The #BELLHomeTeam is extremely happy to introduce Howard Triche as our newest member!As a longtime real estate investor, Howard brings an immense level of market knowledge to the team. The perfect blend of innate curiosity coupled with a driving desire to learn give this Syracuse native a unique and focused perspective on the real estate market and its part in our communities. And being a natural collaborator allows Howard to achieve his goal of not only aiding his clients through their transactions, but also taking the time to educate them on the process and ensure calm reassurance in their real estate decisions.In his free time, Howard has enthusiasm for fitness and keeping his body as sharp as his mind. He also enjoys working with his favorite charities as well as spending time with his wife and 2 kids and has been known to get bit by the wanderlust bug and set out for travel. The BELL Home Team is happy to welcome Howard with open arms and are excited for his talents to s ...

There’s a lot of talk lately about how challenging it can be to find a home to buy. While housing inventory is still low, there are a few important things to understand about the supply of homes for sale as we move into the end of the year.
The Number of Homes for Sale Usually Peaks in the Fall
In the residential real estate market, trends generally follow a predictable and seasonal pattern. Typically, the number of homes available for sale (or active monthly listings) peaks in the fall. But in a chapter where so little feels normal, the question becomes: should we expect a fall peak this year?
If we look at the active monthly listings for 2021 (shown in the chart below), we’ll see that the number of homes on the market has increased fairly steadily since spring this year. The realtor.com data shows we’re still seeing an increase in active inventory month-over-month. While that gain is a bit smaller month-to-month (see August to September in the chart), September n. ...

If you’ve been in your home for longer than five years, you’re not alone. According to recent data from First American, homeowners are staying put much longer than historical averages (see graph below):

As the graph shows, before 2008, homeowners sold their houses after an average of just five years. Today, that number has more than doubled to over 10 years. The housing industry refers to this as your tenure.
To really explore tenure, it’s important to understand what drives people to make a move. An article from The Balance explores some of the primary reasons individuals choose to sell their houses. It says:
“People who move for home-related reasons might need a larger home or a house that better fits their needs, . . . Financial reasons for moving include wanting a nicer home, moving to a newer home to avoid making repairs on the old one, or cashing in on existing equity.”
If you’ve been in your home for longer than the norm, chances are yous ...

Among turf care experts, it's a well-known fact that the best way to ensure a thick, green, and healthy lawn in the spring is to give it some well-timed care in the fall—in other words, right now. But according to Scott Frith, CEO of Lawn Doctor, a lawn care company with more than 200 franchises around the country, many homeowners make the same basic mistakes before grass goes dormant, and then wonder why their grass isn't doing better the following year. Wonder no more. Here is Frith's seven-step program to getting a beautiful lawn next year.
 
Fall Lawn Care Tips
Remove the leaves
A carpet of colorful autumn leaves may look nice and be fun to play in, but they're no good for grass. They block the light and trap moisture, potentially fatal knockout punches for the unlucky turf underneath.
So when the leaves are falling, blow or rake them away as often as you can. Even after the trees are bare, continue raking out the corners where the wind piles leaves up. If you don'te ...

It’s that time of year when the days gets shorter, the nights get cooler and pumpkin spice everything is the craze. With the milder temps upon us, now is the time to prepare your home for the coming cool months. Get your home ready now for the upcoming heating season and enjoy the days of fall.

Here’s a quick checklist of To Do’s to prepare your home:

Clean off and cover your outdoor furniture



Plant your bulbs for springtime flowers



Clean the gutters and install gutter guards to prevent backups when the wet season hits



Clean on and around your outdoor HVAC units-obstructions can cause up to a 30% energy increase



Prepare your chimney for cozy nighttime fires with an annual safety inspection and cleaning



Stock up on firewood to enjoy and heat your home



Replace your batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors



Prepare your furnace for heating season with seasonal maintenance



Keep the cold weather out m ...