The best move you'll ever make!

Football Season…

Blog | Jan 30, 2012 | No Responses

Speed, strength, and the inability to register pain immediately.  ~Reggie Williams, when asked his greatest strengths as a football player

Are you a digital hoarder?

Uncategorized | Jan 26, 2012 | No Responses

(I did NOT write this article – but it is a replication of my life!)

It’s time for digital decluttering and unloading ‘stuff’

REALTOR® Notebook

By Teresa Boardman
Inman News®

It started in 2010 when my water heater blew up and flooded the basement. That is when I first started to realize that I have way too much stuff, and that is slowing me down. I spent hours cleaning and getting rid of stuff.

When I hear my young first-time homebuyers, who wonder how they will fill all the rooms in a large house, I tell them about how we all start out with a little but end up with piles of stuff — and how it tends to expand to fill up the space we have.

Stuff takes up space and creates clutter, which is a distraction. The more stuff we have, the more space we need and the harder we have to work to pay for that space. I want less instead of more.

My home office has been one of my biggest challenges. I cleaned out the dreaded top drawer and discovered all sorts of office supplies that I no longer use. They all have to go — someone else can use them.

Why is it that we think we need to hang onto everything if it is business-related? Most of my files are electronic, but whether they are paper or electronic I will never again look at 90 percent of them — so why keep them?

Installing more shelving and storage containers defeats my goal of having less — and yet so many of the articles I have read about decluttering encourage the use of storage systems. I am on a mission to donate, throw away, recycle, shred or sell anything that I do not use and have not used in the last year or two.

I don’t want to have to reorganize the same stuff next year. I want to go beyond organizing and storing. I want less — much less than I have now.

It wasn’t until I moved my data from one computer to another that I realized I am guilty of digital hoarding. I have too much digital stuff. I scanned files that I should have discarded, and digital stuff is just as detrimental to my business and even my happiness as the stuff I have in the dreaded top desk drawer.

I accumulated hundreds of notes and photographs and receipts in my Evernote account in the last year. I have a premium account for extra space. It helps me stay organized, but it also helps me collect digital stuff.

My Evernote account is just like a file cabinet. I need to go through it, organize and delete the extra stuff at least once a year.

My Instapaper account, Google Docs and my email inboxes are other examples of digital hoarding and they all need to be put on a diet. We have all heard of “Inbox Zero” — ways to manage your incoming email — but most of us have bloated email accounts. Do I really need to save each email that a new buyer sends, and keep them in a folder?

As I started going through the data on my old computer I realized that I have been moving the same files from one computer to another for the last 10 years and I have hundreds of files that have not been opened yet this decade.

Hard drives get bigger all the time and that space is less expensive than it was 10 years ago, so it is easier to move the data than to look at it.

Each time I get a new computer it takes longer to deal with the data on the old one — and like the other stuff in my life I feel as if the stuff on my computer is slowing me down. For the first time ever I bought a computer with a smaller hard drive instead of a larger one. Much of what I store goes into the cloud, and if I don’t have unlimited hard drive space maybe I won’t accumulate as much stuff.

The 1-terabyte desktop drive I use for photography is half full. It is very well-organized but there are duplicate files, and do I really need that many pictures? Maybe it is time to save the best and delete the rest.

Getting organized isn’t about taking paper and converting it into digital files. It is about reorganizing and getting rid of the stuff that we don’t need — otherwise we end up dragging it around and moving it from place to place, or computer to computer, year after year.

I believe that if I get rid of the clutter in my life I will have a better life, and if I fail to complete my mission this year it is worthy of continuing into next year.

Teresa Boardman is a broker in St. Paul, Minn., and founder of the St. Paul Real  Estate blog.

 



Save Money Now

Blog | Jan 20, 2012 | No Responses

Wow!! As I write this I’m looking at local interest rates today and I can’t believe how GOOD they are.   I would have never thought that rates would go below 3% for a 15 year mortgage, but they have. The rates I’m looking at show today’s 15-year fixed rate mortgage at 2.95% and a 30 year at 3.75%.    If you haven’t refinanced lately, maybe it’s time to look into these great rates.   The other thing that is attractive about these rates is that it makes it a great time to move up to that larger home.   Let me demonstrate:

If you currently have a $100,000 mortgage at 6%, your Principal and Interest (P&I) is $599.55 each month.   With the new rates you could buy a $130,000 home and have a $602.05 per month payment for 30 years.  That a $2.50 increase per month.   If your current morgtgage is $200,000 at 6% your P&I is $1199.10/ month and for about the same money you could buy a $260,000 home.

So, if you want to stay where you are, look at refinancing to either reduce the length of time on your mortgage or to reduce your payments; but if you’re looking to move up to a larger home, then use these great rates to buy more for the same money.   Either way, you and your family wins.  There are also institutions that are offering “no cost” refinancing.

