Real Estate Information Archive

Fifty years ago, the newspaper was the only way to get reliable news. These days, we’ve almost all switched to digital versions. (Plus Twitter. And Facebook.) But just because we consume news differently than Grandpa did doesn’t mean classic newspapers aren’t worth picking up next time you’re at Starbucks or stop to pump gas!

Try out these 19 uses for newspapers:

1. Deodorize Musty Items

If you’ve ever wandered into an old bookstore (or a grandparent’s closet), you know the musty smell we’re talking about. To get rid of it, grab a newspaper. Crumple up the newspaper and place the papers in the bottom of a paper bag. Then, place the musty-smelling item (book, clothing item, etc.) into the bag. Let it sit for about a week, and then open the bag. The newspaper will have absorbed the musty smell just like a Dementor munching on an escaped Askaban convict’s soul.

2. Keep Produce Drawers Dry

Prevent rotting peppers and foul-smelling produce drawers in the fridge by lining the drawers with newspaper. The paper will absorb any excess moisture. One a week, toss the old paper and line the drawer with a fresh sports section.

3. Pack Fragile Items

Moving pretty much always sucks, but it’s ten times worse if you break something fragile in transit. Bubble wrap is the gold standard, but that stuff isn’t cheap! Protect breakable items on a budget by wrapping them in newspaper before the move. We recommend several sheets per items.

4. Wash Mirrors and Windows

To remove streaks from mirrors and windows, use newspaper instead of cloth to wipe awayWindex. Not only will the newspaper remove streaks, it won’t leave any residue behind.

5. Wrap Presents

If you’re out of fancy wrapping paper, use newspaper instead! Personalize the gift by choosing a section of the paper that fits the receiver’s personality. If they love baseball, opt for the sports section. Funny guy? Go for the comics. And for foodies, choose the food and drink page. It’s the little things that really come off as thoughtful!

6. Dry Wet Shoes

Rain happens. And after it happens, it makes your shoes smell terrible if you let them stay all soggy. To dry shoes quickly and prevent odor, stuff wet shoes with newspaper immediately. The newspaper will soak up the moisture and protect your kicks.

7. Protect Your Car

We love our pups, but four-legged friends are not exactly car-friendly, and sometimes your stuck without a blanket or mat to protect your seats. If you get caught in such a scenario, you can always grab some newspaper and cover your seats before taking a drive with your pet.

8. Create Backup Protection for Your Floors

Doormats do all kinds of good in terms of protecting your home. But when serious rainstorms (snowstorms) strike, your mat is about as useful as nipples on a breastplate. When the weather gets super nasty, don’t be afraid to spread out a few newspaper rolls over the floor around your door. It’ll protect your hardwood or carpet from rain, mud, sleet or snow, and create a convenient spot for guests to leave their shoes without causing a huge mess.

9. Make Animal Bedding

Instead of purchasing expensive over-the-counter animal bedding for your hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits or mice, just cut up newspaper. It’s safe and nontoxic, plus it’s inexpensive.Note: To keep your pet safe and clean, change your paper bedding regularly.

10. Kill Weeds

When weeds take over your yard, kill them quickly with newspaper. Lay several layers of the paper on top of the weeds, and then cover it with mulch to hold it place. The paper will smother the weeds, and prevent them from getting sunlight and oxygen. Over time, the newspaper will decompose with the mulch and add nutrients to the soil. Note: Don’t try this trick around flowers, because it will smother the flowers, too!

11. Enhance Compost

Worms love newspaper, and worms will add something special to your compost (catch our drift?). To enhance your compost, toss in a few crumpled pieces of newspaper.

12. Ripen Green Tomatoes

If you’re the gardening type, don’t toss green tomatoes. Instead, use newspaper to ripen them. Pick the green tomatoes off of the vine, and then wrap them individually in newspaper. Layer the tomatoes in a box no more than two layers deep. Keep the box in a dark, dry area (like a garage or pantry) and check it weekly for progress. It typically takes 3-4 weeks for the green tomatoes to ripen. Note: When you check the tomatoes, be sure to remove any that are rotting instead of ripening.

