DECEMBER 25, 2019 • Volume 12 • Issue 39
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
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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, December 25, 2019
HOME HELP TIP OF THE WEEK
HOME BUYING
GARDENING
PROPER STEPS FOR CLEANING PAINT BRUSHES
REFINANCING SURGES TO HIGHEST LEVEL IN THREE YEARS
WHEN PLANTING TREES, TRY DIGGING SQUARE HOLES
Refinance lending has spiked, nearly doubling in the past three quarters, according to data and analytics company Black Knight.
Though it may be counterintuitive, digging a square hole when planting a tree is better than digging a circular one.
CNBC reports that refinance volume was up 132% annually to its highest level in almost three years. Cash-out refinances were up 24% since the last quarter of 2018 and made up 52% of all refinances. Homeowners withdrew a collective $36 billion in home equity, the highest amount in nearly 12 years.
According to The Guardian, planting a tree in a circular hole, packed tight with compost and fertilizer, will result in rapid initial growth. This growth, however, will not be sustained. Once the roots reach hard soil at the perimeter of the hole, they tend to spiral around the outer edge, looking for better growing conditions. This creates a circular root system that, once mature, will harden into a tight ring and choke the plant.
Improper cleaning of your fancy paint brushes can cause misshapen bristles and dried flecks of paint that will result in an imperfect finish on your next project. Here is a guide for cleaning brushes from Bobvila.com. 1. Remove paint from brushes. Cleaning a brush is easier if you get as much paint off as possible. Press the brush against the inside of the paint can, lifting up and out, to squeeze out the paint. Then paint the rest away on newspaper or a piece of cardboard. 2. Use the right solvent. Take note of the type of paint you are using. Mineral spirits or turpentine will remove oil-based paint, but use hot water and mild liquid dish soap for latex paint. 3. Submerge the brushes. Once you’ve selected the correct solvent, stir it with the brushes, wiping and squeezing them on the side of the container. Work the bristles with your fingers and comb them with a comb brush. If the paint has started to dry, you may need to soak the brushes. 4. Wash them. Wash the brushes in warm, soapy water to remove the solvent and any remaining paint. 5. Dry the brushes. You must remove all water before storage. Shake out the brushes at the top of a bucket and blot dry on a clean rag. Those doing a lot of painting may consider investing in a brush and roller spinner, which uses centrifugal force to fling all liquid from the bristles. 6. Storage. Brushes can be laid flat or hung up to keep the bristles from getting bent.
Digging a square hole prevents this spiraling growth. When the roots hit a corner of the hole, they will be forced out to colonize the native soil. — More Content Now
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, December 25, 2019 • Page RE3
Page RE4 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, December 25, 2019
DEAR MONTY
How to gain real estate investing experience Monty’s answer: There are many types
RICHARD MONTGOMERY
R
eader question: I have been inspired to go into real estate investments since I recently lost my job. I don’t have any real estate experience. I don’t have a practical knowledge on how to leverage with OPM (other people’s money). Please recommend what I can do to help me gain experience.
of businesses in the real estate industry. As you state you do not have a job, my first recommendation is to find a job that pays a salary that is in one of the sectors directly related to real estate. Some examples are banks, appraisal firms, title companies and property management concerns. In companies like these, you have a chance to earn while you learn. While you are working, there are many ways to dip your toe in the water. One of the first things to consider is which path to take in real estate. One way to learn about real estate is to get a license. You will learn the fundamentals about real estate law, how to properly complete forms, duties of a licensee, how to stay out of legal trouble
and ethics. The actual practice of real estate is left to learn when you go to work for a real estate broker.
