Monday, February 28, 2011

The 10 Most Important, Cost-Effective, Easy Fixes When Selling Your Home !

1. Master bedrooms and baths should appeal to both sexes - if yours is gender specific, balance it with some masculine/ feminine accessories - pillows, art, greenery, a well placed throw and use neutral bedding - your grandmother's homemade quilt isn't going to cut it!  

2.  Walk through each room as if you were a buyer  - can you move freely about? If not, open up the space by eliminating excess furniture to create easy traffic flow. when selling - less is always more!

3. If possible rent a small local storage space to put excess furniture, personal items, knickknacks - anything that clutters the home and causes distractions - after all, you're selling your home, not your lifestyle. (This also eliminates a lot of stress down the road when the buyer is ready to move.)

4. Assess the color palate of your home --make sure it's uniform throughout and stick to neutral or modern colors - this creates continuity. Add pops of color using accessories like pillows, art and a throw.

 5. Think upscale hotels - clutter free, updated and designed to appeal to the masses. If you have dated  boarders or wall paper take it down - this is one of the biggest turnoff to buyers and they often move on. (I've heard of homes for sale labeled as the "wallpaper" home and it's not a compliment! 


6. Don't assume buyers won't look in cabinets, closets, basements and attics. 
Storage is key for buyers and they want to see if the home has enough space to accommodate their stuff. Organize, or better yet store it- this demonstrates to buyers that indeed their things will fit and is a big selling advantage.

7. Clean, Clean, clean - It's the easiest, no cost, effective fix and this can't be emphasized enough - nothing turns a buyer off more than a messy, dirty or smelly home - this will send buyers running for the door - trust me on this one!

8. Open all blinds, eliminate heavy window treatments and let the natural light shine in - this cheers up and brightens the home, making it feel airy and more spacious - and, it's so easy! If you have dated vertical blinds, it best to take them down

9. Fix leaky faucets, broken screens, door hinges, door bells or running toilets - Yes, I'm going to beat a dead horse, but these are big turnoffs and don't invoke any confidence in the buyer that your home is well taken care of - you know the kind of homes we all want to buy!


10. Make sure your MLS photos are GREAT - 80% of buyers shop online before ever stepping out the door with their Realtor!

Okay, so I lied,  #11 - drum roll please... 

My list wouldn't be complete without strongly suggesting hiring a professional stager who is trained to prepare your home for the market, using proven techniques to enhance, highlight and showcase your home it its best possible light and appeal to the most buyers


Home and Curb Appeal LLC-  Lisa Bear  - (262)893-5555

When you're looking to sell quickly and for top dollar,  Home and Curb Appeal LLC - Lisa Bear knows how to get the job done right. We will use proven techniques to create warm, inviting, updated spaces that will appeal to the masses. In today's competitive market, every home can use an edge and that's what  Home and Curb Appeal is all about.

Courtesy of  Lisa Bear  RE/MAX Realty Center




262-893-5555 Office/Cell
888-893-5534 Direct Fax

Proudly Serving Southcentral and Southeastern Wisconsin with Referrals from my Clients


Look for properties across Wisconsin on MLS at http://www.lisabear.com

Check me out on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaBearRealEstate or http://www.facebook.com/LisaABear

Check out my Blogs!
 http://realestateinwisconsinlisabear.blogspot.com
 
http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01
http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/RealEstateinWis
Visit my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear 

Google me:
http://www.google.com/profiles/LisaAnnBear. 

Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!!
If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!!

"HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"



Sunday, February 27, 2011

PEWAUKEE LAKE

"PEWAUKEE LAKE, (or Pewaukee-wee-ning "lake of shells,") so named by the observing Indians, on account of the great quantity of small shells found in the sand along the shore. These shells are not snail shells,* and hence Snail lake (as it is sometimes called) is an incorrect translation of the Indian name.

It is four miles and a half long, and has an average width of about three-fourths of a mile. The coast line around it, is eleven and one-sixth miles, and its area is three and one-third square miles, or sections. It lies in the towns of Delafield and Pewaukee, at an elevaion. of two hundred and sixty-three feet above Lake Michigan.

It is supplied almost entirely by springs, and discharges about three hundred cubic feet of water per minute, through the Pewaukee outlet into the Pishtaka river. A dam has been erected, however, at the foot of this lake, which has raised its waters about four feet. It is surrounded by high, well wooded hills, rendering the scenery about it highly beautiful and interesting. Around this lake at many places, as well as on other lakes in Wisconsin, may be observed a singular wall of round stones, or boulders, laid up with such regularity as to suggest the idea of being the work of art. A little further observation, however, will show that these walls are made by the expansion of the ice during the winter, which has a tendency to push them upon the shore. The sandy ridges around many lakes are caused in the same way. The process may be observed in a very cold day in the winter. *Snails are land animals, and not aquatic. The shells found here are bleached and mixed with small particles of white lime-stone. They are species of the genera Paludina, Valvata, Planorbis, Melania, Cycles, and fragments of Anodonta."

Friday, February 25, 2011

Time to start thinking SUMMER LAKE HOMES on Pewaukee Lake - Waukesha County Wisconsin

http://public.mlswis.com/cgi-bin/mainmenu.cgi?cmd=url+other/run_public_link.html&public_link_tech_id=u5bkjyiuv85&id=1&cid=1

Suppan's house is now 4 sale on Pewaukee Lake....

