Cranston, RI, April 17, 2010 -- FEMA inspector Mike Irwin with home owner Jose Henriquez run through his home inspection again to illustrate to the media what a FEMA home inspection looks like and what people can expect when they have their homes inspected. Photo: Michael Rieger/FEMA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Building inspectors are both feared and loved. They are feared by someone selling their home and loved by the person buying a home.

Inspectors come in all shapes and sizes. In many states they have to be certified, but here in Vermont, that’s not the case yet. In my 15+ years, I haven’t run into an incompetent inspector, but I have seen a few that were a little overzealous in finding fault with properties. Understand that I believe that an inspector is as important to the process of buying a home as an attorney or mortgage lender is.

They will come to inspect a home for major mechanical and safety issues,  compile a list after the inspection that itemizes things that are safety concerns or repairs that should be done before buying as well as a list of things to be aware of in the future. This is why they are loved by the buyer. They give valuable information about the largest investment of their lives so that if something needs repair or replacement before purchasing, it can be attended to….. and they give valuable advice about how to preserve that investment in the future.

It is also why sellers are a bit intimidated by them. They could be the source of unexpected cash outlay in order for them to complete the sale.

Inspectors know that they are not electricians or plumbers or roofers or chimney experts, and don’t act as though they are, but they can tell if something needs to be looked at by those professionals and will recommend that.

All in all, hiring a home inspector is the best investment you can make prior to purchasing your next home.
Ask your friends and Realtor for recommendations.
You’ll be glad you did.

Barry Stone wrote an article for Inman News answering the question “what makes inspectors competent?”. It is a good read for even more understanding of what to expect from a building inspector.

Tax (Photo credit: 401K)

Maybe you are ahead of the crowd and have your taxes done already. But if you are like most of us, you are still working on them.

Here are some things to pay close attention to in order to not make mistakes and take the correct deductions.

Image via Wikipedia

New Home Excitement

Think about it…..you walk into a prospective home you might want to buy. The outside looks nice, grounds are well kept, you walk through the front door and like the way the house feels. Then you walk into the kitchen and it has orange countertops and appliances straight from the 50′s. You think to yourself that you could break out your floral smock so you would fit in with the decor or redo the kitchen. Everything you were feeling about how nice the home was have just gone through the floor. Sure you could renovate the kitchen, but unless the home is $50-60,000 below market value, you know you’ll be living with the kitchen from “Happy Days” for some time.

I know that kitchens are really not the end all, be all,  but the vast majority of buyers I have worked with will walk away from a home with a ‘dated’ kitchen. It just seems too daunting to think about doing the upgrade with the mess and inconvenience that is sure to accompany the upgrade. Think about it, the current owners haven’t upgraded probably for the exact same reason.

What Do You Do Now?

There are a couple of things that can spruce up a tired kitchen. Whether you are looking to sell your home or you love a prospective home, and hate the kitchen, here are some ideas that could save time, money and mess:

Look at the paint. Is it in need of a new coat or just a good cleaning? Should you add some style by changing the color?
Look at the cabinets. Can you get by with changing the hardware? How about swapping out the doors for updated ones. This often times will make cabinets look new.
Look at the lighting. What if you added some track lighting to lighten up the dark areas? Maybe swapping out old fixtures for newer ones will do the trick.
Look at the appliances. Which ones could use replacement. These can be the more expensive upgrades, but can also save money in the long run because newer appliances are much more energy efficient. Not to mention you may be able to get rebates for upgrading. Check with your suppliers. Although it is not technically an appliance, a new sink dresses up a kitchen even if the countertops are dated.
Look at the countertops. That brings us to the orange countertops……not much you can do short of replacing them. There are so many options you have to shop around. This upgrade is going to be the messiest of them all and has the potential of being the most expensive, short of full appliance replacement. But if you have orange, they need changing….sorry.

A few weeks ago I wrote about the Cost vs. Value Report in Remodeling Magazine. Kitchens don’t rate at the top of the list, but almost. For a minor kitchen remodel, basically what I’ve been talking about, you can recoup 71% of your investment. Not bad for the very high emotional return on your investment.

