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January-February 2015 Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Palouse Living
| January-February 2015 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Your goals deserve our attention Every year, millions of Americans enjoy the rewards of homeownership. And they look to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage to help them find the home financing to fit their needs and goals. We’d like to help you too. With a variety of programs and dedication to personal service, you can feel confident that we’ll provide you with the information you need to help you choose the home financing to fit your current needs and future goals. • Conventional / FHA / VA Loans • New construction and renovation loans • PriorityBuyer® preapprovals
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Palouse Living
Moscow-Pullman Daily News | January-February 2015 |
Enjoy a safe and cozy winter MetroConnections
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s temperatures drop and the annual hibernation routine begins, we start using heating appliances such as the furnace, fireplace, and space heaters for the first time in months. To avoid potential hazards, check every autumn that these are in still in good condition and follow precautions for proper use. CSA Group, a leader in public safety and testing and certification, offers the following safety tips for keeping warm on cold days:
Furnace:
• Have a qualified heating contractor perform a yearly maintenance check of your furnace and venting system. • Clean or replace your furnace filter frequently during the heating season. • Keep the immediate area free of obstructions to ensure free air flow. • Look for a certification mark such as the CSA star mark on your
gas-fired furnace to ensure it has been tested and certified to the applicable standard. • Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids near your gas furnace. • Don’t store combustible materials such as paper, chemicals, paint, rags and cleaning products close to your gas furnace.
Gas fireplace:
• Check that the glass panel is intact. Do not use your gas fireplace if the glass panel is removed, cracked or broken. Glass panels and frame assemblies should only be replaced by a qualified service person. • Check for the mark of an accredited certification organization, such as the star mark from CSA Group when purchasing a gas fireplace.
Space heaters:
• Check for wear on the electrical
Hummus gets a spicy makeover MetroConnections
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ot, spicy foods are enjoyed by many and can be found in restaurants and on dinner tables across the globe. Home cooks can take the heat up a notch with spicy smoked peppers that turn any meal into something delicious. From omelets to chili to marinades, adding peppery spice imparts a smoky, sweet and alluring flavor to dishes. Traditional recipes can also be given a bit of heat. Such is the case with the following recipe for “Chipotle Hummus” courtesy of the makers of Roland(R) Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (www.rolandfood.com). Ingredients (Makes 16 servings) 31/2 cups Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained 1/2 cup water cup Roland(R) Tahini (sesame paste) 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
cord. If it’s damaged, replace the entire unit or have the cord replaced by a qualified repair person. • Keep it clean by dusting or vacuuming it regularly. Always turn the unit off first. • Keep the heater clear of furniture, rugs and drapes to allow free air movement and avoid overheating. • Look for certified third-party verification marks like CSA Group’s certification mark. This shows that the heater complies with recognized safety standards. • Turn the heater down or off before going to sleep and keep it out of pathways and well away from bedding and clothes. Turn it off when leaving the house.
Jason Brown Realtor® (208) 669-1690
Bill Morscheck Broker (509) 332-9088
brokerjbrown@gmail.com
billm@moscow.com
Debbie Lawrence Realtor® (208) 301-0108
Patti Green-Kent Realtor® (509) 595-3740
realtor@turbonet.com
patti@greenkent.com
Darl Roberts Realtor® (509) 334-0562
Debi Shirey Realtor® (509) 432-5190
darllroberts@gmail.com
debishirey.cbt@gmail.com
Licensed in ID & WA
1 garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons Roland(R) Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 tablespoon Roland(R) Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, minced 1 teaspoon fresh cumin, ground 1 cup Roland(R) Pimientos 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Roland(R) Fine Sea Salt and black pepper, ground, to taste. Directions: 1. Blend garbanzo beans, water, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, chipotle peppers, garlic, and cumin in food processor until smooth. 2. Add pimientos and pulse until coarsely chopped. 3. Stir in cilantro. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Install a smoke alarm in the room with the space heater. • Have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed throughout the home.