  Estate property on Pewaukee Lake! 175 ft and almost 2 acres of North shore frontage,pool,huge boathouse, guest house,extra garages and much more

Click on the link below to see detail and photo's --- and of course, if you'd like to buy it call me!

http://public.mlswis.com/cgi-bin/mainmenu.cgi?cmd=url+other/run_public_link.html&public_link_tech_id=u5bkhj1s9bx&id=1&cid=1

Courtesy of  Lisa Bear  RE/MAX Realty Center



262-893-5555 Office/Cell
888-893-5534 Direct Fax

Proudly Serving Southcentral and Southeastern Wisconsin with Referrals from my Clients


Look for properties across Wisconsin on MLS at http://www.lisabear.com

Check me out on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaBearRealEstate or http://www.facebook.com/LisaABear

Check out my Blogs!
 http://realestateinwisconsinlisabear.blogspot.com
 
http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01
http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/RealEstateinWis
Visit my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear 

Google me:
http://www.google.com/profiles/LisaAnnBear. 

Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!!
If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!!

"HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

10 Reasons People Decide to Buy a Home

Renting is a very frustrating way of life. The money you pay every month disappears, leaving you with few benefits other than a roof over your head. Compared to owning a home, renting is a futile exercise that leaves you with nothing after your lease is up. It’s no surprise that people want to get out of the rent race, and here are 10 reasons why people decide to buy a home versus renting.

1. They Want to Build Equity

Homebuyers build equity as their property increases in value over time. This equity has many benefits, including the ability of a homebuyer to leverage equity in lines of credit to make repairs or additions to their home. Equity is a powerful thing and a natural consequence of home ownership. Renters never gain equity in their rental space, and at the end of their lease they are thrown out on the street with nothing to show for years of on time rental payments.

2. They Don’t Want to Throw Their Money Away

Without equity, what does paying your rent on time gain you every month? The truth is that paying rent guarantees a roof over your head for about 30 days and nothing more. In that sense, renting is like an extended stay hotel in that at the end of your rental period or lease you have nothing to show for the money you’ve paid. This makes renting a terrible investment when compared to home buying.

3. They Want More Space

It’s incredible how little you get for your rental payment each month. Most renters are lucky to have even a tiny balcony, let alone roomy closets o storage space. Many homes come with luxurious yards and spacious garages for storage. This makes buying a home an attractive option for those who prefer to stretch their legs.

4. They Want to Make Upgrades

Most leases forbid the renter from altering the rental space. For those do it yourselfers, this can mean a boring living experience. Home buyers are not only allowed to make upgrades, but doing so can be a great investment and raise the overall value of your home. From an investment perspective, this is a no brainer.

5. They Don’t Want to Pay Extra to Own Pets

For those pet lovers out there, renting can be a major financial undertaking Pet deposits can be very expensive, and some apartments add a monthly premium to rent just for having a pet, and separate deposits/premiums for each pet. These fees can add up fast! Homebuyers don’t have to deal with these sorts of fees, and they can also typically provide a better environment for their pets as well.

6. They Don’t Want to Be So Close to Noisy Neighbors

Have you ever lived on the second floor of a 3 story apartment complex? Wild partiers underneath blaring music at 4AM and home fitness gurus doing jumping jacks above you can make you realize just how annoying living so close to your neighbors can be. Homebuyers can sometimes deal with annoying neighbors as well, but at least they’re not rattling your chandelier when they stomp their feet down the hallway.

7. They Don’t Want to Deal With a Landlord

Sometimes dealing with a landlord can be tough. Some landlords are not very friendly or flexible, and won’t hesitate to throw you on the street if rent isn’t on time. Other landlords can be so distant that problems with rent or appliances don’t get resolved for months or even years. As a homeowner, there’s no landlord to deal with and you have the freedom and independence of conducting business on your own terms.

8. Their Hobbies Make Renting a Bad Idea

Drummers and musicians need a place to live, but do you want them living above you in a cramped apartment complex? For those renters who have hobbies or professions that are noisy or require space, renting just isn’t an option for them. Owning a home with plenty of space is their only way to go.

9. They Don’t Want to Deal With Deposits

Security deposits? These never seem to work out in the renters favor and come moving time it always seems like every little problem leads to forfeiture of the sometimes huge security deposits we have to pay just to sign the lease. Home buyers don’t have to deal with this as their home is more closely tied to their assets and their individual independence.

10. They Want to Live the American Dream

Owning a home is a big part of the American dream, and most people would say that the independence, autonomy, and sense of accomplishment that owning a home brings is an essential part of the American way of life. Does renting an apartment do the same?

Courtesy of  Lisa Bear  RE/MAX Realty Center



262-893-5555 Office/Cell
888-893-5534 Direct Fax

Proudly Serving Southcentral and Southeastern Wisconsin with Referrals from my Clients


Look for properties across Wisconsin on MLS at http://www.lisabear.com

Check me out on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaBearRealEstate or http://www.facebook.com/LisaABear

Check out my Blogs!
 http://realestateinwisconsinlisabear.blogspot.com
 
http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01
http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/RealEstateinWis
Visit my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear 

Google me:
http://www.google.com/profiles/LisaAnnBear. 

Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!!
If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!!

"HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

Article by 
Ann Douglas of DoorFly.com

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Happy Birthday Tootsie Roll 1896




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qayjR8Qbyfc&feature=player_embedded

Considerations For Renting or Selling a Home


Renting vs selling a home

Suddenly out of the blue you have found out that a new position has opened up within your company and they are asking you to relocate your family to the other side of the country. The job opportunity is too good to pass up so you decide to take the position. You realize with an impending move you are going to need to either sell or rent your home.

Considerations for renting or selling a home

Anyone who is considering selling a home in 2011 and has bought in the last six or seven years faces the real possibility that they will be losing money on the sale. The thought of losing money is never pleasant but unfortunately is part of today’s Real Estate reality. In my experience the immediate thought process of most home owners is to rent the home and not sell for a loss. This is kind of similar to the stock investor who hangs on for dear life with their losing picks but sells their winners instead.

