REAL ESTATE CLASSIFIEDS: 3D
House School offers class on
MEDICINAL GARDENING 2D
In the Garden
This 2009 file photo shows strawberries as they are picked from the patch at Popp's pick-your-own farm in Dresden, Maine. Trimming the roots and then setting a strawberry plant in the ground with just the upper part of its crown, the knob where leaves are attached, gets the plant off to a good start. (AP photo)
GARDENING: quick and easy strawberries
Given how quickly strawberries begin to bear fruit and how easily they are grown, it’s a wonder that strawberry beds aren’t as common in backyards as lawns are in front yards. The most compelling reason to grow strawberries is, of course, flavor. Variety selection and premature harvest make grocers’ berries large and firm, but usually not much else. In your backyard, though, you can grow the most flavorful varieties, and wait to pick them until they’re sweet and oozing strawberry-ness. At that point, perishability doesn’t matter because the berries need not travel farther than arm’s length to your mouth or a basket. KINDS OF STRAWLEE REICH BERRIES Depending on how soon you want to start eating strawberries, choose between “everbearers” and “junebearers.” Everbearers offer the quickest crops, less than three months after planting, and bear all season long. Tristar is among the best of these types. Some of the older types bear in spring and fall only. Junebearers come in greater variety and yield more, but wait to bear their first crop until the year after planting. Once started, they bear once per season, in spring or early summer. Planting two or more different junebearing varieties can extend the harvest. GROWING STRAWBERRIES Spring is a good time to plant strawberries, although they can also be planted in late summer or fall — if you can get plants then. Your new plants may look forlorn, but don’t worry. They soon grow new roots and leaves. In fact, you can shear their roots back to 3 or 4 inches long with scissors so you can more easily fan them out in the planting hole. Adjust the planting depth carefully, leaving only the top half-inch of the crown exposed so that it neither dries out from exposure nor suffocates from burial. Ever wonder how such a luscious fruit came to be called See Garden p. 2D
This undated photo shows a newly purchased strawberry plant in New Paltz, N.Y. Trimming the roots and then setting a strawberry plant in the ground with just the upper part of its crown, the knob where leaves are attached, gets the plant off to a good start. (AP photo)
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THURSDAY APRIL 12, 2018
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2D
Antarctic greenhouse produces 1st vegetables
The undated photo provided by the German Aerospace Center DLR shows engineer Paul Zabel with fresh salad he harvested in the EDEN-ISS greenhouse at the Neumeyer-Station III on Antarctica. The project doesn’t use soil, but is completed instead with a closed water cycle, optimized lightning and carbon dioxide levels. It’s a test to become part of the nutrition for astronauts in future moon or Mars missions. (AP photo)
Pilot project to help astronauts grow crops without earth, daylight or pesticides BERLIN (AP) — Scientists in Antarctica have harvested their first crop of vegetables grown without earth, daylight or pesticides as part of a project designed to help astronauts cultivate fresh food on other planets. Researchers at Germany’s Neumayer Station III say they’ve picked 8 pounds of salad greens, 18 cucumbers and 70 radishes grown inside a high-tech greenhouse as temperatures outside dropped below -4 Fahrenheit. The German Aerospace Center DLR, which coordinates the project, said Thursday that by May scientists hope to harvest roughly 10 pounds of fruit and vegetables a week. While NASA has successfully grown greens on the International Space Station, DLR’s Daniel Schubert says the Antarctic project aims to produce a wider range of vegetables that might one day be grown on Mars or the moon.
