Willow Glen Home Sales - Year in Review

Willow Glen Home Sales - Year in Review

by Michael G Barnaba

Willow Glen Real Estate (as defined bound by Willow, Meridian, Curtner and Guadalupe Parkway)experienced a year of energetic sales. Below are graphs of MLS statistics to illustrate some of the forces and reactions at work in this market.

Thanks to continued low interest rates, able buyers and a reasonable quantity of willing sellers the market in Willow Glen proliferated.

Chart 1 shows the volume of sales peaking in May slightly trailing April's low days on market and high sales to list price ratio on Chart 2. See how year-end discounted leftovers get snapped up quickly in January to make way for spring listings. The vigorous market heats up to white hot in April and in May list-to-sold price ratios get closer, tracking volume.

Chart 3 illustrates the interplay of new listings and closed sales as it fuels volume dynamics like two pistons in a money engine!

Charts 4 & 5 highlight the price arenas of most potential in Willow Glen. Setting list price requires good data, an expert CMA matched with marketing plan disciplined by an intelligent sellers goals. Keep it real!

Happy Holiday and if you enter the market in 2014 let me know your views and comments.

Chart 1 - No big surprise that volume peaked in May as availability of new listings and eager buyers collide.

Chart 2 - Year end discounted leftovers get snapped up quickly in January to make way for spring listings. The vigorous market heats up to white hot in April and in May list to sold price ratios get closer, tracking volume.

Chart 3 - This chart helps put the above chart into perspective.

Chart 4 - Of the 350+ homes sold in Willow Glen this year here is the distribution of TOTAL NEW LISTINGS across price ranges.

Chart 5 - Closed sales tracks with new listings as far as prices ranges go. Showing market driven pricing prevailing.

What to do with your pool before a hard freeze - ehow.com

Check Your Pool

• Before you decide to close down for the winter, make sure your pool is in the same condition you would require if you were going to continue to swim in. Backyard City Pools, located in Collierville, Tennesse, advises that you should first check the chemical balance of your pool water, including the pH or acidity level, alkaline level, chlorine level and calcium harness level. If you expect your pool to be ready for swimmers after the winter freeze, you have to leave it that way before you stop using it in the fall.

Clean Your Pool

• Remove all ladders, toys, railings and other pool accessories, and store them for the winter in your garage, shed or pool room. Give the walls and floor of the pool a good cleaning, removing any debris or dirt. Scrub down the walls and vacuum the floor. Dirt, leaves, sticks and other debris left in your pool during the winter months can leave stains that can be nearly impossible to remove.

  You should also clean the filter, skimmer and pump basket, and remove any excess chlorine to prevent water from becoming too chlorinated.

  After cleaning, lower the water in your in-ground pool below the level of the pumps that generally supply water. By lowering the water, you ensure that when the water freezes and expands it will not tear through your pool cover or damage the walls of the pool. Plug up the pumps and add antifreeze to the skimmer to prevent the pipes in the pump from freezing.

Read more: http://www.ehow.com/way_5720200_do-pool-during-hard-freeze_.html#ixzz2mZKmneuS

That's a good thing to know about lowering the water level below the pumps! It's logical, practical and easy.

Happy Holidays!

Preparing for a sudden freeze the UK way (or East Coast Way)

Don't be caught by sudden harsh weather

Here a few tips courtesy of Aviva, a UK insurance company(they should know!)

Before the barometer dips below zero be sure to do a 'recon':

• Make sure pipes are 'wrapped'
  All visible pipes, particularly exposed pipes in crawl spaces in the attic, should be 'wrapped'with pre-formed foam (the type that wraps around the pipes) available from plumbers’ merchants and DIY stores. Remember, the thicker the  'wrapping', the better: a minimum of 50mm in diameter but preferably 75mm. When insulating bends and tricky-to-reach pipes use gaffa tape to fix it securely.
• Make sure your tank is insulated
  The best option is a preformed jacket that hugs the tank (a bit like the Puffa jackets from the 80s!) They’re filled with glass fibre matting and attach securely to the tank – this is important as you don’t want it to dislodge. With the exception of a header tank in the loft which should be completely enclosed, there should be no insulation beneath your tank as this will prevent warm air rising from below, increasing the likelihood of it freezing.
• Repair dripping taps
  If you have any dripping taps replace the washers. If dripping taps freeze they’ll block your pipe and cause damage.

How to deal with a frozen pipe

You’ll know if you have a frozen pipe because one or more of your taps won’t work but before you start on your frozen pipe action plan it’s worth first checking with the neighbours that they have water – if they don’t it’s likely there’s a problem with local supply.

Assuming you do have frozen pipes you need to:

• Turn off the water supply
  Turn off the water at the main faucet, usually under the kitchen sink. Now turn off the stopcock in your cold water tank, usually in your loft. Doing this will minimise the amount of water that escapes (and the damage to your home) if one of the pipes has burst.
• Protect your possessions
  Next move or protect anything in your home that’s near to potentially eruptive pipework and cover your junction box.
• Locate the freeze
  If you’re not a confident DIYer now’s the time to call in a reputable plumber. If however you have a good basic knowledge of plumbing you can now attempt to locate the freeze and thaw it. Do this by checking the flow of water from all appliances – taps, toilets etc – throughout your home. Once you’ve narrowed down the area you suspect to be frozen, look for further clues, eg an unlagged section of pipework or draughts next to a pipe, feeling with your hands for areas that are noticeably colder to the touch.
• Let the thaw commence
  Now inspect the pipe and nearby fittings. If they are all intact you can gently thaw the affected area using a hair dryer or a hot water bottle. NEVER use a blowtorch or heat gun. If the pipe has split read below.

How to deal with a burst pipe

A burst pipe can cause serious damage to the structure and wiring of your home so take action immediately:

• Turn off the water supply
  As above.
• Drain the system
  Turn on all your cold taps and flush your toilets.
• Turn off heating
  Switch off central heating, immersions and other heating installations. If your heating uses solid fuel let it die out. Once the water heating has shut down, turn on the hot taps to further drain the system.
• Turn off the electrics
  If water from a burst pipe is leaking near any electrics, switch off the mains but if the mains switch is wet DON’T TOUCH IT! Call in a qualified electrician instead.
• Collect the water
  If the leak is small you can mop it up using towels but you’ll need buckets if it’s coming through the ceiling. If the ceiling starts to bulge stand well out of the way and pierce the plaster with a long screwdriver or a broom handle.
• Fix the leak
  If you’re unqualified or unconfident, now’s the time to call in the professionals and also your insurance company if there’s significant damage. If you’re a handy DIYer you can fix the damage with an infill connector, repair putty, a pipe clamp, fibreglass tape or a temporary patch.

Stay safe. Stay dry. Stay warm.