August Newsletter
Whew, it's hot out there! We hope you're finding ways to stay cool while you enjoy these sunny summer days. In this month's newsletter, you'll find a great end-of-summer gardening to do list, tips on how to prepare your finances for buying a home, and some of the top bathroom design trends of 2021.
End-Of-Summer Gardening To Do List
As we reach the hottest time of the year, we’re finally reaping the rewards of our spring planting efforts. Here’s a handy to do list (provided by The Spruce) of what you should be doing to maintain your garden during the month of August and into fall:
Pull weeds: Weeds are at their worst in August, so make sure you stay on top of them this month. If you can consistently keep weeds from spreading, in a few years you’ll have a much more manageable situation.
Deadhead flowers: When flowers start to wither and lose their petals, it means the plant is focusing its energy on producing seeds. Deadheading, or snapping off the dead flower, allows the plant to focus its energy on forming new flower buds. This will keep your plants looking pretty and flowering through the end of summer. Deadheading will also prevent them from spreading seeds and crowding out other plants in your garden.
Harvest: August will provide a bounty of vegetables, so make sure to stay on top of your harvesting. After you pick your ripe veggies, new flowers will form, so you might get one more crop this summer! Consider thinning out your root vegetables if they’re getting crowded, so each root can grow larger.
Save what you can: Save seeds to sow next season, and dry out herbs to use throughout the year. If you have an overabundance of a particular fruit or vegetable, make jam or try your hand at canning.
Plant for fall: Late August is the perfect time to sow fall seeds. If you have some early crops that are pretty much done for the season, clear them out and start some new plants from seed (add some fresh fertilizer first). Check out this guide to see which seeds are best for August planting in your region. If you don’t want any fall crops but have a lot of empty space in your garden beds, plant a cover crop to keep the soil healthy and prevent weed build-up.
Prepare mulch and compost: If you’re up for the task, start creating a compost pile where you mix together rotten vegetables, plant scraps, and leaves. When the last of your fall vegetables have been harvested, you can cover your garden bed with the mulch and compost you’ve prepared. This will keep your soil healthy until it’s time for spring planting.
How To Prepare Your Finances For Buying A Home
Buying a home requires a lot of planning ahead, especially if it’s going to be your first home purchase. It’s never too early to start saving money and preparing your finances. Here is some advice from Investopedia on how to get financially prepared for a home purchase:
Save up enough money for a sufficient down payment. Most mortgage loan programs require a minimum down payment of 3.5% of the purchase price. (Two exceptions are VA loans and USDA loans, which allow for 0% down.) Keep in mind, however, that the more money you have saved up for your initial down payment, the lower your monthly mortgage payments will be. Cut back on non-essential spending (cable TV, going out to eat, vacations), and set up a savings account with automatic monthly deposits.
Pay attention to interest rates as they fluctuate. In the past year, interest rates for 30-year fixed mortgages have hovered just below 3%, but rates are slowly starting to rise—and experts predict they will continue the upward trend. When you begin to talk to mortgage lenders, shop around for the lender who can give you the best rate. A good mortgage rate could end up saving you thousands of dollars throughout the life of your loan.
Check your credit score to see if you can make improvements. Most lenders will want you to have a credit score of 640 or higher, and your credit score will directly impact your mortgage interest rate. Ways to improve your score include paying bills on time and paying off your credit card in full each month. Start now, because it could take several months to get your score where you want it.
Even if you don’t plan on buying a house for a year or more, it’s a good idea to start preparing now. A larger down payment, low-interest rate, and high credit score could end up saving you thousands in the long run.
8 Bathroom Design Trends For 2021
At the beginning of the year, Better Homes and Gardens shared some bathroom design trends that would be huge in 2021. If you’re planning to remodel your bathroom or make a few upgrades, check out these 8 ideas!
1. Floating vanities: For a clean, airy, and modern look, consider a wall-mounted vanity. These can be a simple sink and countertop, or they can be quite large with plenty of storage space.
2. Large-format wall tiles: Larger tiles mean fewer grout lines, so less cleaning! Pair with natural stone or stone-look materials for a luxurious look. Popular color choices are “warm, inviting neutrals and earthy hues such as beige, tan, brown, and mushroom shades,” according to Suzanne Zurfluh, director of design and trend at Emser Tile.
3. Back-lit mirrors: A back-lit mirror creates nice ambient light without any glare, can double as nightlight when dimmed, and looks great when mounted on a textured wall.
4. Smaller-sized, freestanding soaking tubs: Freestanding, flat-bottom tubs with simple silhouettes are gaining in popularity. Opt for a space-savvy tub that’s narrow and deep, taking up less floor space and using less water, but still allowing for a relaxing soak.
5. Durable paint: If you’re planning on updating the wall color in your bathroom, use a paint that will repel mildew and withstand frequent cleaning, like PPG UltraLast paint + primer.
6. Quartz countertops: Quartz is scratch-resistant, stain-resistant, and non-porous, making it very easy to maintain. And it looks absolutely gorgeous.
7. Smart toilets: With self-closing lids, touch-free flushing, self-cleaning technology, and a smooth wall-mount exterior that’s easy to wipe clean, smart toilets are becoming a popular choice.
8. Wood-look tiles: A beautiful way to embrace the trend of organic, nature-inspired design is the use of ceramic or porcelain tile that mimics the look of hardwood. You get all the benefits of tile—its durability, resistance to bacteria, and easiness to clean—plus the warm, natural look of wood.
Click here to view the photos of these beautiful design trends!
2021 Mid-Year Real Estate Market Update
Here is a quick recap of the monthly housing data provided by Sabrina Speianu and Danielle Hale of Realtor.com:
Real estate expert Brian Buffini recently presented a mid-year update on the outlook of the 2021 real estate market. He was joined by special guest Dr. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®. Here’s what they had to say:
The market is hot—houses are selling faster than ever and prices are high—but there’s not going to be a crash. Today’s hot market is different from that of the 2007-2008 bubble. That crash was a result of low down payments, flexible rate mortgages, and an oversupply of housing inventory. Today, homeowners are making larger down payments, conventional mortgages have increased, and tighter mortgage standards are in place.
Housing inventory is low. Earlier this year, there were 1.03 million homes for sale, compared to 4 million homes for sale back in July 2007. New construction homes are on the rise, but the high cost of lumber is slowing the progress. Dr. Yun predicts we’ll see an uptick in inventory as older sellers who were cautious about Covid-19 are now vaccinated and ready to put their homes on the market.
High prices aren’t going away anytime soon. The market appreciation is strong, and many buyers have been outbid and are still hungry for a new home.