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REALTOR TIPS
ALL REALTOR TIPS
Wall Leaning? Wall Anchor the Answer?
Wall Leaning? Wall Anchor the Answer?
Is your basement wall bowing over 2 inches? Wall anchors may be the answer. Wall anchors are simple in design with just 3 main parts - 2 steel plates connected by one metal shaft. One plate is buried in the yard and the other plate sits against the bowing wall. The metal shaft connects the two plates and the shaft is tightened to apply force to the wall. The installer knows the proper torque to apply to the shaft to hold the wall in tension against movement. The outside plate is generally about 10 feet out in the yard. The plates (anchors) are placed about 5 feet apart. If you have a wall that is 24 feet long you’ll need 4 anchors. They cost about 1000.00 each. They are not designed specifically to straighten a wall, although they may help, but more to stabilize the wall to keep it from moving further. So, if you’ve made an offer on your dream home only to find a leaning wall during your inspection, don’t lose hope. Wall anchors may be just the ticket to repair. I see wall anchor systems in the Dayton, Ohio area from time to time when showing homes and know that they can work when installed as designed. If you have further questions about structural options please reach out - I have a variety of resources to pull from.
MOREAug 2024 Dayton OH Housing Stats
Aug 2024 Dayton OH Housing Stats
There never is a shortage of national or state statistics on how the housing market is doing. But those broad stats can be misleading for specific cities and regions. If you live in the Dayton OH area you are probably most concerned with the Dayton, Ohio numbers. Let’s take a look at how Dayton compared to a year ago as the benchmark. Aug 23 to Aug 24 total home sales remained about the same posting just -1.05% lower this year. Part of the reason for that lower number was related to the fact that total new listings were down nearly -8% from this time last year. Many sellers fear not being able to find a replacement home and this is a big factor in the posting of this lower number. This decline in new listings (low supply) and sales has pushed our average sale price up 9.68% over Aug of 23! Year to date sales are very positive with sales up an incredible 10.25% and average sale price up 9.68%. 2024 is shaping up to be a great year and is expected to finish strong as interest rates slide a bit. I’m always available to discuss in more detail and even break these stats down to a neighborhood level for you.
MORELow Voltage Wiring
Low Voltage Wiring
During your buyer’s home inspection you find out the home is wired with low voltage switches that look like this. A push button style. Maybe instead of 4 buttons there are 6 or 8 or even more on one cover plate. It’s called low voltage WIRING not to be confused with modern day low voltage LIGHTING. Light switches like these are most often seen in mid century homes and were considered state of art in the 1950s and 60s. It was typically a 24 volt system that used small gauge wire run from the switch to a relay box usually found in the attic. That activated a relay that would then direct a full 120 volts to the fixture. It was considered to be the safest way to wire at the time, especially around kitchens and bathrooms. The system also made it easy to control multiple zones from a single area. For instance, it could be set up to turn on multiple lights throughout the house or exterior, say, from the owner’s suite. A pretty cool system for the era. However, it wasn’t long before the ground fault interrupt (GFCI) gained popularity which helped lead to the demise of low voltage wiring. By the 1970’s you didn’t see many new installs. I still run into them today when showing homes around Dayton, Ohio, especially in Oakwood and older neighborhoods. Parts are still made today so if you have this system and like it you can continue to maintain it. More often than not, once it starts having problems homeowners have them pulled out and replaced with modern wiring.
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REAL ESTATE DOCUMENTS AND CONTRACTS
Real Estate Title Insurance
Real Estate Title Insurance
Title insurance provides protection from defects in a real estate title. So, you are getting ready to close on a home and the title search you paid good money for shows the title is clean with no issues. Your lender is requiring that you also ( as part of your closing costs) pay for title insurance to cover them. Why? The title is clean? Is this just a money grab for the lender and title co? Title searches are not infallible and the lender knows it and won’t take the chance of not being covered. Even the best, most comprehensive title search in the world can’t uncover certain issues that can cause problems later. Suppose someone forged a document or deed on a prior sale. That could never be detected by a title search but if a lawsuit is filed because of it, you are left to cover the cost of defending your interest in the real estate on your own dime. You’ll have no luck recovering from the title company in this instance. Fraud, clerical errors, boundary disputes, undisclosed heirs and a number of other issues is where the right kind of title insurance can kick in to protect your interest. Title insurance that covers the lender is aptly named Lender’s Title Insurance. This does not cover the buyer. There is Owner’s Title Insurance for that. It’s an extra charge but at a reduced rate if you are already buying Lender’s Title Insurance. Title companies here in the Dayton, Ohio area will allow you to consider Owner’s Title up to 30 days after closing at the reduced rate. After that, a new title search will have to be done as well. The cost of this insurance is state mandated so the price is the same everywhere. The fee varies depending on the price of the home and loan amount, there are multiple online calculators to plug and chug if you want to know the cost. Feel free to reach out with any and all real estate related questions that come to mind!
