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Pest Control Tips for Winter – Complete Guide

19 Monday Jan 2026

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free-vector-beetle-bug-clip-art_107187_Beetle_Bug_clip_art_hightWhen the temperatures begin to dip, humans aren’t the only ones who appreciate the warmth and shelter of a cozy home. Insects, rodents, and other small mammals are also drawn to the comforts your house provides. Ever have a mouse die in a wall? It’s not the sort of smell that one appreciates during the holidays. No one wants an expensive electrical repair when a rat chews its way through wiring in the attic or basement, either. Do yourself a favor and protect yourself from pests this Fall and Winter. Here are some tips:

1. Inspect the outside of your home for ways animals may sneak in. Often utility vents and areas under eaves have gaps which should be sealed or screened.

2. Look for gaps around door and window frames, and caulk or repair those gaps. Tiny entry ways can lead to big problems.

3. Examine trees around your home. Are any branches close to or touching the roof? These branches can be pathways for rodents to access your roof and any access ways the roof may provide to your attic, walls, or crawlspaces.

4. Make sure your garbage and recycling bins have tight fitting or locking lids. Hungry animals will find those scraps, trimmings, and drips, and they can more or less provide an invitation to come close to the house. It’s not a bad idea to buy containers with latches or locks that won’t interfere with garbage pickup, but will deter most animals. (Raccoons are particularly clever, though!)

5. If you have a wood pile for a fireplace or other stove, keep it at a distance from your home. If you’ve been keeping it close to the house because of the cover a roof provides, consider relocating the wood and using a tarp to keep it dry.

6. Inside your home, try not to store food on countertops as it will attract flies and rodents. Airtight containers inside of cabinets an drawers is a better bet.

7. Never leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight if you can help it. Just like food on the counter, it’s an invitation for bugs.

8. Wash your floors with a water and a cleaner. Food residue from spills will attract ants.

With a little prevention, you can keep your home pest free this season. Even with the best protection, pest control can become a necessity, though. If you need a referral for a trusted pest control company, feel free to get in touch with us: Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS 904-515-2479 Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

RUN!! If Your Agent Calculates Price Per Square Foot

06 Tuesday Jan 2026

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Price per square foot is a concept in real estate which is easy to understand and just as easy to misuse. The formula is pretty simple: To determine price per square foot, you take a price, such as sale price of a home, and divide it by the square footage of the property.

Price per square foot is useful in looking at broad market comparisons, such as comparing one entire metro area to another, or looking at an area’s average change over time. It is not, however, terribly accurate in figuring out the value of your home.

Why? Well, price per square foot fails to take into account the most important factors when pricing a home.

First and foremost, it makes assumptions about the home’s amenities. We all know the quality of materials used in home construction and the condition of the home’s appliances and other features can have a dramatic impact on the value of a home. A kitchen with Italian marble surfaces versus one with pressboard countertops will have completely different values. Price per square foot in a given neighborhood will blend these homes together and produce an average.

Second, price per square foot assumes locations are identical, but in almost any metro area there are up-and-coming neighborhoods as well as neighborhoods in decline. Price per square foot near an abandoned industrial zone will vary considerably from one near a well-established downtown district with a great walkability score.

Third, even the simple methodology of calculating price per square foot can be influenced by how the total number of square feet has been calculated. If one has a garage converted into a mother-in-law, and another home doesn’t, which square footage is valid? And what about home or lot size? Sometimes above or below-grade lots can influence the price per square foot as well.

Price per square foot is more useful in commercial situations where there is tremendous uniformity in the design, construction, and location, but as a tool for assessing your home’s market value, it’s flat out dangerous.

Want a real estimation of your home’s value in its current condition and location? We’d be happy to help. Get in touch today, and We’ll show you what goes into determining the optimal price for your home. Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside www.HanleyHomeTeam.com 904-515-2479

10 Tip for Protecting Your Home During Vacations (8217)

29 Monday Dec 2025

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We hope you all have a safe and relaxing time during your vacation this summer. It’s crucial that we all have time to recharge and recognize what’s important in life. We only go around once, so it’s important to savor what we have.

