Central Ohio Real Estate Market News

Entries categorized as ‘Fix-ups’

Do you agree with the 2008 Cost vs Value report?

November 28, 2008 · No Comments

Remodeling magazine and REALTOR® magazine have just issued the results of their 2008 Cost vs Value report. The survey was conducted last summer with 150,000 emails sent to appraisers, real estate agents and brokers. They received 4,500 responses.

In past reports, I have questioned the results as the dollars spent for the renovation seemed far higher than what clients have told me that they actually spent, even when having professionals do the work. I also wondered about the resale value that might be achieved when selling which also seemed overstated vs what I actually see when doing comps for buyers or sellers.

For example, in this year’s report, they indicate a sunroom, in the IN-IL-MI-OH-WI markets, would cost $71,591 to add. The resale value would be $36,740. Clients have told me that they spent around $20,000 to $25,000. Prices on homes with a sunroom might be $10,000 to $15,000 higher than those without. However, if there are other negative issues with the home, having a sunroom may not help a home to sell. If there are no other issues, then the sunroom “may” help a home to sell vs another similar home without one, making the addition of that room merely a tie-breaker. Bottom line, it depends on how important that room is to the buyer and how much extra the buyer is willing to pay for it.

But, this is just MY opinion … read further for the “official” report. You can get free city reports once you register at www.costvsvalue.com.

For the Columbus market …

  • A mid-range kitchen is estimated to cost $20,991 with a resale value of $14,734 for 70.2% recouped cost.
  • A mid-range basement remodel is estimated to cost $58,851 with a resale value of $33,686 with a recoup rate of 57.2%.
  • An upscale remodel of a bathroom is estimated to cost $50,598 with a resale value of $35,858 for 70.9% recouped.

Some common additions, upgrades, remodels for the E. North Central area (IN, IL, MI, OH, WI)

  • Wood deck addition: job cost = $10,534, resale value = $7,263, recouped 68.9%
  • Garage addition: job cost = $60,018, resale value = $33,559, recouped 55.9%
  • Basement remodel: job cost = $64,008, resale value = $37,851, recouped 59.1%
  • Minor kitchen remodel: job cost = $21,759, resale value = $15,038, recouped 69.1%
  • Roof replacement: job cost = $20,227, resale value = $11,056, recouped 54.7% (on this one I have first-hand knowledge. My home is just over 2000 sq ft, and the roof I had installed in August using 5-tab, dimensional shingles cost $8500 and that included a tear-off.)
  • Vinyl window replacement: job cost = $11,077, resale value = $7,429, recouped 67.1%

Before you decide you can’t afford to make some of these improvements, first check with your local, favorite contractor to get an actual cost estimate. I suspect you may be able to spend far less than this survey indicates. Also, keep in mind that you can’t add 100% of that cost to your base purchase price, because it may just be a tie-breaker feature versus another home on the market. For instance, I would not expect to recoup any portion of the new roof on my home because it falls in the category of “general home maintenance”. Buyers “expect” to buy a home with a roof that has all the shingles and doesn’t leak.

If you’ve made any of these additions or remodels, feel free to add your comments as to the price you paid, and how similar … or dissimilar … your costs were to the Survey’s findings.

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Categories: Central Ohio · Fix-ups · Home prices · Homes · Sellers · Surveys
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Category 1 Hurricane hits Central Ohio

September 17, 2008 · 4 Comments

DAY ONE - Sunday

Well, now central Ohio doesn’t usually get hit with hurricanes. Whenever hurricanes hit Texas, we often get the remnants as heavy rain and some strong winds. Sunday was different. In addition to Ike’s winds, there was a cold front overhead with 110 mph winds. When the two mixed together, we ended up with 75 mph winds that lasted from around 3:00 in the afternoon until around 8:30 in the evening. Nearly 6 hours of that wind force is bound to do quite a bit of damage.

