Important New Legislation

For those of you thinking of buying a home and have maybe a little higher debt to Income ratio, your credit score may need a little TLC or you may be able to buy a home but don't have enough in savings in order to qualify for conventional type financing and need to go FHA. Watch out. Starting April,1st, 2013 FHA is changing their Mortgage Insurance Premium Policy. All Loans Registered after Apr,1 will have a increased premium of 10 basis point or .10% and after June,3rd you be required to carry the MIP for the entire term of the loan. In the past when you had 78% of original balance you could have it removed. Well no longer.  For a complete report of the changes check this out FHA MIP Changes If you or your friends have been thinking of buying a home in the near future it may benefit you to act now, while interest rates are down, and before some of these effect take place. Please Call (563)271-3075 or visit www.toddseemann.com for questions or to find your next dream home.

Today’s Real Estate Agent

 Hi! Todd Seemann here--your Motorcycle Riding, Tech Savvy Realtor. Today I am here to talk about why Technology is important in buying or selling your home.

In Buying a home 85-95% of people start their home search on the internet before contacting their Real Estate Professional. Wouldn’t it be great after finding the home you think is right for you if your agent could help you in determining the asking price by looking at active and sold statistics online, finding out how long the person has been in their home, even an estimate of what they may owe on it. By knowing what they borrowed on the home, and doing some Historical amortization calculations, you can estimate their cost basis in the home and you can also find out if that seller is in a distressed situation, such as whether it is a short sale or soon-to-be foreclosure. And a lot more!

All of this information and more is available at your fingertips if you know how to find it. I am not encouraging trying to steal a home from someone. It just pays to be educated, and sometimes a value can be found in that knowledge.

In selling a home, as I mentioned before, 85-95% of home searches start online. So don’t you want an agent who gets your home on as many sites as you can online to reach the most people possible?

Wouldn’t it also be good if he could tell you how many local agents and how many local clients they passed it on to that viewed your listing through our Multiple Listing Service? Then he could also tell you how many times your property was exposed and how many times it was clicked on on various national websites such as Trulia, Zillow, REALTOR.com and more. You also want an agent that can create a virtual home tour, understands about Search Engine Optimization and who has a strong presence in the Social Media World. Agents know how to use Quick Response codes in their marketing material to get clients from paper to the digital world in seconds to give your home maximum exposure.

There are lots of wonderful agents out there, but the way we buy houses is changing. You as clients are more educated than ever. And you are looking for people that are educated as well, someone that will get results for you. There is a wealth of information available--you just have to know where and how to find it. That’s why Today’s Real Estate Agent needs to have the tools to get you the info you need.

So please, give Todd Seemann, your Motorcycle riding, Tech Savvy agent, a call, a text, or visit one my websites online.

(563) 271-3075

tseemann@melfosterco.com

www.toddseemann.com

about.me/toddseemann

Are you mowing your lawn right?

Are you mowing your lawn right?  Everyone enjoys having a nice looking yard. Nice green grass,most of us know we need to fertilize and keep the weeds under control, trim but did you know that the way you mow your grass can make a difference too! Here is a video from the EPA telling you more.

Are you ready for Summer?

Below are some More tips you may want to follow To get your home ready for Summer.Your home is probably the largest investment of your life why wouldn't you want to take care of it? These tips are courtesy of  Total Care Inspections in Cleveland, Ohio

SPRING HOME REPAIR TIPS

This spring, homeowners in central Indiana and across the nation will be mowing grass, trimming trees and planting flowers to ready their home for warmer weather. But homeowners also must not forget the importance of regularly scheduled seasonal home maintenance to keep systems and structures in top condition and prevent costly repairs.

Despite the hassle and time scheduled repairs can take, quarterly home maintenance and preventative measures can keep all areas of the home in good condition for years to come. To help homeowners accomplish this goal, Total Care Property Inspections recommends the following summer maintenance tips.

Tip #1: Clean and seal decks. Winter can leave exterior surfaces stained from fall leaves and dirty from snow melt runoff. Ideally, three consecutive warm, sunny days will be needed. On the first day, dry out the deck. Apply deck cleaner and scrub the deck on the second day, and let it dry 24 hours. On the third day, apply deck sealer. This will keep your deck water-repellant, damage-free and aesthetically attractive for all the barbecues in the months ahead.

Tip #2: Wash the exterior of your house using ordinary garden hose pressure and a mild detergent. Pressure washers are not always the best idea—they are powerful enough to force water under the siding, where it can encourage mildew and rot. If power washing is truly in order, hire a professional.

Tip #3: Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean chimneys. Taking care of this task in the spring or summer—rather than in the peak autumn season—allows plenty of time for repairs before the next heating season. It’s also easier to schedule a sweep than during the fall cleaning season, and sometimes, rates can be lower as a result of off-season discounts.

Tip #4: Caulk exterior joints around all windows and doors. Caulking keeps the house weather-tight and will help reduce high summer energy bills. It can also help keep insects and vermin out of the house.

Tip #5: Clean lint from the entire clothes dryer vent system, from the dryer to the exterior vent cap. Because lint is incredibly flammable, this common build up can create a fire hazard. And if a gas clothes dryer is not properly vented, it can even force deadly carbon monoxide back into the home.

