Pros and Cons of Living Within a Homeowners Association

from Realtor.com | by Michele Lerner | April 25, 2014

Ask two different homeowners what they think about living in a community with a homeowners association and you may see one of them scowl and another smile. The difference of opinion on homeowners associations, or HOAs, depends on several factors, including individual personalities and preferences and the quality of the particular HOA.

To learn more about HOAs read the rest of the article by clicking here.

Average rent continues to rise in Springs

from Colorado Springs Business Journal | by Cameron Moix | February 28, 2014

Average apartment rent rose in the Colorado Springs metro for the 16th consecutive quarter (year over year) at the close of 2013, according to a report released Friday by the Colorado Division of Housing and the Apartment Association of Southern Colorado.

The report indicated that the average rent for Springs residents rose $9 (or 1 percent) to $799 compared to the same quarter of 2012. Although the year-over-year rate has increased for 16 straight quarters, the report specified that average rent is down from $830 during the third quarter of 2013.

To read the rest of the article at the Colorado Springs Business Journal click here.

Prepare Your Pipes for Freezing Temperatures

Below-freezing temperatures are coming this week!  Prepare your water pipes to keep them from freezing. Frozen pipes can burst when the temperatures drop, causing extensive and costly water damage.




Here are some simple steps you can take to help ensure your pipes are ready for the cold temperatures.

• Check water supply lines that are located in unheated areas. Check the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. 
• Insulate hot and cold water pipes in these areas. 
• Drain automatic landscaping sprinkler systems.
• Disconnect all hoses from water supplies around the outside of your home. 
• Set water to drip from any faucet served by exposed pipes. (Running water through the pipe,  even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing.)

WSJ: Fall is Time to Prepare the Yard for Spring

Published in The Wall Street Journal | October 20, 2013 | Written by Lindsay Gellman

Simple Chores Done Now Could Save You Cash Next Year

Fall is in the air—which means leaves will soon be on the ground in the colder states, and cooler, drier air is blowing into the South and West.

Now's the time to begin fall yard work such as raking leaves, weeding and cleaning out the gutters. But it isn't just about aesthetics. A few chores now could save you headaches—and cash—in the spring.

1. Rake leaves

If you're in a colder region, make sure to rake the leaves from your yard before the first snow hits or mold could set in and damage your lawn, says Bruce Allentuck, president of Allentuck Landscaping Company in Clarksburg, Md. One option is to bag the leaves for removal.

Check with your town to see whether there is a municipal leaf-composting program, says Margaret Roach, founder of gardening blog AWayToGarden.com in Copake Falls, N.Y.

Programs such as these collect leaves in the fall for composting and provide residents with low-cost or even free leaf-compost material for spring planting (a cubic yard of similar material sells for $25 to $55 plus delivery from a landscaper or garden center, Ms. Roach says).

Or you can create your own compost heap in a corner of the yard that you're not using, she says.

2. Weed and prune

It may be tedious, but a little weeding now will go a long way in the spring, Ms. Roach says. People "spend a lot of their dollars and time trying to get rid of weeds," she says. "Right now is when you can really minimize next year's weed problems."

Your goal should be preventing current issues from worsening, rather than perfection. Target seed-laden weeds and others with runner-like roots, says Ms. Roach.

You should also examine woody plants, like shrubs and trees, to see if there are any dead or broken branches that might give way in winter winds or snow, potentially causing damage, Ms. Roach says. If so, prune them, or for larger trees, consider hiring a professional to do so for you, she says.

3. Clear gutters and drains

Unclogging gutters and outdoor drainage is essential for preventing water damage to your house, says Nicholas Brand, founder of Vancouver-based window- and gutter-cleaning service Men in Kilts.

If you neglect your gutters, Mr. Brand says, you risk water backing up and seeping into your roof or spilling over and down the side of the house, damaging your foundation.

The timing of your cleaning is critical, he says—too early and your gutters will reclog; too late and they'll be filled with frozen debris. Aim for a cleaning right before the first snow, he says.