Lots of downed or split trees as the wind often pulled different sides of the trees in opposite directions. My neighbor’s street tree split off a large limb and it is laying in both our yards. Lots of damaged roofs. Cars smashed when trees fell on them. And nearly 500,000 AEP users out of electricity here in central Ohio. Over two million without power in all of Ohio. The governor declared a state of emergency since 84 of the 88 counties were impacted by the storm.

My brand new roof with shingles guaranteed up to 80 mph made it through in good shape. Not so, for many of my neighbors. In addition to losing large sections of shingles, some lost siding and one home behind me had a 20 ft section of gutter banging against the side of the home.

Many were unprepared for the storm as only strong winds were forecast. The Murph and I spent Sunday evening sitting in candlelight while I worked on my laptop for the hour or so that the battery lasted. I plugged my cell into my car to charge it up, but didn’t have any such accessory for the laptop. After checking in with my kids to make sure they were all OK, Murphy and I went to bed since there wasn’t anything else to do.

DAY TWO - Monday

The first thing I needed to do was to check on my listings to make sure they were OK. A couple had trees down but no damage to the homes. None have electricity. Thank goodness it’s not raining so we don’t have to worry about the sump pumps not working and flooding finished basements.

I was most concerned with my Worthington listing since Worthington with all its big old trees was hit pretty hard. On the way to my Worthington listing, I happened to  pass my office manager’s home. A very large neighbor’s tree is now resting on the back of their home. It was awful. Thankfully, they’re OK. My listing was OK … just a lot of debris that will need to be cleaned up.

Getting gas was a challenge. Many stations didn’t have electricity so those that did had lines of cars at the pump. I got into line and was about 3rd from the pump when they ran out of gas. Batteries were in short supply and ice was not to be found. Since we really didn’t have a warning that the winds would be this bad, people simply weren’t prepared.

I purchased an adaptor to recharge my laptop using the power supply in my car. I bought the last battery powered AAA weather alert radio/TV at Radio Shack. Now at least I can listen to something in the dark evenings. I also bought more candles and had to buy another flashlight in order to get DD batteries. At the grocery, I bought food that doesn’t need cooking. Did you realize that a lot of unhealty, but really good food doesn’t need cooking. ;-) Oh, well, I’ll worry about that diet later!

My Worthington office doesn’t have phones or electricity, so I spent a few hours at the Powell office gathering email, and doing necessary computer work for the homes I have in-contract.

AEP has reportedly called back most of the crews they sent to Texas to help out, plus, they’ve requested help from nearby states.

During the early evening hours, instead of listening to the sounds of birds, I heard the humming of generators and the razzey sound of chain saws. Other neighbors were cooking food on the grill to use it up rather than having to throw it out. Still other neighbors were walking their dogs and checking to see how fellow neighbors were coping.

At night, The Murph and I sat by candlelight again, but at least this time I had a radio to listen to. When it came time to go to bed, I noticed that my waterbed was no longer toasty warm. Yes, it’s one of the original kind - don’t laugh - bought back in the mid 80’s. I love my warm, comfortable waterbed but it’s not too comfy when the heater doesn’t HEAT! 

DAY THREE - Tuesday

News reports are saying that my area won’t get electricity restored until Sunday night. We’re hoping that they’re just saying that to prepare us for the worst. The accessory cord I bought for the laptop works fine but still the battery only lasts for a little over an hour. I may end up sitting on a chair in my garage with a cord plugged into the car. Could be a new kind of office.

I don’t have wash ‘n’ wear hair, so yesterday I bought some foam curlers in all sort of pastel colors. When I checked out at the grocery, the cashier looked at the travel pack and asked me what “those things” were. She was young with long straight hair so she wouldn’t understand. ;-) So, today I have a hair-do that LOOKS LIKE it was curled with sponge rollers. Oh well, better than flat hair!

The Worthington office is still without phones or electricity, so I went into the Powell office to handle the work. One thing I noticed was that traffic moved better through the stoplights that DON’T work than through the stoplights that DO work. Some of the agents said they are now staying with relatives who’ve had their electricity restored. There was the usual discussions of how we’re handling inspections without electricty in the home and some were dealing with insurance repair estimates to be held in escrow until after closing.

