Saturday Reporter-Herald January 7, 2012 C1
Real Estate Matters
www.reporterherald.com • Saturday, January 7, 2011 • Reporter-Herald
MLS gives equal access ILYCE GLINK TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
Q
uestion: A friend of mine told me that my Realtor should be able to see listings before they are publicly posted on an MLS website. Therefore, she should be able to let me see a home that will be sold before everyone else does. My friend’s point was that if my Realtor did not do this, then she wasn’t really looking out for me. There is one listing in particular that I saw before my agent did, but it ended up getting multiple bids and going above list price anyway. I’m not heartbroken, but I worry that something like this is preventable in the future. Is what my friend claims true? Answer: The Multiple Listing Services (MLS) have certain rules for their members. Generally, the rules attempt to level the playing field among all of the member agent companies. Your friend may have indicated that your Realtor has the ability to view MLS listings before you might see them on the Internet, but that time lag is generally very small for most MLS systems. Usually, when an MLS system takes a new listing, the listing broker posts all the relevant information about that new listing in the system. Once that information is posted, all members of that MLS system have an equal opportunity to view the listing. The real question is at what point is the posted information on your MLS system released so it can be viewed by others outside your system. That question might vary from one system to another. You may have some MLS systems tied to the Internet in such a way that they release that information to all other MLS systems and to the national Realtor system at the same time. However, certain MLS systems may hold onto that information and release their new listings on a daily or weekly basis. The system in your area may not participate in regional or national MLS systems. If they did, they would probably release any information to those other systems immediately. And once that information is distributed, it generally flows to the many Internet sites that pick up or display listings throughout the Internet. The only way you’d know if your MLS system participates in regional and national MLS systems is to ask your real estate agent or broker. He or she may be able to give you more information about your local MLS system. You should know, however, that more MLS systems have come on board with regional and national systems and those systems generally display and propagate their information on the Internet rather quickly.
to 19 years. Unless the fridge has been a lemon since the day it came into the house, the newer it is, the more consideration should be given to repairing it. Freezers, which last 20 years or so, should be given the same consideration. An important consideration is energy-efficiency, however. Energy Star-rated refrigtute of the National Associaerators produced after 2001 tion of Home Builders suguse 40 percent less energy gests a few other inexpensive than those manufactured beways, including applying fore that date, and that weather stripping around might have a bearing on your windows and doors, changing decision. the filter in the furnace, usSaving $100 a year might ing draft dodgers inside exteAL HEAVENS not be enough to justify rior doors, and installing proMCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE spending the kind of money grammable thermostats to that you would spend for a control when the furnace refrigerator that would meet hen should you rewarranty. Conventional wisadvocated as a gauge when goes on and off. your family's needs. pair and when determining the cost-effecdom maintains that a prodAfter surveying thousands In addition, sometimes a should you replace? tiveness of replacement veruct usually starts causing of its readers on the matter, new appliance will change With the economic downsus repair. problems the day after the Consumer Reports maintains the way the rest of the room turn keeping people in their warranty expires, but just in Those experts say that if a looks, or alters the layout so homes longer and money ev- that if your appliance is eight repair was estimated to cost case something is covered, much that you'll need to er tighter, it is a choice being or more years old, usually it you should know it in ad50 percent or less than the makes sense to buy a new change everything, increasconsidered by more homevance. amount you paid for the one. ing the expense beyond what owners these days. item, it was usually better to Consumer Reports also If you have a favorite highyou can afford. For example, with winter have it repaired. recommends that unless It all comes down to what coming, and concerns about end, older appliance, you may you've bought a pricey, highAARP, however, suggests you can afford and