Homes MSP Real Estate Blog

Wednesdays Unplugged - Sauteed Spinach with Garlic and Pine Nuts

NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It's my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian 'Quote Cup' passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, and sometimes some photos of family fun. I love trying new recipes...and love getting recipes you would like to share!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"We are here on earth to do good for others. What the others are here for I do not know." ~ W.H. Auden

After a string of Wednesdays with people in and out due to illness and various reasons 'the kids' were all here again last week... good to have whole families back together again.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

I had a real craving for garlic rosemary chicken last week and love it with sauteed spinach. Since spinach is also one of my favorite vegetables it seems appropriate to share this quick and easy recipe from mealsmatter.org this week. 

SAUTEED SPINACH WITH GARLIC AND PINE NUTS

• 2 - 11 ounce bags spinach
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt & pepper

Wash spinach, leaving some water droplets on leaves. Heat oil in a large wok-style skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.  Add spinach to the pan and saute until starting to wilt, 30 seconds. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until all spinach is wilted and liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results - Email - HomesMSP.com

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• Wednesdays Unplugged - Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Penne, Raisins and Pine Nuts
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Gas Appliance Connectors

Two weeks ago I wrote a blog about the most common places to find gas leaks, and I said I'd follow up with a blog about gas connectors - those short, flexible, corrugated things that are used to connect gas appliances to gas piping.  Today I'll go over the items that I look for on gas connectors while doing home inspections.  I'll cover the most common installation defects, and I'll go over the differences between new and old connectors. 

Gas Connectors are not a substitute for gas piping.  To start, here's a photo of a gas connector - it's that corrugated yellow thingy.  Most newer gas connectors look just like this one.  Remember, a gas connector is used to get from the gas piping to the appliance - that's all.  Gas connectors should never be used as a substitute for gas piping.  This means that if you ever see two connectors joined together, it's an improper installation.  If you hear someone call this a flexible gas line, smack 'em upside the head and gently correct them.  It's not a gas line, it's a gas connector. 

Gas Connectors should never disappear in to a concealed location.  If a gas connector disappears in to a wall, floor, ceiling, or cabinet of an appliance, it's an improper installation.   Only proper gas piping should be run through walls, floors, cabinets, etc.

  

Gas Connectors need to be sized appropriately.  I stopped by my favorite orange box the other day to check out their selection of gas connectors, and they had three sizes available - low demand, moderate demand, and large demand connectors.  It's alright to go larger, but not smaller.   The size and length of the appliance connector is determined by the BTU rating of the appliance.  Most jurisdictions allow six foot connectors for ranges and clothes dryers, and three foot connectors for everything else.

 

Old Gas Connectors should be replaced.  The current standard for gas appliance connectors is ANSI Z21.24.  I tried to get a copy of those standards for this blog so I could say what what makes the newer connectors different, but it would have cost me almost $600 (get out of here!), so I did something even better.  I got my hands on a new gas connector and an old one, and I cut 'em open.  Here's what I found.

 

As you can see, they're made from different materials.  The new gas connector, which complies with ASNI Z21.24, is made from stainless steel.  The old connector obviously isn't - it's made from brass.  To quickly spot the difference between the old and new connectors, you can usually just look at the outside jacket.   Old connectors will typically have a grey coating, like the one shown above left, a braided stainless steel jacket like the type shown below, or they'll obviously be made of uncoated brass like the one shown far below.  

 

Newer connectors are typically coated with yellow, like the one shown at the beginning of this blog, or will be plain stainless steel, like the one pictured at the bottom of the photo below.  If the connector has a grey coating or is made from uncoated brass, it's old.

 

To know for sure, you can look closely at the nut, or sometimes at a ring that has been attached to the connector.  If it meets ANSI Z21.24, it will say so.

