By: Karin Beuerlein If you live in the Northeast, here are maintenance jobs you should complete in spring and summer to prevent costly repairs and keep your home in top condition.
After a long, cold Northeastern winter, spring is an excellent time to get outside and perform a fresh inspection of the whole house, says Steve Gladstone of Stonehollow Home Inspections in Stamford, Conn. Give all your major exterior systems—roof, siding, gutters, drainage—a close examination to make sure they’re working properly and are in good shape.
Key maintenance tasks to perform
• Monitor your gutters and drainage. If debris has accumulated over the winter, you’ll find out when the snow melts and spring rains arrive. Remove any blockages and look for signs of bending, damage, and areas where water has been diverted onto the roof or siding. You can usually make minor gutter repairs yourself for under $50 by adjusting or reattaching brackets, gently hammering out bent areas, and replacing damaged sections of gutter if necessary. This is also a good time to walk around the house and make sure the soil slopes away from the foundation at a rate of at least 6 vertical inches over the first 10 feet. If you have standing water or mushy areas, consider re-grading, adding berms (raised areas), swales (contoured drainage ditches), or installing a French drain (a shallow trench that diverts water away from the house). Try to identify whether your problem is improper sloping or gutter overflow. A home inspector can help you if you’re stumped; inspection services run about $80–$100 per hour. • Inspect your roof and chimney for winter damage. Shingles may need repair after a rough winter. Look for loose chimney bricks and mortar, rotting boards if you have a wooden chimney box, or rust if you have a chimney with metal parts and flashing. Inside the house, check your skylights to make sure there are no stains that indicate water leakage. If you suspect a problem, call a roofing contractor or a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America for an estimate for repairs. Minor roof repairs run from $100 to $350. • Examine siding for signs of winter damage. Check for loose or rotting boards and replace; inspect the areas where siding meets windows and doors and caulk any gaps. Give your siding an annual cleaning using soap and water, a brush, and a garden hose. Also, make sure your house number hasn’t been damaged or obscured by dirt and is easily visible to emergency personnel. • Schedule your spring air conditioning service. Get ready for the air conditioning season with your spring tune-up. If your system wasn’t running well last season, be sure to tell your contractor, and make sure he performs actual repairs if necessary rather than simply adding refrigerant. Follow your contractor as he works to get an idea of the maintenance checklist he uses and ask questions about what he’s doing. Your contractor’s checklist should include inspecting thermostats and controls, checking the refrigerant level, tightening connections, lubricating moving parts, checking the condensate drain, and cleaning the coils and blower. Expect to pay $50–$100 for a tune-up. Meanwhile, make sure your air filters are changed and vacuum out your floor registers. If duct cleaning is part of your scheduled service, make sure you aren’t charged extra for it. Some contractors may try to convince you to let them apply antifungal/antibacterial chemicals to the interior surfaces of the ducts; this isn’t usually necessary and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says research has not yet confirmed its effectiveness or potential to be harmful. Any chemicals you add to your ducts will likely become airborne, so exercise caution. • Check kids’ outdoor play areas. “Swingsets tend to get funky over the winter,” Gladstone says. “Tighten bolts and make sure things are still properly put together and safe to use.” Make sure no sharp edges or splinters are sticking up, and clean off any mold growth with a household-strength 1:9 solution of bleach and water. • Check your GFCIs. A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protects you from deadly electrical shocks by shutting off the power anytime even a minimal disturbance in current is detected. They’re the electrical outlets with two buttons in the middle (“test” and “reset”) that should be present anywhere water and electricity can mix: kitchens, bathrooms, basements, garages, and the exterior of the house. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends monthly testing, which you’re likely to remember if you incorporate it into your spring routine. To test a GFCI, plug a small appliance (a radio, for example) into each of your GFCIs. Press the test button, which should click and shut off the radio. The reset button should pop out; when you press reset, the radio should come back on. If the radio doesn’t go off when you press the test button, either the GFCI itself has failed and should be replaced, or the outlet is wired incorrectly and should be repaired. If the reset button doesn’t pop out, or if pressing it doesn’t restore power to the radio, the GFCI has failed and should be replaced. These distinctions can help you tell an electrician what the problem is—neither job is one you should attempt yourself if you don’t have ample experience with electrical repair. • Pay a visit to the attic. During a spring rain, check for visible leaks, water stains, discolored insulation, and rotting or moldy joists