Burnett Blog

What to do about all the snow and ice piling up on your roof.

It’s already mid-February, and we still have quite a bit of snow and ice on our roofs, and we all know, it’s been there AWHILE now. It seems to be growing larger and more menacing then the snow piles at the side of the road. How can we thaw the lock they have on our homes and take some action to eliminate or control any damage they might cause?

It seems like winter is going to continue to drag on, so I figured it was time to call Eric Hedberg, owner of Hedberg and Son Roofing. We all need some serious advice on this topic, and who better to call then a company who has been doing roofing in Des Moines for more than thirty years? We talked this morning and I picked his brain about the issues we are having here in Des Moines and what the best approaches are to fix them.

What is an ice dam? When it snows…and snows…then melts…then freezes (repeat about four hundred times) the ice that forms in each of these cycles grows bigger. It will clog and overflow the downspouts and gutters. We usually see the first signs of trouble in the form of ice sickles. Unfortunately, they don’t just hang down; they are also backing up onto the edges of the roof and sometimes under the shingles. When this ice mass melts the result can be condensation in the attic, water down the walls, puddles in the ceiling and then resulting in damage to drywall, fixtures and paint.

When installing roofs, Eric has been installing a three foot rubber Ice and Water Shield product on a roof edge that will help minimize water penetration from things like ice dams. If your considering a new roof in the future, make sure you discuss your options for ice and water shields.

Of course, the best way to stop ice dam damage is to stop them from forming. This requires clearing the snow and ice from the roof and gutters before it starts to pile up. Use a snow rake to gently scrape the snow and ice off the roof and away from the gutters.

I googled “snow rake” and found http://www.roofrake.com if you’re interested in purchasing one. Basically, it looks like a really big squeegee on a long handle and costs around forty bucks.

If you are ready to take action, Eric recommends gently scraping off the ice from the shingles (trying not to damage shingles) with a snow rake and clearing the gutters so ice melt can flow out. If you don’t like the idea of climbing a slippery ladder, I would hire a professional. Eric said this type of work has kept them busy this winter and a basic service will usually run from $150 to $250.

If you have a two story home and you are worried about ice dams, consider a more permanent fix by hiring a roofer to install ice cables to melt the ice and snow before it accumulates and causes problems. According to Eric the typical installation (he uses commercial grade materials) runs from $600 to $1,400.

Our conversation brought up a couple of other valuable tips to consider in a heavy snow year like this. First, your roof system needs to breath. Roof vents can get clogged with heavy or blowing snow and prevent proper attic ventilation which can lead to condensation and other issues like bigger ice dams. A visual inspection from the ground or attic should verify the vents are clear. Second, Eric suggested that homeowners start thinking about where all the snow is going to go when it starts to melt. If the downspouts and gutters are frozen solid will they channel water away from the foundation? See this previous piece on dry basements I did last spring.

In the name of disclosure; Hedberg and Sons have never done work for me, but they have done work for one of my agents that really liked the work they did. After speaking with Eric, I got the impression they are knowledgeable, good people. There are, of course, many roofers in the Des Moines area to choose from and we always recommend that one does their own due diligence before hiring any professional.

Hedberg and Son Roofing: Phone: 515.265.0616;
Website: www.hedbergandson.com

Article written by:
Douglas Burnett, Broker/Owner of Burnett Realty
Phone: 515.778.0377
Click here to email Doug.

If your home is like most, you probably have to step over a pile of coats and bags to get through the front door. It is a typical problem in a high-traffic-area.

But with a little organization, it’s possible to turn a problem area into a welcoming space. As an added bonus, you will greet your visitors with a great first impression.

With a little creative thinking you can transform this space with furniture and accessories that you already own. A chest of drawers can provide a landing place for your keys and daily mail. It could also hold all your seasonal items like hats, gloves and scarves. A sofa table with a lower shelf could hold baskets for shoes, dog accessories, school papers and your briefcase. If floor space is limited, mount white melamine cubicles on the wall and add a few hooks underneath.

Place a decorative bowl on top to catch the keys and the loose change. Add a wicker or leather tray to hold the mail and the daily paper. Accommodate Cell phones with a charging station. Add a tall, pretty lamp to cast a welcoming glow.