The photo above shows radishes before being harvested, while the photo below shows various salads which were cultivated in the Antarctica greenhouse. (AP photos)
3 ways parents can help their grown kids own a home By MARILYN LEWIS NerdWallet When responsible first-time homebuyers need help buying a home, the family bank sometimes can lend a hand. Younger homebuyers face a mountain of obstacles, including rising home prices and interest rates, too few homes for sale and unpaid college debt. Student debt is a major source of trouble. When the National Association of Realtors surveyed recent homebuyers who had problems saving up a down payment, 53 percent of those in the youngest group (37 and younger) blamed student loan debt for their difficulty. Families appear to be pitching in to help, according to the results of that survey in the 2018 NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report. Among homebuyers who made a down payment, 23 percent of those 37 and younger used a gift and 6 percent a loan from family or friends — the highest proportion for either type of assistance among all age groups. Family assistance like this works best when the kids qualify for a mortgage on their own and parents make the purchase more affordable with, for example, a bigger down payment
This undated photo provided by Nerdwallet shows from left, Allison, Abigail, Isabel and Matt Weil in front of a their new home in Laurel, Md. The Weils have twice used mortgage loans from Matt’s parents to buy a home. (AP photo) or a lower interest rate, says Jeremy Heckman, a certified financial planner with Accredited Investors Wealth Management in Edina, Minnesota. FIRST, THE GROUND RULES To create a businesslike distance for these transactions, Heckman suggests that parents:
Consider disclosing the assistance to all immediate family Consider treating all siblings equally Use contracts Document gifts See Home p. 2D
2D The Mining Journal
Thursday, April 12, 2018
House to Home Mortgage Index 30-YEAR Rate-Fee/Pts.
15-YEAR Rate-Fee/Pt.
High rate
4.625
1
4.125
1
Low rate
4.250
1
3.625
1
Average rate
4.437
1
3.906
1
This graphic represents a Tuesday survey of regional lending institutions. Figures are based on rates at Range Bank, First Bank of Upper Michigan, the Marquette Community Federal Credit Union and mBank.
School offers medicinal gardening class
By HARMONY BIRCH The Brattleboro Reformer AP Member Exchange NEWFANE, Vt. (AP) — Herbalism is about autonomy, according to Juliette Carr. “It’s promoting autonomy and self-empowerment to prioritize reclaiming lost wisdom,” she said. Carr, who is a founding member of The Women’s Action Team, wants to bring back home medicine traditions. She wants people to reclaim that lost knowledge so they can advocate for themselves and their family’s health. That’s why she opened up Old Ways Herbal School. During warm weather months, the school offers several classes and training programs. This year, Carr announced a medicinal gardening class so students could learn to grow their own herbs. Herbal medicine isn’t about making “major changes” to the body, “it’s not heroic medicine,” she said. It’s more about promoting general health and well being. “We’re literally talking about tea,” she said. Carr, who is a firm believer in modern medicine and a registered nurse, doesn’t think herbs can solve all health problems. But she can solve a simple headache. She also makes honey and tinctures that help
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“strawberry”? The name might reflect the plants’ habit of strewing about with runners, which are horizontal stems punctuated along their length by daughter plants. The daughter plants eventually root and make their own runners. The name “strawberry” might also come from a centuries-old favorite mulch for strawberries: straw. No matter how the strawberry got its name, the plants love to be mulched. Mulch keeps the soil moist, suppresses weeds and keeps the fruit cleaner. Give strawberries a yearround, organic mulch. ADOPT A PLANTING SYSTEM Spacing for strawberry plants depends on your method of growing them.
people focus, or relax, or deal with depression or anxiety. “It works well with modern medicine,” she said. The act of infusing honey or making a cup of tea, she said, is a loving one. “You think of your mom or your grandma making you a cup of tea,” she said. Herbalism wasn’t a skill that belonged to just women, Carr said, but women were seen as the caregivers and herbalism lent itself to that. “I don’t mean that to say that women should stay home,” Carr said. “It’s the traditional role of women in the community and women in families. It’s health promotion, healing and the act of making tea.” Lately, though, she said people have become completely reliant on pharmacies and doctors. At one point, she said, “promoting health was part of our birthright.” The traditions of family-based healing or what Carr calls “rational medicines were taken from our cultural consciousness.” And those who offered homeremedies — your aunt, your mother, your grandmother — lost their power. Carr aims to give her students independence. She wants them to go to the doctor and have the confidence to ask for second opinions or to know for themselves when something’s wrong.
