Palouse Living, August 2018

Palouse LIVING Your resource for buying, selling and enjoying your home on the Palouse.

Rejected offer?

Here’s why

August A ugust 2018 2018 M Moscow-Pullman oscow-Pullman D Daily aily N News ews & L Lewiston ewiston T Tribune ribune

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| August 2018 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune

Palouse Living

Signs it is time for new windows MetroCreative

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indows help regulate the temperature in a home, let in natural light and keep insects, weather and outdoor elements outside where they belong. The right windows also can add value to a property by providing aesthetic appeal and increasing curb appeal.

windows could be to blame. Aging, drafty windows can make it necessary to run HVAC systems more often and at higher or lower temperatures in order to keep homes comfortable.

Although homeowners can typically get many years out of their homes’ windows, ultimately windows will need to be replaced. Homes that are more than 20 years old and still have their original windows could be due for an upgrade.

Aluminum- or wood-framed windows also may be ripe for changing. Here are some signs that it’s time to replace windows, courtesy of Good Housekeeping, Centra® and the real estate website Redfin.

Homeowners may get used to the quirks of their windows, but those that are difficult to open or close may require replacement. In addition, if windows need to be propped open, it’s time to replace them.

Drafty feel in the home Window frames can begin to shrink as they age, allowing air to flow from the outdoors in and vice versa. Homeowners may notice drafts when standing near windows or hear whistling on notably windy days.

Windows are difficult to open or close

Water infiltration Warping or decaying window frames can make it easy for rain or snow to get into the home. Wood frames are particularly prone to moisture decay. If frames are warping or allowing water into the home, it’s time for an upgrade.

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Condensation on windows Fog or condensation buildup on windows can occur if the seal between panes is broken. In this instance, replacement windows are necessary.

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Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | August 2018 |

7 times you can kiss your security deposit goodbye

By Terri Williams // Realtor.com

O

ne of the many fees associated with renting a new apartment is the security deposit. It’s an amount of money a landlord will collect from renters before they move in, and it’s commonly used to cover damage to the property, key replacement, and any late or unpaid rent. It’s usually the equivalent to one month’s rent, but in some cases can be substantially more.

Most tenants can expect to get back some or all of their security deposit when they move out—depending, of course, on the condition they leave the place in. However, recouping your security deposit is not always a given. In fact, according to a Rent.com survey of 1,000 U.S. renters, 26% of renters lost their security deposit.

So what keeps people from reclaiming that precious cash they put down?

Every situation—and landlord—is different, but if you commit one of the seven following transgressions, there’s a really good chance you won’t be getting your full security deposit back.

1. Moving out late Your move-out date determines when the apartment can be fixed up for the next tenant, since landlords typically paint, replace carpets, and make repairs when the unit is empty.

But if you move out late, you’ll delay the whole process—and prevent your landlord from being able to allow the new tenant to move in and start paying rent. In such a case, landlords might decide to recoup their losses by keeping part or all of a tenant’s security deposit.

However, “late” can have other meanings, according to Bruce Ailion, an Atlanta, GA-based realtor and attorney: not paying your last month’s rent on time, not returning your keys on time, and not allowing the transfer of utilities on time. All of these factors can hurt your chances of ever seeing your security deposit again.

2. Moving out early Landlords don’t like surprises, and moving out before your lease is up is a bad surprise. Whether you’re moving by choice or by force (i.e., if you get evicted), when you leave early, the landlord may not have another tenant lined up to move into your unit. So, an unoccupied room could cost the landlord, who will be likely to keep your security deposit to help recoup the loss.

3. Letting your pets run wild While you may consider your pets to be family members, landlords often see them as another possible reason to withhold your refund.

“Pets can destroy property and create issues that may require the carpet or hardwood flooring to be replaced,” says Jason Burroughs, founder and CEO at Able Body Moving and Delivery in Birmingham, AL. “They may also require the landlord to repaint and even repair Sheetrock.”

4. Letting your kids run wild Kids say—and also do—the darnedest things, and your landlord isn’t amused.

“Kids spill juice and food, write on walls, and generally lack understanding of consequences, which can cost you,” Burroughs says. Just as a landlord is likely to penalize you for any pet damages, damages caused by your kids will often result in a penalty.