Licensed in ID
Licensed in ID & WA
Licensed in ID
Licensed in ID & WA
Licensed in ID & WA
110 E 2nd St. • Moscow (208) 882-0800 www.cbtmoscow.com 405 S. Grand Ave. • Pullman (509) 334-0562 www.cbtpullman.com
Palouse Living
| January-February 2015 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Clear the clutter and sell your house By Diana Lundin
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ou don’t have to be a minimalist when it comes to your decor but if you want to sell your home, your chances improve greatly if you get rid of the clutter. While curb appeal speaks volumes, once potential buyers enter your house, you want them to be able to picture themselves in it. And they can’t do that if your stuff is spilling out all over the place. Clutter is confusion to prospective buyers and that puts you at a disadvantage right away. If you’re living in a cluttered home, you may not be able to see disarray. You see sentimental tchotchkes, memories of your beloved grandparents, or knick-knacks from a great vacation; the buyer, on the other hand, sees chaos. They can’t separate the house from the clutter and in a market where there are more homes than buyers, you need every advantage you can get. Even if your house is clean, having stuff crammed in every nook and cranny is visually unappealing. What to do? Well, you don’t need to hire a stager, at least not initially, but you
should consider renting a storage space and clear everything out. Make the house neutral. Make it possible for buyers to mentally move their own belongings in. As with any type of decluttering project, make piles of things you’re going to save, things you’re going to donate, and things you’re going to throw away. Be ruthless. There’s a lot of money at stake, after all, especially if you need to sell your house fast. Call a local charity to pick up your items or drop them off yourself. If you can absolutely, without a doubt have a garage sale or sell items online, you can do that as well but it might be best if you can just say good-bye to what you don’t need any more and give to a charitable organization. Yard sales, eBay and Craigslist take time and organization that you might not have during the selling process. Keep what you’re going to save and store it. You’re not getting rid of it, you’re just getting it out of sight. And throw things away. Really. It’s time. Here are some particular areas you should pay attention to as you
declutter. Keep furniture to a minimum in your living areas so that your rooms look bigger. Clear out shoes, coats, umbrellas and other outdoor items from your foyer or mudroom. Move out big pieces of equipment, such as guitars, amps, drum sets, or exercise equipment. Take down your personal photos and store them for yourself. Let the buyer imagine putting pictures of their own family on the walls, tables and shelves. Get rid of old newspapers, books and magazines, recycling if you can. Organize your wires in computers, printers, televisions and other electronic equipment so that it doesn’t look sloppy and overwhelming. Take away those boxes of tissue, medicines, magazines and other items you might have on your nightstand and keep just lamps, clocks and maybe a book or two on them. Edit your bookshelves so that you have a neat, orderly space with books and perhaps a few decorative items, like a vase, globe or other art object.
Remove everything from your kitchen countertops, keeping only essentials like a toaster. Add decorating items sparingly (bowls of unblemished fruit look nice). And clear off all those magnetized coupons and your child’s artwork from the refrigerator. Arrange the shelves in your pantry nicely. Have everything point in the same direction so that it looks neat and organized. Get rid of sickly plants and only keep a few healthy looking ones on display. Make sure your beds are made and all extraneous items, like clothes, toys or shoes, are off the floor. Clear out the bathrooms and spruce them up with some fresh soaps, towels or maybe flowers. Hide your razors, toothbrushes and shampoos out of sight in a cabinet while your house is being shown. Clean out your closets so they aren’t packed to the rafters. Sourced from: Realtor.com This entry was posted in Real Estate on October 27, 2014 by latahrealty.
Factors to consider before selling your home By Diana Lundin
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elling a home is no small undertaking. It often pays to be patient when putting a property up for sale, but waiting for an acceptable offer can be stressful, especially for those homeowners who have already found their next homes. Because so much tends to be riding on the decision of whether or not to sell a home, homeowners would be wise to consider the following factors before putting that “For Sale” sign in their front yards. · Motivation: Many homeowners sell their homes because their families are growing and they have outgrown their current residences. Others may recognize a seller’s real estate market and want to strike while the iron is hot, while still others might be
moving for a new job. The factors that motivate homeowners to sell their homes vary with each individual case, but prospective sellers should keep in mind that moving can be expensive, and finding a new home may not be so easy, nor is the grass necessarily greener on the other side. When deciding if now is the best time to sell your home, make sure you will be selling for the right reason. That can make the often trying process of selling a home a lot easier to handle. · Market: The local real estate market is another factor to consider when deciding whether or not to sell your home. A home is a significant investment, and you want to earn as substantial a return on that investment ....continued on page 5
Palouse Living
Moscow-Pullman Daily News | January-February 2015 |
Buyers, Get an Edge Before The Busy Spring Season By Michele Dawson The spring and summer months are traditionally the busiest times of year for the residential real estate market. Weather is more cooperative and many families like to move while the kids are on their summer break. But in recent years spring, for many regions, has meant more homes on the market, but also more buyers, fierce competition and an increase in prices. If you’re in the market for a house this spring, there are a number of steps you can take to try to give you the advantage over other homebuyers, including: If you’re going to work with a Realtor or real estate professional, get started early. Interview three or four, get references and let the person you choose know exactly what you’re looking for. Get your loan pre-approved. This will give an advantage on several fronts. First, it will be done and out of the way. Second, you’ll know how much the bank is willing to loan you so you know in which price range to look.
