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LED Holiday Lights: 6 Need-to-Know Tips

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Christmas lightsBy: G. M. Filisko

LED holiday lights vs. old-fashioned bulbs: 6 tips to help you decide which is right for you.

Should you chuck all your good old holiday light strings and buy new LED holiday lights? Here’s how to decide.

  1. LED holiday lights save you money. LED lights use up to 90% less energy than traditional holiday lights, according to the U.S. government’s Energy Star program.That results in a $50 energy savings for the average family during the holidays, says a Sierra Club spokesperson.Put it into perspective: The amount of electricity consumed by one 7-watt incandescent bulb (in a light string) could power 140 LEDs — enough to light two 24-foot strings, says Energy Star.

    2. But LED lights typically cost more than old-fashioned holiday lights.

  • 100-bulb string of LED lights: about $20 to $46
  • 100-bulb string of conventional lights: about $7 to $12

But shop around because LED prices are coming down. And you’ll likely find sales on LED holiday lights — if not before the holidays then certainly after.

3. LED holiday lights last and last. LED bulbs can keep your season bright for as long as 100,000 hours, says Cathy Choi, president of Moonachie, N.J.-based Bulbrite, which manufactures LED and regular bulbs. That’s substantially longer than the life of your old holiday light strings.

4. You can string a BIG strand of LED lights. Safety wise, you shouldn’t connect more than three traditional light strings, but you can connect up to 87 LED holiday light strings, totaling a whopping 1,500 feet, Choi says. So blow your neighbor’s display away by cocooning your house in lights:

  • You won’t have to buy as many extension cords.
  • You can take your holiday lighting display further away from the outlet.
  1. LED lights reduce the risk of fire. They stay cooler than incandescent bulbs, according to Energy Star.6. How about that hue? Some people stick with their old lights because they don’t like the brighter hue that white LED holiday lights emit. But Choi says manufacturers now offer a “warm white” bulb that more closely mimics the glow of an incandescent light. Be sure to read the label to choose a bright or warm white and to ensure what you’re purchasing is Energy Star-certified.

Colored and color-changing LED holiday lights are more vibrant than conventional lights, making your display easier to see from the street, Choi says.

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Tips on How To Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests

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Article From HouseLogic.com By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon Published: November 14, 2011

Thanksgiving dinnerIs your home ready for holiday visits from friends and family? Here’s how to prepare for the invasion.

I’m lucky and have a guest suite always ready for holiday guests. But even with a dedicated space, preparing my home for the annual onslaught of friends and family takes time and forethought.

Some preparations for holiday guests take only a few minutes; some take a lot longer. My advice: Start preparing your home for the holidays now.

 

Prioritize

The day before guests arrive is no time to pull apart junk drawers and clean out linen closets. Declutter guest rooms and public areas — foyer, kitchen, living room, den, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, and ottomans; if it’s out of sight, keep it out of mind, for now.

If you run short of time, bag up the clutter and store it in car trunks, basements, and out-of-the-way closets. Sort and arrange after your guests depart.

 

Safety

Light the way: Even though you can navigate your home blindfolded, your guests can’t. Make sure outside lights are working so they don’t trip on the way to your door. Put motion-activated night lights in hallways, bathrooms, and bedrooms to ensure safe passage after the sun sets.

Child proofing: Ask parents to bring hardware that keeps their small ones safe, such as baby gates and cabinet locks. Transfer toxic cleaners and medicines from base to wall cabinets. Hide matches and lighters.

Fire prevention: If you didn’t freshen smoke detector batteries when you switched the clocks to Daylight Savings Time, change them now. After your guests arrive, run a quick fire drill: Make sure they can locate exits and fire extinguishers, and that they know how to open windows and doors.

 

Entryway upgrades

Your home’s foyer is the first place guests see, so make a good first impression.

  • Upgrade exterior entry doors or give old doors a new coat of paint. Polish and tighten door hardware, and oil hinges to prevent squeaks.
  • Remove scratches from hardwood floors, stairs, and wood railings. Place a small rug or welcome mat at the entrance to protect floors from mud and snow.
  • Clear out shoes, umbrellas, and other clutter.
  • Add extra hooks to walls so guests can hang coats and hats.
  • Add a storage bench where guests can remove boots and shoes.

Kitchen prep

Your kitchen is command central during the holidays, so make sure it’s ready for guests and extra helpers.

  • To increase storage, install a pot rack to clear cooking items off countertops and ranges.
  • Move your coffee station into a family room so guests don’t crowd the kitchen when you’re trying to fix meals.
  • If you like to visit while you’re cooking, place extra stools and chairs around the perimeter of your kitchen so guests can set a spell.

Sleeping arrangements

If you’ve got a guest room, replace the ceiling fixture with a ceiling fan and light combo, which helps guests customize their room temperature without fiddling with the thermostat for the entire house.?

To carve sleeping space out of public areas, buy a folding screen or rolling bookcase, which will provide privacy for sleepers. Fold or roll it away in the morning.

 

Bathroom storage

Bring toilet paper, towels, and toiletries out of hiding, and place them on open shelves so guests can find them easily.

If you don’t have enough wall space for shelves, place these items in open baskets around the bathroom.

Also, outfit each tub with a bath mat (to avoid falls) and each toilet with a plunger (to avoid embarrassment).

 

What tips do you have for getting ready for guests this holiday season?

