Home Trends from The Dwyer Team

Whether you're a seller or a buyer... Choose Dwyer! THE DWYER TEAM

Real Estate Sales Representatives

Office: 226-667-6400 · dwyerteam@kw.com

KELLER WILLIAMS LIFESTYLES REALTY, BROKERAGE B100-509 Commissioners Rd W London, ON N6J 1Y5 Office: 226-667-6400

THE DWYER TEAM

SAVE AND SPLURGE WHEN MOVING

When moving, you’re often very focused on your budget. What your current place is selling for, what your new place will cost, how much it will cost to furnish the extra rooms in your new home, etc. And that can mean skimping on moving supplies because you’re trying to save a few dollars. However, there are some things you should invest in to make your move easier. Here’s a list of what to save on and what to splurge on. Save on boxes – as long as they’re clean and sturdy, you can save. See if any family/friends have paper boxes. If you know someone who has recently moved, ask if you can buy their boxes off of them for a small fee, or you can even hit up online buy and sell groups to see if any are listed there. Splurge on garbage bags – you’ll use a lot of garbage or recycling bags for tossing unwanted items into the garbage, bagging

items or clothes to donate, or even protecting your wardrobe for the move. You can buy cheap ones, but they’ll likely break before you’ve even transported them to the garbage bin. Invest in a few quality garbage bags and you’ll be thankful you did. Save on packing peanuts – there’s something to be said for keeping fragile items safe, and packing peanuts come in handy. However, towels, sheets, clothes and blankets can be used strategically to wrap precious items and you can even pack them at the same time. Splurge on movers – whether you hire professionals or friends and family, don’t anticipate you can move everything on your own. Not only will it take a lot longer, you’ll get tired, frustrated and overwhelmed. Even hiring a group of movers (and truck) for the larger items will save you a lot of stress and your back will thank you.

Office: 226-667-6400

THE DWYER TEAM

ADDING A CHEVRON PATTERN TO YOUR ACCENT WALL

A growing design trend is painting a chevron pattern onto a wall to act as a focal point of a room. Used in bathrooms, bedrooms and hallways, this trendy wall décor trick is easy to accomplish and there are a few neat hacks to make the pattern repeat perfectly. • Use sponges as a stamp. To do this, you’ll need a few sponges cut into thin strips and a piece of cardboard that is easy to hold and reposition as it will act like a stamp. Glue the sponges in the chevron pattern onto the cardboard and dip the sponges into a paint tray. Press the stamp onto the wall a few times before reloading with paint. Eyeball it. If you have a small wall, like in a bathroom or at the end of a hallway, this method might work best. Get a 1” paintbrush and a can of paint and freestyle on the pattern. The inconsistency of the •

lengths, angles and spacing will add a unique aspect to the pattern. Measure and use painting tape. This tried and-true method will take longer, but will allow you to create a thicker chevron pattern than a sponge or paintbrush can. Use painter’s tape to tape off the part of the wall that will remain the background colour and use a paint roller to add the pop of colour you desire. Wallpaper. This hack might be the safest one if you’re adamant on the pattern being perfect. You can also use a paintbrush and paint over the wallpaper pattern if you can’t find one that matches the colour scheme of your room. Regardless of how you get the pattern onto the wall, it is sure to add interest to any room. You can even stray from the trendy chevron pattern if you so desire.

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Office: 226-667-6400

THE DWYER TEAM

LINE DRYING LAUNDRY BASICS

For hundreds of years, people have been hanging their clothes, towels and sheets outside to dry. It’s better for the environment, helps your clothes last longer, leaves your laundry smelling fresh and is a cost-effective way to finish the laundry cycle. Essentially, to begin all you need is a string that can be hung off the ground, clothes pins and wet laundry. The ideal location for the clothesline would be where a breeze can blow through the items hanging and where the sun will warm the air but not necessarily beat down on the clothes all day. The sun, while providing bacteria killing UV rays, can also bleach colours, so be cautious if you’re concerned about keeping your clothes’ colours vibrant. If a sunny spot is all that’s available, turning clothes inside out