And third, it shows sellers that you’re serious and ready to buy when you make an offer. Figure out how much you have for a down payment. NAR says first-time buyers typically make a down payment of 6 percent on a home purchase, and 24 percent of down payment funds were gifts from relatives or friends. If that’s not an option, there are many loan programs that accept down payments of five or three percent. And don’t forget closing costs, which will often run two to seven percent of the property’s purchase price. Be ready at a moment’s notice. If you’re in an especially tight market, your Realtor will be reviewing new listings as soon as they’re available. If he or she finds something that matches your criteria, you’ll want to look at the house and be ready to make an offer — quickly. When looking at houses, look at the potential. There are major factors you won’t be able to change — the neighborhood, proximity to work and
schools, the basic floorplan of the in front of them, you’ll want to make house (unless you plan on completely yours the best. renovating), and size of the back yard, among other things. If you’re put off Article cited from www.realtor.com by paint or carpet color or old linoleum This entry was posted in Real Estate floors, envision what the walls will look on December 2, 2014 by latahrealty. like with your color of choice and the floors in a material you prefer. If you’re buying in a seller’s market, listen carefully to your Realtor or agent about how much you should offer. If there’s competition you may want to offer more than the listing price and you shouldn’t try asking for things like carpet allowances or a long closing date. If you know sellers may have several offers
Factors to consider before selling your home (continued from page 4)
as possible. Selling when the market is struggling will make your investment less valuable. Research recently sold homes in your neighborhood to get an idea of how much you can expect to get if you sold your home in the current market. It might be worth it to sell now, or it might pay off to be patient and wait until the market rebounds. · Kids: Selling your home will impact your family just like it will impact your bottom line. Unless you plan to move down the street or to another home in your community, selling may mean you and your family no longer see your friends and neighbors. That can be a difficult adjustment, especially for schoolaged kids who will have to adjust to a new school. The potentially negative impact that selling can have on your children may not be worth the financial benefits of selling, so the decision of whether or not to sell should not be
Your Full Service Real Estate Company taken lightly by homeowners who also happen to be parents. · Quality of life: It can be difficult to turn down an opportunity to make a lot of money on your real estate investment. But if you plan to sell and move further away from your office and your friends and family, the financial windfall you earn when selling your home may not be worth the sacrifices you have to make in order to earn that money. Studies have shown that longer commutes can elevate stress levels, and even the most affordable property may not be worth moving to if you won’t be able to enjoy the home with your friends and family. When deciding whether or not to sell their homes, many homeowners make the decision a strictly financial one. But there is more than money to consider when deciding if now is the right time to sell your home.
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Palouse Living
| January-February 2015 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News
In our own words: memories of school By Judy Sobeloff
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veryone knows how kids got to school in the old days— walking miles through the snow, uphill both ways. The stories told here show that miles through the snow may not be far from the truth— many of those who shared memories of school for this column did in fact walk miles to school, though some went on horseback. Either way, it was a far cry from how many kids get to school today: dropped off at the front door in the family car. Some respondents went to school here in Moscow, in what is now the 1912 Center; others grew up elsewhere in the country. Some aspects of school, such as the widely accepted use of corporal punishment, are different today—whereas other aspects, such as the importance of sports or the pain caused by bullying or the impact of kindness, remain relatively unchanged. Leonard Johnson, 88 I had to walk two miles to get there, in a Minnesota winter. Sometimes when it got really cold, my uncle would come at the end of the day and get me with a team of horses. It was a one-room school, never more than 17 students. The teacher boarded with a local family, and went home with his parents on the weekend. On Mondays he would pay me to come in early to get the fire started. Richard Tavis, 74 When I was in high school I used to work in the morning early, at 1 a.m. I would come home about 7 a.m. and wash up because I was a garbage collector. Then I would run to school about two miles. Linn Lindsey, 65 When I was in early grade school, probably first grade, one of the kids was talking when she wasn’t supposed to be. The teacher took her in front of the class and swatted her on the butt with a paddle. After that everybody obeyed the teacher. Nobody wanted to be up in front of the class getting whacked with a paddle. This was in Kellogg, Idaho, a mining town at the time.