what energy costs mounting, many want to repair it. Consider end model, it might not pay replacing a newer model if it that the 50 percent rule meets your needs, meaning cash-strapped homeowners to professionally repair many should be based on replacehas been repair-prone. But both tests need to be satisare trying to figure out how ment value, not original pur- out-of-warranty products that skip any repair that costs fied, not one or the other. to reduce the $1,900 per are more than three years more than half the price of a chase price, since many conThe same applies to winyear that the Department of sumer items have dropped in old. dows, which we've just Energy says the typical family new product, the magazine price over the years. Regular maintenance exstaff recommends. caulked and weather-stripped spends on utilities. tends the life of just about For major items such as The magazine found that to help reduce heating and A new furnace or energy-efanything. When dust and dirt cooling costs. its readers sometimes began automobiles, consumers ficient windows, although clog furnace filters, the air should first calculate the esthe repair process but Leaky windows account for both very obvious ways to flow is constricted and the timated current market value 25 percent of heating costs lower heating costs, may not stopped in midstream in frusor resale value instead of the furnace must work harder. A and 40 percent of cooling extration. That, too, can be a be in the budget. furnace that does not work original purchase price. penses, but if an older house In the meantime, caulking costly process, because a reefficiently will cost you more has 30 windows, replacement If your mechanic says the pair shop will still charge you around windows and doors even if you change your mind car will cost $6,500 to repair, in energy, and its parts are is horribly expensive, even if doesn't cost that much and more likely to wear out and its trade-in value after and decide to buy a new there is an energy-tax credit can significantly reduce the quickly. that is $1,000, the choice is whatever. at one time or another. flow of cold air into the One of the factors governAARP has millions of older obvious. Take the cost of the Adding insulation to the house. Opening the curtains, ing the decision to repair or repair and put it down on a members on fixed incomes. weight pockets and repairing shades, or blinds on a sunny replace is life expectancy of new car. the sash, as well as a storm winter's day can add warmth It recommends considering Always check each and ev- the product. the "50 percent rule," which window, can help without to a room. breaking the bank. Most refrigerators last 15 ery product you own for a financial experts have long The Home Builders Insti-
Repair or replace?
It's a big question in tough times
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H&RE Real Estate Transactions Real Estate Transactions are supplied by Prospects Unlimited Inc., 1151 Eagle Drive No. 467, Loveland, CO 80537, 667-1537.
Loveland • Robert Doak from Nationstar Mortgage LLC, 625 Triton Ave, Loveland, $80,000, home • Katelyn Huffsmith from Rali, 1681 Rockridge Ln, Loveland, $164,000, home • Jason & Crystal Rademach from Keven
Stearns, 502 Mahonia Pl, Loveland, $192,000, home • Smbc Inc from Vdw Retail, 1383 Sculptor Dr, Loveland, $690,000 • 330 LLC from Oswald Wilson, 330 E 4th St, Loveland, $175,000 • Andrew & Shawna Shearer from Aspen Homes Colorado Inc, 4454 Stump Ave, Loveland, $330,100, home • Thomas & Judith Boesch from Victor Capps, 1404 Caddoa Dr Unit 4, Loveland, $50,000, condo
• Bradley Warren from Trent Lauden, 4322 Sunridge Dr, Loveland, $205,000, home • James Gansen from Us Bank Na Nd, 480 Scoria Ave, Loveland, $197,500, home • Duane & Stanly Chaloupka from Scott Bottens, 1762 W 37th St, Loveland, $230,000, home • Thomas & Judith Boesch from Michael Capps, 1434 Caddoa Dr Unit 2, Loveland, $51,000, condo
• Trevor Midgett from Klump Family Revocable Trust 1, 1605 Morning Dr, Loveland, $260,000, home • Daniel & Holly Keck from Arhur Nolin, 27847 Arikaree Rd, Loveland, $364,900, home • Denise Lempka from Starkjohann Family Trust, 733 Carson Ct, Loveland, $177,000 • Carri Ballinger from Terah Traut, 255 Carina Cir Unit 103, Loveland, $155,000, condo
• Joshua & Josephine vest, 390 Mountain Tobey from Us Bank, View Rd, Berthoud, 18245 W County Rd $5,050,000, home Unit 18e, Loveland, $410,000, condo
Estes Park
Berthoud
• Scott & Julie Reichle from Howard Isner, 541 Heinz Pkwy, Estes Park, $875,000, home • Alfred Joseph from Dorothy Joseph, 507 Riverrock Cir, Estes Park, $455,000, home • Karmen Pace from Linda Edmondson, 865 Crabapple Ln Unit B2, Estes Park, $227,500
• Jason Phillips from Orchard Terrace Estates, 1075 6th St, Berthoud, $105,000, home • Matthew Badalamenti from Janet Senatore, 928 7th St, Berthoud, $130,000, home • Pti from I See Transactions/Page C2 Winding Bay In-