November 2021 Newsletter: Our Annual Holiday Gift Guide!

Hi,

Home maintenance and repair is an important part of ownership and protecting your property investment. Even though we typically don't get a lot of snow during the winter in the Pacific Northwest, rain, wind, and resulting debris can wreak havoc over time. Below we've got some great ideas for winterizing your home to help keep it safe and sound.

Our Community Corner this month features the ReBuilding Center, a climate justice non-profit organization that makes reuse and repair affordable for all to reduce waste and wasteful consumption. You can shop their store to source building, remodeling, and creative use materials, and take in-person classes for your upcoming projects. We're giving away a ReBuilding Center DIY Workshop this month, so make sure to sign up on our Instagram page!

We love our local businesses and community, and what time is better to support them than the upcoming holidays? We're proud to announce we collected 256 pounds during our 2nd Annual Food Drive in October. This month we're featuring the 2021 Holiday Gift Guide, which includes our favorite, fun and funky shops and eateries in and around Portland. Check out these local businesses at the link below -- they're sure to inspire your holiday spirit this season!

As always, reach out to us with all your real estate needs,

PARIS GROUP REALTY, LLC

Winter Home Maintenance

It’s that time of year again! Winter home maintenance is extremely important for the upkeep of your home. It’s even more important if you just purchased it, since you may not know exactly what maintenance was performed in the past.

Here are some winter home maintenance ideas to protect your home and your investment:

Check the Trees on Your Property. One of the biggest things you should check in a new house is any tree on the property. Have a professional come look at your trees to check their health, trim large branches, and generally make sure the trees on your property can survive the winter. It is important to check the trees even as winter comes, as storms and particularly windstorms, we often get in Oregon during the winter can break and throw around branches.
Make Sure Your Heating System is Running Smoothly. This is important for older homes, particularly some of the older style Portland homes, which may have older wiring and tighter hallways or staircases. If you heat with oil, clean your furnace or boiler every year. If you heat with gas, have it checked every three years, and if you use electric heaters, make sure your heater is in a spot where it cannot easily catch anything on fire, the wires are not fraying, and the unit is in a place that is away from pets and children.
Protect Your Home from Pests. Portlanders often see more pests in cooler weather and constant rain drives rodents and bugs indoors. Keep all your dry perishables inside air-tight containers, take your trash out as soon as possible, clean regularly to get rid of crumbs, and call a pest control company to help if you believe you have the start of an infestation.
Prevent an Ice Dam on Your Roof. Though snow and things such as an ice dam are going to be uncommon in the Pacific Northwest, it is good to know what one is and how to prevent it in case we get that one-in-a-million winter snowstorm. An ice dam will form because the edges of a home’s roof are colder than the upper regions. As snow melts above it, it will become a “dam” of ice, potentially causing leaks and permanent damage to the roof of your property. To help prevent these, you will want to inspect your gutters, remove debris, remove snow as quickly as possible, and keep an eye out on the roof as it snows.

Finally, it is good to be overly prepared for winter. If you plan on burning wood in your fireplace, make sure it is safe to do so in it and your fireplace isn’t only for show. Keep extra batteries for smoke alarms on hand and pay attention to local weather alerts. Getting items if needed far ahead of any incoming winter storm will help you in the case of those freak winter snow days!

ReBuilding Center | Local Non-Profit

We are happy to re-introduce you to the ReBuilding Center this month! This non-profit organization is working hard to “make reuse and repair affordable for all, reduce waste and wasteful consumption, and make the best use of our planet’s limited resources.”

They provide the option to donate reusable building materials, or shop in their store to source “building, remodeling, and creative use materials,” for your home. They have so many fun, affordable, and unique finds there. We think you’ll love it!

Another reason we wanted to revisit this non-profit? Their in-person educational workshops have recently resumed! The best news! These monthly workshops are a great resource for learning about plumbing and electrical DIY, and some classes focused on building and utilizing tools.

We’re also thrilled to share about our next GIVEAWAY in support of the ReBuilding Center! Pop on over to our Paris Group Realty, LLC Instagram page and see how you can win a ReBuilding Center workshop of your choice. We would love to gift you with an opportunity to learn an invaluable new skill, so be sure to enter!

Our Annual Holiday Gift Guide

Supporting local businesses in and around our community is important to all of us at Paris Group Realty, LLC. As we embark upon the holiday season this year, we want to share once again some of our favorite local shops, restaurants, and experiences we think you’ll enjoy. You’ll recognize a few favorites from last year, as well as some fresh ideas to add to your holiday celebrations:

2021 Holiday Gift Guide >

We’ve included some unique and fun places to shop for everyone on your list, delicious restaurants to cater your holiday gatherings, or even spots to grab some take-out when the holiday rush sets in. Of course, we would be remiss not to point out a few holiday traditions for you and your families to take part in, so those are in there too.

We sincerely hope the upcoming holiday season brings joy and happiness to each of you, and that you find some new local favorites and traditions for you, your friends and family.

Considering Buying or Selling a Home?

Many of our clients ask if the fall and winter months are a good time to list their homes for sale. They’re not sure whether the timing is right, or if they’ll get the best ROI on their investment.

If you’re thinking about selling your home during the fall and winter months, you may face less competition, find more serious buyers, and may even be up for a quicker sales process. This time of year also gives you a unique opportunity to stage your home and define a warm and cozy environment that you can’t present during the spring and summer months.

For buyers searching properties, there's generally less real estate activity, and less people selling less homes during the fall and winter months. There will also most likely be less buyers during the holidays — and the strong possibility that you'll negotiate a favorable price that can put additional savings in your pocket.

Reach out to us at (503) 926-5213 or info@parisgrouprealty.com and let's get started today!