5 Ways to Increase the Property Value of Your Home - http://blog.rismedia.com/2016/5-ways-to-increase-the-property-value-of-your-home/

5 Ways to Increase the Property Value of Your Home - http://blog.rismedia.com/2016/5-ways-to-increase-the-property-value-of-your-home/: While you can’t control the housing market, you do have control over maximizing your property’s worth.

What You Should Know About Adding Solar Energy to Your Home

Great Article by Megan Wild as posted by Housecall

Posted on Mar 11 2016 - 12:27pm by Housecall 

By Megan Wild

Photo Credit

 Everyone is concerned with maximizing energy efficiency, both to save costs and to minimize environmental concerns. Adding solar energy to a home is a great way to do both.

Solar panels can cut down on the carbon dioxide a home uses by nearly 36,000 pounds annually. Since carbon dioxide emissions are the prime contributor to greenhouse gases and global warming, that’s a green benefit to be proud of. It makes installing solar panels the environmental equivalent of planting 88 trees.

You should do some pre-planning to make sure solar energy will fit into your current environment, needs and budget. Here are 10 questions to ask about making your home solar.

1. How much sun can your solar panels receive? Generally, solar energy panels need sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. This does not mean you need bright sunshine, however. It means sunlight should be able to hit your panels between these hours. Do trees block part of the available roof space? Do other buildings? If so, have a solar panel installer give you an estimate of whether your roof is a good candidate for solar power.

Solar panels receive sun not only from the sky, but also from isolation — the degree of solar radiation the ground receives during a given span of time. This varies according to region. A solar installer will be able to give you an estimate.

2. How much roof space is available for panels? If the roof already has roof vents or skylights, there may not be room for the number of panels needed to give you significant energy. In addition to figuring costs, an estimate can be helpful to determine if your roof is suitable for solar panel installation.

3. What types of shingles do you have? Solar panels are most commonly used on asphalt or composite shingles. If you have other types — wood, Spanish tile or metal — it is still possible to place solar panels on them, but it may be more expensive.

4. When will your roof need to be replaced? If you have 15 to 30 years left on your roof, all systems are go. Most solar panels last 20 to 30 years, with less than 0.05 percent depreciation of energy conversion each year. Most warranties last 10 to 15 years.

If your roof will need major work or replacement in 5 years, though, it makes no financial sense for you to be installing solar panels on top of it. It will be expensive to remove solar panels to work on the roof, and they could be damaged to boot. Wait until you have a new roof to put in solar.

5. How much energy do you need?  You need to have a good sense of how much energy you use in a year. Either add the kilowatts from the past year’s bills or keep tabs as you go forward. Don’t look selectively at certain months since energy needs change depending on the weather. You’ll need a year to have a good sense to how many kilowatts you need for your energy needs. Then, you can also calculate how much energy savings you can expect.

6. Will your energy needs change in the future? Remember to factor in changes in your life that could cause changes in energy consumption. Are you planning to have a child? That’s likely to result in more energy usage. Do you have two teenagers who will be leaving home in five years? That’s likely to lead to less.

Also, it’s important to consider how your home’s appliances and extras will age. Old appliances can use excessive amounts of energy that may negate your energy savings from solar panels. Energy inefficient doors can account for more than 20 percent of a home’s energy loss. Ultimately, if you want to add solar panels, you should consider your budget for future energy upgrades in your home.

7. Do you live in a house or condo unit? Do you rent or own? If you own a house, you are free to plan the addition of solar power. If you own a  condo unit, you’ll need to see whether the building allows solar panels. If you rent any size dwelling, solar panels are not in the cards. The owner could install them, but not a renter.

8. What are the permits required? Municipal and state permits vary tremendously by locality. Some require several feet of clearance around the panels. Some will let you build to the edge. It is imperative you know before you engage a contractor. Otherwise, you might be forced to tear down the panels and build again. Check that your electrical systems will be up to code once the installation is complete as well.

9. When can you begin to enjoy the benefits of solar power? Be sure to ask your installer and do research about when the benefits of having solar panels will flow through to your house and your bottom line. However, when factoring in the time it can take to gather the construction and any building permits required, the installation can take from several weeks to several months.

10. What is the total cost of installing solar panels? Luckily, the cost of installing solar panels dropped by roughly 60 percent between 2011 and 2014, according to Forbes. The cost on average is currently $17,000.

Remember that the cost of installing solar panels is offset by a number of tax breaks. Through 2016, there is a Federal Investment Tax Credit that can reduce the costs of installation by up to 30 percent. A number of states and localities also offer tax credits or offsets. It is worth doing research to make sure you obtain the maximum benefit from any tax credits.

