Which Down Payment Strategy is Right For You

You’ve most likely heard the rule: Save for a 20-percent down payment before you buy a home. The logic behind saving 20 percent is solid, as it shows that you have the financial discipline and stability to save for a long-term goal. It also helps you get favorable rates from lenders.

But there can actually be financial benefits to putting down a small down payment—as low as three percent—rather than parting with so much cash up front, even if you have the money available.

THE DOWNSIDE

The downsides of a small down payment are pretty well known. You’ll have to pay Private Mortgage Insurance for years, and the lower your down payment, the more you’ll pay. You’ll also be offered a lesser loan amount than borrowers who have a 20-percent down payment, which will eliminate some homes from your search.

THE UPSIDE

The national average for home appreciation is about five percent. The appreciation is independent of your home payment, so whether you put down 20 percent or three percent, the increase in equity is the same. If you’re looking at your home as an investment, putting down a smaller amount can lead to a higher return on investment, while also leaving more of your savings free for home repairs, upgrades, or other investment opportunities.


THE HAPPY MEDIUM

Of course, your home payment options aren’t binary. Most borrowers can find some common ground between the security of a traditional 20 percent and an investment-focused, small down payment. Your trusted real estate professional can provide some answers as you explore your financing options.

Dealing with Hardwood Floors

As a Realtor, I see many different flooring options when viewing homes. Hardwood floors are highly desirable for most homeowners, but they come with their share of challenges when it comes to cleaning, maintenance, and repairs. After a few months or years of heavy use from kids playing with toys and chairs being shuffled around, it may be time for some DIY fixes.

Hiding scratches: If you’ve got a good eye for matching colors, you can actually use crayons or markers or purchase wax sticks from the hardware store to fill-in scratches. Try to match the stain color on your floors, but don’t worry if it’s a little off. If the color is close, once the scratch is filled, it’ll look like a variation in the wood grain.

Polishing floors: You can make a polish solution for your floors from household ingredients. Mix olive oil and vinegar in equal parts, pour it directly into scratches, and then wipe it off after 24 hours. It may take several applications, but this homemade polish will fill and cover most scratches.

Clever decor: It’s not a long-term solution, but sometimes the most painless way to fix scratches in your floors is to cover them with a rug or furniture arrangement.

Spot sanding: For deeper scratches, you’ll need to spot sand with fine steel wool or sandpaper, use wood filler, and stain and seal the repaired area.

Tips for Viewing Homes Online.

It is a well-known fact in the real estate world now that most buyers search homes online before they engage an agent. Long gone are the days when buyers would contact an agent, identify with the agent what they wanted and then the agent would set up the showings based on what was available in a listing book.

Now it’s easy to spend hours looking at home after home with beautiful photos of gorgeous kitchens, well-manicured lawns, modern kitchens, and giant bedrooms. Although this is a great place to begin, it’s important to keep in mind that all may not be as it seems.

Here are some tips to avoid getting duped by listings online.

• Caveat Emptor! You’ve heard it said, “If the price seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.” This certainly applies to online home shopping. More than once I’ve had buyers ask me about a property they have seen on Zillow or another home search website. They’ve noticed it because it seems like a great buy. Sadly, after researching the property I have to tell them that the home is not for sale and some scam artist that doesn’t own the property has posted the home online. 
• Photos can be and usually are deceiving. Real estate photographers are very good at highlighting the best features of the home and often use wide angle lenses to make spaces appear larger than they really are. But, be aware that there may be less photo-worthy features they aren’t displaying. Don’t forget to look at the property features listed below to gather a better idea of what the home has to offer. Even if the photographer is not intending to deceive, it is amazing how different a room can look compared to the picture. 
• Ensure you are looking at current listings. Nothing is worse than falling in love with the perfect home, only to check out the listing date to find it was posted two years ago. Make sure you use websites that are pulling information daily from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and have your real estate agent verify it is available. An alternative is to ask your agent to set up a specialized query of the MLS for you, This way you will only be looking at homes that are available.
• Use your real estate agent as a resource. If you find a seemingly great listing online, always run it by your agent to confirm you aren’t missing something important. They can also provide neighborhood details, price comparisons for similar properties just sold in the area, additional listings that match your criteria, and more. Once you a find a home you’re ready to view, make sure you bring them with you to answer questions and be an extra set of eyes.