Related articles

• Choosing the Right Kitchen Countertops (pagesla.wordpress.com)
• Great Kitchens Sell Homes (edshort.wordpress.com)
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By all reports, the real estate market appears to be on a rebound. No telling how fast or how robust the recovery will be, yet it’s good news just the same. This means a couple of things. If you are in the market to buy a new home, the values will most likely keep rising, so buying sooner may get you a better deal. Also, if you already own a home and plan on staying put, upgrades you do will only continue to add to your ultimate value. And if you are looking to sell your home, there are some upgrades that will be better at getting you the best return on your investment. Every year, Remodeling Magazine prints a Cost vs. Value report which breaks down the variety of home improvements that rate highest in return. If you go to their website, you can zero in on your actual state and city…or one close to you. Here in Vermont, Burlington happens to be the only city rated, but it still gives a good reference point.

The seven remodeling projects with the best return are highlighted in a very good article on HouseLogic’s site and are as follows:

1. High quality siding
2. New front door
3. Bedroom upgrades
4. Kitchen improvements
5. Garage door
6. Deck
7. Vinyl siding

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Virtual Vermont

As a Realtor, I am always trying to make sure my clients get the information required to know the neighborhoods they are interested in. I have rafts of info, but Virtual Vermont

Image via Wikipedia

has more than I could catalog. It’s a site that is easy to navigate, easy to understand and one of those places you can spend hours on just poking around learning about Vermont. Learn about demographics, places to shop, places to eat, places of worship, links to maps, hotels….just about anything you’d want to know about almost every town. I highly recommend making a stop over, don’t forget your coffee because you’ll be there a while.

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What is all the commotion about?

If you have not heard of Siri yet, you have either been napping or on a meditation retreat. Siri is the intelligent assistant that is built into Apple’s new iPhone 4S that understands voice commands. It has received a lot of press because Apple wanted it that way, mostly. The responses have been mixed. They range from Apple agnostics who say it is a gimmic that was released too early at best, to Apple fanboys (myself included) who say it is a game changer, and the new standard for all phones to have in the future. This reminds me a lot of when Apple released the first iPhone with one button and touch screen to howls and jeers. “Really?” they said, “how can you use a phone with one button? No one wants to use a virtual keyboard on a touch screen.” ….and we all know how that ended. Now every phone worth its weight now has a touch screen.So, the more the critics complain, the more I believe Apple has done it again. But now that I have used Siri for a couple of weeks, I have some more informed opinions.

Does Siri really work, or is it just a gimmic?

I just have to say it. Siri has changed how I work and improved my effectiveness right out of the gate. I admit it is fun to ask her questions that she’ll answer

with attitude. Like “how much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” She’ll answer “don’t you have anything better to do?” or “42 cords of wood to be exact, everybody knows that.” The millions of users have choked Apples servers since Siri’s release, I am sure asking countless meaningless questions in addition to testing her usability. I am one of those millions.

Now I can talk to my phone and have it do things while I am driving without having to even look at it. Say I am driving and remember that I have to call someone when I get to my office. I fire up Siri and ask her to remind me to make the call when I arrive at work. When I pull into my office parking lot, a reminder pops up on the screen telling me to make that call. Since my phone can always tell where I am, it knows when I arrive at work and generates the reminder. I can have Siri remind me when I am leaving home to take the video back to the video store or remind me to drop off the paperwork at the attorney’s office when I leave work. My wife is going to think I am taking some sort of miracle memory pill.

Siri will take dictation and send an email or text message and read it back to me before sending it. I can set appointments by just saying “set a meeting with Tom for tomorrow at 11:45.” I can check stock prices, search for news articles, see what the weather is or will be……and way way more.

Siri is only a month or so old. My life is altered already. I can’t wait for the inevitable upgrades.

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This is the time of the year to come together and remember how fortunate we are for all we have. Every year our current president gives a Thanksgiving Proclamation. Below is President Obama’s for this year. You can view previous proclamations at the Pilgrim Hall Museum. Happy Thanksgiving!

