OCTOBER 17, 2018 • Volume 13 • Issue 42
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
Page RE2 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, October 17, 2018
BLACK MOLD
Get it out of your house
How to prevent mold Worried about how to prevent mold? Good news: The prevention process involves just three simple steps. And it’s a lot easier (not to mention less emotionally wrenching) than dealing with the aftereffects of a major black mold infestation. 1. Minimize all sources of unwanted moisture inside your home: — Have all plumbing system or roof leaks repaired swiftly. — Remove standing water indoors (and outdoors too — you’ll eliminate a potential mosquito breeding ground). — Avoid any “moisture traps.” For example, don’t leave wet towels or shower curtains crumpled up in the bathroom — spread them to dry. In a damp basement, avoid carpet and choose tile or concrete flooring instead. — Ventilate — install (and use!) a good bathroom fan and range hood. Ask a reliable roofer if attic vent installation is advisable. — Run a dehumidifier as necessary. 2. Inspect your home regularly for mold growth. 3. If you spot even the smallest signs of mold, clean them up immediately to keep them from spreading.
Black mold can be a serious threat to your family’s health. [By Infrogmation/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS]
By Laura Firszt More Content Now
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ew! Black mold! A mold-infested house not only looks and smells terrible; it may also be a serious threat to your family’s health. Find out how black mold can grow in your home and how to get rid of it.
What is black mold? First of all, mold is a multi-celled, thready fungus. The more than 100,000 species of mold in existence come in a veritable rainbow of colors, including white, green, yellow, blue, and pink mold. "Black mold" can refer to a large variety of mold types, although it most commonly describes the highly toxigenic
(toxin-producing) Stachybotrys — which actually tends to be blackish-green in hue. Many other types of blackcolored mold are quite harmless.
Black mold health risks If you’ve got black mold in your house, health risks include exacerbated breathing difficulties for household members with asthma or other respiratory problems, and an increased possibility of infection for immunecompromised people. Milder negative reactions include coughing, wheezing, and hay fever-like symptoms.
How does black mold grow? Black mold thrives on a combination of moisture, warmth, and cellulose-based food sources like wood and drywall.
How do you get rid of it? Start by finding and removing the source of excessive moisture. Next, equip yourself with non-porous gloves, breathing mask, goggles, and protective clothing to protect against the mold. Now you’ll have to choose what may be cleaned (hard surfaces like walls and floors, as well as machinewashable textiles such as curtains and some area rugs) and what will have to be discarded. Scrub hard surfaces thoroughly with soap and warm water. Launder washables with your usual detergent on a high setting, adding a commercial mold-removing agent if desired. Dry well, with the help of fans or outdoors in the sun where feasible. Laura Firszt writes for networx.com.
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6 REASONS YOU SHOULD NEVER BUY OR SELL A HOME WITHOUT AN AGENT
Realtors have the expertise to help you prepare a killer deal—while avoiding delays or costly mistakes that can seriously mess you up. It’s a slow Sunday morning. You’ve 2. They have turbocharged searchjust brewed your Nespresso and popped ing power open your laptop to check out the latest The Internet is awesome. You can find home listings before you hit the road for a almost anything—anything! And with day of open houses. online real estate listing sites such as You’re DIYing this real estate thing, yours truly, you can find up-to-date home and you think you’re doing pretty well— listings on your own, any time you want. after all, any info you might need is at But guess what? Realtors have access to your fi ngertips online, right? That and even more listings. Sometimes properties your own sterling judgment. are available but not actively advertised. Oh, dear home buyer (or seller!)—we A Realtor can help you find those hidden know you can do it on your own. But you gems. really, really shouldn’t. This is likely the Plus, a good local Realtor is going to biggest fi nancial decision of your entire know the search area way better than you life, and you need a Realtor® if you want ever could. Have your eye on a particuto do it right. Here’s why. lar neighborhood, but it’s just out of your 1. They have loads of expertise price range? Your Realtor is equipped to Want to check the MLS for a 4B/2B know the ins and outs of every neighwith an EIK and a W/D? Real estate has borhood, so she can direct you toward a its own language, full of acronyms and home in your price range that you may semi-arcane jargon, and your Realtor is have overlooked. trained to speak that language fluently. 3. They have bullish negotiating Plus, buying or selling a home usual- chops ly requires dozens of forms, reports, disAny time you buy or sell a home, closures, and other technical documents. By Rachel Stults
Article from www.realtor.com/advice/buy/why-youshould-use-realtor
you’re going to encounter negotiations— and as today’s housing market heats up, those negotiations are more likely than ever to get a little heated. You can expect lots of competition, cutthroat tactics, all-cash offers, and bidding wars. Don’t you want a savvy and professional negotiator on your side to seal the best deal for you? And it’s not just about how much money you end up spending or netting. A Realtor will help draw up a purchase agreement that allows enough time for inspections, contingencies, and anything else that’s crucial to your particular needs. 4. They’re connected to everyone Realtors might not know everything, but they make it their mission to know just about everyone who can possibly help in the process of buying or selling a home. Mortgage brokers, real estate attorneys, home inspectors, home stagers, interior designers—the list goes on—and they’re all in your Realtor’s network. Use them. 5. They adhere to a strict code of ethics Not every real estate agent is a Realtor, who is a licensed real estate salesper-
son who belongs to the National Association of Realtors®, the largest trade group in the country. What difference does it make? Realtors are held to a higher ethical standard than licensed agents and must adhere to a Code of Ethics. 6. They’re your sage parent/data analyst/therapist—all rolled into one The thing about Realtors: They wear a lot of different hats. Sure, they’re salespeople, but they actually do a whole heck of a lot to earn their commission. They’re constantly driving around, checking out listings for you. They spend their own money on marketing your home (if you’re selling). They’re researching comps to make sure you’re getting the best deal. And, of course, they’re working for you at nearly all hours of the day and night—whether you need more info on a home or just someone to talk to in order to feel at ease with the offer you just put in. This is the biggest financial (and possibly emotional) decision of your life, and guiding you through it isn’t a responsibility Realtors take lightly.
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Don’t see your home in the
RE WEEKLY Then contact a Realtor® today, because you are missing out on over 37,000+ potential buyers seeing your property for sale.
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