Summer Suggestions

It seems like summer has already began (especially with the heat that we have had lately) but summer does not actually start until June 20th. Many people start their summer the weekend of Memorial Day- myself included- but summer will really start a week from this Friday. Here are some suggestions to keep your house maintained this summer.

1) Check wood exterior areas for rot, warping and peeling paint.

2) Trim tree limbs away from roof and siding.

3) Trim bushes away from sidewalks.

4) Drain water heater (one time annually). this reduced sediment in the bottom of the tank.

5) Seal cracks in the exterior walks and driveway to help prevent further deterioration.

6) Change furnace filter.

7) Have septic tank cleaned every two years (if you have a septic tank).

8) Check hardware on garage door.

9) Check motorized attic vents for operation.

10) Clean refrigerator coil. Coils located behind bottom grill tend to become clogged quicker than rear mounted.

11) Check the temperature in your attic on a hot day. Temperatures of more than 120 are not abnormal. Installing a power attic vent would not only make your house more comfortable but may save on your expected roof life and save on air conditioning expenses as well.

12) The second application of fertilizer for your lawn should be made in late August or early September.

13) If gardening is your hobby, please make sure that your garden is not located over a septic field. For the location of your septic field, contact your local health authority.

14) Monitor for mildew and mold.

15) Have a fantastic summer! Spend time with your family and friends and just RELAX!

Remodeling...Is it worth it?

Something that I think is very important when a homeowner does any updates or remodels to their home is to make sure that those updates do not cost more than the home is worth. I took a client out Sunday to see several homes and many of the homes needed lots of updating or remodeling (this is something this client does not mind doing, I think they think it is fun). When we looked at the homes and the "remodels" that they wanted to do I wanted to make sure they did not "price themselves out of the area"....in other words-they would do too much cool stuff to the house that it would be worth way more than the area is worth.

When you make an upgrade to your current home feel free to call me and see what I think about it adjusting the value. Don't get me wrong, I will even do upgrades to my home that I know I probably won't see dollar for dollar that money back but if you WANT to get the most money for the upgrades that you do (if that is important to you) call me and I can give you good advice on what is good and what is not so good for the value of your home or your area.

This is an article that I came across in our MIBOR newsletter publication of the Metrolitan Board of Realtors that speaks on this very issue.


The Cost of a Remodel

According to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2007 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (featured in the March 10 edition of this publication), over half of sellers engaged in some kind of home improvement or remodeling project within three months of listing.

Obviously a popular decision, but is every project worth it? And when deciding which project to tackle, how do you know where the money will be best spent?

Remodeling Online has some answers. The 2007 “Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report” provides a percentage of recouped cost on 29 typical home remodel projects. Projects range from garage and bathroom additions to a minor kitchen remodel and window replacement.

Breaking the U.S. into nine regions, the report provides national and regional averages for further detail. What feature will provide sellers with the highest recouped cost on their investment?

Siding replacement (fiber-cement). Nationally, this project provides an 88.1 percent recouped cost and in the East North Central region (Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio) 82.4 percent is recouped – the highest percentages for both locations. The lowest recouped cost projects in the East North Central region include adding on a sun room, installing a back-up power generator and a home office remodel.

Cost information for the report is pulled from Home Tech Information Systems, a remodeling estimating software company. Home Tech creates its database of cost information from a network of remodeling contractors and suppliers. Figures include labor, material, sub trades and contractor overhead and profit. Values used in the report were provided by the National Association of REALTORS®. A survey of over 2,500 appraisers, sales agents and brokers provided an estimated value of what remodeling projects would add to the home at resale.

To see the complete list of projects and findings of Remodeling Online’s “Cost vs. Value Report”, visit http://www.costvsvalue.com/index.html. While numerous factors affect the ultimate recouped cost of a project, this might be a good place to start investigating.

Spring is in the air!

It is almost Spring time, my favorite time of year!



Do you know how I know Spring is coming? Two things- 1) We are getting ready to go on our "Spring Break" trip next Saturday the 1st of March, Yeah! 2) I took my son to Toys R' Us last evening (Thanks to Aunt Sandy's fabulous birthday present!) and the summer/spring toy stuff was out in the front, amazing. Kind of like the Christmas stuff being put out in October. Anyway- Spring is in the air for me and here are some Spring time suggestions for you and your house.



The official first day of Spring is the 20th of March so I am sending this out early so you have plenty of time to get the items done before than.....



1) Have the air conditioner checked by a qualified cooling contractor.



2) Turn central humidifier off.



3) Change or clean furnac filter(s).



4) Clean debris from gutters, check their condition (seams for leaks, peeling paint and property secured to house).



5) Check attic areas for leakage (after wet weather), paying particular attention to areas around the chimney(s) and plumbing vents and under valleys.



6) Check to make sure drainage from downspouts and around foundation is flowing away from house.



7) Check crawl space and/or basement for dampness and leakage after a rainy period.



8) Open crawl space vents when weather premits.



9) Check roof for damaged, loose or missing shingles.



10) Check chimney for loose or missing mortar and also for loose bricks.



11) Call a chimney sweep to clean your fireplace.



12) Check your sump-pump to make sure it is operating properly.



13) Get lawn mower tuned and blade sharpened.



14) If you are applying a crabgrass preventor, make this application about mid-April.



15) In the spring, the ideal time to fertilize a lawn is from early to mid-May.



16) Check screens for winter damage, and replace as necessary.



17) Monitor for mildew and mold.



Spring is in the air!

Room for Improvement

It may sound strange, but did you know that some home renovations may decrease the value of your home? Money magazine suggests avoiding these four renovations at all costs:

A swimming pool. Unless you live in a hot climate, a swimming pool can be a liability, not an assets. The cost of insurance and pool maintenance can be a buyer turnoff. Families with small children especially avoid homes with pools.

Home addition. Sure an addition to your home will add inside space. But how it will look from the outside? Many home additions can look boxy or unnatural with the rest of the house. If you go for an addition, make sure it is well designed.

Trendy finishes. Don't fall for the latest style or trend when it come to renovating. As soon as it's out of style, it will stick out and look bad. Stick to timeless, classic renovations.

A jacuzzi. Nothing beats a good soak after a long day. But not everyone loves a giant tub with multiple jets. Instead try a rain shower head if you want to add some luxury to a bathroom.

The bottom line is if you are thinking about renovating consult a professional real estate agent that you trust sometime during the planning stage to make sure that you will not cut out a segment of your market when you do decide to sell your home. If you need a good agent, I think I know of just the right person.