Raised Beds, Lowered Standards, and Real Estate Shenanigans!

Before 2019, I barely paid attention to the wildlife wreaking havoc in my backyard. My wildlife sightings were limited to rare highlights: once spotting wild turkeys in our yard and another time catching sight of our local hawk making a meal of a rabbit in a neighbor's driveway. I'd glance out the window occasionally, noticing birds, deer, and sometimes even a skunk. There was also the opossum incident, but I’m not allowed to talk about that. What happens in a neighbor’s driveway, stays in the neighbor’s driveway.

Then on my 55th birthday my bride, Jen, looked at me and declared, “You need a hobby.” “Hobby?!” I said, “I have hobbies!” “Like what?” she asked. “I like fishing and watching TV.” “Yeah, no.” She said. “Watching TV is not a hobby, and you have to actually go fishing to say it’s a hobby. Do something constructive, try gardening or something.”

Well, challenge accepted! I had visions of lush, magazine-worthy gardens filling up my third of an acre. I daydreamed about a guest spot on The Victory Garden (Which I don’t think has aired since the 70s).

I watched all types of YouTube videos gathering ideas all winter long looking forward to spring. When the pandemic hit in March, I took that as a sign from God. With time to kill I jumped in with both feet. As soon as the weather broke, I built four raised beds and filled them with topsoil that I had trucked in from Puritas Nursery. Then in late March I planted seeds in my basement. I hit Amazon early in February and bought a bag of potting soil and grow lights. You should have seen the look Jen gave me when Amazon dropped a bag of dirt at my front door. “Did you buy dirt from Amazon?!” she asked shaking her head as if I had lost my mind.

Any way back to my seedlings, I nurtured those plants like they were family, I was proud as could be. In late May I transplanted them outside. I put an egg under each plant and sprinkled some fertilizer along with dusting the roots with Mycorrhizal Fungi. All the stuff I learned from YouTube. All in all I was growing $10.00 tomatoes and $20.00 cucumbers.

After planting I started to watch pickling and canning videos until one week later, when the deer and all of the neighborhood wildlife arrived, it was like the grand opening of an all-you-can-eat buffet. Let me be clear: I wasn’t growing prize tomatoes or exotic lettuce. Frankly, I wasn’t even looking forward to eating what I grew. Still, when I discovered my plants had been turned into a salad bar, I was furious. I don’t know why I cared so much. Probably because of all the effort I'd put into those little seedlings it felt personal. The war was on!

The deer were, and remain my fiercest garden enemies. Initially, I tried scarecrows. Imagine proudly unveiling my new deterrent to Jen, only for her to point out fresh deer prints inches from the supposedly intimidating figure. Tin foil pie pans and bars of Irish Spring soap hung from strings were next it left the yard smelling fresh but not exactly scaring anything away.

As the years passed, I finally caved and put up fencing, a certain victory was mine. Wrong! Turns out, adult deer find a four-foot fence as challenging as stepping over a curb. One time, I left the it open and in one night I was wiped out again.

Now I've upgraded my defense to high-tech: a Ring camera that alerts me anytime the deer return. Day or night, I burst outside clapping and shouting, which probably entertains my neighbors far more than it deters the deer. And if I'm away? I frantically call home yelling, "DEER! DEER!” the deer just keep munching.

The squirrels and rabbits weren't much of an issue until recently, thanks to a vigilant hawk family that once patrolled our skies. Their majestic swoops kept smaller critters cautious. But lately, the hawks have moved on to better hunting grounds and my garden's become a neighborhood buffet for all creatures, great and small.

The other day, Jen asked, “Do you actually enjoy gardening?” Without hesitation, I said, “Absolutely, I love it!” She raised an eyebrow and replied, “Then why do you always storm back into the house red-faced, muttering like a crazy man? Hobbies are supposed to reduce stress, not cause it!” I’m pretty sure she walked away from that conversation mumbling something about Elmer Fudd. After 25 years of marriage, she still doesn’t know what makes me tick.

Recently, my neighbor gave me an electric fence to fend off the deer and I have 2 Red Rider BB guns. “Say hello, to my little friends!” Yes, I've escalated this gardening hobby into full-on warfare. We'll see how it works—though with my luck, the deer will probably show up wearing rubber boots and insulated gloves.

Growing up, gardening looked so much simpler. My mom would scratch out a tiny patch of pure clay, toss some seeds on the ground, stomp on them for good measure, and by August she'd be feasting on tomato sandwiches. Meanwhile, my dad had his peculiar method: meticulously pulling plant suckers and dusting the base of plants with a mysterious powder, diatomaceous earth, as if casting some secret garden spell. My grandfather went even further, nurturing his roses with a magical mixture of coffee grounds and banana peels. Everyone seemed to have their secret, gardening hacks.

Reflecting now, I realize my parents and grandparents, who lived through the Great Depression, must be having a hearty laugh watching me build raised beds, wage war against deer with electric fences (in Fairview Park), and helplessly witness squirrels and rabbits treating my garden like their personal Old Country Buffet. If you have any tricks to keep the marauders at bay, let me know.

Today's real estate market remains a seller’s market. Inventory is creeping up, but buyers are hesitating, hoping for lower interest rates. Here’s the hard truth: when rates drop, more buyers flood the market, prices spike, and affordability tightens. My advice? Marry the home, date the rate—buy now and refinance later. Before someone jumps up and down saying that I am suggesting buying a home outside of your price range in the hopes of refinancing it, I am NOT, I am saying do not try and time the market. After 30 years selling real estate, trust me, trying to perfectly time the market is about as practical as chasing the deer away with Irish Spring.

Now, let's talk straight about a very troubling issue; in a significant move, Howard Hanna has officially announced that it no longer considers the CCP (Clear Cooperation Policy) binding as of May 21,2025, according to Rismedia.com. This policy, established by National Association of Realtors, mandates that brokers submit listings to their affiliated Multiple Listing Services (MLS) within two business days of publicly marketing a property.

The Clear Cooperation Policy was originally implemented in 2020 to address the growing prevalence of "pocket listings," where properties were marketed privately without being listed on the MLS. The Clear Cooperation Policy was specifically designed to ensure maximized seller exposure by requiring that listing properties on the MLS exposes them to a broader audience, potentially leading to higher sale prices and quicker transactions.

Previously, I wrote how large, big-box brokerages often grapple with substantial overhead costs; expenses stemming from multiple office locations. These costs can sometimes lead to challenges in maintaining profitability. By allowing properties to be marketed without immediate MLS submission, Howard Hanna's approach could limit the pool of potential buyers, potentially resulting in lower sale prices. Supply and demand.

This is an obvious attempt to keep more sales in-house. By choosing not to follow this policy, Howard Hanna can market properties privately for longer periods before sharing them on the MLS. While this may help the company keep more sales within its own network, it could also limit the number of potential buyers for each property—possibly resulting in lower sale prices for sellers due to reduced competition.

In short, this move may benefit Howard Hanna’s business, but it could put their sellers at a disadvantage by shrinking the buyer pool and impacting the final sale price.

I am not aware of any economic theory suggesting that a smaller pool of buyers results in higher prices.

At Rath Home Sellers, I keep overhead low and marketing strong, ensuring your home gets maximum visibility. With customized strategies, professional photography, and direct access to an experienced agent who’s got your back, we'll secure the best price for your home. Keep it simple by partnering with someone dedicated to your best interests.

Until next time-

Dennis

Expert Guidance for Your Next Adventure—Because Your Next Home Matters.