JUNE 7, 2017 • Volume 12 • 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
Online at www.AmesTrib.com/realestateweekly
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DEAR MONTY
Taking a tough stance in a commercial sale
RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: A real estate agent approached us with a commercial client who would like to buy our property. The agent wants to list our property to get the process started. Why would we need to list the property if
she already has the buyer? And what should we pay for commissions on this type of transaction? Monty’s answer: The listing agreement the agent is seeking is an employment contract. This agreement is between you and the agent’s broker. The law dictates a real estate agent must have a written consent. The commission is a negotiation. Some brokers do not allow the agent to negotiate, while some brokers give the agents some flexibility on the fees. There is no typical fee in commercial real estate. There are several options for approaching the situation you have described. The following approach
increases the odds you will receive a fair price for the property and position yourself to obtain a favorable commission arrangement: 1. Qualify the agent’s role in the transaction. One possibility when an agent has a “client” for a property that is not on the market, is a relationship exists between the agent and the buyer. 2. Ask the agent what type of listing they propose to utilize. Many states have different types of listing arrangements. 3. You know the property’s history. What is the highest price you could expect and the lowest price you should expect? Dear Monty recommends
that every seller interview three pre-qualified agents. 4. Now you have more information to negotiate on the value of your property with the buyer and the commission structure with the broker. How much work will the agent be performing? Will the agent furnish their opinion of market value, called a broker price opinion (BPO)? Depending on the type of commercial property you own, a zoning change may affect the value. Richard Montgomery gives no-nonsense real estate advice to readers. Send him questions at DearMonty.com.
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Sparkling in the By Betty Montgomery
shade
More Content Now
W
ith trees leafing out and shaded areas looking greener than they did a few weeks ago, now is a good time to think about plants to make those shady areas sparkle in the garden. There are several methods you can use to make your garden more interesting. You can add annuals like impatiens and begonias to liven up a darker area, or you can consider adding some perennials, bulbs and different colors of foliage plants. There are some outstanding perennials that are quite exotic and worth finding and growing that will give your garden a striking touch, making your garden a real showplace. The beauty of perennials is that if you give them a little attention and divide them every few years, they will return year after year and give you pleasure for a long time. You must first understand the light conditions you have in your garden. If you have full sun, finding plants with tags that read full sun are easy to understand. However, if you have shade, you will need to know if it is light shade or deep shade. Light shade is ideal for many varieties of wonderful plants such as hostas. Morning sun
Brighten up dark areas of your garden with these perennials
and afternoon shade is also a great combination for growing most perennials. However, deep shade might be more limiting. You next need to try to understand your soil and whether you have a dry garden or moist area. If you live in a region with heavy clay, amend the soil with some organic material, rotten leaves is a great start. Clay is a good soil to have if it is amended because it has lots of minerals and holds moisture but tiny roots of plants have a hard time breaking through clay when it is dry. Remember, bricks are made of clay and do you think a small tender root can penetrate a brick? As for moisture, if you have a good number of trees, they can take a great deal of moisture out of the ground. Some trees have deep roots and get their moisture deep down but other trees are more shallow rooted and pull moisture from the surface. White oaks and hickories are two that are deep rooted, whereas American elms, maples, birch and populars tend to have shallow roots. You will need to give your plants a little more water when these trees are present. Also think about where down spouts deliver their water. These areas might be too wet at times for some plants and just right for others. After knowing your growing conditions, there are many choices of plants available to you.
Campanula grows nicely in the shade of a rhododendron bush. [BETTY MONTGOMERY PHOTOS]
Most locally owned garden centers have employees that are very knowledgeable about plants and can help you find the right plants for your situation. Some of the more popular plants for light shade or morning sun that flower are pulmonaria, alstroemeria, campanula, coreopsis, dianthus, geranium (the perennial one) primroses, rudbeckia, Brunnera, phlox divaricata and helleborus. A few perennials that like a little more sun but will do fine with afternoon shade are sages, coneflowers, sedums, and phlox. The list is really quite extensive. Betty Montgomery, a master gardener and author of a “Four Season Southern Garden,” can be reached at bmontgomery40@gmail.com.
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TIPS OF THE WEEK Tick bite myths The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported some 38,000 nationwide cases of Lyme disease in 2015, but there are a few misconceptions about how it’s contracted: A bite means infection: Ticks must be attached to your body for at least 24 hours to spread infection. And not all ticks in the U.S. carry disease. Ticks fall from trees: Ticks crawl up your body from either the ground or surrounding brush. Use alcohol or petroleum jelly for removal: No, just use needle-nose tweezers, then clean the bite with soap and alcohol. Shade-loving coleus adds color to the shade garden.
Heuchera are a popular option available in a variety of colors.
Fun foliage Hostas are low-maintenance and hardy but boring. Try these shadeloving perennials instead: Coral bells — Also called heuchera, the Missouri Botanis cal Garden recommends it for USDA zones 5 to 8. These plants with their ruffled leavess come in a variety of colors from deep purple to bronze to chartreuse and silver. Itt needs partial and dry shade.
Citro Citronella grass — Th This plant repels mosquitos as it’s the so source of the citronella oil used in many n natural insect repellants. The SFGATE h home guide says that it does best in parttially shaded, regularly watered, moist soil iin USDA zones 10-12 but can be planted in a pot that is moved indoors before tempe peratures fall below freezing.
Epimedium — This semi-evergreen to evergreen foliaged plant does well in full to partial shade and rich well-drained soil, according to Fine Gardening magazine. It also is hardy in ng USDA zones 3 to 9, and its spring-blooming flowers are often mistaken for orchids.
Tips to boost home value While you may decide to make home improvements so you can better enjoy the space where you live, renovations will affect the value of your home as well. US Bank suggests that updating your bathroom or kitchen will have a larger impact on your home’s value than updates to other rooms. The addition of extra family rooms — like dens, living rooms or finished basements — and bathrooms can significantly boost your home’s value.
Lower your A/C bills Running the air conditioner is often behind the summer spike in your electric bill. Stay comfortable for less money with these tips from the U.S. Department of Energy: • Schedule a maintenance visit from a pro to make sure your central air conditioner is in top condition. • Vacuum your registers regularly to remove dust buildup. • Get a programmable thermostat and set it for higher temperatures when you’re away or asleep.
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Keep your mower humming A simple tune-up on a walk-behind mower can be done in 20 minutes or less and, if you do it yourself, is a cost-effective option. There are some simple steps to keep your walkbehind mower humming: • Change the oil. • Replace the spark plug to ensure easy starts and smooth operation. • Clean or replace the air filter. • Add a fuel treatment and stabilizer to keep gas fresh and protect your engine. — Briggs & Stratton/Family Features
[Family Features]
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