Dad’s Guide to the Perfect Lawn
The warm weather is here, and Dad is probably itching to get outside and cut the grass. However, it takes more than a sharp mower blade to maintain the perfect lawn. Unfortunately, the elements that are essential for lawn care (sun and rain), also invite bugs and weeds. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to the perfect lawn so that Dad can spend this summer in his backyard masterpiece, relishing in the satisfaction of knowing that he did it all himself. After all, a perfectly landscaped yard is a Dad’s dream! Keep Mower Blades Sharp A dull blade will tear the grass, resulting in ragged edges and brownish grass. Your mower blades should be replaced at least once, if not twice each mowing season depending on how much grass you have. Prevent Weeds Before They Come Up Stop lawn weeds from gaining a root hold before they sprout by using a pre-emergent herbicide. The best time to do this is early spring. Eliminate Broadleaf Weeds These are the most noticeable weeds in your lawn, such as yellow dandelions and the white “scatter in the wind” seeded dandelions. Use granular weed control products to remove these, or remove them by hand as they sprout if you only have a few offenders. Mow High and Frequently Essentially, you want to cut less grass more frequently. If you keep your lawn a bit taller, it'll result in healthier grass. The general rule of thumb is to never cut off more than a third of the grass blade. This does mean more work, but it’s worth it! Water in the Morning If you water the grass in the morning, the sun will help dry it throughout the day. Watering at night or later in the day can result in prolonged moisture on the blades which leads to diseases. You also need to make sure you soak the lawn so that the water reaches the soil 2-3 inches down. Merely wetting the yard isn’t enough. Feed Your Lawn Nitrogen is the most important nutrient in a grass fertilizer. Look for a mix of fast and slow release fertilizers. Northern regions- feed in fall and spring. Southern regions- feed in spring and summer. Allow Your Soil to Breathe The soil in lawns becomes compacted over time, resulting in weak or dying grass. Aerate your soil with a garden fork or a manual lawn plug aerator. The holes left behind allow the soil to breathe and let water and nutrients reach the grass’ roots. Reseed When Needed You can fill large bare spots by re-seeding. Get the right type of seed to match your lawn. It’s usually better to choose high-quality seed, even if it costs a bit more. Avoid any seed that contains more than .01% of weed seed. Protect Your Yard from Cicadas! If you live in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or DC- then you know it’s the year of the cicadas. Cicadas will sprout out of the ground and dig into your plants and trees. Stop them by wrapping your trees, bushes, and shrubs in netting with holes 1 cm or smaller. You can use fine mesh insect netting or barrier plant bags for individual trees or shrubs. Avoid “bird netting,” which usually has net openings too large to keep cicadas out. Source
What Determines Home Value?
In honor of National Homeownership Month, we’re letting you in on some of the biggest factors that influence home value, and what doesn’t. Essentially, your home is worth what buyers are willing to pay for it. Luckily, depending on what your home has to offer, buyers may be more influenced to buy your home than you might think. We’ve outlined some of the most important factors that influence your home’s value and things that do not: 5 THINGS THAT DETERMINE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME: 1. School DistrictA number one on most buyer’s homes is being zoned to good schools. Education is important especially to families looking to buy. Often, this even outweighs the size and condition of the home. 2. Square FootageWhen estimating your home’s market value, size is important. Bigger homes can positively impact its valuation. The value of a home is roughly estimated in price per square foot - the sales price divided by the square footage of the home. 3. UpdatesMaking updates to bathrooms, kitchens, flooring, or adding outdoor spaces to increase usable living space can heavily increase your home’s valuation. However, upgrade ROI varies by location. For example, in some areas, finished basements can increase the value of a home by a lot more than they would in other areas.4. Bonus Space Pools, decks, offices, garages, hot tubs, basketball or tennis courts, home gyms, home theaters, wine cellars etc. all factor into your home valuation. Luckily, these spaces will add to the value of your home.5. Your lot desirability/Community This includes your location and neighborhood comparables. The price at which similar homes in your neighborhood have sold recently are a good indication of what you might get for your home. Appraisers also look for 3 things when determining the value of your home: the quality of local schools, proximity to employment opportunities, and proximity to shopping, entertainment, recreation, utilities etc. 5 THINGS THAT DO NOT DETERMINE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME: 1. Tax Assessment 2. Zillow Zestimate 3. How much you paid for it 4. How much you have in it 5. How much you need to get out of it *Bonus: What your neighbors say it’s worth also doesn’t determine home value! If you’re looking to buy or sell, call 410.465.6900 or contact us to start your search today!
The Home Buying Process in 9 Simple Steps
Since June is National Homeownership Month, we figured it’s the perfect opportunity to talk about the homebuying process. Deciding how you'll navigate your journey to homeownership is equally critical to the agent you work with. As someone who's been in your spot before, we’re familiar with what's cycling through your mind, and as real estate agents, we’ve mastered the ins and outs of the buying process. When you work with a Lucido agent, you'll benefit from our team’s experience and resources. Together we'll work toward making sound, smart decisions for your future. Our role as real estate agents is to guide you through the entire process - from first planning out your timeline to getting your new keys (and even after that, too!). THE HOMEBUYING PROCESS When you work with a Lucido agent, we’ll start with a buyer consultation to get to know you and what you’re looking for. We take a personalized approach, so the process will be tailored to you based on your unique situation, timeline, and needs. 1. SELECT A REAL ESTATE AGENTDiscuss the type of home you are looking for, including style, price, and location.THE BUYER’S ADVANTAGE: As the home buyer, your agent’s commission is paid by the seller of the homes in almost all circumstances. This means your agent representation costs you nothing! 2 - GET PRE-APPROVED You will need pay stubs, W2’s, and bank statements. Knowing what you can afford is critical to a successful home shopping experience. 3 - SEARCH FOR HOMES This is the fun part! You will analyze your needs in a buyer consultation, select, and view properties with your agent. ADVANCED SEARCH: Not all real estate websites are the same. Your Lucido Agent hastools and systems to ensure you see every available home that meets your criteria. 4 - WRITE AN OFFER TO PURCHASE Your agent will prepare the offer based on the price and terms you choose. THE CONTRACT: In most cases the contract provides you with a timeline to obtain financing, as well as time to inspect the physical condition of the home. Your agent will inform you of all your rights and responsibilities related to the contract.5 - NEGOTIATE TERMS AND CONTRACT It may take a few tries to get it just right, but hang in there. You’re on your way! 6 - RATIFY CONTRACT You and the seller have agreed to the price and terms. The home is effectively held until closing. 7 - FINAL DETAILS Perform due diligence, order the appraisal, conduct an inspection, and review terms with the lender. PREPARING FOR CLOSING: You will be finalizing your loan, reviewing documents, and discussing the findings from the inspection. Your agent will be managing this entire process for you. 8 - CLOSING This is the transfer of funds and ownership. A title company or an attorney typically acts as an independent third party to facilitate closing. 9 - CELEBRATE! You are now a homeowner! If you have questions or want to learn more, contact us or call 410.465.6900 to connect with an agent. We’re here to help anytime!
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