Say Goodbye to that Squeaky Door Hinge

As an experienced realtor who has sold a lot of homes, I am detail-oriented. You can always make your homes better so read on these tips. If you have any more questions, call me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda, and Whitehall Condominium.

The Big Orange Splot

A simple children’s book message speaks volumes about individuality and the importance of home ownership.

 

The children's book "The Big Orange Splot" reinforces what we know about home ownership — your home should be a reflection of who you are.

“My house is me and I am it … It looks like all my dreams.”

That’s the key message in Daniel Manus Pinkwater’s children’s book, The Big Orange Splot, a book that delights all children and adults alike. It reinforces the core values we hold as home owners. Among them: Home ownership gives us the opportunity to make individual choices; diversity is central to a strong community; and you make your neighborhood special by being who are you are.

The story follows Mr. Plumbean, a home owner who personalizes his home’s exterior to the ire of his neighbors. The neighbors eventually come around to Mr. Plumbean’s way of thinking, and the once-plain street becomes a truly “neat street.”

Check out Mr. Plumbean’s story read by kids with adorable New Zealand accents:

Although the book was first published in the early 1990s, its message is especially timely as thousands of REALTORS® take the case for home ownership to Washington today in support of millions of current and future home owners. Their message? To let Congress know, as it considers measures that could impede the improving housing market, that home ownership and what it represents — individual autonomy, family, wealth building — are fundamental to the American dream.

What does home mean to you? Have you ever pulled a Mr. Plumbean?

Courtesy of www.houselogic.com

Would you like to work with a Realtor who offers valuable information and provides the highest level of customer service to his clients? Call me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda, and Whitehall Condominium.

Prevent Burns: How to protect yourselves from hot water

Would you like to work with a Realtor who offers valuable information and provides the highest level of customer service to his clients? Call me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda, and Whitehall Condominium. 

May 10 is RED DAY!

Renew, Energize and Donate! MAY 10 is RED DAY, which is Keller Williams' annual day of giving. This year we are working with Roc Solid, which will help us personally build a playground for a home-bound child with cancer. To do so, we must first raise $3k.

An easy way to help is to visit Plaza Del Sol, a great restaurant at 4932 St in Elmo Avenue, as they will donate 15% of proceeds to Roc Solid. It’s a win-win situation, enjoying great food for charity! Just please identify yourself as a participant. At the restaurant we will have also have a mini silent auction.

RED DAY is an initiative dedicated to celebrating Keller Williams Realty's year-round commitment to improving our local communities and this year, our efforts will help raise money to fund the building of playground for a home-bound child with cancer in Montgomery County. Click here to view a video on the Roc Solid Foundation, an amazing organization that tirelessly puts together this agendum to help those in need.

See you there! 

As one of the realtors who cares about making our community better,  I invite you to participate in this great community service. If you have questions, call me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda, and Whitehall Condominium. 

5 Things That Affect Your Home Value

 

These five simple things though easily unnoticed can immensely affect the quality of your property.

1. Ample storage space – Customized cabinets or drawers can help buyers decide whether your place is prepared to store things over time. Not handy? Buy at Target or Ikea.
2. Natural Light –   It always feels great to feel the natural sunshine kiss your cheeks in the morning – very attractive for buyers if you have a lot of windows. What if you don’t? Just stick to soft lighting and stay away from harsh fluorescent lights.
3. Paint – This is a no-brainer. Your home is as fresh as your paint. This is one maintenance cost that becomes a necessity. A home with old, dark paint gives off the same vibes.
4. New bathroom/Kitchen fixtures – A new toilet seat, sink fixtures, drawer pulls, or a new shower head could instantly refresh even the most drab bathroom or kitchen.
5. Power wash outside of house –   Rent a pressure washer and clean all the dirt from your deck, if you don’t have one installed.

5 things that devalue your home.

1. Pool –  It might seem cool to have a pool in your backyard but buyers nowadays stay away from houses with pools. Why? The upkeep and maintenance are a pain.
2. Outdated – From a buyer’s perspective, an old-looking ceiling or tainted walls would mean something.
3. Flooring – Low quality floorings, vinyl tiles or scratched unmaintained surfaces will scare buyers away.
4. Structural problems – Major issues such as electrical and plumbing issues or a leaky roof could drastically decrease a homes value if not addressed.
5. Smoking – If the previous occupants frequently smoked indoors, yellow walls and ceilings are very common; and an unmistakable smell that’s nearly impossible to get rid of. 