A foyer must accommodate all seasons. In cold weather keep only in-season coats and jackets in the closet or near the entryway door. If you have installed hooks designate one spot for each family member so that their items are all together. Position a plastic boot tray by the door to catch all the sand and snow that comes in with the shoes and boots.

In warm weather, position a hinged bench to hold sports equipment, beach towels and a place to sit and put on your running shoes. Pack a bag for the beach or park and leave it in the hall closet.

In wet weather, change a decorative doormat to a more rugged, durable style that can easily handle wet, messy boots. Use a large, decorative vase or vessel to place the umbrella.

Family pictures in colorful frames let your visitors see your beautiful family even if they only drop in for a minute. Look around your home and see what you can repurpose to get you organized and Welcome you home!

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This article written by Shelly Hansen
Interior Redesigner and Home Stager
www.DesMoinesStagingSolutions.com

How many times this winter have you heard someone say “I haven’t seen a winter like this since I was a kid” or listened to the meteorologists predict “record breaking snow, record breaking cold and record breaking snow cover”? It sounds like a broken record that needs to be thrown out!

The thought of trading the snow blower for the lawn mower has never sounded better. Everyone is ready for a change and ready for spring! Are you anxious to sit out on your patio, take a walk through your garden or relax under a tree and enjoy a sunny afternoon? Would you like a new patio, garden or water feature or maybe a new outdoor kitchen or fireplace? With spring just around the corner, it is a great time to start planning, designing, and scheduling to enhance your outdoor living space.

Here are a few winter garden tips for February:

• On one of those occasional nice days in winter, take a walk and see what’s happening in your garden.
• Check the base of woody plants for evidence of chewing. Rabbits especially love Burning Bush.
• Ice and snow can damage shrubs, trees and evergreens. This is a great time to see the structure of trees or shrubs and prune out crossing branches, suckers, and damaged limbs.
• Cut a branch from your forsythia, dogwood, or crabapple and place in a bucket of warm water, recut the stems to enhance water absorption. Than sit back and let nature take over. In a few days the branches should produce flowers.
• Subscribe to a new garden magazine, contact your local garden club for a list of upcoming programs and consult with your Landscape Architect to get on the schedule for a spring consultation.

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Content provided by James Noelck, Registered Landscape Architect,
Perennial Gardens by Linda Grieve
Click here to email James
www.perennialgardens.biz
515-964-7702

Be sure to stop by Perennial Gardens booth at the Des Moines Home and Garden Show February 11 – 14.

by Doug Burnett, Broker/Owner

I was at an industry awards function last Friday. The entertainment was a couple of guys doing the dueling pianos thing. They were really good and I shouldn’t be surprised that after hours of performing classic hits that one of the biggest responses from the audience was the “Free Credit Report.com” commercial jingle. Everyone knew the tune and the words; amazing! I am sure that jingle is responsible for driving millions of consumers to that site.

Only problem is it isn’t free. Anything that is offered on this site that is of value when it comes to getting a true snapshot of your credit profile will cost you. If you go to www.freecreditreport.com you will find this on the home page:

“IMPORTANT INFORMATION

When you order your free report here, you will begin your free trial membership in. If you don’t cancel your membership within the 14-day trial period**, you will be billed $14.95 for each month that you continue your membership.

ConsumerInfo.com, Inc. and Freecreditreport.com are not affiliated with the annual free credit report program. Under a new Federal law, you have the right to receive a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies. To request your free annual report under that law, you must go to www.annualcreditreport.com.”

Does this sound free to you? The second paragraph is basically telling you what you can get for FREE from a different website!!! I give them props for the disclosure. I wonder how many people ever actually read it? As I read through the site, I understood that the report will be from only one of the credit providers.

There are three major credit reporting firms. To get an accurate profile one should check all three (most major creditors do before making a credit decision). The law provides that each consumer is eligible to receive that information, once per year, at no cost and with no negative “dings” against their credit score.