Tip #6: Check the operation and condition of attic fans and roof-mounted turbine vents. Also make sure that bathroom and kitchen vent fans are working properly and are not blocked or obstructed. This can impede the intake of fresh air and removal of stale air from the home. These fans run on little energy and can greatly reduce cooling costs—not to mention increasing comfort inside the home during a hot and humid summer.

Tip #7: Change air conditioner filters—especially if the home was vented with outdoor air during the spring. Consider using a pleated media filter for better dust trapping, or for additional savings, a web element filter that can be washed periodically instead of being thrown out. Also, be sure to clear overgrowth and weeds away from outdoor air conditioning units—if the necessary airflow is blocked, the air conditioner will not be able to operate properly and could even suffer an expensive failure.

Tip #8: Clean any lingering fall leaves from gutters. For clogged downspouts, try using barbecue tongs to reach in and remove leaves. This is also a good opportunity to repair loose gutter nails or other gutter damage before the heavy spring and summer rains.

Tip #9: The heat and humidity of an Indiana summer can cause wooden windows and doors to swell and stick. Before this becomes a problem, remove the door or window, and carefully remove any excess material with a hand plane. For sliding windows, the surrounding trim is often the culprit. Usually, it must be removed and reinstalled to allow for greater movement. To keep windows and doors from sticking in the first place, make sure that they are sealed with a good coat of paint, including the tops and bottoms. Be careful not to paint the channels where windows need to slide, though—instead, use a light coat of linseed oil as a sealer.

Tip #10: To prepare for summer, make sure attics are well insulated and ventilated. Excess heat in the upstairs area of a two-story home, or the sensation of a ranch-style home feeling “hot from above” could indicate insufficient attic insulation and poor ventilation. The age of the home could be a culprit—home inspectors frequently cite poor attic insulation in houses built prior to 1984. In the Midwest, attics should have between 9 inches to 12 inches of insulation.

Home Maintenance Checklist

     How well do you take care of one of your largest Investments? (your home). If your anything like most people probably not well enough. Not because we don't care but because we aren't sure what to maintain or how often. Below Ive put together a list that will help. Although I may not have touched on everything it should be a good guide for you to follow.

Home Maintenance Checklist

Monthly

• GFCI Receptacles Be sure to press the Test and Reset buttons on these devices to ensure safety.
• Fire extinguishers Check gauge to see that it is fully charged, replace if necessary
• Furnace Check and replace filters if necessary  
• Sink Disposal Clean with a little Baking Soda and some Hot water
• Range hood clean grease filter. 

Quarterly

• Sump Pump check your sump pump for proper operation. Pour a 5 gal. Bucket of water down the sump pit and make sure pump turns on, pumps out water and shuts off properly.
• Return Air Vents vacuum the return air vents and heat registers. 

Every 6 months

• Smoke Detectors Change batteries, press test button to ensure proper operation
• Inside Caulking check Caulking around showers, tubs and sinks. scrape out and replace when needed.
• Toilet check for leaks and proper operation.
• Washing Machine check inlet hose screens for debris.
• Dryer Clean lint from dryer exhaust hose and vent.
• Cords  Inspect cords for cracked insulation, broken prongs or frayed wires. discard or have repaired if needed.
  

Annually

• HVAC  Have a professional inspect and clean your heating/cooling system this is especially important in older furnaces for your safety from possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Water heater open drain valve long enough to drain any sediment from bottom of tank.
• Refrigerator vacuum refrigerator coils
  

Spring 

• Roof  Inspect roof,soffit,eaves and flashing for any damage from snow and ice during winter.
• Gutters clean gutters and downspouts of debris. inspect for any loose fasteners ensure proper drainage.
• Screens  inspect for holes,tears or loose edges. Repair if needed.
• Outside Caulking  Inspect around doors and windows, Cracks in concrete fill with appropriate Caulk for job.
• Siding inspect and clean siding.
• Ceiling Fans Switch direction of fan so that it blows air down.
  

Fall 

• Storm windows check to make sure they seal properly and that they open and close ok.
• Ceiling Fans Switch direction of fan so that is blow up to circulate the hot air near the ceiling.
• Hoses and Faucets  Make sure to remove all hoses from the faucets so they do not freeze and rupture the hose bibb.

     As I said I may have missed a few things. feel free to leave any comments with things that can be helpful to others. Have a great Day!

You CAN trust your REALTOR®

With all the recent publicity in the news about the 12 year old teenage girl catching a thief  on her webcam. Who happened to have formally been a Real Estate Agent.

Well let me assure you that you shouldn't worry. Your Local REALTOR^® is a Honest and trustworthy individual. I hate that someone like this man tries to tarnish our reputation. Before someone can become a REALTOR^® Besides going through the many hours of training required, they undergo a FBI background check. And swear to a strict code of ethics and standards of practice. Honesty being at the top.I am sure all of us chose this career because we want to help people not hurt them. So please don't let one bad apple affect your opinion of us.

A wish for a happy new year!

Have a Happy New Year, be safe and responsible