AUGUST 5, 2020 • Volume 15 • Issue 32
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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HOME HELP GARDENING
PEST CONTROL
PREVENTING BLOSSOM END ROT ON TOMATOES
COMPOSTING CAN ATTRACT CRITTERS
Even if your tomato plants look healthy, young green tomatoes might develop dark, round patches on their bottoms, where the flower blossoms have detached. This rot is caused by a lack of calcium, according to BobVila.com.
For those with gardens, composting is a great way to recycle food waste. Unfortunately, compost piles can attract rodents and insects, which can find their way into your house. To prevent pests in and around your home, make sure your compost piles are located 50 feet from your house. You can also use enclosed composting systems. By not composting meats and dairy, and by incorporating leaves and grass clippings, you can keep your compost from stinking and attracting pests.
“Blossom end rot ultimately occurs from a lack of available calcium, but the solution is not as simple as adding lime or some other supplement. The keyword here is available. It is rare that soil actually lacks calcium. The real culprit almost always turns out to be a lack of soil moisture for plants to metabolize the nutrients that are present in the soil.” Blossom end rot can be prevented by making sure your soil is getting enough moisture. Your garden should receive an inch or a little more per week. Sticking a finger 3 inches deep in the soil, the soil should feel as moist as just-washed laundry.
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DEAR MONTY How to buy the vacant lot next door
RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: We have some property in a popular vacation area where we are building a cottage. We bought the lot six years ago. The neighbors own a lot between us they just put up for sale. We think it is best to buy it for our overall property value. Based on an appraisal, it is worth 36k-40k. They purchased it four years ago for 29k. Now asking 49k. Because we own the lot next to them, we feel like they will expect us to pay more. What strategy will help us buy the vacant lot next door? Monty’s answer: Strategy is challenging to determine in any negotiation. The many variables in the minds of each participant are often unknown. Motivation, preconceived negotiating notions, financial position, honesty, emotional status and common sense all come into play. Circumstances to consider The salability of the lot. Why are they selling? How well you are acquainted. The current state of the neighborhood lot market. Your motivation to acquire it. The effect of the purchase on your finances. Your options 1. Wait for some time to pass. The risk is someone else buys it. A lack of demand favors you. If your value assessment on the lot is correct, it may sit there
2. Make an offer now for what you would be comfortable paying (sounds like under 40). The risk is you insult them (limited risk). The value is you have lost nothing if the seller does not accept. If they are selling because they need cash quickly, you may prevail. 3. Make an offer a bit higher than you want to pay. The risk is if they accept you might have been able to buy it for less. The value is you acquire the lot, or if they reject, you have lost nothing. They may even come back with a counter-offer you like. 4. Pay the asking price to eliminate any risk. Average this purchase with your initial lot price. Avoiding the risk of losing the property is more valuable to some than the extra cost. Wild cards The real estate agent is likely to be on your side and urge the seller to take whatever offer you make. It is a low commission sale. Some agents don’t like to spend much time on them. They see the same comps you do and know the seller’s price is high. The seller may also see that the price is high. Richard Montgomery is the author of “House Money - An Insider’s Secrets to Saving Thousands When You Buy or Sell a Home.” He is a real estate industry veteran who advocates industry reform and offers readers unbiased real estate advice. Find him at DearMonty.com.
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RE WEEKLY