www.reporterherald.com Saturday, July 2, 2011 Reporter-Herald

Real EstateMatters

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� See GLINK/Page D2

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Renting outhome canbe risky

ILY C E GLINKTRIBUNE MEDIA SE RV I C E S

Question: I have been unem-ployed for about six monthsand have just secured a job

in another city. I will reach retire-ment age in about six or sevenyears. I will most likely not retire inthe new city I will be relocating.

Should I try to sell my currenthome and purchase a home in thenew city? Or should I rent my cur-rent home and then rent somethingin a new city? My home does needsome work (new roof and painting,etc.). My home is worth about$200,000 and I owe about $75,000.

I contacted a Realtor and she saidher firm charges one month’s rentto set things up and 7 percent permonth to look after the rental prop-e r t y.

What do you recommend, andwhat are the pros and cons?

Answer: Can you sell your house?If you can sell your home, youshould think about doing that, tak-ing the cash and moving on.

It may be easier for you to moveon than pay a real estate agent tolease the property, especially if youknow you need to fix things up be-fore you can rent it and then hiresomeone to go in after each tenantleaves to thoroughly clean and re-pair the property. On top of all that,you have to pay an additionalmonthly expense to have someone

On the

M oveTips on hiring a moverCLINT BRISCOEMCCL AT C H Y-TRIBUNE

It is not the move thatcauses the problems formost. It is being able to

physically move the day afterthat usually presents thebiggest challenge.

Hiring a professional mov-ing company is the safest,easiest way to get items frompoint A to point B and avoidheadaches and a terriblebackache in the process. Butconsider these points whenchoosing a company to moveyour belongings:

MEET FACE-TO-FACE

Do not accept moving esti-mates over the phone. In or-der to give an accurate esti-mate, the mover should sur-vey all items being moved, in-cluding what is in the attic,basement, garage or shed.During the in-person meet-ings, try to determine whichcompany is the best fit. If amoving company is pushy,confrontational, careless orslow in the bidding process,they will probably be worseduring the move.

WEIGHT WATCHERS

It is not polite to talk

about weight, but it is a veryimportant issue when mov-ing. For a move betweenstates, also known as an in-terstate move, professionalstypically use the distance ofthe move and the totalweight of the items beingshipped to create an esti-mate. Although not as com-mon, some movers will basetheir estimate on the amountof truck space required forthe pieces being shipped. Es-timates for local, or in-trastate, moves are usuallybased on an hourly rate orthe number of movers need-ed for the job. To easily com-pare estimates, be sure theyall use the same variables.

SURPRISE

There are three main typesof moving estimates, and it isimportant to understandeach so there are no surpris-es when the final bill arrives.A binding estimate guaran-tees a fixed price for themove, but additional costscan be incurred if extra ser-vices are requested or re-quired. A “not-to-exceed” es -timate ensures the customerwill pay no more than thebinding estimate, but theycould pay less if the move is

completed for a lower cost.Non-binding estimates, onthe other hand, are notguaranteed. The final costof the move will be deter-mined once the contentsare loaded and weighed,meaning the customer couldpay more than they originallyplanned.

YOU BREAK, YOU BUY?

Homeowners should pro-tect themselves and theirpossessions by ensuring thecompany handling theirmove is adequately insured.Professional moving compa-nies will have varying replace-ment or reimbursement poli-

cies. Some may pay for thereplacement cost of the item,while others may reimbursefor the total value of thedamaged item.

STORAGE CAPACITY

If space is a problem in thenew home, a storage unit isalways an option. Storageunits come in a variety oftypes, sizes and prices. Whenchoosing a unit, think abouthow long it will be needed,how often it will need to beaccessed and whether or notthe contents are sensitive tocold or heat. These factorsand features will all affect theprice.

WORTH THE COST

Whether moving acrosstown or across the country,relocating can be expensive.According to the AmericanMoving and Storage Associa-tion, the average cost of aninterstate move is $4,300,and the average cost of an in-trastate move is $2,300.

When hiring a mover,make sure they are certifiedby the AMSA, and if the moveis across state lines, the com-pany will also need to be reg-istered with the UnitedStates Department of Trans-portation’s Federal CarrierSafety Administration.

There arethree typesof movingestimates:binding,not-to-exceed andnon-bind -ing.

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BUILDERS MODEL FOR SALEOPEN HOUSE 12 TO 4 THURS.-MON.

Venna HillmanERA Herman Group/Glen Marketing970-663-4522venna@glencompanies.comwww.DakotaGlen.com

5bd, 4ba, custom blt ranch, 4340 sq ft, originalowner on .45 acre extensively wooded &private cul-de-sac lot in Clarendon Knolls. 10miles to ACE/NASA. Close to library, FrommePrairie.

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ON THE RIDGE FOR VIEWS!

