Home renovation trends are constantly evolving. Many homeowners struggle to find the perfect balance, because the rules are always changing. Between creating a home that will sell for top dollar to living in a space that reflects their taste now, it’s a difficult balance to strike. Following home trends just because they offer more profit isn’t relevant if you’re not thinking about selling, right? Conversely, if you’re about to sell it’s not beneficial to ignore home trends in your market in favor of your style. It’s all about where you are in the process. Additionally, as we pick up the pieces of a global pandemic as a society, we are also redefining what home means to each one of us individually – what we want from the spaces in which we create our lives. The pandemic has forever cha... 06/29/2022

Ever since interest rates decreased at the beginning of the pandemic, the real estate market throughout most of the country has heavily favored sellers. When interest rates decrease, more buyers enter the market to secure mortgage loans with low interest rates. High buyer demand means that sellers oftentimes receive multiple bids.The combination of low interest rates, extremely quick sales, low inventory, and rapidly increasing price gains, has the housing market favoring sellers by a considerable amount. While this is still true today, market conditions may be set to change in the near future. What the Future Indicates for BuyersOver the past six months, interest rates have been steadily increasing. While rates averaged around 3.05% towards the end of 2021, they have since increased to... 06/21/2022

When you’re looking to sell your house, there are a lot of little things that you can do to increase the likelihood that some prospective buyer is going to make an offer. Many of the tips you’ll find to improve your home’s appeal focus on things inside the house, ranging from paint colors to furniture and a variety of other little tweaks. There is something else that you can do to improve the appeal of your home that’s often overlooked, though: add some plants.A lot of people don’t put much thought into the plants around their home when prepping for a sale, and this can be a big missed opportunity. From fixing up your lawn and garden to adding splashes of greenery indoors, there are several ways that you can leverage plants to help sell your home when the time comes. Here are a few idea... 05/25/2022

Funds Available for Sussex County Home Buyers SUSSEX County Council’s Housing Trust Fund is helping home buyers with funding their down payments and/or closing costs. These funds are offered at zero interest. If the home buyer lives in the home for ten years the note is considered satisfied. The amounts of the funds are $10,000, $20,000, and $30,000. The amounts are based on the number of people in the household and income. The initial seed funds in the 2022 County budget are $500,000. Funds are available through December 31, 2024. The funds are considered a soft second at 0% interest.There are some events that may cause the second lien to be called in to be paid in full. These include transferring the home to another person, if the home loan is refinanced, when the borrower leaves the ... 05/24/2022

Many years (other than the last 3 years when the tour was not held) we worried about rain impacting this oldest house and garden tour. This year it was the heat in the upper 90's which wilted this tour-goer.  Our first garden was at the old RR station where we sat in the secret garden and looked at the Delaware River and the steamy view (picture above).  An appropriate plant found in one garden was a cactus, not usually found in a lot of gardens here. But my friend Diane and I did get a chance to play "what's that plant," and no one was grading us, so we were free with our answers. A couple of times, other garden visitors asked us if we knew names of plants, and we could usually come up with the answers. One garden on The Strand (riverfront) had a lovely wisteria growing on an archway a... 05/22/2022

Many people ask me if home prices will fall and if they should wait to buy or sell.  Here are some facts to  make buyer and seller decisions easier.  Home Price ExpectationsHome prices have grown for over 120 consecutive months (10 years) year over year. The price appreciation has averaged 15% for 2021 which is a stark increase to 6% in 2020.  Why are prices growing?  Demand drives pricing.  There are still many more buyers in the market to purchase a home than homeowners who are willing to sell. Because of this imbalance, home price forecasters believe prices are expected to increase throughout 2022.  Experts are forecasting price appreciation though the year although at a lesser gain than last year.  Below is a chart of projected price increases by 7 forecasters with an average apprec... 05/19/2022