If you hire a professional, the service typically runs $250 to $300, but varies by house size, says Mr. Brand. Be sure that you have sufficient liability insurance and that the service company has local workers'-compensation insurance, he says.

4. Insulate plants

"When it's cold outside, we can put jackets on, but plants can't," Mr. Allentuck says. So if the temperature in your area dips below freezing, or you know a cold snap is coming, make sure your plants have adequate insulation, he says.

One way to do so is to put down a one-layer inch of mulch to protect roots, he says. In addition, it's a good idea to cover frost-sensitive plants with burlap, a sheet or a cardboard box, he says. You can move potted plants indoors or close to the house for extra warmth, he adds.

But be sure to remove those coverings once the sun comes up and temperatures rise. "Otherwise, you'll end up with a baked plant," says Tom MacCubbin, host of a gardening radio program in Orlando, Fla.

5. Plant new perennials

In many regions, late fall is the perfect time to plant new perennials—and in warmer climates, most trees and shrubs as well as cool-season annuals, says Lili Singer, director of special projects and adult education at the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wildflowers and Native Plants in Sun Valley, Calif.

Garden centers often have steep discounts this time of year, says Ms. Roach. Ask a local garden professional which plants typically thrive in your area if planted now.

And in some southern states, where lawns can really take a beating during the summer months, this might be the right time to aerate, reseed and fertilize your lawn, says Mark McAuliffe, vice president of operations at Cross Creek Nursery and Landscaping in Richmond, Va.

Read the article on The Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304864504579139320312957410

Tenant Fire Safety

Stay safe in your home this Summer and throughout 2013. Every year there are around 11,000 house fires and sadly, many people continue to lose their lives instead of taking some simple precautions.

Your Home

• Test that smoke alarms are working 
• Be alert when cooking and never leave food unattended 
• Never leave candles or incense to burn unattended 
• Never leave children unattended with candles, matches, or lighters 
• Have a locked cupboard for combustible materials and dangerous tools 
• Don’t overload electrical circuits with too many appliances 
• Develop and practice an escape plan with household members 
• Know what to do if a person’s clothing catches on fire; Stop, Drop, Cover & Roll.
• Get rid of items cluttering your home which no longer have any use: old documents, newspapers, clothing, furniture, appliances and rubbish.  When these items block exits and narrow hallways, they block escape for the occupant and access for fire fighters.

Your Garden

• Cut long grass
• Regularly rake up leaves, bark and twigs
• Clear any dead branches and undergrowth near your home
• Prune lower tree branches
• Keep mulch and woodpiles away from walls
• Carefully place any flammable matter including boxes, cartons, and paper in trash can
• Remove any timber and old junk lying around

Share the Work

As a tenant, you are responsible for maintaining the property (including the garden) to a level that meets general street and community standards. It is your obligation to ensure that the property is fire safe, inside and out. 

To get ready for the summer months, why not invite your friends, family and neighbors over for a busy bee? Work is always quicker, easier and more fun with more people involved!

Don’t gamble with your lives. With a little preparation, it’s easy to help prevent your home from going up in flames.

CCS: Colorado Springs Trees Will Need Water this Winter

Published by The City of Colorado Springs | Thursday November 29, 2012 | Written by Carrie McCausland

Although this article was written in November, All Seasons believes this is an important subject to think about all winter long!

Even though urban trees in Colorado Springs are going dormant, our dry fall weather means that they will require care over the winter to remain in top health. “It’s very important to prepare your trees for winter’s cold, arid conditions, and also to continue watering them during drier periods over the next several months,” said Keith Wood, community forestry program manager for the Colorado State Forest Service. He emphasizes that younger trees require the most care. Wood says urban trees require additional, regular watering over the winter. During extended dry periods (2-3 weeks without rain or snow cover), provide supplemental water. The best time for winter watering is on warmer days, when snow has melted off and the temperature is above 40 degrees.

