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Welcome Mary Robbins to the Woods Bros family   November 29th, 2011

Mary Robbins

Mary Robbins

Mary Robbins joins the Seward office. She grew up in Lincoln, NE and attended Lincoln Northeast High School and Southeast Community College where she earned a degree in Early Childhood Education. She has had her Sales Associate license since 2007 and specializes in residential homes. She has two sons and three grandchildren. Her hobbies include making quilts and spending time with her dogs. Mary can be reached at 402-890-6001 or Mary.Robbins@woodsbros.com.


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Fall & Winter Seasonal Maintenance Guide   November 28th, 2011

cb030633By: Karin Beuerlein

If you live in the Midwest, here are maintenance jobs you should complete every fall and winter to prevent costly repairs and keep your home in peak condition.

Certain home maintenance tasks should be completed each season to prevent structural damage, save energy, and keep all your home’s systems running properly. What maintenance tasks are most important for the Midwest in fall and winter? Here are the major issues you should be aware of and critical tasks you should complete. For a comprehensive list of tasks by season, refer to the to-do list in the original article.

Keep your Midwestern home free from damage by preparing for the constant cycle of freezing and thawing that occurs throughout fall and winter. “In fall, it’s important to do seemingly minor things that can have disastrous consequences if not done early,” says Frank Lesh, president of Home Sweet Home Inspection Co. in Indian Head Park, Ill.

Key maintenance tasks to perform

• Disconnect hoses from outside faucets. This keeps water inside the hose from freezing and splitting the casing, and it also allows the pipes inside the wall to drain completely so that water doesn’t freeze and crack them. Most outside spigots now are self-draining, but if you have an older home, you may have to manually turn off the valve inside the house to shut off the water so that it drains completely (this valve is usually in the basement or crawl space near where the pipe goes to the outside).

It’s important to remember this task, because you may not notice that these pipes have burst until you turn the faucet on in spring and water leaks into your exterior wall. If you’re lucky, Lesh says, you’ll have a major leak that will be noticeable right away; it’s actually worse to have a slower leak that allows water to drip slowly into the wall, where mold and rot can do extensive damage without your even seeing it.

• Seal coat blacktop driveways. The heat of summer may cause asphalt to expand and crack. If these cracks aren’t repaired, water gets into them and freezes, widening the cracks. Eventually, big chunks of asphalt will break off and repair will become more difficult and expensive, so applying sealant (generally every two to three years) is an important preventive step.

On a warm, dry day in early fall when you don’t expect rain for at least 24 hours, you should clear the driveway of debris, clean up any oil stains with detergent and a scrub brush (be sure to rinse the entire driveway well with a hose), and apply asphalt crack filler to individual cracks larger than 1/4 inch wide. Allow the filler to dry for at least an hour and then spread a coat of sealant over the entire driveway. Don’t use the driveway for at least 24 hours. Expect to pay $100 for the driveway detergent, crack filler, long-handled roller, and sealer needed to do the job.

If you have a concrete driveway, you don’t need to maintain it—unless it’s less than a year old. It’s very important that during the first year of curing, no salt come into contact with the surface; don’t salt your driveway and clear any roadway salt that gets thrown onto it.

• Clean your gutters. In the Midwest, this task is especially crucial because of freezing and thawing. “After a snowfall it’s typical for the sun to come out just long enough to melt the snow on your roof, which then drips into the gutters,” Lesh says. “But the water freezes before it’s all drained.” If your gutters are clogged with debris, standing water freezes and forces its way up under the roof shingles or into the eaves, which introduces moisture that can eventually rot the roof decking. Trapped ice and frozen debris can also bend your gutters so that they don’t drain well, or even pull them away from the house.