THANKSGIVING DAY, 2011
November 24, 2011
A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

     One of our Nation’s oldest and most cherished traditions, Thanksgiving Day brings us closer to our loved ones and invites us to reflect on the blessings that enrich our lives.  The observance recalls the celebration of an autumn harvest centuries ago, when the Wampanoag tribe joined the Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony to share in the fruits of a bountiful season.  The feast honored the Wampanoag for generously extending their knowledge of local game and agriculture to the Pilgrims, and today we renew our gratitude to all American Indians and Alaska Natives.  We take this time to remember the ways that the First Americans have enriched our Nation’s heritage, from their generosity centuries ago to the everyday contributions they make to all facets of American life.  As we come together with friends, family, and neighbors to celebrate, let us set aside our daily concerns and give thanks for the providence bestowed upon us.

     Though our traditions have evolved, the spirit of grace and humility at the heart of Thanksgiving has persisted through every chapter of our story.  When President George Washington proclaimed our country’s first Thanksgiving, he praised a generous and knowing God for shepherding our young Republic through its uncertain beginnings.  Decades later, President Abraham Lincoln looked to the divine to protect those who had known the worst of civil war, and to restore the Nation “to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”

     In times of adversity and times of plenty, we have lifted our hearts by giving humble thanks for the blessings we have received and for those who bring meaning to our lives.  Today, let us offer gratitude to our men and women in uniform for their many sacrifices, and keep in our thoughts the families who save an empty seat at the table for a loved one stationed in harm’s way.  And as members of our American family make do with less, let us rededicate ourselves to our friends and fellow citizens in need of a helping hand.

     As we gather in our communities and in our homes, around the table or near the hearth, we give thanks to each other and to God for the many kindnesses and comforts that grace our lives.  Let us pause to recount the simple gifts that sustain us, and resolve to pay them forward in the year to come.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 24, 2011, as a National Day of Thanksgiving.  I encourage the people of the United States to come together    whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends and neighbors    to give thanks for all we have received in the past year, to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and to share our bounty with others.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

Related articles

• Proclamation of Thanksgiving by the President of the United States of America (vineandbranchworldministries.com)

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Is it better to build new or rehab the old?

I just read an article in The Atlantic – Cities that hits home for me. Should our industry keep promoting newly built homes or renovating and retrofitting existing buildings? I realize that there is a substantial number of people who make their livings building new homes, and as our population grows here in Vermont, we do require housing for more people. At the same time though, there are buildings in every city that lay vacant and/or abandoned. No one likes seeing empty buildings or dilapidated homes. It not only looks bad, but it effects everyone’s property. It is harder to sell a home if it is in a neighborhood with vacant or deteriorating houses. Just think about it, would you buy a new home in a neighborhood with homes that are vacant or falling apart? Of course not. Does it really make sense to keep using up available land to build new communities?

Thirty years ago I was accepted into an apprentice program with the National Trust For Historic Preservation and for a number of reasons I declined the invitation. I knew at the time it was one of those major forks in my road of life, and I often think how my life would have been different if I had taken that path. Regardless, my strong interest and devotion in preservation remains.

Which is better for job creation?

In her article, Emily Badger describes how restoration is better for job creation. Actually repairing existing buildings creates up to 50% more jobs. She sites, “Nationally, about 41 percent of the cost of residential repair goes to labor. For new construction, that number is just 28 percent, meaning considerably more than half of any investment in a new home goes not to construction jobs, but to materials, equipment and things like trucking services”. This type of shift won’t come on it’s own, because it is somewhat of a paradigm shift. What we require is financing companies and municipal organizations to get on board and incentivize reahabilitation. Contractors that are currently building new could just as easily be renovating.

I am clear that this idea isn’t as easy as I state it here and that there are parameters that are complicated, yet what has to happen is for people to start talking out loud about what is best for  whole communities and not just individuals.

This article submitted by Steve Overton, Keller Williams GMP

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Vermont Is Heaven

Vermont is one of the most visited states in the country for leaf peeping. Maybe it’s because the colors are more vibrant here due to the sugar maples and the wide variety of deciduous trees. Maybe it’s because of the blend of mountains, valleys and bodies of water. Maybe it’s the relatively short distance to Boston and Montreal. I’d like to think that it is all those plus the quality of life, food, air and people. I am biased, but I think Vermont is as close to heaven you can get while still breathing.

