Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, tasteless, toxic gas. It is produced from incomplete combustion of charcoal, wood and gas furnaces, gas hot water heaters, wood and gas fireplaces, kerosene heaters, lawnmowers, cars, gas powered generators and power washers and gas grills. Dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide develop due to poor installation or maintenance of these items, poor ventilation and failure or damage to the equipment in service. Check flues and chimney for blockages and loose connections.

Place a carbon monoxide detector near the sleeping area and one on every level. Carbon monoxide will rise. If the alarm goes off – evacuate everyone immediately as someone’s life may be in danger. The next step is to ventilate by opening any nearby doors and windows. The final step is to investigate the source of the carbon monoxide. Another option, after evacuating everyone, is to call 911. Emergency crews have monitors that will establish the level of carbon monoxide in your home.

Prolonged exposure can lead to brain damage and even death. A carbon monoxide detector does not work as a smoke detector. A smoke detector does not work as a carbon monoxide detector. A large percentage of deaths due to carbon monoxide poisoning occur during power outages.

Any question about this topic or any real estate questions, don’t hesitate to contact either Gerry Luke – Gerry.Luke@Century21.com or Bill Jennings at Bill.Jennings@Century21.com. Thank you! We would also like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

1.      Check the amount of insulation in your attic.  Your attic should have 18 inches of blown-in insulation.  This is a do-it-yourself project and the retailer will furnish a machine free of charge.  This is a low cost project that will pay for itself very quickly and your home will be more comfortable.

2.     Unhook and drain your garden hoses before the faucet freezes and starts leaking.

3.     Replace cracked or broken windows.  Chalk any cracks and openings that you can find.

4.     Change the furnace filter monthly.  Write the date on the filter that it was installed.  A clean filter allows the furnace to operate more efficiently – lowering your utility bills and will make the air cleaner.

5.     Change batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detector.  If you don’t have both of these items – get them.  This simple, inexpensive task could save your life!

6.     Inspect all flues, vents, ect. for blockage or damage.  Fix any discovered problems immediately as poisonous gases could be entering your home.

7.     Clean the gutters and install gutter covers.  Make sure the rain water properly drains from the house.  If you gutters aren’t working properly, you will probably get water in your basement.  Grab an umbrella during the next rainstorm and walk around your home.  You will quickly be able to determine if you have a drainage problem.

8.     Have your furnace cleaned and inspected before the winter season arrives.

Thinking about buying or selling a home?  Give us a call as we are your real estate experts.  Gerry Luke and Bill Jennings – Century 21 All Pro Agents.

If you home was destroyed by fire or burglarized – would you be able to remember all that you had?  An inventory of your belongings is a good idea if you encounter a loss situation.  Put this list in your bank lockbox along with any pictures that you have taken over the years and any other important documents.  A completed inventory list could make it easier to collect an acceptable mount on an insurance claim.

We’re your real estate experts for life!  Send us your questions – we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.  Thanks!  Gerry Luke and Bill Jennings – Century 21 All Pro agents.

Conserving water can not only save a lot of money – it can have major environmental and public health benefits.  Here is a list on how to save water.

1.      Don’t let water run while brushing teeth, shaving, soaping or shampooing.

2.     Take short showers instead of tub baths.

3.     Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.

4.     Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin and brush.

5.     Do not use water to defrost frozen food.

6.     Scrape rather than rinse dishes before putting in dishwasher.

7.     Wash laundry and dishes only when load is full.

8.     Purchase high efficiency toilets.  These toilets are inexpensive and will save a lot of water.  Fix leaky toilets immediately.

9.     Purchase a high efficiency wash machine.

10.  Water lawn or garden during coolest part of the day.  Don’t water on windy days.

11.   Raise your mower cutting height.  Longer grass helps shade each other, reduces evaporation and inhibits weed growth.

12.   Sweep sidewalks rather than hosing off.

13.   Wash car with water from a bucket.

Your water/sewer bills in the Kansas City area are expected to increase dramatically the next few years due to many sewer lines needing replaced and increased environmental regulations.  This is a good time to get accustomed to using less water.

If you are thinking about buying or selling a home, give us a call.  We’re experienced agents that can guide you through the whole process stress free. Thank you!

If you’re having trouble paying your mortgage, here is some help.  The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have approved counselors that may be able to help.  Get free help at www.makinghomeaffordable.com.

For all your real estate needs contact Gerry Luke at Gerry.Luke@Century21.com or call him at 816-807-5560 or contact Bill Jennings at Bill.Jennings@Century21.com or call him at 816-728-9595.  Thank you!

KCP&L offers two energy smart home credit options to help you save money.  They offer an online tool to help you identify ways to make your home more energy efficient.

KCP&L Home Performance with Energy Star Program consists of a professional, in-house audit designed to help you prioritize home energy efficiency improvements and reduce energy costs.  Bill credits up to $1200 are available from KCP&L.  For more information or to find a certified auditor, call 816-561-1625 or visit www.hpwes.net.

KCP&L will have a rate increase in Missouri effective Sept. 1^st.  The rate increase percentage is 16.14%.  The rate increase will help KCP&L pay for environmental investments already made to several coal fired power plants.  This is a very hefty rate increase that will not only increase our monthly electric bills but will also increase utility cost for the manufacturers of the product that we purchase.  I keep reading government reports that state we are going through a period of little to no inflation.  It seems like I am paying more for the good and services that I purchase.

