Coming Soon!...February 16, 2018!  To learn more about this home or to schedule a tour in advance, please call 215-757-7257 or email TheSwainTeam@gmail.com

WOW! Professional Quality Rehab with Open Floor Plan! Exterior of the home features new vinyl siding, new energy efficient windows, decorative glass door and stone accent the entrance to the home. Step inside to the home and take notice of the open floor plan. Wood flooring and neutral paint extend throughout the home. The completely new kitchen features new white cabinets, new SS appliances and granite countertops.  Two bedrooms and a completely new full bath complete the first floor.   Upstairs hosts two bedrooms with ample closet space and main bathroom with ceramic tile floor, tub with ceramic tile surround and over-sized vanity. The home also features: NEW EVERYTHING!!!!  New Six Panels Doors, Central Air, New Heater, New Hot water heater, and New electric.

Coming Soon!...February 16, 2018!

Coming Soon!...January 21, 2018!  Open House is this Sunday, January 21, 2018 from 1-3pm!

​Move right into this well maintained 2nd floor end unit in the highly sought after 55+ community of Salem Manor! The main floor level is bright and airy.  The large open living room offers an abundance of natural light with vaulted ceilings and a door leading out to the covered balcony.  Relax out on your balcony and enjoy the view of open space where deer and wild life can be viewed. The large open loft area with 2 skylights looks down on to the living room and has access to a substantial attic storage area. The eat-in kitchen is flooded with natural light and offers plenty of cabinetry.  The nicely-sized master suite features a bay window overlooking open space, a huge walk-in closet and a private full bathroom. The second nicely-sized bedroom also features a walk-in closet with a window, which could be used as an office.  The Salem Manor community amenities include clubhouse, game room, fitness center, and library, a gathering room with a fireplace, community garden, tennis courts and gazebo overlooking the pond and fountain and paved walking trails. If needed, the clubhouse is also available for private use.   This home has it all for the over 55 young at heart looking for simplified living in a beautiful setting. This one will not last long!

Coming Soon!...January 21, 2018!

Move right into this well maintained 2nd floor end unit in the highly sought after 55+ community of Salem Manor! The main floor level is bright and airy.  The large open living room offers an abundance of natural light with vaulted ceilings and a door leading out to the covered balcony.  Relax out on your balcony and enjoy the view of open space where deer and wild life can be viewed. The large open loft area with 2 skylights looks down on to the living room and has access to a substantial attic storage area. The eat-in kitchen is flooded with natural light and offers plenty of cabinetry.  The nicely-sized master suite features a bay window overlooking open space, a huge walk-in closet and a private full bathroom. The second nicely-sized bedroom also features a walk-in closet with a window, which could be used as an office.  The Salem Manor community amenities include clubhouse, game room, fitness center, and library, a gathering room with a fireplace, community garden, tennis courts and gazebo overlooking the pond and fountain and paved walking trails. If needed, the clubhouse is also available for private use.   This home has it all for the over 55 young at heart looking for simplified living in a beautiful setting. This one will not last long!

​It is 2018!  And we are projecting it to be a seller’s market in most locations.  Inventory is projected to stay low.  Homes that are priced in line with the market are selling quickly.  So, if you are thinking about selling  here are 6 projects to get your home ready for the market:

1. Know the “ Big Picture” – Where are you going once you sell?  Are you able to buy without selling your home?  Can you move in with family if necessary? 
2. Consider a home inspection – Most buyers will hire a licensed home inspector to check out your home from top-to-bottom.  You’re likely going to need to remediate these things before settling with you buyers, so take the initiative and set up your own home inspection. 
3. Start Packing – Don’t wait until you have a signed deal – start packing immediatley.  Not everything of course, but after you’ve “decluttered” it’s a good time to box up and start getting ready.  Consider renting out some temporary storage.  You’ll be surprised at how open and inviting your home will look to buyers with less of your stuff.
4. Spruce things up – You don’t have to spend a lot – some minor improvements can make a big difference in your home’s visual appeal.
   1. Change out switch plates
   2. Paint that beat up looking trim
   3. Replace old kitchen cabinet pulls and handles
   4. Install a new front doorknob
   5. Replace caulk around sinks
   6. Replace old light fixtures
5. Start Looking for an Expert Realtor – Picking the right agent is key.  Get recommendations from friends and family.  Pick a professional that knows the local market, how to net you the most, and is most organized.
6. Clear out the Clutter – Every home has clutter, right?  But when you have prospective buyers coming through, that clutter can make your home look unappealing.  Take a look with an objective eye, and get rid of:
   1. Magazine/newspaper piles
   2. Magnets/artwork on the fridge
   3. Junk on bookshelves
   4. Piles of mail/unpaid bills

If you are thinking about selling now, January and Febuary are a great time to put your home on the market.  There are not as many homes on the market so that will drive up demand for your home,  therefore increasing your sales price.
If you are thinking about buying in the spring, as many buyers do, start looking now.  Hire an expert realtor and start to educate yourself to the market so when the right house comes along you can jump on it and feel confident in your decision.  

