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New Year's Eve is a time to think back about what happened in 2015, and to dream about all of the wonderful things that you hope for in 2016.  It's also a time to relax, take a break, and celebrate.  The Devine & Associates Real Estate Team  decided to do a little digging, and we found some interesting fun facts about this holiday to share with you.  Quite a few were brand new to us, and some sound like fun traditions to start! 1.  Over 4.000 years ago in Rome was the first New Year's celebration.  New Year's Day was put on January 1 due to the month being named after Janus, the Roman god of doors and gates.  Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking ahead and one looking back.  A perfect symbol for the ending of one year and the beginning of a new one! 2.  Baby New Year is a very familiar symbol for the holiday.  Greek mythology is credited with coming up with this one.  It states that the baby will grow to old age o...

If buying a new home has been in your thoughts recently, now is an excellent time to jump in and do it.  Buying sooner rather than later could end up saving you a large amount of money.  Our Laurie and Eldon real estate offices have some incredible choices for you to choose from.  Here are a few reasons why buying a home now instead of waiting is a good idea.   Home prices are predicted to rise.   Home prices have been appreciating over the past year, and predictions state that they will continue to rise, possibly at a rate of 5.2% in the coming twelve months. Over the next five years, they are expected to keep rising by more than 3% a year.    Interest rates on mortgages are expected to increase.   Mortgage rates have been their lowest over the past year, but they are now starting to rise slowly.  This coming year, expect rates to be higher than they are now.  When interest rates are higher, your monthly mortgage payments w...

When buy a new house , you are sometimes automatically volunteered to host the next big family gathering at your place.  This task doesn't have to intimidate you. With a little bit of preparation, things can go smoothly and a good time can be had by all, even you, the host.  Here are a few tips form Devine & Associates Real Estate office to help you get your home ready to entertain this holiday season.   Deep-clean high traffic areas. Bathrooms and kitchens will be getting a lot of extra use with house guests around.  Focus your cleaning efforts on these two areas.  Speed-clean other areas. As long as every other room in the house is dusted and shiny, it's clean enough to get you through the season.  Extra people means that things will have that "lived-in" look even quicker than usual.  Save the deep-cleaning of these spots for after the guests leave.  Plan ahead for any spills or stains that could happen while you are entertaining....

Pricing your home accurately the moment you put it on the market is extremely important.  You can have the most amazing  house for sale in Eldon , Laurie, Lake Ozark, or any of the other towns in this area, but if it isn't priced right, it may never sell.    A good real estate agent at the Lake of the Ozarks will make sure that this happens by working with you to find that perfect price.  Here are a few tips to get you thinking in the right direction.     1.  Study recent home sales.   Take a look at the final sale price on houses that have sold recently in your area. This gives you a good idea for a starting point when pricing your home.  This doesn't mean the houses that are for sale right now, but the ones that have already been sold.  Compare the original list price to the actual final sale price. It's also helpful to look at the houses that are still sitting on the market, not selling.  Take notes about the thing...

The winter season is nearly upon us, and along with it will come the inevitable ice and snow.  Whether you own a home in Eldon or at the Lake of the Ozarks, you want to know that your roof will keep your house protected all season long.  Now is the time to make sure that your roof is in its best possible shape so that it can handle whatever winter throws at it.   Devine & Associates Real Estate has a few tips for you so that this winter your roof should remain problem-free.   Inspect it, inside & out. Before it's too cold and snowy outside to safely get on top of your roof, get out there and take a look.  Keep an eye out for any cracks or other damage.  Replace any caulking that needs it with a caulk that is approved for use on roofs.  Also check the flashing.  This is what keeps the areas waterproof near fireplaces, pipes on the roof, and other spots where the plane is interrupted.  Remove all dead leaves, branches, and a...