Do you know one of the most searched home related questions on the internet? Dry basement and questions related to keeping your basement dry are searched over 1300 times each month. Check out our video here:   For those of us that live in northeast Wisconsin – especially Oshkosh and Neenah, we struggle with keeping water out of our basements.  When we take buyers through a home or have an inspection done, one of the single biggest callouts are related to water, dampness or evidence of water in the basement. As a homeowner there are a few simple things that we can do during spring, summer and fall to protect and help our basement situation.  Here are some simple tips and reminders that any homeowner CAN and SHOULD do.  I’ve done each of them personally myself--- you can too! Always make sure your downspouts are DOWN and pulling rain water away from the house. Next time your teenager mows the lawn, remind him or her to put those spouts back down after the mowing. Does the landscaping along side your foundation slope towards or away from the house? You want that soil and landscaping to slant away. How often are you cleaning your gutters of debris? The recommended timing for that is twice per season.  My fiancé is a stickler for this so he tends to do it once a month or more.  It has helped with my water issues tremendously.  If you have mature trees like I do, sticks, leaves, debris from the trees are constantly plugging up the hole the exits downward.  (and a little hint, don’t blow out your gutters too soon after a rain… I might have a little experience in that.) When you put your sump hose out this spring--- check them for small leaks that can be putting moisture back towards your house. Make sure the water runs far enough away from your foundation. I was also recently told by an inspector that having your lawn maintained helps with seepage back toward the house. That includes keeping the grass and landscaping in somewhat good shape and picking up debris.  All of that contributes to the overall health of your yard and home. Healthy grass absorbs the heavy rain; pulling water away from your foundation. We tend to have really wet springs here in Wisconsin and the clay that our homes are built on tends to suck up that moisture and create issues for us in lots of ways.  By being a little more diligent doing these foundation preventive maintenance items, I have had a noticeable difference in my water issue in my basement.  You can too! Check out Lauren's Spring Home Hacks here:  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/joinfreedomteam https://www.facebook.com/valeriecohn.gehrke/ https://www.facebook.com/kyle.meyer.965 https://www.facebook.com/lauren.nobbe.3 https://www.instagram.com/joinfreedom https://www.instagram.com/vcohngehrke/ Freedom Team Real Estate Agents serving Appleton, Neenah, Oshkosh, Fond du lac and surrounding areas in Wisconsin.  Check us out at www.joinfreedomteam.com or by calling us at 920-410-7230 today.

HOUSING MARKET UPDATE - April 6, 2022 - THIS MARKET IS CRAZY! We get that comment a lot. We are hoping to answer some of those burning questions we get over and over again with a simple video update on what we are TRULY seeing in the market each week. Here is a quick update for March 29-April 5. Data for Oshkosh, Neenah, and Appleton - Number sold that were over list price and the median amount of the overages. Come back each week as we try to address the questions that we get from our clients and family and friends about this market. Our plan is to arm you with real time information as we gather it. WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION FOR NEXT WEEK?  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/joinfreedomteam https://www.facebook.com/valeriecohn.gehrke/ https://www.facebook.com/kyle.meyer.965 https://www.facebook.com/lauren.nobbe.3 https://www.instagram.com/joinfreedom... https://www.instagram.com/vcohngehrke/

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN MARKET UPDATE – ARE HOMES REALLY SELLING FOR THAT MUCH OVER ASKING PRICE IN NORTHEAST WISCONSIN? Video Here: Northeast Wisconsin Market Update - March 29 Yesterday, I shared about inventory and the real numbers for our market. I get asked questions about the craziness of the market and know that people are hearing all kinds of stories about how much over list price houses are selling for. I thought it would be interesting to run the actual data from our region – I did this not knowing what I would find. There are nuances to being successful in getting an offer as a home buyer in the 2022 housing market. It really helps to understand the data though before you make a buying decision based on rumors and news reports. For the homes sold between January 15, 2022 and today (March 29, 2022), here is what I found: Oshkosh, Wisconsin – 131 homes sold; 76 sold for under or at list price, of the 55 over list price – the median overage was $10,000 Appleton, Wisconsin – 147 homes sold; 57 sold for under or at list price, of the 90 over list price – the median overage was $11,600 Neenah, Wisconsin – 91 homes sold; 44 sold for under or at list price, of the 47 over list price – the median overage was $10,000 Additionally, if we just look at the median over/under price: 🏡Oshkosh – Median list prices- $165,000; 🏡actual median sold price $162,000 🏡Appleton – Median list price - $229,900; 🏡actual median sold price $235,000 🏡Neenah – Median list price - $280,000; 🏡actual median sold price $280,000 This market is tough. With so few homes, there truly are competitive offers being made. Price is NOT the only factor that is winning offers. Understanding what the seller needs is winning offers. That’s where your agent and the seller’s agent come in. We work together to find a win-win for both buyers and sellers. Get an agent that will share data with you AND is willing to work closely with other agents (ask them to give you an example of a time they did so.) Today, be empowered with the facts. Let the data help you decide your next steps. Let us know how we can help too!  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/joinfreedomteam https://www.facebook.com/valeriecohn.gehrke/ https://www.facebook.com/kyle.meyer.965 https://www.facebook.com/lauren.nobbe.3 https://www.instagram.com/joinfreedom... https://www.instagram.com/vcohngehrke/ 

Over the last few weeks and months, we've been releasing videos highlighting the communities in Northeast Wisconsin and the Fox River Valley (Fox Cities). Take a look at some of our playlist! UnPacking Wisconsin Northeast Wisconsin and the Fox River Valley have some of the best cities to live in within the nation and within Wisconsin. With this series, we highlight the communities we live in. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/joinfreedomteam https://www.facebook.com/valeriecohn.gehrke/ https://www.facebook.com/kyle.meyer.965 https://www.facebook.com/lauren.nobbe.3 https://www.instagram.com/joinfreedom... https://www.instagram.com/vcohngehrke/