Let us know if we can recommend a lending institution or help you in moving up to a new home.

 

10 States with the smallest housing

Blog | Nov 15, 2011 | No Responses

10 U.S. hotspots for smallest house sizes

Midwest states host some of smallest median home sizes

Area: Washington, D.C.

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.) 1,000
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 2,375
Median price $432,500
Median bedrooms/bathrooms 2/2

 

Row houses on Logan Circle, Washington, D.C. Kim Seidl/Shutterstock

 

 

State: Hawaii

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.)  1,308
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 21,778
Median price $575,000
Median beds/baths 3/2

 


Home in Milolii Village, Hawaii. Bonita R. Cheshier/Shutterstock

 

 

 

State: Michigan

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.) 1,530
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 21,780
Median price $118,900
Median beds/baths 3/2

 


Home in Michigan in the winter. Thomas Barrat/Shutterstock

 

 

State: Iowa

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.) 1,550
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 10,800
Median price $135,000
Median beds/baths 3/2

 

Aerial view of a small farm in Iowa. George Burba/Shutterstock

 

 

State: Ohio

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.) 1,620
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 12,023
Median price $129,900
Median beds/baths 3/2

 


Home in the suburbs of Ohio. Denise Kappa/Shutterstock

 

 

State: California

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.) 1,625
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 7,200
Median price $299,900
Median beds/baths 3/2

 


Beach house along California’s coast. Sahani Photography/Shutterstock

 

 

State: Illinois

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.) 1,632
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 13,939
Median price $178,900
Median beds/baths 3/2

 


An Illinois home in the fall. Eugene Moerman/Shutterstock

 

 

State: Missouri

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.) 1,650
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 12,636
Median price $144,900
Median beds/baths 3/2

 


Historic home in St. Genevieve, Mo. amanda shaye warfield/Shutterstock

 

 

State: Maine

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.) 1,663
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 44,431
Median price $219,000
Median beds/baths 3/2

 


Cape Cod-style cottage on the shores of Western Bay at Mount Desert Island in Maine. Anne Kitzman/Shutterstock

 

 

State: Wisconsin

 

 

Median house size (sq. ft.) 1,669
Median lot size (sq. ft.) 30,000
Median price $174,900
Median beds/baths 3/2

 


Aerial photo of homes outside of Madison, Wis. Henryk Sadura/ Shutterstock.com       

By Inman News November 2011

realtor.com

 

 

 

 

 

Simple steps to fix Leaky Toilet

Blog | Oct 29, 2011 | No Responses

 

By Bill and Kevin Burnett
Inman News™

Q: We have a toilet with an intermittent floor leak that a double wax ring and a new toilet could not correct. The toilet sits on a slightly uneven slab floor. There hasn’t been a leak the 50 years we have lived here. Any ideas?

A: The most likely cause is that the wax ring around the closet flange is leaking, allowing a small amount of water to seep from under the toilet with each flush. The wax rings are probably misaligned.

The fix is to reset the toilet using a flange extension and one wax ring. The slight unevenness of the slab might be a contributing factor, but you can fix that by shimming the bottom of the toilet so that it sits level.

Toilet hydraulics are pretty simple. Waste and wastewater are discharged from the toilet bowl through an S curve in the bowl structure into a waste pipe. The toilet bowl is bolted to the floor with closet bolts attached to a flange connected to the waste pipe.

A wax ring, when correctly installed, produces a watertight seal between discharge hole and the waste pipe. If the closet flange sits below the level of the finished floor or the wax ring is installed catawampus, the seal can be incomplete, and the toilet will leak.

Removing and resetting the toilet properly will stop the leak.

To remove the toilet:

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1. Shut off the water to the tank.

2. Flush the toilet to empty the tank.

3. Remove the remaining water in the tank with a small cup.

4. Use a sponge to remove the rest. Next, disconnect the line running from the water supply valve to the tank.

5. Unscrew the two bolts securing the tank to the bowl and lift the tank off the bowl and set it carefully aside. (This assumes you have a two-piece toilet. If you have a one-piece toilet, there are no tank bolts and you will have to remove the entire fixture.)

6. Remove the bowl (or entire fixture) from the floor. To do this, remove the caps covering the closet bolts on the base of the toilet. Unscrew the nuts from the closet bolts.

7. If there is caulk or putty around the base of the bowl, score it with a putty knife.

8. Gently rock the bowl side-to-side and front to back to loosen the bowl. When the bowl is loose, lift it off. Water will remain in the toilet trap inside the bowl. Some of it will end up on the floor. Have a rag, mop or sponge ready.

