Prep For New Homeowners

Owning your very own home is an amazing accomplishment and is no small feat. You have worked hard, paid your dues, and are now reaping the benefits of all of that brow sweat. But with owning a home, comes great responsibility. A home is no small job. A home requires money, attention, and maintenance. It can seem like a lot, but luckily you are not alone. Use the following topics to get a good idea of everything involved with owning a home, and figure out exactly what you are getting yourself into.

Most importantly, the biggest decision to make is exactly where you are going to live. This is a little prior to the actual owning and upkeep of a home, but it is important when dealing with houses. Before you buy, make sure you love. How much can you afford? What features are, for you, a must-have? Do you already have a real estate agent in mind? Owning a home is all about planning and preparation, so start getting into the habit now of asking questions and considering all outcomes. Once you have decided on all your qualifications, you can find your home.

Once you have found the home of your dreams, it is time to get you a deed! Purchasing a home will require loan approvals, offers, and lots of signatures. After navigating the long road to ownership, you now have a house all to yourself. It is now time to get your home up to your standards. Arrange insurance coverage for whatever you have not covered already (flood, earthquake, whatever you made need for your area.) Cover your bases. Know where local emergency services are and what to do if something strikes. Having all these things completed covers you for virtually any disaster, and will keep you and your family in the best shape possible in case something happens.

Aside from natural disasters and other weather related phenomena, there are other things to watch out for when owning a home. Termites and mold can raze a home if unchecked, so regular inspections and treatments are needed. Your yard will need at least weekly upkeep, and there are monthly utility, insurance, and tax fees on top of your normal monthly expenses, so careful management is required.

Owning a home is one of life’s biggest responsibilities but also one of the most satisfying. Having a space to retreat to and call your own truly makes it worth all the struggles that go into it. A lot of these things might seem to be overkill or unnecessary, but you will be thankful for knowing when the situation strikes. And you will be thankful for preparing early despite not thinking you need to. Life throws many unexpected punches and when it comes to owning a home, makes no exceptions. But you can pad any punch that is thrown, all it takes is a little brain power and elbow grease!

2015 Predictions

It’s the new year again, and with that new year, it is time to look forward to 2015 to speculate how the year will turn out. Realtor.com has just released their top predictions for the housing market in 2015, and building upon what we saw in 2014, housing is expected to continue to grow slowly but steadily as it has.

2014 was the first year we saw true recovery form the housing market crash nearly a decade ago. With steady job growth and increases to the national GDP, the housing market saw its first steady pickup in years. Realtor.com expects that trend to grow throughout the next year.

The top predications for the housing market are centered around pre-existing home sales and the millennial generation. Households have shown improved growth and at higher pace than has been the past few years. Researchers expect a massive move of the younger generations out of parents’ homes, college dorms, etc. into houses, since they can finally afford to (the majority of which they expect to go into the pre-existing homes.) Millennials might have money to now move out, but not build a home.

Home prices are expected to increase this year as well. Not as many homes are expected to be built. Rather, they will be bought. Lower inventories will push prices higher. Mortgage rates are expected to start going up mid-year and end the year at 5%. This, however, is expected to push overall home affordability down. Experts are hopeful a continued increase in worker wage will help offset that downside.

Overall, the housing market looks like it will still be in recovery mode for the majority of 2015. Still, the markets show vast improvement from where they were years ago. We will continue to monitor the markets and hopefully we can all make 2015 the year housing came back!

New Year's Resolution

2015 means a new year and a new you! Most take this time to list out everything they want to change or do for the upcoming 365 days. So we thought, why not help you out when it comes to making that list by sharing our resolutions for the upcoming 2015 year. We are hoping to breathe new life in 2015, and are hoping you will join us for the ride!

1.     Get Organized

Organization is a key component to most people’s sanity, whether they know it or not. It had been scientifically proven that increases in clutter also coincide with increases in stress levels for most people. So make 2015 a year of organization! You might not notice it instantly, but a slow change in the way keep everything will ultimately lower stress levels. Just imagine being able to find your keys in the exact, same spot every time you needed them!  Organization will eliminate small nuisances such as these, which would normally add up to a lot of stress over time.