No matter what our own homes are like, we still need to meet the due dates of contracts.

When I got home in the evening, I had a nice surprise … my neighborhood’s electricty was on. There are now 16,000 homes in Delaware County without power. On the way home, I saw a crew from another state working on a transformer at Home Rd and Liberty Rd. Thank you to whatever state they were from.

DAY FOUR - Wednesday

I’ve been on the phone a lot so far today. People are starting to regain electricity, but still others will have to wait for the weekend. I’ve spoken with a couple agents I’m co-oping with and they either can’t retrieve their email via their broker’s system or they don’t have an office with electricity to get faxes and no fax in their home. We’re trying to work through it though and to stay in communication via our cell phones. One agent I spoke with “forgot” she had a landline she could use when her cell battery died. I did the same thing. We get so accustomed to carrying on our business the “new” way that we forget how to use the “old” way!

Delaware County is now down to 11,000 without power. The treed areas of Worthington are still not projected to have all power restored until Sunday. I spoke with another person in my office who said that in addition to the tree on our manager’s home (which will require a crane), one of the agents has a tree on parts of her home as well.

So far, people are trying to be cooperative and maintain good spirits, but you can tell by their voices that the situation is wearing their nerves a little thin. We are all SO thankful that the weather is cooperating. The mild temps allow us to be comfortable without AC or heat.

Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Central Ohio · Delaware County · Delaware Ohio · Fix-ups · Franklin County · Home selling process · Homes · Powell Ohio · Realtors® · Sellers · Worthington Ohio
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Santa’s not the only one on my roof

August 15, 2008 · 2 Comments

In July, the State Farm insurance adjuster ruled in my favor and agreed that I needed a new roof based on wind damage. It took awhile to process the paperwork, get the check, have my mortgage holder co-sign the check, then schedule the roofer.

I hired a company that I’ve been using to replace shingles and have on my short list to recommend when clients need roofing repairs. I use Benchmark in Lewis Center and have been pleased with their service (614-431-5352).

However, doing my own roof, would give me a chance to really monitor their work to see if I still want to keep recommending them. Well, they passed the test.

They came around 8:30 in the morning and finished by 5:30 that night. They put tarps over the plants and grass where they would be tossing the old shingles. Eventually all the mess would be put in a large trailer to haul away. They used a leaf blower to clear debris from the gutters and out of the nearby trees. And they walked around the house afterward to make sure everything was cleaned up. During the time they were there, they worked hard and steady and stopped only for their lunch break. Best of all, there was no crude behavior that we sometimes associate with contractors.

I took photos at various stages so I could of course, blog about the project. They watched me curiously as I was taking the photos … they probably wondered if they were going to be in trouble. I thought about trying to tell them about “blogging” but decided against it.

For the details, I had them do a tear-off. Some people don’t pay extra for this step and that’s not a wise thing to do for several reasons. My old shingles were 3-tab, 30 mph shingles that were stapled on. The new shingles are 5-tab dimensional, 80 mph with a 30-year warranty. So when those 50-60 mph winds blow through, I’ll not be holding my breath about losing my roof anymore.

BTW, The Murph was a nervous wreck all day. He was concerned about all the strangers walking around, and all the noise that was happening above him, but the last straw was when he went outside to relieve himself and ”things” were falling out of the sky landing all around him. He doesn’t handle stress well. :-)

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Categories: Central Ohio · Delaware County · Delaware Ohio · Fix-ups · Homes
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Going green on your roof

July 14, 2008 · 2 Comments

My favorite local blogger, Carole Cohen (Cleveland, OH), has written a post on greening our air and rooftops to not only help air quality but also to reduce energy costs by cooling the building. I didn’t want to hijack her blog, so decided to write a coordinated article here.