Jim ChanceThe Group, Inc. Real Estate970-388-4261jchance@thegroupinc.com5227foxhills.thegroupinc.com

7.85 Acre property - Cute 2 bedroomhome with fenced yard - hardwood floors,beautiful handcrafted cabinets, enclosedpatio, 2 bedroom, 1 bath mobile home, 3 outbuildings, MLS# 653102 $292,000

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OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY 11-1PM

Ursula AlbersCentury 21 Humpal, Inc970-231-1224Ursula.Albers@century21.com

3bd, 3ba, 1936sf end-unit townhome.Spacious & immaculate! Master bdrm is onits own level w/ 5pc bath & 2 lrg closets.Unfinished basement. 2-car attached garage.Larger fenced yard.

4090 Independence Drive, Loveland, CO

$1,000 PRICE REDUCTION!

Jim ChanceThe Group, Inc. Real Estate970-388-4261jchance@thegroupinc.com4090independence.thegroupinc.com

Maintenance FREE* Patio Home-Great openfloor plan-Split 3 bdrms. Alder doors, trim &cabinets, 5 pc. master bath. Stone fireplace..2 1/2 car garage. Landscaping included.MLS#611670. $342,500

3480 Peruvian Torch Drive, Loveland

BUILDERS MODEL FOR SALEOPEN HOUSE 12 TO 4 THURS.-MON.

Venna HillmanERA Herman GroupGlen Marketing970-663-4522 venna@glencompanies.comwww.DakotaGlen.com

1/3 acre lot & well cared for home. Maturepark-like landscaping w/ many floweringshrubs & perennials. Hickory hardwood & tilethroughout main flr. 3bdrms up + study areain basement.

7901 Whitney Court, Fort Collins

DESIRABLE MANOR RIDGE ESTATES!

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Great 1 acre property in Indianhead Estateson corner lot with 3 car attached garagePLUS separate 2 car/shop! Room for yourRV’s! Like new home. $379,000.

27847 Arikaree Rd, Loveland

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An FHA 203(k) mortgage allows you to finance both your home purchase and renovation with a single loan. Call now to learn more.

Loans and rates subject to credit approval. FHA conditions and restrictions apply.

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Buying a home that needs work?Call the experts in FHA 203(k)renovation financing.

Think big Bank small

D2 Saturday Reporter-Herald July 2, 2 0 1 1

Real Estate Transactionsare supplied by ProspectsUnlimited Inc., 1151 EagleDrive No. 467, Loveland,CO 80537, 667-1537.

L oveland• David & Karen Barber

from Arnold Holley, 2652Farisita Dr, Loveland,$375,000, home

• Jeffrey Foote fromOak Valley Homes LLC,275 Carina Cir Unit 105,Loveland, $154,000, con-do

• Joan Huebl from Pru-dential Relocation Inc,4467 Cushing Dr, Love-land, $230,000, home

• Ann Lenart fromSerenity Homes NorthernColo I, 1016 Janna Dr,Loveland, $267,000,home

• Ryan & Linda Praterfrom Larry Longwell,1579 S Gilpin Ave, Love-land, $171,500, home

• Brian Rutledge fromKen Simonitis, 5609Grant Ave, Loveland,$127,800, home

• Stephen & KaronMiller from Bradley Thom-son, 359 Wanda Ct, Love-land, $240,000, home

• Jason & Lisa Hettrickfrom 1331 North GarfieldLLC, 1331 Garfield Ave,Loveland, $179,500,home

• Randall & Nancy Sam-son from Axtell LivingTrust, 5275 Apricot Ct,Loveland, $380,000,home

• Nancy Pulis from Fed-eral National MortgageAssn, 1911 Chama Ave,Loveland, $160,000,home

• Jessica Stimmel fromJames Gable, 3705 Pan-ther Dr, Loveland,$255,000, home

• Douglas & VanessaKolstee from Mary Jok-erst, 4225 Florence Dr,Loveland, $188,900,home

• Jeanna Jensen fromLoveland Midtown Devel-opment I, 1945 Gemini

Ct, Loveland, $212,900,home

• David & Lani Pette-bone from David Newgord,2828 Raymond Dr, Love-land, $282,000, home

• Bradford & AnneGleditsch from JenniferPeters, 4143 SilverthorneCt, Loveland, $125,000,home

• Gail Axtell from JohnPoole, 4111 Marble Dr,Loveland, $230,000,home

• Investment LLC fromWells Fargo Bank, 1816Jocelyn Dr, Loveland,$108,000, home

Berthoud• Bryan Burkhalter

from Daniel Stangel, 961N 4th St, Berthoud,$220,000, home

• Leonard & EmilyCarter from Earl Price,213 Victoria St, Berthoud,$210,600, home

Estes Park• Steven & Sybil Ennis

from Greg Arganbright,770 East Ln, Estes Park,$698,000, home

• Greg & Cheryl Argan-bright from Steven Ennis,1555 Raven Cir Unit 20 B,Estes Park, $255,000,condo

