Know someone thinking about buying a home?

Upcoming home buyer classes are:

Thursday, 12/4/14, from 5pm-8pm
        Marshall Community Center, upstairs conference room
        1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver Wa (kitty corner from Clark College)
 
Saturday, 12/6/14, from 9am-12pm
        Marshall Community Center, upstairs conference room
        1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver Wa (kitty corner from Clark College)

 ...if these dates/times don't work for you, we have others. Check out the website for more class dates, times, and locations. PLEASE always check  the website www.freehomebuyerclasses.com for any changes regarding the classes!

Remember...with reservation...we will throw in lunch, or dinner!  :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~
    It has been busy lately since the best time of the year for homebuyers.  Yes, there aren't as many homes on the market, but they typically don't move as fast.  This gives folks time to think.  Homes also typically sell for less during the summer months.  Now, there isn't a huge price difference, but every little bit helps, right?  That being said, I wanted to go into a bit of what happens AFTER the offer.

  ***Before we get into this weeks blog, I want to remind you that the Client Appreciation Night is coming up on Saturday, December 6, from 3pm-6pm.  Chris Berg & I know that you have lots of options for lenders and real estate brokers out there.  The fact that you have chosen us to help you is really an honor & a privilege....and one we are grateful for & appreciative of.  We want to say, "thank you", for choosing us to help you with your home buying (or home selling or refinancing) adventure, and in this regard, twice a year a year we rent a theater room at Cinetopia for client appreciation night.  For this Client Appreciation Night we will be watching Disney's Big Hero 6!  There is also a 'rumor' that a special someone from the North Pole will be joining us.  Please either email me, or Chris Berg at cberg@pcmloan.com with how many tickets you will need so we can get you on the list.  Thank you for your business, your friendship, and your continued referrals!  



So what happens after you have a mutually accepted offer?
 
Earnest Money.....
Now that we have a mutually signed around and accepted offer, we need to get the earnest money check deposited with the title company. The earnest money is due within 3 days of mutual acceptance....business days. The earnest money is typically for $1000 and is refundable based upon the rules from earlier emails. The earnest money check can be a personal check unless we are dealing with a bank owned property. Bank owned properties will want a cashiers check deposited with their title company. Earnest money checks are made out to the title company and not to the seller or your buyers agent. Earnest money checks are deposited with the title company and they will deposit the check. The title company will also receive a copy of the signed around purchase and sale agreement to open escrow. The title company will send you a title report either by email or mail. Take a look at it and follow any instructions they have sent you. Any questions please contact your buyers agent, or call the title company as well. Your buyers agent will make sure that the title company, and your lender also receive a copy of the purchase sale agreement to begin the actual loan process. 
 
 
Inspection.....
Remember that while we have 10 days to do the home inspection, I usually advise my clients to have one ordered and done within 7 days of the mutual acceptance as that gives us time in case something comes up. As always, you and your buyers agent should be at the home inspection! Once the home inspection is completed then you and your buyers agent discuss and write up the requested repairs. Sellers have the right to negotiate repairs, and/or to deny doing any of them at all. The home inspection is around $325-$350 and is non-refundable.

 
Lender...
At this time you will be meeting with your lender and going over more paperwork, signing more things, and providing updated paperwork.  Once your lender has the purchase sale agreement, s/he will have you come in to sign disclosures. 

 
Appraisal....
Once the inspection is completed and all parties have agreed upon repairs, if any, then it is time to order the appraisal. As the buyer you need to let your lender know that it is ok to order the appraisal. An average appraisal is $550-$600...depending upon the lender and/or company, and is paid for by the buyer. The lender orders the appraisal, and s/he comes out within a couple of days of the lenders phone call. Most appraisers will not contact either agent about when they are doing the appraisal...they just go out and do their thing. There are a couple of different types of appraisers out there....there is the appraiser who thinks s/he is an inspector and will poke around the home, the appraiser who just walks around the home and takes some notes...there is also the type of appraiser who will only appraise the home to the purchase/sale amount and stop once they have reached that amount, and the appraiser who will do a complete and total appraisal...who we get is a crap shoot....you just never know. We don't get to choose the appraiser, and neither does the bank or lender.
Once the appraisal is done the appraiser will turn in the paperwork to the lender within 5-10 days...with or without additional stipulations. Sometimes an appraiser can, and do, ask for some repairs to be done to the home. These are considered bank required repairs as if they are not done, the bank will not loan on the property.
When the lender receives the appraisal they will contact the buyers and buyers agent with any bank required repairs, and the appraised amount of the home. For this example we are just going to assume that your home appraises for at least the purchase/sale amount, or more.

