MAY 14, 2010
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Ready, set … oh no! Nothing spoils a day more than breaking down on the water – and it always seems to happen at the most inopportune time. More often than not, however, the problem can be avoided with a little pre-season attention. Most boats suffer more from sitting than from actual use. Fuel ON THE gets stale, belts crack, batteries run down and ATER seals dry out. Three springtime maintenance must-dos include: fresh fuel, fresh fluids and a fresh charge. Top up the tank with fresh gas, thereby diluting the old gas sitCAPT. JON ting over winter. (AddBLOOM ing fuel stabilizer in the fall is a good idea.) Add a can each of water absorber and octane boost with the fresh gas for some extra insurance at very little cost. Fresh fluids typically mean engine oil and gear box or lower unit oil. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for specifics. Marine engines run harder than car engines. Higher revs and frequent starts and stops break down the lubricating properties of oil faster. There is also a higher tendency for water to find its way into these areas either by seeping or condensation. A milky consistency suggests the presence of water, a condition requiring further investigation. Third, with good ventilation present, put that battery on a charger to top it up. Even
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when batteries are not used much, they don’t last forever. If properly cared for, four seasons is about all I would rely on. If the charger shows high initial amp draw that falls off over time, chances are good the battery is still serviceable. An Internet search of “marine battery maintenance” will provide more detailed information on batteries. Once your fuel, fluids and battery have been freshened, don’t overlook belts, hoses and zincs. These are annual inspection items. Check for wear, cracking, leaks or other abnormalities. Follow the engine manufacture’s schedule for service and maintenance of non-visible items such as water pump replacement and valve adjustment. Robert Amos, manager of The Boat Dock (Discovery Bay) says the water pump is often overlooked and a common cause of breakdowns. He recommends replacement every year or every hundred hours on most engines (inboards and outboards) to be safe. Lastly, rather than temping fate with the whole family, plan your first day on the water with a boating buddy. Run your boats hard for an hour close to the launch point, then look, listen and feel. Use your natural senses to discover and diagnose any potential problems. Breakdowns often present with clues ahead of time. If you happen to have one, your boating buddy offers a short tow back. A Saturday afternoon of spring maintenance can help prevent a whole day of breakdown hassles and disappointment. Have fun and boat safe.
WHY ARE SOME SHORT SALES PRICED SO LOW? There are some listings in our area that are priced so low, they seem “too good to be true.” If you are a Seller, you may think the market is even worse than your worst fears. If you are a Buyer, you may lick your chops at the “great deal” you are about to get. More often than not, when you see a home listed at an unbelievably low price, it’s probably a short sale where the owner and agent just don’t quite understand how short sales are supposed to work. There is a psychology at work here on both the owner’s and agent’s part that clouds their judgment in regards to pricing. The owner is thinking, “Hey, it doesn’t matter to me, I’m not going to see a dime of this money. Let’s price it super-low to get offers right away so I can stop showing the home. Let the bank take the loss…” And the agent is thinking, “Well, buyers and agents tend to avoid short sales, so I want to price it low to guarantee we get interest and showings. We have to give them SOMETHING to compensate for the stigma of being a short sale.”
But what happens all too often in this situation is that the home does go into contract immediately, but once the bank appraises the home, they’ll discover that it was listed way under market value. The bank will counter back on price, probably close to market value. The Buyer cancels because they are no longer getting a “great deal” and it goes back on the market. So all that’s been accomplished is irritating your contact at the bank and wasting a lot of everyone’s time. We’ve had better luck listing short sales at market value, or even slightly above for the first month. That way you’ll be able to make a stronger case to the bank that the offer you are presenting represents a “good deal” for the bank as you are getting them “market value” for the home and at the same time it saves them the costs of going through a foreclosure. If you have questions on this or any other real estate topic, call me at (925) 240-MOVE (6683). To search the MLS for free and view virtual tours of homes for sale, go to: www. SharpHomesOnline.com. Sharp Realty – Advertisement
RUTH N. BUZZARD
Attorney & Counselor at Law FAMILY LAW ESTATE PLANNING Divorce • Separation • Custody Child/Spousal Support • Visitation Modifications • Property Division
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