• Jennah & NathanJones from Pkep LLC,410 Birch Ave, Estes Park,$185,000, home

Johnstown• Linds & Linds Tillery

from Capital West NatlBk, 440 Frontier Ln,Johnstown, $160,000,home

• Leon & Carol Ottofrom Brent Graybill, 254Basswood Ave, Johnstown,$234,600, home

• Angelic Mazur fromFannie Mae, 3759 BarnardLn, Johnstown, $188,600,home

• Kristopher & RebeccQuillen from Jody Jenkin,220 Becker Cir, John-stown, $219,000, home

• Austin & BrookeBarker from WaltersRains, 1009 N 4th St,Johnstown, $293,000,home

Windsor• Joseph Schneider

from James Voseipka,2001 Rivers Edge Rd,Windsor, $378,000, home

• Joel Anderson fromRonald Black, 1403 GrandAve, Windsor, $220,000,home

• Windsor Church fromDeutsche Bk Natl TrustCo, 1353 Saginaw PointeDr, Windsor, $148,000,home

• Tcsy LLC from FedHome Loan Mtg Corp,100 Beacon Way Unit 7c,Windsor, $104,500, condo

• Jacquelyn Lau fromJacob Kershman, 1109Nantucket St, Windsor,$148,000, home

• Bradley Krehbiel fromSylvester Mabry, 1201Tanglewood Ct, Windsor,$165,000, home

• Stephen & Mary Os-borne from US Bk, 1499Westwood Dr, Windsor,$183,500, home

• Michael & MaryFitzgerald from WestmarkHomes LLC, 7050 RoyalCountry Down Dr, Wind-sor, $458,200, home

• Christine Cooperfrom Robert Abiecunas,6549 Royal Country DownDr, Windsor, $364,500,home

• Roy & KimberliBrundage from ClassicCustom Builders Inc,6466 Murano Dr, Windsor,$555,000, home

• Jason & Sheri Labuefrom Glenn Labue, 1200Redwood Ct, Windsor,$135,000, home

• Mark & Vicky Wahlfrom Prestige Homes LLC,320 Telluride Dr, Windsor,$284,100, home

• Saint LLC from Win-ter Farm Windsor LLC,601 Yukon Ct, Windsor,$245,000, home

H& Real Estate TransactionsRE

Mortgage rate update

30-year fixed

15-year fixed

5/1 ARM

This week Last week Tre n d

4.57%

4.73%

3.14%

4.44%

4.62%2.98%

Home & Real Estateis produced everySaturday by the

Loveland Reporter-Herald.

EDITORIAL INFORMATION635-3656

DISPLAY ADVERTISING669-5050

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING635-3650

For home and real estate advice,features and information, visit

www.homeandrealtyguide .com

Regional Snapshot for Loveland/Berthoud Residential

M a rch April M ay

Active Listings 960 966 1004Previous Year Active Listings 1099 1126 1117

Sold Listings 105 137 126

Median Sales Price $206,025 $212,500 $200,000Previous Year Median $234,500 $199,900 $214,500

Average Days on the Market 123 155 107Previous Year ADOM 126 119 118

Year to Date Listings Sold 258 395 521Previous Year YTD Listing Sold 263 401 559

GLINKFrom Page D1

manage the property.Yo u ’ll have to do the math, but here are things to

consider: If you rent the home for the next three tofive years and have a new renter each year, you’llhave to pay one month’s rent to the real estateagent for each year and another 7 percent of therent you collect in fees. You will also have to pay theexpenses of maintaining the property. (Don’t forgetthat there will be some months when the propertyis vacant, but you’ll still have to pay managementfees.)

Add those basic costs up and compare that num-ber with the amount you might get from the homenow. If you find that you can get a fair price sellingthe home now and don’t expect to get much morein three to five years, you might be better off sell-ing.

Why choose to rent it out? If this is your dreamhome, and you know you want to retire to the prop-erty in a few years, then by all means, rent it outand maintain it over the next few years.

The problem with that plan is that a lot canchange over three or even six to seven years.If you’re not living in your house, you may notrealize the neighborhood has taken a turn forthe worse until it’s too late, for example, andyour property value has fallen. Or somethingcould happen to the property, sending the ex-pense of maintaining the home above and be-yond what you expected to incur.

Finally, depending on where the house is lo-cated, there’s the risk that your real estate

taxes could rise markedly. In some states, rentingyour property raises your real estate taxes, as thehome is no longer considered an owner-occupied.Rather, it is taxed more like an investment property.