Before you leave town, we thought you might be interested in a few precautionary safety tips to keep your home and your possessions safe while you’re gone. Often in the run-up to a vacation, people neglect to take simple steps to protect themselves from becoming a victim of theft or vandalism.

You’ve probably covered your bases, but just in case, here are 10 basic precautions you can take:

1. Have someone collect your mail and newspaper daily.

2. Leave shades and blinds in normal positions.

3. Put at least two lights and a radio on automatic timers.

4. Have someone leave trash at your curb on garbage collection day.

5. Have someone park a car in your driveway occasionally. If you leave your car outside, arrange to have it moved every so often.

6. Leave a key with a trusted neighbor in case of an emergency. Let the neighbor know where you are going and when you are expect to return, also leave them a way to get in contact with you in case of an emergency.

7. Lock all windows and doors before you go. Do not forget to double-check basement and garage doors.

8. On extended trips have someone to maintain your landscaping, (grass mowed, leaves raked, etc.)

9. Consider turning off your home’s water main to prevent damage from a burst pipe.

10. Be careful how much you check-in on social media while on vacation. If your privacy settings are incorrect you might reveal to strangers your home is vacant!

Be safe and have a blast…

Is buying or selling your home a priority in 2018?  Give us a call and let’s make your New Year’s resolution a reality – Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 www.HanleyHomeTeam.com Kevin Hanley, Loan Officer, Texana Bank NMLS #2639641 https://mortgage.texanabank.com/loan-officer/kevin-hanley/

We hope you all have a safe and relaxing time during your vacation this summer, too. It’s crucial that we all have time to recharge and recognize what’s important in life. We only go around once, so it’s important to savor what we have. Before you leave town, we thought you might be interested in a few precautionary safety tips to keep your home and your possessions safe while you’re gone. Often in the run-up to a vacation, people neglect to take simple steps to protect themselves from becoming a victim of theft or vandalism.

What Should We Truly Value This Christmas Time? – Complete Guide

22 Monday Dec 2025

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As we enjoy the holiday season, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the season when family and friends gather, and the big picture in terms of how we’re all expected to get along on this increasingly crowded planet of ours.

The holidays often put people around the table who may not normally see one another throughout the year. Far flung relatives, cousins, in-laws, and other guests-of-guests may come from all walks of life. Their political, religious, and social viewpoints may differ widely from our own. Yet when we see them during the holidays, we do our best to tolerate differences. Ideally, we look for ways to connect rather than provoke arguments.

Tolerance is not always the easiest value to embrace. Now, especially, we can find ourselves thrust into polemic arguments driven by political and media forces which command enormous attention and influence. Social media and a profound lack of face-to-face interaction makes it easier to distance ourselves from our mutual, essential humanity if we let it. It is easy to be intolerant. Easy to erect high walls. Easier than ever to segment and align ourselves with only those who agree with our values and sense of our role the world.

We would gently urge everyone to see the Christmas season as more than a time to buy gifts, give thanks for our blessings, and eat sweet treats. Let us remember to practice tolerance, acceptance, and recognize the importance of diversity in this world.

God Bless you and your family!

Kevin and Jennifer Hanley and The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside – www.HanleyHomeTeam.com 904-515-2479 Kevin Hanley, Loan Officer, Texana Bank NMLS #2639641 https://mortgage.texanabank.com/loan-officer/kevin-hanley/

Are You Waiting Too Long to Buy a Home? (price)

15 Monday Dec 2025

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If you know someone who’s waiting for home prices to drop even further before they buy, you might want to clue them in to the impact financing changes may have on those low prices. In Jacksonville’s current market—where median home values hover around $280,000–$300,000 and have seen modest declines or stabilization in early 2026—waiting carries real risks beyond just price.

Which do you think matters more when waiting for the right time to buy a home: securing a low purchase price, or locking in a great financing rate? Most buyers focus heavily on purchase price when deciding whether or not to buy. The question you often hear is the same: “Has the market bottomed out yet?” The idea of getting “the best deal” on a home is paramount to these price shoppers, and indeed for cash buyers, this may be the primary concern.