Some localities and companies also offer rebates for installing solar panels. Again, be sure to ask about any benefits or rebates that are paired with the installation of solar panels.

Solar panels will not add to your property taxes. Additional taxes are levied by size — so a larger garage or another room may result in higher taxes. Solar panels do not add to the size of your home, so there are no property tax worries.

When crunching the numbers for the cost of solar panels, remember that solar panels will add to the resale value of any home — especially as green energy becomes more and more important.

Few household improvements do more to cut energy costs, make a house green and increase resale value than installing solar panels. With these questions asked and answered, you’ll be all set to embark on adding solar power to your home.

Megan Wild is a home improvement writer who specializes in renewable energy and the options for homeowners. Check out more of her tips on her blog, Your Wild Home.

Top six reasons why Florida is the best place to retire

Great article in the Miami Herald  about retiring to Florida. We knew this years ago and arrived in 1986.

Here are the top six reasons why Florida is the best place to retire, according to WalletHub.

Hole in one!

From Seminole Golf Course in Juno Beach (the state's top ranked links, according to GolfDigest) to Trump National Doral, Florida has the most golf courses per capita in the nation.

Company

Looking for new friends? You won't be lonely in the Sunshine State, which has the highest percentage of people aged 65 or over of any state.

Out on the town

It's not Broadway, but theatergoers in Florida have more and better options than ever before. The state has the sixth-most theaters per capita in the U.S.

Help at home

The cost of hiring a nurse and other in-home help can break the bank for many seniors. But Florida has the eighth-lowest cost of in-home services of any state.

Low taxes

Many retirees don't realize they may need to pay federal and state taxes on Social Security income and withdrawals from IRA and 401(k) funds. Florida's low taxes make it the 10th-best state for retirees come tax season, according to WalletHub.

A night at the museum

Miami's burgeoning cultural scene means locals don't have to travel to New York for their museum fix. From the Pérez Art Museum Miami to the under-construction Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science to HistoryMiami, South Florida museums are on the upswing. Nationwide, Florida has the 15th-most museums per capita.

So what are you waiting for? Florida is calling.

Copyright © 2016 Miami Herald, Nicholas Nehamas. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

How Long Should You Keep Closing Documents?

You've Lost another property... Who's to blame?

We have low inventory levels, low interest rates and lots of cash buyers. 

Result: Lots of competition for properties, multiple offers scenario's and disappointed and frustrated buyers some who can be disappointed more than once

So you must understand the contract and negotiation process upfront

Your expectations about the process should be realistic, based on fact and not some of the myths about negotiations.

Before your agents makes the first offer on your behalf, you(and they) need to know the following 

• Listing agents and sellers are not legally required to disclose that there are other offers
• Sellers are not obligated to negotiate with the first buyer who makes a bid
• Sellers don't have to accept full-price or cash offers
• Counteroffers can be made over the phone, but only written agreements are binding
• Sellers can legally tell a buyer what a competing bidder offered because neither they, nor their agent, owe a duty of confidentiality to the buyer
• Buyers should realize they don't have the right to change their mind once a seller accepts their offer in writing
• If buyers reject a seller's counteroffer, the counteroffer is no longer open for acceptance

Hopefully you are working with an Agent who establishes an open line of communication with the Listing Agent and helps you avoid these pitfalls!

• 
  

Source: Alliance Review (11/06/2015) Lorenz, Joe

Psst... Thinking of Selling Your Home? Easiest Upgrades to Increase Value

10 Easiest Home Upgrades to Increase House Value

 by David Glenn

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Whether planning to sell the house, have it rented out, or simply for personal satisfaction, a little renovation and upgrade is always necessary to help increase its market value. In order to boost a house’s value in the market, it is first important to learn what prospective buyers or tenants are searching for in a house. For most homeowners, the biggest concern is usually the budget required for upgrade, renovation and home maintenance. The great news is that there’s no need to spend thousands of dollars for home improvements. Just follow these 10 tips for the best home upgrades to add home value.