Your best (the only one I am aware of) source to get the credit reports from all three agencies at no cost is at www.annualcreditreport.com. Before you go there, click on http://www.ftc.gov/freereports. It is easy to use and has great information about credit reporting, but caution; they have their own catchy tunes! Below, the Federal Trade Commission, developed their own jingle in response to the FreeCreditReport.com marketing blitz:

To find out how your credit rating may affect your next home purchase, please contact our qualified mortgage lenders at Central Iowa Lending, 334. 4980 or visit www.CentralIowaLending.com.

We are very proud to announce a new Realtor has joined our team of top quality agents. Pam Thompson has experience selling real estate and finds it to be her true passion. Welcome to the team, Pam! Pam can be reached at 515.334.4922.

We invite you to read Pam’s bio and learn more about her…

As a life long resident of Des Moines, it’s fun to work with all the communities that keep the “Greater Des Moines Area” a wonderful place to live, work, grow and enjoy. I’m a member of the National, State and Local Associations of Realtors, which enriches my career with ongoing education, information and a code of ethics that I live by. I am also a proud mother, daughter, sister, and aunt.

Prior to launching my real estate career in 2004, I wore all the hats for my advertising agency where I developed many good relationships and skills devoted to serving the needs of my clients, one at a time and I will carry that experience forever.

As a full time real estate professional (WHICH I LOVE) my focus is to coordinate a smooth and stress-free buying or selling experience in a manner that professionally represents the interest of my client above all else, ultimately connecting that client with solutions.

I am delighted to be a part of the Burnett Realty Team. Within 10 years of business, they’ve established an excellent reputation based on strong values, integrity, and most of all, a common mission to keep our customers for life.

If you…

•  are ready to purchase your first home and benefit from an $8,000 tax credit

•  think it is time to downsize

•  ready to increase your living space and benefit from the $6,500 tax credit

•  ready to make a change

•  looking for property in need of repair

•  looking for a solid investment

•  finally, know anyone who falls into these categories

CALL ME!

I have the passion for making client dreams come true!

Recently, REALTOR magazine published the article “2009 Cost vs. Value Report: Small Projects, Big Bang” , a great article about the recouped costs when remodeling your home. In conjunction with Remodeling Magazine, they produced a report on Cost vs.Value for Des Moines, Ia. Click here to see the numbers. If your budget doesn’t allow for major remodeling, consider these low cost remodeling projects that may increase the value of your home:

1. Tidy up kitchen cabinets.“Potential buyers do open kitchen cabinets and look inside,” says Morrissey. “Home owners can add rollout organizing trays so when buyers peek in, they feel like there’s lots of room for their stuff.”

2. Add or replace tile. “By retiling very inexpensively, you make a room look way cleaner that it was,” says Javier Zuluaga, owner of Home Repairs and Remodeling LLC in Tempe, Ariz. “Every city has stores that offer $1 to $2 tile, so home owners have to pay only for the low-cost tile and labor to replace a dated backsplash or add a new one. We also use inexpensive tile to upgrade bathrooms.”

3. Add a breakfast bar. When a wall separates a kitchen from a family room, suggest cutting out an opening to create a breakfast bar. “In one home, there was a cutout in the wall between the kitchen and living room,” explains Matthew Quinn, a sales associate at Quinn’s Realty & Estate Services in Falls Church, Va., who handles estate and real estate sales for family members whose loved ones have passed away. “We left the structure of the cutout, added an oversized granite breakfast bar, and put chairs in front of it. That cost about $600.”

4. Install granite tile instead of a slab. “Everybody is hot for granite kitchen countertops, but that can be a $5,000 upgrade,” says John Wilder, a general contractor and owner of Fence and Deck Doctor in New Castle, Ind. “Instead, home owners can put in 12-inch granite tiles for about $300 in materials and get very high impact for little money.”

5. Freshen up a bathroom without retiling. “With a dated bathroom, I recommend putting in a new medicine cabinet for $100 to $150, light fixtures for about $100, a faucet for $50 to $75, and a vanity for $200 to $300,” says Wilder. “And instead of replacing the tile, the existing grout can be lightly scraped and regrouted, which leaves a haze that can be buffed out and will make the tile look brand new. Also install glass shower doors. A French door adds a lot of panache and elegance for $250, and people will notice the door, not the tile. With all that, you’ve done a bathroom remodel for $1,000 to $2,000.”

