Winter comes early here in Vermont and usually stays longer than most of us would like, but that's nature and we all make the best of it! Then there are some of us that love winter and can't wait for the snow to fall - well these Vermonters are in luck because snow showers are in the weather forecast for today and tomorrow! We've already had some snow in the higher elevations - Mt. Mansfield, Camel's Hump, etc. And apparently the ski guns are already starting to shoot out their  frozen water at some ski areas.  Bottom line is  Old Man Winter is  coming - are you ready?? More importantly...is your HOME ready?  Here are some helpful tips to keep your home green when it's white outside:

Change your furnace filter once a month to keep your furnace running more efficiently and keep the air in your home cleaner.  This can cut your heating costs by as much as 5 % !! You can buy a new filter at any local hardware store or at Lowe's where they have an entire webpage on their website to help you decide which filter is best for your furnace, home and budget. A new filter can reduce the dust in your home as well!

Don't block heat vents or radiators. Air will circulate better when unobstructed.

You can also make sure to keep your heating bills low by winterizing your windows, doors, attics and basements. Use weather-stripping around any older drafty windows and doors. Or if you've got some extra money and want to invest in your home, may decide to upgrade your windows. Most new Energy Star windows qualify for a federal tax credit for energy efficiency in which you can get up to $1500 of the cost credited to your tax return. For specifics on this visit Energy Star's website or ask a tax consultant. If you are seeing ice dams on your roof, you may have heat escaping from your attic causing snow to melt and freeze. This can affect your energy bills as well as risk serious damage to your roof. Insulate your attic! It's an easy do-it-yourself project! Remember the pink panther? Well he's the mascot for the Owens Corning brand and they have a lot of great advice on this simple home project. And insulating your attic (or basement) qualifies for a tax credit too!

Turn your water heater down to at least 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Trust me, the water will still be plenty warm enough for showering and dishwashing. Also, put some sort of  wrap or blanket around your water heater to keep heat from escaping. Here are some great tips for insulating your water heater from the U.S. Department of Energy. You can cut your water-heating costs by 6-10%  if you follow some of this advice!

Finally, when shoveling or plowing snow in your yard or driveway, be sure to keep your furnace exhaust system outlet free from snow or any other objects. This vent blows out carbon monoxide from your heating system. If it gets blocked CO2 can build up in your home and the only way you would know is if you have CO2 detectors because this deadly gas is completely odorless. In addition, make sure the batteries in your CO2 and fire detectors are charged and working properly.

Happy Winter!

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Just listed a great property in Colchester - a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2225 square foot Townhouse built in 2001 for $269,900. It had been listed by another Realtor prior and hadn't sold yet, so now it's our turn to try to sell it. A few things we noticed that might make the home more sellable were if we upgraded the kitchen and bathroom cabinet knobs as well as paint a few rooms to more neutral colors. The cabinets in both the kitchen and full baths are a light wood color - most likely maple and they featured white ceramic knobs. We decided to upgrade the cabinet hardware to a more modern style - satin nickel! You can buy a set of 10 knobs at Lowe's Home Improvement for about $19 - that's less than $2 per knob! All that was required to switch out the hardware was a screwdriver and it only took about 20 minutes. A cheap and easy way to give any kitchen or bath a fresh new look!

We also have plans to paint the dining room and living room in this Condo. The dining room is currently a light orange color, which probably looked great with the previous décor and furniture, but it's better to have a more neutral color. This way, prospective buyers can start with a clean slate, so to speak. In addition, the dining room is the first room you see when you walk in the door and the old saying couldn't be any more true, "You never get a 2nd chance to make a 1st impression!" The living room is a deep red, which again is nice and gives the room some warmth and personality, but again most buyers prefer to see homes in more neutral state, so they can picture their own furniture and decorations in the room more easily. Also, new owners can always paint later to match their specific style, but it's always easier to paint over a light color than a dark one.

These are just a couple tips to make your house more sellable, especially in the slow market we're experiencing now! Click here for more tips on how to make your home sell faster!

Some people, particularly first time home buyers, feel intimidated at the thought of making a large down payment on a house. Sometimes, too, they feel some confusion about how much will be required.

The size of your down payment will depend on the price of the home you want to buy. It will also depend on your ability to pay, and the type of mortgage you get.

As a general rule, lenders like to see a 20% down payment for a conventional mortgage.  A conventional mortgage is one that is underwritten by a bank, savings and loan , or some other mortgage company.  A 20% down payment on $100,000 home would be $20,000.

If you are selling your current home in order to buy another, you may get enough cash to cover the 20% down payment. If you are a first time home buyer, however, you may have trouble coming up with that much money.

Certain mortgage options allow you to make a smaller down payment. Some lenders, for example, will accept smaller down payments if you buy private mortage insurance (called PMI).

FHA loans require an even smaller down payment, as little as 3-5%. If you qualify for a VA loan, you don't need a down payment at all. Many special loan programs  for first time home buyers also have a reduced down payments.

The principal behind these requirements is simple. lenders know from experience that homeowners who put a substantial amount of their own money into buying a home are less likely to default on the mortgage.

And if the mortgage is secured by an insurance policy (as in PMI) or by the government (as in FHA or VA loans), the lenders feel protected and they are willing to skip the requirement for the large down payment.

Any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me. I would be happy to counsel you or recommend a good mortgage broker who can provide the specifics on the various mortgage programs available to you.