5. Exceeding normal wear and tear This is a key factor: Anytime your unit is damaged above and beyond normal wear and tear, you probably won’t get your money back.

“Normal wear and tear can be difficult to define, but landlords generally see it as signs of deterioration associated with regular use,” says Katie Powell, an area manager for the

| August 2018 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune

Palouse Living

Connor Group, a real estate investment firm.

Also, don’t assume that the next tenants will want your personal belongings.

Things like small carpet stains, dirty grout, and minor scrapes on wood floors all constitute normal wear and tear. “However, excessive stains, rips or tears in the carpet— especially if the damage spans multiple rooms—would require replacement,� Powell says.

“Make sure you take all of your stuff when you move out,� says Eric Mendelsohn, an agent at Warburg Realty in New York. “Landlords can withhold security deposits for furniture that is left behind to cover the cost of removing it.�

Holes in the walls, damage from smoking indoors, or any existing maintenance issues are all typically seen as beyond the scope of normal wear and tear.

7. Subletting your unit without permission Subletting, or renting out your apartment to someone else while you’re not living there, sounds like a pretty sweet arrangement. But if you don’t have formal permission from your landlord, it could land you in hot water that could cost you your deposit.

6. Failing to return your place in move-in condition It’s natural to want to personalize your unit while living there, but don’t forget to leave it in move-in condition, or a close approximation of how it looked when you moved in.

This means removing your personal effects, and possibly returning wall colors to their original state before you leave.

Shane Lee, a statistical data analyst at RealtyHop in New York, almost lost her security deposit several years ago when she tried to sublet her New York apartment on Airbnb to earn some extra cash—without getting her landlord’s permission.

“Robin’s-egg blue may have seemed like a great idea to liven up your apartment, but bright or dark colors can be difficult to cover when returning your apartment to its original condition,� says Powell. If your landlord has to pay to cover the walls you painted, it’s likely coming out of your deposit.

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT

“It took me some effort to convince the landlord to not withhold my security deposit, but I was very close to losing two months of rent,� she says.

Terri Williams is a journalist who has written for USA Today, Yahoo, The Economist, U.S. News & World Report, and the Houston Chronicle. Follow @Territoryone

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Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | August 2018 |

So your offer was rejected?

This might be the reason why

By Cathie Ericson // Realtor.com

Y

ou loved the house so much, you made an offer—a good one. Yet for some unfathomable reason, it was rejected. What gives?

While home sellers don’t have to explain why they pass up what seems like a perfectly fine offer, trust us, they do have their reasons—and it’s not always just because a higher bidder came along. Sometimes, sorry to say, it really is you.

Worried you might be doing or saying something that’s making home sellers steer clear? Check out these stories from real-life home sellers and their real estate agents on what prompted them to pass up an offer. Consider this a list of what not to do when you really want a house.

Your offer letter revealed a little too much “When the bids are very close, things like a personal offer letter can either help or hurt, depending on what it says,” says Andrea Gordon, a real estate agent with Red Oak Realty in Oakland, CA. “In one case, the buyer went on and on about the huge remodel he would do when he owned the house. But this was a slap in the face to my sellers, who had spent a considerable amount of money in the past five years remodeling the property. In another case, the buyers wrote a poem to the sellers, but there were spelling mistakes throughout. My seller thought it was over the top, and was appalled by their lack of proper grammar.”

Take-home lesson: There are many agents who swear by the power of a heartfelt offer letter, but make sure that you don’t in any way insult the sellers or their taste. And, apparently the grammar police are out there—you’ve been warned!

Your offer was too high—really “I had a listing in a very sought-after neighborhood, and we immediately received two offers over list price,” says Gail Romansky at Pearson Smith Realty in Ashburn, VA. “The first offer was $15,000 over list price. The second offer was $40,000 over list price. While the latter higher offer was

tempting to take, I explained that the house was not likely to appraise for this higher amount, which meant the loan might not close. So we went with the lower offer of the two.”

Find homes for sale on Take-home lesson: A higher offer isn’t always better, since lenders will only loan you as much as the house is appraised for—not a cent more. A solid, realistic offer is a much better move—or, if you do bid high, make sure you’re willing to cover the difference out of your own pocket.

