Bugs and Warm Weather and How to Search for a Home
Paul Jamison of the Jamison Family of Companies speaks with Sandy Dickinson of Cross Country Mortgage and Marty Ivey of Ivey Exterminating about bugs and warm weather, keeping your home bug-free, and searching for a home.
Trivia Question and Local Real Estate Statistics
Tune into the show replay for the following:
- the answer to this week’s trivia question: In the United States, what is the median age of a household owner occupant?; and
- statistics on the local Charlotte-area real estate market. Statistics can not only be very interesting, but can also reveal a great deal about the current health and state of the real estate market today vs. the last few years. When you understand the current state of the market, you can make wiser buying and selling decisions and better time your important buying and selling decisions.
Bugs and Warm Weather
How does a warm weather snap in the middle of winter affect the bugs and pests? Warm weather acts as a teaser to bugs and pests. They may emerge and pop out sooner than normal. If it snows, that could also be just the right amount of moisture and insulation for insects to pop out like crazy! Here in the Carolinas, winter typically is not cold enough or long enough to truly keep all bugs away for any period of time. Termites are some of the first pests to kick off the bug season. They start to appear usually around Easter. Areas in your community near water (lakes, creeks, etc.) will have more bug and pest activity than other areas.
Roaches are not discriminating and can be found all over the country at any time of year. The formulation of today’s insecticides has reduced their prevalence, but they are still very much around and alive. Depending on the environment, roaches can live a long life. If they are without a source of food, a roach will eat her offspring! Most roaches in the Carolinas are American roaches. They come in from the outside into your perimeter walls and attics. They are attracted to the light and the warmth in attics in the winter. They can be a problem near washing machines, refrigerators, stoves and under sinks.
Mice and rodents used to be a fall/winter problem. But now, they are a 365-day issue. There is so much development, trash, growth, so many pets, etc. in our local Charlotte area contributing to this problem.
How to Keep Your Home Bug-Free
There are several things you can do to keep bugs and critters out of your home:.
- Don’t bring firewood in from outside the home
- Don’t blow leaves against the home
- Keep the foundation vents free of any debris. Leaves can be a great hiding place for insects, snakes, and other wildlife
- Do not leave items out in your yard (children’s toys, etc.) that may allow water to pool, thereby attracting bugs and pests
How to Set up at Home Search
Today, there are many ways for homebuyers to find a home. There are searches available on zillow.com, realtor.com, and others. These sites aggregate from the local MLS system to provide their results. This may be a great starting point. But, a local agent may be able to offer additional assistance in order to fine tune a buyer’s search. A local agent will know more about commute times to work, proximity to certain schools, distance to airport, etc. They can also provide inside information on areas of particular growth that national websites cannot offer. It’s also beneficial to follow road projects, development plans, and strategic plans of retail establishments in the area, such as grocery stores, restaurants, etc. Pay particular attention to the absolute minimum search criteria (number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, etc.) Also consider the price range of your search. Just because you can afford it, doesn’t mean you should buy it. Also, check out a satellite view of the property to see if there are high power lines, etc. nearby. Investigate tax records to know what you’re getting into. It’s ok to start your search online, but it’s always in your best interest to seek out the assistance of a reputable and experienced local realtor and team.
We’re to Help!
To discuss property management, property investment, property maintenance, selling, buying, the local real estate market, and all things real estate related, contact the expert team of trusted advisors at Jamison Realty at (704) 846-3663. To learn more about property investment in particular, purchase Paul’s book, Opportunity is Knocking, which is chock full of information and tips to get every new investor well on their way to success.
We will be with you every step of the way. Also, listen to Your Real Estate Today radio show every Saturday afternoon on WBT for fun and interesting real estate information and special guests!