L et’s assume you can sell your home fairly quick-ly. You’ll now have some cash in the bank. If you de-cide to buy another property, you might want tolook at a foreclosure or a bank-owned home in agreat neighborhood that you can fix up and build invalue. A great school district will hold its value evenin the worst of times (or fall less than other neigh-borhoods), and should rejuvenate more quickly asfamilies discover they can trade up to neighbor-hoods and school districts that were previously outof reach.

If you’re not in the fixer-upper/foreclosure mode,then I’d recommend simply banking your profits(which should be tax free as long as they’re notabove $250,000 if you’re single and $500,000 ifyou’re married), and finding an inexpensive place torent.

If you decide to stay more than seven years, youcan always buy a year or two from now. But havingcash on hand will give you the freedom and flexibili-ty to move as the mood strikes you.

For more information, callGlink’s radio show at800-972-8255 on Sundaysfrom 9 to 10 a.m., write to RealEstate Matters Syndicate, P.O.Box 366, Glencoe, IL 60022 orvisit www.thinkglink.com.

Real Estate Matters

3015 Challenger Point Dr, LovelandViews Galore from this 4 bedroom ranchhome that backs to Westerdoll lake. Gardenlevel walk-out conveniently located in SevenLakes subdivision. Lake rights included.Too beau-tiful to miss! MLS# 659326, offered at $625,000.

8427 Sand Dollar Dr,WindsorLovely 5 bedroom 5 bath custom home withbonus room in Highland Meadows. Gor-geous professionally landscaped lot makes thishome complete! Conveniently located, checkit out! MLS# 656505 offered at $639,900.

1012Willowrock Dr, LovelandBeautiful mature traditional 2 story homewith walk-out basement on 1.94 exquisitelylandscaped acres with partial views of Bo-edecker Lake! Stop in and make yourself athome! MLS #654858, offered at $495,000.

7860 Eagle Ranch Rd, Ft CollinsOutstanding Quality 5 bedroom/5 bath homeby Classic Custom Homes brings nature in-doors. Master with private deck and viewsgalore. Open, bright floor plan with vaultedceilings located on a lot with views of the lakeand mountains- a must see and priced to sell!MLS# 652266 offered at $669,900.

1660 Streamside Dr, Ft CollinsGorgeous ranch style home with walk-out basementon large private lot, large master and Jr. Master bed-rooms on main floor. Peaceful describes this open floorplan with large kitchen and great room. Stop by for adose of serenity.MLS# 656962 offered at $529,900.

OPEN NEXT SATURDAY JULY 9TH!

All homes listed by:The JenniferKelly Team581-9005jkelly@remax.netyyy

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To add a listing or speak to an advertising representative,call the Reporter-Herald at 669-5050

For details about these open houses, see the ads in this section. For additional open houselistings, please check the “Real Estate Classifieds” section of this publication. This guide is

brought to you by the Daily Reporter-Herald, local real estate agents and area builders.

