Kat Geralis Home Team Wilmington DE Real Estate News Archives

Did you know selling your Delaware or Pennsylvania home in the fall and winter can be just as lucrative as selling during the spring and summer? It's true! However, that is if your property is well prepared for the market! There are many ways to improve your Delaware or Pennsylvania home before listing it for sale, including removing the following five items that have been known to turn buyers away!

Bugs
Even if you have a few ladybugs taking up residence in your home's windowsills, it's best to remove them before buyers arrive. This is one of the easiest turn-offs for DE or PA buyers as it can give the impression that your home is not clean or well cared for.

Decor Collections
No matter if it's stamps or holiday figurines, you'll want to keep your collectibles stored away during the home sale process. Displaying any type of collection can give off a cluttered vibe to buyers and turn them away from your property— even if they're just pet accessories! 

Odors
One of the quickest ways to send buyers back out the door is by having odors present in your home. Smells can make or break a sale for a buyer, so be mindful of what you're cooking before a showing and be aware of any pet odors that need addressed. Strong scented candles can be a no-go for buyers also as not everyone enjoys the same aromas in their home.

Pet Damage
Remember that not everyone loves pets the way you might. Are your floors scratched from your pet's claws? Are there stains from your pets on the carpet? Consider having your floors refinished or your carpets professionally cleaned prior to buyers arriving at your door. 

Personal Photos
Did you know that de-personalizing your Delaware or Pennsylvania property prior to selling can boost your chances of hooking a buyer? Consider removing all of your personal photos before a showing or open house as this will allow buyers to envision themselves in the home in the future instead of you and your family. 

As your local real estate experts, you can count on the Kat Geralis Home Team to set you up for home seller success! Contact us for more information on your home value, as well as how to prepare your property for the market! 

We even offer a FREE Home Seller E-Guide!

Give us a call today!

Katina Geralis
DE and PA Real Estate Expert
eXp Realty
Homes for Sale
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September is here and before we know it, the leaves will be falling from the trees, the temperatures will be dropping, and we'll be in a holiday state of mind. But that doesn't mean your Delaware or Pennsylvania home can easily transition from one season to the next without any maintenance! As your local real estate experts, we have included five tasks to check off of your list before the fall season officially arrives.

Check driveway and paths for cracks
Summer can take a toll on your home's exterior, including the driveway and pathways surrounding the property. Take a close look to inspect for cracks and be sure to repair them before fall and winter arrive. If you don't, water could seep in and freeze and the cracks can become even larger.

Seal gaps
Inspect around windows and doorways for any gaps that could possibly let air escape out of your Delaware or Pennsylvania home this fall. You'll also want to check for gaps or holes in your foundation or under decks and porches that could prompt critters to take up residence where you don't want them to!

Clean gutters
Summer storms bring all kinds of debris to your yard and especially your gutters, so be sure clean them out to allow room for the leaves that will arrive this fall. If you fail to complete this home task, the poor drainage could wreak havoc on your roof and siding— or worse, the inside of your home. 

Replace furnace filters
Ask yourself how long it's been since you changed your furnace filter. It is always wise to replace the filter every few months, but it's even more important to do so before you begin running the HVAC system often in the fall. If you haven't had your HVAC inspected yet this year, now is the time to do so before the busy season arrives and a professional is not able to get to you!

Store outdoor furniture and tools
We can always have warm weather well into October, so simply keep an eye on the dropping temperatures to determine the best time to clean and store your outdoor furniture and garden tools for the season. If you don't own one, consider buying a cover for your outdoor furniture to shield it from the elements.

Ready to get started on your Delaware or Pennsylvania home search? Curious about your home value in today's market? Give the Kat Geralis Home Team a call today!

Katina Geralis
DE and PA Real Estate Expert
eXp Realty
Homes for Sale
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As you may have heard by now, the real estate market has much less inventory than it has in past years. We even shared in our last market stats post that inventory for Q2 of 2017 was standing around a 3.9 months supply— a 21 percent decrease from the previous year. But does that mean you should shy away from listing your Wilmington DE or Southeastern PA home this fall? No! 

The real estate market could use your home and if you've been thinking about selling, below are the top tips for a successful sale during this time of year:

Clean up the yard
This time of year, the leaves have started to change and fall and may be cluttering up your yard. Take the time to rake all of the debris currently in your yard to make a nice impression on potential buyers who may drive by or arrive for a showing.