• Schedule your annual furnace checkup. Your technician should be able to tell you exactly what he’s going to check to keep your furnace maintained. Lesh recommends asking open-ended questions (“What specifically will you be cleaning?”) and making sure the contractor is checking fuel connections, burner combustion, and the heat exchanger. In the meantime, you should be checking your furnace filters monthly and changing them whenever they’re dirty. Inspect floor grates and return ducts regularly and clean them out with a vacuum cleaner brush. You may want to enroll in a yearly maintenance agreement with an HVAC professional that includes a fall furnace service and a spring air conditioning service. Otherwise, expect to pay $50 to $100 for a furnace tune-up.

You don’t need to prepare your outside air conditioning unit for cold weather because it’s designed to withstand snow and cold. In fact, if you cover your unit with plastic to protect it, you provide a place for mice to overwinter and gnaw through the unit’s wiring. If your unit sits in a spot that’s vulnerable to falling ice or heavy tree limbs, place a sheet of plywood over the top and cover with a loose drop cloth for protection; just don’t enclose the space completely.

• Make sure deck and porch boards are secure. Loose or warped boards are hazardous. Prop up low spots with wooden shims and fasten loose boards with galvanized deck screws

• Insulate your whole-house fan. If you use a whole-house fan to help cool your house, be sure to cover it when not in use with an insulated box or other cover. “If you don’t, heated air—which you’ve paid for—will enter the attic,” Lesh says. Introducing warm, moist air into the attic will then cause frost to form on the cold surface of the roof decking, which melts and drips onto the attic floor—your ceiling, in other words. Mold and staining can result.

You can make a simple fan cover from a batt of insulation; make sure it fits snugly over the opening with no gaps. For about $30, you can buy duct tape and a piece of 2-inch-thick polystyrene foam and make a foam box to fit over the top; 2-inch foam has an insulating value of about R-10.

Attic fans, designed to remove super-hot air from attics, are usually installed in the roof or gable ends of an attic space. Unlike whole-house fans, attic fans don’t require insulation, but fall is a good time to investigate whether animals have tried to force their way in through the screen covering the vent. Replace the screen if necessary.

• Scrape, prime, and paint. Lesh recommends painting wood surfaces early in the fall before the weather gets too cold and before winter’s moisture has a chance to do any damage. Scrape peeling paint even if you can’t get to the painting this season—water actually sheds better off bare wood than wood with peeling paint attached, which traps moisture.

• Prune back trees. After leaves drop, prune any nearby trees or bushes, especially if snowfall will cause them to bend and rub against the house. This can shorten the lifespan of your roof and siding.

Performing these important fall maintenance tasks can prevent costly repairs and alert you to developing problems.

Karin Beuerlein Karin Beuerlein has covered home improvement and green living topics extensively for HGTV.com, FineLiving.com, and FrontDoor.com. She has also written for dozens of national and regional publications in more than a decade of freelancing, including Better Homes & Gardens, The History Channel Magazine, Eating Well, and Chicago Tribune. She and her husband started married life by remodeling the house they were living in. They still have both the marriage and the house, no small feat.
Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/maintenance-repair/fall-winter-seasonal-maintenance-guide-midwest/#ixzz1f0zxAlJ1
Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.


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Black, Hardesty earn professional GRI designation   November 22nd, 2011


McGinnis Black
Hardesty

Lori McGinnis Black and Matt Hardesty, both Realtors with Woods Bros Realty, have been awarded the Graduate Realtor Institute (GRI) designation.

Black and Hardesty completed the curriculum required for the designation by attending 90 hours of classroom instruction covering a variety of subjects, including contract law, professional standards, sales and marketing, finance and risk reduction.

The GRI designation sets those Realtors who have obtained it apart because it indicates to the public that they have obtained a professional educational foundation on which to base the services they provide.

Black is a Realtor with Woods Bros Wilderness Hills office. She works with her husband Tony Black, also a Realtor in the Wilderness Hills office. They work with all types of home buyers and sellers, focusing much of their work on new residential construction projects.

Hardesty, of the Lincolnshire Square office, strives to exceed minimum continuing education requirements and has plans to obtain all designations currently offered by the National Association of Realtors. As a result of 11 years as a commercial construction project manager prior to becoming a real estate professional, Hardesty has extensive knowledge of construction and believes in a much higher level of service to his clients.