 
Underwriters....
Once the lender has the appraisal, and all your paperwork, the lender will turn in your file to the underwriters. Hopefully the underwriters have already seen your file at the pre-approval time, but you need to remember that underwriters work for the bank, and their job is to protect the bank, and the banks interest. They will go over your file with a fine toothed comb and sent some stipulations back to your lender. Your lender will then contact you, the buyer, your buyers agent, or whomever they need to get your stipulations met and cleared. Sometimes it is just explanations, sometimes it is more information, and more paperwork. Once they have all those underwriters questions cleared up, they will send your file and all the new stuff back up to the underwriters again. Sometimes the underwriters send it back again with even MORE stuff they need....it happens... Once the underwriters are finally content and happy they will approve the file and order docs. Docs are good! During this time it is really ALL UP TO the underwriters...not your buyers agent or your lender. We will do all we can to help you with all the information you need, and to get as much information as we can as to what is going on. It is a scary time as no one really knows what is going on...or what the timeframe we are looking at is.....
This whole process can take about 2-4 weeks after the appraisal...depending upon the situation and what all is needed.
 
Documents (aka: Docs)...and Title....
When buyers hear the beautiful words of, "we have ordered docs and the title company should be calling you soon to make an appointment to sign"...most buyers want to call the title company immediately to make that appointment, and I am sorry, but it can't be done. :-) Once docs are ordered it takes anywhere from 24-48 hours for the title company to receive those docs. Once the title company receives those docs they will call you, the buyer, to make that appointment. The title company will also let you know how much, if anything, is owed at closing. If the buyer needs to bring anything to closing it does need to be in the form of a cashiers check, and don't forget to bring your drivers license!

 
Signing and Closing....
We all get excited at the call from the title company for signing. Yes, even your buyers agent...we are excited for you too! ;-D As a buyers agent we have been there every step of the way with you and know how hard you have worked for this. It is a great feeling to help someone buy a home.... Anyhow, I digress... When the title company calls you for the signing appointment they will also let you know if you need to bring any money to signing (see above). The title company will also let you know how much you can expect to receive back after closing as well, and to be honest, most people like this better! lol
Signing is done at the title company and takes about 45 minutes to an hour. You are signing for acceptance of the loan, and the property....acceptance and responsibility. You will receive copies of everything you have signed. Your buyers agent may, or may not be there for signing. Some agents don't go to signings, and some do. I plan to be at all my clients signings, but sometimes appointments conflict. The signing appointment is at YOUR convenience, and not mine. :-D Once signing is done, you will be advised to call all the utility companies and put all the utilities into your name at closing so that nothing gets shut off. Remember to PUT ALL THE UTILITIES IN YOUR NAME AFTER SIGNING.... there is a lot going on right now, and you will be so excited, and nervous that it is easy to forget. Your buyers agent will help remind you. :-) .
When all your paperwork is signed the title company will be contacting the banks and sending all the paperwork back to the underwriters for a final review, When all is ok'd, then the banks authorize funding, and then funding gets confirmed.

