Efficient home heating

Efficiently heated homes save money and increase potential sales

Sealing your house up tight for both winter and summer is the cost-effective way to go.
The temperature is inching up toward the 40s and every once in a while the sun shows promise. The days of subfreezing temperatures and windy blasts are over, right? Not so fast there. We humans can have remarkably short memories, and here it is just the middle of January. Instead of reminding your family that layering clothes is perfectly normal inside, let’s revisit why you should get serious about home heating efficiency.

While these tips are primarily about the heating season, they are just as applicable for the summer months too. An air leak is an air leak, whether heat is leaking or the cold air conditioning is leaking.

Stop the leaks. Finding air leaks is the first task on the road to make your home more heat efficient. Anywhere there is an opening in your house, the potential for air leaks exists. Check window frames, doorframes, attic entrances, electrical outlets and ductwork. To check for leaks, use a lit incense stick and watch for horizontal smoke. Hardware stores have a multitude of weatherproofing kits and caulking. Addressing even the most minor air leaks can result in substantial utility savings.

Ductwork systems may be wasting your energy dollars. Often overlooked, typical duct work can lose 25-45 percent of your heating or cooling energy. Look for leaky joints or holes in the duct system, disconnected ducts that have separated from each other and un-insulated or poorly insulated ducts in attics and crawlspaces.

Sealing ductwork is really a job for the professional, who can assess your problems, especially in unconditioned spaces. Minor fixes are temporary at best. Going the professional route can reduce your annual utility bills by as much as $300 and better yet, improves the overall air quality.

Total house insulation is another job for the pros. This is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy loss and outside noise. Research the recommended standards for your region in R-values. The higher the R-value, the less transfer of heat through the material.

Thermostats can save big bucks. For every one degree you lower the temperature in your house over a 24-hour period, savings can go up three percent. Adjusting your thermostat down 10-15 percent for an eight-hour period each day gives you a 10 percent annual savings. Programmable thermostats will automatically turn the heat down while you are at work during the day and at night.

Ceiling fans aren’t just for summer. While we think of ceiling fans as a way to stay cool in the summer, they are also heat savers in the winter. By reversing the blades, ceiling fans re-circulate the rising warm air back down into the living area.

Plugging leaks is the single most effective way to make your home energy efficient not only for you and your family, but also for potential buyers, who are even more cost-conscious than usual.
And it shows your home is well taken care of and maintained.

Written by Myra Vandersall

Haiti relief help

Housing crisis for Haitians looms large; St. Louis’ best musicians sing out to help

With more than one million Haitians in need of shelter, donations will help tremendously. And, the “St. Louis Musicians for Haiti” concert at the Sheldon sings for Doctors Without Borders.

The devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti is incomprehensible, but the goodness of the human spirit is alive with an outpouring of help and donations. As real estate agents, we know how vital housing is–a safe place to shelter a family. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that more than 200,000 families (up to one million people) are in need of immediate shelter, but these figures are yet preliminary. While the organizations that do need donations are too numerous to list, we suggest considering Habitat for Humanity to help provide housing for Haitians in the short and long term. For information on how to help, call the Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County at 636.978.5724 or visit the St. Louis chapter of Habitat for Humanity website.

Another way to support the cause and enjoy some of the best music St. Louis has to offer, is to attend the “St. Louis Musicians for Haiti” concert. A diverse group of St. Louis musicians will take the stage of the Sheldon Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 9, to raise money for Doctors Without Borders’ Haitian earthquake relief efforts.

The concert features jazz, blues, soul, folk, classical and more, from a lineup that includes singer Brian Owens; folk group Mayor Taylor, featuring Lydia Ruffin and Charlie Pfeffer; the Bottoms Up Blues Gang; pianist Peter Martin; singer Mardra Thomas and her pianist/husband Reggie Thomas; singer Kim Massie; pianist Peter Henderson; opera singer Christine Brewer and more. Julius Hunter, author and former TV newscaster, will host the evening.



Tickets are $15 for general admission, and are on sale now. You can purchase tickets via metrotix.com or by calling 314-534-1111. For more information, call The Sheldon at 314-533-9900 during normal weekday business hours, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.


