Secret Tests To Check A Property’s Condition

If you’re considering buying a house that’s more than a few years old, there may be some hidden problems you can discover before you make a purchase offer. Although putting a professional inspection contingency in the contract will help protect you from surprises, doing your own inspection before making an offer could save you considerable time and money.
How can you tell if a property is worth buying? Here's how to look at the big picture -- for structural concerns, major repairs that are needed, appliances that have to be replaced.
Crawl The Walls
Start going to the right when you enter the house, and keep on following to the right. You will check each wall that way. Do the same on every floor. Look for settlement cracks, separating joints, defective plaster or other signs of stress or damage. Check wallpapered areas for crinkling or gathering, which may mean walls are settling or shifting.
Look For Leaks
Loose or wrinkled wallpaper could indicate a water leak somewhere. Look for water stains on the ceiling and walls. You may have to look closely -- bring a flashlight -- in case they have been painted over or repaired.
Spend time in the bathrooms and in every area with pipes, checking for leaks and drips. Also, run the shower and basin, then flush the toilet to check water pressure. Look for cracked or loose tiles and missing grout or mildew stains on the walls or floor, which could indicate a behind-the-wall leak.
Plug Into The Electrical System
Check every electric socket or outlet. Use a plug-in night light and turn every switch on and off. Look for extension cords and multiple plugs in sockets, which could mean insufficient or poorly placed sockets. Also check every appliance to be sure it works well.
Focus On Condition
Open and close every door and window. Look and listen for squeaking, sticking, or a tendency to close on their own. Check for evidence of shifting or settling around the front stoop, chimney and walks, and places where the driveway and the fence meet the house. Also check the deck for sturdiness and look for rotted wood. Go into the garage and check the walls, floors and doors -- inside and out.
Pay Attention To Pests
Look for termites and ants. Especially look along the foundation, around doors and entry points of wiring and pipes. Check the grading of the yard to be sure water runs away from the house.

If everything looks good to you and you decide to purchase the house, be sure to require a home inspection by a professional inspector before settlement. You will want a professional who will crawl into the crawl space, climb onto the roof and poke around with a flashlight in the attic. Your professional should also carefully inspect the major systems -- electrical, gas, plumbing and heating/air conditioning.
You can and should insist on a written report detailing what the problems are with the house, how important each one is. You may have to consult a contractor to estimate repair costs on any problems found.

Pitfalls of kitchen remodeling revealed

New book helps overcome obstacles

By Robert J. Bruss
Inman News

If you are thinking about renovating your kitchen, first read "Tips and Traps for Remodeling Your Kitchen" by R. Dodge Woodson. Especially if you are thinking of doing the work yourself or being your own contractor and hiring sub-contractors, this book will bring you to your senses.
Woodson, a contractor for more than 30 years, shares his expert insights into the kitchen remodeling business and all the important aspects. Placing a very high emphasis on price, the author explains the pros and cons of being your own renovation contractor or doing some of the work yourself.