To reset the toilet, the basic steps are:

1. Clean the wax off the discharge hole and flange.

2. Install a flange extension if the existing flange is below the finished floor level. A flange extension is essentially a large washer that bolts to the existing flange to raise the height of the toilet flange.

3. Replace the toilet bolts and wax ring.

4. Set and level the bowl.

4. Reinstall the tank on the bowl.

5. Connect the water supply and test for any leaks by flushing several times.

In more detail:

1. Place a new wax ring on the discharge hole on the bottom of the bowl. Buy one with a plastic extension that fits into the waste pipe.

2. Most toilet-bolt kits come with some kind of press-on plastic pieces that are supposed to temporarily hold the bolts upright when setting the toilet. Throw them away and use another set of nuts and washers to secure the bolts to the flange before installing the toilet. This will hold the bolts firmly while you jiggle the toilet onto them.

3. Jiggle the bowl onto the flange by pressing strongly on the edges of the bowl to make sure the wax ring is fully compressed. If you see a little wax in the bolt holes that’s OK.

4. Level the bowl, front to back and side to side, using a spirit level. Use wood shims to elevate the edges of the bowl if needed. Install the shims with the narrow end pointing toward the center of the toilet so that they support only one point; break the shim to approximately the correct length so that not too much pokes under the toilet.

5. Install the plastic cap washer, the steel washer and the nut onto each bolt and tighten evenly. Don’t be a gorilla. On many marginal plumbing installations it’s possible to pull the toilet flange up out of the floor.

5. Next, reinstall the tank. Make sure to use a new rubber washer for the connection between the tank and the bowl.

6. Test the toilet again for wobble and add or adjust the shims slightly if needed.

7. Tighten the bolts a quarter turn more, connect the water supply and test it with five or six flushes to be sure water doesn’t show up on the floor.

8. Use the point of a new utility-knife blade to cut the shims right at the base of the toilet.

9. Caulk the joint where the toilet meets the floor, leaving about 4 inches at the back of the toilet clear so you’ll know if a future leak develops. Caulk serves a couple of purposes. Most important, it keeps the shims in place. It also hides the shims, and it adds a little extra “glue” to keep the toilet in place. Because caulk shrinks when it dries, you may need to do it again the next day.

Follow these steps and we’re confident your leak will be a thing of the past.

Produced by Inman News

Quaker Steak and Lube

Buyer | Oct 17, 2011 | No Responses

Looking for a great new place to eat in Springfield?   Try the new Quaker Steak and Lube.   It’s located on South MacArthur next to the new Scheels store and has a huge variety of foods.   From steaks to burgers, from flatbread to salads,  there is something there that will surely please your palate.  My wife, Peggy, and I went Saturday night and there was a twenty to thirty minute wait.   Being the impatient person I am, we chose to eat outdoors where there was no wait.  After outfitting my wife with a sweatshirt (which looked a little out of place with her nice skirt and blouse)  we were just fine.  I’m told they had 32 varieties of beer on tap, but Guinness was all I cared about and sure enough they had it.   The chili was great and so were the burgers.  Service was excellent and we were in and out in less than an hour.   It was our first ever visit to a QS&L but it won’t be our last.   We give it our 5-star rating.

Avoid the Flu Like the Plague

Blog | Oct 17, 2011 | No Responses

 

Obviously, the flu is NOT the plague, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 5 percent to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu each year, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with flu-related complications. The first and most important step in protecting against the flu is a yearly flu vaccine. The 2011-2012 vaccine will protect against all three strains of flu viruses expected to circulate this season, the CDC says.

Vaccinations are especially important for populations that are at risk, including children, pregnant women, people over age 65, and people with chronic health conditions, such as asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease. Children under the age of six months are also at risk but are too young to be vaccinated, so people who care for them should be vaccinated instead.

Germs spread from person to person through coughing, sneezing or other close contact. Infected individuals can infect others beginning one day before their symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick. To minimize the spread of germs, cover the nose and mouth with a tissue when sneezing or coughing, and immediately toss it into the trash. Wash hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water isn’t available. Avoid touching the eyes, nose or mouth, where germs are most likely to spread, and avoid close contact with those who are sick.

Once symptoms occur, prescription antiviral drugs can help decrease the symptoms and shorten the duration. Experts suggest that infected individuals should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone (without the use of fever-reducing medicine).

The best course of action is prevention. Get plenty of rest, eat properly, drink lots of fluids, manage stress and stay physically active. Practicing healthy habits can beat the flu before it starts.

No one likes being sick and flu vaccinations are an easy and inexpensive means of prevention.  You can get the flu vaccination at most drug stores, the County Health Department or from your Dr.’s office.  If you have questions or concerns, please contact your Physician before making your decision.