As the housing market in Central Ohio Rebounds...Fall is Hot for selling your home. After six years of market that was trending downward, we are starting to experience a recovery and with the historic low interest rates, buyers are ready to move. The uncertainty of where rates will be in 6 months may mean waiting until spring to sell your home won't be a benefit.
1) Rates could be higher which means buyers will have less money to spend on the house.,
2) There will be more competition, most people believe spring is the time to sell. In Central Ohio we are experiencing low inventory right now! I know, I just have placed 4 homes into contract in the past week, and 2 of those we had to make offers on two homes because we had competition!
3) Fall buyers are traditionally serious buyers. The spring season brings more people out "just looking" as the weather gets nicer.
4) Negotiations are more difficult. With buyers having the option to move on to their 2nd choice of a house, buyers have more negotiation power when inventory is higher which is typical of the spring market.
SO if you are thinking of selling...Fall 2012 is a great market to be a seller.
Check List for Fall Selling!
1) Curb Appeal:
Hang a festive wreath on the front door!
Have an invited doormat (helps keep debris outside too).
Rake the yard and clear the walks of leaves and debris.
Clean the gutters.
2) Windows and Garage:
Sparkle! Wash them inside and out!
Does the garage door need repairs or paint?
3) After Dark:
Since it often dark outside for fall showings, make sure you have outdoor lights for high-value impact.
Light the walk-ways.
A timer for the outside lights is a great idea!
And add some additional lighting just for fun!
4) Keep the house cozy!
Candles (great new electric and battery—READ SAFE—options are available) and small lamps are a wonderful addition to decor for on your mantle and around your living, dining and family rooms. Also having your fireplace decorated for fall is a great way to make the home feel cozy.
Decorate with pumpkins and other festive fall centerpieces.
If you bake, nothing like the smell of an apple-cinnamon pie to make people feel warm and welcome.
Alan's Favorite Apple Pie!
Filling
6 C sliced apples (fuji)
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
1 C sour cream
3 egg yolks
1 C brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 T cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
Combine in a bowl and refrigerate.
Topping:
1 C chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 C old fashioned oats or quick cook oats (not instant)
1 C of fresh or frozen cranberries OR 1/2 C of dried cranberries
4 T melted butter
1 T vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
Combine and chill well.
Put pie together into crust, apples, then topping, then top crust...lattice optional.... place in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes,
then reduce heat to 350 and bake 30-40 minutes until bubbly.
And...Amy's Pie Crust
Two
Crust Pie Dough
1/4 Cup of
water
1 T. whole milk
1 Cup Crisco
(can use butter flavored, slightly different crust color)
2 Cups of
all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Bring water and
milk to a boil, pour over Crisco and whip with a whisk or hand mixer (my
preference) until liquid is incorporated and mixture is fluffy. Add flour and salt, mix until crumbly
(DON'T OVERMIX, or this becomes paste).
With floured hands, gently gather (or gently push the lumpy mixture into
one lump) into a ball and divide into two equal portions/or one a little larger
to be the bottom crust. Wrap in
plastic wrap and chill thoroughly.
Roll out between plastic wrap, remove top piece of wrap and carefully
press crust into place, carefully remove plastic.
OR Use a cotton pillow case that is well floured to roll the
crust on with a piece of plastic wrap on top, keep turning the pastry. Carefully lift the pastry on the
plastic wrap and press crust into place in plate, carefully remove plastic.
This method allows you to make lattice top pies with ease.
After filling a
single crust or putting on the top crust, I find if you freeze it for 3-5
minutes you can make a nice pinched edge (To keep the crust from getting to
brown, I usually freeze oven ready
fruit pies for 15-20 minutes/or empty ready shells for cream pies 5-10 minutes,
then bake as the recipe calls for and I have never had a problem with the dish
cracking in the oven). I usually
use an egg wash and sugar to glaze before baking. This pastry keeps well in the refrigerator overnight, and it
freezes well. Just thaw in
the refrigerator overnight before using.
NOTE: I also
add things to the above like ground nuts, orange or lemon zest, sugar for a
sweet dough. I add at the same
time I add the flour. If using
ground nuts and sugar, I don't delete any flour; if I did it would only be 1 or
2 T. of flour.
