Buying vs. renting a house: The advantages of each

Whats the BUZZZZZZZ

What's The Buzz? Your Backyard Beehive, Of Course!

There are always practices homeowners can adopt that will not only improve the value and appearance of their property, but will also improve their neighborhoods, communities, their own family's health and the environment.

One thing a homeowner can do to impact their property and their world is to consider housing and maintaining a small beehive.

Why keep bees? Christy Hemenway, author of "The Thinking Beekeeper," and founder of Gold Star Honeybees in Vermont says there is a bit of magic to bees.

She says establishing a low–maintenance hive tucked away in the corner of the yard will enhance the resurgence of a dwindling bee population, while providing robust pollination to flowering plants around one's home and landscape.

She believes Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, as reported in the news recently, is absolutely connected to toxins being put into the environment. And Hemenway's solution is her signature top bar hives.

They allow bees to make their own wax without a foundation – a piece of plastic coated with wax, embossed with hexagons. Some hexagons in the top bar comb are sized for food storage (honey), while others are for raising young bees.

Hemenway says beekeeping is not labor intensive – owners can spend as little as an hour a week simply performing inspections.

Her premiere product is the Deluxe Top Bar Hive Kit, with every part included, down to the glass observation window. All the owner must do is assemble the hive using a screwdriver and staple gun.

Deluxe Top Bar Hive Kits come in the New Englander Model, with its black roof for colder climates and the Arizona Model, with a white roof, for where it's warmer. Hemenway's other two top bar hive kits allow for beekeepers who enjoy the craft of woodworking to be more involved in the process of building their bees' new home.

8 Ways to Act Like a 2nd-Time Homebuyer the First Time You Buy

The first time you do anything, whether it’s riding a bike or buying a house, you’re not likely to do it perfectly. Everyone makes a few mistakes when they are novices, but if you pay attention to people who have gone through the first-time homebuyer experience before you, it’s possible to avoid some common errors:

1. Check Your Credit Sooner Rather Than Later

If you wait until you are ready to buy a home, you may find out the hard way that your credit is not good enough to qualify for a home loan. Correcting errors or boosting your score can take months, so make sure you give yourself time.


2. Ask About Future Plans for the Neighborhood

When you are narrowing down your choices you need to be aware that communities change over time. If you buy a home because it faces green space, you will be disappointed if a few months after you move in that land gets turned over to start construction on a high-rise.


3. Keep Back Some Cash

You may feel great about being able to make a 20% down payment, but you should be sure you also have an emergency fund with at least three to six months of expenses and a fund for repairs and maintenance. Owning a home means you are responsible when things go wrong.


4. Don’t Borrow Too Much
 
If there’s one big lesson that everyone should have learned from the housing crisis and the recession it’s this: It’s better to take on less debt rather than more. A lender will tell you what you qualify to borrow, but you should be the one to decide what you can comfortably afford to borrow given your other financial goals.

 
5. Look at the Community at Night, in the Daytime and on Weekends

Most people want to live where there are other people with similar interests and lifestyles, and the only way to find out what local life is like is to test it out. What seems like a quaint and quiet neighborhood on weekday mornings could become a commuters’ nightmare at rush hour or party central at 2 a.m.


6. Choose the Right Loan 

While you may be focused most on interest rates and wanting to get your home paid off as fast as possible, taking on the shortest term loan or grabbing an adjustable rate mortgage isn’t always the best plan. If you can easily afford the payments on a 15-year loan, go for it; but if it’s a stretch, then go with a 20 or 30-year loan and make extra payments toward your principal when you can. An ARM can be a good option for borrowers who will pay off their loan before it adjusts, but it can be risky if interest rates rise.


7. Talk to the Neighbors
 
One of the best ways to find out about an area and a specific home is to chat with people who live in the community. Ask about crime, schools, noise, amenities, and if they know anything about the house you are thinking of buying.


8. Think About Selling Before You Buy
The features that you love in a home are likely to attract someone else someday when you’re ready to sell, but there are some factors that can hurt a home’s future resale value. If a community has mostly homes with three bathrooms and the one you want only has two, it could mean your place will be a tough sell someday. On the flip side, buying a $1 million home in an area with $400,000 homes can be equally hard to pass on to new owners in the future.
Whether you are a first-time or second-time buyer, taking the time to educate yourself on your local market and being smart about your finances can help you make the decision of a more experienced buyer.

 http://www.realtor.com/advice/8-ways-act-like-second-time-homebuyer-first-time-buy/

Here’s a Homeowner Twist: Buy and Then Rent

Renting your home gives you the opportunity to build more equity over a longer period of ownership and to offset the cost of owning through rental income. Some homeowners who assume they will be short-term landlords end up appreciating the investment in real estate and continue into the future, while others wait for a strong market and the right moment to sell.