In many cases they will ride the loser for an extended period of time until they realize it will take a very long time for that stock to come back to where it once was when purchased. Anyone who has ever invested in stocks including myself has been guilty of this. It is hard to give up on a loser because there is always the thought that it will come roaring back. So is renting the home really the best move or should you unload this asset that is working against you?

Where is the local Real Estate market headed?

One of the considerations of whether to sell or rent your home is to find out from a local Real Estate expert where they feel market values are  headed both in the near term, as well as longer down the road. A knowledgeable Realtor that has been in the business for a while should be able to help you determine the trend of where the market is headed at least in the short term.  Crystal balls are a hard thing to come by in Real Estate. Those that are lucky enough to have one are often times millionaires. Unfortunately knowing exactly when the Real Estate market will turn around requires one.

Most economists believe that once Real Estate markets do hit bottom the climb back up will be a slow and steady one. The opinions of most are that yearly appreciation will return to more normal historic levels of  3%-4%. Of course this is an average and states, cities and neighborhoods that are desirable could rise at a slightly higher clip.

As a home owner what you should be trying to figure out is how long will it take you to get back to a break even point or even something you can financially stomach. You should also be asking yourself is the time it takes to get back to break even worth it to you?

For example, lets say you bought your home for $500,000 and it has dropped in value by 25% and is now worth $375,000.  Lets further assume that the Real Estate market beats the economists predictions and rises by 5% yearly. Do you realize it would take seven years to get back to break even?

If you have equity in the home you need to figure out if you would be better off taking the loss and putting your equity somewhere that could potentially earn you more money. If you don’t have any equity you would need to figure out if you have the necessary funds to bring to the closing table or would need to explore other alternatives like a short sale.

What is the local home rental market like?

Should I sell or rent my current home

Again you should consult with a local Realtor to determine how well the rental market is performing. Has the rental market done as poorly as the Real Estate market or is there demand for rental housing? Some areas rental markets have done very well.

There is a good possibility there are folks who would like to rent a nice home rather than commit to purchasing if they feel they could be transferred in a short time period or feel market values are still sliding and don’t want the risk.

The rental home becomes an investment property

Relocating home owners need to remember that a rental home becomes an investment property. Owning a home as an investment property has the potential to help or hurt you tax wise. This is definitely something you would want to consult a tax professional for guidance.

Although you will be taking in rent you need to remember that you will still have principal, interest, taxes and insurance to pay. If the property is a condo you would more than likely also be paying the condominium fees as well. As a landlord you will also be required to maintain the property and fix any necessary issues that come up.

Many landlords that have relocated out of state will also consider hiring a property manager. The typical charge for management services runs around 8-12% of the rent. So if you are charging $2000 a month for rent you can expect to pay a manager in the neighborhood of around $200 a month. There are some excellent tax deductions for rental property that could play a factor in your decision making.

Taking on landlord responsibilities

As a landlord one of the 1st steps is going to be choosing the right tenant. Over the years I have seen a few occasions where the renter did not treat the home the same way an owner would. The owner was left with paying to replace carpets and do quite a bit of painting. These kind of costs can add up fast. Picking a responsible tenant becomes critical.

There are also considerations such as handling tenant complaints, maintenance issues or even legal issues such as eviction. In the end there is a lot to think about when deciding whether selling or renting your home makes the best fiscal and practical sense.

Courtesy of  Lisa Bear  RE/MAX Realty Center


262-893-5555 Office/Cell
888-893-5534 Direct Fax

Proudly Serving Southcentral and Southeastern Wisconsin with Referrals from my Clients


Look for properties across Wisconsin on MLS at http://www.lisabear.com

Check me out on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaBearRealEstate or http://www.facebook.com/LisaABear

Check out my Blogs!
 http://realestateinwisconsinlisabear.blogspot.com
 
http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01
http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/RealEstateinWis
Visit my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear 

Google me:
http://www.google.com/profiles/LisaAnnBear. 

Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!!
If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!!

"HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

Article by Bill Gasset

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Need your help...

Customer needs a mold remediation company in Waukesha area - anyone help me out?

KNOLLWARD The finest mansion in MIDWEST 4 sale. 5.75 million



KNOLLWARD - A Marjorie Montgomery Ward Estate established in 1928

You have to see this one to believe it…

800 N Lake Rd - Oconomowoc
an encompassing 350 ft of  prsitine frontage on Lac LaBelle

Rooms: 30 / Bedrooms: 8 / Bathrooms: 10.5 / Garage Spaces:4.5 / Sq Ft: 15,222

Price - MVP'd 5.5 to 6.5 million

Directions: From Milw/Chicago take I94 to Hwy 16 (From Madison I94 to Hwy 67N to Hwy 16)into Oconomowoc. Go through the roundabout and at Wisconsin Ave/Main Street intersection turn north.Follow to home on left.

Welcome to Knollward - Showplace of the Midwest

Imagine gables roofs, dormers, oriel, French Provincial windows, black marble, wrought iron, cypress beams, gold plating and turreted outlines framing 355feet of Lac La Belle lake shore. Picture traveling through 30 rooms with seven fireplaces and 17 chandeliers in a time still suspended in the year 1928.


Now picture yourself owning incredible KNOLLWARD; the former summer home of Marjorie Montgomery Ward Baker, a monument paying tribute to an unsurpassed era of glamour, grace and style.

Marjorie Montgomery Ward Baker was the adopted daughter and only child of Aaron Montgomery and Betty Ward. Aaron Montgomery Ward was the founder of the nationally known mail order firm and first “wishbook.”