and roof decking. If detected, call a handyman or roofing contractor for an estimate for repairs. If you have areas of rot or mold exceeding 10 sq. ft., call an indoor air quality inspector or mold remediation company for advice. If you have an attic fan, make sure it’s running properly and that the protective screen hasn’t been blocked by bird nests or debris. • Clean dirty windows. This is a good task for the end of summer, when it’s still nice outside. Clean windows allow more solar energy into the house in the cooler months to come, which will help you save on your heating bill. For streak-free glass, use an eco-friendly solution of one part vinegar to eight parts water, with a few squirts of dish soap; apply to window with a sponge or soft mitt, scrubbing any tough spots. Rinse with clean water and then squeegee the surface dry. Along with these important maintenance tasks, be sure to check out the others cited in the to-do lists following this article. Spending a weekend or two on maintenance can prevent costly repairs and alert you to developing problems. Visit the links listed below for more detailed information on completing tasks or repairs. Karin Beuerlein has covered home improvement and green living topics extensively for HGTV.com, FineLiving.com, and FrontDoor.com. In more than a decade of freelancing, she’s also written for dozens of national and regional publications, including Better Homes & Gardens, The History Channel Magazine, Eating Well, and Chicago Tribune. She and her husband started married life by remodeling the house they were living in. They still have both the marriage and the house, no small feat.
The real estate news isn’t all grim for February. Remember, real estate is very much local! Yesterday the New Hampshire Union Leader reported that homes sales in our Granite State increased 7.4% in February, contrasting sharply with the National Association of REALTORS® announcement the other day that existing home sales had dropped 9.6% nationally. The median selling price of homes did fall 7.5% for the month, however. The New Hampshire Association of Realtors news release pointed out that year-to-date sales for January and February were 5% ahead of last year’s. Seven of the state’s ten counties saw numbers of sales increase in February. NHAR President Tom Riley said, “I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that the housing market appears to be stabilizing.”
So, remember, check with your local REALTOR® for your area’s statistics. Don’t assume that a glum report nationally accurately reflects the activity in your area!
Article by Preston Howard.
At the height of the mortgage boom, required down payments were at an all time low. In June of 2006, the average down payment percentage on the purchase of a single family residence was 4%. If you had good credit and a heartbeat, there were lenders who would provide you with a 100% loan with no documentation outside of your name, address, and Social Security Number. Now, all of that is about to change. Serious talk is being floated around Washington D.C. that the return of the days of a minimum of 10% and an average down payment of 20% is swiftly approaching.
The Obama Administration has called for 10% minimums on Fannie/Freddie loans. Sheila Bair, Chairwoman of the FDIC has stated that she flat out wants 20% down payments. Many banks are already there. An analysis of major metropolitan areas reveals that the current average down payment is at 22%. Much of this is driven by the large commercial banks pushing for higher down payments to stem their losses and discourage delinquencies with borrowers having “more skin in the game.” In addition, this is also a form of pre-emptive planning as housing prices continue to fall. The thought is that lower leverage equals lower risk. This conventional wisdom holds true in the majority of cases as most property owners are less likely to walk away from a property in which they have made a significant investment. However, what happens to the individual who wants the “American dream” but no capital? Their option will most likely be a government agency.
As previously mentioned, Fannie/Freddie will require 10%. That’s half of the new norm, but depending on who you are and your price maximum, that’s still a lot of money. Then, there is the FHA and the VA. They have seen a lot of action over the last 2.5 years. In 2009/2010, 50% of all mortga
These actions have resulted in the financial world of two extremes: those with a 20% down payment who get all of the perks, and those without the capital who get all of the fees. I foresee a great demand for something in the middle to be created. It may take some time to materialize as the methods of filling the void in the past have faltered. Mezzanine financing above 80% CLTV is currently non-existent. Currently, cities are broke so the availability of the Housing Finance Agency’s “silent seconds” is scarce. The private market hasn’t been incentivized to fill the gap, so the void with the need to be filled will remain, and hard money is too expensive. I believe that if the American public was aware and takes a close look at this new reality, protests will ensue, lobbying will occur and something will be done, as the “charges for some, but not for all” mantra can’t continue for too long. Eventually, a product or solution will be produced, as the margin between 3.5% and 20% is too wide, the demand is heavy and the pending increases in Fannie/Freddie costs are too real.
