JANUARY 1, 2020 • Volume 15 • Issue 1
RE WEEKLY RESIDENTIAL • ACREAGE • FARM • COMMERCIAL • AREA DEVELOPMENT 515-233-3299 • 317 5th Street, Ames • All REALTOR® ads within are REALTORS® licensed in the State of Iowa
Online at www.AmesTrib.com/realestateweekly
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HOME HELP TIP OF THE WEEK
HOME RENOVATION
GARDENING
GUIDELINES FOR HANGING OUTDOOR HOLIDAY LIGHTS
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR BATHROOM WHEN RENOVATING
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN NOW
Hanging lights for the holidays can be challenging on multiple fronts. If you still need to put yours up, Old House has some tips to make the process go smoothly.
Protect your bathroom with these tips from DIY Network:
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a few gardening recommendations for this week.
1. Install a cement board designed to handle longterm exposure to moisture around the tub and shower.
If overwintering geraniums, provide them with bright light and cool indoor temperatures. Water them, but keep the soil from becoming soggy — this can cause root rot.
• Measure first. Calculate how many linear feet of string you’ll need before buying lights. Measure around your windows and doors, and along your roofline, then check the length of string you’re buying. Be sure to figure the distance from where the lights should start to the nearest socket to avoid an illuminated string of lights going directly into the outlet. • Pick the right bulb. For smaller jobs, like lighting a wreath or garland, choose incandescent bulbs. They are less expensive than LEDs, but don’t last as long and are less energy efficient. For larger jobs, go with LEDs. • Factor in spacing. Measure the distance between bulbs and buy sets that are more tightly spaced. Larger bulbs look best on your roof when spaced 6 to 10 inches apart. Smaller bulbs should be spaced tighter to avoid having to wrap multiple times. • Be careful when powering up. Limit incandescent mini bulbs to 10 strings of 50 lights for one plug. If using LEDs, however, you can go up to 50 strings of 70 lights! Wrap all connections between strings with electric tape to keep moisture out. Don’t assume all light strings are rated for outdoors. Additionally, always run lights into a covered outlet with a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). Do not run cords into your house through a window.
2. Use wallboard with moisture, mold and mildew resistance in the core. 3. Install mildew-resistant caulk and grout. 4. Paint walls with mildew-resistant paint and primer.
Winterize roses by mounding their crowns with an 8- to 10-inch-deep layer of soil, shredded hardwood, compost or other organic mulch. Winterize all power equipment before storage and change the oil and lubricate moving parts. Drain fuel systems or mix a gas-stabilizing additive into the tank. — More Content Now
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DEAR MONTY
Do real estate agents negotiate fees on dual transactions? go with another company. Is it unethical to negotiate a sweetheart deal with the listing agent by agreeing to use them in the purchase of our new home? We have signed nothing, nor have we made any verbal agreements.
R
RICHARD MONTGOMERY
eader question: My wife and I are in the process of downsizing. We have shopped neighborhoods and have chosen where we would like to land. In this process, we have had one particular agent show us five or six homes. Now it is time to list our home. This agent’s company has proven a definite lack of knowledge of our development, and we have decided to
Monty’s answer: You are free to negotiate with any real estate agent. If the agent has suggested such an agreement, you are already aware that the agent will participate. Still, if this deal is your idea, the question may be, Will the agent be open to negotiating with you? Some agents will be insulted, some will not be affronted but say no, and others will negotiate with you. In some instances, the broker will not participate in any reduced fee transaction, which may reduce an agent’s incentive to cooperate.
Procuring cause The one potential issue that could come to bear in the situation you have described is the concept of “procuring cause” in the real estate industry. Assuming both agents are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), they are bound by NAR’s rules on procuring cause. Procuring cause could impact the fee on the purchase of your new home if the first agent showed you the home you now want to buy from the second agent. A procuring cause arbitration may determine, depending on the particular circumstances and events, that the first agent was the procuring cause, and therefore entitled to a share of the commission on the purchase. This is not something that the customers are directly involved in and will not affect
the closing but could affect the second agent’s agreement.