Deciding to buy a home requires a long-term plan that includes both a financial and a personal strategy for the future. Most financial planners recommend that you own a home for at least five to seven years in order to build equity and recoup your investment in the property.
But what if you’re not sure you will be in the home that long? A job transfer or a change in lifestyle, such as getting married or having a family, can shift your priorities or needs before five or seven years have passed, particularly if you are relatively young and in the midst of building your career.
One way to feel more comfortable buying a home despite your uncertainty is to consider the option of renting out the property instead of selling it.

What to Look for in a Potential Rental Property

If you are particularly uncertain about the future, you should look for a home with potential rental appeal when you are looking for a place to buy. Think about who rents condos, townhouses or single family homes in your area and what features they would appreciate. For example, you can buy near a college, university, law school or medical school in order to have a continuously renewed population of renters as each class graduates and new students arrive.
If you prefer not to rent to college students or grad-school students, you can target your home search to areas where young people live before they are ready to become homeowners. Depending on your area, this could be near public transportation, nightlife or both.
Buyers who prefer a single-family home should try to find a home in a school district that appeals to families, yet also has a good location near transportation, recreational amenities and shops.
Renters often want to share their property to keep costs low, so if you can afford a two- or three-bedroom place with at least two bathrooms, you may find it easier to attract roommates who will split the rent. Families, too, usually want at least two or three bedrooms.
While rental markets adjust along with the rest of the real estate market, you should look into current rents in an area where you want to live to see how they compare to purchase prices. If rents are extremely low, you may find it hard to charge enough rent to cover your mortgage; but if rents are high, you could actually profit from becoming a landlord in the future.

Disadvantages of Owning Rental Property

While your goal initially is to live in your home, you should consider the pros and cons of becoming a landlord in the future.
For example, some of the potential hazards include a gap between tenants, which could be lengthy if there are more rentals than demand in the area. Even if you have tenants, you could have problems with their damaging your property or not paying the rent on time.
As the landlord, you are responsible for repairs and maintenance, even if you live out of the area, so you may want to consider hiring a property management company to help you screen tenants and keep your home in good condition, especially if you plan to sell it someday.
While planning to be a landlord may not be the perfect solution, it could be an option that will make your rent vs. buy decision a little easier.

 http://www.realtor.com/advice/buy-and-then-rent/

Welcome to Wisconsin Real Estate
RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin

Please feel free to contact us for any of your residential or commerical real estate needs including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home if you are a buyer.

Our real estate focus in the  Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, Lake Country, Jefferson County, Dane County, Dodge County and Washington County areas. Several agents in the office also their IRES designation (International Real Estate Specialist) so they can assist you with all your real estate needs in Wisconsin, the USA or anywhere in the WORLD!

When you are seriously looking or just browsing at real estate in Wisconsin, RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, is the BEST resource to help you with all your needs and questions, whether a first time home buyer, relocating to or from the beautiful LAKE COUNTRY area, looking to invest or explore foreclosure opportunities or just thinking ahead to the future. 

The agents at RE/MAX Realty Center, Real Estate in Wisconsin (262-567-2455) are experienced agents with many years of real estate under their belts.  If you are looking for top notch real estate agents in Waukesha County and the entire Milwaukee Metro area look no further! The agents in our office think "outside of the BOX", focus on you and YOUR needs. We offer what most of the other agencies in the area cannot. Creativity, Listing  Package Options and unsurpassed marketing exposure locally, throughout the entire United States and Internationally!  If you want creative options and exceptional marketing and service -- we are the answer.

The RE/MAX Realty Center Office, has experienced agents with expertise in luxury home marketing, lake property experts, foreclosure and short sale specialists, investment and property management brokers and commercial brokers. 

Our agents areas of service include, but are not limited to:
The prospering communities of Waukesha County including Delafield, Waukesha, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Waukesha, Sussex, Wales, New Berlin, Dousman, North Prairie, Mukwonago, Chenequa, Menomonee Falls, Brookfield, Elm Grove, Okauchee, Eagle, Muskego and Merton. 

Great municipalities in Milwaukee County including Milwaukee, South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, Hales Corners, Greenfield, Glendale, Franklin, Bayside, Brown Deer, Cudahy, Fox Point, Greendale, Shorewood, Oak Creek, St. Francis, West Allis and Whitefish Bay. 

The hometown favorites of Washington County, Jefferson County and Dodge County including Watertown, Hartford, West Bend, Germantown, Jackson, Richfield, Ashippun, Lake Mills, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Slinger and Erin.

There is no place like "WISCONSIN LAKES"

If lake living is what you desire then Lake Country is the place to be! If you are thinking about buying waterfront property in Wisconsin, a little time invested in learning about waterfront living will pay back sizeable dividends in matching your expectations to realities. 

 Lake Country Living on one of Waukesha Countys great lakes as a full timer or vacationer is a must and there are some great lakes to choose.  Nagawicka Lake, Pine Lake, Oconomowoc Lake, Beaver Lake, Okauchee Lake, Pewaukee Lake, Moose Lake, North Lake, Lake Keesus, Lac La Belle, Upper Nashotah, Lower Nashotah, Upper Genesee, Lowe Genesee, Middle Genesee, Upper Nemahbin, Lower Nemahbin, Fowler Lake, Golden Lake, Pretty Lake, Silver Lake, Waterville Lake, and Crooked Lake. Great lakes of the surrounding area also include Lake Michigan, Rock Lake, Big Cedar Lake, Little Cedar Lake, Pike Lake and Lake Ripley.