WWW.HOMEANDREALTYGUIDE.COM•CLICK ON OPEN HOUSE MAPS

saturday sundayPRICE LOCATION ADDRESS HRS OFFICE PHONE

$150’S -$220’S

SE LOVELANDBOISE VILLAGE NORTH, ¼ MILE SOUTH OF HWY34 ON N. BOISE AVENUE, 1899 E. 11TH

10-6 MIDTOWN HOMES 970-456-4600

$239,900 WINDSOR 7411 PIMLICO DRIVE 12-5 THE GROUP, INC. 970-290-8097

$242,900 WINDSOR 292 SARATOGA DRIVE 1-4 THE GROUP, INC. 970-219-5219

$249,000 NE LOVELAND 2474 NORTH BOISE AVENUE 1-3 THE GROUP, INC. 970-481-2037

$264,900 BERTHOUD COLLINS PARK SUBDIVISION 1-3 RE/MAX ALLIANCE 970-566-4627

$323,400 SW LOVELAND¼ MILE WEST OF WILSON ON 14TH STREET SW /HWY 402 TO THE DAKOTA GLEN SUBDIVISION

12-4GLEN MARKETINGTEAM, ERA

970-663-4522

$339,000 SE LOVELAND 4630 TARRAGON DRIVE 1-4 THE GROUP, INC. 970-690-6011

$339,900 BERTHOUD 1723 WALES DRIVE 1-3 RE/MAX ALLIANCE 970-669-1234

$348,865 NW LOVELAND 4710 GEORGETOWN DRIVE 12-3 THE GROUP, INC. 970-567-0907

$349,900 NW LOVELAND 3402 CREEDE COURT 12:30-3:30 PREMIER LIFESTYLE 970-215-9913

$362,900 NE LOVELAND 2916 PURGATORY CREEK DRIVE 1-3 THE GROUP, INC. 970-481-2692

$389,750 SW LOVELAND 975 PRISM CACTUS CIRCLE 12-4GLEN MARKETINGTEAM, ERA

970-663-4522

STARTINGIN $400’S

SW LOVELAND PETTINGTON RANCH – RESERVOIR DRIVE 1-4 PREMIER LIFESTYLE 970-481-5512

PRICE LOCATION ADDRESS HRS OFFICE PHONE

$150’S -$220’S

SE LOVELANDBOISE VILLAGE NORTH, ¼ MILE SOUTH OF HWY34 ON N. BOISE AVENUE, 1899 E. 11TH

10-6 MIDTOWN HOMES 970-456-4600

$239,900 WINDSOR 7411 PIMLICO DRIVE 12-5 THE GROUP, INC. 970-290-8097

$242,900 WINDSOR 292 SARATOGA DRIVE 1-4 THE GROUP, INC. 970-219-5219

$264,900 BERTHOUD COLLINS PARK SUBDIVISION 1-3 RE/MAX ALLIANCE 970-566-4627

$323,400 SW LOVELAND¼ MILE WEST OF WILSON ON 14TH STREET SW /HWY 402 TO THE DAKOTA GLEN SUBDIVISION

12-4GLEN MARKETINGTEAM, ERA

970-663-4522

$339,000 SE LOVELAND 4630 TARRAGON DRIVE 1-4 THE GROUP, INC. 970-690-6011

$339,900 BERTHOUD 1723 WALES DRIVE 1-3 RE/MAX ALLIANCE 970-669-1234

$389,750 SW LOVELAND 975 PRISM CACTUS CIRCLE 12-4GLEN MARKETINGTEAM, ERA

970-663-4522

STARTINGIN $400’S

SW LOVELAND PETTINGTON RANCH – RESERVOIR DRIVE 1-4 PREMIER LIFESTYLE 970-481-5512

Saturday Reporter-Herald July 2, 2011 D3

H& Featured Home PlanRE

AS S O C I AT E D DESIGNS

The Summerfield is a countryCraftsman home that offersfamilies plenty of room to

spread out. Square footage measuresin at more than 4,500. Nearly 700more is available for office space orother uses over the three-car garage.

Craftsman styling shines through inthe windows, decorative gable ac-cents, and cedar-shingle siding, alongwith the river rock veneer post sup-ports and chimneys. A long proces-sion of posts supports the covered

porch that spans the entire frontfa?ade, and wraps around a bit oneach end. On the left end, it contin-ues on as a breezeway that links thehouse to the garage.

Passing under the richly glassedarched transom, you step into a natu-rally bright foyer with a parlor to theleft. Straight ahead is an expansivegreat room where six quadruple win-dow sets fill the rear wall. A masonryfireplace is set into the right wall,next to a stairway and access to alarge guest/hobby room with its ownb a t h ro o m .

On the opposite side, a peninsular

buffet marks the passageway to thedining room. The mirror-image stair-way there, as on the other side, climbsup to a vaulted gallery/balcony andbedrooms on the second level.

In the Summerfield’s kitchen, a ma-sonry oven surround wraps aroundthree sides of a six-burner range withovens below. Another even larger is-land holds a prep sink, marble pastrycounter, and an eating bar. Standingat the kitchen sink, you can gaze outat the rear landscape, or keep an eyeon patio activities. Two cozy windowseats flank the nook’s built-in desk.

Upstairs, the large, luxurious, vault-

ed owners’ suite boasts yet anotherfireplace, plus a posh bathroom, ex-tra-roomy walk-in closet, and privatedeck. Secondary bedrooms share atwo-section bathroom.

For a review plan, including scaledfloor plans, elevations, section andartist’s conception, send $25 to Asso-

ciated Designs, 1100 Jacobs Dr., Eu-gene, OR 97402. Please specify theSummerfield 30-611 and include a re-turn address when ordering. A catalogfeaturing more than 550 home plansis available for $15. For more informa-tion, call (800) 634-0123, or visitw w w. A s s o c i a t e d D e s i g n s . c o m .

Summerfield is a spacious Craftsman

CHOOSE

NOW! NO MORE BILLS,

NO CHECKS TO WRITE,

NO STAMPS!Call Us

at 635-3660 for more

information!

Contract is smartprecaution for home

i m p r ove m e n t s

H& Home ImprovementRE

ALAN J. HE AV E N SMCCL AT C H Y-TRIBUNE

Spending on home remodelingpeaked nationally at $362 billionin 2007 and has declined since

then in the face of high unemploy-ment, tighter credit, and record fore-closures.

Yet homeowners are still spendingbig bucks: Harvard University’s JointCenter for Housing Studies projectsthe figure for 2011’s second quarteralone at $130 billion.

With all that money involved, home-owners’ chief concern these days is get-ting everything they’ve paid for, whenthey want it.

That goal is more easily achieved, theexperts say, if everything is set down onpaper, in the form of a contract, withall the “I’s” dotted and the “T’s”c ro s s e d .

