From Joseph Hill and Jed Montgomery of Montgomery-Hill Keller Williams Realty,

I don’t burn candles at home except when our power goes out which unfortunately about a once-a-month occurance since we’re on the tail end of the local power grid.  We have our fireplace serviced every couple of years to make sure a build-up of the flammable creosote is kept to a minimum … we should have it cleaned annually, but ince we don’t build regular fires we can get away with it.

When you do build fires, never use gasoline or other accelerants to fuel them, do not throw in paper or cardboard, and make sure nothing flammable is nearby that could burst into flame should a spark jump out.

If you have a gas furnace, it should also be inspected annually both for fire safety and to insure against carbon monoxide poisoning and other dangers.

Make sure you have a working smoke alarm in every room.

Never leave food cooking in the kitchen and have a fire extinguisher on hand in the event of a fire.

Keep lighters, matches, and other flame sources away from children.

And most importantly, always be cognizant of any open flame in the house.  That’s the reason for today’s post.  Because even I can have one careless moment like yesterday at the office.  I had a candle on my desk that I lit because it smells so nice.  A lovely vanilla flavor.  As I shuffled through some papers, I inadvertently put a certificate on top of my burning candle.  I was completely unaware of what I’d done until my friend (who was there working on her own project) said, “Um, Kathy?  You have a little fire there!”

I looked down and sure enough, a mini flame had erupted on my newly earned Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource certificate and congratulatory letter.  With my hands I batted out the little flame and thankfully had a bottle of water within easy reach.  I held it over my waste basket to extinguish the glowing embers.

Here’s what my nice, shiny certificate looks like now.

If it was THAT EASY for something of mine to catch fire, it could easily happen to anyone.  Always be aware of fire dangers in your home (and at your office).  Be careful, my friends.

I can’t let these go without a comment, therefore the almost Wordless Wednesday!  From the WebUrbanist, here are some verrrry interesting home decor pieces! And since I said funky, let’s funkify the type!

bEd dEsiGns

My favorite is the trap bed.  Made for human squirrels..

TabLeS

Possibly the single coolest table I’ve EVER seen!

SToragE soLutiOns

What a sensible storage solution!

I proposed at work a couple of years ago that as a fundraiser, we contact a bank or mortgage company to donate a foreclosed property that we would then auction or raffle to raise money to pay for a holiday program for our local needy children.  I suggested that so the bank wouldn’t lose everything, we put a reserve on the property and the bank would get their reserve amount. Anything in excess would go to the charity work.

Unfortunately, I was never able to rally adequate support to make the auction happen, but when I read about the sometimes success, sometimes failure of other house “giveaways” via raffles, it reminded me of the almost effort we made.  The raffles are a great way to raise money for a good charity when they work.

Home raffles, once a novelty, seem to have proliferated around the country in recent years. In California, for example, at least eight charitable groups held raffles for existing or to-be-built homes in 2009, with varying degrees of success, according to local media reports.

For example, an arts group in San Francisco netted just over $1 million after covering its raffle expenses. But ticket sales fell short for a raffle conducted by a group that fights poverty in San Jose, and the charity just broke even. Yet another group announced that it has postponed its raffle and plans to reschedule, but it promises on its Web site that it will refund ticket costs if requested.

More problems can arise when the tax man cometh. To operate a charity fundraiser like this, you’d definitely need the support of a strong management company to oversee that everything is being done correctly.  I still think it’s a great idea.  I’d love to win a house using a raffle, but the idea of an auction could also potentially be a real winner for charities, for the banks, and for any real estate company sponsoring this type of event.  Plus someone would get a new home at an auction price!

Real estate in my office seems to be hopping lately.  We are seeing all kinds of listings and - even better - homes sold on our big board at work, so it’s encouraging.  However no one will ever remember 2009 as a great year in real estate!  And to kick a dog while it was down, the final numbers have come in for the final month of the horrid year.  According to CNN Money December sales were down,

The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales plunged 16.7% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.45 million units, down from the revised rate of 6.54 million in November. Still, sales year-over-year were up 15%.

Realistically the slower sales in December shouldn’t be a big surprise.  The original $8000 tax credit was set to expire at the end of November, so most people eligible for the federal money would have closed prior to December.

With the tax credit now extended and existing home owners also eligible for $6500, I’m hoping we’ll see a jump in sales again these first four months of 2010 (a buyer must have a home under contract by April 30 and close by June 30 to get the credit).

A started to write a word of caution about not expecting to get your tax credit refund right away. It was awaiting to have the proper IRS documentation in place as mandated by Congress.  Fortunately, the IRS released the new form today so go for it!

I’ve seen the Christmas parties where people are supposed to “re-gift” some old something they’ve received in Christmases past but really didn’t like.  Then the crowd plays dirty Santa with the gifts - stealing involuntarily swapping from each other all in good fun and jest.

