Real Estate Information Archive

WHY DO THIS?

Starbucks has started serving their Pumpkin Spice Latte, and that means one thing: fall! Take advantage of these final bouts of warm weather before they’re gone and prepare your house for the upcoming winter months by banging out the following tasks around the house.

1. Change your linens and move your mattress. Strip and vacuum your mattress and machine wash all of your bed linens, including your comforters, duvets, bed skirts and pillows. Then, turn your mattress front-to-back and end-to-end – flipping your mattress prolongs its life by evenly distributing the wear. For more tips, read:Maintain Your Mattress.
2. Inspect your windows. Start by cleaning your windowpanes, then your drapes or blinds, and finish with the window tracks (a vacuum with a hose attachment works best for this last job). If your windows are older, you likely have weather stripping to help seal your windows and keep cold drafts and moisture at bay. Inspect this weather stripping to see if it’s torn, damaged or needs to be replaced. Proper weather stripping can reduce your energy bills by as much as 30 percent! For a step-by-step guide to cleaning your windows, read: Inspect and Maintain Your Windows.
3. Inspect your exterior doors. For each exterior door, check the weather stripping that runs along the bottom and side of it for any cracks, leaks or wear. Close the door and place your hand along the bottom and sides of it. If you feel a draft coming through, you should replace your weather stripping. For extra insulation, purchase a few draft stoppers, which cost about $5 at your local hardware store.
4. Check your gutters. During the fall and winter, your gutters are filled with leaves, rainfall and snowmelt, so the clearer they are now, the better you’ll fare come winter. Break out a ladder (always practice proper ladder safety) and remove all dirt and debris from your gutters by hand. For a step-by-step guide, read: Gutter Cleaning.
5. Clean and store patio furniture. It’s always a good idea to clean your patio furniture before you store it inside for the winter. Different types of patio furniture require different cleaning techniques, so to learn how to properly clean your type of patio furniture, read: Clean Your Deck / Patio. Tip: Remove any stains from your furniture cushions before putting the chairs into storage, because if a stain sits on the fabric all winter, it’ll be more difficult to get out.
6. Clean light fixtures and dust ceiling fans. It doesn’t take long for dirt to create a film on your light fixtures and a layer of dust to form on the blades of your ceiling fan. To clean your glass light fixtures, denture tablets are actually one of the most effective products. To remove dust and dirt from your ceiling fans you simply need a ladder, canned air and all-purpose cleaner.

Information provided by BrightNest.com.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

On first blush, ultra-low lending rates would appear to be nothing but good. After all, lowering the cost of financing lowers the financing cost of purchasing a home (or any asset). 

But things aren't quite that clear cut. When interest rates are low for borrowers, they are also low for savers and investors. Investment portfolios generate less income. This means savers and investors generally have less income to spend. It also means savers and investors have to take on riskier assets to capture income that was formerly available in safer assets. This increases the likelihood of capital losses, which can impede the ability to service loan obligations. 

Closer to home, low interest rates may not be as good for home buyers as people think, even if interest income isn't a consideration. Low financing costs sound attractive, but interest rates are a discounting tool: When rates are low, asset prices rise at a quicker pace than when rates are higher. It's a wonderful benefit to see surging home prices when you're a home owner, but it's not so wonderful if you're a young buyer seeking that first home. 

All things considered, a higher level of interest rates could actually improve the overall health of the housing market more than it could harm it. 

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

Good News Abounds, But Interest Rates Continue to Fall

It has been awhile, but economic growth has finally kicked into gear. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the second quarter was revised higher to 3.9% on an annualized rate. For most of 2015, and a good chunk of 2014, GDP growth has wallowed at 2% or lower. 

More encouraging, most everyone contributed to the growth spurt. Personal spending was stronger than most economists expected. At the same time, businesses upped their rate of fixed investment. Spending matters, to be sure, but investing matters just as much. You can't have personal spending without the investment to produce the goods and services on which to spend money. 