Preston Howard is a mortgage broker and Principal of Rose City Realty, Inc. in Pasadena, CA. Specializing in various facets of real estate finance, he can be reached at howardpr@rosecityrealtyinc.com.
Article By: Les Shu Advanced programmable thermostats give you precise control over your heating and cooling, helping to reduce wasted energy.
High-def, high-tech settings
You wouldn’t think of spending much time in front of your thermostat, but the newest advanced models--with their colorful touchscreen displays--are an engaging, interactive experience. They offer separate programs for each day of the week, and can even alert you if service is required. With its high-definition screen display, Honeywell’s Prestige Comfort System resembles a mini-computer more than a traditional thermostat. In addition to indoor temperature, the Prestige’s graphical user interface can display outdoor conditions and humidity with an add-on sensor. An onscreen wizard interviews you about your usage based on simple questions, and then sets a program accordingly. A portable controller lets you adjust settings from any room in the house. The Prestige is priced from $250 and up. If you can live without a fancy display, an advanced programmable thermostat from HAI costs around $300 to $400, while a simpler seven-day programmable model from Hunter costs $99.
Control from afar
What if you’re on your way to a long vacation, and you suddenly realized you’d forgotten to turn down your home’s thermostat? If your home is equipped with the Smart Thermostat from ecobee, you can tap into the system through a personalized web portal anywhere there’s Internet access. Log in to check on your HVAC’s performance and make adjustments on the fly. The unit sells for $469. Manage your home’s HVAC via a home automation app from Control 4. The sophisticated system allows you to change thermostat settings from your smartphone, pad, and PC. In addition, you can control the lighting, music, window treatment motors, and a wide range of Control 4 devices.
Know the price before you turn it on
Pilot programs for installing smart thermostats that display “time of use” pricing information are underway in regions like Florida and California. These thermostats receive a wireless signal from the utility company, and adjust the temperature according to the price of electricity during different times of the day. With costs for air conditioning at about 70 cents to $1.20 per hour, reducing AC usage only an hour per day would yield a savings of $65 to $110 over the course of a summer. Check with your utility company to find out if such a program is available in your area. A writer covering the latest technologies and trends for a variety of national publications, Les Shu is currently automating his home with the newest doodads to make it smarter than he is. Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
The National Kitchen and Bath Association just released its 2011 kitchen and bath study to predict trends for this year. While some trends are definitely on the rise, others that were hot (or not so hot) last year are gaining (or losing) momentum.
Here is the definitive list of what will be big in the coming months:
1. The Case for Space
If you recall, opening rooms was also one of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s predicted trends for 2011. It seems that today’s chefs don’t want to be stuck in a stodgy room. And for those who are more frugal, simply knocking down a wall may be enough: “Knocking down a few walls costs a lot less than adding square footage. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, though, make sure you’re not destroying load-bearing walls.”
2. Tough Counter to Crack.
Quartz is back in a big way. People are going for the hard mineral because it is the “perfect alternative to granite and marble for low maintenance and high durability” in both the kitchen and the bathroom. In fact, 85 percent of NKBA bathroom designers incorporate quartz into their designs.
3. Going Green.
While it is important to be eco-friendly, this year people are quite literally going green, especially in bathrooms. The calming, earthier tone saw a rise in popularity late last year; at the beginning of 2010 only about 1 in 7 people requested green in their remodel, but by December 1 in 4 wanted the color.
4. Shake It Up.
Shaker-style kitchens - an organized, wood-paneled, cabinet-centric approach design - are having a major comeback. While people are still leaning towards traditional models, the Shaker utilitarian approach has been used by 55% of kitchen remodelers last year.
5. Dark Times.
Dark natural and deep reddish-brown maple finishes are in this year for cabinetry and even floors. With more people turning to the dark side, medium natural, white, and glazed finishes have fallen by the wayside.
6. Relax in Style.
People are turning up the volume on in-home luxury; maybe because of the economy, people are finding ways to pamper themselves at home. From spa-like bathrooms to a rise in unchilled, wine cabinets being installed, homeowners are creating spaces in their homes to simply relax. For those on a budget, MSN Real Estate suggests “adding multiple showerheads to a shower typically costs just a few hundred dollars, making it one of the most economical ways to add a spa feel. Also, try to avoid moving fixtures, since that can add enormously to a project’s cost.”