​"...Their knowledge of market conditions and trends in Bucks County is second to none." - G. Pancavage

If you are interested in buying or selling, or just have a real estate question, give us a call, we're happy to help!  215-757-7257 or email us at TheSwainTeam@gmail.com

​Here are some helpful hints in protecting your home from damage during harsh Winters as noted by James M. Niwinski, CPA, President & CEO of Strategic Risk USA Inc., an insurance and risk management company.
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PREVENTING FROZEN PIPES

• Make sure your gutters are clean and clear of debris to ensure water can drain quickly from your roof area.
• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

 
FIRE PREVENTION

• Space heaters, whether portable or stationary, account for two of every five home heating fires in the U.S.
• The leading factor contributing to home heating fires (30%) was failure to clean, principally creosote, from solid-fueled heating equipment, primarily chimneys.
• Placing things that can burn too close to heating equipment or placing heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattress, or bedding, is the leading factor contributing to ignition in fatal home heating fires and accounts for more than half of home heating fire deaths.

 
THAWING FROZEN PIPES

• If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

​The market remained HOT through December!  Inventory was lower in 2017 than it was in 2016. So what will 2018 bring?  Experts are projecting historically low interest rates to rise to around 4.5% combined with slow and steady gains in house values. 
 
Everyone is asking what trends are we seeing locally?  Well of course there is a shortage of houses for sale.  But what about those houses in your neighborhood that have been for sale for months?   Homes that remain on the market for months typically are overpriced and/or in poor condition.  Homes that are well maintained and priced at market value are selling! 

There are 3 things that determine the value of a house in buyers eyes.  You heard location, location, location.  Location is one of them but not everything.  You can’t control location.  Then you have price and condition.  These are the two factors you have control over that buyers look at.  If a home is $10,000 overpriced and needs some updating, buyers will walk away.  A home needs to be positioned correctly to sell.  The buyers out there are pouncing on homes instantly that come on the market that are well maintained and priced appropriately.  So condition as well as price, helps sell houses. It is finding the happy medium between the two to help get your home sold faster.  

The Swain Team would rather our clients be in a position to list it at the right price to generate demand and offers to come in on the home and even create a bidding war and turn people away vs. starting too high and not get any offers at all.  

Our goal is to put the most money back in our clients pockets as possible because what matters most to us is building a relationship with you so that you feel comfortable and confident referring The Swain Team when you come across other people that are thinking about buying or selling.  We know it is in our best interest to do what is in your best interest. 
​
Happy New Year!

Sometimes the decision to move or not to move can be as stressful as the actual move itself.  Hear how one of our past clients made the decision and how he was able to get through it.  Hopefully his message can help you to make the decision that's best for you.

Whether you are a buyer or seller the home inspection process remains the same…

A buyer puts an offer in on a home.  Once the offer is accepted, you typically have anywhere from 10-15 days to complete inspections.  Your time frame depends on what is put into your agreement of sale.  Typical inspections include:  a home inspection, radon and wood infestation where they typically look for termites. 

Next, is time to hire an inspector.  Do not hire an inspector based on pricing.  This is a large investment you are making, you want an experienced inspector who knows what they are doing.  We have a few home inspectors we recommend known for their experience, knowledge and integrity.

Buyers want to be present for the inspection.  Sellers - it is best to leave the home during the inspections.  Once the inspection is complete, the buyer will receive a report.  Your agent will review the report with you and advise you on what repairs to ask for, or whether a credit is a better possibility.  The buyer’s agent will then submit your request (what we call the reply to inspections) to the Seller’s agent.  And the seller’s agent will address the reply to inspections with the seller and the negotiation process begins again.
 
If you are a home seller, we review the inspection process in more detail at our home selling seminars.  Be on the lookout for upcoming dates. 

Learn How to Net the Most When You Sell Your Home.

There is so much you can learn from attending one of our Home Selling Seminars. Hear what one of our past clients learned by attending.
​
Upcoming Seminar Dates for 2018:
January 25, 2018 at 6:30pm at the Yardley Community Center
February 8, 2018 at 6:30pm at the Middletown Twp Building
March 14, 2018 at 6:30pm at the Warminster Library
March 27, 2018 at 6:30pm at the Northampton Library

Call 215-757-7257 or email TheSwainTeam@gmail.com to register.