2.     Reduce Debt

This is a resolution for almost everyone, us included. Debt is never a good thing, no matter how you spin it, so make 2015 about getting rid of the collection calls, past due bills, and (hopefully this does not apply to you) red letters from certain government agencies. Reducing debt though is more complicated than just paying back bills. Reducing debt is a lifestyle change that is no easy feat. However, the reward for your sacrifice will be greatly worth the wait.

3.     Join the Community

You are surrounded by your neighbors everyday for a good majority of your life, so why not get to know them? To seclude yourself in your house not only creates a wall (literally and figuratively!!!) between you and your neighbors. But stepping out and getting to know the people around you forges powerful bonds between you and those who live around you. Making friends can never be seen as bad, so why not give them a chance?

4.     Renovate

2015 is a time for changing, so that should apply to your house too! It does not have to be a major change, but something as simple as a screening in the back porch, or installing new windows can have a big change on how you view your home. Although renovations are costly, there is always a way to figure out tips and tricks that can cheapen the process. Treating yourself in the new year is important as well. Being happy at home ultimately leads to being happy in other places.

5.     Stay Energy Efficient

It is hard to avoid the news of climate change these days. Devastating typhoons, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, and much more swarm the television these days to point where it is unavoidable to see the impact human kind is having on this planet. Take 2015 to make the switch to a more energy efficient lifestyle. You might be thinking that one voice does not matter, and one person changing will not be enough to change the world overnight, but it is one less unrecycled cardboard box, one less plastic water bottle chucked into the ocean, one less stack of paper sitting in a landfill waiting to decompose.

Change is hard, if it were easy, there would be no such thing as a New Year’s Resolution. But it is not out of reach. You have the power to change in your life what you do not want. You have the mind to set the goals and drive to achieve them. Do not let 2015 be another year of stagnation. Look up, move forward, and meet 2015 and all it has to offer.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Years From Your Friends at Park Ridge Builders!!

Where To See Holiday Lights!

As we get closer to the Holidays it’s always a good idea to be festive. Festivity causes happiness and who doesn’t love to be happy? One of thousands of ways to show your holiday spirit is to hang up lights! For years people have hung up lights on their buildings and loved it! From simple white lights to full figurines made fully of lights.

Columbia is now different than any other city and offers great attractions in the field of holiday lights. It’s first show is called the Holiday Lights on the River at the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission. This light show lights up Saluda Shoals with over a million bright lights! Making a run from November 26^th through December 31^st, you have a great window of opportunity to go see it. It has many parts like the Dazzling Dancing Forest, Wetland Wonderland Walking Trail, etc. They even offer special events like Nights of Wonder running December 12^th-23^rd. (To read more visit http://www.icrc.net/holiday-lights)

Another great show in Columbia is the Lights Before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. This is a great light show put on by Columbia’s local zoo! This light show offers many activities for people of all ages. With nightly Santa visits for the kids and nearly one million lights for the adults it’s great for the whole family! Other things offered are the Music in Motion Lights Spectacular and the Jingle Bell Bonfire. It runs November 21^st through December 30^th. (To read more visit http://www.sciway.net/tourism/sc-holiday-lights.html)

Charleston is also an amazing place to see holiday lights! They are not lacking in that area at all. A great place to go is the Celebrate the Season Holiday Driving Tour at the Old Santee Canal Park. Running November 28^th through December 30^th it gives you a lot of time to see it’s amazing features. Only five dollars per person you get to drive down the river and see tons of lights that are even energy efficient. It even gives its proceeds to local charities!! (To read more visit http://celebratetheseason.oldsanteecanalpark.org/)

So pack up the car with the kids and a few good snacks and hit the road! Aside from these choice spots, most local newspapers list residential houses that went above and beyond and need to be viewed. Rally the family and take in some genuine holiday cheer! This the only time of year we get to see the beauty of a well-decorated Christmas display, so take advantage of it!!

Gift Ideas For A New Homeowner

Many things come to mind when one thinks of a good house-warming gift. Anything from a welcome mat to a piece or art is needed by a new homeowner. So this week, we decided to help give you a few outside-the-box ideas to stand out from the mountains of dishes and glassware that everyone else is giving them:

1. Silverware - Food is one of the main necessities a human needs to sustain its life and live the healthiest it possibly can. To make this easier, humans began to make cutlery, also know as flatware, to cut down the work needed to eat and increase sanitation. A great gift idea for a recent homeowner would be just this. They would need it for virtually every meal they have, and without it they would have to eat with their hands...GROSS!

