Real Estate Information Archive

As the weather heats up, there’s no better time to start planting your garden. But before you choose your greenery and blooms, consider some of the added benefits certain plants can bring – namely, repelling insects.

Here are a number of plants that will keep insects at bay. And since no one minds a few butterflies hovering around the garden, we found some plants that will attract the fluttering beauties.

Lavender

This beautiful purple flower (pictured) not only looks attractive, but smells just as sweet. Thankfully, it wards off mosquitoes, a nice benefit for any patio or outdoor entertaining space.

Citronella

Also known as West Indian lemongrass, OneKingsLane.com says this tall plant is an excellent mosquito deterrent. It’s especially potent when paired with two other mosquito fighters – catnip and cascading geranium.

Spearmint

Ants aren’t so terrible, but if you want to guard your home from the little guys, try spearmint. According to InfoBarrel.com, a border of spearmint around your garden or house can deter large groups of ants.

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums may be especially good at keeping cockroaches, ticks, bedbugs and fleas away, says InfoBarrel.com.

Basil & Rosemary

Two more herbs that are excellent insect repellents are also wonderfully fragrant. According to TLC.com, basil keeps away flies and mosquitoes, while rosemary keeps mosquitoes away as well. Bonus: Rosemary can help keep cats away from your child’s sandbox, as cats are turned off by its smell.

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.

The 4th of July will be here before you know it. If you don’t have a huge amount of time to decorate with all things red, white and blue, don’t stress! You can still celebrate Independence Day in style by doing a quick patriotic project or two.  These DIY decorations are so easy that they can be done in four minutes or less.

Here are six 4th of July decorations that we salute:

1. Fireworks Placemats 

Take plain white or beige fabric placemats and give them some 4th of July bang. All you need is fabric paint, a paper plate and a clean kitchen scrub brush. First, dump out a quarter-sized bit of the paint onto a paper plate. Then, dip the bristles of the scrub brush into the fabric paint and press the bristles firmly onto the fabric. Overlap colors to create your own fireworks display! Tip: To make smaller fireworks, just use a smaller brush.

2. Painted Mason Jars

If you already have red, white and blue spray paint in your craft room or garage, this project is for you! Simply take three mason jars and paint them. You can paint each jar a different color or turn them into a makeshift American flag. To do this, paint one blue and tape off straight lines with painters tape (to make red and white stripes) for the other two.

3. Layered Centerpieces

Head out to your local supermarket and pick up three jars of sprinkles: one red, one blue and one white. Gather up a few small vases or glass containers, and pour each color of sprinkles into the vase, one color at a time. This will create a beautiful, layered centerpiece display for your table! Place a few tall candles inside for some patriotic lighting. Tip: If you don’t have time to run to the store, use white rice and dye it with food coloring.

4. Decoupage Tin Cans 

Cover various size cans (coffee cans work great for this) in scrapbook paper. Cut out your decorative paper so it fits evenly when wrapped around the jar, and then lightly coat the tin with spray adhesive. Adhere the paper to the tins. That’s it! Add water and flowers for a quick vase, or fill each tin with eating utensils for a buffet-style display.

5. Patriotic Printables

Few things are faster than clicking the print button. If you’re looking for quick 4th of July art, you can find fun, patriotic printables online, and most are free or super cheap. We especially like this one from eighteen25. All you need to do is find one that fits your style, hit print and then frame it.

6. Streamer Table Runner

This festive 4th of July table runner creates a bright, bold statement in no time. Grab rolls of red, dark blue and light blue crepe streamers to place over a white table cover. Lay out five lines of streamers across the table in whatever color pattern you’d like. Then, weave the streamers perpendicular to the first pattern. Weave each strand in and out for a plaid effect, and you’ve got a table runner that’s party-ready.

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.

With home prices exceeding pre-bubble highs in many markets, more people are asking: Should we be concerned about another market bubble?

There are no guarantees, but this market looks significantly less frothy than it did in early 2008.

For one, mortgage-debt levels remain reasonable. Bank of America reports that mortgage debt as a percentage of real estate owned was at an all-time high of 63% just before the market-bubble burst. Today, it's down at 44%, which is a normalized and sustainable percentage.

A more obscure indicator also points to a bubble-free market. When markets get bubbly, they induce a tsunami of new participants. Using California as a proxy for the whole,CalculatedRiskBlog.com data show that the number of real estate agents peaked at the end of 2007. Today, the number of salesperson licenses is off 33.5% of the peak. The number is at March 2004 levels. In other words, people aren't blindly rushing into a perceived gold rush. That's a sign of market health.

In short, we don't see a market distorted by bubbles. To the contrary, we see a clearly sustainable market.

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 New-Home Market Leads the Charge

Many commentators were disappointed in the headline number, but they shouldn't have been.