While negotiating a great price is an important part of the equation, the value of securing great financing terms cannot be overstated. The inherent risk in waiting for the market to hit bottom is that you’ll also miss out on the best interest rates available. As of mid-March 2026, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits around 6.2%–6.3% (per Freddie Mac and other sources), up slightly in recent weeks but still below last year’s peaks. If rates rise further while prices dip modestly, the monthly payment—and total cost over time—could end up higher than buying sooner at a slightly elevated price with lower rates.

Imagine, for example, you’re waiting for homes to drop an additional 5% in value. While you’re waiting, mortgage rates rise from 6% to 7%. Sure, you might secure the home at a better purchase price, but what you’ll pay over the life of the loan will be significantly higher than buying when the market was more expensive (but rates were lower). Even a 1% increase in your mortgage rate can add hundreds to your monthly payment—often equivalent to a 10% or more jump in effective housing costs. For a $300,000 loan (common in Jacksonville starter/mid-tier homes), a shift from 6% to 7% might increase monthly principal and interest from around $1,800 to $2,000+, adding $200+ per month and tens of thousands in extra interest over 30 years.

Buying a home is not like buying a nice coffee table. Price is not the sole concern. Given the complexities of price, property taxes, financing terms, and the larger tax implications of home ownership (like mortgage interest deductions), it truly pays to consult with an agent who can help you weigh the pros and cons and make the right move. In Jacksonville’s 2026 market—where forecasts show modest price stabilization or slight appreciation rather than big drops, plus ongoing population-driven demand—acting when rates and inventory align often beats perfect timing.

We’re always happy to work with you to navigate the market, negotiate price, and put you in touch with mortgage professionals who will help you get the best rate possible. Contact us today and we can help you explore your options: Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners www.HanleyHomeTeam.com – Kevin Hanley, Loan Officer, Texana Bank NMLS #2639641 https://mortgage.texanabank.com/loan-officer/kevin-hanley/

FAQ

Q: What is waiting? A: If you know someone who’s waiting for home prices to drop even further before they buy, you might want to clue them in to the impact financing changes may have on those low prices. Waiting for a “better” price often means missing lower rates, which can outweigh modest savings on the home’s cost—especially in a market like Jacksonville where prices are stabilizing rather than crashing.

Tips for Parents That Want to Help Their Child Buy a Home

08 Monday Dec 2025

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Give the down payment as a gift. One of the most common ways parents help their children purchase a home is by contributing to their down payment. As a parent, you have two main options: loan the money or gift it outright. If you loan the money, it creates a formal debt that could trigger interest income taxes for you (as the lender) and potential repayment obligations for your child. Gifting is often simpler and more tax-efficient—under current IRS rules for 2026, you can gift up to $19,000 per parent (or $38,000 total if married and splitting the gift) to each recipient tax-free without dipping into your lifetime exemption. For example, both parents could gift $19,000 each to their child (and another $19,000 each to the child’s spouse if buying together), totaling $76,000 tax-free to help cover a 20% down payment on a $300,000 Jacksonville home. This avoids any gift tax reporting for amounts within limits and lets your child use the funds immediately without repayment pressure.

Be a co-owner with your kid… Some lenders allow parents to co-buy a home with their child and structure equity ownership as desired (e.g., you own 60%, your child owns 40%), which determines how proceeds are split upon sale. This works well if the long-term goal is for your child to eventually buy you out or inherit full ownership—perhaps through a quitclaim deed or refinancing once they qualify independently. In Florida, this can also help with mortgage qualification if your income/credit boosts approval, and it lets you retain partial control or equity growth while your child builds homeownership experience in a market like Jacksonville’s.

…or buy a house on your own and rent it to your child. If your child doesn’t yet qualify for a mortgage (e.g., due to credit history, debt-to-income ratio, or limited savings), you can purchase the home solely in your name and rent it to them at a fair market rate. This gives them time to improve credit, save for a future down payment, and build rental history—while you benefit from rental income (potentially offsetting mortgage costs) and property appreciation. In Jacksonville, where starter homes or townhomes average $280,000–$350,000, this approach provides stability and a path to eventual ownership, with the option for your child to buy it later via a family sale or refinance.