Woods Bros Realty, an affiliate of HomeServices of America, is a full-service company offering over 120 years of expertise in real estate as well as experience in mortgage, title, closing, and insurance services. Providing an easier way to buy and sell, more than 250 sales associates work with clients in Lincoln, Seward, Beatrice, York, Grand Island, Wahoo and southeast and northeast Nebraska. For more information about Woods Bros Realty, visit www.WoodsBros.com.


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Home Staging Tips   November 22nd, 2011

MP900384832I don’t want to spoil your day, but if you are thinking of selling your home, you need to prepare yourself for what could be a very emotional, physical, frustrating experience. However, there are certain things you can do to lessen the pain. It’s summed up in the word: staging.

Staging is best described as the things you can do to make your home shine. Here are some tips:

• Start from the outside. Make the house warm and inviting from the minute someone pulls up. Tidy up the yard, make sure the outside lights are on, add a clean doormat, paint the door if needed, and display a seasonal wreath or other door hanging.

• Once someone opens the door, make sure your house smells fresh. Don’t overwhelm them with a strong fragrance, but be sure any smoke, cooking or pet odors are gone. A good trick is to bake cookies or simmer some vanilla extract in water on the stove.

• Look around the house and be sure all the floors are clean, carpets don’t have stains, walls are wiped free of smudges, and counter tops, bookshelves, fireplace mantles are free of excess clutter. Displaying a few items is okay but it’s probably best to box up your collections and keep them stored for your next house.

• Especially remember to remove all personal photos. You want the people looking at your home to think of their family living there.

• Re-arrange furniture so there is space to walk through each room. This might require removing a few extra pieces of furniture. You don’t need to move everything up against the walls. Try to create cozy areas, especially in the living room and family room.

• Open your closets. Yes, the buyers will be looking in all your closets. It may be time for to box up and store out-of-season clothes or to thin out your wardrobe. You want the buyer to see that there is a lot of space.

• Do the same in the basement or attic. Invest in some storage totes and get everything organized. If you must, store some items at a friend’s house or rent a storage space. Don’t overlook the garage either.

• For most buyers, the kitchen and bathrooms are especially important. Be sure everything (even inside the stove) is scrubbed clean. You might even plan to have a fresh set of towels that go out just for showings. And keep a bathroom tote handy so you can keep all your personal items (toothbrush, shampoo, etc.) in there. You can plan to put it in the trunk of your car whenever there is a showing.

Remember, none of these suggestions cost a lot of money, just time. Anything you buy can be moved to your next house. These steps could result in a quicker sale and perhaps a better price for your home. And the sooner you sell, the sooner you can be moving on to your next “home sweet home”.


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Cheap and Easy Home Staging Tips   November 22nd, 2011

42-16606088Home staging is a wonderful way to help your home sell more quickly! Buyers are more motivated to consider purchasing a home that suits their family size, budget, and location requirements, but also one that appeals to their senses. What will a buyer see, smell, hear, and touch when they tour your home for the first time?

Contrary to what you may have heard, staging your home to sell doesn’t have to be expensive. Sure, you can hire a decorator or invest in new furniture or renovations. However, if you’re like many sellers I work with, high-end staging may not be in your plan or budget.

That’s why I put together the best staging tips for the do-it-yourselfer. The list I’ve included has been useful to lots of other happy clients. I hope you’ll find it helpful, too!

