Costume Contest Winner

We were so glad to celebrate a little bit of Halloween with you. And we have chosen a winner...although this was a hard one - so many cute costumes. But we just can't help ourselves - look how adorable this witch is!! 

Congratulations to cute Hallie!

HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST--Come visit us today!!

Costume Contest!!! Layton, Utah

My cute neighbor is all ready to show off his costume!! Come join him for fun & treats.

Don't forget to mark your calendars...

Bring your kids by our office (75 N Fort Lane, Layton) on Halloween between 11am-4pm.

We will have treats for the kids & take their pictures to enter the contest.

There will be plenty of time for costume fun before the trick or treating will begin!

Halloween Home Maintenance: Spooky Sounds and Strange Smells

Halloween Home Maintenance: Spooky Sounds and Strange Smells

By: John Riha

Published: October 27, 2011

Are you haunted by strange noises and weird odors? With the proper maintenance, you’ve got more than a ghost of a chance to rest easy.

 

Zombie odor

It’s either time to throw out the garbage, or you’d better call your gas utility to check on your gas lines and connections.

Natural gas is odorless, but natural gas suppliers add a foul-smelling odorant -- butyl mercaptan — to alert occupants to any leaks. The smell is like rotten eggs.

Leaks can occur at your gas-fired water heater, fireplace, clothes dryer, and any gas line. Leaking natural gas is potentially dangerous — leave the house and call your natural gas provider to assess the situation. Most utility companies perform safety checks for free.

Footsteps in the attic

Amplified by an unfinished attic space, a raccoon or even a good-size squirrel on your roof might sound like an ax murderer is doing the polka overhead.

These rooftop transits are normal for critters — roofs offer a nice long unobstructed highway.

Make sure your soffit, rafter, and gable roof vents are covered with screens and in good shape, or your rooftop buddies might find their way into your attic for real. Trim back branches that provide critters easy access to your roof. 

Something’s burning

You can smell the odor of burnt wood, but the smoke detectors aren’t going off and there’s no smoke in the house. The culprit could be your fireplace — even if you haven’t had a fire for days.

The probable cause is a drafty chimney and negative air pressure in your home, meaning that outside air is infiltrating down your chimney, bringing stale burnt smells with it.

Stop drafts by making sure your damper has a good seal. Regulate air pressure by adding more cold air return ducts to your HVAC system. You’ll get rid of the odor and save on your energy bill, too.

Moaning and clattering

These classic spooky sounds often show up when the wind blows and there’s a storm brewing.

Vents for clothes dryers, bathrooms, and water heaters exit out the roof or the side of the house. To prevent backdrafts, these vents have dampers — flaps designed to let vented air out and prevent outside air from coming in. These flaps sometimes move and rattle in high winds.

Because dampers often are located in attics or in between floor joists, the sound can be difficult to pinpoint. You may need a new damper ($85).

Appraisals - some things to keep in mind.

www.tigerladies.com

What You Must Know About Home Appraisals

By: G. M. Filisko

Published: March 12, 2010

Understanding how appraisals work will help you achieve a quick and profitable refinance or sale

1. An appraisal isn’t an exact science

When appraisers evaluate a home’s value, they’re giving their best opinion based on how the home’s features stack up against those of similar homes recently sold nearby. One appraiser may factor in a recent sale, but another may consider that sale too long ago, or the home too different, or too far away to be a fair comparison. The result can be differences in the values two separate appraisers set for your home.

2. Appraisals have different purposes

If the appraisal is being used by a lender giving a loan on the home, the appraised value will be the lower of market value (what it would sell for on the open market today) and the price you paid for the house if you recently bought it.

An appraisal being used to figure out how much to insure your home for or to determine your property taxes may rely on other factors and arrive at different values. For example, though an appraisal for a home loan evaluates today’s market value, an appraisal for insurance purposes calculates what it would cost to rebuild your home at today’s building material and labor rates, which can result in two different numbers.

Appraisals are also different from CMAs, or competitive market analyses. In a CMA, a real estate agent relies on market expertise to estimate how much your home will sell for in a specific time period. The price your home will sell for in 30 days may be different than the price your home will sell for in 120 days. Because real estate agents don’t follow the rules appraisers do, there can be variations between CMAs and appraisals on the same home.