The headline states that housing starts posted at 1.036 million on an annualized rate for May. The consensus was looking for starts to post in the 1.1-million neighborhood. If we compare May with April, we see an 11.1% drop-off in starts.

The numbers appear disappointing, until you dig a little deeper. April, which was already a strong month for starts, was revised up to 1.165 million. That's a 22.1% month-over-month increase when compared to March. Seeing starts throttle back in May after such a strong showing is no reason to sulk. Indeed, it should be expected. To expect continual double-digit monthly increases is to expect the impossible.

The trend in permits is another reason to embrace the future. Permits were up a very stout 11.8% to 1.275 million potential starts. Permits are a leading indicator, and this leading indicator posted its best number since August 2007.

Given the bullish outlook on new-home construction, no one should be surprised that homebuilders are feeling upbeat these days. The NAHB Home Builder Index spiked five points to 59 in June. This is the highest reading since September 2014.

To be sure, sentiment can change and markets can turn. But for the past year, home builders have become increasingly upbeat. Sales and construction activity has generally supported rising optimism. We don't expect that to change over the remainder of 2015.

Of course, the percentage of new-home sales is relatively small compared to existing-home sales. Our bread is mostly buttered on existing-home sales. On that front, sales have trended higher in recent months. Still, they've had a tough time hanging about the important five-million mark on an annualized rate.

The good news is that it appears more likely that sales will hover above five million. A recent report from CoreLogic shows that another 254,000 residential properties regained positive equity in the first quarter. This trend of rising positive equity ensures more supply will come to market, which will lead to a rising sales trend.

What's more, the Federal Reserve appears willing to maintain an accommodating stance.

We've said repeatedly since the beginning of the year that a Fed interest-rate hike was unlikely for June. In the latest Fed meeting, officials showed no inclination to raise the federal funds rates. What's more, it remains unlikely the fed funds rate will be raised before fall. The Fed is still looking for labor-market improvement (mostly wage growth) and more consumer-price inflation. And when the Fed does move to raise the fed fund rates, it will likely do so in very small increments.

That said, let's not take this as a guarantee of low mortgage-lending rates. The market can and has overridden Fed desires. The Fed might not move to raise interest rates; this doesn't mean the market won't.

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.

WHY DO THIS?

A coat draped over the couch may not be a big deal, but a coat strewn on the couch, a few pairs of shoes on the floor and jewelry on the table adds up to something big: C-L-U-T-T-E-R. Instead of attacking clutter room-by-room, it can be helpful to attack a single type of item that contributes to clutter in a bunch of places. Clothes, in this case. Let’s organize!

HOW TO:

1. Bedroom Closet

If your bedroom closet looks like something out of American Horror Story right now, then you should do a full audit and revamp. If it’s messy but not disastrous, you may just need to change your closet mindset. Try embracing this idea: Closets aren’t meant for storage. Yup. To actually keep your closet clean, you must think of your closet as a functional space. In other words, give your closet a job. Need more details? Here’s the secret to keeping your closet functional.

2. Closet Shelves

Closet shelves are the Bermuda Triangle of storage spaces – items get put up there, and are never seen again. To keep your closet shelves from effing up your wardrobe, invest in some baskets. Give each basket a job (same as with your entire closet), like tie holder or scarf storage. Label ‘em up and don’t mix up the jobs! You’ll never lose a headband or tie again.

3. Drawers

Throwing items in a drawer is a quick way to make a mess. Enter: Dividers, dividers, dividers. Measure your drawers and give them each a specific job (seeing a pattern yet?) like shirts, pants, lingerie and socks. Then, install something like these spring-loaded dividers so the drawers will stay organized with minimal effort.

4. Shoes

Shoes count as clothes, right?! Plus, disorganized shoes can feel like they have a life of their own, and easily become strewn about the house. Keep ‘em controlled by playing the no-floor game. Once shoes hit the floor they tend to stay there and clutter up every room in your house. Instead, use tools like door organizers, plastic bins and cloth vertical hanging organizers. When you take your shoes off, keep them off of the floors and put them back in their allotted place. For more shoe organization tips, read: Organize Your Shoes.

5. Jewelry

It’s easy to store your jewelry out of sight, and then forget about your favorites and never wear them! To display your jewelry without making a mess, set up some old teacups, hooks and pushpins in your bedroom. Now you'll be able to keep track of your jewelry, instead of taking off your rings and leaving them in any ol' room in your house.

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

Truth time: thousands of fires every year are sparked by a home fire hazard that is often overlooked… resulting in an estimated millions of dollars in property loss! What is this frightening fire hazard, you ask?

Lint in your dryer vent!

