Eighty-nine percent of owners and 59 percent of renters feel that homeownership is important to the American family while 87 percent of owners and 73 percent of renters feel homeownership is an economic cornerstone, according to Hanley Wood’s Housing 360 Survey.

Also according to Author, Broderick Perkins, 2 million home buyers are poised to take the plunge just as soon as the economy returns from the deep.  Read the rest of this article along with the rest of the survey results from my Real Estate Update newsletter for November 2011 at…

http://realtytimes.com/nl/nlpages156/1down.htm?open&ID=suemeservier

Questions about this local Maine market? I am always a phone call or email away for a no-pressure consultation to assess your Maine real estate needs. Visit our main website for Maine real estate

What is the PHSI?

Each month I study the Pending Home Sales Index, issued by the National Association of Realtors. The index is based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed.The NAR uses a large national sampling to come up with their report. It ties the level of monthly contract activity to the level of sales that will occur in the following two months. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001 the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales, and it coincides with a level that is considered historically healthy.The most recent index report for March looked positive: It rose 5.1% to 94.1, up from 89.5% in February. The index is below the 106.2 in March 2010. It’s important to note that March & April 2010 activity was at an elevated level in order to meet contract deadlines for the home buyer tax credit.

via What is the PHSI? | Auburn Maine Homes For Sale.

Problem ants?

I recently had an interesting conversation with a representative of Orkin Pest Control. At this time of year in Maine, you may spot a few ants crawling around your home. Here is some useful info on carpenter ants:

In nature, carpenter ants live in dead trees, rotting logs and tree stumps. They tend to build nests in deteriorating wood, but colonies can also extend to healthy wood. Carpenter ants make their homes in telephone poles, house porch pillars and roofs, windowsills and wood that comes in contact with soil. They prefer to burrow into damp wood rather than dry wood, and they typically seek wood that has been softened by moisture, decay or other insects.

Carpenter ants burrow to provide a nest for their colonies, and over a long period of time, their burrowing may compromise a structure.”Sawdust” from their burrowing provides clues to nest location. In controlling an infestation of carpenter ants, it is necessary to first find the nest. Once found, it can be removed or treated chemically. At the same time, any moisture conditions the ants found “favorable” must be corrected.

The most obvious sign of a carpenter ant infestation is their presence inside a building or home. However, the presence of ants is not conclusive evidence that a carpenter ant colony has established their nest within a structure. Carpenter ants forage for food within great distances of their nests. You may need the help of a professional.

The Orkin website might be a good place to start if you need more information. Go to orkin.com.

Homeowner Weatherization

Love to learn? Want to stay warm without breaking the bank? Call Southern Maine Community College in South Portland to take the next workshop to explore ways to reduce your home’s energy consumption on a do-it-yourself basis. With materials used in training professional energy auditors and building technicians, you explore how buildings work and learn how most people can reduce their energy consumption by as much as 25%, much of it at virtually no cost. The class also walks you through the steps of an energy audit, in search of answers to your specific questions. Call 741-5500 (or toll free 1-877-282-2182) to learn more.

The temperature here in Maine is steadily on the rise. Every day there is a noticeable snow-melt and in some areas we are already experiencing Maine’s most famous and notorious SEASON, Mud Season. All this being said, Spring is just around the corner which means Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 a.m. on March 13, 2011. Don’t forget to change your clocks this Sunday!

Daylight Saving Time starts the second Sunday in March and reverts to standard time on the first Sunday in November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.

Want to know more about DST and where it is not observed? I found this site informative, visit http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b2.html

Want to know more about Mud Season? It happens every year when the frost starts to come out of the ground and affects everyone using dirt drives and pathways. Just pay us a visit and you’ll experience it first hand!

via Maple Treats: Maine Maple Sunday: March 27, 2011 | Turner Maine Homes.

via S-P-R-I-N-G Is In The Air! Maine Flower Show Coming Soon | Gray Maine Homes For Sale.

Since we’ve been talking about saving money lately, here is something else for you to consider:  Air Leaks

Warm air leaking out of your home during the winter can waste a lot of your heating dollars. One of the easiest and quickest things you can do to prevent this is to caulk, seal and weather-strip all seams, cracks and openings to the outside. First, test your home for air tightness. On a windy day, carefully hold a lit incense stick next to your windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches and other locations where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have located an air leak that may need attention. See the attached graphic to see where from which areas most heat is lost.  The opposite holds true in the summer, when hot air can leak in.

via Tips For Helping Children Move | Turner Maine Homes.

…read the whole story via Free App For Your iPhone: HGTV – Plus More Real Estate Apps! | Maine Waterfront Real Estate.