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

October 2014 Market Update

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Almaden Valley real estate continues to strongly favor sellers despite being in the midst of the seasonal slowdown. Although the number of sold single family homes in October 2014 (16) is down significantly from October 2013 (28), the average price per square foot has increased over 9% over the same time period ($507 versus $459.) This price increase indicates that buyers continue to be bullish on Almaden Valley single family homes.

Although many buyers and sellers choose to postpone entering the real estate market during the holidays, now can be the perfect time to market a home. With many sellers pulling their homes from the market this time of year and many more deferring offering their homes for sale, the decreasing competition for buyers can work out to a seller’s advantage. If you are thinking about selling your Almaden Valley home, give me a call or send me an email and let me show you how I can help sell your home!

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September Market Update

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Almaden Valley real estate continued the annual holiday cooling trend in September, although we did see a bit of an upswing in the number of single family homes in pending status (ie had accepted offers.) When we compare September 2014 with September 2013, we see that the number of single family homes for sale and those that have sold have dropped significantly from the same time last year yet the number of homes that are pending has remained virtually the same. This indicates that Almaden Valley real estate is still in demand despite the drop in inventory. The average price has reached a high point of about $550/sq. ft. which merely supports the fact that buyers are still bullish about homes here.

Although many sellers think that the real estate market softens during the holidays, numbers indicate that buyers are actively looking for homes this time of the year. It could actually be in a home seller’s best interest to market their homes NOW, when other home sellers are taking their homes off the market or deferring sales until the holiday season are over. Fewer homes on the market mean less competition for hungry buyers.

If you are thinking about selling your home, give me a call or send me a message and let me show you how I can help you take advantage of this special time of the year!

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August Market Update

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If historic trends are any indication, Almaden Valley real estate is entering the holiday season right on time. Generally speaking, August/September sees the number of homes on the market and under contract drop until they bottom out in around December. In looking at data over the last several years, it looks like we’re right on time.

When studying the market over the last two years, one thing that stands out is that the number of homes on the market has dropped significantly, but the number that have sold has remained fairly stable as the graph demonstrates. The first week of September 2012 saw 59 single family homes for sale in the MLS. The same time in 2013 saw 42 homes, and this week there were 30. 35 single family homes had sold in August 2012, 54 in August 2013 and 39 last month.

Although we are entering the traditionally slower-paced holiday season, buyers are still eager to purchase. Now is an excellent time for sellers to put their homes on the market. Since the trend is for home owners to wait until the post-holiday season upswing to list their homes, those who do so now will face less competition for buyers.

If you would like to know how you can take advantage of the unique nature of Almaden Valley real estate, contact me and let me show you how I can help!

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July Almaden Valley Market Update

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Almaden Valley real estate continues to be a strong seller’s market. The surge in inventory of single family homes that we saw the beginning of June has all but evaporated, although it has increased slightly from last week. We’ve been experiencing a shortage of inventory for the better part of two years, which could explain why there is so much pent-up demand from buyers. Homes continue to sell at a brisk rate; the average days on market for Almaden Valley single family homes was 20 days in July. The average days on market in July 2013 was 23, but in July 2009 it was a 72 days, a stunning difference when compared to our recent market activity!

The average price per square foot withdrew somewhat in July, dropping slightly below levels to $521 from a high of $538 in June. Although we DID see a decrease, the overall trend is upward, and it is common to see months of increase followed by months of slight downward pressure.

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June Almaden Valley Market Update

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Inventory remains tight for Almaden Valley single family homes, with 39 available Monday July 14 versus 42 about a month ago. The number of homes under contract dropped from 57 to 42 over the same time frame, a clear indication that demand for homes is exceeding demand. The average price per square foot increased to $543 in June, up $16/sq.ft. from the previous month.

When we look at numbers from a year ago, we can see how hot the market is. The average price per square foot in June 2013 was $480, compared with the afore-mentioned $523 in June 2014, indicating a strong demand. With only about one month’s worth of inventory on the market, all indications are that we are in a strong seller’s market.

If you are thinking about selling your Almaden Valley home, call, email or text message me and let me show you how you can take maximum advantage of our unique market.

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May Almaden Valley Market Update

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Almaden Valley real estate is definitely a seller’s market. The number of single family homes put on the market increased from April 2014, but buyer demand rose to the occasion, and the number of homes with accepted contracts also increased. The average price per square foot has edged upwards as well, from $519/sq.ft. in April to $527/sq.ft. in May. Inventory is incredibly tight; with current buyer activity, there is just about one month’s worth of homes to meet the demand.

Increasing prices plus scarce inventory means that now is a GREAT time to put your Almaden Valley home on the market. If you would like additional information on how I can help you take advantage of this incredible market, give me a call or send me an email.

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April Almaden Valley Market Update

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Almaden Valley Real Estate single family sales volume dropped from March in an up-and-down pattern that we’ve been seeing this time of year for quite some time. However, the average price per square foot continues a gradual increase. At $519.80/square foot, the average price increased over 5% from March and over 18% from the same time last year.

The number of distressed (ie short sale, auction and bank-owned) has held steady at the same low level for quite some time, indicating that this aspect of Almaden Valley Real Estate has stabilized. Interest rates fluctuate slightly from week to week but have remained fairly stable as well.

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March Almaden Valley Market Update

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The Almaden Valley real estate market is continuing to warm up after the winter season slowdown in its usual, predictable pattern. Although the number of available and sold single family listings are lower than they were this time last year, the number of pending sales is significantly higher. The average price per square foot ($511) in February 2014 is the highest we’ve seen it in several years. This combined with the higher pending sales indicates pent-up demand that built up during the winter slow-down.