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10 Quik Spring Cleaning Tips

From our friends at US Inspecton

Some people love spring cleaning, others…not so much. While cleaning is not usually the first thing on our minds when spring weather finally arrives, it really is the most basic form of home mainatenance and a great way to care for our homes. Sometimes the hardest part of a home maintenance task though, is knowing where to start and getting going. So here are some quick and easy spring cleaning tasks that are a great place to start!

Clean Ceiling Fans- So you don’t turn them on and swirl dust all over the room.
Launder or Vacuum Curtains – This is not only refreshing, but it will help to eliminate the dust, dander, pollen and other allergens that may have accumulated on the fabric over the long winter–which could exacerbate spring allergies.
Dust- Dust, dust, dust. Clean all the surfaces in the home.
Vacuum Furniture – Clean the surface of pet hair, dust and other dirt, and don’t forget to lift the cushions and vacuum crevasses too.
Clean the Windows – This not only makes your windows look nicer, but helps to let in more light.
Open windows – Leave those windows open to air out the house. It smells great and also helps to let stagnant air and indoor allergens escape.
Clean the Oven – OK, this task stinks. But I saw a good video onlinefor making it a little easier.
Clear the Cobwebs – A dust buster or small vacuum is great for paying attention to all the corners and crevasses of your house and sucking away dust bunnies and cobwebs.
Clean the Refrigerator – Clear out old food, wash removable shelves and drawers in the sink, and place a new baking soda box for odors. For more on cleaning refrigerators click here.
Organize & Purge – Clean closets, organize drawers, and sort through the stacks–somewhere underneath the piles of mail, laundry and over-due library books is your house! This is also a great time to start a collection of old clothes or other items from each family member for local donation.

Housing- a County by County look

Central Indiana housing numbers for March and Quarter 1 (“Q1”) are in, and there’s just one word to describe them— “UP!” Sales were up 8% for the twelve months just ended, prices up 6% and heck, even listings were up 2%. However, inventory remains tight, with just a 3.8 months supply available for shoppers. That’s for all of central Indiana. But when you look at what’s going on inside each county you get a different result. So, here’s a Q1 look at each county…

BOONE– Sales were only up 2% but listings were up 19%. You’d think prices would’ve lost ground, but no, they increased 16%. Go figure.

BROWN– New listings up a whopping 98% and sales up an amazing 53%. With that many houses flooding the market, why should prices be up 51%?

DECATUR– Sales down 10% and new listings down 14%. Yet prices jumped up 13%. None of this is making any sense!

HAMILTON– Sales up 6% and new listings up 4%. Prices gained 2%. I’m actually surprised these prices didn’t jump more.

HANCOCK- Sales up 7% but new listings down 5%. Prices gained 8%. Surprised it wasn’t more.

HENDRICKS– Sales up 8%, new listings down 3%. Prices down 1%. You’d thought prices would’ve risen.

JOHNSON– Sales up just 2%, while new listings were down 6%. Prices rose 6%. Makes sense.

MADISON– Sales red hot at 20%. New listings not keeping pace, up 11%. Prices up 14%. Again, makes sense.

MARION– Sales up 6% and listings flat. Prices up 6%. Again, makes sense.

MONTGOMERY- Sales up 14% and listings a tad stronger at +16%. Yet prices fell 15%! Crazy.

MORGAN– Sales up slightly at 2%. Listings down 4%. Prices up 5%. Makes sense.

PUTNAM– Sales up 9% and new listings surging at +23%. Prices fell 13% as might be reasonably expected with the surge in supply outstripping the pace of sales.

SHELBY– Sales down 10% and new listings even slower at -17%. Yet prices rose 13%. Makes no sense.

So, with 13 counties reporting— results for 7 made sense and 6 did not. I’m confident that if I took enough time I could figure out why each county behaved the way it did. And I guess that’s why I do research on each house I list for sale or that a client wants to write an offer on. Now, if you’d like that level of service when you buy or sell, then call me. Remember…

“I work harder to make good things happen!