If the book has a fault, it is Woodson makes some of the work seem too easy. For example, he makes "hanging Sheetrock" appear to be a simple job. It's not. Having been involved with many house and kitchen remodels on my properties, I've watched expert drywall workers; even these professionals sometimes have difficulties getting it right.
Although the book has many photos of remodeled kitchens, illustrating the topics such as floors and cabinets, it is mostly about hiring a general contractor or doing the work yourself. Woodson explains, often in painful detail revealing possible complications, what is involved in tearing out an old kitchen and replacing it with an up-to-date kitchen.
Not only does the author explain unanticipated problems that he has encountered over his 30 years of construction experience, but he emphasizes the possible pitfalls to be anticipated. If ever there was a book of required reading for kitchen remodelers, this is it because it exposes the pitfalls and how to overcome them.
Having watched many friends remodel their kitchens, I understand the possible problems. One couple I know took almost a year to complete their kitchen because the remodeling contractor they hired was a real dunce. After they fired him, they discovered other remodeling contractors didn't want to complete their project started by another contractor.
Woodson explains how to successfully remodel your kitchen. He begins with the basics, such as roughly drawing what you want and then interviewing several remodeling contractors. He emphasizes how to compare bids, check references, and then hire a contractor. Or, you can do it yourself based on the great information in this new book.
More important, the author emphasizes how to save money. He shares his calendar of when is the best time of year to hire a remodeling contractor. Don't tell, but the best time is November, December or January when most remodeling contractors are least busy.
In addition, Woodson explains how to get even a better price by agreeing with the contractor to make your remodel a "fill-in job" or a "reference job." A fill-in job is highly discounted because the contractor can work on it when his other jobs are tied up with sub-contractors who are late or he has time between jobs.
A "reference job" means the contractor can refer other prospects to inspect the work in your home. The author recommends becoming a "reference job" in return for a big discount. He says you are likely to get the highest quality work and best service because the contractor will be using you as a reference.
Any homeowner considering remodeling his/her kitchen must read this book for its "insider information," which only an experienced remodeling contractor knows. To illustrate, Woodson explains why homeowners can save by shopping for materials among suppliers to get the best discount prices. He even shares how homeowners can get the customary contractor's 10 percent discounts.
Chapter topics include "Planning Your Job"; "Drawing Your Own Rough Plans"; "Solidifying Plans and Estimating Job Costs"; "Choosing Your Materials"; "Getting Your Best Price on Materials"; "Subcontractors"; "Selecting Contractors and Subcontractors"; "Dealing with Contractors"; "Code Considerations"; "Financing Your Project"; "Ripping Out Kitchens"; "Unexpected Conditions"; "Flooring"; "Walls and Ceilings"; "Mechanical Work"; and "Cabinets, Countertops, Fixtures, Trim and Appliances."
This ultra-complete guidebook for kitchen remodelers cannot be recommended too highly. It won't help you decide what kind of kitchen you want. But it will show you how to profitably deal with the contractors and sub-contractors. On my scale of one to 10, this simple book scores an off-the-chart 12.
"Tips and Traps for Remodeling Your Kitchen," by R. Dodge Woodson (McGraw-Hill, New York), 2005, $16.95, 202 pages; Available in stock or by special order at local bookstores, public libraries, and www.amazon.com.

Blast From The Past

PastLove that retro look? You're not alone. Vintage and retro home furnishings, housewares and collectibles are hot.
If you're looking for authentic Fifties fabrics, a retro chrome floor lamp or starburst clock, or you just want to take a trip down memory lane, you may find these websites worth checking out:

• WallpaperFromThe70s.com
• GoodEyeOnline.com - furniture and accessories
• RetroDecades.com - furniture, housewares and more
• RetroHome.com - furnishings and collectibles from the '20s to the '70s
• Unique-Vintage.com - clothing and TV show wardrobe items
• VivaLaVintage.com -clothing and housewares from the '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s.

Townhome Just Listed in Renton

SOLD

I have more Homes avebale.

Please call me.

(206) 406-2710

.

19166 110th Pl SE Renton 98055
See Additional Pictures
Status Active Listing# 25135859 King County
Beds 2
Baths2.50
Gas Fireplace 1
List Price 224,750

Year Built 1998 Townhouse

Covd Prkg. 2 Garage-Attached
SQFT 1194
Map: 686 Grid: D-2
Appliances
Dishwasher, Dryer, Garbage Disposal, Range/Oven, Refrigerator, Washer

Interior Features : Bath Off Master, Ceiling Fan(s), Dining Room, Dble Pane/Strm Windw, Pantry, Security System, Vaulted Ceilings, Walk-in Closet


Location, Location. This wonderful town home has new red oak floors on the main level. The livingroom has vaulted ceiling and lots of tall windows. The diningroom has a glass sliding door to take advantage of the private back yard. Large kitchen with ample cabinets & counter space. This freshly painted home has a master bedroom with a large walk-in closet and a full bath. Also 2nd bedroom has it's own private bath. A 2 car garage,gas fireplace, powder room & much more. Come see it before it is too late.

Please Call me for more info.

(206) 406-2710

Lonnie Snyder / Keller Williams SE Sound
Lot Sizes And Square Footage Are Estimates.
Information From Reliable Sources, But Not Guaranteed.

What are the two most important factors when selling a home?