 
Closing....
Closing happens without you or your buyers agent. The title company handles closing. Once the title company receives confirmation of funding which is all done by wires then the paperwork is taken to the courthouse for closing. Closing is where the courthouse actually transfers ownership of the home. This whole process takes about 24-48 hours from signing...and remember nothing happens on the weekend! If you sign Thursday morning, you will get keys Friday night. If you sign on Friday, it won't be until Monday afternoon. If you sign on Monday afternoon, it will probably be Wednesday morning. Recording at the courthouse depends upon when the wired funding confirmation happens. If they get it in the morning, you could record that afternoon and have keys around 5pm.....if it happens in the afternoon, then it probably won't record until the next morning in which case, you will record and get keys the next morning....around noon.
Closing is the best because closing means your agent will give you keys!!! Once the title has recording numbers for closing, the title company will call you, or more likely, your buyers agent. Once I receive that call, as a buyers agent, I will call you immediately and let you know that we are closed and to see when we can meet up to get you KEYS!!! Congratulations as this is the moment you have worked for and it can be very emotional. As a buyers agent this is my favorite time, and one of my saddest.... I love to give clients keys...it is just the best feeling! The saddest part about is that now we won't be talking almost every day, and I need to find another client! lol
As always, there is always more going on than what I can put in a quick email. Every transaction is different, and so are you. No two deals are the same.....call your buyers agent with any questions. A buyers agent will be there with you every step of the way and will be open to all questions. A buyers agent will also let you know each step and what we can expect during that step, and after....no surprises! :-D
 
 
I hope that explains this a bit, but if you have any questions, or comments please call or email me anytime!  Please remember that while I mean these emails/blogs to be helpful, and educational, I am still hoping that you will call, or email me.  I would love to help you with your home buying, or home selling adventure!  :-)


....and as always....may the odds ever be in your favor out there! 
 
Please call, email, text, or even facebook me anytime with any questions, or if there is anything I can do to assist you with your home buying adventure!  As a buyers agent, I am, as always, here to help!!  :-D 
 
Thank you again for your business and for your referrals! 
 
...as always...if you have already purchased a home, or no longer would like to receive these emails from me, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from receiving any more. 


Thank you again for attending the home buyer education classes, and I hope that you will continue to refer the classes out to your friends, family, and co-workers.  We appreciate your referrals and word of mouth! 
:-D 
 
 
What is that home worth?  The 4 values you need to know
mortgage insurance...explained 
Real estate timelines...time is of the essence.
How long does it take to find a home?  Close & get keys on a home?
  


Last Week:  What's in your mortgage payment?

Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon, 
;-D 
Tracie DeMars
Buyer's Agent
Re/Max - Van Mall 
360/ 903-3504 cell 
www.traciedemars.com 
traciedemars@aol.com
Facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate
 
“Interested in free and non promotional home buyer education?  Go towww.traciedemars.com for local upcoming classes!”
 
...missed a weekly blog?  Want to send to someone?  All weekly blogs are on my facebook page at:  Tracie DeMars Real Estate
 
 
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be." 
   - Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).

Know someone thinking about buying a home?
Upcoming home buyer classes are:

 
Thursday, 12/4/14, from 5pm-8pm
        Marshall Community Center, upstairs conference room
        1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver Wa (kitty corner from Clark College)
 
Saturday, 12/6/14, from 9am-12pm
        Marshall Community Center, upstairs conference room
        1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver Wa (kitty corner from Clark College)



 ...if these dates/times don't work for you, we have others. Check out the website for more class dates, times, and locations. PLEASE always check  the website www.freehomebuyerclasses.com for any changes regarding the classes!


Remember...with reservation...we will throw in lunch, or dinner!  :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~


Happy Sunday~

   Yep, I am late this week!  It is Tuesday morning, and I am sitting down to get this blog out to you.  I am so glad that you are paying attention here.  :-)  If you are looking for the best time of year to buy a home it is always the winter months....before the tax refunds hit.  Yes, there aren't as many homes on the market, but during the winter months, you have less chance of running into multiple offers (unless the home is underpriced - beware of the under priced home).  Another excellent thing about buying during the winter is usually the rain.  Why is this a good thing?  The best time to do a home inspection is during the 'wet' months because in our area water is the big thing and you want to do a home inspection during a time when you have a better chance to see if there are any drainage, or water issues.  Another good thing about this time of year for buying is that home prices are usually cheaper than they will be during the warmer, drier months when there are more buyers in the market.  The more buyers in the market...drives up the home prices because there is more competition and homes sell quicker.  If you need some time to think about it....buy during the winter.  The weather is your friend right now.  :-)