Reduce Stress with These Home Organizing Tips

Between work, family, school, etc., you may be feeling stressed so reading an article on organizing your home may feel like adding additional burdens to your already busy life. Bear with me and I'll explain. Though it sounds counter-intuitive, studies show that decluttering your home can help eliminate stress, distractions, and chaos while making you more productive, successful, and happier.

Who doesn't want to be more successful and happier? It's worth a try, right? Following are some organizing tips to get you started:

• Making your bed every morning is motivating. According to a survey at Hunch.com, 71 percent of bed makers say they are happy, while 62 percent of non-bed makers consider themselves unhappy. Make your bed as soon as you get up.
• Wipe down your bathroom as you go – towel off the shower or squeegee glass walls; wipe off counters and put toiletries away.
• Keep kitchen counters clutter-free and clean so they’re ready to go for the next meal prep or use.
• Never let dishes sit overnight. Put them in the dishwasher, or if you hand wash, take the ten minutes to wash and dry after each meal.
• At the end of each day, pick up the main living spaces of your home – put away toys, clutter, etc.
• Organize items for the morning – school backpacks, pack lunches, coats, briefcase, etc.
• Spend five minutes each morning or evening walking your yard – if you stay on top of weeds, toys, dog poop, etc. you’ll thank yourself on weekends.
• Donate, garage sale, purge. If you haven’t used something in the last year, someone else can.
• Don’t let your mail hit a flat surface. Stand by your recycle bin to open your mail and discard anything you don’t need.
• Scan the paperwork you need and digitally file bills, paperwork, etc. Scanners with wifi capability can even sit next to your recycle bin!

If all else fails, hire a professional organizer to help you get started. In one instance, a group of co-workers chipped in to help their cubicle mate get organized!

Landscaping for Privacy

Most of us are spending more time outdoors now that Spring (Summer?) is here. In addition to hiking, ball games, and picnics, many people enjoy the great outdoors with backyard barbeques. Spend time in your own yard is one of the best parts of homeownership. However, you might find yourself wondering if you need a little privacy from neighbors and passing cars. Fencing is one option, but some types of fences can be difficult to maintain, or they might be very expensive to construct. An alternative might be shrubs or trees to protect your privacy.

When thinking about using a living privacy screen, you need to figure out the reason for shielding your view. It could be a neighbor with a messy yard or you might want a secluded spot for your hot tub. Once you determine your reason for privacy then you can make an educated choice when buying your plants. For example, a privet shrub will grow densely and form a boundary that’s formal in appearance. If you decide to go with evergreens, they can reach higher in height than a legal fence. If you have a space issue, shrubs which are smaller and trees which you prune to the desired heights are also an option.

A mixture of shrubs, trees, and plants will give you the most attractive living fence. You can, in addition, put up a trellis or latticework for plants that will grow up and cover it. This is an excellent choice for an open porch or a garden area with benches.

Another thing to consider when selecting your choices is what kind of maintenance you’re willing to perform. Some evergreens and hedges need to be shaped and pruned often. Other shrubs and perennial plants won’t need as much work to keep them looking nice. Consider what you’re willing to care for in trimming and pruning before you plant your living fence.

Denver is rated 5b to 6a by the USDA Hardiness Zone and has alkaline soil in some parts. Both of these facts need to be considered before planting anything in your yard. Just because a plant says on its label then that it will grow in Zone 5 doesn’t mean that it will if planted in alkaline soil. So, when checking out plants, shrubs, and trees online or at a gardening center, you need to read the label for pH levels as well.