Written by Myra Vandersall

Upgrades for the best return in resale

Exterior remodeling projects under $14,000 have the best return on investment

First impressions count. Increasing your home’s curb appeal outside bring potential buyers inside.

Preparing your home for sale in 2010 means planning ahead now. The good news is selecting the best improvement projects to increase your resale value and return on investment can be some of the least expensive. The most recent findings in the 2009 Remodeling Cost vs. Value report that eight of the top 10 projects in terms of costs recouped were exterior jobs that came in under $14,000. The report is published in the January 2010 issue of REALTOR® Magazine.

The least expensive but biggest on return is a new front door, which proves once again that first impressions are vitally important. A mid-range entry door replacement can garner a 128.9 percent return on investment, based on a national survey of 80 U.S. cities, and will welcome potential buyers into your home. Other exterior projects with a high return are certain types of window and siding replacements and adding a wood deck. The least profitable projects are home office remodels and sunroom additions.

Overall, a sensible and pragmatic approach to improvements is the way to go. Ultra-expensive remodels and exotic additions just won’t make a good return and will deflect buyers who are looking for value in today’s markets.

That said, there is one exception. Increasing living space is a good bargain and the addition of an attic bedroom, which can cost up to $50,000 on a national average, could be a good move. The rate of return on that project is better than 100 percent.

Here are more ideas for low cost improvements that will increase your home’s salability.

Increasing living space gives the buyer a sense of more value. Instead of putting a lot of effort into a home office, show your buyer that the space can be a bedroom. More bedrooms increase the sale price. Open floors plans are big now. Consider removing a non-weight bearing wall to open up the space between a kitchen and family room.

Kitchen and bathroom upgrades are well worth the effort. Replacing backsplashes and tile is an economical way to refresh either room. If you want to go granite for your countertops, consider granite tile instead of slab. Using tiles can be a $300 material cost instead of $5,000.

New or replacement cabinet fronts will impress potential buyers. Install rollout trays in the kitchen for better organization and give the buyer a sense of more space. A new medicine cabinet in the bathroom, plus light fixtures, an inexpensive vanity and faucets will make your bathroom new again.

Putting thought and coordination into your remodeling plans now will reap huge rewards in the spring.

Written by Myra Vandersall

Home Sales Up

St. Charles existing home sales increase 16.3 percent in October; first time homebuyers make a huge difference

Consumers are responding to federal government stimulus programs and have an eye out for foreclosed properties for investment

First-time homebuyers have been out there in force, accounting for 47 percent of the homes purchased between July 2008 and June 2009. That group represents the largest share of first-time buyers in more than 18 years. These buyers have also helped the St. Louis region real estate market score an increase of 27 percent for October 2009 in comparison to October 2008, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Charles County sales increased 16.3 percent with the median home price of $168,000.

Our local market pretty much mirrors the national scene–pending home sales are up again for the eighth consecutive month, the longest streak since 2001. The National Association of Realtors keeps track of such things; the gain was 6.1 percent to 110.1 percent.

All of this activity shows that federal stimulus packages such as the $8,000 tax credit for first time buyers are working. The plan was scheduled to end on November 30 and that pumped up the October sales.

Now that the tax credit program has been extended through June 2010 and has been expanded to include repeat homes buyers with a $6,500 credit, we’ll have even more time to stabilize a recovering market.

The time to start looking for your next home is now–it could be just around the corner or in the next town over. Spend your winter months planning and investigating the housing market in your target area. Some investors and single-family purchasers are looking into buying foreclosed properties as a way to plan for the future and see their investments increase over the next decade.

A recent Move.com homeownership survey released this month shows that the number of consumers interested in investigating in real estate has doubled since March 2009. And, affordability and foreclosures are the top reasons why buyers are making home purchases.

Potential foreclosure buyers expect to pay 20 percent or less than market price for a foreclosure and 57 percent of these buyers will live in the property. Foreclosures are a very unfortunate consequence of the economy meltdown we experienced, but buyers can give new life to foreclosed homes and help enhance the neighborhood living experience.