‘Tis the Season

Although Vermont is beautiful in all her seasons, fall happens to be the most precious. The weather is mild, the black flies and mosquitoes have moved on and the color is magnificent. We get an average of 3.6 million foliage visitors each year and they boost the economy by around $331.9 million. It’s a win-win.

It’s Not Too Late

Traditionally Columbus Day marks the peak of foliage season, I am still stopping by the side of the road daily to take photos of the vibrant colors. Some people I know in Boston have asked me if they could still drive around back roads, due to the damage from Hurricane Irene. The facts are that there are still some roads under repair, but most hard hit areas have fixed roads to allow traffic flow and those not hit as hard, are back to normal. Some have come and thanked me because they would have missed this year’s foliage display if they hadn’t spoken to me.

I know I must sound like I work for the state or the Chamber of Commerce, but I don’t. I just wish for everyone to be visit and see what heaven really looks like….and maybe be just a little jealous they don’t live here……yet.

This article submitted by Steve Overton, Keller Williams GMP

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Critics be silent…for now.

I am a Realtor professionally, but as you probably can already tell, I am an Apple fan. When Steve Jobs retired from Apple a month ago, I wrote about him and the impact he had on me. Well now he’s gone. The tributes are everywhere and unfortunately so are the criticisms. For now, let the critics be silent. I have some more to say.

I have been using computers since the card punch days. I learned to program in Fortran back then and ‘liked’ it so much I never did it again. It was amazing to be able to make lines of symbols print out a circle and all, but I wasn’t interested in that aspect of computering. When Apple developed a computer that didn’t require typing commands, I was hooked. What was then called the graphical user interface (GUI),  turned into what we see on all our computers. Steve Jobs did that.

That was the beginning of his quest to design products with the user in mind. He wanted our experience with computers to be friendly, to be easy, to be intuitive. That’s what Apple products have always been, and still are today.

But Apple didn’t invent that…

Steve didn’t invent the mouse, but he turned it into a must have accessory which hundreds of companies copied or built themselves. He didn’t invent the all-in-one computer, but he made one that started the obsession with all-in-one’s. He didn’t invent the smartphone, but he made one that had one button and a touch screen, which is now the industry standard. He didn’t invent the tablet computer, but made one that has sent every other tablet to the recycling bin. He didn’t invent the personal music player, but made one that could hold thousands of songs and fit in your pocket. He didn’t invent animated movies, but at Pixar, he showed what was possible and even Disney was left to play catch up. In short, Steve set many of the standards for products we use today.

Do you see a fan base of people lining up to buy the newest thing from Android, or Microsoft, or Blackberry? Is the press overcome by reports or rumors of what’s coming out next in any other industry, anywhere? When you walk down the street do you see large numbers of people with headphones in their ears, many of them white? Ten years ago it was rare for anyone to wear headphones in public, or have a personal phone they carried with them.

Do you know anyone who loves their PC? I can give you a long list of people who love their Macs. How come?
My brother, (a consumate PC tinkerer) would say it is a personal problem, but I say it is because Steve Jobs knew what most people want. They want to use their computers (or phones) and not have to figure out on their own how everything works. People spend less time tinkering and more time doing.

iPads are for everyone.

He was also committed to getting Macs into schools. Why should school IT departments and students spend large amounts of time learning and tweeking hardware and software when they could simply provide computers that would allow students to get to work and create. Both Maine and New Hampshire have seen the logic in this idea.

When I see videos of a two year old using an iPad as a learning tool and a 99 year old woman rediscovering her ability to read, I understand that what Steve set out to do, he accomplished. He made technology accessible to the masses. The two year old will never know a world without an iPad and the 99 year old who never used computers has learned how to use a one to be able to read again.

What’s important to see here is that a man with a vision, who was called crazy, among other things, has changed the world as we know it. He not only gave us gadgets, but he also raised the bar for what we expect in the future, both from ourselves and from those that build things.
Stay crazy and stay foolish and the world will be a better place.
Thank you Steve, I’ll miss you.

This article submitted by Steve Overton, Keller Williams GMP