With low inventory, high home prices, and rising mortgage rates, there’s no denying that today’s market is a challenging one for buyers.So how, exactly, are buyers navigating the process of finding and purchasing a home in today’s market?Bank of America recently released their 2022 Homebuyer’s Insights Report, which explored how buyers are navigating today’s competitive real estate landscape. Some of the report’s findings include:   85 percent of buyers would be willing to make an offer in three days or less. Today’s buyers know that if you find a house you want to buy, you need to act—and you need to act fast. As such, 65 percent of buyers surveyed said they’d be willing to make an offer within three days of viewing a home—and 20 percent said they’d put in an offer immediately.   Many ... 05/11/2022

We went to Winterthur Museum and Gardens today especially to see the azaleas. They were still not at their peak, but oh how lovely they were.  And I got to see my special favorite at this time of year, the Dove or Handkerchief tree, whose flowers resemble white handkerchiefs blowing in the breeze. And STOP the garden tram! We want to get off at the Quarry Garden, replete with Candelabra Primroses. They never disappoint. (as seen from bridge above quarry).  05/05/2022

Many homeowners who plan to sell in 2022 may think the wise thing to do is to wait for the spring buying market since historically about 40 percent of home sales occur between April and July. However, this year’s expected to be much different than the norm. Here are five reasons to list your house now rather than waiting until the spring.  1. Buyers Are Looking Right Now, and They’re Ready To PurchaseThe ShowingTime Showing Index reports data from more than six million property showings scheduled across the country each month. In other words, it’s a gauge of how many buyers are out looking at homes at the current time.The latest index, which covers November showings, reveals that buyers are still very active in the market. Comparing this November’s numbers to previous years, this graph ... 05/04/2022

  Mothers Day is right around the corner and if you cant  find the perfect gift, LEGO has helped you out immensely. LEGO has announced two new additions — an orchid and a set of succulents — to its Botanicals Collection of artificial florals that you build instead of grow. The first one is a 608-piece, 15-inch-high orchid that features six large flowers and two smaller newly-opened buds, with the bloom potted inside a blue fluted vase.   LEGO Flower Bouqet “A challenge with this set was creating a cylindrical pot from LEGO elements that would be fun to build but also beautiful to look at,” said lead designer Michael Psiaki. Fun fact: the orchid was inspired by a real one in the LEGO office. And while the artificial version might not be scented like the original, it sure just as elegant.... 04/27/2022

Celebrate MomThis Mother’s Day, why not do something special and unexpected?Schedule a session with Mom and the Kids, Multiple Generations, or Just Mom! Mom will have a lasting memory of her special day and a gift your family will cherish for years to come.Schedule your photo session or purchase a gift card. Sitting fee includes a 20 minute custom-tailored session on location.One 5x7 photograph matted and framed is included. 2022 Mom's Day special is $250 Email to schedule one of the four sessions available on May 8 by April 30,Receive a digital gift card to use anytime.A guided tour of the gallery of photographs to select and purchase more if desired.               04/22/2022

  If you've followed the news lately, you've probably seen quite a bit about inflation. The consumer price index jumped .8% in February, bringing the total increase over the last 12 months to 7.9% – this is the largest annual jump in the last 40 years. So, how does all of this affect the real estate market? The Inventory IssueInterest rates have been kept low for so long it's created a bubble for everything and not just the housing market. There's also inflationary pressure on the housing market because of limited inventory. Limited inventory stems from a myriad of problems in the industry.First, many homeowners aren't putting their houses on the market. This is due to factors like lockdowns, but also the fear they won't be able to find a new home to buy.There are construction delays du... 04/20/2022

Happy Easter!Happy Easter from Wilmington DE!David HenkeLong & Foster Real Estate Inc – Wilmington, DE/Devon, PAOffice: 610-225-7400/Direct: 610-618-0808http://www.DelawarePAHomes.com 04/17/2022