Speaking of investment, rising home builder investment in land, material, and labor continues to pay dividends. New home sales were up strongly in August, with sales posting at 552,000 units on an annualized basis. This is the highest monthly rate since February 2008. A 15,000 upward revision to July's tally added to momentum.

Expect more home builder investment and more new home sales in the months to come.   Supply remains tight, and prices remain strong. The former stands at 4.7-months supply at the current sales pace; the latter shows the median sales price at $292,700, a 0.5% monthly increase.  Low supply plus a favorable price trend equals more investment. 

As for overall home prices, the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index showed prices up 5% year over year in July. The rate of appreciate continues to ease, but no one should be alarmed. The rate is simply reverting to the historical long-term rate (2% to 4%). This is a good thing. Prices in many markets have been rising faster than incomes, preventing potential first-time buyers from taking the plunge. Unfortunately, the rate of price appreciation in the lower-price niches continues to run at an accelerated pace. Younger buyers are still having a tough time entering the market. 

Given the recent spat of solid economic news, you'd think interest rates would trend higher. That hasn't been the case. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note has shed 25 basis points over the past two weeks. As the yield on the 10-year note goes, so goes long-term mortgage rates. Rates on 30-year fixed-rated mortgages are hovering near a four-month low. Quotes as low as 3.75% haven't been uncommon. 

What's more, rates continue to fall in spite of Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen saying the Fed is likely to raise rates this year. But market participants still aren't buying the narrative, which is understandable given the Fed's propensity to cry “wolf.” Federal funds rate futures are trading with only a 12% chance of a rate hike in October and 35% chance in December. 

As for us, we continue to stick with our January 2015 prognostication: No rate hike until 2016. All things the same, sub-4% on the 30-year fixed-rate loan should hold for the remainder of the year.

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

There’s nothing quite like cozying up to a warm fireplace on a cold night with a cup of hot tea and a good read. But, if you rent or live in a home without a fireplace, you totally miss out on this relaxing pastime. (Not fair, right?)

Fortunately, you can have the next best thing: crackling candles. These special candles come with a wooden wick, that, when burned, are specifically designed to make a “crackle” sound like a wood-burning fireplace.

Here are five of our favorite wood-wick candle scents to try in your home:

Orange Clove

It’s everything we love about fall in a single candle – orange plus clove plus crackle. What’s not to love?

Evening Bonfire

It says “bonfire” but we don’t mean the scent that’s left on your clothes after a camping trip! This scent is the closest you’ll get to the scent of a wood-burning fireplace in your home.

Vanilla Bean

If you’re into traditional scents, try Woodwick’s Vanilla Bean crackling candle for a warm, “fresh-baked cookies” aroma.   

Cinnamon Chai

This spicy cinnamon scent has all of the benefits of sipping a hot chai without any of the caffeine overload.

Frozen Lake

This candle has intermixing scents of peppermint, clove, juniper berries and cedar to instill a little wintertime aroma in your home.

Love these autumn scents, but don’t want to spring for a new candle anytime soon? Check out these simple fall air freshener recipes that can be made with every day items.

Information provided by BrightNest.com.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

If you were to ask most people, what's an interest rate? They'd answer that it's the price to borrow money. They wouldn't be wrong, but they'd be incomplete. Interest rates are more than the price to borrow money. In fact, there would be interest rates even if there were no money and we all bartered.

More than anything, interest rates allocate. Specifically, they allocate resources between present consumption and future consumption. Everyone prefers a present good to a future good. If someone offered you 10 apples today or 10 apples a year from now, you'd take the 10 apples today.  But if someone offered you 10 apples today or 12 apples a year from now, you'd take the 12 apples if your required rate of return was 20% or less. 

Higher interest rates encourage consumers to forgo current consumption and to lend to producers so that they can produce goods for future consumption. Lower interest rates encourage the opposite; they encourage consumers to consume more today. 