MOREHome Seller Closing Costs
Home Seller Closing Costs
As a home seller you want to know the total closing costs to sell your home, not just the commission. There are multiple players in a home sale and they each get paid for their service. Your agent can prepare a net sheet for you ahead of time based upon a suspected sale price. Costs and customs vary from area to area but here in Dayton Ohio it will look something like this:Marketing fee 6% of sale price – 3% to listing side and 3% to buyer side.Deed – 175.00, to the title co. to create a new deed.Conveyance fee – seller to pay X dollars per 1000.00 of sale price. We average 3.00 per 1000.00Disbursement fee – 175.00 to the title co.Owner’s Title insurance – Amount depends upon what was or was not agreed to in the contractHome Warranty – If agreed to in the contract seller may owe 500.00 -750.00 for a warrantyOvernight payoff – 30.00 to get your mortgage payoff quickly to your lender after closePest inspection – If a VA offer seller typically pays about 70.00 for the inspectionHOA assessment letter – If in an HOA could cost up to 300.00HOA transfer fee – Some HOAs charge to transfer to the buyer and seller pays approx. 100.00Tax proration – To the date of closing – cost based on tax bill and proration method agreed toMortgage payoff – what you owe on your current mortgageCertainly, each deal is different and your home could be subject to additional expenses if you live in an area requiring an occupancy permit, if your agent charges a transaction fee, if you have a second mortgage, if you agreed to pay part or all of the buyer’s closing costs, etc. If you are looking for a top Realtor in the Kettering, Bellbrook, Beavercreek and surrounding Dayton area please reach out and I’ll help you figure the closing costs on your home.
MOREWhat is Appraisal Gap Coverage a.k.a Gap Guarantee?
What is Appraisal Gap Coverage a.k.a Gap Guarantee?
It goes without saying any seller wants the best offer on their home. Part of being the best is often the least risky offer. In our current escalating market sometimes the appraisers but the brakes on offers they feel are not justified. We call it a ‘short’ appraisal when the appraiser assigns a value less than the agreed upon sale price. his difference is called the appraisal gap. Sometimes it’s a couple thousand dollars and sometimes much more. In order to lessen the risk to the seller you can offer to guarantee any potential appraisal gap. Maybe you don’t want to be that exposed so you can offer a gap guarantee with a cap. Maybe 5k or 25k whatever you are comfortable with. Of course, this is in addition to your down payment and closing costs and you may be asked to provide proof of funds to do this. Offering this upfront to a seller can go a long way toward making your offer stand out because it reduces or eliminates the appraisal contingency for the seller.If you are looking for a top Realtor in Kettering, Bellbrook, Beavercreek, Dayton and surrounding areas please reach out.
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ASK A REALTOR
Slab Jacking: The Quickest Way to Correct Uneven Concrete
Slab Jacking: The Quickest Way to Correct Uneven Concrete
Do you have a sidewalk, patio or driveway that has settled or tilted and no longer even? Before you have it torn out and repoured, consider a solution that is less than half the cost. Slabjacking or lifting the concrete panel back into its original position is the quickest, cheapest, least messy way to handle it. The fix: One or more holes are drilled into the concrete. A grout-like material is pumped in the hole forcing the pad to ‘float’. Once the original position is reached the hole/holes are filled with a concrete mix and the grout will dry and it’s done! It’s that quick and simple. I’ve had many home sales ‘saved’ with this method. Feel free to reach out if you need further explanation or a referral for a contractor of this kind of work. It’s important to know why your patio settled? I commonly see this when showing and selling homes in the Dayton, Ohio area. It’s typically one of two things: The soil underneath was not properly compacted during construction. It’s really difficult to get the excavated soil around a construction site packed back down to the density it was before it was disturbed. Over multiple rains and freeze/thaw cycles it compacts tight again and shrinks taking the concrete slab with it. This kind of settling might start to show up at about the 5 yr mark after construction. Improper drainage or ponding around a concrete pad will compact the soil as well.