13. Kindle a Fire

There are tons of ways to start a fire, but newspaper is a great, easy option if you do it properly. Roll newspaper diagonally like tiny logs, and then fasten 5-10 tiny logs together with rubber bands. Place the “paper log” in the fireplace below your larger pieces of wood and light one end. It’ll work like a charm.

14. Make a Quick Funnel for Small Objects

If small items, like screws or pushpins, get loose, a paper will make the cleanup easier. Simply roll the paper into a makeshift funnel and use it to put the pieces back in their original jar.

15. Store Boots

Keep your boots in shape during the offseason by sticking rolled up newspapers into the leg of the boot. This will keep their shape and protect them from damage. Plus, they’ll be easier to store.

16. Protect Your Table

Crab restaurants cover their tables with newspaper for a reason - it’s easy to clean up and protects your table from the mess. If you’re hosting a dinner party where things may get messy (i.e. shrimp, crab, crawfish), cover the table with a few layers of newspaper just to be safe.

17. Prevent Ice on Windshields

If you’re expecting a big snow or freezing temperatures, cover your windshield with a layer of newspaper to prevent ice.

18. Make DIY Newspaper Roses

For a quick and inexpensive decoration, make newspaper roses. All you need is paper, gauge wire, a glue gun, scissors and wire cutter! Cut out your petals to their desired size and then glue them into place. For step-by-step instructions, visit: 100 Layer Cake. Once the glue has fully dried, feel free to paint your roses.

19. Wipe Up Spills

Newspaper is generally just as absorbent as your average paper towel, so store a few rolls in the kitchen to wipe up spills.

Information provided by BrightNest.com.
 

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

We bet that you lock your doors at night and keep your kids away from the medicine cabinet, but if you haven’t inspected your house in a while (or ever), you could be sitting on a dangerous time bomb. Yikes!

While a few of these inspections are better left to a licensed professional, you can cross some off your list right away.

Prevent injury (and even death) by inspecting the following:

1. Got Stairs? Check Your Banisters

Up and down, up and down, how bad can they be, right? Your stairs may look innocent enough, but they’re basically an accident waiting to happen. According to the National Safety Council, over one million injuries occur each year as a result of stairway falls, making staircase accidents the second leading cause of accidental injury second only to motor vehicles. It gets worse: every year, there are 12,000 accidental deaths in the U.S. on account of stairways.

Fortunately, you can do a stair inspection yourself. Give your stairs a mean stink-eye, and take the time to check for cracks or loose materials on the stairs themselves. Fix any potential issues. Then, check the banisters. Grab a tennis ball, and hold the ball in between the balusters. If the tennis ball can be pushed through the balusters, they may be dangerous for a kid and should be looked at by a professional handyman. For more stair-safety ideas, read this detailed to-do.

2. Test the Smoke Detectors

There’s a reason elementary schools visit fire stations as field trips: over 1,240,000 home fires occur in America each year, with over 3,000 fatalities according to the National Fire Protection Association. Basically, fires are a real risk, and almost two-thirds of reported deaths caused by home fires resulted from homes that lacked working smoke alarms. You can prevent disaster at home by teaching the art of testing your smoke detectors. For full instructions, read Test Smoke and CO Detectors.

3. Prevent Natural Gas Leaks

For the most part, natural gas is a safe energy source. The gas itself isn’t poisonous or dangerous. The danger lies in what it does to the oxygen within your home. Natural gas displaces the levels of oxygen within your home, basically decreasing the amount of oxygen you have to breathe. (That’s why you may feel dizzy if you leave the stove on too long.) To prevent a problem, contact a licensed professional to inspect your gas line and ensure safety.

4. Give GFCIs a Test

GFCI is a fancy term for a simple, life-saving tool. In your bathroom, have you ever seen a little “test” button on your outlet? What about in the kitchen? Those “test” buttons are part of your ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), which is an outlet typically located in kitchens and bathrooms – often within six feet of a water source – that prevents people from being electrocuted by cutting off the current if it gets too high.