Home Staging: The Ten Best Do-It-Yourself Tips For $100 Or Less

  • Potted Plants, small or large, are one of the easiest and least expensive ways to create visual appeal.
  • Home Fragrance such as scented candles, sprays, and plug-in type fragrance gadgets in delicate scents can work wonders.
  • Steam Cleaning — Rather than investing in a professional service, rent the machine for one day, and rejuvenate carpets and drapes.
  • Baskets and Decorative Containers can help organize scattered items and eliminate clutter.
  • Light Bulbs and Dimmer Switches — Brighten dark areas and rooms or soften harsh light with dimmers and the newer soft light bulbs.
  • Paint over unusual colors or update stark white walls with a contemporary neutral tone.
  • Fresh Flowers — Inexpensive arrangements in vases you already own look beautiful and will smell naturally fresh.
  • Throw Pillows will instantly update an old sofa or chair or make a plain bed look luxurious.
  • Maid Service can be costly, but hiring one for a day or a few hours is affordable-and it’s worth it to make a kitchen or bathroom sparkle!
  • Snacks! A bowl of polished apples, a bunch of grapes or a plate of fresh cookies makes your home look warm and inviting.

One of the tricks-of-the-trade used before showing a home is “staging.” Good staging looks at every feature of a home and finds ways to show it off to its finest advantage. Whether your home is already picture-perfect or needs a bit of sprucing up, these staging tips, taken directly from decorating professionals, are worth considering.

The Top Ten Professional Home Staging Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

  • Create the illusion of space by rearranging the furniture. Try different combinations or remove and store pieces that make it feel crowded.
  • Arrange the furniture in living areas into intimate groupings that suggest entertaining and ideal conversational settings.
  • Consider rental furniture, especially when the pieces you have don’t match, are badly worn, or are in any state of disrepair.
  • Add decorative pillows and slipcovers in warm neutral tones to hide flaws and make pieces blend.
  • Eliminate clutter. Store or get rid of appliances, gadgets, newspapers, mail or anything that takes up space or distracts attention.
  • De-personalize your home so buyers can imagine living in it. Store pictures, awards, trophies, collectibles, and other personal keepsakes.
  • Paint walls in inviting neutral colors to cover flaws and freshen rooms.
  • Add small luxurious touches to bathrooms and bedrooms. Think plush towels, fresh flowers, high-end bed linens, and pretty bath soaps.
  • Eliminate unpleasant odors and smells that can kill a sale. Fragrant candles, plug-ins, and home sprays can help, but nothing smells better than clean.
  • Plants add an aura of softness and warmth to any room. Large or small, real or silk-they’re a favorite of professional stagers.


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The PRICE Is the Same, But the COST Is Less   November 16th, 2011

From KCM Blog:

There is more and more research coming out showing that it makes great financial sense to purchase a home today . Whether it be rent vs. buy ratios, income-to-price ratios or income-to-mortgage payment ratios, purchasing a home right now is a bargain compared to historic norms. Now we want to look at the COST of a home today compared to pre-peak prices.

According to the most recent S&P Case Shiller price index, residential real estate values have returned to 2003 1Q PRICEs. That, in itself, says something. However, when you factor in mortgage rates, the case for buying a home today becomes even more compelling.

In 2003, 30 year mortgage rates stood at 5.88%. Today, they are 4%. How does that impact the actual COST of a home? On a home purchased for $250,000, here is the difference in monthly cost:

cost-price-1024x665

That means you save $285.30 a month, $3,423.60 a year and $102,708 over the life of a 30 year mortgage! You buy the home for the same PRICE but the COST is over $100,000 less.

Bottom Line

This is why so many financial advisors are saying that this may be one of the greatest times in history to purchase a home.


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An Easier Way to Buy and Sell Video   November 11th, 2011


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Top 5 Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Real Estate Agent   November 8th, 2011

1. How long have you been in the business?

Clients want to know they’re working with someone who knows how to do their job. Experience counts whether buying your first home or selling an investment portfolio of multiple properties. Buyers and sellers of real estate want to work with experienced agents who know how to manage their transaction from start to finish effectively.

2. What’s the worst case scenario of buying/selling?

Clients want to know the risk factors. Real estate is not perfect and sometimes clients assume risk. Knowing the worst possible outcome of any situation helps a client prepare themselves for battle if necessary.

