Vague Specifics – April 2021
It’s been a really wacky 2021 thus far in real estate, a sort of perfect storm if you don’t mind overused expressions stemming from George Clooney films. We need inventory more than any other time in my 17 years in the business. Of course thanks to Covid, many people decided not to sell because they a) didn’t want strangers in their home and b) suffered a precarious financial situation with the economic shutdown. The vaccine is out (in case you haven’t heard) and people are getting back to work, but as of the writing of this we still don’t have much of a recovery in terms of inventory. California and other states continue to hemorrhage both jobs and residents, an enormous of them coming to Texas, many of those coming with huge bags of cash after selling their 2 bedroom shanty in Malibu for $1.5 million.
“But John, you muscular yet painfully sensitive litterateur,” I hear you ask, “builders are putting up houses by the thousands. Isn’t that going to help with the shortage of inventory?” Well, fake person, there aren’t enough builders, newly-plotted subdivisions, or labor crews to keep up with the mass migration to the DFW area. New construction inventory is backed up almost 2 years, and with the cost of labor and materials, “affordable housing” is a very difficult prospect.
As I write this (Tuesday, 4/27), I’m feeling a bit under the weather after getting my second Pfizer shot yesterday, butI definitely felt worse after the first. Meanwhile, my 80-year old mom got both of hers and felt just fine. I swear older generations are just tougher. My vaccine status isn’t something I air in public because the vax/anti-vax camps are so polarized. I chose to get vaccinated for my own reasons, but I completely understand those who are choosing not to get theirs. It’s a scientifically-backed vaccine, created by the finest medical labs on Earth, but it is still an experimental treatment with many noted side effects. My point is, give a touch of grace to the other side because neither is 100% right in this.
MLS Statistics: April 2021
Beyond Spring Cleaning: Servicing Your HVAC
There are a lot of things – from changing your car’s oil to treating your home for termites to buying new underwear – that should be done in regular intervals. Often forgotten until it’s too late is servicing your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioner).
CHANGE YOUR FILTERS! – The easiest thing you can do is keep your filters clean, and it makes a profoundly helps not overtax your system. Dirty, clogged filters can lower your air conditioner’s efficiency by 5 – 15%, or even more, it can shorten your HVACs life by years. Most technicians suggest replacing your filter every 1-2 months, depending on the filter. One thing I’ve also learned in 18 years of real estate is that a dirty air filter is often a sign of a negligent seller, and if the filter looks like it hasn’t been changed in years, chances are other mechanicals are suffering from neglect as well.
SCHEDULE SEASONAL CHECK-UPS – General rule of thumb is to have a licensed technician inspect your system before systems switch between heating and cooling. April and October are good. It’s more of a safety issue with the heater – especially if it’s gas-powered – but if your air conditioner is out of coolant, it can be miserable.
MONITOR YOUR COMPRESSORS – It’s important to keep your outside system clean, and free of debris. Leaves will eventually fall into the system, the paint will eventually start to peel, but if you have cottonwood trees nearby, ivy growing, or tall grass, your exterior coils can easily become clogged. Clogged coils will decrease your unit’s efficiency and can end up drastically shortening the lifespan of your system.
BONUS: MONITOR YOUR SECONDARY DRAIN LINE – Depending on when your property was built, there should be a mysterious piece of PVC leading through a gable below your roof or above a tub or sink. This is your secondary drain line. If this is dripping water it means the primary line is clogged, which can lead to damage to the secondary drain pan or even a leak. If you see this dripping water, call your trusted HVAC technician.
Spring Cleaning: It’s That Time Again
As we emerge from the depths of winter, we must finally address the dust bunnies, stale odors, and various to-dos that we put off until spring. To some people, cleaning is therapeutic. To others like myself, it’s as much fun than a root canal. But alas, we must all engage in our spring cleaning ritual. A few ideas for you:
1) Choose Cleaning Products & Stock Up – Making multiple trips to the store can kill your momentum. Buy multi-surface cleaners, glass cleaners, soap, dusters, and plenty of reusable microfiber towels among other things. If possible, use natural cleaners, or even make your own. There’s a reason chemical cleaners are popular – they get the job done – but the stench of chemicals isn’t much better than a dusty, dirty home, and there is evidence that harsh cleaners can be toxic.
2) Let the Air In – If you suffer from seasonal spring allergies, skip this. If not, opening all your windows will blow the stale winter air out as well as the smell of your cleaning products. If you have an attic fan, this will take no time at all.
3) Go Room-by-Room – As a multitasker (read: ADHD), I tend to bounce around everywhere, but studies have shown (in cleaning and life-in-general), that a methodical item-at-a-time approach is far more effective.
4) Organize & Get Rid of Clutter – There’s a very broad gap between minimalists and hoarders, but I’ve always held as a rule of thumb that if there is an article of non-event specific clothes that I haven’t worn in 18 months, it’s time to get rid of it.