That little guy is pretty important, because each year the Electrical Safety Foundation estimates there are an average of 60 electrocutions associated with consumer products. Keep your family from becoming a statistic by taking 15 minutes to test yours. All you need is a small appliance, like a hair dryer. Plug the device into the GFCI outlet and make sure it turns on. Push the “test” button on the GFCI and the device should turn off immediately. Push the “reset” button on the GFCI to turn the device back on. If the device doesn’t turn off when you push the “test” button, call a licensed electrician immediately to fix the problem.

5. Test (or Buy!) Fire Extinguishers

First comes smoke alarm, then comes fire extinguishers. Quick, how many do you own? If you don’t know, it’s time to reevaluate how safe your home really is from fire. There was a civilian fire death every 2 hours and 42 minutes, and a civilian fire injury every 33 minutes in 2013. Home fires caused 85% of these civilian fire deaths and an estimated $11.5 billion in direct property loss. That’s the bad news. The good news is that a working fire extinguisher can save your family’s life and protect your home. Follow this rule of thumb: One fire extinguisher for every floor of your house and one in the garage. If you don’t have enough purchase fire extinguishers today.

If you do have fire extinguishers at home, take at a look at your extinguishers’ pressure gauges and handle. If the pressure gauge is green, you’re ready to roll in an emergency. If the gauge falls anywhere else, please service or replace the extinguisher immediately. Make sure the handle is secure and not wobbly. If there are any issues, replace the device. Also, check for an expiration date on the fire extinguisher label. Most fire extinguishers last for 5 to 15 years. If the extinguisher has ever been used, even for a short blast, it’s best practice to replace it rather than risk it.

6. Check for Water Quality

Water isn’t always so pure. If your water source is unsafe, you could be drinking contaminants, chemicals and bacteria that can cause serious health problems. This may not happen immediately. Effects may occur if contaminants are ingested at unsafe levels over many years, making this an unseen issue. If you’d like to learn more, check out the EPA’s Drinking Water Standards & Health Effects.

Many of these contaminants are colorless, tasteless and odorless, so the only way to really know if your water is a problem is to have it tested. You can test it at home with a Drinking Water Test-Kit, but if you are drinking water from a well, we recommend hiring a professional to test the safety of your water source.

7. Test for Radon

Radon, an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in the ground, is the second leading cause of lung cancer. In fact, radon problems affect an estimated one out of every 15 homes in the U.S., and causes more than 20,000 deaths annually.

To protect your family from this unseen killer, test for the gas at home. There are two types of DIY radon tests: short-term and long-term. Short-term tests remain in your home for 2-90 days, while long-term tests remain in the house for more than 90 days. Long-term tests are more likely to tell you your home’s year-round average radon level, while short-term tests will tell you what is happening right now. Follow the directions that come with the radon test kit so that the results are accurate. If you’d rather not test radon yourself, hire a qualified professional to ensure that your home is safe.

Information provided by BrightNest.com.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

 

Living near a high-scoring school can increase your home’s value by over $200,000, according to the Brookings Institute. That’s not chump change! And while some argue that the correlation between home prices and school systems is not linear – it’s a chicken-or-egg argument – there are plenty of attractive advantages that come with proximity to a school, including increased police protection, personal use of school facilities and living in a “Drug Free School Zone.”  

"Even those couples who don't have kids yet, but are planning to, are worried about the quality of schools in the neighborhoods where they are considering buying. My advice is to check out greatschools.org -- and look not only at test scores but parent reviews, special programs that the school might offer, and also which alternative schools are in the area, including charter and private options. High-scoring or popular schools do raise property values and demand for homes, no question," said Stacie Staub, Live Urban Real Estate.

Sounds great, right? Not so fast. Living by a high-scoring school sounds like a no-brainer, until you realize that a school means kids. And kids are unpredictable. And teenagers? Teenagers can mean havoc on your lawn, commute and sleep cycle.

“My wife I are were so excited to move into our first home,” said Ron, a new homeowner and BrightNest member from Boulder. “We were also pumped about the track at the high school right next to our home. I love to run and couldn’t wait to take advantage of it. We bought our house during the summer and all was good. But then when school started, we realized what a mistake we made. Traffic was insane all hours of the day and night, you can tell that the drivers have only had licenses for a year and band practice is now my worst enemy.”

