APRIL 10, 2019 • Volume 14 • Issue 15
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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TIPS OF THE WEEK REAL ESTATE
RENOVATION
BATHROOM
LIST EARLY IN APRIL TO SELL FAST
DIY ERRORS COST TIME, MONEY
LIVEN UP WITH PLANTS
Porch.com wanted to know how often DIYers made major costly errors, so they surveyed 1,000 DIYers to find out. While DIY can reduce labor costs, unfortunately for some respondents errors in their DIY efforts costs them an average of $329. But even more surprisingly, errors could cost an average of five and a half hours longer to complete a botched job.
If you’re looking to add a personal touch to your bathroom, try a living plant or flowers in an elegant planter. HGTV recommends orchids and fiddle-leaf fi gs if you have a sunny window; and a ZZ plant or succulents if you have a low light. Note that the moisture from the shower will help plants grow and thrive.
Homes listed in the first week of April on average get 14 percent more online views and are likely to sell six days faster than those listed the rest of the year, according to experts at Realtor.com. There is less competition with other sellers in early April as the number of buyers jumps dramatically, but the number of listings doesn’t peak until a little later.
— More Content Now
This year has an additional advantage to buyers in that mortgage rates have declined significantly since the fall — rates are now below 4.5 percent versus nearly 5 percent in November.
DEAR MONTY
Can you trust your real estate agent?
RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: We accepted a purchase offer which allowed us to stay for 21 days after closing with no cost and an additional 45 days at a nominal daily rate. We were out of town during the entire transaction, and our agent sent us the electronic document and told us to sign, and that was all we needed to do. Our agent never contacted us when she returned from
vacation until a week before we were to close. Unbeknown to us, our additional occupancy was not included in the purchase agreement. We had to get our lawyer involved. He worked everything out, and we were able to stay. However, because of this omission, it cost us legal fees which our real estate agent says is our responsibility because we signed the agreement. I always thought that part of an agent’s responsibility is to work on behalf of her clients, and this includes making sure the terms of the offer are documented on a purchase agreement. We have emails documenting the terms of the counteroffer with our agent acknowledging the terms. Do we have any recourse? Were we wrong in not having someone look over the agreement before we signed?
Monty’s answer: Your communications with your agent leading up to the contract suggests anyone besides yourselves reviewing the contract may have missed it. Had you read the entire offer the error would have been discovered before it became a contract.
There are three obvious choices 1. Meet with the principal broker of the real estate firm and explain the situation to them. If you can obtain that meeting and the conversation is not going your way, suggest that you may contact the state department that regulates licensees. It seems like the agent dropped the ball if she acknowledged an email that included the provision and she forgot to include it. A threat is an action no one likes, but they also do not like investing time, risking adverse publicity, and realizing the regulators may rule
against them. 2. Unless your lawyer has already told you your chances of prevailing in court are unlikely, consider seeking his opinion. 3. Absorb the extra costs you have incurred and write this episode off to a learning experience. Pursuing reimbursement will drain your energy, time, and financial resources if you end up in court. Richard Montgomery is the author of “House Money - An Insider’s Secrets to Saving Thousands When You Buy or Sell a Home.” He advocates industry reform and offers readers unbiased real estate advice. Follow him on Twitter at @ dearmonty.
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, Apr il 10, 2019 • Page RE3
Don’t see your home in the
RE WEEKLY
Then contact a Realtor® today, because you are missing out on over 39,000+ potential buyers seeing your property for sale.
DIRECT MAIL + ONLINE
AmesTrib.com/realestateweekly
Page RE4 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, April 10, 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, April 10, 2019 • Page RE5
Lawn & garden spring cleaning By Laura Firszt | More Content Now
G
et your lawn and garden ready for a great growing season. The essential first step, whether you DIY or hire a landscaper: Take care of basic spring clean up. We show you how, with the professional advice of Phil Dwyer, Ph.D., turf grass scientist, and Amy Enfield, Ph.D., consumer horticulturist, both of Scotts Miracle-Gro.
Spring cleanup for your lawn ❑ Clear the lawn. Clear your lawn of twigs, stones, and garbage. Remove damaged turf, too. Then scrape away dead grass with a lawn rake. Weed-free dead grass and other organic debris can be composted. ❑ Repair bare spots. The best time for overseeding bare spots depends on your grass type and local climate. Seed cool-season grasses, common in the northern U.S., in early spring. Warm-season grasses in southern climates can wait until a little later in the season. After seeding, water daily till the grass reaches a good mowing height (about 2”). If the lawn’s especially thin, apply a multiuse product to improve the surrounding soil, fill bare spots with new grass seed, and feed. ❑ Get rid of weeds. For a lawn with only a few weeds, hand weeding will work, especially if they have shallow roots, like chickweed. However, for deeper-rooted weeds (such as dandelion or thistle), or when hand pulling is too much effort, you might need to apply a weed killer. ❑ Prep the mower; then mow high. Before the first mowing this season, clean and tune up your lawn mower. Once new grass has grown at least two inches, turn the mower deck to the highest setting for your grass type. Why? Tall grass grows deeper roots that absorb more moisture and block weeds. ❑ Feed. Feed the same time as you first mow, to help grass grow longer roots.
This creates a thicker, greener lawn with improved tolerance for summer heat, drought, and foot traffic. To save time and effort, consider a multipurpose product that can feed your lawn, prevent weeds, and keep away insect pests, as well. Be sure to choose the right product for your locale.
Spring cleanup for your garden ❑ Clear debris. Start by clearing large objects like sticks or pine cones. Then rake up fallen leaves and other small debris. The soil’s freeze-thaw cycles throughout winter and early spring sometimes push rocks to the garden surface, so be on the lookout and pick those up too.
Grab a handful of dirt and squeeze — if it crumbles, your soil has dried enough so you can start preparing garden beds. Clumping, OTOH, shows it’s still too wet to work. Once the soil is dry, remove any dead plants, prune lifeless branches, and mix in compost or readymade composted soil.
❑ Prep soil to optimize growing conditions.
Pull weeds the right way: remove not just stems but also the entire root, so unwanted plants won’t grow back. Weeds come out easier when they’re still small and your soil is damp. If they have a deeper root system, or the root doesn’t show when you pull by hand, pry up with a spade or digging fork.
❑ Remove weeds.
Treat with a weed preventer in spring, creating a barrier in the soil that prevents listed weed seeds from growing. (Always follow label directions when using.)
❑ Stop weeds before they sprout.
Well-maintained mulch helps stop weed seed germination, retains moisture, and even adds curb appeal. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of fresh mulch once the soil has warmed and dried enough to pass the squeeze test (see above). Leaving some garden soil bare provides nesting space for beneficial insects like bees. ❑ Mulch.
❑ Edge beds. Holding a flat-bladed spade or a lawn edger at a 30-degree angle, slice a clean edge where the garden beds meet the lawn. Cut deeply enough to remove any grass roots growing into the beds.
Add color to landscape beds and container gardens now by planting pansies, snapdragons, sweet alyssum, and other cool-weather-loving plants. Early spring is also a great time to start cool-season vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, spinach, kale and snap peas.
❑ Plant cool-weather plants.
Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.
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