Monday, August 16, 2010

Your Real Estate Listing and Rain on the Lawn

After many dry days, it rained here last night. "Weather dot com"  data shows that the last significant rainfall of 0.49" was 11 days ago.  Not a flood and not just a light sprinkle, but almost 3/4 hour of moderate to light rain. More rain is expected this week. 
If the lawn on any of your listings looks like mine, it is mostly brown with patches of green.   Last nights rain and today's possible thunder showers are to be followed by two dry partly sunny days, a rainy Thursday and sunny Friday. 

This mixed bag of weather may awaken the lawn so that by the weekend and your next Open House, it will show new signs of life.  This  might be an opportunity to get some fresh out door pictures for your listings.  And, if the lawn and shrubs respond vigorously, look to see if they neeed a trimming!

Good luck in changing your listing to 'Under Agreement'.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

What Does Your Lawn look Like? Welcome to Green Aches -

I'm beginning to like the color of my brown lawn! I have two neigbors with in-ground watering systems. Dutifully, at 6 am, their lawns get watered. Because one neighbor's lawn is three large pine trees, as well, neither the water or their lawn service have made much progress in improving the lawn.

Another neighbor's lawn , gets the afternoon sun, that doesn't seem as intense as the sun in the morning. It is also watered automatically and is routinely professionally serviced. That must cost big bucks! And then my third neighbor does his own watering and has a lawn service. That lawn is 50/50, green and brown.

And then there is my lawn. All spring it's very, very green and very, very tall. I have read that the blades of grass don't obsess over their looks! Besides, that lets the roots go deep (?). Right now, it's mostly brown except for a few patches of hardy weeds and dandelions. In September, as the rains return, so will the green color and by the late fall, just as the leaves begin to fall ( ;-D it will have greened out again!

Now read about someone who is obsessed about his lawn: Welcome to Green Aches - The Boston Globe

Sunday, August 01, 2010

Homeowner Oil Heating System Upgrade and Insurance Law - Extended

Do you have oil heat in your home? Then you should know that the date for compliance with the new Massachusetts Law "Homeowner Oil Heating System Upgrade and Insurance Law" has been extended until September 30, 2011. Insurance companies must have had the optional insurance available as of July 1, 2010. To learn more of the fine details, check out the site of the Mass DEP  that has information about exemptions, approximate costs as well as a sketch of an upgraded system.