Those Pesky Heating Bills

It's not a surprise that the first question most buyers I have met with lately are asking is "how much does it cost to heat this house?".

We are all pleased that oil prices have gone down a little bit......but I have been looking around my own home to see just where I can save a little on my electric and heating bills.

Here are a few thoughts my husband and I came up with:

• replacing the air filter in your furnace frequently not only keeps your furnace working efficiently, but will also cut down on the dust blowing through the air vents
• insulating the heating ducts keeps the air warm and will cut down on leaks while air is transferred from the ducts in to the rooms of your home
• are your air vents or baseboards blocked by furniture or curtains? Keeping heating vents exposed will help the warm air circulate through the house
• how old is your furnace? how old is your hot water heater? Our hot water heater was more than 15 years old. There have been such energy efficient changes in these products it is a good idea to see if you can get one or both replaced and START SAVING MONEY and the ENVIRONMENT!
• I find myself sounding very much like my parents when I say, if you are chilly, PUT ON A SWEATER! I remember growing up in Claremont, NH, my father would keep the thermostat on 62 degrees. He'd always remind us that when it's 62 outside we all run around in shorts and t-shirts. So set that thermostat to a lower temp.....and put on a sweater if you are chilly! Who knew Dad was so smart.
• Solar gain........Mark and I cut down a couple of trees that were blocking the sun coming in to our living room. We have achieved some wonderful solar gain. The house stays very warm during the day....not to mention we got a cord or two of wood to burn over the winter. We replaced the trees with some nice, but shorter, shrubs.
• Weather stripping.......of course we can all check the weather stripping around our doors and windows.....re-caulking can be done if necessary. Check out your local hardware store for those window insulation kits.

These are just a few things everyone can do. How many more can you think of?

What to look for in a Realtor

What should you be looking for in a Realtor when buying or selling a home?

First of all, is your agent a REALTOR® ? REALTORS® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again (according to the National Association of Realtors).

When selling your home, your REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on activity in you market area and the price, financing, and condition of like properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

If you are buying a home your Realtor can refer you to reputable lenders, appraisers, and home inspectors in your area. Your REALTOR® can help you determine your buying power -- that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity.

Call me, I'd be happy to put these skills to work for you.

Summer in Vermont

Where has the time gone? It is the middle of summer already.

The gardens are colorful and sweet smelling.

This sure is a great time to be buying a home in Vermont.

Check out this listing at the Orange Lake Ascutney Resort in Brownsville:

MLS # 2732544

Are you looking for an immaculate, comfortable home that is easily maintained? This is your home! Every detail has been thoughtfully taken care of, inside & out. 4 Bedrooms, 3 full baths, spa room, large laundry room, peaceful front porch, professionally landscaped gardens with irrigation system. So many great features I can't fit it all in! Call me today for a private viewing.
802-484-0195.

March

I can't believe it is March 2nd already. Although, I have to say I am more than ready for Spring! I am not a skier or snowmobiler, however, I truly love the winter months. This morning is particularly beautiful here in Vermont. Bright blue skies and all the purest whitest snow covering fields, trees and roof tops.

Speaking of roof tops - Seems like everywhere you look folks are up on the roof trying to lighten the snow load and prevent ice build up. It's a must do this year. There have been a couple of news stories in our area about cave ins.

So, please, take care of the snow on your roof - and easy does it...........it's a dangerous undertaking.

Did you Know? The Truth About Underground Oil Tanks

Underground Oil Tanks

Over the last few months, I have heard that more and more insurance companies are refusing to issue homeowner's insurance polices for properties that have an underground oil tank.

Several insurance agents have mentioned to me that the day may come when it is impossible to get such coverage.

The tanks, usually made of steel, are prone to rusting. Rusting leads to leakage which can lead to pollution of groundwater and wells. A huge concern for all of us.

Due to the potential problems with the tanks, many home buyers are putting a contingency in their purchase and sales contract requiring the seller to have any underground oil tanks removed before closing (this happened during a sale of mine last June in Weathersfield, Vermont). It was not insurmountable, but did take some extra effort to coordinate.

Any tank that is out of service for more than one year must be permanently closed.

The cost to remove a tank can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500 depending on the location.

The State of Vermont does have a program which provides a grant of $1000 to qualifying homeowners to have these tanks removed. The program has a $100,000.00 limit per year beginning on July 1st. I am told the funds run out quickly.

The State of Vermont maintains a list of contractors who will remove the tanks.

For more information about the grant program or to get a list of contractors, you can contact the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation at (802) 828-3888.