Need more parent tips? Give us a call! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 www.HanleyHomeTeam.comde 904-515-2479 HanleyHomeTeam.com Kevin Hanley, Loan Officer, Texana Bank NMLS #2639641 https://mortgage.texanabank.com/loan-officer/kevin-hanley/

The Top 6 Spots Where Mold Makes Its Home – Complete Guide

03 Monday Nov 2025

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For a healthy home, monitoring and eliminating mold is crucial. Mold is sneaky, though, and it can creep up on you when you least expect it. Spores are known to stay dormant until they have the moisture and nutrients they need to bloom. While some forms of mold are obvious, others hide and thrive until musty smells become prominent or members of your family begin developing health problems.

To be a mold sleuth you need to know the top 6 spots where mold makes its home. Check this list to see spots you may have missed:

1. The Bathroom. Yes, it’s the most common, but are you checking all the spots in the bathroom? Toilet seals, wet walls, shower curtains, and beneath sinks are well-known spots, but it’s the shower where things can get grimy. To keep mold from penetrating the tiles, you need to be sure your caulking and grout is in good shape. Otherwise, water can seep in and make a new home for mold.

2. The Kitchen. Monthly, take a look under the sink, behind the fridge, and around the dishwasher. A quiet leak in any of these areas will up the odds of a mold problem.

3. The Basement (or Crawlspace). Darkness? Check. Proximity to the earth? Check. Hidden from view? You betcha. If basements flood or older homes have poor drainage and ventilation of the crawlspace, mold can take hold.

4. The Windows. Condensation can build up here as temperatures fluctuate, and spores hanging around can gradually take hold and bloom into a black, spotty mess. This is especially true if the windows are shaded or are routinely covered by curtains.

5. The Drywall. Here’s a hidden killer in the mold battle. When water gets into the materials which make up drywall, they can promote mold growth. To cure this problem you often have to remove considerable sections of drywall to identify and remove the mold. Your nose is your best guide here.

6. The Carpet. Much like drywall, carpet can hold mold and need to be replaced. The underside of carpet hides much of the visible mold, and culprits contributing to the cause include flooding, moisture from concrete foundations, or even spills.

We are your mold-free agents! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

 

6 Commonly Forgotten Items on Moving Day – Complete Guide

27 Monday Oct 2025

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The chaos of moving day is a prime time to forget or misplace essential items. When you’re preparing for the big move to your new home, the following items are some of the most overlooked (and the most sorely missed in a time of need!). For example, many people arrive at their new house only to realize they can’t access basic necessities like keys or important documents, turning an exciting day into a stressful ordeal.

Jewelry, watches, and small valuables: These small, expensive, and often irreplaceable items are best kept in a safe deposit box or with trustworthy friends or relatives on moving day. Imagine the panic of unpacking boxes and discovering your grandmother’s heirloom ring is missing—carrying them personally or securing them separately prevents that nightmare.

Garage door opener: The old one won’t be of much use at your new house, will it? Be sure to leave it behind for the new owners. Also, make sure the old owners of your new house give you theirs! Without it, you could be stuck waiting outside your garage on arrival, unable to unload easily.

Spare keys: Sets to your old house should remain with the new owners, but don’t forget sets to the new house! There’s nothing more frustrating than arriving at your new place without a way to get in. Double-check with your realtor or previous owners to ensure you have all necessary keys, including any for side doors, mailboxes, or gates.

Old address books: Yes, we all have fancy new smartphones, but it seems like families all have a well-worn phone book stashed in a spice drawer somewhere. These are practically family heirlooms of information, so don’t leave them behind—scan or photograph pages if possible, but keep the original safe.

Unfinished errands: Do you have any clothes at the dry cleaner? Books due to the library? What about other video game or DVD rentals? It can be a real hassle to settle up on these items from 100 miles away, right? Make a final sweep of local spots a day or two before closing to retrieve and return everything.

Medical records: While a lot of medical information is digital these days, you should make sure you don’t misplace your copies, including dental information and prescriptions. It’s easy to lose them at the bottom of a hastily thrown-away box. Keep these in your personal essentials bag for quick access, especially if you need refills or appointments soon after moving.