“It’s amazing the number of majorremodeling agreements that are basedonly on a one-page bid sheet or a hand-s h a ke , ” said Bruce Hahn president ofthe American Homeowners Foundationin Arlington, Va.

“No one- or two-page document cancover all elements of a good agree-ment, or hope to prevent even most ofthe potential problems,” he said.

To reduce the likelihood of disputes,a homeowner needs “to have a meetingof the minds” with the contractor onevery possible aspect of the contractand their relationship, Hahn said.

The Remodelers Council of the Na-tional Association of Home Builderscautions that no work be allowed tostart until the customer reviews andsigns a written agreement spelling out“in detail “the what, where, how, timespan, and cost of the project.”

In other words, if the contractor says,“Don’t worry about it, we don’t need acontract,” the homeowner should in-sist on one — or start looking for an-other remodeler.

The Remodeling Council, the Ameri-can Homeowners Foundation, and theNational Association of the RemodelingIndustry appear to be on the samepage regarding the contents of a stan-dard contract.

Hahn’s group offers an eight-pagecontract, designed with the assistanceof homeowners, remodelers, architects,and lawyers. It is available, for a smallcharge, at www.americanhomeo w n e r s . o rg .

Any agreement should start with thecontractor’s name, address, telephonenumber, and license number.

Pennsylvania law requires that allcontractors who perform at least$5,000 worth of home improvementsper year register with the AttorneyGeneral’s Office. To check whetheryour contractor is registered, call 1-888-520-6680.

In New Jersey, contractors are li-censed (https://newjersey.mylicense.com/verification/); informa-tion is available at the Consumer Ser-vice Center, 973-504-6200.

Contracts should include blueprints,floor plan or sketches, and a timetable

including approximate start and com-pletion dates. (Weather, of course, is amajor variable in completion-datedeadlines, as are material-deliverydates beyond the contractor’s control.)

The contract should include a priceand payment schedule, according toboth Hahn and the Remodeling Coun-cil.

Also included should be detailedspecifications for all products and ma-terials. The description of each itemshould provide enough detail to clearlyidentify it: brand name; model number;color; size. This section of the contractmay also describe any materials to beselected later, who will choose them,and the amount of money set aside topay for each item.

A major cause of contractor-home-owner conflict is the “change order”resulting in unexpected additionalcosts.

Jay Cipriani, of Cipriani Builders inWoodbury, recommends that home-owners ask this of a contractor beforesigning the final agreement: “What un-foreseen costs could we run into, so wecan put money to cover it into our bud-get?”

When a contractor discovers achange order is necessary, activity istypically halted, adjustments are made,and the arrival of new materials isawaited. Change orders should be writ-ten up separately with details includingprice, then appended, bearing the sig-natures of both homeowner and con-tractor, to the original agreement.

Among other points that industryobservers recommend the contractshould cover:

Information on who will obtain andpay for necessary permits and other ap-provals. No matter who gets the per-mit, the remodeler is responsible formaking sure the work is done correctly.

INSURANCE DETAILS

Lien releases to ensure that thehomeowner is not held liable for anythird-party claims of nonpayment.

Provisions for conflict resolution inthe event of a contract dispute.

Notice of the right under the FederalTrade Commission’s “cooling-off rule”to cancel the contract within threedays if it was signed someplace otherthan the remodeler’s place of business.

Details concerning access to thehome, care of the premises, phone andbathroom use, and cleanup and trashremoval.

If you need help writing a contract,or you want to be sure that the one youare about to sign is the one that offersyou the most protection, hire a lawyer.And make sure the lawyer is willing toassume responsibility for your case if aproblem requiring litigation arises dur-ing or after the job.

“Getting it all in writing won’t guar-antee smooth sailing,” Hahn said, “butit puts the homeowner in better shapeto avoid crashing on the rocks.”

750W.Eisenhower Blvd., Loveland669-1234 viewmore properties at:

www.HomesInColorado.com

Each office independently owned &operated

1723Wales Dr, BerthoudGreat split style ranch with unobstruct-ed mountain views and backs to openspace. Oversized three car garage, largegranite island in kitchen, plus lots of

custom features. Locatedin Matthew Farm.$339,900 | MLS #643192

Connie Gliott and LisaMoore566-4627 | 566-4629

OPEN SAT & SUN 1-3 P.M.227 Johnson Drive, Loveland

SW Loveland - Awesome 2 story in Mead-owbrook Heights! 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathsfinished basement, master bedroom 5 piecesuite, master bedroom deck, gas fireplace,

central air & a 3 car attachedgarage all on a quiet street.$251,900 MLS #638800

Call Julie Stinson622-1809julies@rmfa.com

PRICE REDUCED5548 Stone Church, Loveland

BRANDNEWONMARKET! Spacious2 story with walk-out bsmt (fully finished)on 1/3rd acre cul-de-sac in Mariana Cove.3 car gar, master w/fplc, awesome bright