1. Knock down a wall and go for open concept. Not only will it create an illusion of a bigger space, but it is a home design trend that is very much in demand today. Just make sure to have the wall assessed for possible electrical wires housed behind it before hitting it with a sledge hammer.
2. Make the kitchen area workable. This means making the kitchen area a functional place where you can actually cook a decent meal. Update faucets, fix leaking pipes, buff the counters and repaint cupboards and cabinets. It is not necessary to replace everything with a new kitchen system. Simply repaint worn out furniture and replace outdated knobs with modern handles to make it look more expensive.
3. Brighten up the bath. Bathrooms are among the most important considerations for many tenants and prospective home buyers so it is pertinent to get this area of the house right. Buff up the tiles and replace the faucets, shower heads and toilet seats. There’s no need to replace all the tiles, just those that are cracked and chipped. The trick is to find the right cleaning agent that can help whiten the tiles to make it look good as new.
4. Add more storage. If there’s an extra wall or area of the house that does not seem to have any function, add in a laminate closet system or have a carpenter install small built-in cabinets, racks or pantries. Making every extra space of the house functional will help make it look more livable.
5. Turn that extra space into an extra room. A house with a lot of rooms will always look impressive when advertised in the market. If the house has a huge attic, a den, or extra space that can be turned into another room then by all means, fix it up to look like an additional room. Simply add in a built-in closet and a window and it should be good to accommodate.
6. Update the lighting system. Still using an old chandelier or unflattering fluorescent lamps? Hire an electrician to place some decorative lighting fixtures or dimmers that will give the house a more modern feel and mask any unflattering curves on the walls and ceilings.
7. Buff the floors. The moment a buyer or tenant steps inside the front door the first thing they will notice are the floors. Tiled or hardwood floors need to be buffed till it sparkles. Carpeted floors need a touch of professional carpet cleaning to make it look, smell and feel brand new. Hiring professional cleaners is a small investment compared to the big impact it will make.
8. Apply a fresh coat of paint on the walls or replace an uncharacteristic door with a rusticbarn door. Choose modern color palettes to give the house a fresh new look.
9. Add outdoor dining furniture in the front lawn or backyard. These areas can become extended living and dining areas.
10. Hire an electrical and plumbing service to look at the overall state of the house. It is much better to catch the problems early on than find out much later when the problem has already worsened such as replacing the entire plumbing system or rewiring the entire house.

Florida Golf Communities. Paradise Lost or Found? Part 2

Whether looking for a vacation home or a primary residence in Florida,choosing the right golf community and golf club is much like the game itself. Simple in the concept; complex in the execution.

So we have some idea of the Geographic and Demographics that work for us. Now what?Well the Type of Membership can be a huge influence. Another key factor is whether they are Mandatory or Optional.

Types:

Consists of Equity, Non Equity, Annual, Seasonal  and Summer. Knowing the difference can go a long way in helping you make a decision. 

Equity usually consists of a combination of a non refundable initiation fee, an equity    fee and annual dues.The equity is generally is refundable at 80% or 90% of the current amount being charged by the Club. When contemplating a membership purchase always ask how and how long it takes to sell the membership. Like any investment you should know your exit strategy as well. The good news is that typically you will receive the appreciation in the value of the membership when you sell. The bad news is you can be liable for any shortfall in costs and receive an assessment to cover the difference. If the club becomes insolvent you can lose your equity altogether.  

Non Equity requires a refundable initiation fee and annual dues. You have no additional financial exposure as costs are covered by the entity owning/operating the club. These memberships are usually found within Resort Communities offering on site lodging.  When you decide to sell  the membership you are put on the List subject to a certain number of new memberships selling and then an existing membership selling. I don't want to say it can take a long time to sell, but some clients have been advised to leave the membership in their will!
You will be subject to annual dues and outside play in the form of resort guests and corporate outings. Tee times January through March may be problematic as a result.

Annual is just that, with dues paid annually and may have a food and beverage minimum. Private club feel and amenities. Restricted outside play so tee times are not a problem.
Many new Country Club Developments offer annual memberships to outsiders until they sell enough homes and memberships within the development. Annual dues increase each year until the club reaches its private membership goal and makes the rate outrageous or eliminates annual memberships. Great way to start you Florida golfing evaluation.

Seasonal allows you to purchase and pay for only the time you are here. About as rare as an honest politician.It can be for a specific window such as January through March. Some clubs or memberships allow you to purchase a set number of rounds which have no specific begin and end date, except expiring at the end of the calendar year. Again most if not all of the rounds are played from January through March/April.

Summer memberships run May 1st through October 30 and are offered by many of the top private clubs. A very inexpensive way to sample the local courses prior to committing. Try to get information and and feedback from previous members regarding ease of making tee times and course availability as regular members may be given preference. Remember not all memberships are equal.  

And finally there are unrelated memberships with golf benefits. A good example is an annual membership at the Palm Beach Yacht Club which also has reciprocity with top local courses for cart fee's only, again May 1st through October 31st 

So once you have some idea of where in Florida you might want to be  and what type(s) of membership might work, it might be a good idea to know which Clubs/Communities offer which. For that we will see you on the flip side.

Until Then: Swing Hard in Case You Hit IT and Keep It in the Short Stuff!