A Cold Start to the New Year

The holidays have come and gone so quickly that it was hard to reflect on how fast this past year went. With the new covid variant raging throughout the US, time with friends and family may have looked a little different these past few months. With that said, the start of the new year brought and exciting new start for many. 

Within the first week, much of the eastern shore received a sudden snow storm that caught many off guard. Many were even enjoying the high 60 degree weather just days before. With temperatures so high and optimism in the air, the snow storm hit Virginia hard with 5-10 inches of snow throughout the state. 

The snowstorm hit quickly but the affects lasted days. Thousands of power outages were reported all over and many were out of power for days. My husband and I got hit hard; our power was out for about 48 hours but we know many were hit harder. For some neighborhoods, power is still out here in Fredericksburg, VA. 

This snowstorm has brought up much conversation regarding home generators and fireplaces as these appliances and features in the home saved many from hunger and freezing cold temperatures. Although, how do these items affect the real estate market when buying or selling your home?

There is a wide variety of home generators on the market. Many are separate from the home and you only take it out when needed. However, there are others that have been automatically attached and connected to the home. Although these are a bit more expensive to come by, the ease of not having to worry about bringing the generator out during a horrible storm and having it already connected to all or some of your major appliances may outweigh the costs. In addition, many buyers are looking for these quality-of-life integrations. Some examples of items that attract more buyers and increase value to your home are water filter systems, smart thermostats, and other energy efficient items. 

In addition, fireplaces are gaining a real comeback lately. There are still many buyers out there that don't want to deal with a wood fireplace and all the maintenance that comes with it. However, there has been a yearn for more self-sufficient homes with the younger generation. There is a trend that many people want to grow more of their own food, build rain barrels, have some farm animals, and rely on other self-sufficient features in their home so they don't have to worry about electricity, water or any other utility bill. A fireplace eliminates the worry of not having heat; you can simply gather wood to fabricate heat and cook in the fireplace if you really need to. 

Does your home have any of these features? If you're looking to add value to your home, or would like to learn about the equity you've gained in your home, contact me today!

Amal Hall, Realtor

amalhallrealtor@gmail.com

703-343-3123

Social: @AmalHallRealtor