Rose Real Estate Blog

We recently made a video of Graham and I and it is on youtube under RoseRealEstateTeam. We have both a “Professional” one and one of our outtakes. It’s a fun way for you to get to know us. If you have any questions please call us at 641-792-8200!

This is a great time to be talking about cleaning your eves considering  we coming up to a time when you won’t want to be outside! But when snow starts to fly and ice forms in your eves and if there are any leaves or sticks if will cause your eves to overflows then  your basement will suffer. Everyone knows to clean their eves twice a year, but most people I talk to just plain forget to do it on a regular basis and only remember when their basements are wet. So there, this is your reminder!

Last September our community (Newton Iowa) had a fun evening on our square called Thanks with Franks. It’s just a thank you to the residents for doing business in our town and to show our appreciation we give out free hot dogs, but not any old hot dogs they are “special” hot dogs. Sometimes they are dressed up, sometimes they are disquised, but they are always eaten. Then the participants are judged on everything from presentation to costumes. Last year we  made a Pirate Dog and then we dressed up like Pirates. Unfortunatedly we didn’t win, but we will try again this year! Stop by our office on September 10th and have a hot dog on us!

Credit scores range between 200 and 800. Scores above 620 are considered desirable for obtaining a mortgage. These factors will affect your score.

1.  Your payment history. Whether you paid credit card obligations on time.

2.  How much you owe. Owing a great deal of money on numerous accounts can indicate that you are overextended.

3.  The length of you credit history. In general, the longer the better.

4.  How much new credit you have. New credit, either installment payments or new credit cards, are considered more risky, even if you pay promptly.

5.  The types of credit you use. Generally, it™s desirable to have more than one type of credit”installment loans, credit cards, and a mortgage for example.Go to http://www..myfico.com for more information.  

Everything on my website points towards staging your home and spending a ton of money doing it. I am not suggesting that you do any of this. I am however asking you to fix that drippy leak, replace light bulbs that are burnt out, vacuum your stairway, get rid of the dog or cat smell.

I  was showing a home  a while back  and I walked into the dining room and it had junk piled on the table, there was a hutch in there with not china or glassware but  a collection of matchbox cars (in the boxes), a desk that was over flowing with papers (personal stuff that anyone could go through), a light above the table that had one out of three bulbs that worked, junk piled on the floor and I’m sure there was more, but that is all I could remember! When we walked into the kitchen there were so  much stuff  sitting on the counter that you couldn’t see the counter. Such as plants, nick-knacks and just junk. There was even a prescription bottle sitting out! I asked the REALTOR if they knew that we were coming and they said “Yes”. I felt sorry for the owners, because it is so hard for buyers to see past the stuff! II can see the potential of a home but I deal with that everyday, buyers don’t ! They want to be able to see their “things” in a home.

The theme that runs through all of these websites (my own included) is to brighten, clean, and get rid of stuff. If you need help, call me. I go through my house every quarter (The salvation army can attest to that!). Every room deserves a purpose – if it’s a dining room then make it a dining room, if it is an office then make it an office, if it’s a collection – box it up for your next home. I tend to be very blunt, so I have to say “no one except you cares about your collection”. Sorry! If it is part of the decorating, then  fine it’s ok. Such as: a plate collection in a dining room that doesn’t over shadow the room, a grouping of baskets above the kitchen cupboards (but not too many). If it enhances the room then it is great, if it is overwhelming then you need to put some away.

P.S. I hope you aren’t the person who owns the house I just spoke about! If you are “Sorry!”

When a seller gives 3% to a buyer at closing for closing costs it is considered an incentive. There are other things that sellers can do. They can throw in their plasma T.V., their washer and dryer, they can throw in just about anything but it can™t have any value added to the house because of the incentive. A seller can pay for the buyers first house payment, new carpet; we™ve even seen cars as an incentive. In a down market, we see more and more œcreative incentives to lure the buyer. It might get the buyer in the door to look at the house, but sellers need to remember that buyers are very smart and if a house is over priced than all the incentives in the world are not going to help sell that home! Price your home right to begin with and you will have less to give away in the end!