Ramp up curb appeal
Curb appeal helps to create cozy, welcoming feelings in Wilmington DE or Newark DE buyers, so start with your front door! Add seasonal mums on either side and consider adding a subtle fall wreath to welcome buyers inside.

Warm up the house
When the weather begins to turn cold, you'll want to make sure that your Delaware or Pennsylvania home is warm for buyers. Turn up the heat to allow for a comfortable temperature inside and consider painting your living room walls a neutral, warm color to appeal to buyers.

Clean the fireplace
If your Southeastern PA home has a fireplace, this time of year is the perfect window to show it off! Gas fireplaces can be lit when buyers arrive, but if your wood-burning fireplace hasn't been cleaned, now is your opportunity to call the professionals and have it ready for the colder months ahead.

Turn on the lights
Buyers today are looking for natural light in properties, but if your home lacks a wealth of windows, you can still create that illusion by turning on all of the lights. Especially as it begins to get darker earlier, make sure all of the lights are on for buyers so the home feels warmer, more open, and of course, friendlier. 

Do not hesitate to contact the Kat Geralis Home Team with any questions about selling your home this fall or which steps you should take to list your home. We're here to help!

Katina Geralis
DE and PA Real Estate Expert
eXp Realty
Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
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In just a few days, it will officially be the start of a new season in Wilmington DE and Southeastern Pennsylvania and aside from cooler temperatures and falling leaves, the calendar is changing too! This September and October are filled with fall-themed events around the area, including a fall arts and crafts festival, Oktoberfest, and more!

Below are a few ways you can celebrate fall in Chester County, Delaware County, Greater Wilmington DE and Southeastern PA:

Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest
September 15-17, 2017
Friday 5 PM to 11 PM; Saturday 12 PM to 11 PM; Sunday 12 PM to 6 PM
Delaware Saengerbund
Newark DE

Friday night's parade marks the beginning of the three-day festival celebrating all things German food and culture! The parade will feature the Muenchner Kindl, or Munich Child, a symbol of the city of Munich, which will lead the march. Food for the festival will span everything from grilled Bratwurst and Weisswuurst or veal sausage, to pretzels and Rollmops or marinated herring with rye bread. You can also enjoy potato salad and sauerkraut made by the the Ladies organization in the Delaware Saengerbund kitchen. 

Art & Craft Fall Festival
September 30, 2017; 11 AM to 5 PM
Woodside Farm Creamery
Hockessin DE

This FREE fall festival will feature arts and crafts from local artists, including original paintings, prints and more. Meet the artists and stroll around, enjoy a free sample of Woodside's newest ice cream flavor, and take home some of their homemade fudge, farm fresh cheeses or one of the farm-grown mums or pumpkins for your entryway! There will be free parking and activities for the kids like pumpkin painting and scarecrow making!

Autumn Leaf Train Ride to Hockessin
October 7 through November 5, 2017
Held Saturday and Sunday; 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM
Greenbank Station
Wilmington DE

It's a beautiful time of year in Delaware and Pennsylvania, so why not take it all in with a special train ride? Bring a camera and enjoy a trip that follows the entire length of the railroad (17 miles round trip!) to Hockessin where you will spend thirty minutes picking up treats for the train ride back or visiting the local shops.

Apple Picking at Hopewell Furnace
September and October
Hopewell Furnace
Elverson PA

What better way to celebrate fall than with apple picking? Over the next two months, visitors are able to pick apples not commonly found in today's orchards from the park's historic orchard. 

​Longwood Gardens Chrysanthemum Festival
October 7 through November 19, 2017
Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square PA

Mums are a symbol of the fall season and Longwood Gardens has a special festival dedicated to the autumn beauty! Explore the Conservatory filled with thousands of mums, fashioned into orbs, spirals, pagodas and more. This October, the Thousand Bloom Mum will show off more than 1,500 flowers arranged on one single stem and with longer hours, the foliage glows with lanterns on seven specific nights in October. Outdoors, the gardens will also be open for visitors to marvel at the fall colors including the Pumpkin Playground!

You can count on the Kat Geralis Home Team to introduce you to the surrounding areas, as well as walk you through the processes of buying a home and selling a home. Contact us today for more information about the local real estate market!

Happy fall! 

Katina Geralis
DE and PA Real Estate Expert
eXp Realty
Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
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Today's real estate market conditions including low inventory, rising home prices and low mortgage rates have many Greater Wilmington DE residents wondering if now is the time to buy. You may even be swayed by the assumption that spring and summer are the best times to make a move— but before you make the decision to stay put until warmer weather rolls back around, the Kat Geralis Home Team has a few reasons why you might like to move up your buying timeline.