Price and condition are the two most important factors in selling a home, even in a down market. The first step is to price your home correctly. Use comparative sales information from your agent,(Thats me) or pay for a professional appraiser (usually $200 to $300), to objectively evaluate your home's worth. Second, go through the house and repair any obvious cosmetic defects that could deter a buyer.

In a down market, you may have to consider lowering your price and/or making a major repair, such as replacing the roof, in order to lure a buyer. Also, make sure that your home is getting the exposure it deserves through open houses, broker open houses, advertising, good signage and a listing on the local multiple listing service or online listings provider.

If this isn't happening, take it up with your agent or agent's broker. If you are still not satisfied you are getting the service you need, you may have to switch agents.

Putting Your Home's Equity To Work.

Do you have idle equity sitting in your home that could be building wealth instead? One of the great aspects of homeownership is that you increase your wealth every month by building equity in your home and reducing your tax bill at the same time.After you've been in your home a few years, you may have some equity that you could put to work for you. Even if the property has appreciated by just a few percentage points per year, significant equity can build up fairly quickly. Just be sure you retain enough equity that you'll be able to pay a real estate agent's commission when you sell the home.
Home equity loans are the most common means of tapping a home's value. In states where home equity loans are not allowed, however, you can still put your home's value to work by refinancing it for more than you currently owe--a "cash out" refinancing.The first way most homeowners think of using their equity is to pay off high-interest debt. That's one popular option, but you could also invest that equity in other ways. Here are six more ways to put your equity to work for you.
1. Trade Up
Using your equity as a down payment for a larger home could make financial sense. If you're in a $200,000 home now and it appreciates by 5% each year, your gain is $10,000 for the first year. In five years, that home would be worth $255,256. But in a $275,000 home, that same 5% growth would be $13,750 for the first year. After five years, the more-expensive home would be worth $350,977-nearly $100,000 more than the less-expensive home.Of course, you may not be able to count on 5% appreciation every year. It could be higher or lower, depending on the state of the economy and market conditions. Not to worry, though. Even 2% appreciation will still add up over time.Using additional equity to trade up will allow you to put a significant amount of money down on your next home. That could allow you to own a home you never could afford before.
2. Downsize
Another way to use your equity is to scale down. With the recent changes in tax laws, homeowners may sell a home every two years and walk away with tax-free profits up to $250,000 (for singles) and $500,000 (for married couples). By scaling down, you can purchase a smaller, less-expensive primary dwelling, and use the extra cash for investments, debt reduction or even purchasing an investment property.
3. Investment Property
While the stock market often bounces up and down, many investors feel comfortable with the security of real estate. Not everyone has extra money to play the stock market profitably, but landlords can enjoy income every month. The secret is selecting the right property and finding expert property management if you don't want to manage the property yourself. We can help with both these issues."Some buyers have found it beneficial to purchase a property in the area where their college-age children are going to school. Their child can help manage the units and share the housing with other students to defray costs. The young adults learn responsibility and property management skills, and you have a live-in manager to watch over your investment.
4. Second Home
The real estate market has been fueled during the past few years by retiring baby boomers purchasing second homes. Maybe now is the time to purchase that home on the beach, at the lake or in the mountains. We can refer you to a knowledgeable agent in a resort area to help you with this move.If you know you're retiring to a particular area in the next few years, study that market now. You may want to buy the home now while prices are still affordable. If you do, you could rent the home during the peak vacation season. Many second homeowners discover they can just about cover their annual property expenses by renting out during peak season.
5. Shared Equity
Another way to put your idle equity to work is to lend it to an adult child as a down payment for his or her first home. Some parents maintain a co-ownership interest while the young adult makes the mortgage payments. At the time of the sale, the equity is then split between the two. This is called a shared-equity arrangement.
6. Remodel
If you really like where you're living, but desire a few more amenities, consider taking cash out for remodeling or adding to your current home. The interest paid on some home equity loans is tax deductible, just as it is with your first trust.

Are there programs for fixer-uppers?

If you need home loan to buy a "fixer-upper" and remodel it, look at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 203(K) loan program. The program is designed to facilitate major structural rehabilitation of houses with one to four units that are more than one year old. Condominiums are not eligible.