As one of the top realtors in the area who has sold a lot of homes, I know how buyers think. I can give you tips on how to make your home worthy of its value. Call me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda, and Whitehall Condominium. 

How do we know it’s a good time to sell?

No matter how difficult it is in the real estate market now, homeowners and realtors can still find their silver lining. And it’s not imaginary. According to Dian Hymer, all we need to do is read the signs that would tell us “it’s about time to sell a home.” In her article, we can learn that our real estate market has shifted its predictability.

Gone are the days when seasons or specific months of the year were the solid indicators of the best time to sell. Years ago, real estate opportunities during spring months are expectedly high compared to dark wintery months – but that’s not the case anymore. Weather patterns nowadays are as volatile as our economy. 

It is hard for sellers to prepare their houses for the market when there is non-stop raining and bad weather, so as much as we would want to take these natural occurrences which we cannot control as deterrent factors, we simply can’t. The weather does have an effect on home-selling.

Last year, real estate had its meltdown when both natural and economic disasters affected the selling rates immensely. When a big quake hit Japan, it caused unimaginable effects on almost all industries economically – Greece on the verge of bankruptcy and European Union’s future in question. 

Headlines about these economy-affecting occurrences have lowered consumer-confidence. They rely on news and economic development to jump in on a huge decision to buy a house, which is a major responsibility.

To state the obvious, it’s a great time to sell when the economic news are mild, interest rates become low, consumers’ confidence are in the upswing and the law of supply and demand is in the positive slope. It is best to start selling competitively when there are increased demands for home in your local niche as to the supply of homes for sale.

These factors can certainly affect the real estate market but when really is the best time to sell? When your instincts tell you it’s the RIGHT time to sell. The decision always has to come from you despite the odds.

As a top Realtor, I have more ways than one in determining when is the best time to sell your home. I can help you deal and convert these factors into something beneficial. If you have questions,  feel free to call me, Mynor Herrera, I can also give you expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda, and Whitehall Condominium. 

LYNBROOK: Proposed site for the new middle school middle school

Choosing Rock Hills as the building site for the new Bethesda-Chevy Chase middle school met some apprehensions from people behind the project so certain things had to be reconsidered.

During the board meeting, the Planning Staff made a convincing presentation. They also took a lot of testimony from the audience. It was then heard that a possible school at Lynbrook, viewed with the same specifications used for Rock Hills, will fit quite well with some important factors being considered.

One of the things thought to be advantageous having Lynbrook is that the adjacent park will lose the closed and unused "activities building" and the park will get an additional tennis court, with no impact to the rest of the local park. Playground remains intact.

With regards to racial boundaries, it was apparently voiced out that there would be potential problems about it because of the place’s accessibility. Additionally, and this is most important, there will be no slowing down the process due to agency refusal or community lawsuits. Lynnbrook school is owned by BOE, so they become masters of their destiny and MNCPPC has already said they will absolutely work together with BOE to make the Lynnbrook Middle School site a reality. There will be no hold up with the mandatory and binding Tree Conservancy review for Rock Creek Hills.

If you draw a circle around Lynnbrook, there are many households that could walk to the new school or even bike on the soon to be built bike and hike trail as well as the coming PL. Less busing, more walking and a school in a community that values walkable community schools.

It seems to me from every goal and perspective, a Bethesda site would be the best. If a new elementary school is needed down the road there is the Rollingwood property, which is near Candy Cane City and nearing the end of their lease, possibly an excellent place to house the current 3 dozen MCPS adminitrative workers once they vacate Lynnbrook.

Let us hope cooler heads prevail at the BoE, and that they at least agree to a joint meeting to examine the possibility.

Would you like to work with a Realtor who offers valuable information and provides the highest level of customer service to his clients? Call me, Mynor Herrera, today for expert help buying or selling in the DC, MD, & VA areas! I also specialize in Bethesda and Chevy Chase, as well as the sub-divisions of Rosemary Hills, Rock Creek Forest, East Bethesda, and Whitehall Condominium.