MORENAR Settlement - Home Buyer Change Explained
NAR Settlement - Home Buyer Change Explained
The National Association of Realtors Settlement has created a change on the buyer side of things. This change is nationwide, not brokerage or state specific. Now, all buyers who would like to tour a home with their broker must sign a buyer representation agreement with their agent PRIOR to being able to see the property. In the past, a buyer could contact a Realtor and request a showing without signing this. These buyer agreements are not new. A lot of agents have used them for years. Now, however, they are mandatory with everyone. Going forward, the new license law requirement is that a buyer agreement must be signed PRIOR to any showing taking place. The agreement clearly outlines the compensation paid to your agent. Typically, the seller will offer payment to the buyer’s agent just like in the past so that it is easier for the buyer to buy. However, if a seller is only offering partial or no compensation, the buyer will be responsible for the remainder. The changes on the buyer and seller side of things may leave you with questions on how they will work in practice. I work everyday in the Dayton housing market and would be happy to discuss how it all works.
MORENAR Settlement - Seller Side Explained
NAR Settlement - Seller Side Explained
Have you heard of the National Association of Realtors Lawsuit? If you are buying or selling real estate stay tuned, you’ll want to hear this. It resulted in a class action suit and settlement that arose out of commission disclosure issues which resulted in accusations of anti-competitive behavior within the industry. The settlement mandates changes to the buy and sell side of each transaction. Historically, for a seller to have their home advertised in a multiple listing service the seller was required to offer compensation to a Buyer’s Agent. It could be as little as a single dollar but it HAD to be something. The new rule does not require any compensation from the seller to help the buyer purchase. However, sellers may still offer compensation to assist the buyer’s purchase as traditionally done. Doing so lowers the barrier to entry and attracts more buyers. In an effort to further provide transparency, listing contracts have been revised to more clearly identify how the commission fees are being distributed. There is also a change on the buyer side as well that we will touch on next week.
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INSPECTIONS
Wall Leaning? Wall Anchor the Answer?
Wall Leaning? Wall Anchor the Answer?
Is your basement wall bowing over 2 inches? Wall anchors may be the answer. Wall anchors are simple in design with just 3 main parts - 2 steel plates connected by one metal shaft. One plate is buried in the yard and the other plate sits against the bowing wall. The metal shaft connects the two plates and the shaft is tightened to apply force to the wall. The installer knows the proper torque to apply to the shaft to hold the wall in tension against movement. The outside plate is generally about 10 feet out in the yard. The plates (anchors) are placed about 5 feet apart. If you have a wall that is 24 feet long you’ll need 4 anchors. They cost about 1000.00 each. They are not designed specifically to straighten a wall, although they may help, but more to stabilize the wall to keep it from moving further. So, if you’ve made an offer on your dream home only to find a leaning wall during your inspection, don’t lose hope. Wall anchors may be just the ticket to repair. I see wall anchor systems in the Dayton, Ohio area from time to time when showing homes and know that they can work when installed as designed. If you have further questions about structural options please reach out - I have a variety of resources to pull from.
MORELow Voltage Wiring
Low Voltage Wiring
During your buyer’s home inspection you find out the home is wired with low voltage switches that look like this. A push button style. Maybe instead of 4 buttons there are 6 or 8 or even more on one cover plate. It’s called low voltage WIRING not to be confused with modern day low voltage LIGHTING. Light switches like these are most often seen in mid century homes and were considered state of art in the 1950s and 60s. It was typically a 24 volt system that used small gauge wire run from the switch to a relay box usually found in the attic. That activated a relay that would then direct a full 120 volts to the fixture. It was considered to be the safest way to wire at the time, especially around kitchens and bathrooms. The system also made it easy to control multiple zones from a single area. For instance, it could be set up to turn on multiple lights throughout the house or exterior, say, from the owner’s suite. A pretty cool system for the era. However, it wasn’t long before the ground fault interrupt (GFCI) gained popularity which helped lead to the demise of low voltage wiring. By the 1970’s you didn’t see many new installs. I still run into them today when showing homes around Dayton, Ohio, especially in Oakwood and older neighborhoods. Parts are still made today so if you have this system and like it you can continue to maintain it. More often than not, once it starts having problems homeowners have them pulled out and replaced with modern wiring.
