The Connections Bridgewater-Somerville Edition Feb/March 2021

HOME & DESIGN PAGE 30 theconnectionsnj.com 61A Mountain Blvd., Warren, NJ 908-757-9100 www.warrenvillehardware.com Come in to redeem this BOGO Color Samples Offer Speak with our in-store color consultant Warrenville Hardware Design Center Paint | Wallcoverings | Window Treatments Upholstery | Bedding | Space Planning | Staging | Furniture | Flooring Patty Hernon, Design Consultant studio@warrenvillehardware.com COLOR OF THE YEAR & COLOR TRENDS 2021 Offer valid for one (1) free Benjamin Moore® Color Sample when you purchase one (1) Benjamin Moore® Color Sample from participating retailer. Excludes Aura® and Century®. Must present this coupon to redeem - no copies will be allowed. Products may vary from store to store. Subject to availability. Offer cannot be combined with other offers, discounts or promotions, or applied toward prior purchases. Retailer reserves the right to terminate, cancel or modify this offer at any time without notice. Offer expires 3/31/21. ©2020 Benjamin Moore & Co. Aura, Benjamin Moore, Century, and the triangle “M” symbol are registered trademarks licensed to Benjamin Moore & Co. 9/20 Buy one BenjaminMoore ® Color Sample, get the second one FREE. By the time you read this, winter will be over. Or will it? If I could reliably predict the weather, I could tell you the exact tempera- ture of the spring real es- tate market. Each winter is different. In years with many Janu- ary and February snows, the market starts slow- ly. One factor is the abil- ity to complete repair and maintenance projects in preparation for sale. When the weather is poor, proj- ects can be delayed, pushing back the date their homes are ready for market- ing. Sellers sometimes hesitate to open their homes to viewers as visitors can track in snow and mud. House-hunting is affected by how many properties are available for sale. If there are few, some buy- ers will hesitate to make a deci- sion for fear of not having enough comparison. Win- try weather deters some lookers from going out at all. The whole selec- tion process can take longer when the weather is bad. Often, the spring selling season be- gins after the Superbowl. When foot- ball season is over, supposedly, buy- ers are ready to spend their weekends house-hunting. Even when the winter is mild, a late-season snow event could surprise us. Sometimes we think spring is underway, and then we find ourselves with a foot of snow. Trying to install a “FOR SALE” sign when the ground is frozen? Good luck! On the positive side, if you are ready to sell your home early in the sea- son, the lack of inventory can be an advantage. If a buyer is motivated to make a quick decision and choices are limited, the seller will have the upper hand in negotia- tion. Exterior photos in the bare winter months are not the best, but if there is fresh snow on picture day, everything benefits from a cheerful, sparkling white blanket. Be ready to plow driveways, shovel snow, and make pathways safe if you’re expecting visitors. Another thing about snow and ice: it makes some people want to move. I remember a year when we had multi- ple big snows, one after another. The market was very quiet, and we waited for months for the weather to improve. After all the plowing, shoveling, and snow blowing, the phone started to ring. Pet owners were tired of icy leash walks, and the idea of having a pri- vate yard for letting out pets became much more attractive. Other home- owners were ready to admit that they were done with snow labor. They were ready to consider a warmer climate or a community with snow removal ser- vices. Industry experts insist 2021 will be another robust year for home sales. Be- tween the weather and COVID-19, we’ll be ready and make the best of whatever occurs. Local expert Johanna Wiseman of RE/MAX Preferred Professionals can be reached at 908-705-0652, or visit www.MyBridgewaterHome.com See ad on page 4 Pet owners were tired of icy leash walks, and the idea of having a private yard for letting out pets became much more attractive. Industry experts insist 2021 will be another robust year for home sales. Between the weather and COVID-19, we’ll be ready and make the best of whatever occurs. LET IT SNOW! By Johanna Wiseman, RE/MAX Preferred Professionals