That's right, dryer lint seems pretty harmless, but it catches on fire really easily (there are 15,000 dryer fires every year in the U.S.). So, what can you do to make your house safer than it was before you started reading this post? Simple. Follow these four tips:

1. Always Keep the Lint Trap Clean

Don't ever run a load of laundry without removing dryer lint from the trap or screen. Large amounts of lint can always accumulate during a regular cycle.

2. Inspect Your Dryer Duct and Vent

Look for kinks, holes or other damage. Over time, dryer lint can build up and clog your dryer vent, reducing the airflow, backing up gases and creating a big fire hazard.

3. Clean Your Dryer Vent!

You can clean your dryer vent duct by vacuuming the back of the dryer, the dryer duct and the wall duct, but we recommend hiring a professional once a year to clean your dryer vent (prices vary by location, but generally it costs about $50). This will ensure you don't miss any spots overtime that create a dangerous buildup.

4. Practice Gentle Drying Habits

To reduce buildup from general usage, limit your use of dryer sheets, and try to avoid running a dryer for longer than 45 minutes.

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.

Given the popularity of rehabbing and flipping houses on cable television, it's important to understand what is actually occurring. It might seem straightforward, but it's less straightforward than many people (novices, in particular) think.

When someone buys a house to rehab and flip for a profit, or to rent, he or she is undertaking a business proposition. In this regard, the house is really an investment. The goal is to increase cash flow: Buy now at one price and hopefully sell at a higher price in the near future. If the house is bought to rehab and rent, this too, makes it an investment.

But when a house is bought to rehab and owner occupy, it's not an investment. The house's primary purpose isn't to create cash flow, it's to provide shelter. In this regard, a house is an asset. Of course, over time an asset can appreciate in price and be sold in the future for more than it cost. Still, it's not an investment.

Noting the distinction between an asset and an investment might seem like an exercise in splitting hairs, but it's more than that. A house as an investment can be used to meet everyday living expenses, but a house as an asset can't. This distinction matters because it properly sets expectations on the economic purpose of that house.

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.

Prices Heat Up… And So Do Sales

Home prices appear to have caught a second wind. Through the second half of 2014, the rate of price appreciation was slowing in many metropolitan markets. Lately, though, the rate has picked up pace.

The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index posted another month of uplifting prices. Specifically, Case-Shiller's 20-city index rose a strong 0.9% in February, posting its best monthly performance since late 2013. February's strong showing lifts the year-over-year rate to 5%. More impressive, the index wasn't lead by a few outliers.

To be sure, San Francisco and Denver lead the way with 3.3% and 2.2% price increases, respectively, but none of the 20 cities in Case-Shiller showed a monthly decline. Given the dearth of existing-home inventory, no one should be terribly surprised that home prices are on the upswing.

Today, housing appears to be the key economic driver. Residential investment increased at a 1.3% annual rate in the first quarter of 2015. This is despite the lousy weather, which took a bite out of overall economic growth. New revised numbers on first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) show the economy grew a mere 0.2% in the first quarter – a full two percentage points less than the fourth quarter of 2014.

But it's not just investment driving housing forward. Sales on the retail end have picked-up pace. The Pending Home Sales Index was up a third-straight month in March. Month over month, the index was up a stout 1.1%. Sales of existing homes appear to have finally established an uptrend. Strength in existing home sales will hopefully portend strength in new home sales, which have been weak the past couple months. 

Given the weakness in the GDP numbers, the Federal Reserve is less likely to move to raise the federal funds rates. In the latest meeting of Fed officials, economic weakness was the overarching theme. The minutes of the meeting were peppered with words like “moderated” and “slowed.” That said, Fed officials stopped short of scotching any possibility of a rate hike in June.

If we were forced to place a bet, though, we'd bet against the Fed raising the fed funds rate in June. In fact, we've stated in the past that we wouldn't be surprised if the Fed didn't move to raise rates this year. The Fed continues to hang its hat on low inflation and further improvement in the labor market (even though the official unemployment rate is down to 5.5%).

In short, we remain in the low-interest-rate camp, but it's worth remembering that the Fed isn't omnipotent. It can influence interest rates; it can't dictate them. Therefore, it's dangerous to take the current low-rate environment for granted. Things can change, and they can change in a hurry.

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.

Want to keep your mower going as long as the grass is growing? Follow these mower maintenance instructions

For do-it-yourself gardeners the lawn mower is an essential piece of equipment, worthy of meticulous maintenance. In fact, you may pamper your lawn mower just as much as you do your car!

Even if you winterized your lawn mower last fall, it’s a good idea to give it a good inspection and tuneup come spring. Here are 10 expert tips to help prevent expensive repairs and keep your mower running smoothly through the grass-growing season.

RELATED: 8 Tips to Keep Your Lawn Mower Running

1. Maintenance

Review the maintenance section of your owner’s manual for the best maintenance schedule — what to do and when to do it.

