Waukesha County Home

SEPTEMBER 2015 HOMES PLUS 9 BGS GLASS SERVICE 1620 Arcadian Ave. • Waukesha, WI 53186 (262) 513-2806 For All Your Glass Needs Quality Service since 1970 www.bgsglass.com RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL • New, Remodel, Repair Replacement Windows/Doors • Insulated Units • Patio Doors Screens Window/Patio • Mirrors • Shower Doors • Glass Shelving • Tabletops Storm Windows/Doors • Commercial Store Fronts 245900004 10 simple home safety tips that could save your child's life FULL SERVICE • Fall Clean-Up • Fertilization • Lawn Reseeding Free Estimates Competitive Pricing 262-337-2600 243363011 LAWN SERVICE of questions. "Find someone who is patient, who has been in the industry for a while, but mostly someone who is willing to take the time to go through the house and answer your questions," Oliver said. The standard time for a single-family home inspection is about two to three hours. The average cost can vary widely based on the home's age and size, but typ- ically falls between $300 and $500. "Closing costs are another area I see first-time buyers taken by surprise," Sanders added. According to Zillow, homebuyers can expect to pay between 2 and 5 percent of the purchase price of their home in clos- ing costs. So, closing costs for a home that costs $150,000, for example, may range between $3,000 and $7,500. 3. Don't forget to include home maintenance costs. Consider what it will take to improve, repair or maintain the home over time. "Whether someone is a seasoned buyer or first-time buyer, they need to ask, 'How much maintenance is this house going to take?'" Oliver advised. Unlike renters, homeowners are their own management company when it comes to taking care of repairs and maintenance around the home. "There isn't a landlord to call when the dishwasher doesn't work or there is a leaky window or the roof needs repair," Oliver said. A well-maintained home, whether maintained by sweat equity or hiring professionals, will not only last longer, it will also maintain — or even increase — its value. "It's important for homeowners to be good stewards of their home so they can recoup the value if they go to sell it down the road," Oliver explained. "Not to men- tion, a well-cared-for house will likely sell for more money and quicker." 4. Be willing to revise your home wish list. While it's a good idea to enter the home-buying process equipped with a list of your wants, likes and dislikes, keep that list open to revisions. In Sanders' experience, it's not uncommon for the process to cause buyers to rethink their wish lists. "I had one buyer who told me the home needed to have a gourmet kitchen, but the first thing he'd check at every home was the yard," Sanders said. When Sanders mentioned her observa- tion to the buyer, he realized a large yard for his dog was a higher priority than a gourmet kitchen. "I try to get buyers to the point where they can edit their checklist to match their budget and lifestyle, and realistical- ly look at what they might be willing to sacrifice in order to get what is really important to them," Sanders said. 5. Find a real estate agent who understands first-time buyers. Finding an agent who understands the type of home you want and finds poten- tial matches is a start. But finding an agent who also under- stands the unique needs of the first-time homebuyer will help the process move along more smoothly and minimize stress. "Find an agent who has the time to work with you and take you through the process," Sanders said. Some first-time home buyers come into the process with a lot of questions. Oth- ers aren't sure what questions to ask. A good agent will know how to handle both. Sanders said, "It's kind of like a dating relationship. You need to find someone who matches your personality, is willing to spend time with you, and understands what you're looking for." (BPT) — You may be surprised to learn that 3.5 million children go to the emer- gency room every year for injuries that happen in homes. Some parents are unintentionally putting their children at risk by making common mistakes in the home. For example, parents say they are worried about fire safety and 96 percent report they have a smoke alarm, yet 14 percent never check their smoke alarm battery, according to "Report to the Nation: Protecting Children in Your Home," from Safe Kids Worldwide and Nationwide. Safe Kids Worldwide teamed up with Nationwide and its Make Safe Happen pro- gram to help families keep kids safe in the home. Here are 10 tips to make your home kid-safe so you avoid preventable injuries. To learn more, visit SafeKids.org or Make- SafeHappen.com. 1.) Make sure there is a working smoke alar m and carbon monoxide alar m on every level of your home, especially near sleeping areas. Test the batteries every month. 2.) Create and practice a home fire-escape plan with your family. Know two ways out of every room in case of a fire. 3.) Give young children your full and undivided attention when they are in and around water. Only 1 percent of parents list drowning as a concern, according to the Safe Kids report, yet every week a child dies from drowning in a bathtub. 4.) For young children, use safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs, attaching them to the wall if possible. 5.) Keep cribs clear of toys and soft bed- ding, and make sure that babies sleep alone, on their backs, and in a crib every time they sleep. For children under the age of 1, suffocation is the leading cause of injury-related death. 6.) Keep all medicine up and away, out of children's reach and sight. Think about places where kids get into medicine, like in purses, on counters and on nightstands. 7.) Store all household cleaners, liquid laundry packets and other toxic products out of children's reach and sight. Use cabi- net locks. 8.) Save the Poison Help line number into your phone and post it in your home where anyone can find it easily in an emergency: 1-800-222-1222. 9.) Secure flat-panel TVs by mounting them to the wall and place box-style TVs on a low, stable piece of furniture. 10.) Properly install window guards or stops to help prevent falls from windows. Each year, 3,300 children are injured by falling out of a window, yet 70 percent of parents say they have never used window guards or stops that prevent these falls. Continued from Page 1 First home: Five things you really should know

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