We make sure our clients’ experience selling their old home and moving into their new dream home is a smooth transition. If you’re interested in a hassle-free home selling experience, please get in touch today: Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS 904-515-2479 The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside www.HanleyHomeTeam.com

Top 10 Ways to Make Your Home Sell Faster – Complete Guide

20 Monday Oct 2025

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The devil is really in the details when buyers look at a home. Lots of everyday wear and tear that you don’t even notice can ding your home in the eyes of potential buyers. Here’s the Hanley Home Team’s list of ten simple improvements you can do to help your home sell faster:

1. Spruce up your baseboards: Pets, kids, and stumbling husbands in the dark can make a mess of your baseboards. Repainting baseboards after repairing scratches with putty can make the border of any room look new.

2. Fill in nail holes: Part of interior repainting should be careful attention to those errant nail holes from pictures, shelves, and other wall-mounted baubles. Putty, smooth, sand and paint!

3. Sniff for smokers: Filter replacement is a must if someone’s been puffing in your home. Also wash down those walls, prime them to seal in any cooked-in nicotine, and repaint. Be sure to check entryways and lawns for cigarette butts, too!

4. Review the roof: Do you have missing shingles? Broken tiles? Is mold and moss sprouting up there? Do some cleaning and spot replacing.

5. Reinforce your gutters: Clean them out, dry them out, then caulk them to prevent leaks. This will keep water off the siding, reducing staining and damage.

6. Replace bad vinyl floors: Not only are they tacky when they’re cracked or cut, but they can suggest water damage to buyers.

7. Repair dripping faucets: Buyers will turn faucets on and off. What will they find? If your sinks and baths dribble, fix them before buyers imagine their future headache.

8. Tune up screens: Did you have a dog that liked to lean against the front door? Look for the sagging, hanging, bent, and bubbling screens, especially around doors. New screens look clean. Old screens suggest neglect.

9. Patch cabinet scratches: Tibet Almond Stick, Old English Scratch Cover, or even some artful re-staining can make cabinets seem new. Remember to polish them up when you’re done!

10. Reseal wobbly toilets: If the bowl moves when you sit on it, the bolts are rusted, or the bathroom floor is damp and discolored around the commode, replace the toilet or at the very least reseal it.

By the way, you can also use our tools and vendors to help you sell faster, too!  Get in touch today. http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com – Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS – The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479

7 Reasons to Work With a Realtor® – Complete Guide

13 Monday Oct 2025

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REALTORS® aren’t just agents. They’re professional members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict code of ethics. This is the REALTOR® difference for home buyers:

Ethical treatment.

Every REALTOR® must adhere to a strict code of ethics, which is based on professionalism and protection of the public. As a REALTOR®’s client, you can expect honest and ethical treatment in all transaction-related matters. The first obligation is to you, the client.

An expert guide.

Buying a home usually requires dozens of forms, reports, disclosures, and other technical documents. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly mistakes. Also, there’s a lot of jargon involved, so you want to work with a professional who can speak the language.

Objective information and opinions.

REALTORS® can provide local information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They also have objective information about each property. REALTORs® can use that data to help you determine if the property has what you need. By understanding both your needs and search area, they can also point out neighborhoods you don’t know much about but that might suit your needs better than you’d thought.

Expanded search power.

Sometimes properties are available but not actively advertised. A REALTOR® can help you find opportunities not listed on home search sites and can help you avoid out-of-date listings that might be showing up as available online but are no longer on the market.

Negotiation knowledge.

There are many factors up for discussion in a deal. A REALTOR® will look at every angle from your perspective, including crafting a purchase agreement that allows enough time for you to complete inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase.

Up-to-date experience.

Most people buy only a few homes in their lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you’ve done it before, laws and regulations change. REALTORS® handle hundreds of transactions over the course of their career.

Your rock during emotional moments.

A home is so much more than four walls and a roof. And for most people, property represents the biggest purchase they’ll ever make. Having a concerned, but objective, third party helps you stay focused on the issues most important to you.

The Hanley Home Team has a team of REALTORS to help you! Have any questions? Give us a call today!  Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS The Hanley Home Team of Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners Southside 904-515-2479 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com