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This striking brick front elevation & landscaping create high curb appeal for this stunning Wildwood 1.5 Story home.
Although spring lawn care gets all the attention, fall lawn care is the make-it or break-it season for grass.
“I’m already thinking about next year,” says John Dillon, who takes care of New York City’s Central Park, which features 200 acres of lawn in the middle of Manhattan. “The grass I grow this fall is what will be there next spring.”
Fall lawn care is no walk in the park. It’s hard work, and Dillon guides you through the four basic steps.
1. Aeration
Aeration gives your lawn a breather in autumn and provides room for new grass to spread without competition from spring weeds. Aeration tools pull up plugs of grass and soil, breaking up compacted turf. That allows water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach roots, and gives seeds room to sprout.
If kids frequently play on your lawn, plan to aerate twice a year — fall and spring. If your lawn is just for show, then aerate once a year — and maybe even once every other year.
A hand-aerating tool ($20), which looks like a pitchfork with hollow tines, is labor-intensive and meant for unplugging small sections of grass. Gas-powered aerating machines (rental, $20/hour) are about the size of a big lawn mower, and are good for working entire lawns. Bring some muscle when you pick up your rental: Aerating machines are heavy and can be hard to lift into your truck or SUV.
Depending on the size of your property, professional aeration costs about $150.
2. Seeding
Fall, when the soil temperature is about 55 degrees, is the best time to seed your lawn because turf roots grow vigorously in fall and winter. If you want a lush lawn, don’t cheap out on the seed.
Bags of inexpensive seed ($35 for 15 pounds) often contain hollow husks, weed seed, and annual rye grass seed, which grows until the first frost then drops dead. Splurge on the good stuff ($55 for 15 pounds of Kentucky Bluegrass seed), which resists drought, disease, and insects.
Water your new seed every day for 10 to 20 days until it germinates.
3. Fertilizing
A late fall fertilization — before the first frost — helps your grass survive a harsh winter and encourages it to grow green and lush in spring. Make your last fertilization of the year count by choosing a product high (10% to 15%) in phosphorous, which is critical for root growth, Dillon says.
Note: Some states are banning phosphorous-rich fertilizers, which are harmful to the watershed. In those places, look for nitrogen-rich fertilizers, which promote shoot and root growth. Check with your local extension service to see what regulations apply in your area.
4. Mulching
Instead of raking leaves, run over them a couple of times with your mower to grind them into mulch. The shredded leaves protect grass from winter wind and desiccation. An added bonus — shredded leaves decompose into yummy organic matter to feed grass roots.
A mulching blade ($10) that attaches to your mower will grind the leaves even finer.
This striking brick front elevation & landscaping create high curb appeal for this stunning Wildwood 1.5 Story home.
A recent survey by Ipsos found that the American public is still somewhat confused about what is actually necessary to qualify for a home mortgage loan in today’s housing market. The study pointed out two major misconceptions that we want to address today.
The survey revealed that consumers overestimate the down payment funds needed to qualify for a home loan. According to the report, 36% think a 20% down payment is always required. In actuality, there are many loans written with a down payment of 3% or less.
Here are the results from a Digital Risk survey done on Millennials:
The Ipsos survey also reported that two-thirds of the respondents believe they need a very good credit score to buy a home, with 45 percent thinking a “good credit score” is over 780. In actuality, the average FICO scores of approved conventional and FHA mortgages are much lower.
Here are the numbers from a recent Ellie Mae report:
If you are a prospective purchaser who is ‘ready’ and ‘willing’ to buy but not sure if you are also ‘able’, sit down with someone who can help you understand your true options.
Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey.
Every quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a nationwide panel of over one hundred economists, real estate experts and investment & market strategists about where prices are headed over the next five years. They then average the projections of all 100+ experts into a single number.
Individual opinions make headlines. We believe the survey is a fairer depiction of future values.
This ranch home w/ finished lower level offers 3 bedrms 2 1/2 baths on the main level w/ a 4th bedrm in the finished walk out lower level. Upon entry you will notice the spacious foyer w/ guest closets, ceramic tile & opens to the arched doorways of the formal living rm. All 3 bedrms have hardwood flrs under carpeting & plenty of closet space. The family rm off the kitchen offers built-ins, a gas starter/wood burning fireplace & a wall of windows looking out onto the VERY PRIVATE lot backing to 30 acres of trees and woods. Inground heated pool & deck w/ a canopy which stays. The dinning rm, perfect for entertaining, opens to the kitchen which offers a separate breakfast rm, beautiful electrolux stainless steel gas range, roll out shelves, pantry & granite counters. Off the Master bedrm, walk out to the deck for morning coffee. 2 car garage w/ 3rd pad for add'l parking! *inground sprinklers* rough-in bath in lower level* Tons of storage* Newer roof* This one won't last at this price!!!!
This ranch home w/ finished lower level offers 3 bedrooms 2 1/2 baths on the main level w/ a 4th bedroom in the finished walk out lower level. Upon entry you will notice the spacious foyer w/ guest closets, ceramic tile & opens to the arched doorways of the formal living room.
Great opportunity to own close to 6 acres of property in a booming community! Potential to build new homes, school or church. Buyer may consider having the city of Dardenne Praire annex or rezone this property since the city has showed strong interest to do so. Commercial zoning would create an option for the buyer to consider building a strip mall, bank, restaurant or medical offices. There is a home on the lot which is being sold "As Is" but the buyer could use the home as a rental property until development begins. With the Page Extension nearby, this allows for increased exposure and access to the property. This opportunity is rare and now is the time to buy!
The interest rate you pay on your home mortgage has a direct impact on your monthly payment. The higher the rate the greater the payment will be. That is why it is important to look at where rates are headed when deciding to buy now or wait until next year.
Below is a chart created using Freddie Mac’s July 2015 U.S. Economic & Housing Marketing Outlook. As you can see interest rates are projected to increase steadily over the course of the next 12 months.
Depending on the amount of the loan that you secure, a half of a percent (.5%) increase in interest rate can increase your monthly mortgage payment significantly.
Dr. Frank Nothaft, the SVP & Chief Economist for CoreLogic, had this to say in their latest MarketPulse:
“If you are thinking of buying a home and have the financial means to do so, this could be a good time to take a look at the neighborhoods you are interested in. We expect home prices in our national index to be up about 4.3% in the next 12 months, and mortgage rates are also likely to increase over the next year.”
If both the predictions of home price and interest rate increases become reality, families would wind up paying considerably more for their next home.
Even a small increase in interest rate can impact your family’s wealth. Meet with a local real estate professional to evaluate your ability to purchase your dream home.