Below are some plants, shrubs, and trees which will grow in Denver in Zone 5b to 6a and alkaline soil:

Alleghany viburnum

Alleghany viburnum: This shrub, with its large leathery leaves, will grow 8-10 feet tall and wide. The leaves stay on throughout the winter until new growth pushes through in the spring. The dense shrub will shield unwanted views nicely. It is versatile, as it grows in sun to part shade.

Apache Plume

Apache Plume: This shrub grows to 4-6 feet tall and wide, is xeric, and requires very little care once it likes where it’s planted. The plumes have a purple tint for added color. It mixes well with other shrubs, trees, and plants and grows in sun to part shade.

Fernbush

Fernbush: This shrub will grow 3-5 feet tall and wide and has aromatic leaves. It’s xeric, and bees love it. The shrub will grow in part shade or sun, and in sand or clay.

Pampas Grass

Hardy Pampa Grass: This ornamental grass will grow 8-10 feet high and 4-6 feet wide. It likes sun, is drought tolerant, fast growing, easy to care for, and deer resistant. It will attract butterflies and birds.

Cotoneaster

Hedge Cotoneaster: This shrub is also known as the Peking Cotoneaster and grows 6-8 feet tall and 5-8 feet wide. The foliage is dark green with small pink spring flowers, followed by black fruit. It makes a high screen and will grow in alkaline soil, partial sun, and full sun.

Skyrocket ® Oak

Skyrocket® Oak: This oak grows in a uniformly narrow shape with a height of 40-45 feet and width of 12-15 feet. It grows in alkaline soil. Use this oak as a windbreak, or a natural fence when planted close together.

These are just a few of the many selections that there are to grow a privacy screen. With all the plants, trees and shrubs available; you are sure to find the perfect one for you.

21st Century Grocery Shopping

I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again. I love technology especially technology that saves me time. Recently King Sooper has been pushing their grocery shopping service called “Clicklist” so I decided to give it a try one day when I had a full day.

The process is fairly simple, you set up the application on your phone with your loyalty card and payment information. Next you select your items to purchase and select a pick-up time. When your pick-up time arrives you go to the Clicklist parking area and dial the number displayed in your parking space. When the attendant answers they will ask your name and the number of your parking spot. Within a few minutes, they are bringing the groceries out to your car. Since I consider grocery shopping a necessary evil, I loved the process!

It went so well, I wondered if  Walmarts service worked the same. I was also curious how the prices would compare as I have often shopped at Walmart for groceries in the belief that the prices are lower than traditional grocery stores.  I installed the Walmart Grocery app. Next, I selected the same items on both the King Sooper and Walmart apps. To my surprise the prices on food items between King Sooper and Walmart were pretty much the same.

If you are considering using one of these services, I've provided you a comparison of the two services and their phone app to help in your decision process:

• Searches-Shop by favorites, department, word search or scan. Both King Sooper and Walmart allow all of these ways to shop in their app. With the Walmart app you will need to mark your favorites the first time by clicking on a heart. King Sooper uses purchases through your loyalty card to determine your favorites.
•  UPC Scans- You can scan the UPC code on the product through the app to find the item in both King Soopers and Walmart apps. This is helpful if you are having trouble finding the item through a word search.
•  Store Preference- You can set your preferred store location in both apps.
• List or Cart- The King Sooper app allows you to add items to a list or a cart. The list of items is organized by the aisle location. This is helpful if you intend to physically go to the store instead of ordering through their app. Walmart only has a cart option.
• Pick up Times- Reserving a pick-up time is required in both applications. King Sooper requires a 4-hour advance notice to pick up. Walmart ran out of same day pick up times when I tested the service so orders would have to be picked up the next day. However, Walmart also has a delivery service in addition to their pick up that might work instead. I didn’t test the delivery services. 
• Fee- King Sooper charges a fee of $4.95 per pick up. The first three times you use the app for pick up are free. Currently, Walmart doesn’t charge a fee. Walmart does have a $30 minimum purchase requirement which I haven’t seen in the King Sooper app. 
• Coupons- King Sooper has digital coupons built into their app as well as the weekly ads. This will only work for King Sooper coupons, not coupons from the newspaper. Walmart doesn’t appear to have the ability to use coupons, nor does it show weekly ads. 
• Price- The current price of each item is shown in both applications. King Sooper’s app contains a disclaimer that the price could change prior to pick up. Both apps also keep a running total so you know exactly how much you are spending. I really like this feature as I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into a store planning to spend $100 and walked out with $200 of groceries. With the app, I have a very good idea of what I’m spending. It’s also more difficult to impulse buy with this services. 
• Substitutions- The King Sooper app allows you to indicate if you will allow them to substitute a similar item if they don’t have your selection. One time I order zucchini squash and they substituted with organic zucchinis as they were out of regular zucchinis. This feature is not in the Walmart app. 
• Special Instructions- King Sooper’s app has a place to indicate special instructions. I haven’t used it, but I assume you could indicate preferences like wanting a cantaloupe that is still green. Walmart doesn’t have this feature.
• Gas Points- Your gas points for your purchases are tracked in the King Sooper app. As Walmart doesn’t award gas points, this feature is not in their app. 
• Pictures- Both apps show a picture of the item which helps to ensure you are buying the right item. 
• Quantities- Both apps allow you to indicate the number of the product you want. The first time I used the King Sooper app, I wasn’t paying attention so I ordered one zucchini when I would have picked up four if I was physically shopping. 
• Deli- Limited deli items are available through King Soopers app. For example, I can purchase mesquite turkey slices but the honey turkey slices are only available in the store. Walmart did not have any deli items available. 

The bottom line is I will use the service again. Some may feel the fee for the service isn’t justified but if I can save a couple hours of time and energy, I think it’s well worth the fee. If you check it out, I’d love to hear about your experience.

Your Colorado Yard Checklist

Colorado is looking so beautiful right now with the multitude of flowering plants, deep green lawns, and budding trees. It makes you want to be outside all the time even for someone like me with pollen allergies. With high temps in March, a dry streak and then snow, the weather can be confusing to the plants, however. Some are starting to bloom and will be in danger if we have a freeze or heavy wet snow.

If you are looking to keep your yard in good shape then you might want to check out the website, Plant Something Colorado. They have some recommendations for Colorado safe plants. They also have a helpful month by month guide on keeping your yard and garden groomed and healthy.

Here are some ideas to get you jumpstarted:

• If the weather is warm and dry, water shrubs and trees.
• Should the forecast include freezing temperatures, protect plants with fabric, burlap, laundry baskets, boxes – just don’t let anything touch the new leaves or the cold transmits the cold directly into the plant. 
• Plant Something Colorado recommends fertilizing trees, shrubs, and flower beds while dormant.
• Clean out beds, pull up old mulch.
• Trim ornamental grasses and perennials once new growth is showing.
• Core-aerate your lawn now, and if needed, fertilize with a nitrogen mixture, while the weather is cool. Control weeds now, too – Horticultural vinegar (ask at your local garden center) is good for spot treating.
• As soon as your lawn is 3.5”, begin mowing – try not to remove more than 1/3 of the blade (2.5” – 3” height) to keep your lawn healthy. It will usually grow at a faster rate in April and May. It’s a good time to overseed areas or bare spots that need it while the temperatures are still cool.
• If you’re a pet owner, check fences for areas that need repair to keep your yard dog-friendly and safe.
• Colorado’s one of the few places where lawns can suffer from snow mold if there are long periods of snow cover, and then damaged by clover mites. Inspect your lawn for both.
• Test your sprinkler system, timer, etc. Sharpen lawn mower blades and tune up your garden tools; your maintenance now will go a long way for the summer months.
• For those of you with a balcony v.s. a yard, you’ll want to remove old soil from your garden pots, mix in fertilizer and seed any herbs or vegetables you’re growing in pots.