Yesterday I had a request from a buyer to see a property in a tiny town on the Delaware Bay.  Woodland Beach was known prior to 1878 for amusements and frolicking at the beach. Then a tidal wave knocked out 35 miles of waterfront towns.  Today, Woodland Beach is known for fishing and crabbing. One of the yearlong residents has been feeding these ducks for so long that they have their own road warning. The long drive there from nearby Smyrna is lined with flat farmland. The closer you get to Woodland, the road becomes more like a causeway with tidal waters on either side. Due to recent rains, the water comes almost up to the roadway and there are signs warning not to continue if the yellow light is flashing a flooding warning.  But yesterday, the roads were clear and a pleasant drive ens... 04/16/2022

Winterthur Museum and Gardens is using Mr. duPont's idea of directing visitors to the best views every day by posting arrows (one in shadow above).  The bluebells are gathered around below to welcome us.On my wandering yesterday, I noted that the windflowers (a type of anemone) were vying for attention all over the place.The pathways were lined with these blue or white flowers.All in all, I'd call it just a beautiful spring day in the woods. 04/13/2022

Are you thinking about selling your house? If so, you may want to make it a priority to start the process soon. According to realtor.com, the sweet spot for sellers is just around the corner. In a recent study, experts analyzed housing market trends by looking at data from the past several years (excluding 2020, since it was an atypical year). When applied to the current market, experts determined the ideal week to list a house this year. The research says:If you’ve been putting your move on the back burner waiting for the ideal time to sell, you should know your golden window of opportunity is coming up. If you’re able to get your house ready quickly, here’s what you can expect from that week. You Should See More Buyer ActivityThe article expects higher buyer demand based on what’s hap... 04/11/2022

It is not raining and the sun is out, so it was time to look around the garden and pull a few weeds today.  Then I caught sight of a garden worker shaking the pollen out of a hellebore--a big fat bee!  I had never thought about hellebores and bees before, but sure enough, he was hard at work!And the grape hyacinths had popped into sight after staying low earlier in the week, and they were a welcome burst of color.  The tulips were just starting to open, and the daffodils were in various states, depending on the variety. Some still perky, and some wilting.Farther down the hill, I had forgotten about the flowering quince. It has been about 5 years since I planted it, and a few more flowers appear every year. Nothing like the ones at Winterthur gardens. I wonder how old those plants are. T... 04/09/2022

The historic Penny House on the old King's Highway in Wilmington, Delaware is now in the hands of a new owner.This 1749 stone home was owned by the Penny brothers, who were cabinetmakers. It later became the home of Robert Shaw, a famous local artist. Then James Warner Bellah lived there (he wrote "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" which became a John Wayne movie). During the Revolutionary War, troops passed this way going to and from Philadelphia. George Washington is said to have stopped at the spring for a cool drink of water. The present-day appraiser of the property called the springhouse "a shed with water problems."  City Boy! 04/07/2022

    If you’re thinking of selling your house this year, timing is crucial. After all, you’ll want to balance getting the most out of the sale of your current home and making the best investment when you buy your next one.If that’s the case, you should know – you may be able to get the best of both worlds today. Here are four reasons why this spring may be your golden window of opportunity.   1. The Number of Homes on the Market Is Still LowToday’s limited supply of houses for sale is putting sellers in the driver’s seat. There are far more buyers in the market today than there are homes available. That means purchasers are eagerly waiting for your house.Listing your house now makes it the center of attention. And if you work with a real estate professional to price your house correctly... 04/06/2022

I was excited to attend the opening at the Delaware Art Museum of their celebration of Tiffany works from a collection I visited when in Chicago several years ago. This Chicago collection was so varied and large that if I had seen any of these pieces, they were jammed into my memory along with thousands of other pieces of architecture, furniture, and artwork.(photos: Garden Landscape window and Wisteria lamp with openwork at top)The current Wilmington exhibit,  Louis Comfort Tiffany: Treasures from the Driehaus Collection features more than 60 objects, spanning over 30 years of Tiffany’s prolific career. The exhibition showcases Tiffany’s innovative work in leaded and blown glass, including stellar examples of his famous windows, lamps, and vases. (photo:Dragonfly lamp) One of America’s... 04/03/2022