Commanding the east bank of Lac La Belle, the mansion is located at 800 N Lake Road, Oconomowoc. Known for its picturesque lakes and historical integrity, Oconomowoc captures the beauty of small town America combined with the sophistication of metropolitan Milwaukee just 30 miles east.

The story of Knollward is as fascinating as the house.

Aaron Montgomery Ward was born on February 17, 1844 in Chatham, New Jersey. When he was about nine years old, his father, Sylvester Ward, moved the family to Niles, Michigan, where Aaron attended public schools. He was one of a large family, which at that time was far from wealthy. When he was fourteen, he was apprenticed to a trade to help support the family. According to his brief memoirs, he first earned 25 cents per day at a cutting machine in a barrel stave factory and then stacking brick in a kiln at 30 cents a day.


Energy and ambition drove him to seek employment in the town of St. Joseph, a market for outlying fruit orchards, where he went to work in a shoe store. Being a fair salesman, within nine months he was engaged as a salesman in a general country store at six dollars per month plus board, a considerable salary at the time. He rose to become head clerk and general manager and remained at this store for three years. By the end of those three years, his salary was one hundred dollars a month plus his board. He left for a better job in a competing store, where he worked another two years. In this period, Ward learned retailing.


In 1865, Ward located in Chicago, worked for Case and a lamp house. He traveled for them, and sold goods on commission for a short time. Chicago was the center of the wholesale dry-goods trade.


In the 1860s Ward joined the leading dry-goods house, Field Palmer & Leiter, a forerunner of Marshall Field & Co. He worked for Field for two years and then joined the wholesale dry-goods business of Wills, Greg & Co. In tedious rounds of train trips to southern communities, hiring rigs at the local stables, driving out to the crossroads stores and listening to the complaints of the back-country proprietors and their rural customers, he conceived a new merchandising technique: direct mail sales to country people. It was a time when rural consumers longed for the comforts of the city, yet all too often were victimized by monopolists and overcharged by the costs of many middlemen required to bring manufactured products to the countryside. The quality of merchandise also was suspect and the hapless farmer had no recourse in a caveat emptor economy. Ward shaped a plan to buy goods at low cost for cash. By eliminating intermediaries, with their markups and commissions, and drastically cutting selling costs, he could sell goods to people, however remote, at appealing prices. He then invited them to send their orders by mail and delivered the purchases to their nearest railroad station. The only thing he lacked was capital.


After several false starts, including the destruction of his first inventory by the Great Chicago Fire, Ward started his business at his first offices at the corner of North Clark and Kedzie streets, with two partners and using $1,600 they had raised in capital. The first catalog in August 1872 consisted of an 8 by 12 in. single-sheet price list, showing 163 articles for sale with ordering instructions. Ward himself wrote the first catalog copy. His two partners left the following year, but he continued the struggling business and was joined by his future brother-in-law Richard Thorne.


In the first few years, the business was not well received by rural retailers, who considered Ward a threat and sometimes publicly burned his catalog. Despite the opposition, however, the business grew at a fast pace over the next several decades, fueled by demand primarily from rural customers who were attracted by the wide selection of items unavailable to them locally. Customers were also attracted by the innovative and unprecedented company policy of "satisfaction guaranteed or your money back", which Ward began using in 1875. Although Ward turned the copy writing over to department heads, he continued poring over every detail in the catalog for accuracy. Ward himself became widely popular among residents of Chicago, championing the causes of the common folk over the wealthy, most notably in his successful fight to establish parkland along Lake Michigan.


In 1883, the company's catalog, which became popularly known as the "Wish Book", had grown to 240 pages and 10,000 items.


In 1896, Ward acquired its first serious competition in the mail order business, when Richard Warren Sears introduced his first general catalog.


In 1900, Ward had total sales of $8.7 million, compared to $10 million for Sears, Roebuck and Co., and the two companies were to struggle for dominance for much of the 20th century. By 1904, the company had grown such that three million catalogs, weighing 4 pounds each, were mailed to customers.


In 1908, the company opened a building stretching along nearly 1/4 mile of the Chicago River, north of downtown Chicago. (The building, known as the Montgomery Ward & Co. Catalog House, served as the company headquarters until 1974, when the offices moved across the street to a new tower. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978 and a Chicago historic landmark in May 2000.)


At age 50, A. Montgomery Ward retired from the business a very wealthy man.


Seven years prior to his retirement, he came to Oconomowoc and purchased Colonel Durand’s three hundred acre horse breeding farm on the southwest corner of Lac La Belle, in what is know the Mary Lane area and he named it La Belle Knoll. For the next twenty years he carried on there an extensive horse breeding operation and sold many horses. He also hitched them to his elegant carriages and drove in numerous horse shows in the country, acquiring a great number of trophies and ribbons.


The Wards had no children, but in 1892 when Mrs. Ward’s sister died in childbirth, they went to Michigan and adopted her daughter, who became Marjorie Ward. As a small girl, she went along with her parents to the International Horse Show in London, where her father won the world champion trophy with his tallyho drag and team, a four horse hitch, winning over the King of England and the Czar of Russia.


Ward had a love for the city of Chicago and fought for the poor people's access to Chicago's lakefront. In 1906 he campaigned to preserve Grant Park as a public park. Ward twice sued the city of Chicago to force it to remove buildings and structures from Grant Park and to keep it from building new ones. Ward is known by some as the "watch dog of the lake front" for his preservationist efforts. As a result, the city has what is termed as the Montgomery Ward height restrictions on buildings and structures in Grant Park. (However, Crown Fountain and Jay Pritzker Pavilion were exempt from the height restriction because they were classified as works of art and not buildings or structures.) Ward is said to continue to rule and protect Grant Park from his grave.