Perpetually low interest rates would seem to be a perpetual positive, but that's not necessarily so. More consumption today can lead to less consumption tomorrow. This is something worth remembering as the Fed continues to hold interest rates at unprecedentedly low levels.

 Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

Lending Rates React to a Chronic Case of Inertia

Sept. 17 came and went as expected, with nothing happening. We, along with most traders, were proven right. The Federal Reserve held the federal funds rate near zero, where it has been since Dec. 2008.

Interest rates were not formally raised, but interest rates, in general, and mortgages rates, in particular, formally fell. 

On the former, the bellwether 10-year U.S. Treasury note dropped 15-basis points when the Fed announced no increase in the fed funds rate. On the latter, rates on most mortgage products moved lower.  Depending when you called for a quote, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was down 10-basis points or more compared to where it was last Wednesday.  They've inched higher since – rates have been volatile – but you're still likely to get a sub-4% quote on the 30-year loan. 

Fed officials will meet two more times before the year ends: on Oct. 28 and Dec. 16.  As it now stands, traders in fed funds future contracts are betting on a 12% chance the fed funds rate will be increased at the October meeting. They're betting that there's a 32% chance it will be raised in December. 

Few people think a rate increase is in store for 2015, which has been our take since the beginning of the year.  No major central bank is looking to raise interest rates. The U.S. dollar, meanwhile, remains as strong as it has been in years, especially against emerging-market currencies. (Today, a dollar will get you nearly 17 Mexican pesos and over four Brazilian real – a multi-decade high on both.) 

Lower rates have spurred additional lending activity, though activity is being spurred by more than low rates. For the week ending Sept. 18, the Mortgage Bankers Association reports that application activity was up 13.9%.  The seasonally adjusted purchase index was up a strong 9%, and is up 27% year over year.  This is before the full impact of the Fed's rate decision kicked in.

Given the downdraft in lending rates and the updraft in lending activity, we should see an increase in home sales for September. As for August, existing home sales were somewhat sluggish, posting at 5.31 million on an annualized rate. Most economists were expecting around 5.6 million. 

That said, existing home sales have been strong through most of 2015, so a one-off month is no reason for concern. Fundamentally, things still look good. Supply has improved a bit, up to 5.2 months at the current sales pace. Price appreciation is also countenancing toward historical norms.  Year over year, the median price of an existing home is up 4.7% to $228,700.  In many markets, entry-level and lower-priced homes continue to drive aggregate price appreciation. A further deceleration in price appreciation in these niches would be welcomed news for prospective first-time buyers. 

Overall, the outlook is good for both housing and mortgage lending. Expect the outlook to remain good as we head into 2016.  

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

Are you getting the most out of your smartphone’s camera?

If you mostly use it for selfies and cute photos of your cat, the answer is no.

With a few strategic snaps, your smartphone camera can save you time and money at home (in addition to sharing your amazing brunch with the world, of course).

Here are eight ways a snap of your phone camera can make life easier:

1. Audit Your Fridge

Before you head out to the grocery store, snap a picture of your open refrigerator. Make sure everything is in plain sight before you take the photo! The photo will help you remember what you have, so you’ll know exactly what you should buy and won’t be left wondering if you have any milk left while trolling aisle six.

Tip: Fridge too messy to photograph? Organize it today!

2. Keep Track of Disassembly Projects

If you need to fix something with a lot of different parts, take a quick photo of the assembled item before you take it apart. It’ll be way easier to put Humpty Dumpty back together again that way.

Tip: If the project is extra complex, we recommend shooting a couple of photos from different angles and at varying levels of detail.

3. Find a Qualified Pro to Help You Out

If your home improvement to-do list is growing, and you don’t have the time (or interest) in knocking things out yourself, get some help from the pros! Snapfix allows you to snap a photo of your project, and then sit back and let someone find you a pro. It’s that easy!