Calendar of Events - January

Friday, January 1
21st Annual New Year’s Day KATY Trail Ride
11 a.m.
Defiance, MO
Sponsored by Trailnet. An enthusiastic group of bicyclists have started each New Year with a bike ride on the KATY Trail. Join them this year for the 21st Annual New Year’s Day KATY Trail Ride. The group will leave from the KATY Trailhead in Defiance at 11:00 am and ride to Augusta (7 miles). They will stop for lunch upon their return to Defiance, depending on restaurant availability. Please dress in layers and wear a helmet.

Sunday, January 3
St. Louis’ Best Bridal Show
St. Charles Convention Center
Noon-4 p.m.
The bridal fashion show features elegant and popular wedding dresses, gifts, appetizers, drinks, music and wedding planners.
$5
For more information, go to http://shows.stlouisbestbridal.com/ or call 314-744-5777

Saturday, January 9-Sunday, January 31
Eagle Days
Various locations
Events include live eagle programs, activities, exhibits, video, guides with spotting scopes and refreshments.
For details go to the Missouri Department of Conservation and download the Eagle Days brochure, or call 573/751-4115 ext. 3289

Saturday, January 9-10
Snowflake Making
The Magic House, Kirkwood, MO
Saturday, 10:00-5:00 Workshop
Sunday, 11:30-5:00 Workshop
Let it snow with artist Marion Nichols as she shares the unique art of cutting paper into intricate snowflakes. Join the blizzard of activity in the museum’s Expericenter to discover how to snip fantastic flakes of your own designs. A former preschool art teacher, Marion Nichols is renowned for transforming ordinary sheets of paper into delicate snowflake patterns, and is the author of several books on the subject.
Info at the Magic House or call 314-822-8900

Friday, January 15-Sunday, January 17
St. Charles Boat Show, Sale and Fisherman’s Expo
St. Charles Convention Center
Friday, 1-9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Boat dealers showcase their new, non-current and pre-owned boats, plus all things fishing, including tackle, rods, reels, boating accessories. Family fun for young anglers, seminars and speakers, and boating safety by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Regular Admission - $6.00 / Ages 6-15 $3.00. 5 & Under Free
On Friday, seniors age 60 and above admitted for $3.50
Info at http://www.letsgoshows.com/

Saturday January 23
Winter Wildlife Tracking-Learn from the experts
St. Charles Park District
Pottawatomie Community Center, 8 North Ave.
9 a.m.-noon
You’ll never look at “bare” ground again after this tracking class taught by top experts in the field. Learn how to interpret tracks, tail patterns and scat to identify wildlife. Begin with an interactive indoor class with overview of local fauna and tracking techniques, the outdoors to practice what you’ve learned.
Ages 18 and over. To register, call 630-513-6200.
$10

Saturday, January 30
Fete De Glace (Festival of Ice)
100-200 block of North Main
Watch professional ice carvers bring the art to life in a competition using chain saws, power grinders, sanders, cold chisels, hand saws, and irons from 10am-3pm. This competition is judged and juried by the crowd. Coffee and hot chocolate will be available and nearby fire pits to warm up.
Free

January 31-February 28
The Big Read National Endowment for the Arts
The Big Read is designed to revitalize the role of reading in American public culture.
Foundry Art Centre, 520 N. Main Street
The book chosen for participation is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. The Foundry Art Centre and the St. Charles Community College Library sponsor the Big Read in St. Charles City/County and bring the community the power of literature.
For more info call 636-255-0270

$35 million economic development package passed at MHDC

As Chair of the Missouri Housing Development Commission, I am very excited to announce that moments ago we passed a $35 million economic development initiative. This initiative, first unveiled by Governor Jay Nixon and myself on November 24, will provide property tax relief to thousands of qualified middle- and low-income Missouri homebuyers, create and protect potentially thousands of good-paying jobs and help improve energy-efficiency in Missouri housing.