Negotiations Consider asking both agents for a concession. Let them both know there is competition. This is transparency. If you can make some kind of deal, it may be in your best interest to see that the designated broker of the office signs off on the details. The agent’s broker, not the agent, owns the listing. Richard Montgomery is the author of “House Money — An Insider’s Secrets to Saving Thousands When You Buy or Sell a Home.” He is a real estate industry veteran who advocates industry reform and offers readers unbiased real estate advice. Find him at DearMonty.com.
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, January 1, 2020 • Page RE5
‘Low e’ windows and how they work By Laura Firszt
More Content Now
W
hy are low e glass windows such a hot topic in today’s home improvement news? Well, these specially coated windows save energy and filter UV rays. At the same time, though, they come with a definite downside. Discover what the buzz is all about, and explore the pros and cons of low e window installation in your home.
What is low e glass? The term “low e” stands for low emissivity, referring to a low level of heat transfer. The glass for low e windows is treated with ultra-thin layers of metal or metallic oxide. This reflects out infrared light (also known as “heat energy”), reducing heat loss by 30-50%.
Standard vs. low e windows Compare standard double glazing vs. double-pane, medium solar-gain low e windows. NOTE: Figures are based, in part, on reporting by the Efficient Windows Collaborative. Check out their detailed info on variations for single or tripleglazing, tinted standard glass, and different types of low e glass.
The term “low e” stands for low emissivity, referring to a low level of heat transfer. The glass for low e windows is treated with ultrathin layers of metal or metallic oxide. [W. carter/Wikimedia Commons]
Solar heat transmission (SHGC): Standard double glazing has an emissivity rate of 0.76; it transfers 76% of solar heat energy. The emissivity rate of low e windows can be as low as .02. Visible light transmission (VT): Double pane windows with standard glass transmits 81% of visible light; the VT of low e glass is 72. Rate of heat loss (U factor): Standard glass double glazing provides a U factor of 0.48; the figure for low e is 0.25. Installation cost: The cost to install low e windows is approximately 10-15% higher. However, these energy-efficient windows can substantially reduce your HVAC bills.
Types of low e coatings • Pyrolytic low e coatings, applied to hot glass during its manufacture, are very durable and weather resistant. You’ll see them on the outside of storm windows or inside sealed multipane windows. These products are often referred to as “hard-coat low e windows.” • Sputtered low e coatings, applied to cut sheets of glass at room temperature, are more vulnerable to humidity. They are typically used for retrofitting and inside double- or triple-pane windows, known as soft-coat low e windows. Sputtered e-coatings are capable of
offering a much lower emittance rate than pyrolytic, as low as 0.02.
Pros of low e windows • By minimizing your heat energy loss in winter and gain in summer, windows with low e glass will reduce the amount you need to depend on your HVAC system. At the same time, they help keep your home comfortable year round. • Low e windows are especially useful in extreme climates and for installation in exterior walls which are exposed to strong sunlight or harsh winds. • By filtering UV light, they also protect room interior decor against fading. Your wall paint, upholstery, art, drapes, and carpets or other flooring will continue to look great for a longer period of time.
Cons of low e windows • After installing low e windows, some homeowners complain about poor indoor brightness or a greenish tint, which tends to make their wall paint and ceramic floor tile colors appear distorted.
• Low e window experts counter that this problem can be resolved by hiring the right contractor. It’s essential to find someone experienced and knowledgeable, who will choose and install the correct windows for your local climate. • Another disadvantage of low e windows is that the reflected light may cause damage to your patio furniture, garden plants or even the neighbors’ vinyl siding. Nevertheless, according to ABC News, simply installing inexpensive window screens may solve the problem.
Undecided? Look for Energy Star certified windows. If possible, “test drive” a sample piece of low e glass before you make a purchase. Take the glass home and place it against your sunny window to get a more realistic picture of how the low e coating will affect the visible light quality in your house. Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.
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