5) While You’re at It, Don’t Forget:
All Kitchen Appliances Shower Drain & Grout
The Junk Drawer Bathroom Exhaust Fan
Washer/Dryer Change Air Filters
Bookshelves Clean Gutters
Windows & Blinds
Recovering from Snowmageddon
What an unforgettable, terrible cold front it was it was. Record snow, near-record low temperatures…. and in typical Texas weather fashion, 70 degrees the next week.
Unfortunately those of us who don’t have a crystal ball and didn’t winterize ahead of time, the damage is largely already done. The best we can do is assess the damage and rebuild/replant/repair.
Here are a few things to consider:
Plants – When you hit a hard freeze, even “hearty” plants can suffer. During an extended hard freeze, the water within a plants cells freezes, causing destruction at a cellular level. It can take several days for the damage to appear, and like someone recovering from frostbite, gradually introduce heat to your plant will help slowly introduce warmth to the cells. Remove mushy leaves/flowers, so fungus doesn’t take hold. With wooded plants, it’s best to leave them until spring. and prune/cut as necessary. The best thing you can do for your lawn is to fertilize it in March.
Swimming Pool – Hopefully you a) had power and b) kept your pump going. There are a lot of different indicators that you have damaged pool plumbing. The most obvious is bubbles coming out of the jets. More subtle signs include: tile cracked/falling tiles, wet spots in the yard, water pooling under pool equipment, and dropping water levels. Pools can be absolute money pits, but to pool lovers they’re essential for Texas summers.
Plumbing – If there is an upside to your plumbing being damaged by freezing temperatures, you’re going to see it once your pipes thaw. “Assessing the damage after a winter freeze is a pretty straightforward process,” says Andy Parrish, owner of Pro-Bowl Plumbing, “The damage has already been done, and if you’ve had damage done to the copper or cast iron piping in your house, you’re going to know about it the moment the water starts to flow again.” If you need a great plumber referral (such as Andy), give me a call.
DFW MLS Statistics – February 2021
Architectural Corner – Shotgun House
Also called the shotgun Shack (The Talking Heads once made a reference), this housing style was popular from 1860’s – 1920’s, beginning in New Orleans but spreading through the deep south and as far as Chicago. Originally built for the middle class, Shotgun houses quickly became associated with poverty in America.
No more than 12′ wide, the shotgun house was a quaint product designed to make the maximum use of space in cramped subdivisions. They were typically elevated several feet above the ground to compensate for frequent flooding, and were so narrow that hallways were unfeasible. They were almost all wood frame & wood shingle construction, and many of them had no windows on their sides.
Thousands of these homes have been renovated thanks to urban gentrification projects; Chip & Joanna Gaines did one in Waco!
Vague Specifics – January 2021
The 2021 market has started out exactly as analysts thought: spicy hot. We had the usual New Years hangover which lasted all of 10 days, and then we were back in action. I had the luck to pick up a couple of investment properties in Oak Cliff. One of them got 17 offers in less than 48 hours and will close so far above list price that I don’t see how it will be a viable investment. But hey, I will never be a man who objects to giving me more money that I’m expecting.
With every selling season and all its nuances, new truths emerge. We live in a rapidly escalating market, but buyers with very high expectations for their purchases. Now add to that incredibly low interest rates. What do you think this would mean and who would it best serve? I had a listing about a year ago. Great house. It was priced about $100,000 below the top-of-the-market, but needed about $80,000 in updates. It made sense to us that building in a little discount would entice buyers to make the investment. It was in a great north Dallas neighborhood, had an amazing backyard living space, and well over 3,000 sqft. It had been updated in the early 2000’s with travertine/granite/2000s colors (which were tired), and the master bathroom (massive as it was) was still very 70s. We put it on the market at $600,000 and got 5 showings in the first few days. After 4 months we had had a TOTAL of 10 showings and no offers.
“But John, you elegant yet knavish truth-sayer,” I hear you ask, “whatever is the point of this captivating story?” Well, dear reader, the answer is people are willing to pay a premium on low-interest borrowed money for a completely updated property. It makes sense considering the odds of them paying off a 30 or 15-year mortgage are rather low. The losers in this scenario are houses like my listing. I’m trying to get the owners to spend the necessary money to bring it up to expectations, but it’s an uphill battle. If only people would spend their money like I want them to, things would be so much easier.
Architectural Corner – Jacobean
Lasting from 1600 – 1625, Jacobean architecture signified the 2nd phase of Renaissance architecture (following the Elizabethan style). It was named after Jacobus, Latin for King James I of England, and began shortly after his death. it was a shift from Elizabethan, incorporating more classical-style Roman features, and was heavily influenced by the Flemish and German immigrant craftsmen who constructed them. Although churches often exhibited great intricacies Jacobean brought the majesty to the homes of the wealthy
Flat roofs with open-work parapets, round-arch arcades, columns and pilasters were relied upon heavily, while other classical elements appeared more freely than in Elizabethan architecture. The style itself heavily influenced furniture design and decorative arts for years to come.
While this style of architecture was far too fanciful for the hard lives of the puritans who weren’t contemporaries, they are not unknown in the United States.