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There are always important changes happening in the real estate market, locally and nationally. These changes can affect YOU. Interest rates, zoning and tax laws, new ways to market your home and enhance its value…

I can help you keep up with all the changes. As a top real estate agent it’s my job to stay informed, and to know how to handle every buying or selling situation.

REAL ESTATE TIPS

Buying Land and New Construction >Testing the Soil

Are you building a custom-designed home on hand picked acreage? An essential step is testing the soil, which will determine the composition of the ground that must provide a stable foundation for your new home.

The soil could have a combination of various conditions and characteristics. It might be fine, silt-laden soil that collapses when it absorbs excessive water, or soil with a high clay content that sucks up water and then expands under a building, causing it to buckle or shift. Such soil is easy to excavate but unstable to build on. It must be replaced in compacted layers until it achieves suitable density to provide a stable foundation for the house.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, your land might sit on a layer of hard rock, which is wonderfully stable, but extremely hard to penetrate. Excavation costs will be higher if your builder has to bring in heavy equipment to dig out the rock. A professional soil report will help your builder determine the best approach to engineering your site.

REAL ESTATE TRIVIA

Q What little-known folk remedy is said to help keep bats away from your home?

A According to some rural homeowners, if you tar and feather a two-by-four board and place it in your yard, it will ward off bats!