   Speaking of weather... we had a tree blow down in our yard last week due to the weather.  :-(  Weird thing is that it wasn't even the tree we were worried about either!  It was our curly willow tree and I thought that thing was solid.  Go figure...  Then, to make life even more interesting, my husband was in the ER last Wednesday for an arrhythmic episode for his heart.  My goodness, but that freaked me out!!  He is ok, but wow!  What a week!!  This week I have 3 home inspections so I think we should talk about home inspections soon...what do you think? Anything I haven't talked about that you are curious about, or would like more information for?  Let me know!  I am, as always, here to help!  


  ***Before we get into this weeks blog, I want to remind you that the Client Appreciation Night is coming up on Saturday, December 6, from 3pm-6pm.  Chris Berg & I know that you have lots of options for lenders and real estate brokers out there.  The fact that you have chosen us to help you is really an honor & a privilege....and one we are grateful for & appreciative of.  We want to say, "thank you", for choosing us to help you with your home buying (or home selling or refinancing) adventure, and in this regard, twice a year a year we rent a theater room at Cinetopia for client appreciation night.  For this Client Appreciation Night we will be watching Disney's Big Hero 6!  There is also a 'rumor' that a special someone from the North Pole will be joining us.  Please either email me, or Chris Berg at cberg@pcmloan.com with how many tickets you will need so we can get you on the list.  Thank you for your business, your friendship, and your continued referrals!  

   Now to this weeks blog....This week we are going to talk about what is in your mortgage payment.  Yes, I will talk more about mortgage insurance in a following email.  :-)


Now...on to this weeks topic...  What is in your mortgage payment?

   Buying a home will be the largest purchase you ever make.  The only thing that will cost your more than buying a home is having a child.  :-)  Like a child, you have to take care of your home though, and there is more to home ownership than most people realize.  
   Every month you pay bills, and your mortgage payment will most likely be your largest monthly expenditure, but what is it?  We talked last week about how a mortgage payment works, but this week, let's talk about the five parts of a mortgage payment.  

Now...what is all in your payment?
 
   There are four parts to your mortgage payment...it is called a PITI payment.  What that means is Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance.  For example, my payment is $1500, but my principal/insurance portion is only $900 a month, the other $600 a month is put into an escrow account.  Out of this account comes my homeowners insurance payment once a year, my flood insurance (I live in a flood plain and am required to carry this) payment once a year, and my taxes are also paid from this account twice a year.  All of these fees are wrapped into my monthly payment for me.  Anytime you are using a FHA, or any government type of loan like RD (USDA), or the downpayment assistance, these fees must be wrapped into the mortgage payment.   If you don't have a 20% down payment, then your mortgage payment will actually have FIVE PARTS with the fifth part being Mortgage Insurance. 


Mortgage Insurance vs Homeowners Insurance
 Mortgage insurance is different than home owners (sometimes called, Hazard) insurance.  In a nutshell, mortgage Insurance protects the lender in case you default on your loan, and homeowners insurance protects you & the lender in case something happens to the home....ie.. a fire, a tree falling on your home, a car driving into your home, burst pipes, etc.  


Homeowners Insurance
   Now, please remember, you do choose your insurance company!  One of the things I suggest to clients is to contact their insurance company after they make their offer and to do a couple of things...(1) Has there been any water of fire claims in the past 3-5 years on this home?, and (2) How much would the insurance be for this home?  Average homeowners insurance is about $500-$700 a year....again, it is wrapped up into your monthly mortgage payment so it is not another extra expense.  You do get to choose your company, and many companies will give you discounts for 'bundling' your policies.  It doesn't hurt to call around for quotes.  Once you choose a company request that your insurance agent send over an 'insurance binder' over to your lender. 


