MAY 22, 2019 • Volume 14 • Issue 21
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
Page RE2 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, May 22, 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, May 22, 2019 • Page RE3 Laminate flooring, invented in the 1970s, simulates the rich look of hardwood or other high-end materials, yet generally costs much less. [Wasrts/ creative Commons]
How to install
laminate flooring
By Laura Firszt More Content Now
If you’re looking for a project that’ll really challenge your DIY skills, try your hand at installing a laminate floor. This large-scale home improvement will give you a feeling of satisfaction and save you some cash. Laminate flooring, invented in the 1970s, simulates the rich look of hardwood or other high-end materials, yet generally costs much less. Laminate flooring planks comprise several layers laminated together, including (in order, from bottom to top): • Paper or plastic backing • Inner core of medium- to high-density fiberboard and melamine resin • Photographic image - most frequently of wood grain • Waterproof protective coat of transparent plastic or aluminum oxide
Prep for installation Plan where to move your furniture temporarily. If you’re doing a whole-house installation, find overnight accommodation for yourself and your family. The flooring will need to be undisturbed for 24 hours after installation. Ensure that the surface you plan to cover — whether subfloor or the old flooring material — is clean, dry, and
in good shape. Level the surface, if necessary, using a cementitious leveling compound. Complete all wet work in the room, such as concrete or paint, and allow to dry thoroughly prior to laying the floor. Purchase 10-15 percent more flooring material than you think you’ll need, to allow for cutting and piecing, plus a few leftovers for future repairs.
What to do
1 2
Remove baseboards carefully so they can be reused once the laminate flooring is in place.
Install underlayment, taping seams. This thin foam layer increases floor resilience, blocks moisture, and muffles noise. You’ll need a vapor barrier, too, if your underfloor is concrete.
3 4
Start your installation from one edge of the room, along the wall.
Position your first row of flooring planks groove side toward the wall. Snap pieces together at an angle, tapping with a mallet for a solid connection. Trim the last piece in the row to fit.
5
Offset subsequent rows at least 12 inches, using cut pieces from previous rows.
6
Mix planks from three or four boxes to avoid the cookie cutter repetitive look that can be a drawback of laminate flooring.
7 8
Cut the long edge of the last row to conform to the wall edge.
Replace baseboards.
Pros and cons Pros: Laminate floor materials and installation give you great style at an affordable price. You can choose from the huge selection of faux woods, stones and tiles. Laminate flooring is also easy to clean, resists dents and scratches, and doesn’t discolor from sunlight. It may be installed above, on, or below grade. Cons: The main disadvantage is that once the surface wears down, it can’t be sanded and refinished like hardwood. Instead it will probably need to be replaced. Laminate also doesn’t tolerate large amounts of moisture, such as pools of standing water from a plumbing leak. Though today’s materials are much lower in VOCs than previously, some off-gassing is still likely when you install laminate floors. Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.
Page RE4 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, May 22, 2019
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
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, May 22, 2019 • Page RE5
TIPS OF THE WEEK TIP OF THE WEEK
HOME RENOVATION
HOW TO
KEEP QUARTZ SHINY
WASH WALL BEFORE PAINTING
CLEAN EARBUDS
Despite being known for their durability and nonporous surface, quartz countertops can still be damaged if you use the wrong cleaner, say the experts at BobVilla.com. Quartz countertops are nonporous thanks to the resin binders but will dull if cleaned with an abrasive cleanser or one with too high or too low of a PH. Most spills should wipe up easily with a paper towel, microfiber cloth, or soft sponge. To give counters a deep clean, spray a generous amount of a nonabrasive surface cleaner over your counter, let it sit for 10 minutes, then wipe the counter with a scratchfree sponge.
Spring is a great time to give your interior walls a fresh coat of paint. But painting involves a lot of prep work, and diynetwork.net reminds homeowners not to overlook attentiveness to walls by dusting and cleaning them with a towel or vacuum cleaner. The experts there note that some walls — such as in bathrooms and kitchens — should be washed before painting, using a solution of approximately 3 teaspoons of laundry detergent to 1 gallon of water.
Consumer Reports says 10 minutes and some common supplies are all you need to clean a pair of earbuds. First, if your headphones have removable tips, take them off and clean them using a toothpick. When it comes to the delicate inner workings of your headphones and the mesh screen covering the drivers, use a toothbrush or cotton swab to gently clean off any gunk.
DEAR MONTY
Must a home be listed in the MLS to be for sale? Monty’s answer: Any seller is free to sell their property without utilizing the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) or a real estate agent. Any buyer is free to buy a home without using the services of a real estate agent. There is a legal requirement to pay a commission when a seller violates the terms of a listing agreement. RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: Is it a requirement that a house is placed on the MLS to be listed for sale or not? What, if any, legal issues would be caused by offering on a home that’s off the MLS but was on it recently? Should the seller’s agent re-list it before one makes an offer?
