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August 26, 2010 at 07:00 PM · Posted under Pat Tasker
For the last 65 years, people in the greater Milwaukee area have been attending the Parade of Homes. Whether looking for new construction ideas, the latest trends in home decorating and building technology, or just to dream, the MBA Parade of Homes pleases all who attend. The parade runs from August 21 through September 12th.
The Parade of Homes this year will be spread out across the entire metro area with 22 homes in 3 different subdivisions. Subdivisions reach as far south as Oak Creek, as far north as Richfield, and west to Pewaukee. There is something for everyone when it comes to pricing or size of the models.
The Richfield’s Reflections Village proves to be of real interest if you are looking for something different. Fashioned after a walkable community with a town square, this subdivision is a 20 minute commute to downtown Milwaukee.
Pewaukee’s Broken Hill is a great development just minutes from shopping conveniences. Rolling hills and great vistas, my favorite here is the gorgeous clubhouse and an in-ground pool. Quite a nice convenience for the young family or sun seekers!
The Bluffs of Oak Creek is almost ON Lake Michigan. Large lots surrounded by nature conservancy and extensive building restrictions make this a good choice! The southern Milwaukee county location is perfect for the traveler, being close to Mitchell Field Airport, or for those commuters to northern Illinois jobs.
Whether you visit one or all three subdivisions, you will be in for a treat this year at the annual MBA Parade of Homes. If you aren’t quite ready for new construction, an existing home is a good step to building equity and later moving up. I can help you with either choice, just give me a call!
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Pat Tasker
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August 19, 2010 at 07:57 PM · Posted under Pat Tasker
In the weeks of high temps and sweltering humidity, everyone is looking for ways to keep the house cool, and electric bills low. If you have ceiling fans, now is the time to use them! But did you know there was a right and wrong way when it comes to ceiling fans?
Ceiling fans can be used without air condition to cause a breeze and provide some relief from the heat. In combination with air conditioning, they can improve the efficiency of the cooling system, especially in newer homes with soaring ceilings (if you have the settings set correctly for the season). You might not know about this switch and have it set upside down right now!
According to Garbe Industries Website, “Ceiling fans help cool you in the summer with a gentle downdraft creating a wind-chill effect. A temperature of 78° to 80° would feel like 72°, which allows you to set your thermostat higher. In the winter ceiling fans push heated air from the ceiling towards the floor, while providing a more even heat, even with your thermostat set lower. (Energy savings of up to 40% in summer cooling; up to 10% in winter heating; depending on climate) ”
The owners manual will say if your fan has a switch to reverse the direction of the fan. The switch is above the center section (where the blades attach) facing the ceiling, unseen if standing below) If it does, this is the trick to efficiency. According to Mr. Fix-It, Tom Feiza “To adjust air flow for summer cooling, start by fully opening all second floor dampers. Next, partially close dampers to first floor rooms that are getting lots of cold air. You will find that closing the damper to 50% or turning the shaft to 45 degrees will only partially slow the air flow. Often, even if you fully close the damper, there will still be air flow because the dampers fit very loosely in the ducts.
Closing first floor dampers will direct air to the second floor. Mark your damper settings for summer and winter once you have found the correct balance.” Ceiling fans set properly can assist by pushing the cold air DOWN to the first floor.
Most home owners don’t even know there is a switch on their ceiling fan. Check your manual and you may be able to improve the efficiency of the heating and cooling of your home just by having that switch set properly for the season.
This is just one tip on saving money. If you are looking to buy or sell a home, whether your first or a second home in the city or suburbs of greater Milwaukee, call me! I can provide many tips on saving money during the home buying or selling process.
Posted by: Pat Tasker
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August 16, 2010 at 07:00 PM · Posted under Pat Tasker
Are you having trouble making ends meet, and your mortgage is falling behind? Help is coming to town.
Thursday August 19th from 1-7:30pm at the Frontier Airline Center (formerly Midwest Airline Center) 400 W Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee 53203 parking available at 630 N 5th St - $6
BE PREPARED to make the most of this appointment! Here is a list of documents you should bring along to the workshop.
CHECKLIST
- Monthly mortgage statement
- Information about other mortgages on your home, if applicable
- Two most recent pay stubs, documentation of income you receive from other sources or most recent quarterly profit and loss statement if self-employed
- Two most recent bank statements
- Account balances and monthly payments for credit cards and other debts
- Estimates of other monthly expenditures (such as utilities, insurance and medical bills)
BEWARE, there are scams out there taking advantage of homeowners who are underwater with their mortgages. This workshop on Thursday is sponsored by the government and will have answers for you. When a homeowner is experiencing financial difficulties, including mortgage payments, there are several options available as relief. If you live in the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, call me to discuss those options. If I don’t know the answer, I can help you find a trustworthy source of help!