Property Taxes
  Taxes are decided by the county, and are usually paid twice a year.  You may get a copy of the tax bill, but again, it is paid by your mortgage company out of your escrow account.  I always get phone calls when these bills come out.  :-D  No worries...it is just for your records, and I encourage your phone calls!!  :-)  Please remember that 'Tax Assessed Value' is NOT market value.


Principal & Interest
   Now...your principal and interest portion of your mortgage payment.  As we know a portion of your mortgage payment every month goes toward the principal amount that your borrowed to purchase your home, and a portion goes toward the interest that the lender is charging you.  In the beginning of your loan the smaller amount goes toward principal, and the larger portion goes toward interest...this eventually switches.  We all know the wisdom of making an additional payment every year on your mortgage to reduce your loan time.  Some banks will offer to take your payment in two week portions, and make your additional payment for you.  Honestly I don't advise this.....before you think I am crazy, this is the reason why....the bank actually holds your money and makes your additional payment at the end of the year.  This isn't the best way for you, really....  I always pay between $25-$100 extra on my mortgage every month depending upon our finances that month, but apply it directly towards my principal borrowed amount.  At the end of the year I have made that extra payment directly towards my principal, which is less money I can be charged interest on!  This will shorten my loan length considerably.  In the end I actually pay MORE on the principal amount than I would have if I had just made one extra payment.  My suggestion to all my clients is to take that $20 from each paycheck and put it into that credit union far away (with no debit card or checkbook for) that is for your home repairs that are needed as a homeowner.  If you just put at least $25 per month extra toward your principal loan amount you will also be shortening your loan time.  This sounds like a lot...but really is it?  It is a trip to McD's (for my family anyhow as we have 2 adults, 2 young adults, and a pre-schooler), or a couple of Starbucks trips a month...but it will help you in the long run immensely. 
   So there are the 5 parts of your mortgage payment...Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance...both Mortgage & Homeowners.....all tidily wrapped up into one payment every month.
 
   Hope this helps. but if you have any questions...you know how to get a hold of me!  

Information is power, and I hope that I am help you!  Good luck, and as always...May the odds be ever in your favor out there....  If you are looking for a real estate agent, I would love to be able to help you.  
 
 As always....this is just a quick overview.... please remember that your agent, and your lender work for YOU.  You drive the bus...we are merely GPS to help you get to your goals.  Like the classes, this weekly blog email is to help you with your homebuying adventure.  The goal is to be informative and non-promotional.  :-)  We are, however, hoping you will call and want us to help with your adventure.  
If you have any questions about this, or something you have heard...or if you would like me to help you with your homebuying adventure, please call, email, text, or facebook me anytime.  I am, as always, happy to help!
 
Thank you again for your business and your referrals!!  ...and thank you for referring these classes to your friends, family, and co-workers. 
 
 ...disclaimer...if you have already purchased a home, or would no longer like to receive these emails, please let me know and I will be happy to remove you from any further mailings... 

Next Week:  What is that home worth?  The 4 values you need to know
mortgage insurance...explained 
Real estate timelines...time is of the essence.
  


Last Week:  Title Insurance...explained.
 

Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon, 
;-D 
Tracie DeMars 
Real Estate broker 
Re/Max - Van Mall 
360/ 903-3504 cell 
360/ 882-3600 fax 
www.traciedemars.com 
traciedemars@aol.com
Facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate 

“Interested in free and non promotional home buyer classes?  Go to www.freehomebuyerclasses.com for local upcoming classes, or facebook: Tracie DeMars Real Estate for my home buyer education blog.” 
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be." 
   - Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).

Know someone thinking about buying a home?  

Upcoming home buyer classes are:

Saturday, 11/8/14, from 9am-12pm
        Marshall Community Center, upstairs conference room
         1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver Wa (kitty corner from Clark College)
 
 Monday, 11/10/14, from 5pm-8pm
        Marshall Community Center, upstairs conference room
        1009 E McLoughlin Blvd, Vancouver Wa (kitty corner from Clark College)



 ...if these dates/times don't work for you, we have others. Check out the website for more class dates, times, and locations. PLEASE always check  the website www.freehomebuyerclasses.com for any changes regarding the classes!


