JULY 1, 2020 • Volume 15 • Issue 27
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
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REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 1, 2020 • Page RE5
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.
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AmesTrib.com/realestateweekly
Page RE2 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 1, 2020
HOME HELP GARDENING
OVER-FERTILIZING CAN DAMAGE GARDEN SOIL
DESIGN TREND
BRIGHTEN A ROOM WITH LIGHTER WINDOW TREATMENTS
DECORATING TIP
DITCH THE FAKE PLANTS When redesigning or updating your living room, fake plants should be one of the first things you do away with, according to Insider.
SPRING CLEANING
LET YOUR TOILET BRUSH DRY When you’re finished scrubbing your toilet bowl,
Fertilizer provides nutrients for plants and improves the fertility of your soil. So the more the better, right? Not necessarily. If you’re new to gardening, you might be tempted to use more concentrated fertilizer than needed. Too much
can cause damage to your soil and runoff that contaminates the environment. According to BobVila.com, plants over-fertilized with formulas high in nitrogen are lush, leafy and pleasing to look at, but yield less fruit.
Upgrading your window treatments can make your home brighter, more peaceful and less gloomy. Rather than thick, heavy drapes that can prevent natural light from entering your home, opt for lighter fabrics or sheer curtains.
“Layers and layers of fabric used to be a popular interior design trend,’” said interior design Bo Keuleers for Insider. “Today, heavy drapery, swags, and valances make a room feel stuffy, overbearing and gloomy while instantly giving your home a dated look.”
“Real plants are beautiful and serve a purpose — they detoxify the air in your home,” said interior designer Julie Assenberg for Insider. “Plastic plants are tacky, and some might say that rather than bringing the energy of life into your home, they bring an intention to deceive.”
If real plants are not an option for your space, it’s better to forego the fake ones. More Content Now
it’s easy and tempting to place the brush back in bacteria growth, let the brush dry. Lay it across it’s stand behind the toilet. Resist the temptation. the seat for a few minutes before storing it. Returning a wet brush to the container allows bacteria to breed. To prevent unwanted, unhealthy
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 1, 2020 • Page RE3
DEAR MONTY
Does zoning affect affordable housing prices?
RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: Does zoning regulation affect affordable housing?
Monty’sanswer: When asking why housing is becoming more expensive, consumers and politicians alike often overlook zoning and regulations. Consumers don’t know how and don’t have the power to bring costs down.
Politicians and bureaucrats could do so but often make things worse. Some believe that policy is often influenced by those that benefit from rising prices. The more it costs to build a home, the more it’s going to cost you to buy it. Federal, state and local rules, regulations and building codes create restrictions, making construction more expensive. Why approval time affects home prices • Holding costs: Owning vacant land costs money! Consider interest, real estate taxes, insurance, maintenance cost and opportunity-loss costs if the owner paid cash for the property. Interest rates are higher than a home mortgage: $1,000,000 at 6% for five years equals$300,000.
• Market conditions: Projecting future sales is a dicey proposition. Local, regional and national markets continuously change. When a downturn or a recession develops, it can turn success into bankruptcy. The longer it takes to secure all the approvals and start selling lots, the riskier the project becomes. • Risk increases required revenue: More regulations mean it’s easier for something to go wrong. Developers understand this risk going into a project, and higher risk needs higher returns. Increased prices to buyers increase those returns. Why excessive regulation increases home prices Many regulations require additional human capital and expense. Environmental studies, soil condition
reports and traffic studies are examples of costly outside experts who are needed to complete investigations. The extra staff required for correspondence, record keeping and more adds cost. Developers incur these costs long before realizing any revenue and pass them on to the buyer. Regulation can reduce land availability. The larger the minimum lot size, the fewer the number of parcels available. Richard Montgomery is a real estate industry veteran who advocates industry reform and offers readers unbiased real estate advice. Find him at DearMonty.com. More Content Now
Page RE4 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 1, 2020
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 1, 2020 • Page RE5
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 RE6 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, July 1, 2020
DECK REPAIRS that will protect your investment By Laura Firszt More Content Now
D
on’t worry if your deck is looking a little worn out this spring. Deck repair can be easy and affordable. Most important, it will help prevent small problems becoming big nuisances as time goes by. A beautiful, breezy deck is a major investment. Whether you’re up to doing DIY deck repair or you prefer to hire a professional to handle it for you, find out three ways to keep your deck in great shape. Nail pops Ouch! A nail sticking out of your deck is hard on bare feet (and even more dangerous if it’s rusty). Not great for the structural integrity, either. Too many loosened nails could eventually lead to deck collapse. Why do nails pop? The nails, which are used to join deck floorboards, have a tendency to pop out as seasonal temperature fluctuations cause the wood to contract and the nail holes to get larger. Take a good, hard look at your deck. A visual inspection may reveal popped nails protruding from the surface — or even empty nail holes. Another clue is floor planks that feel wobbly underfoot compared to their neighbors. Resist the temptation to just pound any popped nails back into place. That would be a temporary fix at best. Instead, gently ease them out with a claw hammer or nail puller.
