SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 • Volume 14 • Issue 37
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
Always Available Online SEPTEMBER 14, 2016 Volume 11 • Issue 37
RE WEEKLY
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 Volume 11 • Issue 36
RE WEEKLY STORY
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• AREA DEVELOPMENT • FARM • COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL • ACREAGE 317 5th Street, Ames State of Iowa 515-233-3299 • ® licensed in the
RESIDENTIAL • ACREAGE • FARM • COMMERCIAL 515-233-3299 • AREA DEVELOPMENT • 317
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Page RE2 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Winter supplies Before I do the heavy lifting of fall home maintenance, I’d like to start simply by ordering supplies we’ll need for winter. Care to share your shopping list?
Seasonal shift
Home maintenance after Labor Day: Your questions answered
By Laura Firszt
More Content Now
W
here did summer go? That’s the real question. Seems only yesterday we were dusting off the patio furniture and unpacking our barbecues. Now it’s time to get serious; the window for many home maintenance tasks has narrowed. What can — and should — you do, post-Labor Day, to put your house in shape?
Painting Is it too late to paint my house?
Nope. In fact, autumn lends itself beautifully to house painting. For exterior paint jobs, not only will the milder sun make working outdoors easier, it’ll also prevent your paint from drying too fast.
Fallen leaves
Do I really have to get rid of all those leaves?
You know it’s coming — the annual display of colorful fall leaves, followed by the fall of fall leaves, all over your property. So yes, you will have to get rid of lots of fallen leaves — the quicker the better, before they stain your patio, clog gutters and window wells, and provide a cozy hiding place for ticks. One place you might want some leaves to remain is on your lawn, but in the form of mulch. Left whole, they could choke out the grass.
Outdoor appliances Can I safely leave appliances outside through the winter? I don’t have room for them all in my house!
Grill: Yes, if you store the propane tank safely indoors (keep out of reach of children and away from heat or sparks). Outdoor kitchen: Yes. Shut off and drain water supply; open drain valves to your outdoor sink and ice maker so the pipes won’t freeze. Clean and unplug the fridge. Disconnect gas or electrical power to your stove. Pressure washer: No. Empty any water and store the pressure washer indoors, preferably in a heated location. Lawn mower: No. Drain the fuel tank or add fuel stabilizer to a gas lawn mower. For an electric mower, remove the battery. Cover the machine and store in a clean, dry location, such as a shed.
Heating My furnace worked fine last year. Do I honestly need to worry about it this fall?
Maybe yes, maybe no. Has your furnace had its annual exam? If not, schedule soon, before heating repair pros are swamped with work. And check the filter, in case you forgot to change it after last heating season. Knowing your furnace is working safely and energyefficiently brings peace of mind.
Air conditioning I’m busy planning to replace my furnace. Must I bother with A/C maintenance right now?
Yes, if you want hassle-free air conditioning next spring. Window A/C units should be removed, or at least covered. For central air, turn off the power switch on the outside (condenser) unit. Prune overhanging shrubbery and clear the condenser of leaves, twigs and dirt. If there's a risk of falling ice, protect the unit with a board.
Sure: • Snow melt • Snow shovels for sidewalk and vehicle(s) • Ice scrapers • Snow blower and fuel — or better yet, book a snow removal service in advance • Battery powered lamps • Humidifier to counteract the drying effect of your furnace • Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms (always essential but especially when the house is sealed up for the winter)
Landscaping Wait. I’m not ready to give up landscaping yet. What are some steps to take care of my yard?
From September until a week or two before the first predicted frost, you can plant bulbs, clean up and add compost to garden beds, and reseed your lawn. And, of course, plan next year’s garden layout.
Fall home maintenance job No. 1 What’s the most important fall home maintenance task?
Seal holes, gaps and cracks in your roof, walls, foundation, etc. This safeguards your home against water leaks, helps you stay warm, and keeps out pests like mice and raccoons. Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, September 11, 2019 • Page RE3
TIPS OF THE WEEK HOME SELLING
GARDENING
ENERGY
TAKE GOOD LISTING PHOTOS
GOOD TIME TO PLANT GARLIC
SAVE WITH LED BULBS
It’s never been more important to have great photos of your house if you are looking to sell. According to a National Association of Realtors’ 2018 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 44% of recent buyers started their search online, and 87% of those found listing photos very useful in their search. Sellers should post at least 30 photos of their home, inside and out. Hiring a professional photographer can also attract more buyers and is often free for home sellers as part of marketing the property.
Garlic is one of the easiest kitchen staples you can grow in your own garden, and fall is traditionally the best time to plant it. A rule of thumb some gardeners use is to not plant garlic until after the autumnal equinox in late September. A member of the Allium family, garlic is sensitive to day length, and planting in the fall allows the garlic to get a head start on the growing season. Well-drained, rich soil with a pH of 6.4-6.8 produce the biggest bulbs.
If you are caught in a cycle of replacing light bulbs, you might be missing out on saving money. By switching to LED bulbs, a typical home can save about $1,000 over a 10-year period, according to the Consumer Federation of America. LED lights last 25 times longer and use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs. — More Content Now
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DEAR MONTY
Buyers not advised about lower appraisal
RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: My daughter and
her husband purchased a home for $145,000 and found out a few weeks later the appraisal was only $125,000. Neither their agent nor the lender advised them of it. Who should have? Monty’s answer: There are several considerations here regarding who should have disclosed this information,
or if there was a disclosure obligation. State law determines any legal obligation. The conversations between the kids and both the real estate agent and the mortgage loan originator may create a moral obligation. There can be a fine line between legal and ethical issues because, in certain circumstances and individual states, conversations can create legal agency relationships. Important points to consider:
1. The value of every home is a moving target. Homes have a range of value, not a number. If the buyers had engaged five appraisers and paid them each the same amount, they would have received five different opinions. Those opinions could vary between 5% and 25%. It would be no surprise if a different appraiser provided a higher estimate for the property.
2. The kids paid for the appraisal, but the lender required it as part of the loan application for assessing the risk of lending to them. The appraiser was working for the lender, not the kids. If the lender was satisfied with the appraiser’s opinion and saw little risk, they may approve the loan. It is likely your daughter and her husband qualified to repay the loan based on their income or the amount of the down payment they invested toward the purchase price. 3. At any time during the home buying process, were either the real estate agent or the lender made aware your daughter and her husband wanted the appraisal to be equal to or higher than the purchase price? If this conversation took place with the real estate agent, the request should have generated a contingency in the offer to purchase on the home. It is not uncommon for an offer to purchase
Realtors, do you want to reach a wider group of potential buyers? Advertise in the RE Weekly. In print and online.
to add a “satisfactory appraisal” contingency. If they requested the home appraisal for the purchase price and have an email or a verbal conversation witnessed by others, they might have a claim. If they do not have the so-called smoking gun, or they were silent on this subject, it may be too late.
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.
Call Ali Eernisse 515-663-6956