2. Plants - Decoration for a new homeowner is very important so their house doesn't look plain and bland. So why not purchase something to spice the house up?! If you were to give someone that has recently purchased a house a plant, you can give them a decoration and a hobby. Better hope they keep it alive!

3. Animal Safe Taxidermy - Taxidermy has always been a pretty nice market for homeowners, especially in the South. It has traditionally been used as a trophy for hunters, but a new form of animal safe taxidermy has helped shake the whole "dead animal on the wall" vibe taxidermy had. Using cardboard, wood, duct tape and other synthetic products, animal safe taxidermy removes the need to go out and catch your new wall art before putting it up.

4. Garbage Cans - An often overlooked gift, but humans are very wasteful and all that trash needs somewhere to go. Everything can be thrown away or recycled, so having one is a must. A new homeowner would love a garbage can to throw away all the trash from moving--you can never seem to have enough when moving!

5. Curtains - Most people would say that they are definitely not a morning person. This obviously meaning right when a person wakes up they don't want the sun blinding them, so why not save them the trouble. After figuring out their bedroom theme, if they have one, you can gift them some fancy, new curtains! It would be a great idea for a new homeowner. And just think, every time they wake up, they'll have you to thank for protecting their eyes from the bright morning sun!!!

6. Paintings - Art has always been an amazing form of expression for mankind and many works of art continue to wonder us today. To purchase paintings for a new homeowner would be a great idea! Right now they're probably decorating their house and would love to have a new addition here and there!

7. Wine Bottle Holders - Most new homeowners are old enough to drink (hopefully) and enjoy a glass here and there. A lot of people prefer wine to other forms of alcohol and a wine bottle holder is a great idea for that special new homeowner. After finally unpacking all their aged wines and putting in this great gift you've given them, they can sit back, relax, and enjoy a glass of wine.

8. Clocks/Alarms - A small gift isn't always bad. If you're running a low budget, but still want to purchase a gift for you new homeowner friend then alarms are a great choice! Being on time is very important and t
hey really need to pay their new house so do your part in making sure they get to work to make the money to pay those bills!

Holiday Shopping: Tips & Tricks!

It’s that time of year again! Christmas trees are going up, stockings are being hung, and everyone is scrambling around, trying to get every last gift on their gift lists before the big day. If you’re like me, and most everyone else, you still have a bit to do before the 25^th rolls around. Not to fear! Here are a few tips to make the last few weeks really count, so you can get the most for the best bargain!

Now there is no harm in starting early. In fact, you might have already picked up a few things here and there but all the real deals come during the holidays. The best way to tackle this is to get organized. List out exactly what you need to get and who to get it for. Research where these items are sold, and where and when you can get the best price. Write it out, and you can create a game plan for where to go first and what to get where. A task like this seems unnecessary, but works wonders when used. Avoid extra frustrations by using the list to make decisions on where to go and what to get for you.

If online shopping is more for you, there are even few tips to know when choosing to shop from home instead of braving the mall. For online shoppers, take into account shipping costs when you plan out holiday budgets. Also do not discount shipping time either, shopping online has a definitive cut off date where you will not get presents in time for Christmas if you don’t place the orders soon enough (for instance, the cut off date for a common online retailer, Amazon is December 16^th, unless you’re willing to pay a fee to get it expedited.) Cut off dates vary from business to business, but the information is readily available on their respective websites. Watch your spam inbox for exclusive deals and coupons. It’s easy to ignore spam when it flows in at a regular basis, but taking that extra five minutes to filter through and see if a coupon is waiting for you.

And if all else fails, do not discredit the power of a homemade gift. Make food or simply offer your time. You can avoid retail insanity during the holidays and truly give a piece of yourself to a loved one instead of a hollow, plastic figurine. You can find countless ideas for small crafts that you can turn into heartfelt presents for any type of person. 

Whatever method works for you, don’t let the stress of getting it all done keep you from enjoying the true reason for the holidays—spending time with the ones you love.