If you have any questions or comments about any of our articles or about buying or selling a home, we welcome your response.

With low mortgage rates and low home prices, what a great opportunity to purchase a home!  Many baby boomers were planning on the equity in their homes to partially fund their retirements.  Over 15% of homeowners selling today owe more money on their homes than it is worth.  Sellers may be required to sell other assets to make a sale.  If possible, a potential seller might consider renting their home instead of selling it, to give the market time to recover.

If you have good credit (680 or above), a down payment and good income – what a great time to buy a home!  The National Association of Realtors Housing Affordability Index measures the relationship of home prices, interest rates and income.  Buying conditions are the most favorable they’ve been in the index’s 39 year history.

To find a calculator to compare costs of buying vs. renting, visit www.Valic.com.  Select the Financial Planning tab.  Click on Tools You Can use the click on Mortgage Calculator.  Check out this website as there is a wealth of information available.

Thinking about buying or selling a home?  Give us a call as we are your North of the River real estate experts.

There are many reliable mortgage companies ready to help you purchase a home.  It is important to find a couple reliable mortgage companies and then compare interest rates for the best deal.  An interest rate reduction of only .25% can amount to a lot of dollars over the life of your loan.  When looking for a reliable mortgage company in Kansas City contact us as we are your real estate professionals and can guide you in the right direction.

A reliable lender in the Kansas City area is First Bank of Missouri.  Check out their website at www.firstbankmo.com.  No ID or Password are needed – Go to the right side of the page and look for Apply for Mortgage Loans Online – for more information Click Here So click here and the next page will give you a wealth of information such as:

Today’s Featured Rate                     Rates                                 Points

30 yr. fixed rate                            Current rate               Amount of points

15 yr. fixed rate                             Current rate               Amount of points

5 yr. adjustable rate                    Current rate               Amount of points

7 yr. adjustable rate                    Current rate               Amount of points

The best interest rates are for loan over $150,000.  Lower dollar amount of loans are slightly higher.  These interest rates can change daily.  Also on this page you can apply for a loan online and Get a Rate Quote.

There is also a link that states to “Keep an eye on rates via email – Sign up for Rate Watch.”

So do your homework when looking for a home loan – this could save you a lot of money and make your life much easier.

For any assistance through this complex process, contact us as we want to be your real estate professionals in Kansas City for life!

Effective July 30. 2008 some new regulations will be in place to insure that home buyers receive better information pertaining to what a mortgage loan will cost them.

These regulations lengthen the loan processing in that you will need at least 30 days from the time the contract is accepted to the closing date.

The Good Faith Estimate (Early Disclosures) that outline the cost of the mortgage must be mailed to the borrowers within 3 business days of when the lender receives the mortgage loan application. The new regulation requires the lender to wait 7 business days after sending out the Early Disclosures to start the loan process. This additional time of 7 days will give the borrowers more time to review the Early Disclosures and decide if they want to proceed with the loan.

The new regulation prohibits a lender from charging a fee, except for a credit report, until after the Early Disclosures have been provided.

The new regulation requires corrected disclosures to be sent at least 3 business days before closing if the interest rate changes more than .125% from the Early Disclosures.

The new regulation informs borrowers that they are not required to close a loan due to being provided with Early Disclosures or applying for a loan.

These regulations are designed to give the borrowers more time to review and understand the loan, closing costs and interest rate that they are applying for. Hopefully this will cut down on mortgage fraud. If you need a lender, contact us as we work with reputable lenders that want to earn your business.

Any questions or comments, feel free to contact us. Thank you.

It is quite common for a home to have some water leak into the basement. What causes this and what can be done to eliminate this problem or to avoid this problem?

A large percentage of problems in Kansas City homes are caused by two items (1) clogged or poor gutters and (2) improper drainage away from the basement walls. If either of these problems exists – it is almost impossible to keep water out of the basement.

Clogged or poor gutters – The gutters and downspouts must be free from leave and debris to work properly. One can see the debris in the gutters but you cannot see the debris in the downspouts. An ideal way to check to see if your gutters are working properly is to grab an umbrella and walk around your home during a rainstorm. It only takes a couple minutes and can avoid some huge problems. The gutters and downspouts must be properly fastened to your home to work properly. Sometimes they need reattached. Trees and limbs need to be kept trimmed and should be at least 4 feet from your house. Screens over the gutters help to keep you gutters working properly.

Improper drainage – Dirt may need to be applied around your basement walls to insure that the water runs away from you home and not towards your home. This is critical. Be careful when landscaping that you do not trap this water by applying landscape timbers, stones, ect. This water must be able to flow away from your home. It is very common for the dirt next to your basement walls to settle. It is important to bring in some dirt to fill these holes.

Contact us for a dirt contractor that will take care of this problem. It costs about $400 to purchase a large load of dirt, have it delivered and spread around your home/yard.

More information on water in the basement, check it out on the web.

Thinking about buying or selling your home North of the River? We would appreciate the opportunity to earn your business. Thank you!