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The Biggest Perks of Buying a Home This Winter

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  The Biggest Perks of Buying a Home This Winter Waiting for perfect market conditions often means missing out. Because what you may not realize is, if you’re ready and able to buy, this time of year could actually give you an edge. Here’s why. As the weather cools down, the housing market can too – and that works in your favor. You Likely Won’t Feel as Rushed Homes tend to take a little longer to sell during this time of year.  Data  from the  National Association of Realtors  (NAR) shows the average time a house sits on the market jumps up during the winter months ( see the green bars in the graph below ): This is partly because fewer buyers are active at this time of year – and that decrease in buyer competition means the houses that are on the market aren’t going to be snatched up as quickly. So, if you decide to buy a home in the next couple of months, you’ll likely have more time to consider your options and negotiate a deal without feeling as pressured. S...
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November Gardening & Planting Tips

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It's time to enjoy autumn's camellias and dried flowers.
Grow Now: Paperwhites
With fragrant flowers and multiple blooms, paperwhites are seasonal favorites. Great for a new gardener or one with a green thumb, these bulbs are so carefree that they don't even have to be planted in soil to bloom (they can grow in pebbles or water). Start by choosing large, plump bulbs from a garden center or a mail-oder source. Select a glazed pot or bowl, and fill partway with pebbles; place bulbs on pebbles. Add a few more pebbles to support the bulbs. Pour in water up to the bases of the bulbs. Flowers should appear in three to six weeks. Stake, if needed (just cut bare branches from your yard). No time for all that? Buy bulbs prepotted and ready to grow. Easy - and remember, they make great gifts!
Buy Now: Sasanqua Camellias
These evergreens work great in pots and as specimens, espaliers, or hedges. Try 'Orchid,' 'Kanjiro,' 'Pink-a-Boo,' 'Bella Rouge,' 'Bonanza,' and 'Inspiration.' Some of these are in the SL Plant Collection. Buy sasanquas at your local nursery.
Rake Leaves
Piles of leaves can become wet blankets after rains smother your grass. Rake leaves from your lawn regularly throughout the fall, or gather them with the bagging attachment on your mower. Add the chopped leaves to shrub beds or flower beds to mulch plants and enrich your soil.
Perennials
In the Lower and Coastal South, dig up and divide daisies, irises, and daylilies. Use a garden fork. Gently pull apart lifted plants with your hands. Set divisions back at the original growing depth, firm soil around plants, and water.
Rex Begonias
The elegant foliage of these beautiful houseplants will illuminate any room in your home. Leaf colors can come in pinks, purples, greens, and silvers (they pair perfectly with the blooms of African violets). They prefer bright, indirect light. Let the soil dry slightly between waterings.
Fall-Blooming Shrubs
In the Lower and Coastal South, the blooms of the Confederate rose (Hibiscus mutabilis) will surprise you with their size and beauty. Flowers can be 4 to 6 inches across, opening white or pink and then turning red.

Original Article via Southern Living

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