Fall is Flowery, too

Fall is Flowery, TooSpring isn't the only time to get in your garden...

It’s true that living in a condominium has its ups and downs, and one thing I loved about owning a house was my large yard. Gardening will always be a favorite pass time and if you see my patio garden there is no denying my love for the hobby. A major benefit to living in the Lowcountry is the weather. You have a huge array of plants and flowers (and vegetables and herbs) to plant at all times of the year. With the cool breeze beginning to blow and the smell of fall in the air I wanted to share some tips and ideas for fall gardens.

 

 Most people think of fall as a time to clean up and clean out their gardens, and it is. You can cut back any greenery that won’t bloom until spring in order to create a fuller bloom when its season comes. You can also remove any plants that are too high maintenance or just not working for you (civic associations or shelters will take ones that are still in good condition for replant).  In Charleston fall is also a great time to plant so roots can grow and be establish by the spring. Annuals or Perennials (including bulbs) are both great species of flowers to plant in our community. They will survive through our humid summers and bloom up until our first frost or even through it.
If you are interested in the hardier, such as a vegetable garden, visit Clemson's Guide. It has great information on when to plant and how to be successful.

Also check out these money saving tips by AARP:

1. Fall is a good time to buy from nurseries because they have terrific sales. (My local nursery is promising 40 percent off.) You may not get a huge selection, but there will be some great bargains — even on trees. For even better deals, buy in bulk with a friend, or try negotiating with your local nursery if you have a long list of plants to buy. "Keep in mind that the plants on sale now don't look like they will in the spring and summer," says Sheri Silver, landscape designer and president of Fiori Garden Design in Irvington, N. Y. "After you've seen what's on sale, and before you buy, look up plants in books, catalogs, and online plant-finder tools so you'll have some idea of what they will look like next season," she says.

2. Need a new rake, spade or hoe? Look for yard sale bargains if you need tools. Estate sales especially may be clearing out entire gardening sheds.

3. Save on necessities like mulch and compost by buying from sources other than the nursery. Ginny Stibolt, a garden writer from Green Cove Springs, Fla., gets her mulch from a local woodcutter. "It's much 'greener' than the packaged mulch," she says. Don Engebretson gets his compost from a local landscaper. "It's a lot cheaper," he says, "especially if you have to cover a large area."

Happy Planting!

Living Green

Go green. 

Be environmentally conscientious.

Save the planet. 

These are all phrases we see often, but when it comes to your actual living space...what does that mean? 

Yes - of course - you can hire an eco-friendly builder to build you a solar panel roof and a giant compost in your back yard, but for those of us who want to do our part within reason- how do we proceed?

Being in the real estate field for more than 10 years, I have seen many trends come and go from home décor to architecture, but the idea of ‘green living’ is one that truly benefits everyone and isn’t as complex as some may think. 

There are many ways to adjust your home to be more eco-friendly.

Appliances. The new ENERGY STAR appliances are an easy upgrade to existing appliances and make a stand out difference in energy saving. ENERGY STAR is not a brand it’s a government rating that notes which appliances are designed to reduce the most greenhouse emissions and save energy over the long haul. (This even includes HVAC units!!)

Grey Water Recycling Systems. Now this may sound a little gross to some of you, but it’s actually a really efficient way to increase your green living, and one of the most cost savvy. Gray water is your used, non- contaminated, water (ie: from the sink, shower, laundry). The system takes this water and recycles it for use in the toilet and to your garden hoses only. 

Energy Monitoring Systems. Not ready for the commitment to solar panels? Try an energy monitoring system. Just like your digital thermostats this gadget records your home’s temperature but it also reports your actual energy usage allowing you to see when, where and how you overuse. Even cooler? You can check your reports from the computer or your Smartphone. (Check out some of the latest models: TED, eMonitor or GE Nucleus )

Green Décor. There are many options to spruce up the inside of your home, new or old, with healthier more eco-friendly products. One of the most popular is the low-VOC paints, stains and sealants. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds which have been noted as some of the most harmful chemicals in these items linked to causing cancer. Other ideas are natural product furniture such as bamboo or eucalyptus which improves air quality. (You can even go as far as doing flooring and cabinets in a natural product.)

Light Bulbs. Changing your old bulbs to the new LED or CFL bulbs really do make a difference. LED seems to be the greener way to go and are evolving to a more livable option in light and price. Good rule of thumb is to change your top six most used lights to LED, if you can’t stand the light use CFLs instead.

There are thousands of tips and tricks to owning, building or renovating a green home and people are investing millions of dollars to turn their homes into eco-friendly green machines. If you aren’t ready for that type of commitment try a little at a time… we could all save a little money and help in our own little way. Don’t forget that many of these ideas and others come with great tax incentives and rebates, check all your options. And if you do go to extremes or are interested check out having your home LEED Certified, or participating in a green house package such as the one Blu Homes offers. 

Spruce Up Your Home To Sell

In a recent blog for the Wall Street Journal some promising news made headlines, "Home sellers are having a far easier time attracting buyers this year and as a result, sellers’ asking prices are on the rise, according to two reports released Wednesday.

The National Association of Realtors reported on the median amount of time homes were listed for sale, a number that fell to 69 days for sales that closed in July, down from 98 days a year earlier. And a good portion of the market is selling faster: A third of homes sold in July were on the market for less than a month, the group said.

The data are compiled from a monthly survey of more than 3,000 of the trade group’s members. The survey asks real-estate agents how long their most recent transaction was listed before selling. Going forward, the Realtors’ group plans to publish this data along with its monthly report on existing-home sales.

With buyers acting more quickly, sellers have been able to boost their listing prices. Asking prices were up by 2.3% in August compared with the same month last year, according to real-estate website Trulia. It was the seventh straight month in which sellers hiked their asking prices, and 68 out of the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas reported asking price increases." 

So with the movement happening for both buyers and sellers, what are some of the easy things you can do around your house to get it ready to put on the market? Here's a few ideas: 

- Change out old or tarnished doorknobs, sink fixtures and drawer pulls - head to your local hardware store where you can find up to date hardware affordably. 

- Clean out your gutters. With our recent rains, they may be filled with pine straw and debris. If a potential buyer heads to your home during a storm, you don't want them to see your gutters overflowing! 

- Spruce up the outdoor living area with plants and flowers. These easily up the wow factor. And don't forget to weed the flower beds. 

- Buy a new mailbox if yours is tattered.  Same with your welcome mat. 

- Replace those old curtains, valances and more with lightweight, sheer curtains to allow light to brighten your rooms. 

- Replace house numbers if needed. If the numbers on your house have seen better days, pop right back to that local hardware store and purchase new ones that compliment the colors of your home. 

Remember, to add other little touches to your home to make it smell and look fresh. 

Have questions about selling your home? Contact me! 

Thanks for reading, 
Brenda