Waukesha County Home

HOME JUNE 2021 2 Distributed by: ©2021 by Conley Media Waukesha County Home is published monthly by Conley Media - Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. A publication of Conley Media Sales Director: Jim Baumgart 262/513-2621 jbaumgart@conleynet.com Editor: Dan Muckelbauer 262/513-2626 dmuck@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 pscheel@conleynet.com Home Volume 10 ■ Number 3 ■ June 2021 Closing From Page 1 price of a home, he said, have allowed sell- ers to be selective about which offers they accept. However, he said that he's seen some buyers include a select few important items within closing contracts that have allowed them to close on quality homes. Specifically, Madisen said, sellers may accept offers that include appraisal con- tingencies, which allows a buyer to back out of the purchase of a home if the house is appraised for less than the pur- chase price in the contract, and doing this is a good way to ensure that a buyer isn't taken advantage of too heavily. He also said that, while many sellers won't accept offers that require a home inspection, that buyers can creatively word this part of the contract by asking to be able to see the home informally before purchasing it. Doing this, he said, is important so that buyers can at least see what kind of a home they're purchasing, and he said that he's seen similarly cre- ative wording for buyers to complete the closing process without waiving too many parts of the contract. "We're seeing a lot of creativity in these areas," Madisen said. Raymond Christensen, who owns R C Christensen Realty in Waukesha, said another way buyers can cover themselves during closing is to go through a lender, even if they have enough money to pay for the house in cash. He said that, because lenders stand to lose large amounts of money if there are problems with a house after closing, they often force buyers and sellers alike to go through many steps that sellers would like to waive. "When a buyer is getting a loan, the lender is offering enormous protection," Christensen said. He also said that buyers should be pre- pared to purchase homes where the seller has done as little work as possible to pre- pare the home for sale, but that by pur- chasing a home in an area that appreci- ates in value, buyers will be making a sound investment even if interest rates rise. Christensen also noted that, when sub- mitting an offer and attempting to close on a home, price isn't the only thing sell- ers look at. By contacting the seller, he said, buyers can figure out what's impor- tant to the sellers and leverage that infor- mation to get a better deal on a home and potentially avoid parts of the closing process. "The most important advice I'd give is to find what's important to the sellers," he said. And Maureen Stapleton, who works at Stapleton Realty in Oconomowoc, said that the easiest way to complete the clos- ing process is to go through a trustworthy real estate agent. Although she said that it is possible for potential homeowners to purchase a house without using an agent, in the current market, many buyers won't notice red flags in the paperwork until it's too late. "It all looks good until it doesn't," Sta- pleton said. By going through a real estate agent, ideally one who has been licensed by the National Association of Realtors, buyers can avoid the headache of trying to find a home and dealing with a closing contract themselves. Although buyers and sellers are still protected financially even during closing, she said, Realtors will give buyers all the information they need to close on a quality home. "When you deal with a reputable Real- tor, you get all of the facts," she said. "They're there to help people." "The most important advice I'd give is to find what's important to the sellers." – Raymond Christensen, Owner of R C Christensen Realty in Waukesha "When you deal with a reputable Realtor, you get all of the facts," she said. "They're there to help people." – Maureen Stapleton, of Stapleton Realty in Oconomowoc Some of the many uses of a shop vac Most people either own a shop vac or have at least used one. These highly versatile wet/dry vacuums that can safely pick up liq- uids, dirt or debris of various size in a house or garage, and are ideal for clean-up for construction or do-it-yourself projects and other creative uses as below: Grills Before re-using a grill, scrape and remove the grate, then use a shop vac to collect the cold ashes and debris that have accumulated below. Fairly simple, but don't pick up hot ashes. Floods It's not a secret that shop vacs are ideal to suck up and clean large amounts of water, especially if a pipe breaks or your basement floods. Larger shop vacs have a drain from the collection drum to make emptying easi- er. Kitchens Paper towels are not always a quicker, easi- er or cheaper way to clean up a kitchen mess. A shop vac can be ideal when someone spills liquids, food, beverages, sauces and more, or breaks a glass or bowl that leaves shards all over the floor. Remember to thor- oughly clean and rinse a shop vac that has collected anything with an odor. Pool toys Are you blue in the face from blowing and blowing on a pool toy, air mattress or small raft? Sometimes these items are left inflated but lose air over time or might tear or pop if left inflated. Use a shop vac to do the job instead. Fireplace Not everyone has a fireplace, but cleaning out a fireplace or fire pit can be messy. Instead of sweeping and scooping ashes into the trash, suck it up with a shop vac. Make sure your vac is using a fine dust filter and dust bag so the ash will be capture. Don't pick up hot ashes. Snow When you track in the winter snow and salty messes from a sidewalk, vehicle or garage into your home, why not use a shop vac to clean up the mess. Aquarium Be careful not to overfill the collection drum, but using a shop vac can make remov- ing water from an aquarium quick and easy. There's always a place for a good shop vac in your life. Although mainly built for shop use, they are a versatile piece of equipment that can do much more than their name implies.

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