In 1909, while the Wards were at their California winter home, the home on the La Belle Knoll estate burned to the ground, but the stables remained unharmed. Mr. Ward returned to Oconomowoc, but he never rebuilt a home there. Instead he rented a double suite at Draper Hall Hotel and each morning he bicycled out to the stables to watch the coachman working with the horses. In 1911, he drove a Modoc four cylinder touring car, which was sold by his company.


In late 1913 Ward broke his leg, and death soon followed. He died at the age of 69. Ward willed $20 million to his widow, Betty, and $2 million to his adopted daughter Marjorie.


In 1926, the Simmons property, with 700 feet of Lac La Belle frontage, came on the market. This land is where KNOLLWARD now stands. Mrs. Ward purchased it and had the existing buildings razed.


Mrs. Ward engaged architects and builders to erect the gracious mansion at a cost of $80,000 just before the country sunk into Depression. The elegant touches that such money bought are evident from the moment you set your eyes upon it. It was considered the finest example of French-Provincial Manor type architecture in the Midwest and still carries a reputation as a “Showplace of the Midwest”.


It took two years to build, and when it was finished, Mrs. Ward and Marjorie were in California. They returned to the Midwest, but before they got to Oconomowoc, Mrs. Ward died at their Chicago home. So, Marjorie came to live at Knollward, given the name of the family home on the other side of the lake, which had burned.


Marjorie, by all accounts, lived a fairy-tale life at the mansion. She filled the dream house with treasures such as 17 crystal chandeliers, walnut paneling in the salon, a marble bathroom, seven fireplaces (all real, emblazoned with the Ward coat of arms), Cyril Colnik wrought iron and gold plated telephones and faucets, a private telephone booth, fountains, garden frescoes and even a miniature marble tub for her dog. She imported students from the Chicago Art Institute to hand paint walls and even the ceiling of her bathroom.


The elder Wards did not give many parties, but Marjorie didn’t share her parent’s aversion to social whirl. She became famous for entertaining the glittering folk of Hollywood, kings and politicians. Her housewarming skills were memorable. She hired a nine piece band, minstrel singers, and a cabaret show. Chicago caterers served 200 guests on Crown Derby and Dresden china. Small tables were set up on the lantern-lit patio all around the grounds. And there were other parties, too. A Gypsy Party for one hundred and fifty guests had two bands, fortune tellers giving out favors, acrobats, and clowns. And then, of course, there were those affairs where guests were in formal attire and arrived at the front door in black limousines.


In 1932, Marjorie married Robert Baker, an Oconomowoc man whose family “made their money in coal.” The couple met in 1913, but all four of the couple’s parents disapproved of this match, so the courtship was a long one. They waited for the demise of all their parents before marrying, at which time they were both forty years old.


The Baker’s built an addition to Knollward, an elegant wing for the mister, including the master bedroom suite, library, curved halls, turrets, spiral staircase and his own front door. The Zebra Lounge, a party lounge complete with black and silver art deco-style fireplace was also added under the library along with a tunnel through which the butler replenished the liquor supply unobtrusively (during the Prohibition era.)


The Bakers spent time at Knollward, living most of the winter and spring in Chicago, until Marjorie’s death in 1959. Her will stipulated that her husband could use the mansion during his lifetime. Instead he moved to Chicago. He died, at age 85, in Bronxville, NY.


After he moved out the estate became property of the Montgomery Ward Foundation, which was offered to the Milwaukee Episcopal Archdiocese first, and then to the City of Oconomowoc as a library and civic center. The gift was valued at $300,000. Lutheran Homes of Oconomowoc was a willing recipient in 1961, as long as the home was used as a home for elderly people for 25 years. The Foundation’s gift included fund for construction of a new two story wing to match the original exterior, remodeling and decorating.


By the early 1990’s, government guidelines and restrictions caused Lutheran Home to build a new building, Shorehaven Tower, across the lake. It opened in 1996. Thus, Knollward was put up for sale and purchased in June 1997.


In 1997, with new owners and a vision to “get it back to what it was”, a complete renovation began to restore the integrity and bring the house into the modern century. The house needed a complete overhaul, including a new electrical system, new plumbing, new mechanicals, including the entire heating system and the addition of air conditioning. About 9,000 square feet of hardwood and marble floor also needed refinishing. Further, because it had last functioned as a retirement home and the graciously sized rooms had been subdivided to create more bedrooms, multiple wall partitions needed to be torn down.


A symbol of beauty in a bygone era, the existing owners also updated the kitchen and baths with modern facilities while maintaining the revel and character. The original detailed ironwork of the world famous Cyril Colnik remains, as do the fountains, urns, the original Montgomery Ward coats of arms, as well as many of the chandeliers, sconces, and marble floors.


Now in 2010, Knollward becomes available to a new family who will appreciate the splendor and history of this estate. Knollward, with its 30 some rooms (50 if you count baths and storage areas) encompasses 15,222 square feet, boosts 8 bedrooms, 10.5 bathrooms, 4.5 car garages located on 335 feet of sparkling frontage on Lac La Belle in Oconomowoc which offers exquisite lake views, crystal clear waters and gorgeous sunsets.


Today’s value is estimated at between 5.5 and 6.5 million
Courtesy of  Lisa Bear  RE/MAX Realty Center


262-893-5555 Office/Cell
888-893-5534 Direct Fax

Proudly Serving Southcentral and Southeastern Wisconsin with Referrals from my Clients


Look for properties across Wisconsin on MLS at http://www.lisabear.com

Check me out on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaBearRealEstate or http://www.facebook.com/LisaABear

Check out my Blogs!
 http://realestateinwisconsinlisabear.blogspot.com
 
http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01
http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/RealEstateinWis
Visit my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear 

Google me:
http://www.google.com/profiles/LisaAnnBear. 

Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!!
If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!!

"HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

Uncertainty in Economy vs. Opportunity in Real Estate

Uncertainty in Economy vs. Opportunity in Real Estate

There are many people sitting on the sidelines right now afraid to pull the trigger on a real estate purchase. Some are first time buyers; some are thinking of moving up to the home of their dreams; others are looking to purchase a vacation home or perhaps a future retirement home. Fear has prevented them from moving forward. Though their concern is understandable, we must never allow fear to ultimately determine who we are nor what we do. We must live our lives.

The fear causing so many to hesitate comes from three areas:
  1. The lackluster economy
  2. The unemployment numbers
  3. Real estate’s performance in the recent past
Should they stop us from moving forward with our dreams and aspirations.

The Economy

Actually, the economy is doing much better. The news is more positive every day. Consumer Affairs said this:
The U.S. Federal Reserve, which has administered life support to the economy over the last two years, says it’s seeing some promising signs of life.
In its “Beige Book,” containing reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts, the central bank finds “moderate expansion” of economic activity at the end of the year.
It said conditions were improving in the Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Richmond Districts. Activity increased modestly to moderately in the Cleveland, Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Dallas Districts.
The economy of the Minneapolis District “continued its moderate recovery,” while that of the San Francisco District “firmed further”.
This is most easily seen in the increase in the Dow which has shown a 20.9% in increase in the last twelve months.

Unemployment

Though still too high, the unemployment numbers are getting better. The recent drop from 9.8% to 9% is proof that things are, if nothing else, at least stabilizing. Though the job losses have been deep, they have leveled off.

The greatest fear was created by the uncertainty by many that their job could be in jeopardy; that they could be next to join the ranks of the unemployed. As the economy grows, any increase in unemployment seems unlikely. That should remove most of this fear.

Real Estate’s Performance

There is no question that real estate has had a difficult last five years. However, real estate was never meant to be a great ‘short term’ investment. It has, on the other hand, always been a good ‘long term’ investment. Let’s compare real estate to the returns in the stock market since January 1, 2000.
In the long term, real estate has always been a safe investment.

Bottom Line

We should make sure that the financial uncertainty of the present does not prevent us from taking advantage of the opportunities available in the real estate market currently.

Donald Trump probably put it best when he said:
“I’m pretty sure this is a great time to go out and buy a house. And if you do, in 10 years you’re going to look back and say, ‘You know, I‘m glad I listened to Donald Trump’.”


Courtesy of  Lisa Bear  RE/MAX Realty Center



262-893-5555 Office/Cell
888-893-5534 Direct Fax

Proudly Serving Southcentral and Southeastern Wisconsin with Referrals from my Clients


Look for properties across Wisconsin on MLS at http://www.lisabear.com

Check me out on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaBearRealEstate or http://www.facebook.com/LisaABear

Check out my Blogs!
 http://realestateinwisconsinlisabear.blogspot.com
 
http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01
http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/RealEstateinWis
Visit my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear 

Google me:
http://www.google.com/profiles/LisaAnnBear. 

Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!!
If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!!

"HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"
Compliments of KM BLOG




Monday, February 21, 2011

Are You Warming Your Home With Your Fireplace OR Cooling It Down?

Love a Wood Fire?


I love the ambiance of a crackling fire in the fireplace on a chilly Wisconssin winter evening.  Fireplaces are one of the most requested home features when someone is considering buying or building a home. 

There is a problem though if you plan to keep your home warm with a traditional masonry fireplace without planning to make it more efficient. 

The United State Department of Energy estimates that ninety percent of the heat being produced by a traditionally designed open front fireplace is going right up the chimney and not warming your home.  In fact, the fire may be drawing air from your home that you have paid to be warmed by your furnace and sending it up the chimney too.

So are fireplaces a bad idea?  Not if they are designed and used correctly. You can add warmth, value, and that special atmosphere to your home with a fireplace.
Here are some tips for making that happen:
  • Close the damper when not using the fireplace.  Open it when you are ready to build a fire.
  • Install a Fireplace Insert.  Fireplace inserts come with glass doors that let you enjoy the beautiful fire AND turn your fireplace into a more efficient “wood stove”.  Buying and installing one that has circulating fans is another plus.
  • If building new, put the fireplace in an interior wall instead of an exterior wall.  Fireplaces have massive amounts of masonry and can conduct your heat right to the great outdoors when built into exterior walls.
  • If a fireplace insert is out of the question, at least install fireplace doors. Keep the doors closed when not using the fireplace and even when using will allow you to enjoy the fire and be more efficient.
Don’t let your fireplace be an drain on your utility bill. Use it wisely and let it help you warm your home and add that special touch of homeliness to it also. 

Courtesy of 
Lisa Bear
RE/MAX Realty Center




262-893-5555 Office/Cell
888-893-5534 Direct Fax

Proudly Serving Southcentral and Southeastern Wisconsin with Referrals from my Clients
Look for properties across Wisconsin on MLS at http://www.lisabear.com

Check me out on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/LisaBearRealEstate or http://www.facebook.com/LisaABear

Check out my Blogs!
 http://realestateinwisconsinlisabear.blogspot.com
 
http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01
http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com

Follow me on Twitter:  http://twitter.com/RealEstateinWis
Visit my LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear 

Google me:
http://www.google.com/profiles/LisaAnnBear. 

Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!!
If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!!

"HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"


Originally posted at The Better Home Blog
The real estate market has experienced difficulty over the last five years. From 2000-2006, house values climbed to unsustainable heights. Since then, we have seen much of this appreciation disappear. Now many  look at the housing market as dead and lying in the ashes of its previous glory. However, there is growing evidence that, just like the Phoenix, there is a new market currently rising from those ashes.

