APRIL 5, 2017 Volume 12 • Issue 14
RE WEEKLY STORY COUNTY
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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TAKE CONTROL OVER YOUR NEXT
CAR SEARCH
SO MANY OPTIONS...SO MUCH NOISE...SO LITTLE TIME Let BestRide.com narrow the choices and cut through the clutter to find your next ride.
LET’S DRIVE The smartest, easiest way to find a car online. www.BESTRIDE.com
Story County Sun • Wednesday, April 5, 2017 • Page 9
DIY
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garage organization Household hazardous waste disposal Paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides that contain potentially hazardous ingredients are hazardous waste, and special care should be taken when disposing of them. Most communities offer special sites where people can drop off these items. Find yours at paintcare.org/drop-off-locations/#/ find-a-drop-off-site
Clear out, clean up, optimize By Laura Firszt More Content Now
Q
uick! What does the following quote refer to? “Everybody complains about _____, but nobody does anything about it.” If you guessed “the clutter in my garage,” you weren’t technically correct (the answer is actually “the weather”). However, you did succeed in bringing up an issue that touches a raw nerve for most American homeowners. If your garage is so cluttered you can’t even find your car, make this year the one you finally tame those mountains of mess.
Sort your stuff Sort all the piles of junk … er … stuff that have somehow collected in your garage over this past winter. Set up 4 separate action categories: Donate or sell – things which are still usable, just not by you. Recycle – old newspapers, plastic containers without lids … you get the picture. Throw out – whatever’s not worth anything to
[BIGSTOCK PHOTO]
— More Content Now
anybody. Use caution when disposing of toxic or flammable items like paint, solvents, antifreeze, or fuel; handle with care and take them to your local hazardous waste center. Keep – what you really, really promise you need. Notice how we strategically placed this one last, so you’ll be less tempted to lump everything into this category. This category can (should!) be broken down even further, into seasonal and regularly used.
Clean and brighten Once you finally get rid of the garage clutter and make some room in there, do a pre-spring cleanup. • Wash your garage windows and floor; rent a hot water pressure washer if the floor is badly soiled. For safety’s sake, before you begin pressure washing, remove all flammable substances, and ensure that you have adequate ventilation and drainage. • Wipe down the garage doors and walls, as well, to remove spider webs and general grime. While you’re at it, schedule an inspection of the garage doors to make sure they’re operating smoothly and safely. Next, why not freshen up your garage interior with a coat of paint? Exterior latex will be fine for the walls, but use hardwearing, durable 1-part epoxy paint on your floor.
Plan your garage space Now sit down, take a deep breath, and relax. You’re not done yet, but a brief time out will allow you to consider exactly how you’ll make optimal use of your newly cleared and cleaned garage. Take accurate measurements; then sketch as you plan, with either good old paper and pencil or high tech 3D modelling software. Remember that the main function of a garage is as a protected parking area. It may also be the only practical place for your washer and dryer, and possibly your freezer and water heater too. With that in mind, calculate how much room you need for your vehicle(s) and appliances before anything else. Then you can add in the extras, like workspace and storage.
A place for everything If your garage will be multitasking, install a parking bumper or stop to keep your car where it belongs. This is actually required according to the building code in many localities. Optimize your “bonus” space by fitting in a convenient combination of work area and storage. Install a fold-down workbench, which can do double duty as a craft table. Those outdated cabinets you took down when you remodeled your kitchen? Repurpose them as no-cost storage units. — Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.
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TIPS OF THE WEEK New homeowners spending more on improvements If you’re a new homeowner finding yourself unexpectedly shelling out money for renovations, you’re far from alone, according to a study released this year by the nonprofit Home Improvement Research Institute. While only 18 percent of U.S. homeowners buy a house they consider a “fixer-upper” with the intention of making changes, 80 percent actually end up with home improvement projects in the first year, HIRI reports. Their median expenditure? Approximately $4,000.
LAWN CARE
Give your gas mower a tune-up Before you put your walk-behind gas lawnmower to work, follow this to-do list from Angie’s List to get your machine in top condition. For instructions that are specific to the make and model of your mower, have the owner’s manual handy or download a copy online. • Before you start, disconnect the spark plug to prevent accidental startups while you work. • Drain the oil and dispose of it properly in a sealed container. For a small fee, an auto mechanic can take it off your hands. • Change the air filter. • Replace the spark plug. • Remove the blade and sharpen it with a bench grinder, or take it to a lawn mower repair place. • Clean accumulated grass, leaves and debris in the deck, in the wheels and on top of the mower. • Replace the oil and fill the gas tank.
FLOORING
Properly caring for wood floors Wood flooring can boost property values and look stunning, however, that beautifully sealed wood grain needs to be maintained properly in order to prevent damage. The experts at the National Wood Floor Association recommend a regular maintenance schedule: Daily: Sweep or clean with a dust mop Weekly: Vacuum using the bare floor setting Monthly: Clean with wood flooring cleaner Every 3-5 years: Add a protective maintenance coat Every few decades: Sand and refinish — Brandpoint
DEAR MONTY
When unrelated people buy a home together
R
eader question: I am considering buying a home with a co-worker. We both have good jobs, and employment has been stable. The idea of deductions for interest and real estate taxes is appealing. The big appeal is that by buying a home together, our monthly housing expense will decrease dramatically because we currently do not live together. Do you have any suggestions outside the typical home buying experience for unrelated people when they buy real estate? Monty’s answer: Your reasons for considering such an arrangement are sound. More
future. 1. A pre-launch counseling session. Get together for the sole purpose of sorting out each of your expectations. Both of you come prepared with a list subjects you want RICHARD MONTGOMERY to discuss. Do not sugarcoat your feelings. We often think “We are coworkers or friends, unrelated people are buying and we have gotten along well homes together than ever before. An indication of this is for years. We are very compatthe rising number of questions ible.” Yes, but you have not we receive on DearMonty.com lived together. One perfectionist and one not-so-neat from readers who enter into real estate ownership together individual may wear on each other. Create a list of house without the appropriate due diligence. Here are some sug- rules that each party endorses (a signature is best) before you gestions that will help ensure get caught up in the exciteyou avoid the kinds of issues ment of a home search. that create conflict in the
2. Establish a partnership agreement. You want to make an effort beforehand to structure the transaction like any other business arrangement, whether two or more participants, co-workers, in a relationship or best friends. Here are a few sample questions: What happens if one of us want to move out? How will we take title to the house? What if we experience a significant repair, and one of us cannot pay our share? How is value established if one of us wants out, and the other wants to stay? There are many resources about creating a partnership, but an online template is no match
for an experienced real estate attorney. 3. Obtain a pre-approval letter from a mortgage lender. Go together and ask about any precautions they would be asking for that they would not require for a married couple. According to Fred Rauch, Senior Loan Officer at VIP Mortgage in Scottsdale, Arizona, “it is quite easy for unrelated people to buy homes together today, but getting out is not so easy,” so understanding the potential ramifications when your circumstances change is vital. — Send Richard Montgomery questions at DearMonty.com.
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