A 203(K) loan is usually done as a combination loan to purchase a "fixer-upper" property "as is" and rehabilitate it, or to refinance a temporary loan to buy the property and do the rehabilitation. It can also be done as a rehabilitation-only loan. Investors no longer may participate - only owner-occupants. Owner-occupants are required to come up with only 3 to 5 percent. HUD requires that a minimum of $5,000 be spent on improvements.

Two appraisals are required. Plans and specifications for the proposed work must be submitted for architectural review and cost estimation. Mortgage proceeds are advanced periodically during the rehabilitation period to finance the construction costs.

Here are some helpful tips to improve your credit score!

1. First and most important, find out what is being reported about you. There are 3 major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union).
   
2. Check the back of each report you receive, you’ll find an explanation of the codes used in the file. Study these codes so that you’ll know which accounts you need to concentrate on most while you’re performing each step of the credit repair process.
   
3. The first items to search for are what are known as “charge-offs”. This means that the creditor has given up on trying to collect the debt and they have written it off as a loss. You can not repair your credit without getting these items removed from your credit reports.
   
4. Contact each creditor that has charged off a loan asking for re-instatement.
   
5. Next, search for late payment entries. These are usually pretty easy to clear up. Just contact the creditors and explain why you had difficulty making your payments on time. Ask the creditors to remove the late payment entries after you have made timely payments for a period of time, say 90 days. Most will.
   
6. Judgments will need to be removed next. You’ll have to pay off these loans in full in order to do so. Contact the lender and make arrangements to pay off the amount due with an arrangement (in writing) that the judgment will be removed and the account reported as closed after full payment is made.
   

MT-SI Cedarcrest High School Tolo 2005

"A Red Carpet Affair"


Just as the cobbler's kids have no shoes the photographer has no current family photos so this will have to do. Can't wait to see everyone at the reunion. Joy and Roy Baunsgard with boys, Troy 3.5 yrs, and Macoy 6 months.

MT SI Class Reunion Meeting

Hi Everyone, Save the date on your calendar for the next Class reunion meeting. Monday, August 22nd at 7:00pm at the Mount Si Golf Course Restaraunt for dinner and to view the facility and get some ideas, We got over half of our mailings back as "return to sender" so we have some work to do. I am working on a list so that we can start searching for the lost souls. As always please let me know if you have any current information on anyone.
More to come.
Thanks for your time and help.
JOY

MT SI Jeff Emanuel family

I live in Livermore, CA now. I moved here from Corvallis after I quit HP about 4 years ago. I'm a supervisor for a quality control and Inspection company. Our main business is in inspecting automobile parts prior to their getting installed on vehicles to prevent recalls and such.
I know I didn't graduate with you guys, but I lived in North Bend for alonger portion of my life than anywhere else, even to this day. I went to the graduation ceremonies in 85 with my friend Darryl Martin and watched ya'll graduate. My graduation was a week or two later down here in CA.

Here's a recent photo of me and my family. My wife, Sandi, and I got married in March of 1989. We are still married and we have two children, Brigette and Ryan (R.J.). Please post it for me. I'll look for you at the reunion.Thanks for offering the use of your web site.
Jeff

MT-SI Memories

It's hard to believe it has been ten years already. I am looking forward to seeing everyone once again.



It just happened that in the process of cleaning up that I found some old photos.








Please fell free to e-mail me any old or new photos of yourself and or your family.












I will gladly post them on my Blog. I believe this will be easier, and fun for everyone.


Also it will not cost anyone money to view the photos or to post anything here.
Please Email photos to lonnie@snyderrus.com
Well I'm not sure about anyone else but I most definitely have to go on a diet.

Take care everyone and hope to hear from you soon.