With the “hill system,” you plant them close together — 9 inches apart in a double row, with 9 inches between rows — and avoid future crowding by pinching off all runners. More plants are needed to get started, but initial yields are highest. This system is especially suited to those junebearing varieties that naturally develop fewer runners, and to everbearers. With the “matted row system,” you set plants at wide spacing — 24 inches apart in single rows, with 4 feet between rows — and allow plants to make runners like crazy. Fewer plants are needed to get started, but the first crop is smaller than with the hill system. Never allow the mat of mother and daughter plants to spread wider than 18 inches, and periodically thin out crowded plants.
No matter which system you adopt, pinch off all flowers that appear during the month after planting in order to coax plants to put their energy into growing strong roots. One advantage of everbearers is that they continue to flower after that month of pinching, which means you get to pick fruits later this season from this spring’s planting!
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Formal agreements offer important benefits, says San Francisco real estate attorney Andy Sirkin. They define obligations and minimize misunderstandings. And if parent lenders die or become incapacitated, all their heirs can view the transaction and its history. WAYS TO HELP Here are three ways parents can help make it more affordable for new homebuyers to purchase a home: 1. Give Money A gift of money is often best, Heckman says. Parents can write a check for any amount they choose. That’s it — no contract or ongoing commitments. Or they can pay all or part of an expense such as mortgage closing costs. Providing down-payment assistance can help new borrowers avoid paying for private mortgage insurance, which helps keep their monthly payment low. How it Works Strict rules dictate how cash gifts are used in a home purchase, and they vary by mortgage type, lender and lender offer, says Mark Case, a senior vice president at SunTrust Mortgage. Lenders like to see money gifts — easily traceable checks, bank transfers or wire transfers — in a borrower’s bank account three or four months before applying for a mortgage, Case says. Givers and recipients may need to sign letters confirming that the money isn’t a loan. When it comes to taxes, anyone can give any other person a gift up to $15,000 in value (money or, say, stocks) in 2018 without filing the gift-tax return IRS Form 709. So a parent with two children can give each of them — and even the children’s partners — up to $15,000 this year without having to complete Form 709. A tax professional can confirm how the rules apply to individuals’ specific circumstances. 2. Finance the Mortgage
Parents with cash to invest can become the mortgage lender, offering extra-easy terms, like no closing costs or no down payment. Heckman says they can charge a higher rate of interest on their money than it earns in a savings or money market account and still offer kids a lower-than-market mortgage rate. “I said, ‘This could be a win-win for both of us,’” says Jay Weil, an attorney in Wayne, New Jersey. He and his wife, Judy, have financed two mortgages for their son Matt and Matt’s wife, Allison. How it Works Jay and Judy fully funded the younger couple’s first home, a Columbia, Maryland, townhouse. They decided to use a service that facilitates family loans. They worked with National Family Mortgage, which charges one-time setup fees of $725 to $2,100, depending on the loan size; provides all necessary forms and documents to meet state, local and IRS requirements; guides families through the settlement and filing process; and connects borrowers with loan servicers. Then in 2017, the Weils lent the kids money again, for a $579,900 house in Laurel, Maryland. Matt and Allison got two loans. One was a primary mortgage from SunTrust Mortgage for $259,900, at 3.875 percent. His parents provided a second mortgage for $260,000 at 1.98 percent. They used money earned from the sale of their first home to make a down payment. Family lenders must charge at least the Applicable Federal Rate , the minimum interest rate required to keep the assistance from being considered a gift. 3. Co-borrow Although riskier for parents, co-borrowing is anoth-
er option. Mortgages with co-borrowers were nearly a quarter of all new-purchase mortgages in the third quarter of 2017, according to ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate data company. Co-borrowing helps borrowers overcome a limited credit history or a too-high debt-to-income ratio, says Case, of SunTrust Mortgage. How it Works Parents apply for the mortgage, too. They must meet the lender’s credit requirements and sign loan papers with their kids at closing. Aside from the mortgage itself, a separate family contract can define expectations and details such as who gets how much equity when the home sells and what happens in case problems arise, says Sirkin, the real estate attorney. For parents interested in being co-borrowers, there are some things to keep in mind: Not all loans allow coborrowers, so it’s good to confirm the option when shopping for mortgages Some lenders may call this step co-signing, which may have different parameters, but the outcome is the same: Parents and children are equally responsible for the loan and any missed mortgage payments Parents’ credit could be affected, making it hard to finance another big purchase later, even if children make payments on time With all the headwinds facing first-time homebuyers, family help sometimes makes all the difference.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet. Marilyn Lewis is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: mlewis@nerdwallet.com.