The $35 million package was approved at today's MHDC meeting, which was webcast live for the first time ever in an effort to bring increased transparency to the housing agency. The package provides:

1. $15 million to pay the first year of property taxes for qualified homebuyers who purchase a new or existing home after January 1, 2010. This has the opportunity to help between 9,000 and 11,000 Missouri families making less than $100,000 a year.
2. $15 million to finance and begin construction on affordable multi-family housing. This will create and save thousands of jobs at a time when Missouri unemployment is over 9% and allow us to continue to make quality affordable housing available to all Missourians.
3. $5 million in assistance to qualified homebuyers to help with down payments and closing costs. This helps potential homebuyers overcome the obstacle of coming up with enough cash for a down payment and closing costs. MHDC has been a national leader on this front.
4. Additional assistance to homebuyers who purchase an energy-efficient home or purchase energy-saving appliances. This is an opportunity to raise energy-efficiency standards in Missouri, making a positive impact on both the economy and the environment. It's a win-win.
   

This economic development package provides property tax relief to thousands of Missourians at a crucial time in our economy without spending Missouri tax dollars. This will be paid for entirely out of MHDC's reserve fund and federal recovery funds already in our possession. This comes in addition to more than $100 million in recovery funds and more than $19 million in reserves already allocated to boost Missouri's economy and put Missourians back to work.
My goal as Chair is to ensure MHDC is playing a pivotal role in Missouri's economic recovery and I believe we are doing that. The agency already offers competitive interest rates on home loans for qualified borrowers and a cash assistance loan plan for first-time homebuyers to help with down payments and closing costs. MHDC has also been a national leader in allowing Missourians to use the $8,000 federal first-time homebuyer tax credit up front for a down payment or closing costs. This program has been a success and will continue until at least April of 2010.

At a time when economic resources are scarce, it is important for you to know that I am constantly looking for new and innovative ways to get our economy moving again as well as ways to better marshal the tools and resources that are available.

One of those tools is the Missouri Linked Deposit Program, which provides low-interest loans to qualified small businesses and family farms. On November 23, I announced the largest-ever small business loan issued through the program. A small agricultural company in Marshall qualified for a $3.4 million loan, which will save the business more than $300,000 over five years compared to the cost of a regular loan. In addition, the loan will allow the company to add jobs and expand its customer base.

Thanks to changes made earlier this year to the Missouri Linked Deposit Program through my Invest in Missouri legislation, I am able to issue these kinds of loans to more small businesses with less turnaround time, allowing them to receive much-needed capital quickly.
Again, this costs Missouri taxpayers nothing. The Missouri Linked Deposit Program allows us to invest right here in Missouri to help small businesses that need it the most and who are playing a pivotal role in our economic recovery.

We have about $200 million in loans already out to small business throughout Missouri and we still have another $520 million available. To find out more about the Missouri Linked Deposit Program, click here.

Regards,

Clint Zweifel
Missouri State Treasurer

Property tax credit will help stimulate more home sales in 2010

A proposal before the Missouri Housing Development Commission would credit up to $1,250 in property taxes for qualified buyers.

Buying a home in Missouri in 2010 looks to include even more incentives for people to enter the housing market. The Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) is considering a proposal to provide up to $1,250 in property tax breaks for qualified buyers. This, on top of the extended first-time buyer $8,000 tax credit and $6,500 for repeat buyers, sets up next year as one of economic stimulation for Missouri.

The property tax break is supported by Gov. Jay Nixon and State Treasurer Clint Zweifel, the MHDC chairperson. This $15 million proposal would be funded from the Commission’s reserve fund. An estimated 9,000-11,000 households could benefit. Show your environmentally friendly side and the commission will provide an extra $500 if the house is energy-efficient or if the buyer can begin energy efficient steps within 60 days of closing. This perk includes improvements like insulation, energy star rated appliances, efficient water heaters and windows.

Income limits do apply, ranging from $58,300 to $98,560.

The big day is Friday, December 18, when commission members vote on the proposal. Because of all these incentives, those thinking about buying a home next year need to set up a planning schedule and begin sprucing up your house for sale. The first step is to analyze your finances, work on getting as big a down payment as possible, and check that credit score. There may be reports on your score that are wrong or fraudulent, reducing your score and the size of loan. By checking now you’ll avoid problems when you are ready to buy.

And, investigate the MHDC to see if you qualify for more assistance. The Commission administers any number of housing programs, from purchasing a home with a First Place loan, assistance for veterans, buying property in disaster areas and home repair grants. Help is out there for homebuyers to realize property ownership.

Written by Myra Vandersall