Her blog about planting grass and flowers on rooftops reminded me of a home in Marysville many years ago that had a sod rooftop. Remember, Marysville is the home of Scotts Lawn Products, so many residents are extremely passionate about grass. The owner of the “sod roof” home would mow and fertilize it just as he would his regular lawn. I don’t know whether this home still has a sod roof, or whether the home still exists since it would now be surrounded by big box stores and car dealerships. I’ll have to look the next time I drive up Rt 33 to the Rt 36 junction.

In the late 70’s/early 80’s, at their former downtown Marysville office, Scotts purposely grew a section of lawn on a concrete pad to show retailers and consumers that “good” soil wasn’t necessary to have a good lawn. The sod was a little thicker than what homeowners receive from regular sod growers, but not by much. It was fun to watch the surprise on people’s faces when the sod was pulled back to expose the concrete. If grass can be grown on concrete, it could be grown on rooftops as well … just as it grew on the home I mentioned.

I checked Ashton’s blog (the “Scotts Expert“) to see if he has an old photo posted there of the conrete with the sod, but didn’t see it. I know those photos exist. Maybe I can entice him to add it to his blog or to write a post about greening our rooftops to help with our energy costs. If he does, I’ll add a link to it here.

Could be a new niche market for Miracle-Gro. I want royalties for suggesting it !!!!!!!!!!

EDITED: Here’s the link to the grass-on-concrete photo. Enjoy the 70’s hair style. 8-)

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Categories: Central Ohio · Fix-ups · Homes
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Does a new roof qualify as an economic stimulus?

July 9, 2008 · No Comments

Well, I’m having to go through what a number of my clients - or others - have. One too many high wind gusts has deemed that I need a new roof. This past winter and spring’s big storms have finally done it in.

My home is only 13 years old and loosing shingles during storms with winds over 30 mph, has been a continual problem during the 11 years I’ve owned it. A couple years after buying it, I contacted the builder thinking it might be under warranty. They said it was out of their warranty and that I should contact the manufacturer of the shingles. That manufacturer said there was nothing wrong with their shingles, but that the problem was with the subs who installed the roof. So, I went back to the builder and they said they don’t track who the subs are on a given job.

Is anyone out there surprised that I got this run-around?

We had strong winds again a few weeks ago, so I lost a few more shingles. Once again, I called my favorite roofer. He promptly came out, but the news was not good this time. There were a lot more shingles missing that I couldn’t see, plus many of the tabs were lifted, meaning that the next strong wind would send THEM flying.

He delivered the bad news. IT’S TIME … I really need a new roof.

So I called my insurance agent and filed a claim - only my second one - after paying the insurance for 20 years of home ownership. The other claim was when lightening hit the home. No fire but it killed a number of appliances.

Today the insurance adjuster and the roofer came to do the inspection. Thankfully, the adjuster agreed that my roof was ca-put, so the next step is for him to process the claim and send the check so I can get the roofer started. Both guys said the original problem was that the roof was put on with staples, not nails. The adjuster said that using staples no longer meets building codes.

Gee, wish they’d changed the codes before my home was built.

When I took the photo above, I told them I wouldn’t do their job for ANY amount of money - don’t like heights. They told me they didn’t think they would like MY JOB either, given the real estate market in the past year. Oh, well … whatever floats your boat.

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Categories: Central Ohio · Delaware County · Fix-ups · Homes · New home builders
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Is it an eyesore or a necessity?

May 29, 2008 · 6 Comments

How would you feel if your neighbors had one of these in their back yard?

A lot of subdivisions forbid them in their deed restrictions.

I’ve had buyers decide to NOT buy a particular home because these sheds were allowed and because there was no consistency to the allowed fencing. Usually those two things go hand-in-hand. The two issues combined can really detract from a home’s appeal.

For some reason, when people install sheds, they always place them in the far back corner of the owner’s lot. Depending on how the lots are configured, that can mean that the shed is actually closer to a neighbor’s home than it is to the owner’s home. That’s the case with this shed.

Do the owner’s ever consider their neighbors when placing a shed? Is the extra storage really worth the lowered property values that they create?

Another touchy subject is swing sets or the large wooden play gyms. Again, parents tend to place them to the back of the lot - rather than up close to the home. Why is that?

