As we move into fall, 2016 remains one of the biggest years ever for the Bozeman Real Estate market. Year to date, 723 single family homes have sold in the Bozeman area, which makes this the highest volume year on record thus far. This is the time of year that hunters are starting to look for the big one and skiers are dreaming of the snowflakes just around the corner. Meanwhile, fall is also an important time of year for home maintenance.

If you’re a homeowner, whether you’re thinking about selling or staying put for a while, fall is a great time to look around and take care of any needed maintenance items before winter comes. Furnaces, boilers, and heating systems should have regular maintenance including changing filters to insure they’re operating at peak efficiency. Fireplaces & wood stoves should also be maintained to insure they are operating safely. Having the chimney swept is an inexpensive way to prevent fires in wood stoves.

An inexpensive maintenance item that will help prevent many future issues including moisture infiltration & heat loss is to replace worn or missing caulking around windows and doors. Also take a look around the garage and in any unheated storage areas to see if there are items that might be damaged if they freeze. Paints and similar items last longer if they’re stored to prevent from freezing.

Leaf clean up in the gutters is just as important, if not more important, than leaf clean up in the yard. As snow melts off the roof, clogged gutters can lead to ice dams among other problems. Giving water a clear path out and away from the home will keep the foundation dry & happy. Also pay attention to the condition of downspouts, insuring the proper extensions are in place to push water out away from the home.

Disconnecting and draining exterior hoses is extremely important to prevent freezing pipes. If you own a rental property, it’s a good idea to remind your tenants to do the same. This is also the time of year to winterize underground irrigation systems.

With a few hours on a weekend, you can insure your home is ready for the changing seasons. As usual, I have included data for the number of single family homes sold during the first eight months of 2016. In addition to the 723 homes sold during this time period, another 215 homes are currently pending, or under contract, as of the date of writing this article. There were 174 pending sales at the same time period last year.

The included data reflects sales of homes in the greater Bozeman area, including Four Corners, Gallatin Gateway, Bridger Canyon, and Bozeman city limits. The data includes home sales reported through the local Southwest Montana MLS, and does not include private party sales, Condominiums, or Townhouses.