January 16, 2009

I found this article on Realtor.org and found it very useful. I hope you do too! Julie

Staying warm doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Here are some ideas from the U.S. Department of Energy for conserving heat and saving money.By Kelly Quigley var author=”Kelly Quigley”; var date=’Oct 1, 2008′; if (author!=”" && date!=”) document.write(‘ | ‘); | | October 2008When the leaves start falling, you know that the heating bills are about to start rising. But keeping your home warm and cozy in chilly weather doesn’t have to break the bank.  The U.S. Department of Energy offers these simple tips and relatively inexpensive home improvements that will help ensure cold gusts stay out and your furnace doesn’t have to work harder than it should.  The goal: Conserve energy and keep more of your hard-earned dollars in your pocket.  Share these ideas with customers and use them for your own house. After all, who doesn’t need to save a little money these days?  

1. Plug air leaks with caulking, sealing, or weather stripping. Save 10 percent ($190 per year) or more on energy bills. Focus on windows, doors, outlets or switch plates on exterior walls.

 2. Properly maintain the heating system. Heating accounts for half the average family’s energy bill (approximately $950 per year). Make sure the furnace or heat pump receives professional maintenance each year. The small cost (about $75-100 for most service calls) will pay back in better performance all year long.  

3. Install a programmable thermostat. Programming the thermostat from 72 ºF to 65 ºF for eight hours a day while no one is home, or everyone is tucked in bed, will cut the heating bill up to 10 percent ($90 per year), paying for a basic unit in less than a year.  

4. Seal and insulate heating ducts. A system can lose up to 60 percent of its warmed air before it reaches the register (wasting $570 in warmed air per year) if ducts are not properly insulated in unheated areas such as attics and crawlspaces.  

5. Insulate, insulate, insulate. Adequate insulation in the attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawlspaces can save up to 30 percent on home energy bills ($630 per year).   Focus on the attic. (Heat rises.) Most homes should have between R-30 and R-49 insulation in the attic. Learn more at www.eere.energy.gov/consumer.      

6. Close fireplace dampers when not in use.   When in use, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window about an inch, close doors to the room, and lower thermostat setting to 50-55 ºF.  

7. Let the sun shine in. Open curtains on south facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat the home, and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.  

8. Stay out of hot water. Water heating accounts for 15 percent of household energy use. Reduce water heating costs by lowering the water heater™s thermostat setting. Each 10 ºF reduction can save between 3-5 percent in energy costs. Also insulate the hot water heater and hot water pipes.  

9. Install storm windows over single-pane windows or replace them with Energy Star qualified windows. Storm windows reduce heat loss by 25 to 50 percent, and storm windows with low-e coating that reflect heat back into the room during the winter months save even more energy.   Look for the Energy Star label to maximize savings. Energy Star qualified windows reduce heating and cooling bills by an average of $345, but could be higher in cold and hot climates, compared with uncoated, single-pane windows. Can™t afford new windows just now? Tape clear plastic sheeting to the inside of window frames if drafts, water condensation, or frost are present.  

10. Net big savings with a little label. When replacing appliances, light bulbs, electronics, or heating and cooling systems, cut energy bills by up to 30 percent ($600 per year) with Energy Star labeled products. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in place of comparable incandescent bulbs. Find retailers at www.energystar.gov.  These and other improvements that impact the energy efficiency of a home can save home owners money in the short term and serve as a selling point to potential buyers later. Be sure to save receipts, documentation, and manufacturer™s information.  Not sure where to begin? Try the Department of Energy’s online energy audit tool at www.hes.lbl.gov. In the long run, a whole-house energy audit is a fool proof way to make a plan to address wasted energy and make a home operate efficiently for years to come. Visit www.natresnet.org to find a qualified auditor in your neck of the woods.  Kelly Quigley is managing editor of REALTOR ® Magazine. She can be reached at kquigley@realtors.org.

For the buyer it is important to have an attorney examine the abstract so that when you purchase the home you know there are no liens against the property.

For the seller it is to prepare the deed, groundwater hazard and the declaration of value.

Nine times out of ten that is all the attorneys do and you will never have any contact with them. Occasionally, there is something little that pops up, like a child support issue for the buyer or for the seller a mortgage release that never got filed.

Every once in a blue moon you might need your attorney to ask their opinion about how to get out of your contract, but that doesn™t happen very often. And then fewer yet is the time when there is something serious that you really do need to talk to your attorney about something that the buyer/seller has not fulfilled in their portion of the contract, such as taking all the light fixtures at closing and leaving you with no lights in the house. Don™t laugh I actually had that happen!