7. Kitchen 3.0
Most people love new tech toys, so why should the kitchen be any different? From French-doored refrigerators with customizable freezers to an 8% rise in requests for induction stove tops, the future kitchen is here. Surprisingly, as people are integrating more high-tech gadgetry in the kitchen, they are leaning towards more traditional and functional designs (see #4).
8. Going Green…The Other Way.
Some choose to paint to be green, but homeowners are also becoming - not surprisingly - more eco-aware in their choices. From bamboo flooring to installing LED lighting, remodeling is taking a turn for the sustainable. NKBA members even said that 89% of the kitchens they designed included some consideration for pull-out trash and recycling bins, and a distinct rise in both garbage disposals and trash compactors.
9. You’re so vain.
Piggy-backing on the spa bathrooms, vanities are getting a redemption. Remodels are taking a turn from the super-industrial look with finished metal to vessel sinks and integrated sink tops, which have a warmer, more classic feel. The bathroom vanity is also seeing double-dual sinks are now a “given” in master baths.
10. Hit the (Hardwood) Floor.
While carpeting may have never been the best choice for the kitchen or bathroom, this year it is being panned for the entire house. Hardwood and tile remain a staple, but bamboo flooring is also gaining popularity. Liz Pulliam Weston of MSN Real Estate adds, “high-end linoleum - which sounds like an oxymoron, but isn’t - is being used in more fashionable homes.”
Source: Ilyce Glink, CBSMoneywatch.com
Home sales activity in the Granite State saw a February increase of 7.4 percent compared to February 2010, according to data released recently by the New Hampshire Association of Realtors (NHAR). The median price for statewide home sales, meanwhile, fell 7.5 percent for the month, from $200,000 in February 2010 to $185,000 in February 2011. Year to date (January and February), unit sales are ahead of last year’s pace by 5 percent, while median price for that period is down almost 4 percent. “We’re not ready to jump to the conclusion that this is a trend,” said NHAR President Tom Riley, a 35‐year veteran of the real estate industry and president of Riley Enterprises in Bedford. “But I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that the housing market appears to be stabilizing, and that’s great news.” Riley pointed to the fact that despite a difficult winter for home sales, this is the second consecutive year that both January and February activity has increased. The last time both January and February showed unit sales gains for two straight years was 2000‐01 and 2001‐02. In terms of local markets, seven of the state’s 10 counties saw unit sales increases in February compared to a year ago, including a 61 percent jump in Carroll County, 42 percent in Coos County and 38 percent in Belknap County. The state’s largest county, Hillsborough, witnessed a 3.6 percent unit sales increase. Median price, meanwhile, saw increases in four of 10 counties. Click here for February 2011 data residentialClick here for February 2011 data condo With inventory still relatively high, interest rates low and prices competitive, Riley said the market remains ripe for strong sales activity. “There are incredible opportunities for buyers right now,” he said. “It wouldn’t surprise me to see activity continue at a strong pace.” Source: Press Release from Dave Cummings, NHAR Director of Communications
March Madness is finally here. At Coldwell Banker we love our college towns, and those locales with teams in the Big Dance are abuzz right now with tournament fever.
While everyone rushes to fill out their brackets, Coldwell Banker for the second straight year is giving you the Bracket of Affordability. This bracket fills out the projected tournament winner by advancing the school that resides in the most affordable real estate market according to the median price for homes that are currently on the market that appear on coldwellbanker.com.
Last year, the Coldwell Banker Bracket of Affordability picked Syracuse as its tournament champ, and this year we have another great shot at picking the right winner with Kansas ending up as the overall champ. Lawrence, Kansas has the most affordable real estate market of the tournament field with a media home price of $106,855.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, UC-Santa Barbara boasts the most expensive college market with a median price of $2.7 million. The final four includes Indiana St. ($127,212), Florida ($108,873), and Memphis ($111,650).
We’ll be tracking the success of the Coldwell Banker Bracket of Affordability throughout the tournament to see just how accurate the picks are. Find out more about how affordable college markets are by checking out the College Home Listing Report on coldwellbanker.com.
