The number of residential sales last month in the towns covered by this Lakes Region market report were up 16% over last October. There were 79 transactions in October 2011 at an average sales price of $300,711 compared to 68 sales October last at an average price of $395,012. For the first 10 months of the year we have had 624 sales at an average $310,684 compared to 651 sales at an average $312,000 for the same period last year. It would be nice if we could have an exceptionally strong holiday season and finish ahead of last year. Maybe Santa will be nice and bring lots of buyers this Christmas season. 
Speaking of Santa, Black Friday is here and the holiday shopping frenzy has officially begun. Yeehaaa! Every year I put together a list of home improvement related gifts ensuring that the Mrs. can’t go wrong when she is shopping for her hubby. I consider it one of my many public service announcements. So what would be welcomed under the tree this year? 
Starting with some stocking stuffers, over at Sears you can pick up a Craftsman 8 in 1 Ratcheting Rotary Wrench with eight six point sockets sized from 5/16” to 3/4” for only $29.99. Black and Decker also has a similar tool, the RRW100 Ready Wrench, that has 16 color coded (some of us need all the help we can get) metric and standard sizes for only $16.95. Every guy needs wrenches and for these prices you can’t go wrong. 
Or how about the Black and Decker Li3100 Compact Lithium-Ion screw driver? Unlike some other cordless screwdrivers it features advanced battery technology that keeps the tool charged and ready for up to 18 months. Its compact design and LED light are especially helpful in dark or cramped spaces. A great gift for under thirty bucks.
I have always had trouble finding a good notebook. If you’re like me you need to write everything down. But pages always seem to tear or rip out of those cheap spiral bound notebooks. I stumbled on a highly durable, 3 ½” x 5 ½”, 48 page memo book that is bound with a three staple saddle stitch process. It has a heavy duty cover and 6.5mm paper that won’t tear easily or bleed through. They come with plain, ruled, or graph paper and fit perfectly in your shirt pocket. They are sold in packs of three for $9.95. You can also get a larger 6” x 9” 80 page steno version for $9.95. You can order these on line at www.fieldnotesbrand.com. They’re great for all the “to do” lists you have in mind. You can fill one out so he has some chores to start with.
The Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector will satisfy the guy who likes gadgets. This handy device will detect areas in your home where you have poor insulation or leaks around your fireplace, doors, windows, electrical outlets, or recessed lighting. Not only will you have him out of your hair for hours, he will then be able to fix the drafts you have been complaining about and save you some money on heating and cooling bills. He can also use this to check the temperature of the beer fridge. He’ll like that. Find it at Sears for around $30. 
The ever popular Leatherman #830846 Skeletool Multitool makes my list once again as it is something that the guys always appreciate. I know the ladies would rather see a nice set of steak knives, but this tool not only will slice and dice with its razor sharp blade, it has needle nose and regular pliers, a bit driver, wire cutters, and a bottle opener which is real handy for that expensive foreign beer. It is available on Amazon.com or Home Depot for around $60. You can’t go wrong here. 
I find that I not only can’t remember as well as I used to, but I also can’t see as well either. Especially the sizes that are stamped on my socket sets. (Ladies, those are those little thimble looking things that attached to a handle to loosen nuts.) They were always hard to read even back when I could actually see something. I’m guessing there are a lot of us in the same boat. Well Sears figured that out a while ago and made Easy To Read Socket Sets with numbers you don’t need a magnifying glass for. They offer a variety of sets with prices starting under $20 and proceeding up to several hundred depending on the size of the set. If hubby works on nothing more than the lawnmower he’ll appreciate these. 
Things that go “whir-whir” such as cordless drills are always welcome by the home do-it-yourselfer. There seems to be hundreds of cordless drill choices from as little as $30 up to $400. What you should buy your master of the tool universe depends on how much and what he uses it for. Most can get by with a less expensive 3/8” cordless drill like the Black and Decker 20 Volt-3/8” Drive Lithium-Ion Drill/Driver for just under ninety bucks at Lowes. If he’s into really into making holes, something like the Dewalt 18 volt ½” cordless Lithium-Ion drill/driver Model DCD-760KL might be the ticket. It has an extra battery, case, and can handle the larger bits. In any event talk to the salesman at Lowes, Home Depot, or your local hardware store for their recommendations based on your hubby’s needs. 
If you have a heated garage at your home you might consider buying your husband a Park-Smart Garage Floor Mat. I know it is not very glamorous but I’ve used them for years and they work great. These vinyl floor mats collect and contain all the snow and mush that melts off your car overnight and keeps your floors clean. They are made of 20 mil vinyl and have edges that snap on to contain the liquid. They start at $150 for a 7.5’ x 14’ and increase depending on the size you need. For a few bucks more a 50 mil version is available. You can order on line at places like www.autogeek.net or amazon.com.
If you don't think any of these items will work for your man, just remember, when shopping for tools if it is shiny, or makes noise, or has dials on it, can be used to open something, cut something, or bang on something he'll probably like it. Happy shopping!
Comments(1)