 

If a gas connector doesn't meet this standard, it should be replaced.  The older gas connectors are much more prone to leakage, making them a latent hazard.  I've never found one that leaked, but I've heard that when they leak it's a major event.  The Truth-In-Sale of Housing programs for Minneapolis, Bloomington, and several other cities require replacement of these old connectors.  You can click here for Bloomington's position on old gas connectors.

Don't reuse gas connectors.  According to every manufacturer, gas connectors should never be reused.  When a gas appliance is replaced or disconnected, the connector should be replaced at the same time.   This isn't something I look for during home inspections, just a good tip.  Oh, and one other thing - don't confuse gas connectors with Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST).  They're not the same thing, and they're never interchangeable.   I'll have a good blog about CSST next week.  

Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech Home Inspections - Email - Bloomington Home Inspections

    

Planning to write an offer? Don't forget these three things...

When I got a call Saturday afternoon that an offer was coming in on one of my listings, the agent said her buyers told her they were planning to make an offer that day. With the countdown to the end of the homebuyer tax credit upon us (must have a signed Purchase Agreement by April 30), I expect a lot of buyers will be shifting into decision mode soon. If you go out looking at homes with the intent of making an offer, don't forget these three things...

1. Your checkbook

Not very many people carry checkbooks with them regularly anymore, but you will submit an earnest money check with your offer. So... don't forget to bring your checkbook or a check blank with you when you are getting ready to make any offer.

2. Check with your lender

You will need to submit a pre-approval letter from your lender with your offer, so either you or your real estate agent should be in touch with your loan officer... both for the letter and an estimate of cash needed to close and estimated monthly payments so there are no surprises. If you are asking for seller paid closing costs it is also a good idea to check on the amount to request...if you ask for more than you can use, you forfeit it to the seller. And, it's also a good idea to ask how quickly the loan can have final underwriting approval and be ready to close in case those dates become an issue in negotiations.

3. Your calendar

You will request your preferred closing date with your offer, but it's a good idea to know your options if that date doesn't work for your seller. Also, inspections usually take place 3-5 days after coming to an agreement...will that work with your schedule? how about your inspector's schedule? If you need to make adjustments in the time frame to accommodate schedules, it is best to make the adjustments before submitting your offer.

Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results - Email - Buyer's Agent

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• Home Buying Process
• I found a home I like online...now what???
• Making an Offer to Buy a Home
• Contingent upon Inspection  
• Foreclosures...reading the fine print

Sunday's Site - Minneapolis Central Public Library

NOTE: see the bottom of Sunday's Site posts for homes for sale in the area

When the new Minneapolis Central Library opened in 2006 I was impressed with the stunning design by architect Cesar Pelli who also designed the Wells Fargo Center and eagerly planned to visit. When I finally stopped a couple days ago I was amazed that although I drive by quite regularly, it took me so long to see it from within. I am glad I finally did! It is an amazing library, not only in design but also in its extensive collection and services.

 
Visually eye-catching, the canopy roof  projects over both Hennepin and Nicollet entrances, and extends over the atrium that links the two buildings that make up the 353,000 square foot library. Using energy-efficient design, including a 'green' roof planted with ground cover and recycling of 95% of the old Central Library building, it is more than 30% more energy efficient than required by energy code. Perhaps most noticeable are the wide expanses of glass... both transparent and translucent with imagery of water, snow, trees, prairie grass... which let in huge amounts of natural light.

 
What really impressed me when I stopped by the Minneapolis Public Library on Friday afternoon was how all four levels were filled with people... and most of its free 300+ computer stations were occupied! It offers nearly 100%  public access to its collection of more than 2.4 million items, the third largest per capita library collection of any major US city. Its children's collection includes materials in more than 30 languages, and Teen Central is one of the first spaces of its kind in the US... designed by and for teens.

Click here to see homes currently for sale in the area around the Central Public Library in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. Please be patient while the link searches for the most current listings... click on the map to zoom in until you see icons on the dots, then pass your cursor over them for property information, click for property details. 

Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results - Email - HomesMSP.com

RELATED POSTS

• Sunday's Site - Nicollet Island
• Sunday's Site - Minneapolis Riverfront, St. Anthony Main

Lead Based Paint

Beginning April 2010, federal law will require that Contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and schools built before 1978 to be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. 

 
Many people who are selling their homes or buying a new home, hire someone to repair, renovate or paint....so I thought I would dedicate this week to the new law.

As licensed Contractors, we are required to be certified.  This week, we attended our Certification class to learn about the new law.  There are some very strict guidelines that Contractors must follow and it's important that Home Owners are aware.

If it's determined that the area of work contains lead based paint, Contractors must follow specific work practices to contain the area, minimize dust and clean up thoroughly.

I won't go in to all the details on this new law, but information can be found at:

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm 

If you do hire a Contractor:

Ask them if they are trained to perform lead-safe work practices and ask to see a copy of their training certificate. 

Ask them what lead-safe methods they will use to set up and perform the job in your home.

Ask them if they are aware of the lead renovation rules.

Not every home built before 1978 will require the new practices, but only a Certified Contractor will be able to help determine whether or not the new steps need to be taken.

Jeri Pischke, Tender Heart Transitions - Email - Website 

Two ways to make your home more energy efficient without spending big bucks

Many of the new environmental products are energy efficient but not cost effective. Here are a couple of things you can do to save both energy and money.

DUAL-FLUSH TOILET CONVERSION KITS

Although dual-flush toilets can run from $500-$700, I found One2Flush conversion kits starting under $30. They can cut water usage by 40%, and the manufacturer claims a typical family can save 30 gallons a day... that's enough water saved in a year to fill a 27-foot long swimming pool!

The kit fits all standard two-piece toilets. Once installed, the handle goes one way for a half-flush and the other way for a full flush.

LED LIGHT BULBS

According to a recent survey, 63% of Americans have already switched to energy-efficient light bulbs, mostly compact fluorescent bulbs. But light-emitting diode bulbs (LED) are rapidly becoming even more popular than CFLs.

LED bulbs are significantly more expensive, can be up to 40 times the cost of a compact fluorescent bulb... but they use about 1/5 the energy and last up to 10 times longer than a CFL and 60 times longer than a typical incandescent light bulb! The good ones also produce far less heat so cooling costs are also reduced.

If all the country's recessed lights were converted to LED fixtures, the Energy Department says the energy saved would equal the output of 13 large power plants... enough to power 6.7 million households!

Source: LA Times

Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results - Email - HomesMSP.com

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$8000 tax credit expires soon....

Don't forget that if you want to qualify for the first time homebuyer tax credit of $8000 or move up credit of $6500, you need to have a purchase agreement written by April 30, 2010.  You do not need to close until June 30th, but the contract must be accepted by April 30th.

There is another exception to the deadline.  If you are a qualified service member that is on a period of extended duty, these dates are extended for one year.  To qualify as a service member, you must be a member of the uniformed services of the US military, a  member of the Foreign Service of the US or an employee of the intelligence community.

The "official extended duty" is defined as any period of extended duty outside of the United States for at least 90 days during the period beginning after December 31, 2008 and ending before May 1, 2010.  For these buyers the tax credit is extended to binding sales contracts written by April 30, 2o11 and closed by June 30, 2011.

For most buyers you will not need to repay the tax credit, however if you sell the home within 3 years of the initial purchase, you will have to pay the credit back.  The exception to this is for qualified service members that sell a home due to official extended duty.  If the service member has to move to due new orders, they are exempt from the recapture rule.