Prices are lower in the fall
According to a price analysis survey, taking into account millions of home sales over the last 15 years, October is the best month to find a deal on a home! Homebuyers who purchased properties during this time of year were reported to have paid 3 percent less than market value, which can translate to well over $5,000 in savings! Don't assume that spring and summer are the only times to find the right home for you in Greater Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley! 

You have less competition
Just as you may have assumed that the warmer months are the best times of year to make a real estate move, many others are right with you. As a result, you will have much less competition when shopping for a home during the fall! There may not be many properties to choose from, but with buyers holding tight until the new year, you have many opportunities to score a deal!

The holidays are coming up
October is already here and the holidays are just around the corner! Buyers all over Delaware and Pennsylvania will want to settle into a new property before the family gatherings and events pick up steam. On the opposite side, sellers would like to do exactly the same! Especially if the seller has had their home listed since summer, they may be increasingly motivated to move out in time to host Thanksgiving in their new place.

The tax credit
If you purchase a home before the end of the year, you are still eligible to claim the tax credit on your next return. New homeowners will be able to take deductions like closing costs, mortgage interest and even property tax!

Fall is a great time of year to purchase a home in Wilmington and Newark DE and Chester County and Delaware County PA. It's even being called one of the best due to its lower prices, decreased competition and proximity to the holidays! Give the Kat Geralis Home Team a call today for more information about buying a home in Delaware or Pennsylvania this fall!

We're here to help!

Katina Geralis
Wilmington, DE Real Estate Expert
Keller Williams Realty
Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
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Can you believe fall is just around the corner? September has just begun and before we know it, the leaves will fall and we'll be heading out to pick pumpkins, gather apples, enjoy a hay ride, build a scarecrow and other fall fun themed activities! But if you are looking for something on a larger scale, you don't need to venture much farther than Greater Wilmington DE and Southeastern PA!

The Kat Geralis Home Team has included a few fall events coming up in the area, so be sure to mark your calendars!

109th Arden Fair and Antique Market
September 3, 2016; 10 AM to 6 PM
Arden Gild Hall

Over 120 vendors with handmade arts and crafts, in addition to food vendors, a book fair, plant sale, activities and rides for the kids, dancing, live music and more! Admission is free to the fairgrounds and Shady Grove, however there is a small admission to the Antiques Market.

Odessa Brewfest
September 10, 2016
Historic Odessa Foundation

Sample the best regional and national craft beers, along with local wine, spirits, food, music and more— for a good cause! All proceeds will benefit the Historic Odessa Foundation to ensure the revitalization and preservation of the community for future generations. 

Red, White and Brew Run
September 9-11, 2016
Main Street, Phoenixville PA

Join in this 3-day festival with races in a variety of distances and courses, not to mention, great food and fun! There will be live music, running expos, the Main Street Mile race, 5K run and half marathon! Admission to the festival for non-runners is $10. 

Mushroom Festival
September 10-11, 2016
Kennett Square, PA

Celebrate Kennett Square's number one cash crop—and the Mushroom Capital of the World—with this thirty-year-old festival featuring over 200 vendors, culinary events, kids activities, exhibits and more!

​Harvest Moon Festival
September 10-11, 2016; 10 AM to 6 PM
Coatesville, PA

The Harvest Moon Festival in Chester County PA is a great time to explore a wide range of artists, creators, activities and even workshops! Dive head first into nature with this outdoor festival featuring local food, music and art!

Chaddsford Winery Harvest Fest
September 17-18, 2016; 11 AM to 7 PM Saturday and 11 AM to 6 PM Sunday
Chaddsford Winery

What better way to celebrate fall than with this festival with tastings, food, tours, live music and more? Free guided tours allow you to sample fresh pressed grapes, wine tastings are paired with hard cider donuts, and local food trucks are on site to satisfy your cravings!

Oktoberfest
September 24, 2016; 6 PM
Sacred Heart School, Oxford PA

This true Oktoberfest will include authentic German food, a German band and dancers, beer, games and even a Brewer's Contest for home brewers! 

Do not hesitate to contact the Kat Geralis Home Team with any questions about buying or selling a home this fall! We're here to help!

Katina Geralis
Wilmington, DE Real Estate Expert
Keller Williams Realty
Wilmington Real Estate
Wilmington Homes for Sale
Visit My Website
Contact Me
Find me on Facebook