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February Market Reports 2022

Emblem Properties brings to you the latest real estate Market Reports from our surrounding areas. LOOK AT Leon & Grimes County reports. Something is happening there! Median home prices are UP 134% and 153% respectively! Grimes County has also shown an increase in the total number of Closed Sales, UP by 256%!

There is also a BIG CHANGE in the Walker and Trinity County reports. Notice the Active Listings for both counties are UP 50% and 83% respectively! This means more available properties to choose from which means a slow to the “bidding wars” that we have experienced for the last two years. The market is changing. Reach out to Emblem Properties to stay “in the loop” with the market.

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Underrated Staging Tips for Your Home

When staging your home, you might focus on things like decluttering, repainting some walls, and planting some new flowers. But what about the areas that are overlooked that actually make a huge difference?

Mailbox

Besides the front lawn, the driveway, and the home itself, the mailbox is one of the first things people notice when coming to a showing. It may be leaning, it could be rusty or chipping, the colors could be faded, or it could simply just look outdated. By updating your mailbox, you could improve the look of the front of your home exceptionally!

Reglaze

If you have an old bathroom, re-glazing the tiles may be the biggest improvement you could make in your home! Michael Pinter, a home flipper from Long Island says, “The best tip I use to get top dollar for some of our houses is to reglaze an old bathroom.” He then goes on to claim that it makes not only the bathroom- but the whole house look “30 years younger.” By reglazing your bathroom tiles (or anywhere in your home that has tiles), you can sell your outdated home so much faster!

Give Rooms Purpose

Sometimes after getting comfortable in our home, we tend to change some of the rooms’ purposes- for example we may change the dining room into the kids’ playroom, or maybe the media room becomes a guest room. Whatever those changes were, you may want to consider switching the rooms back to their original purpose so people can more easily envision their lives in that home. You wouldn’t want to show your home to people who can’t picture living there!

Appreciation sells!

You and your friends/family have created sweet memories in your home that will last forever. Whether those are memories of baking cookies at 2am with your loved ones or the room where your baby grew up that has pencil markings of their growth on that one wall. We all have those special moments that no one can take away – or recreate. Share those stories of love with the people who you are showing your home to, so they can see your appreciation and understand that it is more than just a house. It’s a home! One that has served you well and is now ready to serve a new family with new memories.

Top Three Sturdiest Flooring Options For Your Home

How sturdy is your flooring? Do you have a big family? Do you rearrange your furniture frequently? Are you constantly getting your floors dirty or wet? Do you drop heavy or sharp things on your floors a lot? Do you have pets? Do you have a lot of traffic going through your home? If you said yes to any of these questions, then you might want to reconsider the flooring in your home. Our floors get a lot of wear-and-tear from us everyday, and it’s important that we have the best flooring in our homes to prevent scuff marks, scratch marks, water-warping, and other damages. Keep reading below to find out what the top three best flooring options are for your home!

Vinyl Plank

The sturdiest flooring is first going to be vinyl plank- also known as luxury vinyl.

This type of flooring is ideal for the rooms that get messy and the most traffic like the kitchen or the mudroom. Vinyl is ranked as the sturdiest flooring because of the multiple layers it’s composed of to help resist scuffing and it’s also waterproof. It can also be customized to anyone’s needs which makes it the perfect option for fake hardwood. Not only is vinyl sturdy, but it is affordable and easy to install, making this flooring perfect for anyone.

Porcelain Tile

The second best flooring is tile, but more specifically, porcelain tile.

Because of its density, this floor is so scratch proof that it can withstand even the clumsiest mess! Having less than .5% of a water absorption rate and being allowed to install outdoors, porcelain tile is ideal for the bathroom, entry hall, utility room, the kitchen, and even your patio. If you’re someone who needs a sturdy flooring but also want to bring some character and life into your floors with fun patterns, or if you love the look of a slick white floor, porcelain tile is the perfect option for you.

Hardwood

There are two types of hardwood:

Solid- a single plank of wood
Engineered- made up of plywood (the core layer) and a thin layer of wood veneer

Between the two, solid hardwood is going to be the most scratch resistant option whereas engineered hardwood is a better option for those who want a more water-resistant floor. Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished IF it gets scratched. The reason you can’t do this with engineered hardwood is because of it being too thin to refinish more than twice. On the other hand, if you get your hardwood floors wet, solid hardwood is going to warp whereas the engineered hardwood can stand the water. Before deciding what kind of hardwood flooring you want, make sure you know where you want it and if it needs to be more on the scratch resistant side or water resistant side.

April Events

SHSU Tri Sigma Crawfish Boil

Saturday, April 2nd from 1PM-5PM.