Leslie Vanderwerf, Advisors Mortgage - Email - Website

Wednesdays Unplugged - Zesty Meatballs with Sauerkraut and Cranberries

NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It's my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian 'Quote Cup' passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, and sometimes some photos of family fun. I love trying new recipes...and love getting recipes you would like to share!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Careful what you set your heart upon, for it surely shall be yours.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

This first week of spring has been a good one, even though I caught a cold. A longtime  friend from Nova Scotia spent a long weekend with us... a wonderful time!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Last week was our son's week to choose the menu and the favorite of the night was these cocktail meatballs with sauerkraut and cranberries. I had never made or tasted them before, but he had enjoyed them at gatherings and had a craving for them. I found a number of recipes online and settled on the one below from Cooks.com. He said they tasted different from the ones he had before... fresher!  He thought frozen meatballs had been used in the ones he had before, also tasty and quicker but not the same. Their sweetness makes them perfect for hearty appetizers.

ZESTY MEATBALLS with SAUERKRAUT and CRANBERRIES

• 2 pounds ground chuck (80-85% lean)
• 2 cups crushed saltine crackers
• 1 envelope Lipton's onion soup mix
• 3 eggs, beaten

Mix above ingredients together, form into meatballs and put in a 9 x 13 pan to bake.

SAUCE

• 12 ounce bottle chili sauce
• 12 ounces water (use empty cili sauce bottle to measure)
• 1 cup sauerkraut
• 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar

Simmer above mixture approximately 5 minutes. Pour over meatballs and bake uncovered for 2 hours at 350 degrees F.

NOTE 12/1/2011: I recently made these for a gathering but didn't have time to make my own meatballs. I used 2 packages of frozen Simek's meatballs, made my own Basic Cranberry Sauce and used it all, used a full 16-ounce jar of sauerkraut, increased brown sugar to 1 1/4 cups. I baked in a 13 x 16 roasting pan at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, then transferred to a crock pot to keep warm.

Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results - Email - HomesMSP.com

Keeping Water Out Of Your Basement

As I took a walk through my neighborhood last weekend, I noticed that a lot of houses in my neighborhood have sump pumps, because they kept discharging water.  We've had a rapid snow melt here in Minnesota, and that means saturated soils... which leads to water in basements.

While installing drain tile, a sump basket, and a sump pump is usually a guaranteed way to prevent basement water intrusion, it wouldn't be my first choice at controlling water in the basement.  

The most important part of controlling basement water intrusion is to control water at the exterior of the home.  There are two very basic things that will prevent basement water intrusion in at least 90% of houses - and grading and gutters.  By the way, I say 90% conservatively.  The number is probably closer to 99%.

Grading

Grading is the first thing to look at if there are water problems at a house.  I know this sounds very basic, and it is, but I inspect an unbelievable amount of houses that have poor grading at the exterior.  This means that the ground slopes in toward the house, rather than away from the house.  The fix for improper grading is to change the landscaping.

Changing the landscaping to get water flowing away from the house is sometimes as easy as bringing in some dirt next to the house, laying down plastic on top of the dirt, then laying down rocks, wood chips, or some similar material as a ballast for the plastic.  The slope of the dirt away from the house doesn't need to be anything dramatic - it just needs to be enough to prevent water from sitting next to the house.

 

In cities like Minneapolis and Saint Paul, houses will often be too close to each other to allow for proper grading.  In these cases, one option is to create a swale in the yard, which will allow for water to go around the house in a type of trench.

 

When a swale isn't practical, an underground drain system can be installed in the yard.  This system consists of large plastic tubing installed underground that directs surface water to a more desirable location, such as the street.  I did this at my own house about four years ago, and I haven't had any water in my basement ever since.  I rented a trenching machine and ending up burying about seventy-five feet of corrugated plastic drain tubing in my yard, and terminated the tubing at the street.  A lot of people in my neighborhood have done this, and it works very well.

Gutters and Downspouts

The other basic thing to look at when a house has basement water problems is the gutters and downspouts.  Without gutters, rainwater can often be concentrated from many different areas on a roof to one single location next to the house, like what's happening in the photo below.  All the highlighted areas dump water in to one single spot next to the house.  That's bad news, and in my opinion, bad design.  Gutters would really help to keep water away from the house here.