tiled sunroom, beautifulwalking paths!$450,000 | MLS #659284

Call Don A. Riedel679-8265driedel@remax.net

JUST LISTED

134 Sweet Clover Ct, LovelandMountain & lake view semi-customhome in Mariana Butte Golf Course.4 bed/4 bath. New kitchen, hardwoodfloors, carpet, shutters, lighting, finished

basement.$399,900 | MLS #654498

Call Coleen Ligotke690-1732coleenligotke@gmail.com

www.3377Crowley.comSpacious, beautiful home in Hunter’s Run; backs

up to greenbelt; hardwood, Terraza tile floors;

stainless steel appliances, desk in kitchen; media

room; 4 bedrooms, office; fin-

ished walkout basement.$350,000 | MLS # 653937

Call Nanci Garnand622-1846 or 231-2404www.LivingInLoveland.com

www.620Sundown.comGreat country living inside and outin Berthoud! Foothills view, gourmetkitchen, finished basement, 5 bedroom,large deck, outside storage, fantastic

landscaping, horse prop-erty, arena, tack room.$440,000 | MLS #654641

Call Nanci Garnand622-1810www.LivingInBerthoud.com

www.4568Mead.com LovelandCozy & Comfortable. Great light in this3 bedroom, green built, ranch. Woodfloors in kitchen, dining area & hallway;2 bathrooms on main floor. Insulated

basement, 2 car garage,Fenced Back Yard.$195,000 MLS #622656

Call Nanci Garnand622-1846 | 231-2404www.LivingInLoveland.com

Open Housewww.1674Cattail.com, LovelandFantastic views from large deck! Amaz-ing & charming updated interior: islandin kitchen, double oven, pantry & sile-stone counter tops, 2 master bedrooms

(one on main floor), the-atre, offices & more!$385,000 | MLS #649637

Call Nanci Garnand227-1327 | 622-1864www.LivingInLoveland.com

5912 Long Branch, LovelandNothing could be finer than country livingw/ city convenience. “Golf Course” luxury!Beautiful home w/ 80K in decorating, up-dating, & upgrades. Elegance & class. 3

bdrm, 3 ba on 2.3 irrigatedacres.$459,000 | MLS #655303

Call Carolyn LaMaster690-7596clamaster@remax.net

7645 Bison Bluff, LovelandThis beautiful custom ranch w/ 4 bdrm,3 baths fin. walk-out bsmt, & large deckideal for entertaining. Lg kitchen w/granite, stainless steel appl. 5/ garage, RV,

boats, toys. Mtn views.2.66 acres.$595,000 | MLS #657369

Call Carolyn LaMaster690-1596clamaster@remax.net

2821 Glendevey Dr, LovelandStop by and take a look! Updated tri-levelon a large lot backing to private open space.3+ bedrooms, 4 baths, fireplace, hardwood,vaulted ceilings, very open floor plan. New

furnace & A/C.VIEWS!$250,000 | MLS #654946

Call Julie Stinson622-1809julies@rmfa.com

2001 Ponderosa Pl, LovelandTOP OFTHEWORLD! You can’t finda better view in all of Colorado! 5,000sq ft of perfection! 4+ car gar, 5 bdrms,3 baths, 31x16 kitchen, 21x17 master

suite, Showcase home! 11years old.$595,000 | MLS #656245

Call Don A. Riedel679-8265driedel@remax.net

D4 Saturday Reporter-Herald July 2, 2 0 1 1

H& Front Range GardeningRE

CA RO L O'MEARACSU EXTENSION

Several years ago, a friend gaveme hops plants, encouragingme to grow them, not because I

love beer, but because I love bugs.Each year, she assured me, her binesare crawling with ladybugs andlacewings feasting on the aphids thatload the leaves.

The prospect of such a scenario wonme over, and the hops have a home inthe garden. I’ve watched and waitedfor the insects, but the outbreak ofhistoric proportions never arrived. Un-til now.

Cleaning up and trellising the over-grown mass, I got up close and per-sonal with more aphids than was com-fortable. True, they’re soft bodied andnot aggressive, but the sheer numberson the hops is alarming and thelonger I worked with the bines, themore aphids I had crawling on me.

Eventually I had to get the hoard offof me, and the stamping legs, shakingarms, and head flipping made myspouse think my iPod must be playinga rocking tune. But soon he noticedthe moving mass of pale green slowlyengulfing me, the fence, and every-thing else in their path, and rescuedme with a series of well-aimedthwacks from his gloves.

We fled the area, telling ourselvesthat the ladybugs have it under con-

trol, but in truth those plants are ontheir own. A quick poll of gardenersthis season shows many are fightingthe same battle against that pear-shaped menace, which are rapidlyturning our gardens into the Year ofthe Aphid.