Crawfish boil put on by SHSU’s Tri Sigma Sorority to benefit children’s health with their partner, March of Dimes, who helps prevent maternal health risks, premature birth, and infant death. Help the girls reach their goal by supporting this fundraiser! Tickets $$ vary.

Pineapple Run and Driving Safety Fair

EMBLEM PROPERTIES IS SPONSORING THIS EVENT!

Saturday, April 9th at 8am at West Hill Mall. Admission is $30.

Hosted by the Peyton Irwin Memorial Scholarship Fund, there will be a 5k and 1 mile run followed by a fair with plenty of activities and entertainment including a Kids Corner! Huntsville Cruisers Classic Cars will also be there to teach us about driving safety!

Easter Farm Days at P-6 Farms

Saturday, April 9th – Sunday, April 10th & Saturday, April 15th – Sunday, April 16th from 10am-5pm. Tickets with flash sale are $12.95.

Have your Easter celebration at P-6 Farms! Easter Farm Days includes:

Easter Bunny Visits, Easter Egg Hunts, Roller Coaster, Pictures with the Easter Bunny, Carnival Foods, Park Rides, Farm Animals & MORE!

Easter Bunny Pictures

Saturday, April 9th form 10am-2pm at the Old Huntsville Police Station.

Each Group is $5. Free cookies while you wait to take a picture with the Easter Bunny!

The Williams Ranch Easter Brunch

Sunday, April 17th from 12:30pm-5:30pm. Tickets are $45.

Easter egg hunt followed by an amazing gourmet brunch. Event includes Petting Zoo, Hay Rides, Pony Rides, Fishing, Swimming and more! Bring your family out for Easter!

Color Run

Saturday, April 30th at 9am at the Garrett Education Building. Tickets are $25 each.

Tomorrow’s Promise Montessori Schools & SHSU’s Chapter of the Texas Association of Future Educators brings us the 5k color run to benefit Walker County’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Identifying a Gas Leak

Homes use natural gas everyday for several uses such as stoves, ovens, and gas heat. However, gas becomes a serious health and safety hazard when something causes a leak, so how do you know when there is trouble?

The first thing you’ll probably notice is the pungent smell, which isn’t even from the gas, it is from a chemical called Mercaptan. Since natural gas on its own does not smell or taste like anything, mercaptan is added to it to help you detect when there’s a leak. This is what gives off a smell of what most people describe as rotten eggs or cabbage.

If you ever smell something similar in your home, unless you are cooking cabbage or cracked a bad egg, you may be dealing with a gas leak.

After you have realized the smell, here are some other things to look for:

a hissing sound coming from the pipes
bubbling in still water
lighter colored flames
plants are dying
dust or dirt that sits in a cloud or “blowing” around

Gas Poisoning:

If you have been exposed for too long, some of your symptoms may include:

Headache
Nausea
Difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Burning/Itching in your throat, nose, or eyes
Dizziness
Discoloration of your face

WHAT TO DO AFTER DETECTING A GAS LEAK

Once you have suspected a gas leak in your home, you need to act quickly! Immediately turn off all appliances whether they are electronic or gas operated. Open all of the windows and doors, and get outside! Wait until you are outside to call 911 or gas provider because it is not safe to use your phone around the gas leak. It is recommended to not turn on your car if it is near the leak, but if it is necessary, use EXTREME caution.

After the gas company clears you to enter your home, you will need a plumber to help you with repairs as well as an inspection.

PREVENTING A GAS LEAK

Getting an inspection is the first step you can take to ensure better prevention of a gas leak. This will also give you peace of mind because if you’ve dealt with a gas leak before, you probably don’t want to deal with one again.

Don’t leave flammable items lying around your gas-operated appliances.
Check up on your gas appliances regularly to make sure there aren’t any tears or hazards.
Get replacements for your shut-off valves and other gas fittings.

Make sure to always let your neighbors know if you have a gas leak- or if you think your neighbor may have one, help them out and let them know!

Share this article with someone who doesn’t know how to handle a gas leak!

Sources:

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/plumbing/21312420/what-does-a-gas-leak-smell-like

https://www.sanjac.edu/sites/default/files/warning-signs-of-a-gas-leak.gif

https://cdn.hswstatic.com/gif/gas-leak-home-200222116.jpg

January Market Reports

Emblem Properties brings to you the latest real estate Market Reports from our surrounding areas. Notice the Trinity County Market Report, the median home price is up 111% from January of 2021. What’s happening in Trinity County? Call EMBLEM PROPERTIES for more information. We are bringing you reports from the following counties: Walker, Trinity, San Jacinto, Polk, Montgomery, Madison, Leon, Grimes, and Brazos.

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