and bringing them in off the line as soon as they’re dry are ways to prevent sun damage. To prepare your laundry to dry outside, you can add about half a cup of white vinegar to the wash, which helps prevent the fabric from stiffening up whilst drying. Otherwise, be sure to run everything through a spin cycle before hanging so excess moisture is removed already. Try not to pack too many pieces onto the line so the air can flow easily around each item and to prevent the line from sagging. Finally, use clothes pins to secure pieces to the line as hanging items over the line can cause creases or the wind could blow the item away. Once the sun and wind do their work, remove items in a timely manner. Iron if needed, otherwise fold and enjoy the fresh dried smell and feel.

Office: 226-667-6400

THE DWYER TEAM

LAWN MOWERS: ELECTRIC VS. GAS

Whether you’ve just moved into a new home or are just in the market for a new lawn mower, there are two main walk-behind models to consider: electric and gas. Which one is better? That’s up to you to decide based on your needs, but here are a few helpful things to consider. Regardless of power source, consider the size and terrain of your yard when purchasing a lawn mower. Small yards with obstacles like trees, gardens, swing sets, etc., would be easier to mow with an electric mower as these mowers tend to be more narrow and lighter making them easier to manoeuvre around. Electric mowers are best suited for smaller yards as you won’t need as long of an extension cord if using a corded mower, or to charge your battery multiple times if it is battery powered. The lower power of the electric motor should also suffice if you have a small yard with few hills and generally even grass density.

Gas powered mowers are recommended for larger yards, hilly yards and thick, uneven grasses as they’re more powerful, larger and built a bit sturdier. Look for a self-propelled model as gas mowers are heavier and harder to push. As well as storing gasoline and oil, you’ll need to provide regular maintenance like changing spark plugs and ensuring the gas and oil are drained over the winter when the lawn mower is not in use. Some other differences between the two mowers to take into consideration are the decibel levels (electric mowers are quieter; gas are louder), environmental impact (electric are better for the environment), run time (electric will be shorter based on battery life), storage space (gas tend to be larger and you need a safe space to store the gas and oil), maintenance costs (electric mower parts are more expensive to replace) and overall life expectancy (gas lasts up to 10 years with proper maintenance and electric will likely be replaced after 5 years).

Office: 226-667-6400

THE DWYER TEAM

GROWING DEMAND AND LOW INVENTORY FUEL HOME PRICE GAINS

NEW LISTINGS 1,397

ACTIVE LISTINGS 1,477

SOLD LISTINGS 846

BENCHMARK PRICE All Residential $619,800

London, ON, June 2023 - In May 2023, 1,397 new listings came on the local market and 846 homes exchanged hands via the MLS® System of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS® (LSTAR). While the number of new listings is 23.9% lower than in May 2022, the number of sales is 1.3% higher than a year ago. LSTAR’s overall sales-to-new listings ratio for the entire area stood at 60.6% last month. Moreover, the inventory continued to decline, dwindling from 1.8 months in April to a mere 1.7 months in May. “The month-over-month increases in home sales and prices continued in May in LSTAR’s jurisdiction, thus indicating a further rebound of the local real estate market,” said 2023 LSTAR President Adam Miller. “Throughout the last three months of 2023, an upward trajectory in the quantity of residential property sales and corresponding price hikes has persistently caught our attention. These trends demonstrate the enduring presence of a fervent demand for properties in our area, despite the obvious lack of housing supply,” Miller added. Despite a 10% decrease in LSTAR’s average home price and an 11.9% decline in the composite MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) Benchmark Price compared to the same period last year, these figures showed improvement compared to earlier this year. The average home price in May 2023 reached $682,561, while the composite MLS® HPI Benchmark Price sat at $619,800. Source: London St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®| Market values stated are of the benchmark of London St. Thomas and surrounding region. Individual home market values will vary and are affected by factors such as location, size, interior and exterior condition. Please call to get an up-to-date evaluation of your home.

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Office: 226-667-6400