Remember...with reservation...we will throw in lunch, or dinner!  :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~


Happy Sunday~

   Don't forget to change your clocks back!!  :-)  I know you probably already have as it has been all over facebook for a couple of weeks now.  Today is the day to turn your clocks back though.....I double checked.   Speaking of change, with the change in the weather in the past couple of weeks,  I know many people are having to turn on their heaters.  So this week I am going off our scheduled topics to talk a bit about the different types of heating, and some tips about them.  Why?  Because after all the homes I have helped people buy (and sell), and all the home inspections I have attended...I do know a little bit about heating and hopefully it will help you.  I am not a heating technician though...so always bring your big questions to a trained heating technician!  If you need some help, then let me know and I will be happy to help you get those answers....it is what I do!  :-D

   So...stay warm, and dry!  Today is an excellent day for a good book, some tea or hot cocoa, a good football game (or two or three), and maybe a wonderful book and a fuzzy blanket!  May your trees stay in the ground, and your house lighted and heated!  Enjoy.... I, personally, love a good storm!  :-)

   I hope you enjoy todays picture.  :-D  ...and yes, I like to put my cold feet, and hands on my husband.  He is always so warm!!  I keep telling him that keeping my hands/feet warm was part of the fine print in the marriage contract.  How can Ibe faulted that he didn't read it??  LOL  Don't forget to check your smoke alarm batteries today when you change your clocks!  Always be safe....  :-)

One thing that the time change does remind me about is heaters because most likely you have turned yours on already, yes?   Heating isn't something that most people think about until after they are in a home, but it is something that you need to think about BEFORE.  So what types of heating are commonly available?  What are you options?  What do you need to know?  Let's get started...

Forced Air...
   This is the most popular type of heat, but it does have pros/cons.  On a listing this is Forced air, and just because the home has forced air doesn't automatically mean it has air conditioning.  A heat pump has heating and cooling.  :-)
PROS:  Efficient, and you can get a heat pump, or air conditioner unit  for heating and cooling.  Doesn't take up much space in the rooms (but don't cover your vents and be aware that it can dry out your christmas tree so keep that away from a vent).  
CONS:  There is only one temperature for the home, and that is the one that is set.  So if someone likes it warmer/cooler...too bad.  It is very dusty as your ducts are consistently blowing dust and dander around....and if anything gets dropped (or heaven forbid one of your animals pee) in the duct it does cause a problem.  
Maintenance:  With any heating system you must MAINTAIN IT!  One of the things you do need to maintain with a forced air heating system is the duct work.  You will want a company to company in every couple of years and clean out your ducts to help with the dust in the air.  If an animal does pee in it (don't laugh...it happened with one of my dogs) there are cures on the internet, but it takes some time and effort on your part, or you can hire out a company to help.  As a homeowner you can lift the vent cover up and vacuum it with your vacuum hose every so often to help with the dust issue.  I have two members of my family with allergies and our forced air can be an issue with that.  Also you need to have your furnace serviced every two years to keep it up.  Last winter our furnace blew its heating coils....over New Years weekend when the weather was in the 30's.  Service your furnace to 1) keep it running for optimum efficiency 2) so you aren't left freezing over a holiday weekend with 3 space heaters while you wait for people to get back to fix it.  You'll also want to keep an eye on the duct work under your home.  If an animal gets under your home they can tear one down to sleep on it, and this is not good.  Keep your duct work up and off the ground.
Types of forced air:  Gas, Electric, and Apollo.  Whether or like or hate Gas or Electric, it really doesn't make much different there.  I have an electric furnace/forced air unit because the smell of Gas ones is a migraine trigger, and yes, I know they 'don't' smell, but for some reason I can tell.  Weird....yes, I know, but I never pretended to be otherwise.  :-)  Apollo furnaces are something else though, and for a certain area of town about 80% of the homes have one.  An Apollo furnace works a lot like a radiator.  It heats (and/or cools) with water.  It is a forced air furnace that is located in the attic space, and yes that is a system in your atticspace that is heating/cooling your home with water....in your atticspace.  These aren't terrible systems...at all...but you need to maintain it, and if you have one make sure there is a drain pan and/or pipe that leads to the outside of your home...for obvious reasons.  Many folks who had a home with one has switched it out for an electric or gas furnace as the ductwork is all already there.  Cost of a new furnace runs about $2000 (+/- depending upon the size of the home.and when the ductwork is already there).  A lot of homes still have the Apollo forced air units in the atticspace and they are fine.  Maintenance is key....