During the week of March 14-20, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services is promoting conservation of household water throughout the state as part of the national Fix a Leak Week campaign. Did you know that an American home may waste, on the average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks? That is enough to fill a backyard swimming pool. Statewide, more than 5 billion gallons of water leak from New Hampshire homes each year, enough water to supply the City of Manchester for an entire year. This is why DES is teaming up with the WaterSense program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to remind citizens to check their plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems each year during Fix a Leak Week. One method to check if your home has leaks is to check your water meter. Do not use any water in the home for about two hours. Read your water meter at the beginning and end of this period. If the meter readings are not exactly the same, then you probably have a leak. The next step is to find any leaks. Walk through your house, listen closely for running toilets and look for drips at shower heads and faucets, including any outside spigots and hoses. Hoses attached to open spigots may have leaks along them or at their ends. Often leaks in toilets may not be audible. A good way to find this type of leak is to put food coloring in the reservoir tank and checking about 15 minutes later to see if any color appears in the bowl. Most leaks can be fixed easily and inexpensively. Fixing a leaking faucet, spigot, or hose connection is usually just a matter of replacing a washer or gasket. Shower-head leaks can easily be stopped using pipe tape and/or tightening the screw-on connection. Running toilets are usually the result of a worn or poorly fitting flapper valve or a faulty valve assembly. As a do-it-yourself project, most of these leaks can be easily repaired with inexpensive stock replacement parts available at home improvement and hardware stores. Be sure to bring old parts to the dealer so that the replacement parts can be properly matched. Remember, most leaks are slow, but over time the volume of wasted water can be appreciable. It is estimated that 10 percent of homes have water leaks that waste 90 or more gallons per day. Finding and repairing leaks will save considerably on water bills. Additionally, if your home is on a municipal sewage line, it is likely that the billing amount for sewage is proportionally tied to water use and thereby your total bill will be even more impacted by any leaks. Posted 3/14/11 by the NH Department of Environmental Services, Concord, NH http://www.des.nh.gov For additional information about household water conservation in New Hampshire, please contact Ernst H. Kastning at (603) 271-0659 or via email at ernst.kastning@des.nh.gov. Information for homeowners, as well as resource materials for teachers and students are available at http://m1e.net/c?82384231-wTZE.eMs4vfvQ%406266861-yo7WIwsVqYnFM
It’s March in the Lake Sunapee Area, and the days are getting warmer. There are reports of temperatures as high as 45°; however, it cools down at night to the low 20s. Bright sun during the day is warming the trees, and spots of bare ground are showing up. It’s the beginning of “Mud Season”, but most importantly, (click here for the whole story then click on "Articles" and "Sugarin' Season") Article and photos by David Jones, reprinted with permission from The Soonipi Magazine
A large percentage of home buyers decide whether or not to look inside a house or take it seriously based on its curb appeal—the view they see when they drive by or arrive for a showing. You can help make sure they want to come inside your house by spending some time working on its exterior appearance. It's difficult to look at our own house in the same way that potential home buyers do. When we become accustomed to the way something looks and functions, we can't see its faults. Decide right now to stop thinking of your property as a home. It's a house—a commodity you want to sell for the highest possible dollar.
Curb Appeal Exercise
The next time you come home, stop across the street or far enough down the driveway to get a good view of the house and its surroundings.
- What is your first impression of the house and yard area?
- What are the best exterior features of the house or lot? How can you enhance them?
- What are the worst exterior features of the house or lot? How can you minimize or improve them?
Park where a potential buyer would and walk towards the house, looking around you as if it were your first visit. Is the approach neat and tidy? What could you do to make it more attractive? Make a list of the problem areas you discovered. Tackle clean up and repair chores first, then put some time into projects that make the grounds more attractive
- Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools.
- Clean windows and gutters.
- Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
- Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete or bricks.
- Mow the lawn. Get rid of weeds.
- Rake and dispose of leaves, even if your lot is wooded.
- Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the home's roof.
Don't Forget the Rear View
Buyers doing a drive by will try their best to see your back yard. If it's visible from another street or from someone's driveway, include it in your curb appeal efforts.
Evening Curb Appeal
Do your curb appeal exercise again at dusk, because it isn't unusual for potential buyers to drive by houses in the evening. One quick way to improve evening curb appeal is with lighting:
- String low voltage lighting along your driveway, sidewalks, and near important landscaping elements.
- Add a decorative street lamp or an attractive light fixture to a front porch.
- Make sure lighting that's visible through front doors and windows enhances the home's appearance.
If you brainstorm, you'll find that there's a solution to most problems—one that lets you stay within your budget. The trick is to find the areas where improvements are needed, then work on them as best you can.