3. An appraisal is a snapshot

Home prices shift, and appraised values will shift with those market changes. Your home may be appraised at $150,000 today, but in two months when you refinance or list it for sale, the appraised value could be lower or higher depending on how your market has performed.

4. Appraisals don’t factor in your personal issues

You may have a reason you must sell immediately, such as a job loss or transfer, which can affect the amount of money you’ll accept to complete the transaction in your time frame. An appraisal doesn’t consider those personal factors.

5. You can ask for a second opinion

If your home appraisal comes back at a value you believe is too low, you can request that a second appraisal be performed by a different appraiser. You, or potential buyers, if they’ve requested the appraisal, will have to pay for the second appraisal. But it may be worth it to keep the sale from collapsing from a faulty appraisal. On the other hand, the appraisal may be accurate, and it may be a sign that you need to adjust your pricing or the size of the loan you’re refinancing.

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who’s had more than 10 appraisals performed on her properties in the past 20 years. A frequent contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

HEATED POOL, GORGEOUS FALL, COOL EVENINGS....

add this gorgeous 6 bdrm, 3.5 bath home and life doesn't get much better.  www.tigerladies.com for more info!!

We're having a costume contest!!!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Don't forget to mark your calendars...

Bring your kids by our office (75 N Fort Lane, Layton) on Halloween between 11am-4pm.

We will have treats for the kids & take their pictures to enter the contest.

There will be plenty of time for costume fun before the trick or treating will begin!

Investment Opportunites

Have you ever toyed with the idea of purchasing rental properties? It can be a fantastic way to add to your retirement income or to develop tax savings and increase the value of your estate. With interest rates at historic lows and a very tight rental market NOW is the time to act! Lenders are even loosening credit requirements to investors.

In our local market most municipalities have implemented a "Good Landlord Program". 

What is the Good Landlord Program?

It is a program run through Utah Apartment Association for cities that have enacted special ordinances to manage rental properties within their jurisdictions.

Landlords agree to take special classes to assist them in managing their properties, and in exchange for completing these classes, cities discount fees associated with owning rental properites. 

Landlords agree to run background checks and refuse to rent to applicants with certain criminal backgrounds. Landlords also agree to evict problem tenants immediately and keep their properties "clean & green" adn in compliance with city codes.

Each city that has implemented this program determines the requirements and associated fees. 

Sounds a lot more complex than it actually is!! There is also the option of hiring a property manager to oversee your rentals. Their fees are actually quite reasonable. For more info on these programs or to discuss your options, give us a call.

Take a look at this home that could be a great investment:

http://www.tourfactory.com/902545

Featured Business of the Month - American West Heritage Center, Wellsville, UT

American West Heritage Center's Fall Festival 

Looking for a new idea for a fun Halloween activity for the kids? Check out the American West Heritage Center's Fall Festival. 

Activities include:

• 7 acre corn maze
• Giant hay jump
• Spiderweb rope climb
• Kid's maze
• Gourd launcher
• Giant Slide
• Black out maze
• BB gun range
• Pony & train rides on certain days.

Also, don't forget to check out the Haunted Hollow on Friday & Saturday nights.

There are some discounts available too. Check out their website for more information at www.awhc.org or find them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AmericanWestHeritageCenter

Halloween costume contest - Mark your calendars!

We're having a costume contest!!!

Just time to mark your calendars...

Bring your kids by our office (75 N Fort Lane, Layton) on Halloween between 11am-4pm.

We will have treats for the kids & take their pictures to enter the contest.

There will be plenty of time for costume fun before the trick or treating will begin!

 

Congratulations to Reynold & Sharon!!

Congratulations to Reynold & Sharon on selling their home! They have bought a new home and are ready to make lots of new memories! We have loved helping you on this journey! You are amazing clients & we are lucky to work with you!

Featured home of the month - North Ogden, UT

PRICE REDUCED!! Great end unit townhome! Well cared for with arge bedrooms, walk-in closet, laundry room & half bath on main floor. Spacious kitchen with bar & semi-formal dining, ceiling fans throughout, tile entry, wood blinds, new 50 gallon water heater, all appliances including washer/dryer & fridge. Nestled in North Ogden community close to pool, shopping and amenities.