Ralph Johnson, 93 I went to school in Hazel Bluff. It was a country school, went to the 8th grade, not very far from Kettle Falls. I got a scar on my leg here, where I jumped high through the fence trying to get the ball. The fence was laying down near the stockyards. I ran my leg through the two barbed wires on the top. I have the scar to this day. Zelda Fadness, 82 I just went to the country school. We walked to school. You never knew when there was going to be school or not when we had a storm because we didn’t have phones. The teacher walked, too, and she had to be there because she didn’t know if one of the kids might show up. Bill Olesen, 88 I played ball right here in this gym [in the Great Room of the 1912 Center]. Of course, it was much bigger then. We were the second class in the old Whitworth School. Right across the street, where the high school annex is now, that was the playfield of the school. The big swings were just east of where those apartments are now. Virginia Hays, 91 I always loved to sing, though I couldn’t carry a tune. I loved the Star-Spangled Banner. Even at a very young age, it made quite an impression. I loved all the teachers. There was only one I didn’t get along with. I was a little smart-aleck and she tried to straighten me out. Bob Mayburry, 68 I went to school in Moscow. I was angry with the school district until seventh grade, because my sister (who was also adopted) and I were only five months apart—we’d been raised as twins until school. She was my best friend. They wouldn’t let me start first grade with her. I was angry with the school system until seventh grade when I realized I was only hurting myself. Herb Uthoff, 75 My most pleasant memory of grade school was when we had a running event. I was always the fastest runner. Once I won a large candy bar for winning a race. Relay races were always fun. Unfortunately when I got to
junior high there were three kids faster than I was. I still went out for track in junior high and really enjoyed it. Things got even worse in high school track. Lino Condotta, 92 I was just a common, ordinary schoolboy. I went to school and tried to get good grades, and that was it. I did get into football the last few years. I went to a little tiny high school outside of Helena, Montana. In Helena in 1934, if I got the year right, they built a nice, big school. I was in there about two months when the earthquake came and knocked it flat. Then there was no school, and I went to school in rail cars. Jim Dunn, 78 Apparently I didn’t like it too well, because I didn’t get very far. It was just great to survive it all. Mary Ann Moser, 86 The first three grades I was at a one-room school house, Bald Butte Schoolhouse, that had all eight grades. We walked the country road out to that place about a mile and a half, except in the winter. The mailman would come on his sled and sometimes gave us a ride. There must have been more snow in those days. Sometimes we’d make a tunnel from one side of a big pile of snow to the other. Frankie Yockey, 69 The thing I remember most is I was a member of the flag baton group that marched in front of the band. This was in Murray, Utah. I remember a big parade in Salt Lake City in winter. It was a big parade, and we were all covered in snow. And our band leader came up to us and brought blankets and covered us in blankets so we didn’t get sick. This was a guy who was a really good teacher. He taught band and choir and was a timpanist with the Salt Lake City Philharmonic. Mary Topp, 76 I went to an old country school, all eight grades in the same room, and we had the same teacher. I only had to walk half a mile. The boys that lived three miles or more, they had to ride their horses. We had a brick building and the
roof had been tarred over. All the kids ran around with chunks of the roofing tar in their pockets. Boy, we had clean teeth (from chewing on it). Now they say tar causes cancer. Clara Dockter, 93 I loved school. I was 18 years old when I started high school. My mother and dad didn’t believe women needed school and so they wouldn’t let me go. My brother who was two years older, he kept coming home and he didn’t want to go. I said, “Let me go instead,” but they said no. Helen Dewey, 85 We had two grades in one room. It was a country school. I liked the music and playing baseball. I liked the school part, too. Norma Johnson, 91 I went to school in one room in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. We were so close to nature. We learned everything that could be eaten, natural, all the wildflowers’ names, etc. We went to summer school, and were snowed in all winter. Bernice Brooke My first school was one-room building with no running water, electricity, or toilets. There was a storm cellar and two outhouses. The teacher had to come early enough to start a fire in the stove. She also had to bring drinking water. Oveta Franklin, 90 I attended grade school and freshman year of high school at Manning, Kansas, a small town in western Kansas where the wind always blew. I graduated from grade school at 11 years of age—young at that time. I remember getting out of school for jack-rabbit drives—moved from Kansas because of drought and dust storms. Manning, in Scott County, no longer has a post office—probably blew off the map. Karen Davis, 72 I was not one of the “in” kids, and so in many ways those years were very painful, miserable, and I would not go back and do it again for anything. Judy Sobeloff is a freelance writer who lives with her family in Moscow.
Palouse Living
Moscow-Pullman Daily News | January-February 2015 |
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Camden Court AT SOUTHGATE
| January-February 2015 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News
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Palouse Living