Buyer activity is increasing

The first sign of an improving market is buyers again beginning to shop for a home for themselves and their family. That is taking place right now.
 Pete Flint, CEO of Trulia said in a recent press release:
“We’re seeing a national resurgence of buyer and seller activity on Trulia.com. In January alone, we experienced an unprecedented level of site traffic including 11 million unique visitors – which is more than 70 percent year-over-year growth… (We) are now experiencing 100,000 property views per minute.”
The latest Credit Suisse Monthly Survey of Real Estate Agents reports:
Our Monthly Survey of Real Estate Agents pointed to another month of improved traffic – the third straight month, and the highest level for our traffic index since April 2010, the last month of the homebuyer tax credit. The improved economy and stronger consumer confidence has translated into an increase in homebuyer traffic.

But have they actually started purchasing?

The best news is that buyers are not just looking. The latest National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Pending Sales Report, which quantifies the number of homes going into contract, shows continued improvement:
Pending home sales improved further in December, marking the fifth gain in the past six months.

Bottom Line

Buyers are back out looking at homes and the number that are actually purchasing is steadily increasing. It appears the housing market is on the verge of a rebirth. The Phoenix is beginning to flap its wings.


To make sure your home purchase is handled professionally – hire Lisa Bear, a trained professional. In the long run, you will wind-up with more money in your pocket and have less challenges with the move.

Courtesy of Lisa Bear RE/MAX Realty Center


Surf the MLS for properties http://www.lisabear.com
Find me on:
http://twitter.com/RealEstateinWis
http://www.facebook.com/LisaBearRealEstate
http://www.facebook.com/LisaABear http://realestateinwisconsinlisabear.blogspot.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01 http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com



Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!!

If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!!

"HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

Compliments KM BLOG

Thursday, February 17, 2011

This old home could be in a magazine for it's remodel

http://milwaukee.backpage.com/HomesForSale/529000-4br-14136-n-port-washington-rd-mequon-wi-53097-magazine-remodel/3882234



To make sure your home purchase is handled professionally – hire Lisa Bear, a trained professional. In the long run, you will wind-up with more money in your pocket and have less challenges with the move.

Courtesy of Lisa Bear RE/MAX Realty Center


Surf the MLS for properties http://www.lisabear.com http://twitter.com/RealEstateinWis http://www.facebook.com/LisaBearRealEstate http://www.facebook.com/LisaABear http://realestateinwisconsinlisabear.blogspot.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01 http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!! If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!! "HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

Surprising Insider Secrets for the 5 Stages of Buying Your First Home

Buying a home is not a discrete event; it's a process - a sequence of events that happens over time, sometimes over as long as several months or even years!  While general guides to buying a home are a dime a dozen, I'm excited to share with you some insider secrets you may not have heard elsewhere - one for each stage involved in buying a home. Here's to helping you make the best decisions at every phase of your home buying process!

Stage One: Deciding Whether It's The Right Time to Buy. 

Insider Secret: The market is the least important factor you should consider when deciding whether and when to buy a home.

Why: Everyone knows affordability is at an all-time high.  Home prices are low, and so are interest rates. But trying to time the market is a fool's errand; many who get caught up in that game of trying to make sure they buy at the absolute bottom will end up losing out on very, very favorable conditions.

Beyond that, the most important considerations when deciding whether and when you should buy a home are personal, not market driven. On today's market, it only makes sense to buy a place if it's going to be sustainable and work for you for at least the next 4-5 years [if your town's real estate market has been fairly recession-proof] or 7-10 years [if the housing/foreclosure crisis has hit your area pretty hard].

Against this "smart holding period" backdrop, smart buyers decide to buy when it makes sense for:
  • their life plans (i.e., they are comfortable making the commitment to live in the same town, and the commitment to )
  • their family plans (i.e., whether they plan to get married, have children or empty their nest in the time they plan to own the home - and the implications of these plans on their space needs and location priorities)
  • their career plans (including, but not limited to: whether they have job or income security, whether they feel they will be working in the same area for the foreseeable future, and whether they want to work less or start their own business in the months or years to come)
  • their financial plans (including foreseeable changes in income and expenses, e.g., kids going to college or making partner at the firm).

Stage Two: Getting Pre-Approved.

Insider Secret: Working with a mortgage broker referred by your real estate broker or agent may save you money.

Why: Bolstered by the real-life stories of a couple of bad apples, TV pundits and some consumer advocates have spun the tale of a real estate industry cartel, whereby sinister agents hook unsuspecting buyers up with shady mortgage brokers, who place them in crappy loans and kick back some bucks to the agent. I'm here to tell you, in my experience, the opposite is true the vast majority of the time. 

When you work with a mortgage broker who has a strong track record of helping your real estate agent's clients out, you end up in a best of all worlds situation, nine times out of ten. First off, your agent will take you much more seriously once a mortgage broker they know and trust has run your credit, checked your income and approved you for a loan, as well as communicated with your real estate pro about your qualifications and what you can afford.  Secondly, your agent can help you communicate with your mortgage broker, sometimes helping get past appraisal glitches or facilitating other workarounds, as they come up. Third, you get the assurance of working with a mortgage pro who has been vetted and vouched for by someone you not only trust, but someone who can verify that the mortgage broker has the ability to get transactions closed in the timely manner required of today's real estate sales contract.  Otherwise, you may end up working with a competent mortgage broker who has a great track record when it comes to refinancing, but can't keep up with the pace and common obstacles to getting a home financed in the context of a sale.

On top of that, sometimes the relationship can help you negotiate out of a couple of line item loan fees (if your particular mortgage rep has the power to get them down at all), if push comes to shove and cash is tight to close the deal.  Assuming you are working with a real estate pro you really trust, working with a mortgage broker they trust can save you, rather than cost you, money.


