February/March 2010 Issue
Feel free to call me at anytime if I
can assist you with a Real Estate
question or issue
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Columbia MLS Real Estate
Activity
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Period |
New Listings
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Active Listings
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Sold Listings
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Months Inventory |
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Jan/2010 |
520 |
3,232 |
105 |
30.78 |
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Dec/2009 |
294 |
3,405 |
150 |
22.70 |
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Nov/2009 |
353 |
3,460
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237 |
14.60 |
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Oct/2009 |
514 |
3,530
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245 |
14.41 |
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Sep/2009 |
527 |
3,629
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220 |
16.50 |
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Aug/2009 |
640 |
3,528
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257 |
13.73 |
New listings are the
highest since October
last year.
Interestingly the number
of homes-sold are down
almost a third over
December. Another
big trend on the chart
is inventory. If
you are thinking about a
change, this might be a
good time to look.
There should be all
kinds of good deals out
there.
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Happy Valentine!
I
hope everyone has a great Valentine
this weekend, whether you will be
out with the crowds or having a nice
quiet evening at home with that
special one.
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Our True/False Film
Festival is here in Columbia again
If
you enjoy films, this is a really
good way way to see a great verity
of them and to join the activity
going on down town. It is a
lot of fun, and you get to run into
a lot of your friends running
to a movie or having refreshments
while waiting for one. Check
out the
www.TrueFalse.org website to
see what is playing. Call
their ticket office. You
should be able to see some of the
films, even if you did not buy the
weekend tickets.
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Our City
Council did what ?
Well it seems as there is a big cackle in and
around Columbia about the chicken debacle. The Columbia board of realtors
took a firm stand on the fact that this can negatively effect your homes value.
It is all about perception. Say you have your home up for sale. A
straight laced city slicker really likes your home and would like to place an
offer. The only big problem is next door. Your neighbors have of all
things, chickens. The case is built in the buyers head. He does not
want farm animals next door to him. Call them what you want, they are farm
animals. Sorry no offer !
John Clark got up
last night at the Council hearing and claimed that most subdivisions in Columbia
will be exempt from chickens because their neighborhood restrictions currently
prohibit them. What he did not consider is that most subdivision restrictions
prohibit "livestock," and the Council revised the definition of livestock to
exclude chickens. So if someone decides to build a chicken coop in his backyard
and the restrictions prohibit livestock without specifically mentioning
chickens, the homeowner can argue that chickens are no longer classified as
livestock. (I guess the Council considers them domesticated household pets?)
If you have a concern, you should contact your HOA and have then review your
neighborhood covenants. You and your neighbors can vote to make an upgrade
and avoid this issue in your subdivision.
If
you
are
so
inclined,
there
are
4
YouTube
video
clips
on
the
potential
problem
being
experienced
in
Miami,
Florida.
Enjoy!
#1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=badlt7ZkFqI
#2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzEV5gdNrlA&feature=related
#3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZFfXJB14Q0&feature=related
#4)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy53v9gfxpc&feature=related
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Don't Forget The New
Real Estate
Tax Credits
First: The $8,000 tax credit
for first-time home buyers.
Originally scheduled to expire on
November 30th, 2009, this valuable
tax credit of up to 10% of the
purchase price or up to $8,000 was
extended into 2010 (purchase
agreements must be signed by April
30, 2010, and closings must be final
by June 30, 2010).
Second: Now there is also a
tax credit of up to $6,500 (or up to
10% of the purchase price) for
qualified buyers of a second or
"replacement" home under the same
deadlines. To qualify, home
purchasers must have owned and
occupied a primary residence for
five consecutive years during the
last eight years.
If you are thinking of buying or
selling, you should investigate tax
credits with your tax person or
mortgage person. Free money is
good.
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Some home care tips, getting ready
for Spring
Tip #1: Clean and seal decks.
Winter can leave exterior surfaces
stained from fall leaves and dirty
from snowmelt runoff. Ideally, three
consecutive warm, sunny days will be
needed. On the first day, dry out
the deck. Apply deck cleaner and
scrub the deck on the second day,
and let it dry 24 hours. On the
third day, apply deck sealer. This
will keep your deck water-repellant,
damage-free and aesthetically
attractive for all the barbecues in
the months ahead.
Tip #2: Wash the exterior of
your house using ordinary garden
hose pressure and a mild detergent.
Pressure washers are not always the
best idea—they are powerful enough
to force water under the siding,
where it can encourage mildew and
rot. If power washing is truly in
order, hire a professional.
Tip #3: Have a certified chimney
sweep inspect and clean chimneys.
Taking care of this task in the
spring or summer—rather than in the
peak autumn season—allows plenty of
time for repairs before the next
heating season. It’s also easier to
schedule a sweep than during the
fall cleaning season, and sometimes,
rates can be lower as a result of
off-season discounts.
Tip #4: Caulk exterior joints
around all windows and doors.
Caulking keeps the house
weather-tight and will help reduce
high summer energy bills. It can
also help keep insects and vermin
out of the house.
Tip #5: Clean lint from the
entire clothes dryer vent system,
from the dryer to the exterior vent
cap. Because lint is incredibly
flammable, this common build up can
create a fire hazard. And if a gas
clothes dryer is not properly
vented, it can even force deadly
carbon monoxide back into the home.
Tip #6: Check the operation and
condition of attic fans and
roof-mounted turbine vents. Also
make sure that bathroom and kitchen
vent fans are working properly and
are not blocked or obstructed. This
can impede the intake of fresh air
and removal of stale air from the
home. These fans run on little
energy and can greatly reduce
cooling costs—not to mention
increasing comfort inside the home
during a hot and humid Hoosier
summer.