Aphids are small, soft-bodied, sap-sucking pests, and Colorado has sev-eral hundred species in a variety ofsizes and colors, from green to black,purple, and red. They feed by treatingplants as their own personal big gulp,sucking the sap and reducing theplant’s vigor. Aphids are born preg-nant, and reproduce so quickly theyrapidly build up on the plant.

But being soft bodied they’re easyto control. Grab the hose and attach anozzle that can direct a strong jet ofwater onto the plant. The stream ripsaphids from the stems. If they aren’tcrushed by water pressure, at leastthey’re flung to the ground, and dueto very poor eyesight, can’t find theirway back.

Insecticidal soap is excellent,provided the formula is madefor the plant it’s sprayed upon.Always read the label of anyspray to see if your plant is list-ed. Your plant must be men-tioned on the label or chancesare something about the spraywill harm the plant.

Leaf curl aphids pose a differ-ent problem by stimulating the

leaf to form a protective tent aroundthe aphid colony. This is a commonproblem on ash, plums and vibur-nums. Within the leaf, the colony isprotected from water sprays and in-secticidal soap, but there are a fewbeneficial insects can wriggle in andwreak havoc on leaf curl aphids.

If you’re brave enough, grab one ofthe leaf curls and unroll it, ignoringthe sticky sap and crushed insectsthat coat your hands. Look for ladybug and lacewing larvae, or young syr-phid flies, which are maggots. Not allbeneficial insects look cuddly like theladybug, and learning to recognizepest predators is a must for savvy gar-deners. Check out the photos and in-formation on Colorado State Universi-ty’s fact sheet (ext.colostate.edu/PU B S / I N S E C T / 0 5 5 5 0 . h t m l ) .

To encourage beneficials, avoidspraying broad-spectrum insecticidesthat kill both good and bad bugs.

Aphids having a banner year

Carol O’Meara is withCSU Extension inBoulder County.Contact her at303-678-6238 orcomeara@co. b o u l d e r. c o . u s .

Front Range GardeningPhoto courtesy Carol O'Meara

Open Houses This Weekend - www.thegroupinc.com

SATURDAY 1:00-3:002474 N Boise Avenue, Loveland Low-maintenance living in a gated community. 3 bedroom ranch. Ideal traffic pattern has tile floors leading to kitchen, laundry & bedrooms. Water views from deck off living & dining areas. Walkout lower level w/3rd bedroom & private bath, family & game rooms plus areas for storage. Pre-inspected and includes a 1 Year Home Warranty.

$249,000MLS# 654942

Call Sally Brent481-2037

TUESDAY & SUNDAY 1:00-4:004630 Tarragon Drive, Loveland NEW PATIO HOME MODEL IN THOMPSON CROSSING. Choice of 6 ranch plans, 3-car garage options, garden level lots, views, low HOA dues. Convenient location, yet tucked away. Enjoy the million $ sculpture walk, trail & easy access to I-25. Low maintenance living at its best! Base price shown.

$339,000MLS# 645384

Call Kathy Albertz970-690-6011

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 12:00-5:007411 Pimlico Drive, Windsor Brand new, beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home with loft, 2 car garage, covered patio and basement on oversized lot backing to open space. Our homes offer incredible value with high quality and energy efficiency in a serene setting. Ask about our builder incentives. Prices starting at $239,900.

$239,900MLS# 647541

Call Kristen Specketer290-8097

FRIDAY - SUNDAY 1:00-4:00292 Saratoga Drive, Windsor New Homes starting in $190,000s! Ranch & 2-story plans. Personalize your home from framing to finish! Miles of bike trails, open space & parks. Windmills sales office in Greenspire Sub located on SW corner of Saratoga & Moonglow!

$242,900MLS# 643842

Call Jim Watson219-5219

NEW HOMES!

SATURDAY 1:00-3:002916 Purgatory Creek Drive, Loveland Gorgeous detached patio home. Heated 4-car garage. Upgrades including slab granite countertops, wood floors, knotty alder trim, doors & Tharp cabinets. Separate dining room or office on the main level. Near neighborhood trails & lakes. Additional master association of $500 per year.

$362,900MLS# 653305

Call Diana Luthi481-2692

SATURDAY 12:00-3:004710 Georgetown Drive, Loveland Energy Star Rated! Designed & built with “synergy” for maximum living comfort. Slab granite countertops, multi-sided fireplace, vaulted ceilings, custom tile & hardwood floors. Upgraded kitchen w/gas range, built-in microwave, dishwasher & side-by-side refrigerator. Large bedroom & rec room in basement.

$348,865MLS# 646034

Call Tracy Wilson567-0907

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Northern Colorado Real Estate Source

The Real Estate Source is a magazine produced by The Group featuring homes for sale and new home

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