Palouse Living, April 4, 2020

Palouse LIVING Your resource for buying, selling and enjoying your home on the Palouse.

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Palouse Living is an advertising supplement of the Lewiston Tribune and Moscow-Pullman Daily News

TURN YOUR NEW HOUSE INTO A HOME

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2 | April 4, 2020 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune

Container gardening tips G

Courtesy of Metro Editorial

ardening is benecial in various ways. The AARP states that some of the health perks associated with gardening include improved mood, increased vitamin D levels (which benets bones and immune system) and reduced risk of dementia. In addition, if gardening efforts include growing herbs, fruits and vegetables, it can be a cost-effective way to eat healthy.

For gardeners without sufcient space or for those with mobility issues, container gardening can be an ideal way to grow everything from owers to vegetables. Better Homes & Gardens says most plants are not fussy about the containers in which they grow so long as some of their basic needs are met. This means watering correctly for the type of

plant, and ensuring sufcient drainage.

The following are some other ways container gardening efforts can prove successful. · Watch water. Planet Natural Research Center says plants with thin leaves typically need ample water, and plants with thick leaves need less. Use this as a guideline to gauge water needs. · Size correctly. Plants should be sized to the container. Consider dwarf varieties of certain plants if your containers are small. · Choose the right soil. Fill containers with a commercial potting soil rather than soil from the garden. Garden soil can dry into a solid mass, while commercial mixtures have amendments like peat moss, vermiculite, compost, and other ingredients to help with soil texture and

moisture retention. · Mix it up. When planting containers of owers and other greenery, Good Housekeeping says to include "a thriller, a spiller and a ller" as a good rule of thumb. The thriller is the focal point, the spiller a trailing plant, and a ller has smaller leaves or owers to add bulk and color. · Poke holes. Drainage holes are essential so that soil will not become waterlogged. Holes don't need to be large, but there should be enough of them so that excess water can drain out readily. · Select the right container material.

Container materials may be affected by gardeners' budgets, personal taste and other factors. For those who live in hot climates, selecting a light-colored container can help prevent further soil

heat absorption.

Container gardening is a healthy and enjoyable activity that can pay dividends in various ways.

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Turn your new house into a home H

Courtesy of Metro Editorial

istorically low mortgage interest rates are helping to drive a new wave of home sales. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates roughly 14 percent of the population, or around 40 million people, move every year for various reasons. Statistics Canada's Canadian Housing Survey found about half of Canadian households have either moved within the past ve years or intend to do so within the next ve.

While people may be inclined to move far from their current residences, the moving resource Move.org notes that some U.S. states are seeing an inux in people leaving while others are absorbing new residents. Illinois, Alaska, New Jersey, New York, and West Virginia are the top ve states Americans are leaving, while Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, and Montana are gaining residents.

People relocate for various reasons.

After moving into a new house, it can take some effort to turn that house into a true home and feel comfortable in your new environs. These steps can help that process along. · Create at least one complete and serene space. Focus on setting up the bedroom so you can retreat at the end of the day. Invest in new furniture or get new bedding to give the room this comforting feeling. · Create an organizational plan. It can be tempting to want to throw everything in closets and unpack quickly, but give yourself time to fully analyze where you want to store items, where you may need to paint or recongure spaces, as well as any home improvements you want to make before taking out all of your stuff. When you fully unpack, you can immediately enjoy your hard work.

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· Hang artwork.

Hang a few select pieces of artwork or family photos shortly after moving in.

Surround yourself with things that make you feel good. · Bring mementos.

Your rst home may bring about warm feelings. While you can't recreate it entirely, you can use a piece of furniture or a few family heirlooms to make your new space feel homey. · Rely on familiar scents. Break in the new space with familiar aromas, whether it's preferential air fresheners, scented candles or baking your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Moving into a new home can be exciting. Certain touches can help make the new space feel more like home.

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How to clean when faced with a shortage of supplies Courtesy of Metro Editorial

n light of concerns about COVID-19, various health organizations have issued specic instructions on how to maintain personal safety and cleanliness.

These recommendations involve using common household products to sanitize homes, ofces and public spaces. As people take such precautions, many are stocking up on extra essentials - resulting in shortages.

Everything from hand sanitizers to paper towels may be hard to nd on grocery store shelves, leaving some to wonder what they can do to remain safe without sanitizers?

The Environmental Protection Agency states that coronaviruses are some of the easiest types of viruses to kill because

they have an envelope around them that enables them to merge with other cells and infect them. If that protective coating can be disrupted, the virus can't do its job.

For those having trouble nding wellknown cleaning agents, these alternatives may sufce.

HOT WATER AND SOAP The reason hand-washing is at the top of the list of sanitizing methods is because it is so effective at washing away viruses and bacteria. Friction from scrubbing with soap and water can help break the protective envelope, states the EPA. Soap and water can clean all surfaces in a home, especially when applying a little extra elbow grease.

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE As people clear isopropyl (rubbing alcohol) off the shelves, do not discount hydrogen peroxide. The CDC says household hydrogen peroxide at 3 percent concentration can deactivate rhinovirus, the virus that causes the common cold, within six to eight minutes of contact.

Coronavirus is easier to destroy than rhinovirus, so hydrogen peroxide may be effective at combatting that virus as well.

Natural items can be used for general cleaning, but have not been endorsed for use on COVID-19 disinfection. In lieu of shortages, white vinegar, baking soda pastes and citrus oils and juices could ll the void of chemically-based cleansers for other home tasks.

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not be the case. Real estate attorney Adam Gutin says that making yourself aware of any obligations on the property— including mortgage payments— is key.

"When a person inherits property, they are naturally going to want to know how much it is worth," he says.

