MAY 15, 2019 • Volume 14 • Issue 20
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 OUTDOORS
MAINTENANCE
CLEANING
AVOID MOWING A WET LAWN
PERFECT TIME TO CHECK A/C
HIDDEN GERMS IN KITCHENS
April showers sometimes can continue long past the blooming of May flowers, and all that water can leave you with a lawn full on long grass. Still, it’s best to avoid mowing a wet lawn for a variety of reasons, says the experts at BobVilla.com. First, the wheels of the mower are more likely to dig into and leave huge gouges in soft, wet soil left after a storm. And it will take longer to mow when the grass is wet because the mower won’t perform as efficiently — or cut as evenly.
Now’s a great time to make sure that you home air-conditioning unit is in good working order before it really heats up outdoors. According to Energy.gov, to function effectively and efficiently, an air conditioner’s filters, coils and fins require regular maintenance. You can clean and check the system yourself or hire a professional for a tune-up, just know that it will cost anywhere from $100 to $250.
Better Homes and Gardens warns that people might be overlooking one commonly used area in the kitchen that can become a breeding ground for germs and bacteria — the refrigerator handle(s). So once a week, scrub the handle (and clean cabinet and any appliance handles, too) with a mix of 1 part hot water and 1 part vinegar to keep them sanitized. — More Content Now
DEAR MONTY
Our offer was accepted — how do we get out? determine if it is even possible. Quickly escalate to a sharp real estate attorney (today wouldn’t be too soon). If you have no attorney, here are some tips about finding one.
Here are 3 scenarios RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: We have an accepted offer on a home. The home we really wanted has come down in price, and we would love to get it. Can we do this?
Monty’s answer: The first consideration is to accept that going down this road will involve a cost to you to
• A legal review of the contract that determines you can cancel the contract legally without the risk of deposit forfeiture or a specific performance action by the seller. • If scenario one is not possible, go to the seller and ask them if they will agree to negotiate a cancellation agreement with a payment of “x” dollars, subject to you securing a contract on “Home B.” The real estate agents must agree to waive their right to their commission if the seller agrees. Be prepared for a “no” answer. They may have made other
financial commitments, or have other reasons. On the bright side, people have “seller remorse,” or could relate, and say “yes.” • If you can and will take on the additional financial risk of owning two homes, and a lender will grant you another mortgage on the home you missed earlier, you may be able to buy it, and sell the home you are in the process of buying. Before proceeding, even if you have the financial ability to do so, read about the risk of owning two homes. A variation on this scenario is to turn the current home under contract into a rental investment if it makes economic sense.
Be careful Real estate transactions can get complicated when one of the participants
wants to change direction. The “Home B” price reduction may produce additional buyers. Your attorney can advise you on the correct order to proceed. Lastly, hindsight is always raising its head in real estate. While it may be that you now believe the other home is better suited for you, it may not turn out that way. At some point, your quest may dry up, and in the future, you will exclaim “Are we ever glad we stayed on course.” Richard Montgomery is the author of “House Money - An Insider’s Secrets to Saving Thousands When You Buy or Sell a Home.” Follow him on Twitter at @ dearmonty.
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Know your soil
Composted leaves, sand and red clay. You can make a wonderful garden with a combination of these. The course creek sand will add some drainage, the clay is full of nutrients, and the composted leaves will help break up the soil and provide drainage and more nutrients to the soil. [betty montgomery] By Betty Montgomery More Content Now
W
ell, I know talking about soil is not as exciting as talking about beautiful blooming trees, shrubs and perennials. However, soil is the foundation of the garden, and the composition of the soil can help or deter plant growth. Healthy soil is the basis for healthy plants, and when you have good soil, you have less need for fertilizers or pesticides. The four major components of soil are mineral material, organic material, air and water (yes, air!). The mineral parts of soil are clay, sand and silt. The ratio varies from one place to another. Where I live, we have a lot of clay. Where I grew up, we had almost pure sand. You can certainly grow in both conditions. How you amend the soil can be different. After I married and moved to clay country, I thought I had ideal soil because people at home would talk about how they had to bring in clay to grow roses and to have a pretty perennial border or a good vegetable garden. But did I learn the hard way. I planted things in pure clay and they did not do well. I learned that the amount of clay, sand and silt determined aeration, drainage and water holding capacity. I was very fortunate to meet a wonderful man who became my friend and mentor, Herman Whitaker. Mr. Whitaker taught me about adding organic matter into the clay soil. This helped produce good drainage and enabled the tender little roots of newly planted plants to be able to work their way into the surrounding soil. He taught me about drainage, water holding capacity of soil
and opening up the soil to let air in or aeration. I learned that if you are not sure about your soil, dig a hole, fill it with water and see how long it takes for the water to drain out. If you have solid clay, it can be just like a bowl holding water. If your soil is quite sandy, it could drain very quickly. As hard as clay is (bricks are made of it), clay does have its good points. Clay is rich in minerals and nutrients and if you add composted leaves, ground pine bark, sawdust or other organic material to break up your soil, your plants will be happier. The other day I went over to our son’s home, I had promised I would plant some Lenten Roses (hellebores) in his yard. I solicited one of my grandsons, age 4, to help. He was not interested until I turned over a shovel of dirt and there was a worm. Well, then he was most interested in helping. In fact, we found more worms and he had fun digging them up. I tell you this because worms are very helpful to building good soil. Adding compost to a hole will invite worms to burrow through the soil as they transport food. In the process, they dramatically improve soil structure, while depositing power-packed worm manure castings. One friend says as you add to the soil, you are really feeding the worms. If you have just built a house, chances are that the topsoil was removed. Others have inherited yards that consist of lifeless or hardpan soil unfit for growing much of anything. With either of these conditions or if you are planning on starting a vegetable garden or want a pretty flower bed, soil has to be worked and revitalized with additions of organic material. Now, I am not promoting this, but I have to tell you what I used to do. I told my sons that I wanted a load
of chicken litter for my Christmas present. I know my daughters-in-law thought I was crazy to want a load of this rather than something pretty to wear. This is not the typical gift, granted, but it was a cherished one for me. It smelled horrible for two weeks. I scheduled it to arrive shortly after Christmas when I do not have to worry about guests or visitors. When planting, I was religious at adding some of this to the bottom of the hole I had dug and then adding some dirt and then planting the plant. I added the dirt because I wanted to make sure the compost was not “hot” (too fresh and powerful) and this would be some protection having the dirt between the manure and the roots of the plants. Manure holds moisture, it fed the worms and the plants all did great. I do not use this chicken litter as much now because I have these wonderful deer chasers called Oakie, Annie and Lilibet. These black labs keep deer out of the garden, and they do a great job of it. But Annie loves the smell of manure and it did not matter how deep the compost was in the ground, she would smell it and dig up my plants in the process. Now I use aproduct that is made up of composted leaves from the city. Here it is is called “Gardeners Choice,” but different places call it by different names. Just remember that good gardeners have soil that is rich in humus.
Betty Montgomery is a master gardener and author of “Hydrangeas: How To Grow, Cultivate & Enjoy,” and “A Four-Season Southern Garden.”
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When you’re ready . . . and it’s time to look beyond Online photos . . .
Visit a Real Open House! See This Week’s Complete Open House Schedule with Ames Open Houses Mapped for your convenience!
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