Earlier this year I gave away a Home Interior wall mirror cabinet and its matching wall shelf sconces (can a shelf also be a sconce?).  I still have stuffed in my attic another brown wicker shelf, an antique dresser with glass drawer knobs, two big rugs, and a collections of other knick-knacks.  I’m loaded and ready for a home decor swap party - or as Sarah Trover calls it on Apartment Therapy, a “Less Than Loved” party,

We’ve all come home from a day of shopping, only to to discover our choices weren’t so great. The placemats might not match the wallpaper just right, or the small birds you bought for that bookshelf… well they kinda give you the creeps (it’s not their fault their little beady eyes follow you everywhere you go).

Fabulous idea!  Happy Friday everyone!

Vase photo (which I love the vase… so it’s for illustration purposes only)
by Jolante using Flickr Creative Commons.

Years ago I worked with an organization of state treasurers and the chief financial officer of Pennsylvania went on a tear about how horrible and awful reverse mortgages were.  Her main gripe was that when using a reverse mortgage, people lost their homes period.

However, given today’s ruined retirement portfolios, maybe reverse mortgages deserve a second look.  A popular real estate news site, RIS Media, provides that second look through its article on the Top 9 Reverse Mortgage Myths.  Included is the top worry that most people have,

Myth: If I take out a reverse mortgage the lender will own my home.
Fact: False. Homeowners still retain title and ownership to their homes during the life of the loan, and can choose to sell the home at any time. As long as the house is maintained and property taxes and homeowners insurance are paid, the loan cannot be called due.

There has also been concern about whether a senior can be evicted from the home, but the article states that as long as the borrower adheres to the guidelines, they still retain ownership of thehome.  Another concern was that heirs are cheated from their inheritence, but honestly… wouldn’t you rather your elderly family member live in comfort than hand-to-mouth as they age?  And if the home is something they MUST have, the heirs do have the ability to keep it by paying the balance of the loan.

Photo from Consumer Action.

My colleague just told me about a showing he went to last week for one of his listings.  He opened a nice home for an elderly couple to see and after looking at all the rooms, backyard, and closets they stood for a few moments in the foyer chatting.

Suddenly a noise echoed throughout the empty room.  When all eyes turned to the husband he sheepishly said, “It’s old age and too much cabbage.”

I say my friend should be grateful his customer hadn’t eaten a plate full of pinto beans and cornbread.

Kick kick.

I’m still kicking that dead horse here.  Harping about MLS photos that don’t show the TRUE picture of what a house looks like.  I took a buyer to see a listing today.  It was a beautiful country setting, all-brick house, acre of land, enough bedrooms, enough bathrooms.  You’d think giddy-up, right?

Wrong.

Kick kick.

The MLS photos didn’t show the gigantic blue tarp covering the caved in roof.

I would hereby like to move that agents everywhere display honest MLS photos.  But I know it won’t happen.  When hired by sellers, our job as Realtors is to find a buyer for the house and to get the most for the seller you can get.  To do that, you first must attract people TO THE HOUSE … everything after that is negotiable.  If we’d seen the blue tarp in advance, we would have never gone to look at the house.

That picture would’ve been worth about 24 miles for me… 24 miles that I wouldn’t have had to drive had I only seen it.

Photo from here… not the actual house.

The great recession of 2008-09 rocked the U.S. economy.  The slowing housing market was the lead indicator of the problems ahead and home builders were quite possibly the first to experience the fall-out.  With plenty of lots snatched up during the early 2000’s, they now sit empty with only stakes marking off property lines.  The subcontractors - foundation experts, drywall installers, roofers, plumbers, electricians - have gone home.  The real estate signs are now seeing seasons change.  And the builders are struggling to make ends meet.

I’ve seen numerous reputable builders who construct solid, high quality homes fold.  I’ve been fairly shocked this past year when I hear who’s homes are on the auction block or who has declared bankruptcy.  Not only is it devastating on the builder, their workers, and any agents who work for or with them, it also hurts buyers who are under contract to purchase.

How do you protect yourself from buying from a builder who is experiencing problems?  How do you know?  Ken Kruse, president of Payne Family Homes - a company with 25-years of experience in the St. Charles County area of Missouri - writes about what to look for to determine a builder’s financial stability as you consider purchasing a new construction home,

First, visit several of the builder’s projects — not just the one you are considering — and note building activity. Several homes in various stages of construction are a sign the builder has the financial capacity to complete your home.

Check that entrance monuments and common areas are well maintained. Are undeveloped building sites neat and tidy?

Ask your real estate agent questions.  We talk, we listen, we like to know what’s happening in our communities.  And we want our clients to have good experiences as they navigate the home buying process.