2. The right equipment

Have these tools on hand:

·        Hammer

·        Clamps

·        Socket/ratchet set

·        Spark plug socket and spark plug gap gauge

·        Grease gun

·        Square tip screwdriver

·        Oil filter wrench

·        Shop vacuum

·        Side cutter

·        Torque wrench

·        Plastic gloves

3. Clean out the mower

Remove the belt guards on the mower deck and clean out any grass clippings, dirt and debris. This buildup can damage belts and pulleys as it gets sucked up into the mower. Use an air compressor or leaf blower and a screwdriver to blow out and scrape away debris. Do this after every third mowing.

4. Check the spark plugs

Worn spark plugs can make it difficult to start the mower and can lead to misfires, poor fuel economy and engine damage. Replace spark plugs based on manufacturer recommendations.

RELATED: Help! My Lawn Mower Won’t Start

5. Spark plug maintenance

Make sure nothing falls into the spark plug cylinder by cleaning around the plug before you remove it. If the old plug is difficult to remove, use a spray to help loosen it (rather than brute force, which can damage the engine). Set the gap on the new plug before installation. Finger-tighten the new plug first, then use a plug wrench to gently tighten it down.

6. Fuel filters

Worn fuel filters can cause poor fuel economy, hard starts or a carburetor rebuild. Replace old fuel filters per manufacturer instructions. Reduce gas spillage by clamping off the fuel line, releasing the clamps that hold the filter in place and plugging the filter inlet with the thumb of your gloved hand. Pull the filter out of the outlet hose and install the new filter, pointing the fuel flow direction arrows toward the engine. Put the fuel line clamps back into place and un-pinch the fuel line.

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.

Close your eyes and picture your best beach day.

What makes it so great? Chances are it’s the warm sun on your face, cool beer in your hand, gentle breeze and a relaxed attitude. Great news! If you have a deck or porch, you don’t have to spend money on a fancy vacation to recreate all of the above. All you need is a can-do attitude, a free afternoon and a few good ideas.

Here are seven of our favorite ways to make your porch (or deck!) ready for summer awesomeness:

1. Seal, Stain & Weather-Proof

There’s a reason you don’t put lipstick on a pig – it doesn’t do any good! Unless the exterior of your deck or porch is in good shape, any fun accessories you add will be a waste of time. Plus, an unsealed porch will become waterlogged and rot over time, getting worse with every summer storm or winter snow. If your setup is looking a little ragged, check and see if there are any professional deck and porch maintenance offers in your area. It’s the easiest way to whip things back into shape.

2. Hang Twinkle Lights

Now that your porch is protected, it’s time to have a little fun. To extend the time you and your family enjoy your outdoor living space, throw up some patio twinkle lights.  A few strands of lights can transform a so-so patio into something special.

These lights come in an assortment of sizes, shapes and colors. And you’d be surprised how far they’ll go towards making your area look like it’s straight out of Pinterest. Plus, you’ll be able to see your cocktail during those nighttime hangs, and everyone looks great under the glow.

3. Add an Outdoor Cooler

A perfectly lazy afternoon isn’t complete without a cold drink (or two…or three). Make living easy by adding an attractive outdoor cooler to your deck or patio oasis. Avoid ugly plastic coolers, and opt for interesting shapes and containers, like this baby bathtub idea from Southern Living. When you’re headed outside for a long afternoon of leisure, fill the bathtub, metal planter or other unique cooler with ice and beverages. That way, you and your guests barely have to move to refill.

4. Bring Out a Bar Cart

Turn the porch party up with a bar cart. Don’t limit your bar cart to booze! On the cart, you can store booze, and cups, stirrers, coasters, books, magazines, speakers, sunglasses or anything else you may fancy while you’re wiling away the afternoon. It’s basically a chest of drawers on wheels.

If you would fancy a cocktail or three on your porch, build a baller bar cart with these tips.

5. Hang Up a Hammock

Hammocks are the best. Really, the best. We cannot overestimate how great wasting an afternoon in a hammock can be. You swing, you feel the breeze and you relax, all from the comfort of your front (or back) stoop. To turn your hammock time into romantic-time, consider a two-person hammock. We love this one, because it has a steel stand, so it’s mobile and easy to set up.

6. Think Indoors

To make your outdoor living space feel cozy, add a few traditionally indoor items like rugs, lamps, and flower vases. If your porch isn’t enclosed, we recommend bringing the smaller items inside at night, or some jealous passersby might nab them.

7. Plant Perennials

Adding pots full of perennials to your outdoor living space is an easy way to inject some color and visual interest. Why perennials, instead of annuals? You only have to plant perennials once and then you’ll get to enjoy them every year.

Information provided by BrightNest.com.
 

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.