6. Freshen up the basement. “If home owners have cement block or poured concrete walls in the basement, suggest they have a contractor fill in cracks with hydraulic cement and then paint with waterproofing paint,” recommends Wilder. “They can then add a top coat to add color. They can also paint the basement floor with a good floor paint, which spiffs it up. The basement may not be finished, but it’s no longer a damp dungeon.”

7. Add a room. Look for large spaces that can be enclosed to create a new bedroom for just the price of creating a wall. “One time, we closed off a half-wall to an office and added a door to the other side of the room, thus creating another bedroom,” says Quinn. “That $400 procedure, which took a contractor one day, netted about $40,000 in the sales price.” Zuluaga has also added bedrooms inexpensively. “In a two-bedroom house, there was an archway that led to a third room that was used as a den,” he explains. “It had a dry bar where there would have been a closet, so we took out the dry bar and created a closet so the owners had a third bedroom.”

8. Spruce up cabinet fronts. Suggest home owners update tired-looking kitchen cabinets. Reconditioning is the least expensive move for under $1,000. “If the wood is starting to look shabby from use or contaminants in the air, we take out the nicks and scratches, recondition it with oil, and put new hardware on,” explains Heidi Morrissey, vice president of marketing and sales at Kitchen Tune-Up in Aberdeen, S.D. For $1,500 to $4,000, owners can replace the cabinet doors and drawer fronts, and for $4,000 to $12,000, they can have all the cabinets refaced. “With refacing, owners can change the color of the cabinets by replacing the door and having a new skin put on the boxes,” says Morrissey. “If they have oak cabinets today, they can have cherry the next day.”

9. Replace light fixtures. “In a foyer and in bathrooms and kitchens,” says Wilder, “replacing overhead light fixtures provides a lot of pop for a little money.” If the kitchen has track lighting, Zuluaga suggests the home owner spend $450 to $600 to have an electrician replace it with recessed canned lights on a dimmer switch to add ambience. For about $700, Zuluaga also suggests installing pendant lights over a kitchen island or peninsula.

10. Tech-up the garage. “Sometimes we replace the garage door opener with a remote touchpad entry system,” says Zuluaga. “That costs about $425 and makes it look like a high-end system.”

Article written by: By G.M. Filisko

Copyright THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® | Headquarters: 430 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611 |
DC Office: 500 New Jersey Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001 | 1 800 874 6500

Studies indicate that buyers decide within 5 seconds of seeing a house if they like it or not. I believe that the emotional response when purchasing is instantaneous. Whether buyers like, dislike, or are indifferent about the property they are viewing, they have drawn a conclusion about the house from their immediate emotional reaction. This is exactly why home staging is becoming so popular.

The purpose of home staging in the selling process is to create an environment in the house that buyers will (literally) love. Using stylish furnishing and design principles, home staging sets the scene for what life will be like when THIS house is purchased while re-enforcing the emotional connection for buyers.

There are 5 general rules when preparing your house for sale.

1. Cleaning-When I say cleaning I don’t mean your ordinary, average weekly cleaning. I mean a deep cleaning of every surface. Light fixtures, ceiling fans, floor boards, blinds, curtains and carpet. Just to name a few.

2. De-Clutter-You are moving anyway, so pack up everything you are not using within the next 30 days. You should clean out at least 50% of the things in all your closets and keep the closet floors empty. Remove most of the knick-knacks and remove enough furniture that the traffic flow is unobstructed. And yes, remove the old, comfy recliner that Dad likes to sleep in! If you wouldn’t see it in a “model” home then it should go. Clean all the appliances inside and out. Remove all the magnets from the front and remove the cereal boxes from the top. Make sure all your counter-tops are cleared off and clutter free.

3. Depersonalizing-It is important for you to remove most of the family photographs and personal collections. Buyers need to envision themselves living in the space and will become distracted with the seller’s personal belongings rather than the house itself.

4. Decorating & Accessorizing-Sellers may feel like they can’t spend a lot of money on updating their house but there are a lot of improvements that they can make that don’t cost a lot of money and will bring them a much higher price. A fresh coat of paint goes a long way towards improvement. Simple things like updated window treatments, a new shower curtain, fresh towels and new bedding all pack a big punch for very little money. If you are struggling with what to buy, get inspired by looking through Home decorating magazines and do it yourself or hire a professional stager to do it for you.