Your lender was unfamiliar to the seller “When we saw an offer from a buyer who was using an online lender we’d never heard of, it made us wary,” says Misty Weaver, a real estate agent with Samson Properties in Chantilly, VA. “That’s because we couldn’t be sure that they understood the local customs and laws, specifically if they might worry the septic system was a risk and deny the loan. A local lender would already understand.”

Take-home lesson: Often a real estate agent and seller feel more comfortable with a local lender they know. Do your research and choose the loan that’s right for you, but consider giving preference to a well-regarded local mortgage lender when possible.

You demanded a family heirloom “My sellers had specifically excluded all the chandeliers in the house, and so they were surprised when a great offer came in—but the buyers insisted on the chandelier,” says Red Oak Realty’s Gordon. “My sellers countered that the chandeliers were family heirlooms, and they would be happy to provide a credit for the replacement of the lighting fixtures, but the buyers pushily countered that they must have those fixtures. Needless to say, the sellers sold the house to someone else.”

Take-home lesson: If you swooned over not just the house, but also something in it, go ahead and request to include it in

| August 2018 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune

Palouse Living

the deal. However, if it’s something the sellers want to take, let it go. It’s not worth losing the whole house in your bid for a pretty light fixture.

decided to pass for another offer where we didn’t feel like the buyer was either a total wacko or was playing games with us.”

You made a full-price offer, but nickel-anddimed elsewhere

Take-home lesson: Playing games or withholding routine information can make the seller doubt you and your intentions.

“I had a buyer submit a full-price offer and then request $10,000 toward closing costs,” says Tracey Hampson, a real estate agent at Realty One Group in Valencia, CA. “So obviously that means the sellers are not in fact getting a fullprice offer, but one that’s $10,000 under.”

Your financial picture didn’t look solid enough

Take-home lesson: While sellers love to see full-price offers, don’t try to Scrooge them out of that money elsewhere—they will see right through it.

You acted like you had something to hide “A buyer made an offer on our house, but insisted on being anonymous,” recalls Amber Watson-Tardiff, a home seller in Bordentown, NJ. “Now, this wasn’t some extravagant property where a celebrity was protecting his or her privacy. It was a twin house that was being sold for under $150,000. The real estate agent wouldn’t give us any information about the person, and the whole experience just felt so shady that we

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Take-home lesson: The last thing a seller wants is to get ready to close, only to discover that the buyer cannot complete the transaction and thus send them back to the drawing board. Make sure you’ve cleaned up your credit and have your finances in order before making an offer.

Cathie Ericson is a journalist who writes about real estate, finance, and health. She lives in Portland, OR. Follow @CathieEricson

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“I had a buyer who made an offer on a house, but they came in with a low down payment, a very high debt-toincome ratio, and a subpar credit rating,” says Kevin Deselms at Re/Max Alliance in Golden, CO. “This spooked the seller because it called into question the buyer’s ability to get their loan funded and close the transaction.”

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Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | August 2018 |

Design a more functional pantry MetroCreative

M

any homeowners wish they had more storage space, and kitchens are one area where people seemingly can always use more storage.

Despite a desire for more kitchen space, until recently, kitchen pantries fell out of favor. Builders and architects may have thought that close proximity to supermarkets as well as multi-use cabinets in kitchens would offset the need for pantries.

But according to a recent survey from the National Association of Home Builders, a kitchen pantry is the most desirable kitchen feature for buyers in the market

Palouse LIVING Here’s why

According to a 2016 survey from ReportLinker, 98 percent of Americans say cooking at home is their preferred way to prepare a meal. And despite the wide array of restaurants, prepared meals and fast food options nearby, more than one-third of people cook at home daily, with nearly 50 percent cooking between three and six days a week.

In order to accommodate for spending more time in the kitchen, homeowners are directing additional attention to kitchen preparation and storage features. In fact, one recent trend in kitchen renovations is creating custom-designed pantries.

Locate the appropriate space

Your resource for buying, selling and enjoying your home on the Palouse.

Rejected offer?

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Palouse Living is published monthly, August A ugust 2018 2018 with 7,000 copies Moscow-Pullman M oscow-Pullman D Daily aily N News ews & L Lewiston ewiston T Tribune ribune distributed in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Lewiston Tribune and at participating advertiser locations.

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Ideally, pantries should be in or adjacent to the kitchen. But not every home layout allows for this setup.