Posted by: Pat Tasker
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August 13, 2010 at 05:48 AM · Posted under Pat Tasker
It’s expected to be the hottest day of the year, and you have a request for a showing. Here are some tips and tricks to make it a success.
AIR CONDITIONING: If you’ve got it have it on!! It’s not the time to be frugal. If it isn’t on, or set too high, buyers wonder if it works at all or needs service. They will rush through your home and run back to the air conditioned car.
REFRESHMENTS: Refreshments? I should be serving refreshments? You’ve heard of baking cookies, well the hottest day of the year is not the day to turn on the oven. Let’s try something cool and refreshing. I can clearly remember a showing, many years ago. While I don’t remember the buyers or the exact house, there are 2 things I clearly remember- it was sweltering hot, and the refreshments! The seller had a tray on the kitchen counter filled with ice, bottled water and cans of soda. There was a note from the seller to enjoy a cold beverage and stay as long as we wanted to cool off. That was a smart move. If she had left a note that there were refreshments in the fridge, we’d feel awkward helping ourselves. But with the tray on the counter it was welcoming, and it worked! We needed the cooling off, and stayed longer in that home, than any other that day.
CEILING FANS: If you have them, use them. Don’t have them on high, sometimes that gives the appearance you are fighting a losing battle, or the noise is a negative distraction. Medium or low speed, gets the air circulating and creates a slight cooling breeze.
HUMIDITY: Don’t use the showers within a few hours of the showing. You don’t want any extra humidity or stickiness in the house. Cool and refreshing is what you are going for here.
COOKING: Like I said before, baking cookies is not in order today. Don’t add any extra heat (or smells) by baking or boiling before the showing.
BEDDING: Be sure at this time of year to change the bedding even more than normal. Sweat seems to cling to sheets and pillows and the college dorm dinge is not appealing on showings. Fresh and clean is what you want in bedrooms and baths.
POOLS: If you have one, show it off. That means the cover is off, the water is crystal clear and inviting anyone to dive in! 
The lawn furniture is also uncovered and set up in conversation areas, some pretty beach towels out. Even the table is set with some summer table ware like a colorful pitcher and glasses or those cute place settings you can get at Kohls (on sale) this time of year. Another memory I have is a buyer who requested to see a home, and the house across the street was also for sale and it perfectly matched their wish list. The only negative in their book was the in ground pool, which they said they’d never want. Since we were right across the street, and the house matched, I made them look at it. Guess what? They fell in love with it and really enjoyed that pool. What had happened there? Mr buyer worked in a very hot job, and he came to find the pool a great way to cool off and relax after a long day at work.
LAWNS: this is important no matter how high the temps are. A manicured lawn, watered, edged is so appealing. Try to cut the lawn the day before the showing. Hose off the drive, or use the blower. Super neat and trim is enviable and buyers love it. If you have pets, be sure the lawn “free of deposits” and is safe to walk on!
Again, you are trying to get the buyer to imagine living there. You want them to stay as long as possible in your home, placing furniture, cooking in that remodeled kitchen, entertaining friends. Keeping them in the house longer is a good sign, and you can do that by having the house so appealing, cool and providing refreshments.
If you are considering selling your home in the city or suburbs of greater Milwaukee, this is just the tip of the ice berg of advice I can give you. Whether its staging, pricing, negotiating or strategies, call me to help you put up a SOLD sign!
Posted by: Pat Tasker
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August 06, 2010 at 03:14 PM · Posted under Colleen Kuchta
As I write this today, I am still spinning form the news that my Buyer’s loan is still not clear to close. Please note, the original closing date was this past Wednesday. My Buyers were promised by their lender that the appraisal was good and everything was in order in early July. Then, they received a call around July 20th, the appraisal was rejected by the underwriter. Not to worry they were told, we still have plenty of time before August 4th rolls around. Well, time continued to slip away, and a different investor was pursued by their mortgage broker. This company promised to have things in order with a clear to close by the 4th. This would push our closing out a few days to the 9th, but not beyond. Which brings us to the call I just made to the lender. No closing on the 9th. No closing on the horizon at this point. Not only are my buyers left in a whirlwind of emotions, but the 4 other families that are somehow related to this transaction are left spinning as well.
What is the point of this story? Well, it’s simple: when choosing a lender use care and ask questions. Ask your Realtor, friends & family if they have heard of this company. Check the BBB for complaints. Just because a company has been is business for a long time, doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling. Ask them for references - recent closings - find out from those customers how things went. And finally, ALWAYS get a 2nd opinion! Buying a home is often the largest investment of our lives, it doesn’t hurt to have a back-up plan. There are hundreds of lenders out there, don’t leave things to chance.
As full-time Realtors, we have a team of reliable lenders available.
Contact us today, and take advantage of today’s amazingly low rates. You could be in your new home, or refinance your existing home, before you know it! Check out our website, then give us a call!
Posted by: 
Colleen Kuchta
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