Feel free to give me your thoughts on why people put these structures to the back of their lot. Do you think the owners should be required to place them next to their OWN home? Do YOU view them as an eyesore?

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Categories: Commentary · Fix-ups · Homes
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It’s Spring … time to work on the curb appeal.

April 3, 2008 · 2 Comments

copyrighted-daffodils.jpgHave you noticed … it’s sort of “trying” to be Spring. The bulb flowers are up hoping to cheer us. I noticed the tiger lilies are up a few inches in the ditches along the roadways. I always enjoy the chirping of the tree frogs, but this year I only hear them when I let The Murph out at night - it’s too cold to have the doors open to better hear them. And the ROBINS … don’t you just love the special sound they make in the Spring!

(I’m trying to be cheerful here, so bear with me. Like others … I’m fighting severe depression with this weather!)

I think we’re supposed to have some sun this weekend. So it may be a good weekend to start cleaning up the yard. Mine is a mess after the winter. I have ornamental grass reeds strewn everywhere with all the strong winds we’ve had. Unfortunately, I have a fence which keeps them from blowing into the neighbor’s yard, so they’re mine all mine. I’m weighing what to do this weekend … hold an open house or work in my yard.

Hm-m-m-m … sell a house or get sore muscles. What to do - what to do!

Well, since I’m a Realtor®, I suppose I really should work on making my own home presentable. You know, practice what I preach, since I tell sellers that they really need to have good curb appeal. That is SO important because buyers will judge the inside maintenance by how well the outside looks. If an owner hasn’t cared for the outside, then drive-by buyers may decide to not view a home because of concern that the interior will not be in good condition either.

Since it’s still a little too early to do much other than cleaning up the yard, try to get the leaves - and other junk - raked up this weekend if you can. If you’re really into it, rake the grass that is matted down from the snow. It will allow what little sun we get to shine on the new grass that is trying to Copyrighted Scotts lawmgrow. Once that is all done, you can either fertilize or put down a crabgrass preventer with fertilizer in it.

It’s too early to plant grass seed yet - wait till May to do that. Remember that making your lawn look nice is one of the cheapest improvements you can do to improve your curb appeal and thus, your opportunity to get your house sold.

If you want advice from an expert, go to Ashton Ritchie’s blog to read what he has to say or to ask him questions. He’s a Scotts® spokesman and knows everything there is to know about lawns and gardens. You’ve probably seen him in the Scotts® TV ads or on Saturday morning garden shows. Just tell him the Peanut Team sent you! ;-)

His blog has lots of good tips plus, there are special sections for New Homeowners and people with pets. There is also a photo gallery for people to show off their lawn or even their pet. Maybe I need to take a photo of The Murph standing in front of a bag of Turfbuilder®.

Murph’s Advice: always follow all directions on any lawn or garden product regarding pets.

Read more of my posts on curb appeal:

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Categories: Fix-ups · Homes
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Dress up your kitchen inexpensively.

March 19, 2008 · 4 Comments

Remodeling a kitchen can be quite expensive but there are ways you can dress it up that won’t break the bank.copyright-cabinet-lighting.jpg

Under-cabinet lighting: Add small lights under the top cabinets for a soft glow which lights the counters. This provides extra lighting for your work surface or a warm glow when entertaining. Special lights for this purpose are available from home improvement stores. Some merely plug into a nearby wall outlet while others are connected to the home’s wiring (call an electrician for this).

Over cabinet lighting: The lighting mentioned above can also be placed on top of the overhead cabinets (if there is no soffit). I’ve also seen some people use the tube lights that are available around Christmas. One owner used these tube lights under their base cabinet (in the toe-kick section) in their bath. Very romantic if you’re so inclined! ;-)

Door/drawer cabinet hardware: The addition of knobs and drawer pulls can make a huge difference if the design is chosen carefully.

Under-cabinet backsplash: Ceramic tile is the preferred choice for backsplashes. Depending on your abilities, this might be a job for professionals or you just may need to take one of the home improvement store’s classes. For future buyer appeal, just don’t make this area too “cutesy”.  Avoid the designs with apples, flowers, mushrooms, etc.

