FEBRUARY 6, 2019 • Volume 14 • Issue 6
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
Always Available Online SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 Volume 11 • Issue 36
RE WEEKLY STORY
COUNTY
• AREA DEVELOPMENT • FARM • COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL • ACREAGE 317 5th Street, Ames State of Iowa 515-233-3299 • ® licensed in the ® are REALTORS All REALTOR ads within
SEPTEMBER 14, 2016 Volume 11 • Issue 37
RE WEEKLY STORY
COUNTY
www.AmesTrib.com
ALWAYS ONLINE
RESIDENTIAL • ACREAGE • FARM • COMMERCIAL 515-233-3299 • AREA DEVELOPMEN • 317 T
5th Street, Ames All REALTOR® ads within are REALTORS® licensed in the State of Iowa
n.com
www.StoryCountySu
www.AmesTrib.com
ALWAYS ONLINE
www.StoryCou
ntySun.com
Ames at your finge
r tips!
My
Ames
EAT • SHOP • PLAY • EVENTS •LIVE DEALS
DOWNLOAD THE APP TODAY!
AmesTrib.com/realestateweekly
Online at www.AmesTrib.com/realestateweekly
Page RE2 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Realtors, do you want to reach a wider group of potential buyers? Advertise in the RE Weekly. In print and online.
Call Ali Eernisse 515-663-6956
RE WEEKLY
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, February 6, 2019 • Page RE3
Page RE4 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, February 6, 2019
DEAR MONTY
Deciding if a home improvement is worthwhile
RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: I have a condo unit facing an empty residential lot which has a stockade fence bolted on top of an eight-foot-high concrete wall. My second-floor unit is level with the top of the wall and all of the fence. I believe the terrible condition of the fence and the fact that my deck needs painting is a big factor in not being able to sell. Would it be feasible
to offer to pay for these improvements myself? Monty’s answer: It sounds like your home has been for sale for a while. The first order of business is to determine the sale price and sale dates of the units with similar views of the neighbor’s fence. This information is readily available through a real estate agent with MLS access.
The fence There are many buyers who will rarely look out the windows. The size and price range of your unit, the demographics of other residents, the real estate market competition and demand all impact this decision. What was it about your home that drove your purchase? Consider seeking two or three vetted real estate agents to gain opinions of
value, and without mentioning the deck and the fence, ask them what they think you could do to increase the unit’s marketability. If painting these components is not one of the recommendations, it may not be an issue. You could follow up with a phone call, or ask them on their way out the door.
More new information You would need permission from the neighbor and possibly the HOA to paint the deck. Two or three estimates will be helpful were you to proceed. With all this new data, you can decide if taking the painting step will make the difference. An HOA withholding regular maintenance is a red flag for buyers. If painting your deck is not your responsibility, ask yourself: Are my neighbors also living
with an unkempt deck? Maybe others should be helping to address the neighbor, the HOA, and possibly, municipal ordinances. If the fence owner was reported, they might be facing a citation and order to repair. A less-desirable option is to give a buyer a painting credit. Make sure the credit reason hits the data sheet, so a prospect is not surprised during the showing. Find Richard Montgomery at DearMonty.com.
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, Febr uar y 6, 2019 • Page RE5
Don’t see your home in the
RE WEEKLY Then contact a Realtor® today, because you are missing out on over 37,000+ potential buyers seeing your property for sale.
DIRECT MAIL + ONLINE AmesTrib.com/realestateweekly
Page RE6 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Lovely landscape
but a focal point here and there add a sense of motion as they cascade downward. Weeping trees come in all shapes and sizes. A weeping beech is a very large tree, growing up to 50 feet tall By Betty Montgomery over time and looks great in More Content Now a park or large landscape. On the other hand, some of the Have you ever thought about the shape lace-leaf Japanese maples are of trees? How they grow tall and straight perfect for that small space in or have a weeping character to them? the garden, only growing to What makes some trees grow tall and about 3 to 4 feet in height. straight while others weep? Both shapes Some of the weeping trees are magnificent in the landscape and produce flowers, and the comcreate a stunning silhouette against the bination of beautiful blossoms sky or as a backdrop for your garden. and flowing branches makes a Large, noble trees can grow to spectacular show. Others, like 100 feet or more and are memorable some of the weeping maples, with their magnificent silhouette of have outstanding fall color. bare branches against the winter sky. Most weeping trees are decidWeeping trees also have a place in the uous and even in winter, when landscape with their curving branches the branches are bare; they that flow downward. I am not sure I are eye-catching and have a “Falling Water” bald cypress. [betty montgomery photos] would want all my trees to be weeping, special elemy grandparents, we would stop for gance lunch at picnic tables placed along the that other trees route. There was one picnic table under do not possess. a weeping willow where my sisters and There is poise, I always wanted to picnic. It created a a sense of motion lasting memory. that is frozen in We have a weeping hornbeam in our time. They make yard, and it is a favorite tree of mine. I quite a stateespecially think it is magical when snow ment, and give a covers the branches as it did recently. calming effect to This tree is unique in that it gets quite one’s soul. One wide after it reaches its mature height. It of the most noted is a favorite of two of our grandsons to weeping trees is climb and look out of the top of the tree a weeping willow when the tree is in leaf. (Salix babyWhen you see a weeping cherry lonica). They can (Prunus spp.) in flower, it too is a sight grow relatively to behold. Weeping cherry trees must tall and have very be included in any list of best cascadlong cascading trees. Although they are short-lived ing branches (being prone to pest attacks and disthat flow to the eases), they are spectacular bloomers for ground. the spring landscape. I visited a garden When I was with a lovely pink one that was in full a child, and flower and I still remember the lovely there were no sight, making it a priority on my wish McDonald’s or list. other fast-food I was on a garden tour that took us restaurants along Weeping willow trees do best when planted near water and where the to Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, the road to visit nights cool-off some in the summer.
Weeping trees are a surprisingly fun focal point
Kentucky, where I saw a magnificent weeping katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. “Pendulum”). This deciduous tree grows to about 25 feet and is graceful with the cascading branches that hang from a pyramidal shaped tree. The heart shaped leaves have a lovely burgundy-pink shade as they emerge in spring changing to a blue-green shade as they mature in summer before turning yellow in the fall. What more could you ask for in a tree? As you can tell, I am in love with weeping trees. Truly, I am in love with most all trees. They all have a wonderful place in the landscape and add beauty to the countryside. Without majestic trees, our landscape would not be the lovely scene we see today. Betty Montgomery is a master gardener and author of “Hydrangeas: How To Grow, Cultivate & Enjoy,” and “A FourSeason Southern Garden.” She can be reached at bmontgomery40@gmail.com.
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, February 6, 2019 • Page RE7
Page RE8 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, February 6, 2019
2018 Marketing Plan
2019 Marketing Plan
Because hope is not a marketing plan. Start your year oǺ strong with a guided plan from ThriveHive. 515-232-2160 | www.amestrib.thrivehive.com
515 432 6694 | www newsrepublican thrivehive com