Real Estate Advice
New Year's
Resolution: Empty the Mailbag
Here are a few of the questions I didn’t get a chance to answer in
print this past year, in shortened versions. Please remember, if you
have a question I’ll always respond promptly by phone or email. Now
let’s clean the slate for 2008….
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Dear Pat: We’ve gone to several open houses that
actually smell bad. Don’t sellers realize they should clean before
they invite the public in?
---The Nose knowsDear Nosy: Unfortunately,
some sellers tend to overlook smells they’ve become accustomed to. And
you’d be surprised how many of us can’t smell pet and cooking odors
unless they are very strong (the agent has to take responsibility
here). Sellers should get an odor critique from a person with a
celebrated sense of smell. Perhaps you could start a business, even
get a cable TV show!
Dear Pat: You wrote about reverse mortgages some time ago. Have
they changed since then?
---Long in the Tooth
Dear Longtooth: I discussed reverse mortgages a
couple of years ago in an article entitled “Use A Realtor to Stay in
Your Home” reprinted at www.RiverRealty.net. There have been
substantial limit increases since then, and lowered costs, as the
secondary mortgage market has expanded for these instruments. I still
like www.aarp.org as a good place to start your research. Be careful
about costs—there are plenty of overpriced reverse mortgages out
there.
Dear Pat: I’m from the South, where we inspect for termites when
buying a house. Is it true that there are no termites up here?
---Brought my Magnifying Glass
Dear Sherlock: Not true, there are termites here,
but in very small numbers. So save your powers of detection for damage
done by carpenter ants. Carpenter ants don’t really build anything;
they’re more into the demo part of the job. Look carefully at areas
where water is likely to come |
into contact with wood:
windowsills, bottoms of doorframes, even piles of
firewood resting against the house. If you see
ants (they change in shape and color through
developmental stages) or telltale wood
deterioration, call an exterminator to verify.
I’ve seen hidden colonies do as much as $10,000
damage to a house, but usually they’re cheaply and
easily eradicated.
Dear Pat: What’s the most important thing to
get ready for selling our house?
---Keeping It Simple
Dear Simple: Pull up the carpets, sand the floors.
Dear Pat: We want to own a house of our own
soon, but if prices continue to fall we’ll kick
ourselves for not waiting. Of course we want
to buy at the bottom. Honestly, what do you think?
---Ready to Nest
Dear Nesters: I’m going to wait
until next month, when I have a chance to dig deep
with a full column devoted to your very important
question. Meanwhile, I wish you and all readers a
New Year filled with peace and prosperity…and a
dry basement, too!
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Pat
Rosaves is broker/owner of River Realty.
She has over 30 years experience helping
people with their real estate needs.
Questions may be sent to her at River
Realty, 2543 38th Ave S. Minneapolis, MN
55406. She can also be reached at
612-724-1314, or at www.riverrealty.net |
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