• Wrap the trunk. In Colorado, thin-barked trees like honeylocust, ash, maple and linden are susceptible to sunscald and frost cracks because of the drastic temperature fluctuations in fall and winter. To prevent bark damage, guard the trunks of younger trees up to the first branches using commercial tree wrap. Leave the wrap on until April.
• Mulch the base. Apply 2 to 4 inches of wood chips, bark or other organic mulch near the base of the tree, but not against it, to reduce soil evaporation, improve water absorption and insulate against temperature extremes. Residents can pick up wood chip mulch free of charge across from the Parks and Recreation forestry building at 1601 Recreation Way.
• Recycle leaves. Instead of disposing of fallen leaves, consider layering them around the base of each tree as a natural mulch, or blend them into the yard with a mulching mower to retain nutrients. Note that residents are reminded to not rake or blow leaves and other yard debris into the street or storm drains.  Doing so is a violation of City Code and can result in fines. 
• Prune conservatively. Late winter is the best time for pruning most tree species, but it can be done whenever trees are dormant over the winter months. Common reasons for pruning are to remove dead branches and improve form. Always prune at the branch collar – the point where a branch joins a larger one – and don’t remove any branches without good reason.
• Give them a good drink. Slowly water each tree in the area from just outside the trunk to the extent of the longest branches. Water at the rate of 10 gallons per inch of tree diameter. To get the diameter measure the circumference of the tree's trunk (in inches) four feet up from the base of the tree and then divide by 3.

For more information about urban tree care, visit the Colorado State Forest Service website at csfs.colostate.edu.

Gazette: Winter Watering of Trees Especially Important This Year in COSprings

Published by The Gazette | January 28, 2013 | Written by R. Scott Rappold

Trees Need Water All Year

Drought — you can see it everywhere.

From the bare hills of the Waldo Canyon burn scar to half-full reservoirs to the mostly snowless face of Pikes Peak, there’s no denying this winter is shaping up to be even worse than last year.

As of last week, mountain snowpack was at 62 percent of average and Colorado Springs had received less than half its normal winter precipitation. Forget about your lawn. Experts say, in such times, people need to act to save their trees from what one local company called the “horticultural cliff.”

“Winter watering right now is just critical,” city forester Paul Smith said. “Boy, when we get those 50-degree days, people should drag that hose out and let it run slow on their trees.”

* * *

Myth: Colorado Springs is a natural environment for our many trees.

Fact: The city was a tree-less prairie when founded in 1872.

* * *

The Pikes Peak region has been in and out of drought for more than a decade, which has led the city to remove hundreds of dead or dying trees from medians and rights-of-way.

“We always live in a drought area,” Smith said. “We’re a semi-arid to an arid high plains desert, so we’re always in a water deficit.”

Still, the elm, spruce, oak and other trees that have been planted over the years usually can survive, if not thrive, in this climate.

But when stressed by persistent drought, they become vulnerable to pests and disease.

Smith said ips beetles have been killing spruce and ponderosa pine at a higher-than-normal rate. Scale insects have been killing older elm trees. While the mountain pine beetle that has decimated the northern part of Colorado isn’t here in great numbers, other insects such as weevils are. There is also the threat of disease, such as Dutch elm disease and pine wilt, which attacks Austrian and Scotch pine.

* * *

Myth: Trees go dormant in winter and don’t need water.

Fact: While the tree’s functions slow, it does not shut down.

* * *

“Think of yourself sleeping at night. You’re not burning a lot of calories. You are still burning some calories because those internal functions are still happening,” said Barbara Bates, El Paso County horticulture agent for the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension. “Trees are still burning some sugars. They’re still doing respiration. They’re still doing maintenance.”

That’s why she said at least once a month, when the temperature is in the 40s or 50s and the ground isn’t frozen, people should water their trees.

Pines should be the highest priority because they stay more active in winter, as well as trees on south- and west-facing slopes that receive more sunshine. And the time to do it is now, to help the trees produce more and healthier buds in the spring.

“If you can do some preventative watering and try to keep those trees out of the stress zone, you’re saving yourself money in the long run and that’s the best thing you can do to try to ensure the survival of the tree,” Bates said.

