THE REAL ESTATE ECOBLOG

Energy Tax Credits for Home Improvement!

 Need to make improvements to your home?  Want to bring down costs this winter?  Here is a little incentive to help you along the way!  Did you know that the federal government is offering tax credits to individuals who make certain energy efficient improvements to their home?  Here are the specifics from the US Department of Energy: "Consumers who purchase and install specific products such as energy -efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs and heating and cooling equipment in existing homes can receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost up to $1,500 for improvements "placed in service" starting January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010."  This winter a little to soon?  As you see the credits are offered through December of 2010!

For more info or coupons to Lowe's to make these improvements send me an email at cherikuhn@watersrealtymn.com or give me a call at 612-865-9150!

Carfax Reports For Your House

Yes that's right.  You can now buy a history report for your home.  This program is brought to you by EDR.  EDR's Neighborhood Environmental Reports work much like the Carfax program.  It highlights any past issues or concerns that were recorded either with a state agency or insurance company.  With the level of seller disclosure continuing to slip away this is another way to protect yourself from unwanted and potentially large issues with a home you are purchasing.

For example: suppose the septic was installed 30+ years ago and has never been updated.  Would you want to know about this ahead of time, prior to closing?  Or the well was never capped, there was a chemical spill that was never properly cleaned up...All of these are potentially large bills to correct.  The current seller may not know of or not want to disclose these problems.  Or in today's market you are buying a property from a bank and it is sold as is with no disclosures! 

Although this program is still new, it has huge potential to protect both the buyer, seller, and REALTOR from unexpected costs and problems.  Personally I think this is a great idea.  One of the aspects of my business is representing investors who purchase foreclosed homes, do extensive remodeling and then sell the home again.  This report could take some of the guess work out of potential problems down the road...

If you would like more information feel free to give me a call or email.  You can always visit me at www.watersrealtymn.com.

The Latest on Home Security

Home security is usually one of those things that everyone knows they need to think about but nobody wants to spend the time to figure out what to do. We can always procrastinate it with a feeling that it will not happen to us so why hurry. Unfortunately, that is exactly what most burglars are waiting for...the unsuspecting home owner who is too busy with life to worry about security. The city of Minnetonka and the cities police department gave a great list of ways to improve security in their January newsletter. Check out highlights from the list below or go to www.eminnetonka.com and check out the full list! The city is also offering free security inspections to Minnetonka residents to identify areas that need improvement. Call Nicole Nelson for an appointment at 952-939-8546.

Landscaping

1) Make sure your house number is visible at all times

2) Burglars love privacy, so consider a chain link or wrought iron fencing and make sure to trim bushes to at least six inches from windows and doors.

Locks

1) Use Deadbolts but make sure that there is not a window nearby that could be broken and the door unlocked from the inside. Check out www.eminnetonka.com for advice on the best types of locks!

Lighting

1) Motion detecting lights are very effective and save energy rather than having exterior lights on for extending periods of time.

2) Interior lights on timers give you the ability to have lights come on when no one is home. This gives the appearance that someone is at home and deters the burglar.

Hopefully this list will come in handy and provide some guidance on home security.

For more information please feel free to call or email me at 612-865-9150 or cherikuhn@watersrealtymn.com. You can also visit my website for up to date real estate info and listings at www.watersrealtymn.com.

Home Contractors...Yes or No?

Recently the Star Tribune ran an article in the Home and Garden section about when to call a contractor. I thought they did a pretty good job of covering the topic. They had a few questions and things to consider when pondering a do it yourself fix. Below you will find these items and a Realtor's perspective on them.

1) Consider your time involvement; how long will in take you compared to a contractor. My rule of thumb, to protect the value of your home, is if the project in question requires a special license by the state it is better to get a licensed professional. These things might include; plumbing, electrical, structual remodeling etc... Not only will you relieve your stress of doing these more difficult projects but when you are looking to sell your home a buyer will be willing to pay more for your home when the work is done by a licensed contractor!

2) Research and Ask Questions....this is imperative for home projects. Most home repair stores will offer classes and have experts on hand to give you tips to complete your project sucessfully. Take advantage of this, they are there for a reason! One of the more tricky projects that comes to mind for me is faux painting. I have tried this on several occasion and with each new attempt I have improved but it is imperative for me to ask for pointers!

3) Lastly, the advice in the Star Tribune stressed not taking on Framing, Demolition of load bearing walls, electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

If you would like to read the full article in the Star Tribune, it was titled "Know when to call a contractor" in the September 12th addition.

Please feel free to call or email Cheri Kuhn at cherikuhn@watersrealtymn.com or 612-865-9150. You can also visit the Waters Realty website.

Emergency Home Repair Assistance available

Recenty, in the MN Sun, I read about a program offering assistance to home owners for repairs. This program does have income restrictions but you can obtain up to $5000 in an emergency deferred loan with no interest and no scheduled payments. This is a great resource especially in our economy where more and more of our neighbors are living paycheck to paycheck. It is also great for the real estate market because the more homes are maintained; the better it is for resale of not only that home but the neighborhood has well!

For more information call Bill at Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin County at 952-933-9639 extension 210.

If you have questions for me please feel free to comment to one of my posts or you can email Cheri at Cherikuhn@watersrealtymn.com and as always feel free to visit my webpage at www.watersrealtymn.com

Damp Basements.....

Damp basements can be hot botton issue in the real estate market but they should not be confused with wet basements which can be more of a problem.  Dampness is often felt when entering a basement, in other words it is normal.  The cooler air present in basements cannot hold as much moisture as elsewhere in the home resulting in higher humidity and dampness. 

Even with this fact a home owner should try and control the amount of dampness due to the increase in conditions that can grow mold and fungi.  To remedy these conditions you can take the following preventative steps.

1)      Seal cracks and holes in foundation

2)      Cover the dirt in crawl spaces with a vapor barrier

3)      Paint the interior foundation walls with a special foundation coating

4)      Raise the temperature by heating the basement, thus allowing the air to hold more moisture

5)      Install a dehumidifier, especially during the summer months.

For more information on basements please feel free to email Cheri Kuhn or Jody Thorpe.  You can also visit our website for listings, open houses, and market date at www.watersrealtymn.com