4. Pick the Right Paint Hue

Painting is one of the quickest ways to update the look of a room, but choosing a color isn’t easy. Before you head to the home improvement store, take a panorama of the room you want to paint. Then, take a few close-up snapshots of the fabric in the room. That way, you’ll be able to pull out distinct colors that may work for the wall. Using the panorama, choose a few different paint chip hues at the store.

Tip: Use the 60-30-10 rule. That means 60 percent of the room should be a dominant color, 30 percent of the room should be a secondary color and 10 percent should be the accent color.

5. Keep Track of Your Appliance’s Serial Numbers

An appliance serial number is something you probably never think about until there’s a problem. To make your life easier, take photos of your appliance serial numbers and store them in a folder on your computer. It’s a nice backup system!

6. Never Forget a Borrowed Item Again

Have you ever searched for a certain book, remember you lent it to someone but …. who? To get your belongings back, take a quick photo every time a friend borrows something from you. Tell your friends to smile, and snap a shot of their face with the borrowed thing. That way, you’ll always know where your stuff is and who to bug to get it back. You can also send them the photo as a not-so-subtle reminder to return the item!

7. Always Have Your Prescription Numbers Handy

There’s no need to hold onto empty pill bottles! Instead, take a photo of your prescription number as soon as the medicine comes in from the pharmacy. Next time you need a refill, you’ll be able to quickly pass along necessary information, even if you don’t have your medication with you.

Tip: Some pharmacies will even scan a picture of the barcode if you have a clear enough image.

8. Have Your WiFi Password Handy, Always

When guests visit, one of the first questions asked is typically “What’s your WiFi?” To avoid scrambling to remember or worse, moving your router to look at the back of it, take a photo of the long password. That way, all you need is your phone to get your friends online. 

Information provided by BrightNest.com.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

Regardless of the direction of interest rates, the housing market remains sound. We’re not alone in our bullish sentiment. Optimism among the nation's home builders continues to rise.

The National Association of Home Builders' sentiment index was up another point this month. The current reading, at 62, is at a 10-year high.  More encouraging yet, the weakest component of the sentiment index, traffic, was up two points to 47. It appears sky-rocketing rental rates are finally motivating more people to do what they want to do anyway – buy a home to occupy.

At this point, housing and mortgage lending have sufficient strength and momentum to survive whatever the Federal Reserve tosses our way. Therefore, interest rates are a non-issue for the immediate future. Unless we see a 150-basis-point spike in the 30-year loan, highly unlikely, we don't see rates derailing housing any time soon.

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

The Day of Reckoning Beckons 

By the end of Thursday we'll know: Will the Federal Reserve have raised its target range for the federal funds rate, or will it have once again kicked the can down the road? 

As of Wednesday, the folks who put money on the line are betting a 23% chance that a higher fed funds rate will prevail. This is according to CME Group, which monitors trader action in the federal funds rate futures market. Of course, these same traders were betting a 19% chance last week and a 32% chance the week before that. These traders are a fickle lot. As the stock market goes, so seems to go their sentiment on the fed funds rate. 

It's all scuttlebutt, really, and scuttlebutt on the Fed and the fed funds rate is similar to scuttlebutt on the weather: There's a lot you can say, but not much you can do. You have to live with what you get. 

As for us, we still think we'll get another kick of the can. The target rate will remain as is – between 0% and 0.25%. This is where the fed funds rate has been firmly ensconced for the past six years. The rationale for our prognostication remains unchanged: low inflation, stagnating global economic growth, an unstable stock market, a strong U.S. dollar.

But what if we're wrong? What will happen to mortgage lending rates if the Fed moves to raise its target on the fed funds rate? 

The fed funds rate is a short-term rate. Indeed, it's a very short-term rate: It's the overnight lending rate among commercial banks. If the fed funds rate rises, short-term rates will likely be impacted most, at least initially. This means 1-year and 5/1-year ARMs will likely adjust first. 

On the longer end, it's possible little will change immediately. Rates on the 15-year and 30-year loans tend to act more independently of the Fed. It's possible the fed funds rate could rise, and rates on the 15-year and 30-year loans will continue to hold current levels.

