Forgotten Chores

A lot of work goes into owning a home, and while you’re busy maintaining the obvious, you may be missing smaller, hidden tasks that could lead to damage or health and safety hazards if left unattended. Here are several to consider:

1.  Test for water leaks. Water leaks not only waste water, but can also increase your water bill and cause serious damage inside walls or other hard-to-see places. The easiest way to check for leaks is to take a reading of the water meter, avoid using your water for a few hours and then take another reading. If it changes, then you have a leak.

1.   Seal stone countertops. Natural stone countertops are porous and absorb liquids, bacteria and stains, leading to irreversible damage. To seal countertops, clean them with a stone-safe cleaner or soap and water, then let them dry. Then apply the sealer, wait 15 minutes and wipe off any excess.

1. Clean dryer ducts. Lint, dirt and other residue can build up on the dryer screen, inside the lint trap, and around the machine and vents. Buildup blocks airflow, leading to less efficient drying or fires. Wash the lint screen with soap and water, use a long brush to clear out the lint trap, and vacuum out the tube and any stray lint.

1. Reseal tile grout. Most grout is a mixture of sand and cement, which can absorb liquids, bacteria and stains. Before sealing, scrub the grout and tiles to remove dirt and particles. Then apply sealant and wipe off the excess. Wait 15 minutes, apply a second coat and remove the excess. Grout is successfully sealed when water beads on top.

Home Away

Along with all the planning of what you're going to do and where you're going to stay, consider this checklist to make you feel more comfortable while you're away from home.

• Stop your mail (USPS Hold Mail Service) and your newspaper
• Ask a trusted friend to pick up your mail, newspaper and keep yard picked up to avoid an appearance of not being at home.
• Don't post about your trip on Facebook and other social media until you return; some burglars look for this type of announcement to schedule their activities.
• Do notify police or neighborhood watch - especially if you're going to be gone for more than just a few days. Let your monitoring service know when you'll be gone and if someone will be checking on your home for you.
• Light timers make it look like someone is home. Set multiple timers for various times to better simulate someone at home. There are plug-in modules for lights and appliances that would allow you to control them from your phone while your out of town.
• Do unplug certain appliances - TV, computers, toaster ovens that use electricity even when they're off and to protect them from power surges.
• Don't hide a key; burglars know exactly where to look for your key and it only takes them a moment to check under the mat, above the door, in the flower pot or in a fake rock.

These easy-to-handle suggestions may protect your belongings while you're gone while adding a level of serenity to your trip.

RENT VS. OWING A HOME

When comparing the cost of owning a home to renting, there is more than the difference in house payment against the rent currently being paid. It very well could be lower than the rent but when you consider the other benefits, owning could be much lower than renting.

Each mortgage payment has an amount that is used to pay down the principal which is building equity for the owner. Similarly, the home appreciates over time which also benefits the owner by increasing their equity.

There are additional expenses for owning a home that renters don't have like repairs and possibly, a homeowner's association. To get a clear picture, look at the following example of a $300,000 home with a 3.5% down payment on a 4.5%, 30-year mortgage.

The total payment is $2,264 including principal, interest, property taxes, property and mortgage insurance. However, when you consider the monthly principal reduction, appreciation, maintenance and HOA, the net cost of housing is $1,218. It costs $1,282 more to rent at $2,500 a month than to own. In a year's time, it would cost $15,000 more to rent than to own which is more than the down payment and closing costs to buy the home.

With normal amortization and 3% annual appreciation, the $10,500 down payment in this example turns into $112,00 in equity in seven years. Check out your own numbers using the Rent vs. Own .

Contact  Brandi Cook or Vikki Crossland the Aiken HOMES Team at Meybohm Real Estate at  803-645-3325,  (803) 645-8008 or info@AikenHOMES.com  to help. 

Each family's situation is unique.  Owning a home makes sense and can be one of the best investments a person will ever make.

Carbon monoxide is a silent killer you don't want in your home but because it is colorless and odorless; you may not even be aware the deadly condition exists. The Center for Disease Control says more than 400 people in the U.S. die annually from carbon monoxide poisoning and over 10,000 require medical treatment each year.Carbon monoxide is a silent killer you don't want in your home but because it is colorless and odorless; you may not even be aware the deadly condition exists. The Center for Disease Control says more than 400 people in the U.S. die annually from carbon monoxide poisoning and over 10,000 require medical treatment each year.