3. What’s the best case scenario of buying/selling?

Clients want to know the benefits. Just as clients need to anticipate risk, they also need to perceive the benefit of taking action, whether in terms of accomplishing part of The American Dream of owning their first home, or realizing profits from smart investing.

4. Can you get the job done, whether buying or selling?

Clients want results. Rather, clients expect results.

5. How soon can we go to work?

Clients want service now. Today’s real estate client has mulitple tools at their disposal to get information quickly and without contacting an agent directly. Websites, text messaging, email, are tools that agents need to manage efficiently to satisfy the clients’ needs for instant service.


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Bob Branchaud celebrates 20 years with Woods Bros Realty   November 7th, 2011

Congratulations to Bob Branchaud of the Wilderness Hills office, who has worked with Woods Bros Realty for the last 20 years.
Bob really found his niche when he had a phone duty call from some investors looking for an apartment complex. He has since assisted that family with $30 million in real estate transactions, and he specializes in income properties and multi-dwellings today.
Bob was presented with a clock in recognition of his 20 years of service.
CEO Gene Brake and Manager Judy Sasek present Bob Branchaud with a 20-year clock

CEO Gene Brake and Manager Judy Sasek present Bob Branchaud with a 20-year clock


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Woods Bros Realty welcomes Gail Chapman and “Boomer” Peterson   November 7th, 2011

Tyler Peterson

Tyler Peterson

Gail Chapman

Gail Chapman

Woods Bros Realty would like to welcome the following new agents to the company:

Gail Chapman joins the York office. She recently retired from a 40 year teaching career. She decided to join her husband Frank in the world of Real Estate. As a team they will be “The Spouses Who Sell Houses!” Gail grew up in Strang, NE and attended Geneva High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Kearney State College. Gail and Frank are grandparents. Two sons and their wives have blessed them with six granddaughters. (Ask them if the have pictures) Her hobbies include traveling, home decorating, reading and she is also a rag doll collector. Gail is excited about her new career in Real Estate! Gail can be reached at 402-366-4184 or Gail.Chapman@woodsbros.com.

Tyler (Boomer) Peterson joins the Country Club office and will be working with his parents, Bob and Sally Peterson. He grew up in Lincoln and attended Southeast High School. He moved to North Carolina where he attended Wake Forest University. He and his wife, Julia, are expecting a baby girl in December. Tyler can be reached at 402-430-2318 or Tyler.Peterson@woodsbros.com.


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October By The Numbers   November 7th, 2011

Here are the October numbers from all Woods Bros offices, including Lincoln, Seward, York, Beatrice and Grand Island:

  • $33,557,185 Total Volume Closed (Down 6% from Oct. 2010)
  • 263 Total Sides Closed (Up 26% from Oct. 2010)
  • 265 Sides Placed Under Contract (Up 46% from Oct. 2010)
  • 451,105 Page Views on WoodsBros.com
  • 48,749 User Sessions on WoodsBros.com
  • 5,775 Users Sessions from Mobile Devices
  • 47 New Saved Searches on WoodsBros.com
  • 913 New Saved Properties on WoodsBros.com
  • 394 New Customers/Clients on WoodsBros.com
  • 1,338 Daily Active Users on Facebook.com/WoodsBros
  • 186 Text Inquiries to WOODS at 59559
  • 3,026 Guided Tour Views at WoodsBros.com
  • 394 Views on MyWoodsBrosTV.com

View our monthly Market Snapshot here.


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Welcome Denny Wullenwaber to the Woods Bros family   November 3rd, 2011

Denny Wullenwaber

Denny Wullenwaber

Denny Wullenwaber joins the Seward office.

Wullenwaber  grew up in Utica, Nebr. He attended Centennial High School and has worked at Hughes Brothers for 31 years. He has seven years of real estate sales experience with a proven sales record. Customer satisfaction is his top priority.

He and his wife Cheri have four children and seven grandchildren. His interests are Nebraska  football and hunting.

Denny can be reached at 402-641-2196 or Denny.Wullenwaber@woodsbros.com.


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