* * *

Myth: You should water the trunk of a tree.

Fact: Watering is most effective at the “drip line,” the edge of the canopy.

* * *

When you’ve dragged out the garden hose on a warm winter day, Bates suggests finding a way to water slowly, to ensure that more water sinks into the cold ground. Use a low sprinkler setting or pour from a bucket with holes in the bottom.

Around the tree’s canopy, drop enough that each area gets at least 2 inches of water.

In city parks and medians, crews use water trucks to irrigate trees whenever the temperature is high enough. But trees in the rights-of-way along streets are the responsibility of residents to water.

But watering might not be enough, especially if the dry winter becomes a dry spring.

“The typical customary March and April, you get some decent heavy, wet snow. That’s the bulk of the moisture, our snowiest months,” said Tony Hahn, landscape care consultant with Swingle Lawn, Tree & Landscape Care, “Last April we didn’t get it. And last March we didn’t get it.”

By June, the city was parched and the foothills were a tinderbox, a perfect storm for the outbreak of the Waldo Canyon fire, the most destructive in Colorado history.

As spring arrives and insects get more active, he said residents should keep a close eye on conifers such as spruce and Austrian and ponderosa pine, especially if they are on a south- or west-facing slope. Signs of poor tree health include slow growth, change in needle colors, needles dropping and small, nonproducing buds.

Holes in bark, sawdust, yellow or red spots and the presence of woodpeckers are indications of insects. Older, larger trees are most susceptible, Hahn said.

Concerned tree owners can hire a company to spray preventively or after-the-fact for insects, at a cost of about $70 for two trees and $8-$15 per additional tree, Hahn said.

Bates, the horticulture agent, was asked how worried she is for the health of Colorado Springs’ trees.

On a scale of one to 10, she said, “We’re all at about 10 right now, maybe between 9 and 10. We’re all very concerned.”

Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/watering-150275-winter-age.html#ixzz2JOM6W6Pa

All Seasons, LLC 2013 Cleaning Guide

Are you moving? Or do you just want a checklist you can use to maintain a clean home?

All Seasons, LLC, has a guide to help you. The All Seasons, LLC 2013 Cleaning Guide has handy-dany tips and descriptions of how to clean your property when you vacate, or move.

You can read the booklet below, or right-click on the booklet to save it to your computer. I'm going to print it and refer to it daily to make sure I am caring for my home.

And as always, All Seasons, LLC, CRMC is here to help you to find your perfect rental home in Colorado Springs, or to answer your questions. Call us anytime at: (719) 632-3368 or visit us online at:  http://www.all-seasons.com.

 
ColoradoRentersGuide2012.pdf

2012 Colorado Renter's Guide

All Seasons, LLC, believes that educated tenants are happy tenants, and we want our renters to be as educated as possible. We've posted this before, but believe this is such a handy booklet that we are posting it again.

The Colorado Renter's Guide 2012, A Guide to Renter's Rights and Responsibilities, is made by The State of Colorado to give all renters in Colorado a good idea of their rights and responsibilities.

You can read the booklet below, or right-click on the booklet to save it to your computer.

And as always, All Seasons, LLC, CRMC is here to help you to find your perfect rental home in Colorado Springs, or to answer your questions. Call us anytime at: (719) 632-3368 or visit us online at:  http://www.all-seasons.com.
 
ColoradoRentersGuide2012.pdf

CSBJ: Home Developers to Make New Lots in 2013 in The Pikes Peak Region

Published by The Colorado Springs Business Journal | December 27 2012 | Written by Amanda Miller

New home construction heated up in 2012 and most in the industry expect that the building will continue into 2013.

The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department issued 2,022 single-family building permits in the first 10 months of the year. There were more single-family permits issued in El Paso County this year than in any other county in the state, according to a report from the Colorado Division of Housing. El Paso and Douglas counties accounted for a third of the 9,261 single-family building permits issued in the state through October.