"Living near an elementary school is fine; all you deal with is a bell sounding about every 45 minutes, school bus traffic and the line of parents picking and dropping off. Middle and high schools, though, can be a nuisance most of the year. Older kids can act out, vandalize, drink, smoke pot and more. It may be good to be close to a school if your child attends, but after that short period of time, I tell my clients that they may have regrets," Neil from 360 Dwellings Real Estate said. 

While home value is something to consider because homeownership is an investment, it’s equally important to consider the reality of living in your property.

"I would give the same advice to someone looking to buy a home adjacent to a middle or high school the same advice I would give someone thinking about buying next to a church or meeting hall...there will be times when traffic is increased, noise levels might rise, and street parking might be more difficult to find, but the rest of the time the building is quiet and usually very well maintained -- not the worst thing to have as a neighbor!" said Staub.

Neil adds, "I tell my clients that if they're going to sell, they should list in the summer when school is out. Know though, that when you sell your buyer pool is also limited since most buyers do not have kids in that exact age bracket and don't want to live near a school. So it may be tougher to sell than a comparable home that is farther from a middle or high school."

Before You Buy:

• Know that real estate agents cannot comment on the perceived quality or differences of schools and neighborhoods, because they will be violating equal treatment and anti-discrimination laws. So, do not expect your real estate agent to be candid about how the school can negatively impact both your home’s value and the quality of life in the neighborhood.
• Visit the property at multiple times during the day. What is it like at 7:30 AM on a Monday? What about 3:30 PM on a Friday?
• Check out the neighborhood’s crime statistics. Is there a spike in vandalism? That may be related to the proximity to a high school or middle school.
• Knock on doors. Neighbors of your prospective home will be the best way to get accurate information about how the proximity to the school may affect your quality of life.
• If you are hoping to find a home that you can easily sell, you should consider buying farther away from a middle or high school.

​Bottom Line: If the home you’re interested is near a high-scoring elementary school, you’ll get the benefits without the hassle. We say, go for it. But, if your dream home backs up to a middle or high school, it’s worth weighting the benefits against the cost before you sign on the dotted line.

Information provided by BrightNest.com.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

Recent housing data also give the Federal Reserve reason to pause on raising interest rates.

The trend in negative equity appears to have turned and is on the rise. CoreLogic reports that negative equity increased to 10.8% of all mortgaged properties in the fourth quarter of 2014. In the third quarter, the percentage was 10.4%. Roughly 200,000 more homeowners find themselves in a negative-equity position.

Home builders are also growing more cautious. The NAHB sentiment index dropped two points to a 53 reading, an eight-month low. The traffic component of the index showed particular weakness, falling two points to 37, a nine-month low.

Lower builder optimism is reflected in fewer starts. Housing starts dropped to 897,000 annualized units in February. This is 17% below the revised January estimate of 1.081 million units and is 3.3% below the February 2014 rate of 928,000 units. Single-family housing starts were particularly disappointing, falling 14.9% to 593,000 annualized units.

Of course, one month doesn't make a trend and the national numbers can be meaningless to any local market. That said, the Federal Reserve does pay attention to national numbers. If housing slips into a funk on the national stage, you can be sure the word “patient” will reappear in Fed meeting minutes.

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

What the Latest Fed Statement Means to Us

Housing and mortgage markets are supposed to be the focus, but a lot of time is spent vetting the Federal Reserve. We have no choice. The Fed is the guiding light of all financial markets these days.

Look no further than Fed Chair Janet Yellen's comments on Wednesday. For most of the day, financial-market participants were on the edge of their seats, anticipating somewhat anxiously how she would guide: Is an interest rate hike imminent or not?

We mentioned last week the importance of the word “patient.” The Fed had used that word as a way of telegraphing that no rate increase was imminent. In the latest meeting minutes, “patient” was removed, but no need to fear. The lack of “patient” does not imply impatience.

Despite strong monthly job growth over the past year, the Fed is still unsatisfied with economic growth. In fact, the Fed lowered its 2015 and 2016 outlook for gross domestic product (GDP) growth. At the same time, inflation remains muted. In other words, the Fed has the leeway to remain patient when it comes to raising interest rates.