Unmaintained furnaces, water heaters and appliances can produce the deadly gas. In addition, other sources could be leaking chimneys, unvented kerosene or gas space heaters or exhaust from cars or trucks operating in an attached garage.
The Environmental Protection Agency suggests the following to reduce exposure in the home:

• Keep gas appliances properly adjusted
• Install and use an exhaust fan vented to the outdoors over gas stoves
• Open flues when fireplaces are in use
• Do not idle car inside garage
• Have a trained professional inspect, clean and tune-up central heating systems annually

Headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and feelings of weakness or fatigue are a few of the most common symptoms. Lower levels of exposure to carbon monoxide may be mistaken for the flu.
Carbon monoxide alarms should be on every level of a home and especially, in sleeping areas. The alarms can be purchased for as little as $25 and plugged into the wall like a night light.
Regardless of the government requirements, no one would want to put their family, guests or themselves at risk for something so deadly.

Unmaintained furnaces, water heaters and appliances can produce the deadly gas. In addition, other sources could be leaking chimneys, unvented kerosene or gas space heaters or exhaust from cars or trucks operating in an attached garage.
The Environmental Protection Agency suggests the following to reduce exposure in the home:

• Keep gas appliances properly adjusted
• Install and use an exhaust fan vented to the outdoors over gas stoves
• Open flues when fireplaces are in use
• Do not idle car inside garage
• Have a trained professional inspect, clean and tune-up central heating systems annually

Headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and feelings of weakness or fatigue are a few of the most common symptoms. Lower levels of exposure to carbon monoxide may be mistaken for the flu.
Carbon monoxide alarms should be on every level of a home and especially, in sleeping areas. The alarms can be purchased for as little as $25 and plugged into the wall like a night light.
Regardless of the government requirements, no one would want to put their family, guests or themselves at risk for something so deadly.

Some great ways to enhance your OUTDOOR Space.

10 Ways to Put Gravel to Work in Your Garden

The one experience that homeowners can agree upon after completing a remodeling project is that it costs more and takes longer than expected. It doesn't really matter that you researched, planned, and received multiple bids, it will, invariably, cost more and take longer than you originally anticipated.

Replacing floor covering or painting is a project that a homeowner can easily get bids and contract with the workmen directly. A new level of complexity occurs when the project involves more specialized contractors, like plumbers, electricians, carpenters, counters, and others.
Now, a homeowner is faced with dealing with one general contractor who will run roughshod over the sub-contractors or make the decision to do it themselves. Typically, you'll pay more for a general contractor, but the trade-off is that they have the contacts and experience to make things go smoothly.
Subs are notorious for wanting to finish their "part" of the project and move onto to the next job. Sometimes, they're not interested in the "big picture" enough to consider doing things in a way that are best for the overall outcome.
When you start tearing out some things, you find out that there may be unexpected expenses involved. Another common occurrence is that during the project, you get a new thought about changing something else "since it is already torn up anyway." This will add time and money to the job.
There can be the situation that the homeowner doesn't even know the right questions to ask or what to consider when trying to coordinate the different workers. The most detailed timetable can be thrown off track if one set of workers don't show up or finish on time. At best, it delays the project for a few days. At worst, it can delay it for a few weeks because the individual workers may have committed to other jobs that don't allow them to reschedule.
Once the work is done in a professional manner, you're probably going to live with it for years. If it is something you've wanted to do and it will allow you to enjoy your home more, it is worth doing. Just be patient and enter this adventure with the understanding that it will cost more and take longer than you expect.

A couple is planning to tour the United States in a travel trailer during their first few years of retirement. They are going to sell their current home now and purchase another home when they finish their travels.  

An interesting exercise is to determine the optimum time of selling the home: now or when they're ready to buy their replacement home.

If they intend on traveling for more than three years, then, it may be a good decision to sell prior to the sojourn to avoid paying taxes on the gain in their home. IRS allows for a temporary rental of a principal residence while still keeping the $250,000/$500,000 capital gains exclusion intact. A homeowner must own and use a home for three out of the previous five years which means that it could be rented for up to three years, but it would need to be sold and closed before that three-year window expires.

If the travel will be less than three years, there is an option of selling now or later. Using the example below, the homeowner sold the home, paid their expenses and invested the proceeds in a three-year certificate of deposit until the replacement home was purchased.


As an alternative, if the homeowner rented the home, not only would they have income, the home would continue to appreciate and the unpaid balance would go down resulting in larger net proceeds. Based on a 5% appreciation and continued amortization of the mortgage, the net proceeds could easily be $40,000 more.


Obviously, there are a lot of considerations that affect the decision to sell now or later but in an appreciating real estate environment, being without a home for several years could affect the financial position of the owner in the replacement property. It is certainly reasonable to look at various alternatives before making a decision since each area is unique. 

