JUNE 5, 2019 • Volume 14 • Issue 23
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
O n l i n e a t w w w. A m e s Tr i b . c o m / r e a l e s t a t e w e e k l y
Page RE2 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, June 5, 2019
Native azaleas add color, beauty
A vibrant orange azalea from Dodd and Dodd Nursery.
to the garden By Betty Montgomery More Content Now
W
e all are familiar with the evergreen azaleas that came to us from Asia. However, did you know there is an azalea that is native to North America? These wild azaleas sport an exotic bloom, are deliciously fragrant and come in a dazzling range of colors that are quite showy. The majority of native azaleas are found growing from Maine to Florida, and many grow along the Appalachian mountain range. I believe this group of plants is underused in the landscape, possibly because they are not sold in the larger stores like the evergreen azaleas or because they do not have leaves all year. People can get a little confused with this azalea because it has so many names; native, deciduous, wild, honeysuckle, bush honeysuckles or wild honeysuckle. The latter names were probably given because the native azaleas can have a slight similarity to the wild honeysuckle vine that is also sweetly scented. Native azaleas are lauded for their hardiness and their beauty. This exotic-looking flower with the lovely fragrance makes this a flower that I would recommend for any garden. The bushes are quite distinct, having a terminal bud at the end of each branch that looks different from other plants. I hope I always have several planted in my garden because they are just an outstanding plant. Our American native azaleas are known to be more cold hardy than the evergreen ones from Asia. Some are quite heat tolerant, too. Their bloom times range from April to August, depending on the variety, of course. They will lose their leaves in the winter since they are a deciduous plant. Native azaleas come in a wide range of colors: white, brilliant yellow, bright orange and vivid reds and colors in-between. Plant size also varies, ranging from about 3 feet up to 20 feet. Their range in height makes them versatile in the landscape. They can be used behind some of the shorter evergreen azaleas as a backdrop or they look lovely in front of a hedge of taller evergreen shrubs or trees. Native azaleas are considered quite hardy, but you will need to make sure and think of their native habitat when you locate them in your garden. They tend to prefer part sun and moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. A wonderful advantage of our native azalea is that they extend the flowering season. My first ones to bloom come along with some of my evergreen azaleas in the first weeks of April. The early bloomers are the Pinkshell azalea (R. vaseyi) and what some call the Mayflower
azalea (R. austrinum). Both of these flower beforee the leaves come out making the flowers stand out even more. The Flame azalea (R. calendulaceum) that is noted to grow in the Smoky Mountains sport flowers that range in colors from white to peach to orange and yellow and some are red. The bloom time for some of these is April where I live, but they do not bloom until June or July in the mountaintops where they grow wild. The bushes are quite distinct, as the branches in flower look like candle flames. I have one other that blooms in late summer that is red, R. prunifolium, also called Plumleaf Azalea. When two different plants have been crossed, the new plant is called a hybrid. Many people try to cross different azaleas to develop different traits. Some of the crosses have been developed in England and Belgium and some of these are fragrant: “Exbury, “Knap Hill” and “Ghent.” Other crosses have been made that are more heat tolerant. Dodd and Dodd Nursery in Mobile, Alabama, has worked to develop crosses that have outstanding colorful blooms that also can withstand hot and humid summers. Two that I love in my garden are “Stonewall Jackson” and “Admiral Semmes.” George Beasley at Transplant Nursery also has made some wonderful crosses. One of my very favorite native azalea stories and plants is one called “My Mary.” This controlled cross is a lovely yellow. George says: “It has beauty, charm, good tough leaves, good plant form, hardiness and a strong pleasing fragrance. Only one name seemed adequate for this fine plant. ‘My Mary’ was the choice. Normally a husband should be able to expect some small credit for naming an azalea for his wife, but as always, I blew it. In the plant description, I stated that ‘the plant grows as broad as tall!’” Well, George, she might not have liked the description, but it is a favorite of many and a lovely plant.
A deep gold native azalea (above) and a bright yellow azalea (left) from Dodd and Dodd Nursery. [Betty montgomery photos]
Betty Montgomery can be reached at bmontgomery40@ gmail.com.
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, June 5, 2019 • Page RE3
TIPS OF THE WEEK GARDENING
KITCHENS
DECOR
SPRING CLEAN TOOLS
CLEAN UP WITH VINEGAR
HANGING ARTWORK
After months in storage, your gardening tools can likely use a spring cleaning, says Realtor. com. One way to clean up tools that have gone rusty is to soak them in white vinegar for 24 hours. After that long soak, scrub them with steel wool. Gardentoolcompany. com recommends storing them in a bucket of builder’s sand mixed with mineral or linseed oil to keep tools sharp and protect them from rust and dirt build-up.