Cabinet door inserts: If you keep your cabinets neat and orderly and have dishes or stemware to feature, you can replace some of the cabinet door panels with inserts of clear or frosted glass. Don’t overdue it, just select those doors that would provide a nice accent.

Ceiling light: Take a look at the main ceiling light. If it’s the standard builder light that thousands of people received, consider replacing it with a nice upgraded light or chandelier.

Oh, and one last thing … when you list your home with me … you’ll HAVE TO REMOVE all those fridge magnets and the kid’s paintings. Sorry, but they have to go.

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Categories: Fix-ups · Homes

Check your home for snow damage.

March 9, 2008 · 5 Comments

Now that the weekend snow is over, we now must deal with melting and refreezing, and ultimately excess water.

The news reports are giving advice on those things we need to check out, so we don’t have damage to our homes.

Ice dams are a concern. These are caused by melting roof snow that accumulates at the bottom of the roof near the gutters, then refreezes because the water can’t successfully drain through the gutter system. It is suggested that the excess snow be knocked off these areas, but naturally people are cautioned about climbing up a ladder to do this when there’s so much snow on the ground.

Snow weight on the gutters may damage them. I noticed that one of my neighbors has about 10′ of gutter that is loose and hanging down. It’s on the 2nd story portion of the home, so won’t be an easy fix at this time.

Street drains from the sump pump and gutters need to be cleared of snow. I experienced this first-hand last winter. The pile of snow left by the city plows blocked the flow of water from the pipes to the street for run-off. Because the water stayed in the pipe, it froze and backed up subsequent water flow. I had to remove the top off the outside sump pipe and provide an alternate way for the water to drain until the exit pipe thawed.

Exhaust pipes from the furnace or water heater need to not be blocked with snow for obvious reasons. Again, given that it might require climbing a ladder, this might be hard to do. A “long pole” would seem to a handy tool. ;-)

With all the shingles that have been blown off from the strong winds we’ve had in recent weeks, plus, any damage sustained from this record-breaking snow, I suspect the roofing companies will be busy as soon as the weather breaks for them to be able to safely get up on the roofs. I know I’ll be making such a call, since I lost quite a few shingles to the strong winds in a storm we had a week ago. Ah, the fun of home ownership!  

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Categories: Central Ohio · Fix-ups · Homes
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Your programmable thermostat needs batteries to work!

January 20, 2008 · 4 Comments

cold manI learned a new lesson this morning.

The furnace won’t work if the programmable thermostat needs new batteries.

I confess, I thought the batteries were there just to hold the settings in case the electricity goes off. NOT SO!

The furnace was working when I went to bed last night. It’s set to drop to 64° during the night hours. (I stay toasty in my heated waterbed). It’s supposed to go back up to 70° at 7:00AM. When I woke up, the room temp seemed chilly.

I first checked the thermostat to see what it showed, and the display was blank except for the words “REPL BATT”.

I got out the instruction book and there it was: Heating/cooling system won’t work unless live batteries are installed.

Wouldn’t you know that the batteries decide to die when the outside temp is 5°!

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Categories: Fix-ups · Homes
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It’s a good time to plan some green around your home.

January 12, 2008 · 2 Comments

Well, the holidays are over and we’re now into the “what is there to do” period of winter. Of course, you could start working on your taxes, but that’s no fun.

You might want to take this time to plan for some updates to the exterior of your home. IMO, spending money on landscaping is one of those projects that actually gives a high return on your investment when it comes time to sell. The plants can be increasing in size (and value) while you live in the home and while YOU enjoy their beauty. Plus, if done well, landscaping will make your home more attractive to buyers.

Since we’re not getting overloaded with snow - so far - the landscape companies are probably not quite so busy with plowing, and might have more time to work with you on a plan. By calling them now, you can also get into their schedule Copyrighted summer evergreenswhen planting weather finally arrives.