"However, the other question she should ask promptly is whether there are any ongoing or imminent obligations that need to be performed with buying a house, you would have respect to the property, such it inspected. You should do the as payment of assessments or same with a home you inherit. property taxes, or landlord"This usually costs between related obligations." $400 [and] $600, but it could In many cases, a family save you a lot of headache," member or representative says Smoyer. "Oftentimes, from the estate will have a real estate agent can be a these answers. If they don't, great source for nding a the person who inherited the recommended inspector." property can hire professionals STEP 3: FIND OUT WHAT to help, for example, a real OBLIGATIONS, IF ANY, ARE estate broker, property manager, ATTACHED TO THE PROPERTY or real estate attorney.

Ideally, the inherited property "If you inherit real estate that will be paid off, but that may is subject to a mortgage, it really

What you need to know if you inherit real estate

By Kayleigh Roberts www.realtor.com

If you inherit a house, or any other kind of property, you may feel as if you've been thrown into the deep end of real estate ownership. Not only must you deal with the loss of a loved one, but you'll also have to wade through the legal and nancial repercussions of inheriting a home. While this isn't a rare situation, being a real estate beneciary has a lot of moving parts.

So, if you do nd yourself in this position, you'll need to take some specic steps. We spoke to experts who explained exactly what you'll need to do if you inherit real estate.

STEP 1: MEET WITH A PROBATE ATTORNEY When you learn that you have inherited a property, you should rst meet with a probate attorney to determine who has assumed the various rights and responsibilities associated with the property. Doing so will help

you assess the full picture of what you've inherited.

"Find out if there’s back taxes, liens, HOA dues, or other liabilities you’ll be assuming," says Nate Smoyer, director of marketing at Avail. "Find out if there are any specic covenants regarding the property and its future use."

STEP 2: HIRE A PROPERTY INSPECTOR Experts recommend treating inherited property as you would a real estate purchase. Before

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Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | April 4, 2020 | 7

depends on the terms of the loan documents," Gutin says.

"The rst question is whether the death of the borrower triggers a default under the loan documents or a requirement for the loan to be immediately repaid. If the beneciary wants to keep the property, then they need to consider whether they have the ability to pay off the loan or whether they have the credit to renance the property."

STEP 4: DECIDE WHETHER TO SELL OR KEEP THE PROPERTY. Once you have all of the information above, you'll be ready to decide what to do with the inherited property.

"Determine the property's current market value for both renting it and selling it," Smoyer says. "Inheriting a property can give you a signicant boost in building long-term wealth. It may be tempting to sell off, but consider the long-term cashow potentials if you were to rent it out. Talk through your

options with a trusted local real estate agent."

In most cases, experts say, people who inherit real estate ultimately opt to sell.

Terrence Freeman, an attorney with the South Florida rm Nason Yeager, says that's because many beneciaries don't want to take the time and money to maintain the property.

"Most people who inherit property either aren’t local to the property, or don’t have the time, money, know-how, or desire to jump into real estate as a business, or to keep up a vacation home," he says.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU SHOULD SELL THE PROPERTY OR KEEP IT AS A RENTAL? Here are a list of factors to consider when deciding whether to sell or rent an inherited property.

• Is your property located in a buyer’s market? If so, hold on to the property as a rental until the market improves,

Smoyer advises. You might even consider renting the home out for the long run, because rentals can have signicant value. You can use free rental calculators to help to determine whether keeping the property makes nancial sense.

• Is there growth potential?

Do your research on the surrounding market, Smoyer says. "Does the property have appealing features, and is it in a location desired by renters?"

• What level of involvement is realistic for you? Property managers have a lot of responsibilities, including maintaining the property and making sure that your tenant is happy. You'll need to factor that into your decision.

"If you hire a manager to oversee the rental, you’ll likely end up paying so much money in management fees that it makes the investment not worth it," Smoyer says.

• Do you own any assets? Real

Real Estate & related services on “Essential Infrastructure” list.

Staying Safe While Marketing Your Home for Sale

Selling a home affects the occupant(s), the potential buyers, the real estate professionals, inspectors, contractors, loan officers, and title officers.

Clean your home before and after showings. It However, this doesn’t is now as important to clean and sanitize your mean business as usual. home afterwards. Take extra care to wipe down light switches, doorknobs and handles, Create a video tour and exterior hardware. Providing disposable of your home as part shoe covers and gloves or hand sanitizer durof the marketing ing a tour would be proactive. process.

Sawyer Home & Land Use teleconferencing and e-signing programs to negotiate contracts.

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Don’t be afraid to take a break from marketing your home if you feel that’s what’s best, especially if you or someone in your family is feeling ill.

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estate can be a valuable asset, so keeping it for the long term might be worth it. Plus, if it comes down to it, you have the option to live in it (unlike stocks).

• How much money can you make off a rental vs. selling?

"While selling right away can be tempting, you should consider the long-term value of the property," Smoyer says. Try to determine how much money you can make off monthly rent payments (minus expenses) over the time you want to keep the property. "Very often, you’ll nd that you can make more money over time by renting the property out."

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU INHERITED A PROPERTY WITH OTHER PEOPLE? In some cases, several people inherit a property jointly in a will. If this happens, you'll have three basic options. First, you can keep the property and own it together. Second, one person

can buy the other(s) out and take full ownership. Finally, you can sell it and split the prots.

Usually, experts agree, the third option will prevail.

"Voluntary partnerships are complicated enough," Bob Kaufman, a real estate attorney at Fischel Kahn, explains.

"Partnerships imposed upon people through inheritance are even less likely to succeed."

If you do decide to keep the property jointly, Gutin recommends putting an agreement in writing to clearly state each person's respective obligations and rights to the property.

In the end, as in all real estate transactions, deciding what to do with inherited property requires a decent amount of time and careful consideration, in order to make sure that you make the right nancial decision.

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