BIG C REALTY
1900 Presque Isle Ave.
228-7255
(906) 387-3074
FEATURED PROPERTY
321 E. Munising Ave., Munising www.bigcrealty.com office@bigcrealty.com
1104554 Cozy updated 2 BR home on corner lot with attached 1 car garage and a wonderful yard to put in your garden and/or add to the perennial flowers already there. Home features newer windows, new drywall, new electric, new plumbing and HW heat runs, fully insulated with spray foam (walls, attic, crawl space), new bathrooms, and very economical to live in. Hardwood and pine planked flooring throughout plus ceramic flooring in both bathrooms. $69,900
270 Bishop Woods, Mqt Beautiful 5 bedroom 4 bathroom home with a great room, master suite, den, kitchen island, cherry cabinets, sauna, bonus room over garage and more! (1106228) $419,900
1103844 Beautiful and secluded!!! 3+ acres with 300’ lake front along the North shore of Driggs Lake. Cozy little barn styled furnished camp with pull down ladder to loft, 3/4 bath, kitchen area and glass sliding doors to deck overlooking the lake. Separate building for generator (included in sale). A small stream meanders through property. A must see!!! $79,900
103 E Johnson Rd, Skandia Country living just outside of Marquette sits this 2 bedroom, 2 bath open concept home. TLC needed. Storage space with one car detached heated garage and 25x22 workshop. (1104206) $74,900
1103444 OWNER JUST UPDATED KITCHEN with new countertops, cabinet knobs and handles and gorgeous backsplash. Plan your summer now - living at the lake!!! - 3 BR log home on 101’ of pristine Powell Lake - sandy shoreline with fire pit and dock for daytime and evening enjoyment!! This home features a full walkout finished basement, front and rear roofed decks, metal roof, fireplace in dining area for the cozy atmosphere, open beam ceiling on main level with spiral stairway to upper level loft - PLUS a 26’ x 26’ pole building for all your toys. New indoor wood boiler located in pole building provides HWBB heat plus there is an LPFA furnace. $184,900 1103300 ONE OF THE MOST FABULOUS VIEWS IN MUNISING -nestled in the hills watching the sunrise and all the activity on Munising Bay. Let your imagination go and build your dream home on this spectacular setting. 1103041 Duplex with each unit featuring 1 bedroom, bath, LR, DR and kitchen; full basement, hardwood floors. TLC needed to make this an income producing property for you! $34,900 1103038 Location - Location - Location!! Vacant commercial building on busy H-58, previously a convenience/gift/party store. Beer-wine take out license is in escrow, coolers, display racks, shelving, and more just waiting for you to start your own business. Includes a 27 x 32 detached garage. $149,000
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FOR SALE IN ESCANABA AGENTMS E WELCO
175 N Pearce St, Gwinn Close to town this 3 bedroom starter home has a spacious living room, open concept, newer windows, master suite with bathroom and attached 2 car garage! (1099017) $65,000 536 S Mackinac Ln, Gwinn Enjoy life on East Bass Lake in this 2-bedroom ranch house with a sauna, knotty pine living room, additional family room and 97’ of frontage! (1105507) $105,900 3213 Bonnie Ln, Big Bay Enjoy the serenity on 5 acres with this 3-bedroom 3-bathroom luxury home. Beautiful floor to ceiling stone fireplace, updated kitchen, dining room, den, finished basement, master suite, heated two car garage and additional detached garage! (1102781) $299,900
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COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FOR SALE IN ESCANABA 2929 3rd Avenue North, Escanaba, MI
TURN KEY OPERATING COFFEE SHOP/RESTAURANT Includes Real Estate, Equipment, Business Name, Inventory, etc.- newer construction building with drive-thru - large signage with LED Display. 600 ± SF Building on a 0.22 ± AC Lot (Frontage on N. Lincoln Road) - Increasing Year Over Year Sales
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A REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY!
