Brrrrrr! You know we’re not alone when you hear that Florida might see weather in the 20’s. It doesn’t make it any better for those of us in colder areas (at least not for me, who wishes I was in a warmer climate right now). We have friends in from Arizona who said it was unusually cold in their area and my Mom, who lives in Gilroy, CA, was upset that her thermostat read “low battery” and she was feeling chilly.

I’ve been showing homes for sale in Orland Park on some of our snowiest and coldest days recently. Unfortunately, some lockboxes get frozen shut and sometimes you have to reschedule an appointment when this happens. Even when that isn’t the case, it gets quite cold standing there trying to open the lockbox to begin with.

Also, when you enter vacant properties with the heat turned down (which I understand), it makes for an uncomfortable showing. Sure, you’re out of the outside winds and any precipitation, but sometimes a cold home just chills me to the bone, even with a coat and gloves on. Many times, it makes for a quicker showing than if the home were heated to a more cozy temperature. A vacant home should be heated (I’ve read recommendations of at least 50 degrees) to prevent frozen pipes and other problems. I see more and more vacant homes for sale now than ever before.

I hope everyone reading this had great holidays and hope your 2008 turns out to be great!