Wall heaters (aka Cadets)
  These are not bad heaters, and many people prefer them due to allergy reasons.  They are also efficient and are 2nd most popular in my experience...and it is close 2nd.  On a listing this is listed as Wall, or Zonal.  
PROS:  If you are not using a room you can shut the door, and not have to heat the room.  Each room can have different temperatures depending upon the occupants preference.  Good choice for allergies as less dust/dander is being blown around.  Inexpensive and easy to replace, and maintain. 
CONS:  Window air conditioning unit for cooling will be needed.  Most people complain about the 'smell' when these are turned on (see Maintenance for why and how to prevent this).  Bed rep due to the recalled cadet heaters.  If you are buying a home with cadet wall heaters one of the first things your inspector will do is to look at the heaters to see if they were the recalled ones.  If they are it is a cheap fix as the Cadet Company is located in Fruit Valley area.
Maintenance:  One of the biggest complaints about these is the smell when they are turned on....that and the 'brownish' marks around the heater vents that concerns people.  What the smell is, and usually the brownish 'burnt' looking vent covers are is the dust/dander around your home that gets on the coils and is burning off.  How you prevent this is to vacuum your wall heater with the vacuum hose whenever you vacuum.  Once a year, before the cold weather hits in the Fall/Winter time, unscrew the cap/vent of the wall heater and really vacuum it out and wipe off your vent cover.  I feel the need to remind you that the heaters should be turned OFF when you do both of these items, and make sure your heater vent cover is dry when you screw it back on.  :-)  This is the best thing you can do to take care of your wall heaters.  


Ceiling Heat
  This is probably the least efficient heating system, but still in a LOT of homes...especially 70's homes.  And yes, there are quite a few people who do like them.  :-)  In a listing this is listed as Ceiling, or Radiant.  
With ceiling heat there are coils in the ceiling.  What it actually does is heat objects in the room, and not the air itself, and there is no air flow.  With ALL types of heating ceiling fans are actually good for the home as they help to move the air and the heat around.  With ceiling heat it is almost a necessity as if you put a piece of furniture up against a wall (as we all do) it can create condensation behind that object and create mold looking stains on the wall.  You need air flow....ceiling fans are your friends as they will help to push the heat down, and to keep air moving in the home that can help prevent condensation behind your furniture.  This is kind of an outmoded type of heating really. If the coils go out there is only one company who can repair them.  Sometimes with ceiling heat you will see cracks in the ceiling but that is because someone cranked up the ceiling heat and the coils heated up and expanded too fast and cracked the ceiling.  
If the home you fall in love with has ceiling heat it doesn't mean that you automatically want to discount it.  There are a couple of easy fixes.  You can easily and cheaply put in wall heaters, and cut the lines to the ceiling heat.  You can leave the lines to the ceiling heat cut or hook them up to the wall heaters.  Cost for about 5 is about $1500-$2000...with labor.  Again....inexpensive, and by putting in the wall heaters vs the ceiling heat you are actually increasing the homes value.  Crazy, huh?  
Another option is to contact the Clark County PUD for a ductless heat pump.  Yep, a ductless heat pump.  It is a white thing/machine on the wall that heats and cools the home.  They are a little unattractive, but very efficient.  The Clark PUD will put them into your home for a low interest loan....and there was a rebate....don't quote me on that as I am not sure there is still one available.  
The other option for many people is to put in an forced air furnace, but this is costly as you also need to put in the duct work.  

