually found in older homes on the market, and will leave buyers with a lot of pricey maintenance fees. It gets worse: Heating and cooling systems that are damaged and worn can also produce harmful carbon monoxide fumes. Buyers should either rule out these older heating and cooling systems, or make sure that the seller will fix any issues with it before making any final moves.

Is it time to sell your house? Or should you wait and see if home values continue to climb? Knowing when it’s time to sell your house can be tricky. But we have some tips to help. Here are the best indicators that it’s time to sell.

You’ve built equity in the house.

The most important factor in deciding when it’s time to sell your house is your home equity. How much money would you be able to keep from the sale of your house after you pay off any remaining mortgage loan and your closing costs?

If your sale price is high enough to break even on those costs, you’re clear to sell. But if you can keep enough money from the sale to put 20 percent down on your next house, you’re golden! That amount of equity is a great indicator that now is the time to sell your house.  

Your local market is hot.

Trying to time the market perfectly is a fool’s errand. But it’s certainly better to sell your house when your market’s hot. In a hot market, you have more buyers than listings. So the buyers compete for the limited housing inventory, which means higher home prices. That’s great news for sellers.

Thanks to low mortgage interest rates and a well-recovered national economy, there are hot markets all over the country. You local Realtors® can explain your current market conditions and provide insight as to how hot your local market is.  

You’re emotionally ready for the next phase of your life

Market conditions mean nothing if you’re not emotionally ready to sell.

Are you ready to move onto the next phase of your life? So ready that you’re willing to invest the time and effort in preparing the house for sale, scheduling your week around showings, working through the sales paperwork, and actually moving?

These short-term inconveniences lead to a reinvigorating fresh start. Are you ready to take that big step?

What about the season of the year?

Traditional wisdom is that spring and summer are the best time of year to list your house for sale. Buyers are looking to make a move while the kids are out of school, there are more hours of daylight to spend house-hunting, and the weather is conducive to touring properties, moving, and even tackling move-in renovations.

But if you’re in a geographic area that doesn’t experience all four seasons, time of year will have a much lower impact on your ability to find qualified buyers. You could even experience a surplus of buyers motivated to get settled in their new home before the holidays!

If you’re on the fence about selling, call me for a complimentary market analysis and we can discuss what your home is worth and if now is the right time to sell.