 

Downspout are just as important as gutters.  I've told many clients that it's better to have NO gutters at all than gutters with improper downspouts.  Why?  A house with no gutters will typically disperse water along all of the roof lines.  A house with an improper downspout extension will end up concentrating all of the water to one spot next to the house.  Again, this is bad news.  Proper downspout extensions bring water well away from the house - ideally six to ten feet. 

 

If you have water in your basement, take a look at the obvious stuff before calling a wet basement specialist.

Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech Home Inspections - Email - Minnesota Home Inspector

    

Mortgage distress? What are your options?

Having trouble making your mortgage payments? Not enough equity in your home to sell and pay off your mortgage?  It can be overwhelming... and even more so when you have always paid your bills on time and feel so helpless because of factors outside your control.

You are not alone.  Although the Minnesota foreclosure rate dropped by 12% from 2008 to 2009, it is still 200% above the pre-2005 average, with just over 23,000 foreclosures in 2009.

In spite of the decline in foreclosures, there was no decline in the the number of homeowners who fell behind on their payments, perhaps at least partly due to the Minnesota legislature. In June 2009 the foreclosure statutes were modified, allowing homeowners to postpone a forced sale date for the first time in Minnesota history.

Some of the most common reasons for mortgage distress are...

• Job loss
• Business failure
• Mortgage payment increase or adjustment
• Divorce or death of a spouse
• Illness
• Relocation
• Reduced income
• Mortgage fraud
• Predatory lending

If you are a distressed homeowner, you have some options...

REFINANCE

If you are current on your mortgage payments and your mortgage balance is 80-125% the current value of your home, you may be able to reduce your monthly payments by refinancing at today's low interest rates in a fixed-rate mortgage as part of the Making Home Affordable initiative launched in 2009. For more information, visit www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov.

SELL AND BRING CASH TO CLOSING

Although many homeowners do not have the cash needed to cure deficiencies at closing, some may liquidate other assets to do so, thereby avoiding the credit damage that can be caused by a short sale or foreclosure. Be sure to consult with finance and tax professionals.

LENDER WORKOUT

Lenders are in the business of loaning money, not owning property. They don't really want to take over ownership of your home and will often work with homeowners to help keep them in their homes. Some options include...

• Forbearance - If you expect to receive some money... a tax refund, a bonus, a new job... lenders may let you make a partial payment or skip payments if you have a reasonable plan for reinstatement (making a payment to cover all your late payments)
• Repayment plan - if you can't afford reinstatement but can afford to start additional monthly payments, your lender may let you pay an additional amount each month until you catch up
• Loan modification - your lender may agree to amend your mortgage to help you avoid foreclosure in ways such as...

• Adding all the missed payments to the loan amount and increasing the monthly payment to cover the larger loan
• Giving you more years to pay off the loan, lowering the interest rate, and/or forgiving part of the loan to lower you monthly payment
• Switching from an adjustable-rate mortgage to a fixed rate mortgage so there are no increases in your monthly payment
• Including tax and insurance payments with your monthly mortgage payment to avoid big lump sum bills

 

• Short sale - lender agrees to accept less than the total amount due on the mortgage at time of sale... click here for more info
• Deed in lieu of foreclosure - the borrower agrees to sign over the property to the lender in lieu of foreclosure
• Postpone foreclosure sale - gives you five more months to bring your mortgage current and reduces redemption period to five weeks... click here for more info on this MN state law
• Do nothing or walk away - homeowners who walk away simply because they are unhappy that their property's value is less than what they paid or owe may find there are other financial consequences, contact an attorney for advice

Here are links to some resources...

• Avoiding Foreclosure - info from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Hope Now - find a HUD certified counselor in your area
• Making Home Affordable- FAQ about government homeowner programs, including the new HAFA program which allows $1,500 for short sale homeowners to help with relocation expenses

Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results - Email - HomesMSP.com

RELATED POST

• Do you qualify for a short sale?
• Gov't to unveil plan to shrink home loans for some troubled borrowers, aid jobless - news release