Category Archives: Real Estate

Preventative Maintenance On Your Home

Posted on March 18, 2013 | Leave a comment

It’s a corollary of Murphy’s Law: When you are least able to afford a major expense, something big is bound to break down. The solution: Take preventive action before a breakdown turns into an emergency. To help you plan ahead, we give you an overview of what to expect for six major items. (Note: Total cost is for a 2,000-square-foot home or to install a single unit.)

Does the condition of the “moving parts” of your home effect value? Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisals.com for your value questions.

FURNACE/BOILER

Expected life: Boiler, 13 to 21 years; furnace, 15 to 20 years.

Total cost: Forced-air furnace, $1,693 to $2,020; split system, $1,604 to $2,290; oil boiler, $2,773 to $3,069.

It’s time if: You need frequent repairs or have rising energy bills, rooms that are consistently too hot or cold, humidity problems, or excessive noise. If your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old, an energy-efficient replacement will cut your utility bills.

Where to start: Use search tools at the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (http://www.acca.org) and Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (http://www.phccweb.org).

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only

Construction That Focuses On Health Of Residents

Posted on March 11, 2013 | 1 comment

Doctors, social agencies and community groups that have long been frustrated by the inability to alleviate environmental conditions that contribute to ailments like heart disease and obesity are promoting the idea that a shift in land-use planning and design can stanch some of the harmful influences.

Will “healthy” amenities and construction add value to your home? Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisals.com for your value questions.

The concept is being put to one of its earliest and biggest tests in the La Alma/Lincoln Park neighborhood near downtown Denver. That’s where the city’s housing authority used a relatively new decision-making tool known as a health impact assessment to draft a redevelopment plan that encourages physical activity and environmental sustainability.

To that end, the redevelopment of buildings in the 17-acre project, known as Mariposa, will incorporate ecologically advanced construction materials and practices, and a combination of geothermal and solar power will generate up to 60 percent of the development’s energy.

Residents will also find naturally lighted and centrally located staircases enticing them away from the elevators, as well as neighborhood gardens to encourage a better diet.

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only.

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Tagged allergies, apartment, health, healthy home, home, living, obesity

Will 2013 Be the Year to Buy a Home?

Posted on March 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

Bidding wars. Buyers paying cash. Homes selling for more than asking price.

Are we entering another housing bubble? No. But prospective buyers in many markets may be shocked at the competitive nature of the home-buying process these days.

Need an appraisal? Contact the appraisers at: www.scappraisals.com

The number of homes for sale fell to a 13-year low in January, leaving would-be buyers chasing a shrinking supply of homes just before the spring selling season.

“On a national scale, the market is clearly rebounding,” says Greg McBride, senior financial analyst at Bankrate.com. “It’s not that the prices are crazy, but the buyers outnumber the available homes for sale.”

There was an average of 4.8 months of supply of existing homes for sale in the fourth quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors (that is, it would take 4.8 months to sell off the inventory at the current pace).

Six months’ supply is closer to normal, says Celia Chen, a housing economist with Moody’s Analytics, an economic research firm. In 2010, it went as high as 10 months. “Prices are starting to rise as a result of the strong demand relative to low supplies,” says Ms. Chen.

That said, prices still are about 30% below their peak, she says. And the reasons for the slim pickings aren’t good news. Lenders are taking their time putting bank-owned properties on the market, in part to keep prices up.

Plus, prospective sellers are waiting until prices rise before listing their homes for sale. About 11.9 million homeowners are still underwater—that is, they owe more on their mortgage than the home is worth—according to estimates from Moody’s Analytics.