Some homeowners need to move storage pantries into the garage, the basement or a mud/laundry room.

Various factors should be considered before placing a pantry outside a kitchen. What is the climate? Will food spoil? Is there a possibility that vermin or insects can infiltrate the room and access food? These factors will dictate whether to have closed cabinets, air-tight bins or open shelves or if other modifications must be made to the room prior to building.

Choose the type of pantry Accessibility is essential in a pantry. Everything should be easily reached and grabbed as needed without having to move too many things. Ideally, foods should be arranged in a single layer so that all items can be viewed at a glance. Shelves of various depths and heights can accommodate items of different sizes.

8 | August 2018 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune

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Adjustable shelves are ideal because they can be modified as foods change. Sliding drawers can improve reach in cabinets.

In smaller spaces, French door-style reach-in cabinets are convenient and flexible. In complete kitchen remodels or new constructions, walk-in pantries offer the most space and flexibility.

Must-have features Pantries serve different functions in different homes.

For the bulk shopper, a pantry with plenty of room for large items will be needed.

Lighting can be beneficial in all pantries. Lights can improve visibility when trying to locate items. Others prefer an outlet for charging hand-held vacuums or other small appliances. Counter space in the pantry enables homeowners to unload groceries directly onto pantry shelves.

For pantries located outside of the kitchen, built-in freezers can maximize storage possibilities, especially

for those who freeze-and-eat after bulk shopping ventures.

Pantries are popular features that homeowners can customize depending on their storage needs and the amount of time they spend in their kitchens.

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Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | August 2018 |

Items to consider when outfitting a home gym MetroCreative

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ome gyms can make working out more efficient, saving time driving to a fitness facility and enabling people to stick to a workout regimen during inclement weather.

strength training to achieve optimal health.

Having a gym at home also may motivate people to work out more frequently and more effectively, as they can exercise at any time of day they choose and won’t need to share equipment with fellow fitness enthusiasts.

The CDC recommends adults do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. In addition, the CDC advises adults to include moderateor high-intensity muscle-strengthening activities, involving all major muscle groups, in their workout regimens two or more days per week.

While workouts will vary from individual to individual, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend adults should combine both aerobic and

When constructing their home gyms, homeowners should keep CDC recommendations in mind so they can enjoy as complete a workout as possible.

The following are some items homeowners can consider when outfitting their home gyms.

Barbells Barbells aren’t just for biceps. Barbells can be used to work all the major muscle groups, including arms, chest, shoulders, legs, and back. Purchase a set of barbells of various weights so workouts can be varied depending on the muscle group being targeted.

Bench, bar and plates A bench, bar and plates also can be invaluable to people who want a fitness facility-quality workout at home.

Purchase plates of various weights but remember to be cautious with the amount of weight you lift when no partner or spotter is present. When shopping for a bench, look for one that 10 | August 2018 | Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune

Palouse Living

can incline and decline, which increases the range of exercises you can perform at home.

Land line If the gym will be in a basement or another area of the home where access to a mobile network is unreliable, the presence of a land line in the room can help in the case of emergencies. Those who work out at home will be doing so without gym staff or other fitness enthusiasts nearby, so the land line can be invaluable should someone suffer an injury when exercising alone.

If possible, place the land line in the middle of the room so it’s not too far away from any particular area.

Flooring Homeowners have various flooring options when outfitting their home gyms. Carpet tiles, rubber flooring, foam flooring, and vinyl tiles are popular options.

Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and the right choice may depend on how the gym will be used. For example, foam flooring may be compressed

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under heavy equipment, which may be problematic for homeowners who want to include lots of equipment in their home gyms. Before considering which flooring material to lay down, write down your likely workout routine before taking that write-up with you to a flooring contractor who can recommend the best material for you.

Cardiovascular equipment Homeowners don’t have to reinvent the wheel when purchasing cardiovascular equipment for their home gyms. If a treadmill worked for you at the gym, purchase one for your home gym as well. Cardio equipment can be expensive, but savvy homeowners may be able to find fully functional secondhand equipment online. If you currently have a gym membership, speak with the owner about purchasing a used item directly from the facility.

Outfitting a home gym requires homeowners to give careful consideration to their workout preferences so they can tailor their gyms to their specific needs.

Moscow-Pullman Daily News & Lewiston Tribune | August 2018 | 11

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