Lonnie

Real-estate commissions evolving with market

By Elizabeth Rhodes
Seattle Times staff reporter
Q: How was the 6 percent commission paid by home sellers to real-estate agents established? It seems that with prices continuing to skyrocket, the commission doesn't really align with anything. For example, when I bought my house three years ago, the seller paid $20,000 in commissions. If I were to sell it now I'd pay about $27,000. Surely the cost of agents doing business hasn't jumped 35 percent in three years.
A: There's been an evolution in real-estate commissions over the years, said Dick Fulton, the Northwest Multiple Listing Service 2005 chairman of the board and a broker for Coldwell Banker Bain's Lake Union office.
In the 1920s, for example, a Washington real-estate association recommended a 5 percent commission to be paid by the seller. Years later, the federal government said that the use of an industry-wide commission schedule amounted to illegal price-fixing.
For the past 25 years or so, commissions have been in the 5 to 7 percent range. In recent years, discount brokerages have cropped up that charge a lesser percentage or a flat fee, usually several hundred dollars.
"The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission preclude any discussion between real-estate companies on the fees they charge," Fulton said. "It must be an independent decision."
In setting their fees, real-estate companies consider "their own business model based on their expenses, profits and what's in the best interest of their clients and agents," Fulton said. The level of services also plays a big role in setting commissions.
Discount firms, for example, often don't advertise homes beyond putting them on the Internet, do not hold open houses, and don't act as an intermediary in negotiations between buyer and seller. Full-service firms, by contrast, may do all that and hold "brokers open houses" — complete with a buffet lunch — to attract other agents who may have buyers at the ready.
All this means that sellers considering working with a particular agent need to be fully informed about which services they need, which will be provided and which won't because they can vary widely. And commissions are negotiable.
According to a national real-estate-industry survey Fulton cited, the average increase in expenses for large real-estate companies has gone up 33.5 percent a year from 2000 to 2004.
"The primary contributors to that were rent increases, salary increases for support staff, Web site development and Internet tools," Fulton said.
By comparison the Everett-Seattle-Tacoma Consumer Price Index rose 9.4 percent between March 2002 and April 2004.
Fulton added one more telling detail: It's easy to think that agents representing sellers don't have to do much in the kind of sizzling market we have now, where attractive, well-priced, well-located homes sell almost instantly.
But that's not true, Fulton said, citing a home on Seattle's Queen Anne Hill that received 24 offers.
"The expertise involved today in helping a seller navigate through a multiple-offer situation is very demanding," Fulton said.
Ultimately that home sold for tens of thousands over the asking price.

2006 Harleys revealed

Harley has revealed its 2006 model line up with a new version of the V-Rod and updates for the Dyna range.
The VRSCD Night Rod includes a ‘black denim’ paint option, blacked-out controls, mirrors and shocks and a blacked-out polished engine.
There are new slotted disc wheels, too.
The FXDI35 is a 35th anniversary Super Clide with wide bars a Fat Bob fuel tank (with dual filler caps) loads of chrome and the No1 logo just like the first model, 35 years ago.
For more on the 2006 Harleys follow the links below.

Click here for more pictures and specs of the Night Rod from Harley’s own site.
Click here for more pictures and specs of the FXDI 35th Anniversary Super Glide from Harley’s site.

Wireless connection lost : solution, fix

My father is in town visiting this week. So we pulled out our laptops to look at our favorite Blogs and to let him get caught up on his e-mail. After 5 to 15 minutes he would lose his wireless connection.
After searching this problem on Google I noticed a few things.

1. Reading through the 25 to 30 reports no one responded with a fix.
2. Everyone had different computers and routers.
3. Everyone was using Windows XP.

As I was checking my router settings and my father's laptop to make sure everything was correct I noticed my laptop never lost connection. the only difference between the two was that my father was letting windows configure his wireless settings.
Once I unchecked that box everything was fine. If you do not have another program to manage your wireless settings you will need to check the box and then uncheck it to remain connected.

So for those of you who need help getting there, here we go :
1. Click on your wireless network connection somewhere along the bottom right of your screen.
2. Click on Status.
3. Click on properties.
4. Click on wireless networks.
5. Uncheck the box at the top that says use Windows to configure my wireless network settings.

Again if you don't have another program managing your wireless settings you will need to check that box and then once you are hooked up to the network just uncheck the box to stay connected.

Hope this helps everyone out there.

Lets go for a ride.