Markets were somewhat impatient in their reaction to the good news. The major stock market measures spiked higher. Conversely, bond yields spiked lower. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note fell 10 basis points. The 10-year note now yields less than 2%.

As the yield on the 10-year note goes, so goes mortgage rates. Rates on both the 30-year and 15-year loans were significantly lower on Wednesday (though on Thursday they began to drift higher).

Now the question is, should we expect these lower rates to hold?

If you talk to mortgage-rate watchers, most still anticipate the Fed to raise the federal funds rate this year, possibly as soon as June. We are somewhat more circumspect. We would not be surprised to see a rate hike postponed until 2016. We say that because the U.S. dollar remains strong on the world market. An interest rate increase would make the dollar even stronger. (A strong dollar is a mixed blessing: imports are cheaper, but some exports are more expensive.)

Easy money everywhere also mitigates the odds of a rate increase. More than 20 central banks have implemented easy money policies since December. If the Fed moves to tighten its monetary policy – which an interest-rate hike would do – that ensures an even stronger dollar.

In short, there is no overwhelming reason for the Fed to begin raising interest rates. This tells us that sub-4% on the 30-year fixed-rated loan will be with us for a while.

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

Photo Credit: West Elm 

Ancients Romans may not have had modern toilets or steam showers, but they had a leg up in the bathroom department: heated floors! Yup, thousands of years ago six a.m. cold feet weren’t a problem thanks to hot water pumped through pipes under floors. Genius, right?

Just like the ancient Romans, you deserve some luxury in your life. If you’re ready to take your bathroom game to the next level, invest in one of these baller bathroom upgrades. You deserve it.

1. Install a Vessel or Glass Bathroom Sink

Sure, you’ll kill germs at any old sink, but how basic is that? Vessel sinks are stylish, easy to install and modern. Plus, they’re not just a pretty addition – they’re higher than traditional sinks, which makes them more ergonomic and comfortable to wash your hands in. Win!

What will this cost me? You can find good glass of vessel sinks for less than $150. Installation costs, on average, between $140 and $200.

2. Upgrade to Heated Floors

Waking up is hard to do, but waking up when it’s 5 degrees outside is downright impossible. When frigid temperatures make waking up and stepping into the shower a miserable task, picture this: Hot floors warming your feet and toasting your bathroom. It’s not a pipedream! Heated floors may have been around since the Romans, but they’re just now making a comeback in modern bathrooms.

What will this cost me? If you’re ready to heat it up, there are two options to choose from: hydronic or electric floors. Electric floors are far more economical and can heat an average size bathroom for about 10 cents a day once it’s installed. Initial installation will cost about $500-$700 depending on the size of your bathroom. See ya, slippers!

3. Re-Tile Your Shower

They say if you want to know someone’s age, look at their hands. In the bathroom, the aging tell is shower tiles. Shower tiles have a tough job - every time you shower, you’re adding a layer of scum to the tiles that, over time, shows wear. And do we even need to mention the dirty grout? To give your bathroom an upgrade that will pack a big punch, retile your shower.

What will this cost me? The cost of your shower re-tile completely depends on the size of your shower. An average shower of about 100 square feet will cost roughly $1,000. For a more exact estimate, visit Homewyse.

4. Add Window Treatments

Window treatments are a low-maintenance, quick way to upgrade the look of your bathroom. You literally buy and hang. No installation, no mess and less money spent than on your average date night. When you’re choosing treatments, pay attention to how they handle moisture. In the bathroom, you want them to be resistant to moisture and fast-drying to prevent mold growth. Tip: If you don’t have a bath fan, or can’t open a window to ventilate your bathroom, skip the window treatment – mold’s too great a risk.

What will this cost me? Installing new window treatments will take about an hour of your time. For price, we recommend shooting for a middle-of-the-road option. Anything too cheap, and you’ll be replacing them in less than a year. We like this treatment from Bed Bath and Beyond because of its classic shape, six color options and $39.99 price point.

5. Massive Windows

If you live downtown in an urban environment, this upgrade probably isn’t for you. But if you have some privacy and relish in the idea of a relaxing bath and a view, this may be the upgrade for you. When we say massive, we mean massive. (Like this and this.) Big windows make a huge statement, add natural light and will make your bathroom feel more livable.