Your best source for Lake Country Living is RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin

RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, 262-567-2455 or 262-893-5555,  offer online markets, listing package and FOR SALE BY OWNER (FSBO) options, MLS search access, buyer agency and marketing that will exceed your expectations, all with outstanding service!  

Your home purchase or sale is likely your largest investment, be sure you have an good agent you can trust! Real Estate in Wisconsin is an excellent investment, prices are superb, selection is great and rates are outstanding!!!

Ask us about our preferred vendors -- from lenders to help you finance your new purchase to contractors to help maintain!

Turn Your "Extra Room" Into An Office For A Good ROI

Recently, Seattlebubble.com surveyed their visitors with this question: What's the most important "extra room" to have in a house? Nearly half the respondents (48%) said an office or study would be their most important extra room.

This article will discuss a few pointers about designing or comfortably integrating a home office into one's dwelling, which could also generate a good return on investment if you are using it for work, or a hobby that generates a few extra bucks.

Amy–Mae Elliott at mashable.com recently interviewed home office expert Lisa Kanarek, founder of WorkingNaked.com who said the first thing to do is decide where your home office should be.

Kanarek suggests considering obvious places like a spare bedroom, guest room or basement, as well as more unorthodox spaces like a dining room or formal living room, if rarely or never used.

One important consideration, she says, is making sure your office has a door, ensuring you can switch off when you're not working. Some other tips include:

• Install an L–shaped arrangement for a desk to double your work surfaces.
• Add shelves above or next to your desk to gain more storage space and to reduce desktop clutter.
• Use open shelves or a hutch that sits on your desk to increase your storage space.
• Invest in some decent, surge–protected extension cords to install around the room where you need power most.
• Consider a Wi–Fi printer, which can be kept further away from the computer.
• If you work from home full–time, you're going to be spending as much time in your office as you do in the rest of the house, Kanarek says. Don't treat your working space as a second–class accommodation. Give it the importance it deserves.

The Best Home Investment:

The Best Home Investment: A Wood Deck

As the seasons turn, more homeowners look for projects that not only make their homes more livable, but also offer a great return on investment. With demand high across the country for outdoor spaces that bring the comforts of the indoors outside, there's no surprise that decks are one of the top remodeling projects for 2014.

In fact, a residential wood deck addition has a recouped cost of 87.4 percent, according to Remodeling Magazine's 2014 Cost vs. Value Report, the second highest ROI midrange project only behind an entry door replacement. That means adding a deck to your property will increase your livable space so you can enjoy the outdoors more while resting easy, knowing you're boosting the value of your home investment.

If you think you'd like to add a wood deck to your home, you might wonder about the different material options. "Although composite and PVC decking have gained popularity in recent years, pressure–treated wood decking still carries the lion's share of the market because it's inexpensive, easy to work with and can be found at any lumberyard," says Chris Fox, product manager at Universal Forest Products, a leading supplier of lumber and decking materials.

Today's pressure–treated lumber comes with advancements that weren't available to homeowners just a few years ago. For example, with more homeowners seeking eco–friendly building materials, wood suppliers are exploring environmentally–preferred treatment methods. For example, ProWood's micronized copper azole (MCA) treated lumber decking is eco–friendly, cost effective and easy to install.

MCA is a method for treating the wood (typically pine) using an EPA–registered waterborne wood preservative system to protect against termite attack and rot. MCA–treated lumber provides a light, natural look, unlike other pressurized wood treatments that result in the greenish hue with which most people are familiar.

You can leave MCA–treated lumber in its natural state for a more organic appearance in your outdoor spaces, or you can choose ProWood Dura Color decking that is color–infused with pigment driven deep into the wood fibers. This process creates beautiful treated wood grain that will stand up to the elements for many years, with no need for staining.

"People like the natural look of redwood and cedar, but they don't want the drawbacks that come with them, such as the high price and the fact that they quickly fade to gray," says Fox. "ProWood Dura Color lumber not only looks like natural cedar or redwood, but the color lasts much longer and is backed by a two–year color assurance warranty."

When researching treated wood materials for outdoor home improvement projects, such as a deck addition, Fox suggests discussing the project with the local lumber dealer and to be sure to understand and check the end tag for:

1. The description of use (above ground or ground contact)
2. Warranty statement
3. The quality standards it meets
4. Third–party quality inspection which assures product has passed retention and penetration tests.

RE/MAX REALTY CENTER SCHOLARSHIP 2014

Congrats to this years RE/MAX REALTY CENTER SCHOLARSHIP recipient of $1000. 

Shelly Robertson is graduating tomorrow from Watertown High School. She will be attending UW Madison in the fall and has her eye on the business world.