GDR Spotlight on Real Estate / December 24, 2021

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 41

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Spotlight on Real Estate, Friday, December 24, 2021

How to reduce risk of home fires this holiday season Safety might not be the first thing people think of as the holiday season approaches.

Faith, celebrations, decorations, and holiday dinners all come to mind when considering the holiday season. But that doesn’t mean safety should be left out of holiday planning.

Fire safety bears special consideration during the holiday season, when the prevalence of fire hazards like Christmas trees, holiday lighting displays and other decorative items increase the risk for home fires. Such tragedies can be averted with a few simple safety measures.

• Tend to your tree. Live Christmas trees are awe-inspiring, but they also pose a significant fire risk. The National Fire Protection Association urges celebrants to purchase only healthy trees with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched. Such trees are less likely to dry out, especially when well-watered throughout the season. Dry trees can catch fire more easily than healthy trees if embers from nearby fireplaces or candles drift in their direction.

• Recognize that location matters when decorating. The NFPA notes that Christmas trees should always be placed at least three feet away from any heat source, including fireplaces, space heaters, heat

vents, candles, and even overhead lights.

If decorating with candles, never place them on the tree or on tables where other flammable decorations have already been placed. Chanukah menorahs should never be placed near curtains or other decorations.

• Turn off all lights and extinguish all lit decorative items when leaving the home or going to bed. Lit candles and menorahs should never be left unattended.

The NFPA recommends turning tree lights and exterior decorative lights off when leaving the home or going to bed.

• Utilize a fire screen on fireplaces.

Embers can catch on trees, decorations or anything else that’s flammable if they escape the fireplace. Fire screens prevent that from happening by ensuring embers from burning logs stay in the fireplace. Like candles and menorahs, fires burning in a fireplace should never be left unattended.

Make sure all embers have been extinguished before leaving the home or going to bed.

• Keep discarded trees away from your home. A 2014 analysis from the NFPA found that none of the ten days with the largest share of Christmas tree fires were before Christmas. Dried out trees still pose a fire risk even after they’ve been removed

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from a home. When discarding a tree at important component of the holiday the end of the holiday season, place it at season that can prevent this joyous the curb or keep it a safe distance away time of year from turning tragic.. from your home and garage until you can.

- Metro Content Fire safety measures are an

Merry Christmas from my house to yours.

Friends & family are such special gifts sent from our Lord above, they light our lives with happiness and fill our hearts with love.

Thank you God for the gift of your “Son” at Christmas!! And thank you to all my family, friends and clients for being a part of my life in 2021!

-Ida Lynn

Jimmy Register 347-6857

Merry Christmas!

Quality Award Winner Multi-Million Dollar Producer

Maddi Lamm 229-894-9638 REALTOR® Buyer Specialist

Jeannie Register Unlicensed Assistant

Ida Lynn Stox 252-714-5099

Prime Properties

www.idalynnstox.com

© 2019 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Afiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity

Spotlight on Real Estate, Friday, December 24, 2021

How to help houseplants survive a long winter As fall gradually gives way to winter, gardeners expend ample energy preparing their flowers and plants for the months ahead. Plants may be pruned to increase the likelihood that they will return in full bloom come the spring, while lawns may be aerated so cool-season grasses can get the nutrients, water and oxygen they need when the temperatures dip. But what about houseplants? Do indoor houseplants need the same type of pre-winter TLC that outdoor plants need before winter arrives?

As the seasons change, so, too, do the conditions outside.

And those conditions affect indoor houseplants much like they do lawns, gardens and trees. So it’s vital that people with houseplants do not overlook the need to keep houseplants going strong as fall gives way to winter.

LOCATION Hours of daylight shorten in winter, which means some houseplants won’t get as much sun as they were accustomed to over the last several months. That means plants may need to be relocated closer to windows where they can make the most of each day’s sunlight. However, it’s important that there’s ample distance between the plant and the window, especially when winter temperatures get especially cold. If the plants are too close to a window on cold days, they could freeze. Keep them close enough to the windows to get ample sunlight but far enough away so they don’t get too cold. In addition, keep plants away from drafty windows as well as heating vents, as extreme temperatures are not conducive to healthy houseplants.

WATERING Watering needs also may change when the temperatures drop. The indoor plant experts at Pistils Nursery in Oregon note that all houseplants need less water in winter.

In fact, overwatering in winter can be especially harmful to indoor plants. Plant owners can try decreasing the frequency of their watering by half each winter and see how the plants respond.