What will this cost me? This install isn’t for the faint of heart or the shallow of wallet. Your average window replacement costs anywhere from $14,000 to $30,000. Why the range? It depends on what you’re working with currently, what type of window you want and what other upgrades you’re doing. We’re not saying it’s cheap, but it can still be worth it!

6. Hang a Chandelier

Chandeliers shouldn’t be relegated to the dining room or front parlor. Nope, chandeliers look awesome in bathrooms, too! While they have a fancy shmancy name, chandeliers are really just really ridiculously good looking light fixtures. You use your bathroom every day, so why not look at something you enjoy?

What will this cost me? If you have a handy-woman or man in the house, you’ll just be forking over cash for the cost of the chandelier. Scour antique markets for a deal on an elegant old piece, or pick up this elegant new piece from Land of Nod for $139. Not your style? This beaded, boho chandelier from World Market may be for you. Get the wordly look for $269.99.

Information provided by BrightNest.com.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

Employment is a key variable in the Federal Reserve's interest-rate equation. The lower the unemployment rate, the greater the chance the Fed will target higher interest rates. But there are a few mitigating variables, and a few are unique in the annals of recent history.

For one, we have low consumer price inflation. Oil and gas prices are as low as they've been in the past five years. This helps keep consumer price inflation below the Fed's target rate of 2%.(Inflation has actually been running below the Fed's target rate for a few years now.)

In addition, central banks around the world have embarked on their own version of quantitative easing. Last year, Japan's central bank announced it would swell its monetary base by $712 million. This year, the European Central Bank announced it would swell the European Union's monetary base by $1 trillion. Both Japan's central bank and the ECB are buying bonds (much like the Fed did) to accomplish their mission.

More yen and more euros has caused the U.S. dollar to appreciate relative to both currencies (and many of the world's currencies). If the Fed would raise interest rates, the dollar would become even more attractive compared to most currencies because dollar-denominated debt will offer a higher yield. (Demand for dollars would rise to buy this debt.)

Finally, the job market might not be as strong as the unemployment rate leads us to believe. In the past, the labor participation rate was consistently above 63%. The participation rate remains below that level today. It's possible an excess of potential labor remains on the sidelines, which makes the official unemployment rate appear better than it is.

Interest rates are tough to predict, but we wouldn't be surprised to see June come and go with no interest rate increase from the Fed.

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

 

Will They or Won't They?

Another month and another strong jobs report.  

Payrolls increased by an impressive 295,000 in February. This follows a healthy 239,000 gain in January and an eye-popping 329,000 surge in December. Continued strong job growth has dropped the official unemployment rate down to 5.5%.  

Way back in early 2014, we opined that 200,000-or-more new jobs per month would be a sign the economy was in full-growth mode. That's been the case. If we go back to January 2014, we see that there has been only one month of sub-200,000 monthly job growth. Business activity has certainly picked up over the past 15 months. (This is key. It's not so much job growth that matters, but business activity that creates value that requires workers to produce.)

With the latest employment report, more economists are talking interest rate hikes. History has shown that when job growth is strong and the unemployment rate is below 6%, odds rise that interest rates will rise. Everyone now is looking to June for the first Federal Reserve federal funds rate hike in eight years. Since December 2008, the Fed's target fed funds rate has been held at zero.

The fed funds rate is a short-term rate. It's the rate banks lend to each other overnight. It does influence longer-term rates, though. In short, the fed funds rate can be viewed as the base rate that determines the level of all other interest rates.

All eyes will be on the Fed FOMC meeting announcement this coming Wednesday. Specifically, market watchers will focus on one word – “patient.” The Fed has leaned on this word over the past six months to divert attention from a fed funds rate increase. Many pundits and commentators believe if “patient” is no longer in the press release, the Fed will raise the fed funds rate in June.

So does this mean mortgage rates are on the rise?

Mortgage rates have been rising since early February. They actually spiked higher on the February jobs report, but they've since drifted lower, and are actually slightly lower than they were this time last week. This isn't all that unusual. There's an old saying in financial circles: “Buy the rumor, sell the news.” This suggests many people were expecting a strong February jobs report, and when they got it, rates moved lower.

