Mary Huffman's Real Estate Blog - Erie, PA

 Heated Flooring – Is It Worth the Cost?   It seems like everybody is remodeling these days. With everyone spending more time at home, not only are the dated features of our properties more obvious, but we also have the time and flexibility to meet contractors and supervise changes. New flooring is always a popular upgrade and heated floors are one option worth considering. Heated floors involve adding heating elements under the flooring materials. Many people love a heated tile floor in the bathroom, or heated laminate in a chilly basement. Today’s radiant heating systems are more durable and energy-efficient than ever before and, with proper maintenance, can last over 30 years. While more expensive upfront, heated floors save money by lowering the amount of heating needed from the furnace. Since heat rises, the furnace does not need to work as hard to warm the same space. Radiant floors are also great for allergy sufferers. Forced air furnaces push dirt, dust, and pollen through the

  Getting Outbid?  Strategies to Make Your Offer Stand Out and Get Accepted  Summer is traditionally a busy time for buyers and sellers. This year has been no exception—and with lower interest rates, many homebuyers are finding the competitive environment challenging. With multiple buyers competing for properties, even terrific offers are often being outbid. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to make your offer more attractive to the sellers and increase the chances of getting the property.  • Have Full Pre-Approval – A step beyond pre-qualification, a pre-approval involves submitting your full application to underwriting. Your lender will collect all your financial data and submit for review. This is stronger than a pre-qualification; a pre-approval requires the buyer to provide the proof of their ability to qualify for the loan.  • Increase the Earnest Money – Earnest money is the deposit held in escrow. While the contract will dictate how monies are disbursed in the event

  Keeping Up with Smart Homes It seems almost everything is connected these days. Want to check the temperature of your oven from outside? See how much milk you have in the refrigerator from the market? It’s possible! You can now control almost every aspect of your home from your smartphone. Yet with all this connectivity, you need a powerful internet network. If you’ve suddenly realized you have “dead spaces,” then it might be time to consider a mesh network. A basic wifi network relies on the antennae of the router to reach all the connected devices. A mesh network uses a series of access devices that connect to the main hub and each other – forming a mesh of coverage. This helps eliminate the dead spaces because, in essence, you are creating overlapping wireless zones. Smart devices benefit from the mesh network system. Unlike extenders that have their own identity, every device in a mesh network has the same name. This provides seamless coverage as smart products move between conne

  Stop Waiting - Organize That Garage! If you are feeling a little overwhelmed every time you look into your garage because it has become a dumping ground for items that don’t have another home, it is time to start clearing and organizing to make the best use of your space. This can be a simple task if you go in with a plan and create organized storage space. You can transform that garage, and here is how. First thing? Throw out or donate what isn’t used. After you’ve done that, sort what remains into groups. Items used together should be stored together. Using clear containers with lids to do so will make your items visible and help to encourage you to only keep what you need and use. Once everything is grouped and stored, you will want to consider positioning. What items do you use most? You will want to make sure those are the most easily accessible. Put rarely used or seasonal items in the harder-to-reach spots. The main focus of keeping a clean, organized garage is getting things

Erie, PA Sailing Presque Isle Bay  Life is Better at the Lake!

Realtor Mary Huffman's Day at Waldameer Park in Erie, PA

Golf Courses in Erie, PA https://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/pa/erie/ Click the above link for reviews of all golf courses Whispering Woods (Photo above) is rated the best course in Erie, PA 

Best Power Tools for DIYers Now more than ever, DIY projects are everywhere you look. It seems like everyone is trying to be productive with the little extra free time on their hands, and hardware stores still have lines out the door. If you are just getting into the DIY world and are realizing some of the basic hand tools just aren’t cutting it anymore, it may be time to invest in some smaller power tools that work best for the do-it-yourself enthusiast.  1. 10” Sliding Miter Saw With this tool, you can cut baseboards, frame out a door, and even more. Getting the saw with the slide allows you to cut more significant pieces. 2. Nail Gun While a hammer and nail approach can work for most DIY projects, you will save yourself time and energy when you invest in a nail gun and air compressor. If you are into reupholstering, you may also want to consider a staple gun. 3. Rotary Sander If you plan to strip any word surface, invest in a rotary sander. There are

Mary Huffman of The Mary Huffman Team of Howard Hanna has been a licensed Realtor in PA for 26+ years and now is officially a licensed agent in NY state. Mary works primarily in Erie County which is very close to the NY line so she can now help buyers and sellers with real estate needs in areas like Findley Lake, Clymer (Peek N Peak) , Chautauqua, Ripley and all the areas of NY that are close to the PA line.

Creating A Productive Atmosphere While You #STAYHOME In countless homes across the country and the world, there has been a major shift to working from home - even for students. If you are working from home and trying to manage your children being home and doing school work, you may be at a loss when it comes to ensuring productivity. With a television across the room and no boss or teacher hovering, distraction comes easily.  Here are some tips to create a space that enables productivity! 1. Light up your space! Letting in as much natural light as possible to your at-home work space is the first step to making a better place to get things done. Your body works best with natural light because of circadian rhythms, which tell your brain to be awake and productive when natural light is around you. Natural light will help you feel alert and the vitamin D you will get from opening those windows will help boost your immune system. 2. Add minimalist decor! You

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H ome Value Estimator by Mary Huffman Click the above link 

The Do’s + Don'ts of Listing Photos When you’re preparing to put your house on the market, you are probably already aware that most of the first impressions made on potential buyers will be via your listing photos. It is important to take the time and make sure you are taking photos that will attract those buyers, not send them running. Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you make the best of your listing photos and get the attention you want it to have. DO: Make your house look welcoming. A warm entryway and open front door will set the tone for the rest of your images.  Consider other perspectives. If you have access to an aerial photographer, having a bird’s eye view photo will help show off your property if you’ve got a great location. Capture the best parts of your home. While you may think skipping certain rooms is the norm, it is better to show off what it is that makes you love your home. Do you have a beautiful garage? Make sure you get g

Mary Huffman Explains Wire Fraud & How To Protect Yourself When Buying a Home Click SUBSCRIBE in right hand corner of video

How To Throw A Great Superbowl Party While your team may not have made it to the final game, the Superbowl is the perfect excuse to bring together your family and friends for a day of fun. Whether the 49ers or the Chiefs win, you can throw a party that will be sure to win. Here are a few tips that will help you throw the best Superbowl party on the block. Have great snacks Having the best food is an easy way to guarantee your guests will have a great time. Consider making football-themed snacks or if you want to be a little more festive, try your hand at Latin food (maybe Cubanos!) to celebrate the game taking place in Miami, a place known for their love of Latin food! Make themed drinks While beer is definitely known as the drink of football, you can use this opportunity to create a themed beverage based on the team of your choice (or both!) that can be served both with and without alcohol, especially if kids will be around during the party. Check