They perform a very important function, but you may not ever have to use them for anything more than just closing on your home.

Everyone wants an acreage. Yes you probably won™t have a neighbor right next door, but here are some things to think about:

1. The wind always blows in the country (except for the middle of August when you would really like it to!).

2. Energy costs are higher. It is colder in the country in the winter again because of the wind. Even if you have fabulous windows, again the wind blows hard against those windows and doors and heat escapes or air comes in.

3. Mowing. You wanted a bigger yard now you have to mow a bigger yard. You spend more time on yard work (except for raking the wind blows the leaves away!)

4. Usually you have rural water. It costs more to have rural water and you have to read the meter. If you have a well, have the water tested every year.

5. Snow removal. Be prepared for snow drifts and not making it to work on those days when we™ve had lots of snow and lots of wind.

6. Electrically outages. There tends to be more. Even just for 5 seconds, enough that you have to run around and reset all of your clocks.

7. More maintenance on your home and buildings. This year alone we™ve had metal on our barn peel back, our wind mill actually lost all its blades, pieces of siding have come off our house and we have found them on the other side of the highway.

8. Septic tank. Yes it is good that you don™t have to pay a sewer bill, but my sewer, garbage and water bill were lower in town than my rural water bill is now. The septic tank has to be cleaned and inspected at the time of sale. It has to be a functioning tank, large enough to handle a family and having laterals that are also functioning. Most Realtors ask the seller to pump and have the septic inspected (by the County Sanitarian), brought up to code if needed and pay for all of that which can cost around $400.00 to $800.00. If the septic isn™t working then ask the seller to put in a new one. This expense can be over $10,000.00. It™s like a furnace; it™s tough to sell a home that doesn™t have a furnace that doesn™t work. For you sellers, who are thinking that the buyer should be paying for this, stop right now. It is standard through the industry that a septic houses the seller™s crap and just like debris and garbage around the house we ask that you take it with you or dispose of it properly.

8. Propane tanks are either owned or rented. You have to contract with a propane provider and actually sign a one year contract with that provider, agreeing that you have contracted that propane for X amount of dollars per unit. They all come and fill up your tank automatically, but occasionally you™ll need to call them and have a fill. Especially if you are new to the home and use more than the previous owner.

9. Something that is always a hot topic are confinements. Don™t complain about the stinky smell out in the country. That is the way it is! In the spring when the farmers can get in the fields they put fertilizer out. It smells! And it will at various other times through out the year. I recommend that you drive around in all directions of the house that you are thinking of purchasing to see who your neighbors are. You might be amazed to find a hog confinement one or two road over!

10. My favorite are people who have never lived out in the country. They install and leave on their lights to ward off burglars. It™s dark in the country, very, very dark. If you don™t feel secure in town, you will hate being out in the country!

11. Animals, bugs and snakes. They will be living with you. You can™t stop them from coming to your home. Sometimes they sneak into the house; sometimes they just surprise you in the yard. But they are always there!

I love being out in the country. I grew up here and I will die here. It is in my blood. I love the wide open spaces, I love waking up in the middle of the night and seeing deer gazing on my yard, I love watching the Blue Herons visit our pond, I am grateful when I see a bull snake because I know he will be eating mice and moles. I love the unkempt look of weeds waving in the wind, I love just sitting quietly and enjoying the scenery. And I put up with the wind, I just need to harness all that energy to heat and cool my house! It is a wonderful thing living in the country, but it isn™t for everyone!

When you get an accepted offer on your home, a form will be sent to you and you will need to sign your name on it with your loan number and social security number. You can either drop it off or mail it back in to our office. On the day of closing your loan will be paid off and a release will be issued.

Something that happens occasionally is that a home is paid off and the bank does not send off a release and 10, 20, 30 years goes by and you sell your home and you find out that there isn™t a release on this home. Banks are very cheap and it costs them money to release that mortgage. Some banks get sold or close their doors and we find that there are no records left. Two things can happen. The bank that owned the loan can get a release OR you will have to pay for Title Insurance to figure out whether that loan was indeed paid off. It takes 30 to 45 days to find this out. Always delaying the closing on the home.

What you should do: Remember if you pay off your home, keep all your documents that prove that you have. And If you don™t get a release from the bank, demand one, you are always entitled to one!