CLEANING Cleaning plants is another way to help them survive a long winter. Dust settles in many homes in winter, when windows tend to remain closed for months on end and fresh air isn’t circulating around the house as much as it is in spring and summer. Pistil’s Nursery notes that dust inhibits a plant’s ability to photosynthesize, thus compromising its ability to make it through a winter unscathed. Better Homes & Gardens recommends using a soft-bristle paintbrush, a toothbrush or pipe cleaner to remove dust from African violets and other fuzzy-leafed plants. Gently washing plants with a paper towel or cloth that’s been moistened with water can remove the dust.

Oils and polishes should not be used to make leaves shine, as these substances can block pores on the plant.

Houseplants may need some extra attention in winter as hours of daylight dwindle and indoor conditions make it hard for plants to survive.

- Metro Content

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Spotlight on Real Estate, Friday, December 24, 2021

How to test home water quality

Water is essential for life. Generally speaking, a human can go without food for about three weeks, but typically would perish without water after just three to four days.

When people consume water, they are doing so with the assumption or hope that the water is clean and free from harmful contaminants. Even though municipal water systems filter and test water supplies, the company Eco-water Systems says some of the most common tap water contaminants they encounter actually enter water sources after they have been tested at treatment facilities. Drinking water may contain small amounts of contaminants that are not unsafe to consume at certain levels.

However, at higher levels, these same substances can be problematic.

Contaminants can include hydrogen sulfide, raised acidic levels, arsenic, lead, nitrates, and microbiological, which include viruses, protozoan and parasites.

Homeowners can take proactive ap-

proaches to test their water to determine if it contains potentially harmful levels of contaminants. This is especially crucial for those who rely on residential well water, which is not subject to the same testing as municipal systems.

Anyone who knows there may be a problem with the ground water or drinking water in their area or who notices a

change in water odor, color and taste can request more information.

One place to start is with a Consumer Confidence Report. Most people on municipal water should receive an annual water quality report called a CCR, or Consumer Confidence Report, states Consumer Reports. People who rent or didn’t receive one can contact their local

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- Metro Content

Merry Christmas From Our Home To Yours!

Great Opportunity!

Former WBCBR REALTOR of the Year Coldwell Banker International Diamond Society & President’s Circle (top 5% Internationally)

water supplier or their landlords.

Testing can be initiated by contacting one’s local health department, which may provide free private well or drinking water testing, advises the Environmental Protection Agency. Homeowners also can reach out to a state-certified laboratory to test drinking water. These organizations can provide the most accurate results.

Call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.

People also can buy test kits from their local home centers or online. These tests come with a package of strips that contain reactants that change color to indicate the presence of various contaminants in the water. Keep in mind that quality control may vary, and that tests can give false readings.

Testing drinking water can alert to potential problems and compel homeowners to take action regarding contaminated water.

ON CALL SATURDAY SHERRY HOWELL 252-531-2010

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Spotlight on Real Estate, Friday, December 24, 2021

Pandemic spurs dramatic rise in home prices According to the real estate research firm CoreLogic, annual home price growth during the pandemic was the most the group had ever seen in its 45 years of tracking home prices. Since the World Health Organization first declared a pandemic in March of 2020, home prices have risen dramatically.

CoreLogic reports that median home prices across the United States increased by 18 percent between July 2020 and July 2021. The increase was even more significant in Canada, where data from the Canadian Real Estate Association indicated home prices had risen by more than 38 percent between 2020 and 2021. Such increases were welcome news for individuals who already owned their homes, but many individuals who did not found themselves priced out of the market.

COMING SOON 1659 HOLLAND ROAD COUNTRY LIVING AT ITS BESTBrick Ranch on almost 3 acres of rolling farm land , 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, Living/dining Formal areas, Kitchen/Breakfast Areas, Den with Brick Fireplace, hardwood floors throughout, 1900 SQ. FT., Double Carport, front porch and back deck, Packhouse and Smokehouse.

COMING SOON RIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS. 1659 Holland Road.

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The good news for potential home buyers is that median home prices are not expected to increase as much in 2022 as they have since the onset of the pandemic. In fact, CoreLogic forecasted a 2.7 percent appreciation between July 2021 and July 2022.

- Metro Content

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200 E. Arlington Blvd. (across from Gordon’s Golf & Ski)

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Spotlight on Real Estate, Friday, December 24, 2021

ASK YOURSELF... WHY AREN’T YOU A PART OF THE BUSINESSES LISTED BELOW WHO HAVE PROVEN SUCCESS!!!

PREFERRED REALTY

CLARK-BRANCH, REALTORS

©

Johnathan Kassnov

Every Saturday, this SPOTLIGHT ON REAL ESTATE will showcase area homes for sale in and around Pitt County.

Spotlight on Real Estate, Friday, December 24, 2021

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Spotlight on Real Estate, Friday, December 24, 2021

For unto you is born

this day in the city of David

A SAVIOR

who is CHRIST the

LORD

- Luke 2:11