This 2.92 +/- AC Commercial lot is currently “Family Fun Park” located in a busy business location.
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The Mining Journal 3D
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Real Estate Classifieds
Open Houses
When you’re looking for that special item, look in the classifieds first.
228-2500
4D The Mining Journal
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Northern
Michigan
Land Brokers
HAPPY SPRING
FEATURED LISTINGS TBD FFR 3920 Iron River
Well-built camp just south of US2 with year round access
$139,000 MLS #: 1103592 ROB SULLIVAN
N2025 Co Rd 510, Marquette 113 Acres with frontage on Lost Creek MLS#: 1106073 $158,500
NATHAN BRABON
380 Hemlock Street, Republic
2012 E. Pierce, Wakefield
Three bedroom home in South Republic with many updates $53,000 MLS#: 1104935
Clean and cozy three bedroom home with many updates and two garages $75,000 MLS#: 1105966
NATHAN BRABON
SUE FELDHAUSER
TBD Johnson Lake Road, Gwinn
11514 River Road, Republic
Waterfront lot on Blue Lake in Gwinn on a year round black top road with all utilities available $25,000 MLS#: 1105299
Remarkable 45 acre parcel with over 2,000 feet of frontage on the Michigamme River in Southwest Marquette County $189,900 MLS#: 1101897
BRIAN OLSON
1652 Engman Lake Road, Skandia
Bright and cheerful home, great landscaping, and centrally located between Gwinn and Skandia MLS#: 1100104 $119,900
BRIAN OLSON
BOB SULLIVAN
E6599 Crossover Road, Munising
Twenty-four acres of peaceful land with thousands of acres of Hiawatha National Forest bordering the west side of the property $149,900 MLS#: 1093614
W13746 Sandtown Road, Engadine
1761 Lake Haven Drive, Little Lake
Lovely cabin on 36 acres with plenty of room to garden, hobby farm, process maple syrup, hunt and fish. $160,000 MLS#: 1105519
Year round camp/home with 600’ of frontage on Little Lake $249,900 MLS#: 1106231
ROB SULLIVAN
BOB SULLIVAN
30 Acres, Diffin Road, Trenary
TBD Silver Creek Road, Marquette
SUE FELDHAUSER
5389 Champs Elysses, Gould City Waterfront chalet cottage with over 200’ of sandy beach frontage on Lake Milakokia $299,000 MLS#: 1100558
Thirty acres of hunting land with year round county road access and power in Alger County
Residential building lot with almost 450 feet of frontage on Silver Creek $70,000 MLS#: 1106565
NATHAN BRABON
$39,000 MLS #: 1106795 ROB SULLIVAN
BOB SULLIVAN / NATHAN BRABON
635 E McLeod Avenue, Ironwood
Lot D, Perch Lake, Republic
7202 Elm Road, Republic
Motivated Seller! Great family home $159,900 MLS#: 1101544
330 feet of frontage and 6 acres on Perch Lake near Republic $74,900 MLS#: 1079882
SUE FELDHAUSER
Love the Land!
Bob Sullivan
Associate Broker/ Owner Cell: 906-361-4212
Sweet little cottage located on the shores of beautiful Squaw Lake in Marquette County
$150,000 MLS #: 1106336 BOB SULLIVAN
BOB SULLIVAN
Rob Sullivan
Associate Broker, Office Manager Cell: 906-362-3337
Brian Olson
Associate Broker Cell: 906-869-6446
Nathan Brabon Agent Cell: 906-869-8451
Sue Feldhauser Agent Cell: 906-360-2891
Charles Drury Agent Cell: 906-235-3198
Toll-free 1-866-231-LAND • www.northernmichiganlandbrokers.com • 2552• 2552 USUS 4141West, Marquette 906-225-LAND (5263) • www.northernmichiganlandbrokers.com • www.premiumupproperties.com West, Marquette