Inflation also favors longer-term rates holding steady. The latest data on the consumer price index (CPI) show prices actually fell 0.1% in August. The shift down was lead by a fall in oil and gasoline prices. Given the dearth of inflation, it's possible we could see the yield curve begin to flatten, or even invert. This means short-term rates could rise, while long-term rates do nothing. 

But as we say this, the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note, which influences longer-term rates, is up 15 basis points this month. In the past week, rates on long-term fixed-rate mortgages have drifted higher. As we've mentioned frequently, the long-term impetus is still for rates to rise. 

That said, predicting the flight path of interest rates is akin to predicting the flight path of a butterfly: Short term, they're all over the place; long term, there is a direction. For the butterfly, it's to head south for winter; for interest rates, it's to rise. For this reason, the best lending value just might reside on the long-end of the rate curve.  

Information provided by Jessica Regan.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.

If Mr. Bean was going to hide a spare key to his house, here are two spots he’d probably choose: under the door mat, or inside the dead-giveaway plastic rock in the garden.

Don’t be like Mr. Bean. His house is really easy to rob! Instead, take a page out of James Bond’s book and try one these secret-agent worthy places to hide your key. You’ll save yourself from the hassle of getting locked out and the disaster of getting robbed in one fell swoop. 

1. Inside of a Tree

Is there a tree on your property? Then you’ve got a perfect key hiding place. Simply cut out a square chunk from the bark that’s large enough to cover your key. Then trim a bit off the back of the “chunk” so there’s enough space to leave your key in the hollow. Replace the bark chunk, and enjoy your perfectly camouflaged key. Tip: Consider marking the location of the hollow with something like an old nail so that it isn’t too camouflaged and is easy to find.

2. Wedged Between Two Bricks

We’re all for well-maintained brick, but one small chink in the mortar can be good news! Put the brick blemish to good use – if there’s enough space for a key, wedge it in there. Just make sure the key fits in a way so that it’s both inconspicuous and easy-to-remove. Spending an hour trying to dig a key out from between two bricks is almost as frustrating as paying a locksmith to let you back in.

3. Inside of a Wind Chime

Pop quiz: What do burglars hate? Noise! That means that if a potential robber is searching for a spare key, they’re probably not going to go digging inside your wind chimes. Tip: To make this method even more secure, replace the wind chimes’ “knocker” with an entire ring of keys (only one of which actually opens your door). Even if a burglar finds the keys, they’ll have to struggle with the ring of decoys.

4. On Your Car

There are a lot of magnetized lock boxes on the market meant to hide a spare key for your car, but we think these can be used for house keys, too. Think about it: When is a burglar most likely to try and break in? When you (and your car) aren’t at home. There are certainly some flaws to this method (no car, no keys), but it’s still worth considering.

5. With a Neighbor

Okay, this one may not be super-spy clever, but it’s worth mentioning because it is super effective. Leaving a spare key with a trustworthy friend or neighbor means that access to your home is just a knock (or phone call) away. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about a burglar finding it on your property. Again, there are problems – if your neighbor isn’t home, you can’t get inside – but if you have a close friend next door, give this method some consideration. 

Information provided by BrightNest.com.

Search all Harrisburg PA homes for sale.

When you are buying or selling property in today's Harrisburg PA real estate market, it's important to have confidence in your real estate professional. Don’s commitment as your Harrisburg PA REALTOR® is to provide you with the specialized real estate service you deserve.

When you are an informed buyer or seller, you'll make the best decisions for the most important purchase or sale in your lifetime. That's why Don’s goal is to keep you informed on trends in Harrisburg PA real estate. With property values continuing to rise, real estate is a sound investment for now and for the future.

As a local area expert with knowledge of Harrisburg PA area communities, Don’s objective is to work diligently to assist you in meeting your real estate goals.

If you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area, please don't hesitate to call me at (717) 657-8700, complete my online form, or e-mail me at don@donroth.com.