It was a great year for Colorado Springs homebuilders, said John Bissett, CEO of JM Weston Homes and new president of the Colorado Springs Housing and Building Association.

“It was about 50 percent better than 2011,” Bissett said.

New home construction has been up across the country, he said, and it seems like the increased activity will continue, though 2013 is unlikely to climb another 50 percent ahead of 2012.

“The buying public has been sitting on the sidelines long enough,” Bissett said.

He said there has been pent-up demand and people are now coming out to buy new homes. Bissett said most of the activity has been in the lower and mid-range homes priced less than $300,000. That’s likely to continue, though Bissett said there could be increased interest in higher-priced homes as the market continues to improve.

“What you’ll see in 2013 that you haven’t seen for years will be developers working on bringing more lots online,” Bissett said.

He says it will start with Cordera, a luxury development on the northeast end of town, which is preparing to bring new lots online early in the new year. While developers will be finishing more lots, Bissett said he doesn’t expect to see developers breaking ground on any new communities in 2013.

“Developers are still pretty constrained in terms of obtaining financing,” Bissett said.

Read more on CSBJ.com: http://csbj.com/2012/12/27/developers-to-bring-on-new-lots-in-2013/

Gazette: Home Inventory Businesses Spring up After Waldo Canyon Fire in Mountain Shadows

Published by The Gazette | December 16 2012 | Written by Rich Laden

MARK REIS, THE GAZETTE 

Pete Vieth measures a coffee table while Carrie Mitchell enters information on a laptop while documenting items Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012, in a home in northeast Colorado Springs. The two are owners of Together We Stand Home Inventory.

Insurance companies have warned homeowners for years: Make an accurate record of your household contents, and keep it in a safe place in case of an emergency.

The advice has taken on special meaning for Colorado Springs-area residents after the Waldo Canyon fire destroyed nearly 350 Mountain Shadows homes in late June. Some residents of the northwest side neighborhood have spent months battling insurance companies to obtain satisfactory settlements.

The amount received in such settlements hinges, in large part, on what kind of information homeowners can provide to document the value of their contents. And insurance companies want detailed proof of value, not homeowners’ misty-eyed recollections of the items they lost.

That’s why at least two home inventory companies recently were launched in Colorado Springs, part of a growing industry that offers to record and document household contents for a price. In spite of the Waldo Canyon fire’s harsh reality, and warnings from the insurance industry, assembling inventories remains one of those chores that many busy homeowners put off.

“Their intentions are there, but it’s very, very time consuming,” Carrie Mitchell, owner of Together We Stand Home Inventory and Asset Management Group, said of homeowners.
Mitchell, who owned rental properties in Manitou Springs at the time of the fire, had tenants who were evacuated from their residences; she also had friends who were evacuated and stayed at her home. She and her partner in the company, Springs businessman Pete Vieth, had friends who lost everything.

In volunteering with Colorado Springs Together, the nonprofit assistance group that formed after the fire, Mitchell and Vieth talked with several fire victims, most of whom had failed to put together home inventories. They also heard harrowing testimonials from residents who suddenly had 15 minutes to evacuate as the fire approached.

“They spent the 15 minutes snapping pictures (of household contents) and video taping in a panic,” Vieth said.

The pair researched the home inventory industry over the next few months, spent hours talking with insurance company representatives and estate planners and conducted pilot home inventories. They did their first inventory in October.

Together We Stand uses digital photography and a software program to document a home’s contents — taking photos of appliances, electronics, furniture, jewelry, firearms, antiques and coin collections, among other items, while entering detailed descriptions of each item into a computer software program. Inventories start at $349, average about $500 and the final cost depends on how time they spend at a home and how detailed a homeowner wants to get..

“What we’ve learned from the insurance industry is that values that are done based on the homeowner’s self valuation are meaningless to insurance companies,” Vieth said. “What’s important to insurance companies is the photographs, the detail and documentation.”

Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/companies-148508-insurance-homeowners.html#ixzz2FKSWCTIL

Winter Watering Alert

Brrr...the freezing temperatures are finally here! Remember that ALL hoses must be removed from outside spigots. If the hose is not unscrewed from the faucet there is a high probability that the pipes will freeze into the house. This would be a huge disaster--not to mention--expensive. Please do a quick check outside today to make sure yours is disconnected!

On the same note, we have had next to no moisture this season. The automatic sprinklers have been shut down for the season, so they cannot be used, however PLEASE continue to water your lawn, bushes and trees. They are very expensive should they need to be replaced. Then when the watering is finished, again, please remember to remove the hose from the spigot.

All Seasons will start our delivery of tenant gifts in the next two weeks. We hope you have fabulous holidays!

CNNMoney: There's a Home Price Recovery… but it's Really, Really Slow

Published by CNN Money | December 5 2012 | Written by Les Christie

...If Congress can't agree on a fiscal cliff deal, a recession is likely, and that would hit the housing recovery hard.

Photo: Forstein Blackwood APP / Getty Images

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Just about everybody agrees that the housing market is finally recovering -- but don't expect big price gains.

Nearly two-thirds of the nation's housing markets will see price declines for the year through next June, according to analytics firm Fiserv (FISV). Overall, the gains will be just 0.3%.

One big factor that could weigh on prices: The fiscal cliff.

If Congress can't agree on a deal to halt a series of tax increases and spending cuts, a recession is likely, and that would hit the housing recovery hard.

In addition, if the Bush-era tax cut on capital gains is allowed to expire -- allowing the rate to increase to 20% from 15% on Jan. 1 -- it would take a significant bite out of the profits high-end sellers would realize and give them less to spend on buying a new home, said Celia Chen, an economist and housing market analyst for Moody's Analytics.

"Even people who do have the resources to buy homes will be more nervous," she said.

But even if we avoid the fiscal cliff, there are other factors weighing on home prices.

In order to raise more tax revenue, Congress is considering putting a cap on the mortgage interest tax deduction, a key tax break aimed at encouraging homeownership -- mainly among the upper-middle class.

Most of the benefit of this deduction goes to wealthier households. Mortgage borrowers with incomes of $250,000 or more realize an average annual tax savings of $5,460, according to the Tax Policy Center. Meanwhile, those making less than $40,000 a year, save just $91.

Capping the deduction would discourage buyers from buying bigger, more expensive homes, said Chen.

But it's not just the high-end of the market that could get squeezed.

With Congress distracted by the fiscal cliff, there is a real chance that the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act of 2007 could expire come January 1. If the act were to lapse, struggling homeowners will have to start paying income taxes on the portion of their mortgage that is forgiven in a foreclosure, short sale or principal reduction.

That means homeowners will be on the hook for thousands of dollars in taxes that they likely can't afford. That will force more people who could have sought a less damaging alternative, like a short sale, to choose foreclosure instead.

Fiserv's estimates assume that about half of the fiscal cliff tax hikes and spending cuts will occur, said Stiff. The forecast does not take into account any change to the mortgage interest deduction. Should that deduction expire, Stiff said home prices might be even weaker over the short-term.

Home prices: Biggest winners and losers

These cities will see the biggest swings in home prices through the 12 months ending June 30, 2013, according to Fiserv's estimates.

City	Forecast change
Medford, Ore.	8.7%
Yuma, Ariz	6.2%
Syracuse, N.Y.	5.2%
Hagerstown, Md.	5.2%
Pittsfield, Ma	4.9%
Naples, Fla.	-7.6%
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.	-7%
Orlando, Fla.	-6.9%
San Jose, Calif.	-5.9%
Phoenix	-5.8%

Source: Fiserv

Fiserv expects home prices to start heating up again next fall. Between June 2013 and 2014, it expects prices to climb 3.4% and to continue to grow at an annual rate of about 3.3% over the five years through June 2017. 

To read more and see a video on CNNMoney about the affect of the fiscal cliff on the housing market, click here: http://money.cnn.com/2012/12/05/real_estate/housing-home-prices/index.html?section=money_realestate&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fmoney_realestate+%28Real+Estate%29