I’ve used a firm called Terra Horticulture for the work I’ve had done so far. We’re working on sections of my yard over time rather than doing everything at once. You can meet with them now, outline your goals (and budget), then they’ll create a plan for you and put you into their spring schedule.

My next section that definitely needs an overhaul is the front. It still has the “builder provided” pfitzers that are now looking pretty awful. I’ve had to keep them pruned because they were originally planted too close to the home, so after 12 years they now have lots of scrubby stems showing.

Guess I should follow my own advice and give Terra a call … huh!

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Categories: Fix-ups · Homes

It’s OK to fence me in … just do it right!

October 11, 2007 · No Comments

Copyrighted fencePlanning to install a fence on your property? Before you actually do it, there are some steps you should do to save yourself some grief later on.

  • If your neighborhood is governed by a homeowner’s association, check their restrictions first, then plan on following the restrictions. Failure to do so can result in the HOA requiring you to remove the fence.
  • Obtain a building permit from your city. Fence installers will often handle this step for you for a nominal fee. The city usually has restrictions on forward placement of the fence - often no further to the front than the back of your home. There are apt to be additional setback requirements if your home is on a corner.
  • Hire a surveyor company to do a pin survey on your lot. They will mark your boundaries so your installer doesn’t install your fence on a neighbor’s property. Don’t rely on the survey plat you were given when you purchased the home - it’s not the same thing.

Whatever you do, don’t simply install a fence based on how you and your neighbors have been mowing your lawn. Let me tell you about what happened to a seller who did just that.

My buyer was going to write a contract on a home with a fence installed on a corner lot. The portion along the back was partial until it tied into one the adjoining neighbor’s fence to the back. Additionally, there was a shed that was placed at the back left corner with two neighbor’s fences butted up to it. While this “mish-mash” actually provided the advertised “fenced yard”, it put up a red flag for me that one or more of these fences might be encroaching on another property.

So I put into the Contract that the seller should pay to have a pin survey, and that if any portion of his fence was encroaching, then that section should be moved AND if that meant that it was no longer a fully fenced yard, then the missing portion should be added to completely fence the yard - as advertised.

Well, the pin survey showed that his portion of the back fence had to be moved to be on the subject property and the shed had to be moved as well to eliminate encroaching on the neighbor’s property, so we could have a clear title.

It cost him far more to undo-redo this mess, than it would have to have a pin survey done before the fence installation. So he was penny-wise, pound foolish and had to deal with this hassle at a time when he was trying to move and get ready to settle into a new home.

So pay to have a pin survey! It’s well worth with it.

Copyright © 2007. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Fix-ups

Do you have a sloppy neighbor?

September 25, 2007 · No Comments

The October issue of REALTOR® magazine included a mini-poll result on neighborhood attitudes. There were no details on where, when or with whom the survey was conducted but the results are rather interesting.

Most neighborhoods have at least one house that residents feel should be better maintained, but those feelings rarely translate into action.

  • 63% say they have a sloppy neighbor
  • 21% admit to being the sloppy neighbor
  • 81% say action should be taken against the offender
  • 64% say they haven’t yet complained

In my neighborhood, we have one such house. Everybody refers to the house address, as no one has ever met the owner. He’s never lived in the home although he’s owned it for over 10 years.  In fact, the home has never been inhabited. No utilities are turned on so who knows what the basement is like if the sump pump can’t run when it rains. The HOA landscaper keeps the lawn mowed now, but previously the neighbors did it just help their own homes look better.

We would love to know why someone would buy a nearly new home, never live in it, but keep paying the mortgage and taxes for all these years even though it is probably inhabitable at this point. Go figure!

Copyright © 2007. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Commentary · Fix-ups · Homes · Surveys

Caveat Emptor - for sure on this home!

September 21, 2007 · No Comments

moldy houseIn May, I wrote about a home that was bank-owned and priced $100,000 below market because it had a considerable amount of mold near the front door on both the first and second floors due to a neglected roof leak.

Well, the update on this home is that it sold a couple days after it was listed and it sold for around $20,000 over the list price. Speculation was that it was probably purchased by a flipper.