Call Vikki Crossland and Brandi  Cook, The Aiken HOMES Team at Meybohm Real Estate at 803-645-8008 or 803-645-3325 to discuss your specific real estate goals and  always consult your tax professional.

"How long do we have to wait to qualify for another mortgage" is the question concerning people who've had a foreclosure, short sale or bankruptcy. The loan types for the new loan will differ in amounts of time to heal credit scores based on the event.
The following chart is meant to be a general guide for how long a person might have to wait. During this waiting period, it's important that the person be current on all payments and maintains a history of good credit.
A recommended lender can give you specific information regarding your individual situation and can make suggestions that will improve your ability to qualify for a mortgage. This process should be started before looking at homes because of the time constraints listed here can vary based on current requirements and possible extenuating circumstances of your case.


We want to be your personal source of real estate information and we're committed to helping from purchase to sale and all the years in between. Call Vikki at (803) 645-8008 or Brandi at 803-645-3325 for lender recommendations.

An Aiken Tradition...

Hopelands Garden Concert Series-2018

Vikki and Brandi of the Aiken HOMES Team

of Meybohm Real Estate are the sponsors

for the opening night event on April 2nd.

Kenny George Band starting at 6:30 pm.

This is a "local’s" favorite event and weather is perfect!

The highly anticipated Hopelands Concert Series returns this April, May, and June. The first concert features The Kenny George Band, who will kick off Masters Week in Aiken with a performance in Hopelands Gardens on Monday, April 2nd at 6:30 pm. Guests are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and picnic dinner to enjoy the show. Admission is free. 

Event parking is located across the street from Hopelands Gardens at the Green Boundary Club, 780 Whiskey Road. Handicap parking is available at Rye Patch on Berrie Road and Hopelands Gardens on Dupree Place. 

For more information, please call 803-642-7631 or visitwww.cityofaikensc.gov or www.facebook.com/ExperienceAiken. Please call the rain-out hotline at 803-643-4661 for more information in the event of inclement weather.

The Federal Housing Authority, operating under HUD, offers affordable mortgages for tens of thousands of buyers who may not qualify for other types of programs. They are popular with both first-time and repeat buyers.
The 3.5% down payment is an attractive feature but there are other advantages:

• More tolerant for credit challenges than conventional mortgages.
• Lower down payments than most conventional loans.
• Broader qualifying ratios - total house payment with MIP can be up to 31% of borrower's monthly gross income and total house payment with all recurring debt can be up to 43%. There is a stretch provision taking it to 33/45 for qualifying energy efficient homes.
• Seller can contribute up to 6% of purchase price; this money must be specified in the contract and can be used to pay all or part of the buyer's closing costs, pre-paid items and/or buy down of the interest rate.
• Self-employed may qualify with adequate documentation - two year's tax returns and a current profit and loss statement would be required in addition to the normal qualifying and underwriting requirements.
• Liberal use of gift monies - borrowers can receive a gift from family members, buyer's employer, close friend, labor union or charity. A gift letter will be required specifying that the gift does not have to be repaid.
• Special 203(k) program for buying a home that needs capital improvements - requires a firm contractor's bid attached to the contract calling for the work to be done. The home is appraised subject to the work being done. If approved, the home can close, the money for the improvements escrowed and paid when completed.
• Loans are assumable at the existing interest rate with buyer qualification. Assumptions are easier than qualifying for a new mortgage and closing costs are lower.
• An assumable mortgage with a lower than current rates for new mortgages could add value to the property.

Finding the best mortgage for an individual is not always an easy process. Buyers need good information from trusted professionals. Call (803) 645-8008 for a recommendation of a trusted lender who can help you.

Aiken, SC Offers Several Lifestyles...It's YOUR Home, Your Lifestyle, We are YOUR Aiken Homes Team

HOME Buyers…Ever hear the word, it’s a “SLEEPER” used in real estate?

It is something you should be looking for and not only focusing on the new listings coming onto the market.

It’s a good quality home that's for sale, whose value goes unnoticed for some time, before everyone realizes it's worth.  A missed opportunity that is right in front of you.  It often might be due to seller starting too high when first listed so it may have long days on the market which people assume there is something wrong with the home when there is not or was under contract and contract failed to no fault of the home. The sellers are often readier to sell and will be open to a lower offer than listing price as compared to a home seller who’s home just went onto the market.

From our experience those are often the best buys on the market  which are right in front of you and you are not seeing it.  First call your buyer’s agent or if you do not one call: 

Vikki or Brandi at MEYBOHM Real Estate, 803-702-4090 and start looking for a “SLEEPER”.