One common household ingredient is also a stellar all-purpose cleaner, especially in the kitchen. Better Homes and Gardens recommends surface cleaning appliances, refrigerator shelves and countertops with white vinegar in a spray bottle. Try a 50-50 vinegarwater mix to wipe up spills. Also use it to get hard-to-clean, nuked-on spills in a microwave by placing 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a glass bowl. Microwave until it boils (about 2 to 3 minutes). Then wipe away the loosened spill with a paper towel or cloth.
While the common rule for hanging up a family photo gallery is 57 inches to 60 inches, artwork can be a bit different. Houzz recommends homeowners consider the “human scale” and hang artwork with the center point at eye level in spaces where people stand, and lower where it’s viewed from a seated position. — More Content Now
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DEAR MONTY Family financial deals should be in writing live in the house. I pay for the mortgage even though it is in my son’s name. I also pay for all the bills and repairs for the home. My son is now claiming the house because the mortgage is in his name. There are only two years left on the mortgage. After he pays off the loan, what rights do I have? How do I make the house solely in my name? RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: I live in a two-
family house that my sister and I inherited. It was free and clear of a mortgage. My sister wanted out for her half of the value, so I took a mortgage on the house to pay her. At the time, I was unable to take out the mortgage in my name, so my son signed for the loan in his name. He does not
Monty’s answer: It is not clear in your question whether you transferred the title in your home to your son. Your last sentence suggests that you added him as an owner on the title. It also appears that you will be paying off your son’s mortgage. If your son became a co-owner to obtain a mortgage, when the lender provides your son a satisfaction of the lien, he should quit claim his interest in
the property back to you if that was the agreement.
Determine ownership You have to make sure the lender records the mortgage satisfaction at the Register of Deeds office. The Register of Deeds may or may not be in the courthouse. Once the mortgage is paid off, and you resolve the title issue, it should be your home again. If you are not sure in whose name the title is today, you can call a title insurance company and order a title search to learn the answer. The cost of this varies around the U.S. In my county, the price of a title search is $75.
The next step It is unclear if you documented the
arrangement with your son in writing. The problem with oral agreements, even between family members, is that the details are sometimes forgotten or misconstrued as time passes. If he believes he will remain an owner, then it would appear you and your son have a misunderstanding. Is there a written agreement? Consider seeking a legal opinion now. Do not wait any longer. 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, June 5, 2019 • Page RE5
Clean up your mudroom By Melissa Erickson More Content Now
I
f all your shoes, bags and jackets are piling up by the front or back door, it’s time to get organized. Pull yourself — and your home — together with a well-organized mudroom. A well-designed mudroom should welcome the family home and make it easy to put things away, find them later and stay organized, said interior designer Anne Michaelsen-Yahn, founder of Anne Michaelsen Design, Newport Beach, California. “A mudroom functions as a place to shed outer garments that could be dirty, wet, bulky and unnecessary in the house,” she said. “In the summer it’s a great place for sun hats, sunscreens and picnic supplies. Sometimes it is also a place for the home office.” Stay organized with storage for shoes, electronic charging, garden supplies, sports equipment, picnic supplies, snowshoes and boots, hats and sunglasses, Michaelsen-Yahn said. A hanging rack or hooks for coats and kids’ backpacks also helps keep things in
place. With all the coming and going invest in hard-surface, non-skid floors. “Tumblestone or unpolished tile are great because they’re durable and good-looking,” Michaelsen-Yahn said. Keep kids’ belongings from getting mixed up by adding a cubby space for each child. “Paint each child’s name ... on the back or above the cubby. Include hooks, space for shoes, etc. Each child should have a bulletin board or section of one larger board to pin up their schedules, activities and papers,” Michaelsen-Yahn said. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets and hanging organizational pockets make use of all available space. “If you can find space, include a countertop for arranging items or even for package wrapping. A folddown wall-mounted table can also be helpful and make good use of space,” she said. Add a seating element to have a place for people to sit down and take their shoes on and off. “This is also a great place to talk to each other
about schedules and activities,” Michaelsen-Yahn said. Don’t forget about the pets. “A mudroom is a great place for the family pet to have their own storage area as well. I often build in cubbies for dog/cat beds and drawers for food storage and equipment,” she said. Let wet or dirty shoes dry outside in a designated area in the garage. “When they are cleaner or drier, then they can be put in the shoe cubby under the storage cabinets,” Michaelsen-Yahn said. Just like other rooms in the home, the mudroom can evolve. “A mudroom is a great place to design in a way that allows it to adapt and change as a family grows and changes. You may start out with stroller storage, kids’ backpacks and soccer equipment, but this can change as the life of the family changes to become an electronics charging station, home workspace, scrapbook center and more,” Michaelsen-Yahn said.
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