I made a point to watch to see if the mold mitigation trucks showed up or whether the flipper would do the work himself and not truly have it mitigated.

In the past month or so, I’ve noticed the owner working on the home and a neighbor said that a 2-story deck was built in a day. I never saw dumpsters - which would indicate that large amounts of drywall, flooring and carpet were hauled away.  Surely, they had to take all the mold-damaged material away as it was too extensive to not do it so, perhaps I just missed it.

Apparently the flipper is done as there is now a ‘for sale by owner’ sign in the front yard. Although un-represented sellers “should” abide by the same disclosure laws as real estate agents, I just wonder if the disclosure form is completed in the way it should be given the amount of mold that existed.

Also, unless a real estate agent happened to view the home during the few days it was on the market, they would be totally unaware of what might be lurking under any new drywall or carpet. And the poor buyer of the home may not realize that their bedroom and a child’s bedroom next door once had black walls and floors … until after they move in and have chats with the next door neighbors.

I have a feeling that the story of this home is not over yet.

Copyright © 2007. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Buyers · Buyers · FSBO · Fix-ups · Home inspections · Homes · Homes for sale · Safety · Sellers

Are Fluffy and Fido spending your home’s equity

September 5, 2007 · No Comments

Over half the U.S. households own one or more pets. We love them. They’re a true, faithful and loyal member of the family. We pick up after them just as we do the human children

.… and they can make our homes hard to sell.

They scratch or chew woodwork, doors and sometimes walls. They sometimes have “accidents” (you should have come home on time!) They decide that the center of the living room rug is the best place to expel that troublesome food or furball. They may decide that they need to let the world know that this is THEIR house and THEIR family by depositing their own special scent. And of course, we must deal with their “recycled food” or “land mines” … people have various names for this normal body function.

Before you put your home on the market, you’re going to have to undo what your beloved friend has done to your home. Potential buyers won’t be as tolerant as you are - even if they have their own little Kujo.

You’re apt to have to replace the carpet AND pad. Scratched doors will need to be refinished or replaced. You may want to have your duct work professionally sucked out to make your home salable to people with allergies. And if your cat has sprayed - well, plan on calling in the professionals, replacing drywall and on having a real tough time getting your home sold.

Realtors® generally consider cats to be more of a problem because more people are allergic to them, their litter box is actually IN the home, the basement door often has a pet door cut into it, and everyone knows that if the cat has sprayed that the awful odor will be apparent for years to come.

I once had a listing with a seller who had lived in the home for five years and did not ever have any pets. When I first met with them to counsel them for preparing the home, I noticed an ‘odd’ odor in the laundry which was on the lowest level of a 4-level split. Thinking it was due to the musty odor from a damp laundry, the seller thoroughly cleaned with heavy-duty cleaners and deodorizers.

We had a fairly high number of showings with “cat odor in the laundry” coming back in the feedback comments. I would call the showing agent to advise them that the seller had never had a cat. The seller and I were puzzled and she would continue to clean, trying alternate products each time.

Eventually, we got the home in-contract … after reducing the price a few times. During the buyer’s home inspection, the inspector opened the trap door to a crawl space under a room addition. Lo and behold, this crawl was apparently a built-in litter box for the previous owner’s cat. So five years later, this cat odor was still impacting the sale price of this home.

While cats and dogs are the most common pets, you’re not immune if you keep reptiles. I had one agent tell me that if she sees a tank with a snake in it, that she recommends her buyers not consider that home. She had read that snakes can and do escape and take up residence in the duct work or walls. Snakes in the duct work is NOT one of the topics on the Property Disclosure Form. Imagine sitting in your family room and seeing a snake crawl out of the furnace register. YIKES!!!!

So, if you’re planning on selling your home in the near future, be aware that you WILL have some work to do … thanks to that furry body with those wonderful loving eyes.

Copyright © 2007. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate,com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.

Categories: Dog Tails · Fix-ups · Home prices · Homes · Sellers