Real Estate Watch: Be thankful for Thanksgiving

My Rotary club distributed 1,000 frozen turkey dinners (with all the stuffing, vegees, and dessert) last Sunday Nov. 20 at The Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point in Guinness World Record Time — just over three hours from start to finish.  
We had never done this in 25 years of providing Thanksgiving Day Dinners. Thanks to Roger Chizever, our chairman of the Turkey Drive, with his organized and assembly line production of 50-plus adults, teens and pre-teens helping to bag every one of those turkeys, it never ever went this fast in the past.  
We always bagged the birds on Monday to be distributed out, but, Roger figured, why not get everything done on Sunday, when everyone is around to help.  
Well, that is what was done and the morning unfolded into a robotic pace with everyone making a very strong concerted effort to finish before 12 p.m. and I believe they did.  
I had to leave early due to open houses and appointments.  But when I left around 10:10am, it appeared there were only 200 frozen turkeys left, combined with canned vegees, cranberry sauce, stuffing and deserts, etc to pack.  
So, I have to say, thank you Roger, for a job stupendously done!  
We hope all those families that probably could not afford that special Thanksgiving Day Dinner, truly enjoyed what they received on Thanksgiving Day, from the Rotary Club of Great Neck.
A few tips to finalize winterizing your home:
1. Did you Cleanout all gutters and leaders before they freeze and clog them up sometimes forcing water under the soffits into your home?
2. Did you put away all your lawn furniture?
3. Did you start your snow blower, to make sure it is in working order and changed the oil (straight 30 W non-detergent, is the best weight to use)?
4. Do you have a good snow shovel? 
5. Do you have ice melt to eliminate slippery steps  and sidewalks; since there could be some liability, if someone trips, falls, or even breaks a bone or two!
6. Have you changed your antifreeze, oil, transmission fluid in the last 12—24 months? (as needed by your owners manual).
7. Have you begun putting out your holiday decorations and begun shopping for all those gifts to family and friends?  Hope you got some super deals on Last, “Black Friday.”
8.  Have any planned projects, like painting the interior of your home, new kitchen and bathrooms, finishing your basement (you just might negotiate a better price now (interest rates are still at a 40-year low) than in the spring, when more people might consider those types of renovations.
9. You might want to fertilize your lawn with a broadcast spreader, one more time with a mixture of 28 percent nitrogen, 8 percent phosphorus and 8 percent potassium 28-8-8.  These nutrients will be absorbed by the grass plants and stored, and slowly building rhyzomes and tillers, now and into the spring, when everything begins to sprout and pop. Your grass will look lush and green, the envy of your neighbors.
10. Make sure all your leaves and debris are cleared from your property, especially on your grass areas, so they don’t freeze and damage the existing grass plants.
11.  When is the last time you cleaned your windows?  It’s a great time to do it now.  Also, winterize your faucets on the outside.
Prices on homes, Hoa’s, Condos, Coops should go up around 5 percent+ each year through 2020, according to the National Association of Realtors.  
The pressure from the sheer demand, lower than normal inventory and 40 year low in interest rates, should keep fueling the real estate market for the forseeable future.  
One last thing, if you are considering renting, don’t, because renting is now more expensive than purchasing, but exceptions will apply.  
Interested in know the rent versus buy analysis?  Then Call me.
Bonus information for our readers:
If you would like to receive a digital copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality,  or  “Our Seller’s Guide for “Things to Consider When Selling Your Home” just email me with your name, email and cell number.   
Phil is the owner of Turn Key Real Estate at 7 Bond St. in Great Neck.    
He can be reached by email: Phil@TurnkeyRealEstate.Com or by cell (516) 647-4289 to answer any of your questions.  
To search for any type of properties  or to see what your home is worth or homes that have sold in your area, go to WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com  or if you desire a Free, No Strings Attached customized comparative market analysis to see today’s market value, just call me for an appointment.