Other Heating...
There are a lot of different kind of heating types, but the above are the most common in our area....and some a few others are....
Fireplaces
  This is a tough one as I don't know too many people who use this as their only heating source.  However, it is a form of heating so here you are.  Fireplaces are wonderful, but honestly open fireplaces are more for ambiance than actual heating.  If you want to actually use your fireplace as a heating source your best bet is to put in a fireplace insert....or a pellet stove.  Many people burn paper in their fireplace and I have to tell you....this is BAD!!!!  DON'T burn paper in your fireplace...it is NOT an incinerator.  That is the number 1 reason for creosote in in your chimney that causes fires.  DON'T burn your bills, or your boxes, or your christmas paper....etc...NO!  
We get a lot of rain here (I know...big shocker), so make sure that your chimney has a rain cap.  A lot of chimneys in our areas, especially with older homes, need some work.  With an fireplace insert a pipe is inserted in your chimney that takes care of any issues.  The only downside to using a fireplace is that it dries out the air, so you will want to use a humidifier, or like my grandma used to do, put a kettle or something on the insert with some water and potpourri, scented oil, etc and it will keep your home smelling yummy all winter.  :-)  
Baseboard
  Ok, I admit I have a bias against this type of heating because it takes up way too much space in a room for your furniture....and when my 17 year old son was little he would stick crayons down it.  Ugh....talk about the smell!!  You can remove these baseboards and put in the cadet wall heaters, or again....call Clark PUD for the ductless heat pump and leave the baseboards in, or remove them...it is up to you.  I would love to say something good about them....but for the life of me I can't.  :-)
Older coil wall heaters.....I once lived in a rental home with old, old wall heaters that had those visible huge coils that glowed red when heated up....yuck.  It actually caught fire!  Very occasionally I will still see a couple of these in homes.  Not very often, but sometimes...  I suggest that you might want to remove these old ones for the new cadet wall heaters.  
Old Red Coil ceiling heaters that you sometimes see in bathrooms.  These can be switched out pretty easily by a professional....

Ductless Heat Pump (aka split system heating/cooling)...  I talked a little bit about these above.  They are very efficient, and can save money in your heating/cooling bllls over almost all the other heating options out there.  These are becoming more, and more common.  I used to see them only every so often, but now I see them quite frequently...especially in older homes that had ceiling heat.  The biggest con, but it doesn't really bother me, is that some people don't like the way it looks on the wall.  Call the Clark PUD and ask them for some more information.  I also have some pamphlets on these if you are interested.  Just let me know...

....and there you are!  Did I miss any??? :-D


   Hope this helps. but if you have any questions...you know how to get a hold of me!  

Information is power, and I hope that I am help you!  Good luck, and as always...May the odds be ever in your favor out there....  If you are looking for a real estate agent, I would love to be able to help you.  
 
 As always....this is just a quick overview.... please remember that your agent, and your lender work for YOU.  You drive the bus...we are merely GPS to help you get to your goals.  Like the classes, this weekly blog email is to help you with your homebuying adventure.  The goal is to be informative and non-promotional.  :-)  We are, however, hoping you will call and want us to help with your adventure.  
If you have any questions about this, or something you have heard...or if you would like me to help you with your homebuying adventure, please call, email, text, or facebook me anytime.  I am, as always, happy to help!
 
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Next Week:  Title insurance...explained
followed by:  Mortgage Insurance explained,
 Best time of year to buy, or sell a home?
Real estate timelines...time is of the essence.
  


Last Week:  Homeowners Insurance & Home warranties...explained
 

Have a great day, and I will talk to you soon, 
;-D 
Tracie DeMars 
Real Estate broker 
Re/Max - Van Mall 
360/ 903-3504 cell 
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www.traciedemars.com 
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"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be." 
   - Shel Silverstein, American poet, cartoonist and composer, (1930 - 1999).