5. Maintaining-As a seller, your home must be spotless as long as it is on the market. If you do all the hard work before you list your home, it will be much easier to keep in order. Also keep the yard groomed. Of course this time of year is much more difficult. You could paint the front door with a fresh coat of paint, add a new door knob and new outside lights. Put a couple of small evergreens in pots on the front step. This gives the buyer a great first impression when they drive up. Capture them in the first 5 seconds and you will have your property sold!

Without being staged, the average listing stays on the market 190 days. Staged properties sell in 38 days or less. So get ready, stage and sell!

Professional stagers can help you prepare your home for sale. We look at your home through buyers eyes. We tell you exactly what you need to hear to get your home ready. We give you the tools to do it yourself or we can use our experience and do it for you.

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This story was written by expert stager, Shelly Hansen of Des Moines Staging Solutions.

I received these photos in an email this morning and had to share them with you. The photos said they were from Quebec, Canada. I’ve heard lots of complaints about our awful weather and all this snow (and trust me, I’ve complained too), but then I saw these photos and thought at least it’s not THAT bad! Do you recall all those articles on MSN and Forbes that named Des Moines as a top place to live? This is STILL a great place to live! If your from Quebec and reading this blog, you may want to consider a lovely home in Des Moines, IA. Burnett Realty is here for all your real estate needs!

Copyright: some very cold people in Quebec

As the holidays approach and a new blanket of snow covers the ground, it is easy to daydream about warmer temperatures and spring flowers. Winter is sometimes the “forgotten landscape season” but if you take the time to look out your window, you will enjoy one of the most pristine landscapes of the year.

It is hard to choose plants in April and May that can be enjoyed in January and February; however, a garden or front foundation planting should be designed to show well in all seasons. You need to choose plants that not only look good it the spring and summer but also give your landscape a boost in the winter. Ornamental grasses and evergreens are the most noticeable. However, roses, hydrangeas, Russian sage, baptisia, coneflowers, rudbeckia, sedum and berginia stand up and put on a show in the snow. Even the trunk on the Royal Raindrop crabapple and Royal Frost birch stand bold and proud in the snow.  Don’t forget the hardscaping such as the boulder showing its head or the patterns on your paver patio or stone walk.

The next time you are out with the kids, walking the dog, or driving to your next appointment, take a little extra time to look at the landscape around you. If you like what you see or if you see room for improvement, make a note in your garden journal.  If you do not have a garden journal, this is the perfect gift for the gardener in you or someone special this holiday season.  A gift that keeps on giving — a tree, shrub or perennial gives back every season. In addition, a landscape consultation would be the perfect gift for one that does not know where to start.

Listed below are a few tips for your January landscape.

January

• Armchair gardeners unite! Whether you read, write, or dream by the fire, be sure to spend some time thinking about your garden.
• Keep a box or basket next to your armchair ready for the garden catalogs that will begin showing up and a pad of sticky notes to mark new things to try.
• Check the views from your windows. Do you need more screening, a larger patio, better edging, or more winter interest? Evaluate the “bones” of your garden.

“If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”
– Vincent Van Gogh

“I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God it would be in a garden at the cool of the day.”
– F. Frankfort Moore, A Garden of Peace

Content submitted by Perennial Gardens by Linda Grieve
James Noelck, Landscape Architect

www.perennialgardens.biz

The Des Moines real estate market continues to thrive regardless of what you may hear from the media on national real estate statistics. As you can tell by the previous two articles, Des Moines is a DIFFERENT and better city!! November 2009 was a great month, compared to November 2008, closed contracts nearly doubled! Nov 2008 recorded 481 closed contracts and Nov 2009 boast 822! Average days on market went from 89 to 79, which happens to be the lowest number of the year. Sellers are starting to get the message that condition and price are the key compenents to a quick sale. Buyers are aware that low interest rates, quality inventory and tax incentives can’t be ignored any longer, that now is the time for them to start looking. Burnett Realty Realtors are busier than ever helping make the American Dream possible. It’s time to call and make your dream a reality, call 515.334.4900 to be connected with a top quality Realtor.