Where to learn more Go to school: Depending on what field you decide to focus on, there are many options to consider. Major universities offer degrees in real estate that are necessary for a job on Wall Street. Technical colleges and trade schools offer real estate training classes. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has a commercial, industrial and investment real estate course called CCIM that gets into the heart of investing and brokering investment real estate. Read: The are literally thousands of books available for sale or at your public library that cover all facets of the industry. For example, I learned how to
appraise property through James Graaskamp at the University of Wisconsin in the late ‘60s. He has written multiple books on evaluating real property. He and many others have shared their observations in writing. Find a real estate mentor: Real estate agents and investors are known to bring on associates that help in the process of searching for, qualifying, and demonstrating property for investment or brokerage opportunities. 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.
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, December 25, 2019 • Page RE5
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Page RE6 • REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Magnolia for the holidays
By Betty Montgomery
ave you ever gone out and sat on a bench to enjoy the winter garden? There is a special beauty this time of year. The afternoon light, the shadows, the evergreen trees that stand out more after the leaves of deciduous trees have fallen, giving evergreen trees a chance to shine. Large evergreen trees stand out and become focal points in the garden. They are the backbone of the landscape and they gleam in the winter sun. Bringing some of these gorgeous evergreens into the house over the holidays makes any room radiate. My favorite leaves at this time of year are from magnolias. They make a key statement when used in the home.
Growing up, we often went to my aunt’s home on Christmas Eve, and she would decorate her tree that night. She and her husband had a nursery that specialized in growing more than 100 varieties of hollies, so they always brought in a balled and burlapped holly into the house to have as their Christmas tree. Now imagine bringing in a “Teddy Bear” or a “Hasse” magnolia and decorating it for Christmas. I think it would be stunning. If you do not want to put up a large Christmas tree, you can make a small tree for a table using branches of magnolia. Take enough floral foam bricks (oasis), soak them well and make into a pyramid shape. Put magnolia into the foam bricks and have a magnolia tree that will be attractive.
How to use them
More ideas
Magnolia leaves add elegance to any arrangement. Fill a pretty brass container of magnolia and it makes a classy focal point. Magnolia is often used to decorate a mantel or made into a garland and draped over an entranceway. Magnolia branches can be used in many ways, and today, there are varieties of magnolia that have smaller leaves, making them easier to use in an arrangement. “Little Gem,” “Teddy Bear,” “Hasse” and “Kay Parris” are ones that I think of when I want to have smaller leaves than the granddaddy of magnolias, magnolia grandiflora.
Making a garland out of magnolia is not hard either. Take branches of magnolia and prune away about 3 to 5 inches at the base of the stem by pulling off any leaeves toward the end of the branch. Tie a knot at the top of the branch with a nylon string and then wrap it around the base of the first branch. Then wrap this branch against another branch with wire, joining the stems together. Add another branch and wrap the wire around it again to join them and twine them with the string so that they are held together the length of the stems.
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H
Add another branch and keep on until you have the length you want. When you get to the desired length, take the last branch and turn it the opposite direction and finish it into the swag. Wreaths can also be made of magnolia. Gently strip leaves from branches. Collect four to five leaves in a bunch, holding them at the stems. If the leaves are different sizes, Top: Magnolia branches can be used in many different ways. put the smaller leaves Above: Magnolia is often used to decorate a mantel or made into a in front of the larger garland and draped over an entranceway. ones. Cut a piece of [Betty Montgomery photos] floral wire and wrap it tightly around the make an arrangement and keep it long base of the leaves to bind the leaves after it has dried out and started to curl. together. We have a very precious tree in a magSecure each bunch to a grapevine nolia, and using them to decorate the wreath with florist wire. Keep adding home at Christmas is just one more way leaves around the wreath until the entire to appreciate this majestic tree. wreath is covered. You can use this on your front door, Betty Montgomery is a master gardener adding a bow and ornaments to the and author of “Hydrangeas: How To wreath. Grow, Cultivate & Enjoy,” and “A FourIn the South, we use magnolia freely Season Southern Garden.” She can be and often, and refresh it as it dries out. reached at bmontgomery40@gmail.com. Recently, I was in New York City and found that they prize magnolia and will
REAL ESTATE WEEKLY • Wednesday, December 25, 2019 • Page RE7
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