Achieve Morning Person Status

Ever wish you could become one of those rare morning people? The ones that wake with a start, feeling refreshed and energized. The ones that get in that morning workout or wrap up some work before many of us even hit the snooze button for the first time. Here are five tips to help you achieve that early bird status!

1. Create a morning schedule. Physically write down the things you’d like to complete in the morning and set a time for each. Then stick with it. Once you force yourself out of bed early one or two weeks consistently, you’ll find it gets easier and easier to do.

2. Let the light in. Whether natural or artificial, light tells your brain its time to get up and get going. If your room lacks large windows where you can open the blinds up, consider investing in a timed lamp or alarm clock with a light.

3. Prep and eat breakfast. Although there are many of us who chose the skip breakfast, it is key to perking up your energy in the morning. Try prepping protein-focused meals the night before or grab a yogurt or fruit and try to consume it right after you wake.

4. Get your body moving. Whether it’s a short walk around your neighborhood or a rigorous 5:30 am spin class, getting your blood pumping will help wake up your body and has a ton of other benefits, like stress and anxiety reduction.

5. Feed your mind. Stimulate your brain and do something you enjoy first thing in the morning. Try reading a favorite book, catching up on the news, doing daily meditation, or setting intentions.

Do I Need my own Home Inspector?

Do I Need My Own Home Inspector?

Before a home is sold, it’s almost always inspected. This isn’t actually a legal requirement. However, not having an inspection done can be a huge risk for a potential homebuyer.  

Though home inspections are most valuable for buyers, sellers can benefit from them as well. 

Advantages for Buyers 

If you’re looking to buy a home, the advantages of an inspection are pretty obvious. It’ll confirm the value of a home and/or flag issues, repair needs, and even safety concerns. Simply put, home inspections are in your best interest. After all, you’re the one who will be living there once the deal is finalized. 

It’s possible that the cost of the home can be reduced after an inspection. Or you could have the current owner make some last minute fixes. 

As a Seller 

If you currently own a home, it’s entirely possible that there’s a thing or two wrong with it that you don’t even know about. An inspection takes the pressure off your reputation being damaged. 

Chances are, when a buyer comes around, they’ll want an inspection done. But before that even happens, you could bring in an inspector of your own to check out the place. It makes you look honest and confident in the integrity of your home. It provides you with a heads-up for a last-minute fix or two. 

And in the rare case where a buyer’s inspector tries to swindle you, you’ll be protected with your own set of facts. 

That said, if you’re selling a home that’s clearly a fixer upper, having your own inspection done probably isn’t needed. 

Choosing a Home Inspector 

If you know someone who is a quality home inspector, you’re free to use them. Otherwise, your real estate agent likely has a few proven recommendations on hand. 

If you’re hesitant to trust your agent’s inspector, that’s not a very good of your relationship with your agent. You should have a realtor you can trust. 

At Van Tine Real Estate, we work with both buyers and sellers interested in homes for sale in WNY. Whether you need a home inspector recommendation or not, we can make sure get through the closing process smoothly.  

Activity over the Holiday Weekend in WNY

I did get a fair number of phone calls on December 26th and 27th but in general the 24th through the 27th are not the best days for home sales. New year’s weekend will be a bit busier. There was likely more activity in WNY then what shows up on the chart above. In most offices there are only a few people who are allowed to put updates in the MLS and most of them are not working on holidays.

With only 2189 homes on the market in WNY that don’t have offers on them there aren’t a lot of homes to buy. Although that sounds like a lot of homes those are homes from Amherst to Collins and everything in between!! 

Look for a lot of new listings in January.

Welcome to VTRE's Blog

Good Morning,

Thank you for checking out VTRE's new blog site. We will use this page to post useful information  regarding buying and selling homes in WNY. Thanks for stopping by and I look forward to talking real estate with you.

Kim Van TIne