Despite another strong jobs report and unemployment at 5.5%, we still don't believe the Fed raising rates in June is a sure thing. There is a chance rates could remain low for longer than many people think.

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

We can probably all agree that spring cleaning is important, but finding the time for a prolonged scrubbing session isn’t always easy. So why not try a few shortcuts? You’ll still wind up with a clean house, but you won’t have to rearrange your busy schedule to make it happen!

1. Put Clutter in Bins

If your home is full of clutter, it could take forever to put everything back in its proper place. Instead, invest in a few large baskets or bins. Put your clutter into piles – like books, papers and clothes – and then move the piles into the bins. Eventually you’ll have the time to organize the bins, but until then your floors and furniture will be clear!

2. Clean Toilets with Denture Tablets 

If you’re more concerned about bacteria than stains, denture tablets are by far the easiest and best way to clean your toilet. Drop a couple of denture cleaning tablets into your toilet bowl, let them sit for about a minute and then flush. That’s it!

3. Pick up Small Objects with Pantyhose 

Are there tiny plastic Batman and Robin figures crammed under your couch? If you’re not interested in moving heavy furniture or getting on your hands-and-knees, use this trick: Fasten some old pantyhose over the extension on your vacuum with a rubber band, and then sweep it beneath your furniture. The suction will pick up fallen objects and trap them on the pantyhose, making them a cinch to clean up!

4. Mega Shortcut: Outsource Everything

If these tricks aren't diminishing the spring cleaning effort as much as you'd like, you can always hire someone to do the work for you! Take a peek at these housecleaning offers in your area. Remember, if you take this road, you can finish binge-watching House of Cards this weekend instead of futzing around with denture tablets and pantyhose.

5. Clean Your Curtains Without Moving Them

You could take all of your curtains down, clean them in the washing machine, hang them out to dry and then hang them back up – or you can use a rented steam cleaner to do the job in ten minutes! Make sure your steam cleaner is full of water, and then clean from the bottom to the top. Unless your curtains are extra-thick, you’ll only have to steam the front side to get them clean.

6. Only Wash the Outside of Windows

If your glass is looking dirty, 90 percent of the problem is probably located on the outside of the window. So cut your cleaning time in half by only worrying about the outside of your window panes! Choose an overcast day to clean (sunlight can leave streaks) and wash your windows from the outside corners in, using circular strokes. If you decide to tackle your second-story windows, use proper ladder safety rules. Tip: Use coffee filters for the ultimate streak-free shine.

7. Clean Your Dishwasher with Vinegar

Spring cleaning means getting every nook and cranny, right? Well, that includes your dishwasher, but it doesn’t have to include a lot of effort. Simply empty your dishwasher and then pour a cup of white distilled vinegar into it. Run the dishwasher on the hottest cycle possible and go about your day. Your dishwasher will be clean!

Information provided by BrightNest.com.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

 

 

Markets are interconnected. What occurs in one market will influence what occurs in another.

Consider the stock market. Most of us have some exposure to stocks, either through direct ownership or though a mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund. Anyone with a retirement account very likely has some stock-market exposure.

Stocks are at an all-time high. Therefore, many of us are feeling wealthier these days.

There is an actual phenomenon known as the “wealth effect” that is influenced by a rising stock market. When our portfolio values rise, we feel wealthier. When we feel wealthier, we are more inclined to spend, particularly on large-ticket items like cars and houses. With the stock market at an all-time high, the propensity to consume should rise as well. This bodes well for housing.

Of course, the question is, can the stock market continue to rise? We're not stock-market prognosticators, but there is reason to expect stock prices not to backside. Income is the reason.

Dividend-paying stocks are attractive alternatives to many fixed-income investments. With savings accounts yielding mere basis points and certificates of deposit yielding a percentage point or two, a quality dividend-paying stock with a 3% or 4% yield looks pretty attractive in comparison. Stocks relative attractiveness to other income investments should help keep demand, and, therefore prices, high.

Again, there are no guarantees, but the “wealth effect” is yet another reason why we think housing will keep moving forward.

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.