MOREBowed Foundation Wall - Helical Tiebacks May be the Answer
Bowed Foundation Wall - Helical Tiebacks May be the Answer
Are you trying to buy a house and the inspections pointed out a bowing or leaning basement wall? Still want the house? There are options to ensure the wall is stabilized. Helical tiebacks are one answer. The tiebacks are a simple two piece system consisting of the tieback and plate. The tieback is essentially a giant screw about 10 feet long. A hole is drilled through the bowed wall and the tieback is inserted in the hole and ‘drilled’ into the earth behind the wall. The tieback is run in until just a few inches is protruding from the wall. Next, a steel plate with a hole is placed over the protruding end of the tieback and a nut is then screwed on. This nut is tightened to a certain spec that ensures tension on the wall. There you have it, the wall is now reinforced by the tension of the tieback working to keep the wall stabilized in place. How much do helical tiebacks cost, around 2000.00 each. Your application may require several. Keep in mind these don’t always straighten the wall. They stabilize it to stop further movement. They can work well on retaining walls too. I see these from time to time as I help people buy and sell real estate in the Dayton, Ohio area. Wall anchors are another option to stabilize. I’ll cover that in another post.
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NEW CONSTRUCTION
What is the Difference Between a Truss and a Rafter?
What is the Difference Between a Truss and a Rafter?
Hello, I am David Campbell. Welcome to the Difference with David video series where I answer commonly asked questions about Real Estate. I'm on location at a new build site and wanted to answer a few questions I have heard about construction. Do you know the difference between a rafter and a truss? Watch more to learn these differences and why this is important during construction. More New Construction Videos
MOREWhat are Concrete Shrinkage Cracks in my New Home?
What are Concrete Shrinkage Cracks in my New Home?
Something that often comes up on new homes and old alike are cracks in the concrete slab. You can have a structural crack from shifting and movement but that’s not common. Those cracks are typically ‘off-set’ and can be large (wider than ¼ of an inch) What is common are shrinkage cracks. These range from a just barely noticeable hairline crack to an obvious crack like you see here. You’ll get these in most all large sections of concrete. Take a look at your driveway and sidewalk. Odds are you’ll find cracks. When concrete is poured it has a very high water content. As it cures this water evaporates and the concrete slab becomes smaller as it dries out. One thing we know for sure is concrete is not flexible so it won’t stretch back out and you end up with a crack. The concrete finishers will form ‘control joints’ in the concrete before it sets up and the idea here is to ‘control’ where the concrete cracks. Since you can’t stop it from cracking you might as well try to control where it does crack so the joints provide a weak line in the concrete that hopefully the crack will follow. If you are looking for a top Realtor in Kettering, Bellbrook, Beavercreek, Dayton and surrounding areas please reach out. More New Construction Videos
MOREWater Heater Expansion Tank
Water Heater Expansion Tank
During showings I’m often asked, ‘What is this “thing” attached to the water heater?’ This ‘thing’ is known as an expansion tank. It helps to reduce the pressure on your water supply lines. If the pressure gets too great it can cause water to seep past the many valves in your plumbing system. There are the obvious valves at the kitchen and bathroom sinks but don’t forget, you have other valves such as those in your washing machine, outside spigots, toilet tanks, utility tubs, water heater pressure relief valves, etc. Aside from the valves there’s no need to subject the pipe and all the fittings to extra pressure. When water gets hot it naturally expands. This is where the added pressure comes from. The expansion tank has a bladder in it that will expand and make room for the greater volume of the hot water. Think of it as a balloon taking up about half of the space inside the tank. I’m always available to help with real estate questions that come to mind! More Home Inspection Videos
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