10 Ways to Make Your Home Irresistible at an Open House

1. Put fresh or silk flowers in principal rooms for a touch of color.

2. Add a new shower curtain, fresh towels, and new guest soaps to every bath.

3. Set out potpourri or fresh baked goods for a homey smell.

4. Set the table with pretty dishes and candles.

5. Buy a fresh doormat with a clever saying.

6. Take one or two major pieces of furniture out of every room to create a sense of spaciousness.

7. Put away kitchen appliances and personal bathroom items to give the illusion of more counter space.

8. Lay a fire in the fireplace. Or put a basket of flowers there if it’s not in use.

9. Depersonalize the rooms by putting away family photos, mementos, and distinctive artwork.

10. Turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes to make the lawn sparkle.

Buying a home directly from the owner will save on the cost of the house, right?

Wrong! The "for-sale-by-owner" sellers are doing their own marketing to save the commission a professional real estate agent would charge. So what is left for you to save? In fact, you might end up paying more if the house is overpriced. Beware of these costly pitfalls:
Confusion
You end up dealing, in many cases, with an untrained novice who is not familiar with real estate law or the real estate code of ethics. Something might be overlooked that will cost you money later.

Additional legal costs
You will need a lawyer to draw up your sales contract, which should include safeguards for you that an experienced agent would typically suggest, such as making the contract contingent on a home inspection and approval of your mortgage loan.

You will have to be your own negotiator
Also, without agents involved, you would have to conduct your own negotiations on the contract and make sure all the details are taken care of before closing.

As a professional with the answers to your home-buying questions, I can make your search for a new home less confusing. Call or e-mail me, or click on "Comments" and ask your own questions.

What is a contingency?

A contingency is a condition on the sale put into the contract by either the buyer or seller to protect against specific eventualities.
Examples of common contingencies are: a requirement that the buyer obtain financing or sell the current home; the seller has a home inspection done; or the seller must repair certain items before settlement. Contingencies can be removed by an addendum to the contract, or they can expire if a time limit is specified in the contract.



Do you have more questions? Are there other terms you don't understand? Fell free to contact me. Just post it in the Comments & I will get that info for you.

The Rising Cost of Real Estate

The fact that the price of real estate is constantly on the rise is not really a surprise to anyone, is it? After all, everyone knows that they stopped making land a long time ago. In elementary school, we learned about the famous Law of Supply and Demand. As the supply shrinks, the demand always increases. Because the supply has been getting smaller and smaller, since the dawn of time, it makes perfect sense that the demand has been increasing significantly.
As a rule of thumb, the price of real estate doubles every 10 years. So if you buy land today, for $10,000, it’ll be worth about $20,000 ten years from now. Again, this is a rule of thumb, but historically it has proven to be accurate.
One of the major reasons for the rising cost of real estate is the growth of our world population. Take Phoenix, Arizona, for example. In 1940, the population was a small 186,000. By 1994, the population had reached over 1.5 Million. Las Vegas, Nevada, is another fast-growing area. Today, the population is nearly 1.1 Million, up from just 460,000 twenty years ago. Yes, the population more than doubled in twenty years!
You don’t have to look very far to see the effects of rising land prices. How many times have you talked to an old timer who said to you “Twenty years ago, I had the chance to buy that place for only $32,000. And they just sold it for $250,000….” These aren’t rare circumstances. They’re normal, common, everyday events.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, demand for new houses has sent land prices skyrocketing as high as 100% over the past four years. Builders are scrambling for parcels. One such parcel of ground, just 4.7 acres close to the freeway in Del Mar, California, was recently offered at the stunning price of $6.7 Million!!!
There are a few times, however, when land prices tend to stay flat, or even decline. Southern California in the early ‘80s is a good example. During times of severe, and I do mean severe economic slumps, real estate values have a tendency to stay flat. When the economy recovers, and buyers, builders and investors begin purchasing again, the prices quickly increase.
Inflation is another key to the rising cost of real estate. Remember how a loaf of bread used to cost less than fifty cents? Now it's $1.99 or so. The same is true in real estate. The same dollar today just won't buy as much property as it did yesterday. Inflation, especially when combined with rising wages, has created an environment in our real estate markets where the value of the dollar is diminished versus our buying power in times gone by.
Remember the Law of Supply and Demand and inflation, and remember that they quit making land a long, long time ago.