PRO TIP: Replace those old nails with exterior grade screws, long enough to go through the nail hole and down into the joist lumber underneath.
Rotten or broken boards Once again, harsh weather is usually the culprit responsible for damaged boards. Wood rot specifically tends to be caused by rainwater or melted snow that
pools on your deck. Watch for cracking or splintering, as well as deck boards that feel spongy (an indication of rot). Measure all damaged pieces, length, width and thickness. When purchasing or ordering replacement lumber, be sure to get the same thickness as your existing planks. The same type is also a good idea, though not as essential. Cut replacement boards according to the measurements you took previously. If your deck is accessed directly via a door from your home, make sure the door is locked securely. Warn all household members not to go out that way until the deck repair is safely finished. Pry out nails or remove screws from the sections which are to be replaced. Then take out the damaged boards themselves. Clean the joists of dirt, debris and fallen leaves for a better fit. Position the new boards, attaching them with a deck screw at each joist location.
Non-matching wood color Once you’ve done your deck repair and replaced all those unsound sections, you may find that your new boards sit a bit higher than their neighbors. Don’t worry; the new wood will shrink slightly with time. More glaringly, however, the replacement sections will not be the same color as weathered wood. This is something that calls for another simple deck repair. CAUTION: Don’t just go ahead and try to stain everything for a uniform appearance. It won’t work … unless you do some essential prep first. The fibers of your wood planks have softened with the years, gradually becoming grayer and more porous. This increased porosity could allow them to absorb more stain, with the result that the older boards will end up noticeably darker. To counteract this, pressure wash the surface of the entire deck, both old and new boards, with the help of a wood cleaning product. When completely dry, sand lightly. Then treat with a wood brightener. After this, you’ll be ready to apply your stain. A high quality semi-transparent wood stain is recommended. Once again, let dry thoroughly. Now relax on your updated deck ... and bring on the barbecue! Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.
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BIGSTOCK
Make the most of your
By Melissa Erickson More Content Now
H
omeowners turn to their garages when the need arises for extra storage space, but the garage can be so much more than a place to house furniture, sporting goods and baby gear. Danny Lipford, host of the home improvement radio show “Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford,” said one trend he’s seeing across the country is to convert a portion of garage space to another use. “It’s more of a common need. Parents want to get the kids out of the house but not too far out. Or, it can be a man cave or a she cave,” Lipford said. Where to start Before tackling a home improvement project be honest with yourself, Lipford said. Take a good look at what you need and don’t. Get rid of and donate as much as you can. Group similar items together: gardening tools, children’s items, fishing gear. Floor space is valuable, so get as much stuff off the floor as possible, Lipford said. Use shelves, baskets, hooks and magnetic tool bars to hang things. Fancy storage systems can be expensive, but simple wooden garage shelves are an easy DIY weekend project. “Buy good, sturdy containers, always clear
so you can see what’s in them,” Lipford said. Put heaviest items at the bottom and the leastused, like seasonal decorations, at the top. Create your space Now that you’ve got some extra space, upgrade your garage to make it more liveable. Why shouldn’t the garage — or part of it — become a home gym or an art studio? Add a ceiling fan, a ping-pong table, an old TV, a couch on casters, fitness equipment or whatever else your family will use. In less than five minutes you can pull out the car, move the couch and TV from where they’re stored against a wall and open up some folding or camp chairs. “Suddenly, it’s a nice temporary space for an impromptu party, gathering for a football game or kids party,” Lipford said. “I’m seeing a strong trend of not giving up valuable car storage space but having the ability to spill out into the area as needed.” Add a ductless mini split system, which efficiently provides heating and cooling, to make it comfortable and insulation in the attic if needed, Lipford said. More ideas Increasingly common, smart garage door controllers offer convenience, security and peace of mind, Lipford said. In addition to never having to wonder whether you left the door open, these smart
systems can be used for safe package delivery. Wi-Fi enabled walk-in doors can also allow access for service calls without the use of hidden keys or trusting strangers with garage codes, Lipford said. Because the lot size of single family homes has been in decline for a decade, the garage has become more prominent in the front of the house, Lipford said. “You don’t need to have a plain, industrial looking, ugly door. Put your personality on it,” Lipford said. Add some character with a fauxwood finish using a gel-based stain. “It’s easy and can improve the look of the house. It’s very viable even on metal or aluminium doors,” Lipford said. Don’t forget the concrete floor, which was probably never sealed. A clear sealant helps make cleanup easier and repels stains, but for a more aesthetic look choose a decorative faux finish, Lipford said: “It’s a great weekend project.” Carpeting may seem like an unexpected upgrade but works well, especially if no car is parked on top of it. Another option for around the car is adding 2-by-2-foot squares of commercial-grade carpeting starting from where the driver and passenger exit the car and including a walkway into the home. “It really makes a difference, and it’s better than a welcome mat,” Lipford said.
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