The background There are more than 2 million licensed real estate agents in the country, according to the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO). Over 1 million of them are members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). If you were to list your home with a real estate company that is a NAR member, listing your home in the MLS is a requirement. A non-NAR member cannot utilize the MLS so a home would
not be in the MLS with a non-NAR member. The bulk of the real estate licensees that are not members of NAR are not active in real estate. They see real estate as a fall-back career were their current employment to evaporate. There are practicing real estate brokers that are not members of the NAR.
How to determine if the buyer is protected If the buyer alluded to in your question is known to the agent, and the agent registered that buyer’s name with the seller, the seller may likely be legally obligated to pay the commission they agreed to when the house went on the market initially. The steps to register a buyer are spelled out in the listing contract, and an agent must adhere to them
to protect their commission. The home seller can review the submitted names to determine whether a buyer is on the “protected buyer” list. If the buyer is a “protected buyer,” these circumstances would not require relisting the home. It may be wise to have that listing agent do the work if the seller is obligated to pay the commission. A seller can create a legal issue when they violate the terms of the listing agreement. 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.
Page RE6 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, May 22, 2019
Wrap around porch ideas that shout summer
By Laura Firszt More Content Now
Ahh! The iconic summer experience - relaxing in a swing on a breezy wrap around porch. Take a look at the beauties below, and you just may be inspired to add a cozy, beautiful porch to your own home. Wrap around porch pictures Made in the shade. Take a peek at this inviting wrap around porch, fronting a comfortably sprawling residence in Redlands, California. Notice how the lush, tall-growing front yard shrubbery provides a winning combination of privacy and shade from the California sunbeams for anyone lucky enough to be relaxing here. Upwardly mobile. Here’s a lovely Queen Anne-style house featuring a gently curved wrap around porch ... and a secret. Despite its elegant appearance, this was originally a nondescript single-story building. As the surrounding Missoula, Montana neighborhood grew more prosperous, the owner did some impressive DIY remodeling, adding a two-level porch, extra rooms, and a decorative turret. Rustic beauty. You might think you’re looking at a modern take on the traditional wrap around porch. However, this Craftsman style rustic stone bungalow in Cascade, Maryland, is actually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The deep, shady porch doubles as a porte cochere, offering visitors protection from both sun and snow as they enter this gracious home.
A piece of history. “Magnificent” is the word that springs to mind at the sight of this expansive wrap around porch on historic Purinton House in Morgantown, West Virginia. It features a hipped roof atop stately Ionic columns and is renowned as the site of President Howard Taft’s World Wide Speech of a century ago Southern living. Here’s a bright and colorful wrap around beauty to be found in Natchez, Mississippi. The photographer aptly captions this appealing image the “perfect porch ... or the set for a great southern novel.” Wrap around porch benefits - Additional living space. A wrap around porch serves as an outdoor living room, conveniently located right by your door. - Breezy summer sleeping area. Create a comfortable nook for an afternoon nap or even overnight guest accommodation. - Center for entertaining. You’ll have a great spot for hosting friends and relaxing with the family. - Frame for a view. Spotlight a lovely vista, and enjoy it from the comfort of a patio lounge chair. - Curb appeal. A new porch makes a house feel like a home to prospective buyers. Wrap around porch design Wrap around porches come in a variety of styles. They may wrap around two or more sides of your house, be angled or curved, and be situated at ground level or higher. There are a just few design “must-haves” to keep in mind. The perfect wrap around porch must: - allow easy access to your front entry (and possibly additional entrances as well) - measure at least 6-feet deep for comfortable seating, up to 10-feet deep for outdoor dining - coordinate with your home’s architecture and color - be equipped with safety railings if the floor is more than 30-inches above ground level - provide some shelter from the elements Add a wrap around porch - tips Check state building code before you begin your wrap around porch addition. Obtain proper permits for the construction and any excavation required. Find a reliable contractor to handle the job. While this is not typically a DIY project, you may be able to cut costs by doing part of the work yourself (for example, demoing an existing porch). Design the underporch area for storage. Install a skirt to keep out animals looking for a cozy nest, but make sure that there is still plenty of ventilation to prevent rot. Consider the cost to add a wrap around porch, which will vary according to: - Square footage - depth times total length. - Material. Usually wood - natural, pressure-treated, or composite. - Covering. Traditional wrap around porches are covered by a roof (supported by columns) which should match the home’s roofing. In a dry mild climate, you could cut costs by installing an awning instead. - Details and amenities. This includes special touches like elaborately carved railings, ceiling fans, and/or outdoor-rated heating and lighting systems. Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, May 22, 2019 • Page RE7
Page RE8 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, May 22, 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