Tip #7: Change air conditioner
filters—especially if the home was
vented with outdoor air during the
spring. Consider using a pleated
media filter for better dust
trapping, or for additional savings,
a web element filter that can be
washed periodically instead of being
thrown out. Also, be sure to clear
overgrowth and weeds away from
outdoor air conditioning units—if
the necessary airflow is blocked,
the air conditioner will not be able
to operate properly and could even
suffer an expensive failure.
Tip #8: Clean any lingering fall
leaves from gutters. For clogged
downspouts, try using barbecue tongs
to reach in and remove leaves. This
is also a good opportunity to repair
loose gutter nails or other gutter
damage before the heavy spring and
summer rains.
Tip #9: The heat and humidity of
summer can cause wooden
windows and doors to swell and
stick. Before this becomes a
problem, remove the door or window,
and carefully remove any excess
material with a hand plane. For
sliding windows, the surrounding
trim is often the culprit. Usually,
it must be removed and reinstalled
to allow for greater movement. To
keep windows and doors from sticking
in the first place, make sure that
they are sealed with a good coat of
paint, including the tops and
bottoms. Be careful not to paint the
channels where windows need to
slide, though—instead, use a light
coat of linseed oil as a sealer.
Tip #10: To prepare for summer,
make sure attics are well insulated
and ventilated. Excess heat in the
upstairs area of a two-story home,
or the sensation of a ranch-style
home feeling "hot from above" could
indicate insufficient attic
insulation and poor ventilation. The
age of the home could be a
culprit—home inspectors frequently
cite poor attic insulation in houses
built prior to 1984. In the Midwest,
attics should have between 9 inches
to 12 inches of insulation.
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How to Buy Art Like a Pro
There's good news for those in the
market for artwork: 2010 looks to be
a great year for purchasing those
pieces you've been eying.
"There's a lot of great, affordable
artwork out there, even originals by
emerging artists," says Judith
Joseph, a Chicago-based art
consultant. "Some galleries have
been closing, but those that remain
open want to make sales and are
willing to work with clients as far
as pricing goes."
Thinking about purchasing artwork
for your home or office? Purchasing
art can be intimidating, whether
you're a novice just looking to fill
blank walls or an experienced
collector hoping to discover the
next great artist.
Here are some tips to help you get
started:
- Learn what you like. Visit
galleries and art shows to get a
feel for your tastes.
- Purchase art that you love, not
for future value. "You should buy
art that speaks to you, that kind of
expresses who you are and will
continue to be interesting over
time," Joseph says. "Don't think
about matching the couch so much."
- Research price. If you discover
an artist you like, find out what
his works have sold for previously
and whether they have gone up in
value.
- Try to meet the artist, if
possible. They often attend gallery
openings. The artist can give you a
unique perspective.
- If purchasing for an office,
remember that your walls are a
reflection of your business. Make
sure you create the correct
impression for your clients and
visitors. Stay conservative, and
consider using landscapes and
abstract artwork rather than
portraits.
- Hire an art consultant to
provide professional advice. Not
only will she offer advice on new
artists and pricing, but she can
often arrange private studio visits
and make introductions. Art
consultants are typically paid
through discounts offered by
galleries, so you can get
professional advice at little or no
cost.
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Interested
in Foreclosures?
Give me a call to review what is available.
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Are Black Walls the Next Hot Thing?
Black has always been the go-to color for little cocktail dresses and formal
attire. But is it now the hottest thing in wall color?
Some experts say for wall color, black may be . . . the new black.
"People have been increasingly drawn back into using rich, darker colors in
their homes," says Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, founder of ApartmentTherapy.com, a
home design blog. "What would have seemed too dark and somewhat old fashioned or
Victorian is now cool, edgy and-people have discovered-warm."
Gillingham-Ryan says that many people think black is too strong a color to use,
but that designers recognize that black is a classic, durable color that can be
very cozy. "It's just got a bad rap," he adds.
If you think you couldn't handle black walls, consider that Benjamin Moore
includes Black Satin as part of its "Colors for Your Home Collection,"
describing the color as "cultured, elegant and chic." Or that House Beautiful
magazine recently featured black rooms from the home of designer Windsor Smith.
Why the increased interest in black walls? "Black is a symbol of power," says
Hilary Sopata, a Park Ridge, Ill. designer. "There's an emotional connection to
the recession and the uncertainty of our world. Black is a very certain color,
and so we're drawn back to it."
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What is America's Safest City?
According to Forbes, Minneapolis is
American's safest city. The magazine
examined crime rates, workplace
fatalities, traffic-related deaths
and natural disaster risks to come
up with its list this year. Rounding
out the top three: Milwaukee, Wis.
and Portland, Ore.
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Business Park
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Ashland
Business Park
ASHLAND
INDUSTRIAL Ct, Ashland, MO
65010
SHOVEL READY SITES. ADJACENT TO THE
COLUMBIA REGIONAL AIRPORT.
10 MILES SOUTH OF
COLUMBIA
& 1-70. INSIDE THE NORTHERN CITY LIMITS OF
ASHLAND, MO. SITES AVERAGE APPROXIMATELY 2.6
ACRES. RE-PLATTING OF MULTIPLE SITES IS AN
OPTION. UTILITIES AT EACH SITE.
View Website
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Investor Rental Property
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Investor Rental-Properties
Package of four rental-properties on Dawn Drive
Two Duplex & two 4-plexe Properties
List price - $475,000
MLS #s
317595,596,597 & 598.
View Info
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