Stage Three: House Hunting

Insider Secret: "Distressed" doesn't always equal "discounted" - in some cases, a "regular" sale can be a deeper deal.

Why: Short sales and foreclosures have grown to comprise roughly 30 percent of the homes sold on today's market, even higher in some areas. The average sale price of foreclosed homes was 32% lower than the average sale price of non-foreclosed homes, at last count. However, it's not always the case that foreclosed homes or short sales - homes which are being sold for less than what the seller owes on their mortgage(s) - offer the buyer a fabulous discount. 

Mortgage servicers and asset managers who make decisions about distressed properties are on the hook to their investors to recoup as close as possible to the current fair market value of every home they sell. Some banks even have a general rule of rejecting offers more than 10 percent or so below the home's list price, preferring instead to reduce the price by that amount and put the home back on the open market to see if any new buyers are activated by the price reduction to make an offer better than the lowball offer that was initially put on the table.  On short sales, the bank is trying to get as close as possible to recovering what the seller owes - and may or may not be concerned with what the fair market value of the home is. (Nine times out of ten, there will be a big gap between fair market value and the seller's outstanding mortgage balance. If there wasn't, the seller wouldn't need to do a short sale!)

With so many distressed properties and homes with depressed values on the market, in many areas, the individual, non-distressed home sellers who are putting their homes up for sale right now are those who are very motivated to sell. Further, they are more likely to be flexible with you on everything that is negotiable, from contingency and escrow periods, to price, to repairs and included items.

Also, individual sellers can be emotionally motivated to sell to move on with their lives, get into their bigger (or smaller) house, or move on to their next job; banks, on the other hand, aren't people (!), so lack that emotional sense of urgency to get the properties sold, no matter how urgently you may think they should be trying to get rid of the foreclosed properties they own. (If you've heard the old advice that banks don't want to be in the home-owning business, I can tell you this. That is true, in a very general sense, but now they are and will be - for a long time to come. They have no emotions, have no urgent need to sell or move, and are not willing to give houses away at pennies on the dollar to get out of it, no matter what those infomercial folks say.) 

Long story short: you can sometimes negotiate a better deal with an individual seller on a "regular" sale than with a bank on a distressed home sale. So, don't limit your house hunt to foreclosures and short sales, if you're looking for a good deal on your home.

Stage Four: Negotiations

Insider Secret: Your family and friends can cause you to lose your dream home.

Why: With so much information on the web and the news every day about the recession and the buyer's market, everyone seems to be an armchair economist/real estate savant.  But much of that news is national and based on medians, averages and trends.  That is, it might not necessarily apply to every home on the market in every city, and more importantly, it might have nothing to do with "your" particular home.

When I was a little girl, my best friend's grandfather would very carefully hand each of us a quarter, always doling it out with the sage admonition: "Don't spend it all in one place." We'd always smile, look at each other, then go ask our Moms for ten bucks apiece.  In the same vein, people who are not currently in the market for a home have no idea what an individual home should "go for." If you tell your parents, church pals, or colleagues at work the blow-by-blow details of your offer, counteroffers, etc., you should expect to hear things like, "Oh, you're paying way too much!", "I think you should push them down another $10K," or "You know, you're in a better bargaining position than that." And sometimes, taking that sort of advice will end up blowing your deal.  Work with your trusty real estate broker or agent to develop a smart strategy - with their experience in your local market - about what price and terms to offer.  Then keep working with them to manage and maintain realistic expectations as you proceed through negotiating the contract to buy your home.
Stage Five: Escrow, Inspections and Underwriting

Insider Secret: It's critical that you attend your home inspections.

Why: When it comes to inspections, many first-time buyers expect that a home will either pass or fail.  Except in a few jurisdictions where the government imposes certain condition requirements for a home to be sold, the home inspection is more about educating you, the buyer, as to the details and nuances of the home's condition than about seeing if the place hits a particular target for "good" or "bad" condition. 

Home inspectors don't just look for things that need fixing, they also look to understand the home's systems and features, as well as to point out areas that will require your ongoing maintenance, highlight emergency shutoffs and other need-to-knows, and indicating where you should have specialists further inspect items of concern. Many home inspectors create vivid, detailed electronic reports - some, complete with color photos. But that's not enough!

If you're physically onsite at the home during the inspections, the inspector can physically show you the shutoffs for water, gas and electric - and how to use them.  They can also point out, in person, any things that need repair, and give you some tips for maintaining the place in tip-top shape.  Also, in many states, the general home inspector is legally prohibited (vs. the pest, roof or other "specialty" inspectors) from issuing a written quote or bid for repairs, to avoid a conflict of interest where they'd try to fabricate flaws in the home to get the repair job. However, the repair costs are one of the most important things a smart buyer wants to know!

If you show up, many inspectors will give you a rough range it would cost you to do various repairs, or otherwise indicate to you whether the needed repairs are "big deal" or "$10 home improvement store" fixes; some will even give you a few references to contractors they trust. 

All around, you'll get much more of the detailed information you need to know whether and how to move forward with the transaction if you should up in person to the home inspections, rather than just waiting for a copy of the report to come to your email. 

To make sure your home purchase is handled professionally – hire Lisa Bear, a trained professional. In the long run, you will wind-up with more money in your pocket and have less challenges with the move.  



Courtesy of Lisa Bear RE/MAX Realty Center
Surf the MLS for properties http://www.lisabear.com 
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabear
http://activerain.com/blogs/lisabear01
http://lakecountrylife.wordpress.com

Knowledge, Integrity, Experience and Results!!! 

If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell.... I'd love the REFERRAL!!

"HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION" 

Article compliments of  Tara-Nicholle Nelson