2612 44th St, Highland 2 Unit. Unique Living Opportunity

We Just Listed a not your typical, Beautiful 2 Unit Building that was built in 1989 so it has that newer look. It is listed for $320,000, but you get a lot for the price. You could live in one unit, rent out the other, rent them both out or have a family member live right next door to you. Want your kids, Mom or Dad or Grandparents to live close by? This would work for sure.
Click the Norton Safe Link for additional details, Pictures and Tours:
http://www.coldwellbankeronline.com/ID/3549813

Are Granite Counter Tops out? Here are the newest counters to consider

The Kitchen Show New Countertops that could be the next BIG thing:

Tempered Glass: The thick, translucent material is tough and has a pleasant tactility, while still remaining easy to clean. According to company reps, it’s also available in a huge variety of colors.
Ceramic counters, which one representative described as the “closest thing you can get to indestructible.” The material is scratch-resistant, easy to clean, and cool but not cold to the touch.

Referred to as a “nanotech matte material,” the Fenix NTM countertop is anti-reflective, anti-fingerprint, self-healing, and soft to the touch without being... well, soft. It felt great under our hands, and looked great in modern kitchens.


We saw solid wood and wood-finished countertops everywhere at the show, often contrasting with or overlaid on a stone or synthetic material. Everything from mahogany and ebony to light pine and bamboo was used, and often paired with matching cabinetry to create a minimalist yet warm look. In some cases, wood was even paired with granite, though that was less common.

Look, stainless steel is nearly as played out as granite. In fact, we just ran a whole story about why it’s probably a terrible idea to overdose on gleaming silver in your kitchen. But plenty of designers at the Kitchen show made a virtue out of this particular vice and made stainless countertops look fresh and new again.

When it comes to countertop finishes, Tile is pretty old school. It’s a style that’s generally beholden to a certain era or area, for instance. At least one designer at the show is aiming to bring them back.

What is going on with Buyers and Lenders?

It has been very frustrating dealing with buyers and lenders lately. I get the feeling we are heading back to 2004 when lenders were giving out loans to any human who was breathing. Competition in the lending industry is heating up. In an effort to make a living some lenders are prequalifying buyers who have marginal buying ability, hoping they can push them through the loan process system. This only hurts the buyer who thinks they are getting a loan and the seller who thinks their home has been sold.
Of course it's not always the lenders fault. We have the buyer who thinks that no one will find out that they haven't paid any taxes for 2 years and the buyer who failed to tell the whole truth to the lender, thinking they would never find out. Duh!
We need a change in the way buyers are prequalified. No prequalification or preapproval should be given until after a more thorough check of the buyers finances.


If you are going to get yourself prequalified for a loan, get a referral from your Realtor. They know the best lenders. They work with them all the time.
They get nothing back in return other than the satisfaction of knowing that the deal will more than likely close.
This is our opinion, but remember we deal with this every single day.

What a Home Inspection Really Means

Question: I hired a home inspector to evaluate a residence I'm trying to buy. Now that the inspection is done, it seems that I was ripped off.  My inspector found a long list of problems with the house, including defects with the electrical wiring, the furnace, the skylights and a whole lot more. But when I presented the sellers with the report and demanded repair of each and every item, they broke off negotiations and refused to sell me the house. What's the use of a home inspection if all it does is blow the deal or force me to buy the house in as-is condition?

Answer: First, no one is forcing you to buy the house. Your inspector has provided you with pertinent information. What you do with that knowledge is a matter of choice, to be exercised with prudence and thoughtful consideration.

Second, common sense dictates that if the home has problems with the electrical wiring and furnace, the inspection report for which you paid hundreds of dollars may have saved you thousands.

Finally, it is essential that you gain a clearer understanding of the position an inspection report occupies in a real estate transaction. The purpose of a home inspection is to get a clear indication as to the overall quality and general condition of the property. Upon viewing the report, you need to make some reasonable assessments:

1. Is this house still worth buying?                                                                                                                                                    2. What repair items are considered immediate structural or safety issues that sellers should be expected to address?                                                                                                                                 3. What items should be regarded as routine maintenance, not requiring immediate attention?

The inspection report is not a shopping list of demands with which to extort the seller. There is a big difference between presenting a reasonable list of repair requests, consistent with the property's asking price, and issuing a manifesto of demands.

Negotiations should transpire until a mutually satisfying result is achieved.  Defects involving electrical wiring & gas fixtures are conditions that need to be addressed, and most sellers understand this. Repair requests involving significant problems of this nature are usually regarded as reasonable and acceptable.

Common miscellaneous conditions such as gate repairs, door adjustments, repainting or the pruning of shrubbery are included in an inspection report purely for disclosure purposes. A thorough inspector will inform you of such conditions so that you will be fully aware of what you are buying.

Too many transactions fall through because buyers use a home inspection report as a reimbursement of grievances. My recommendation is to weigh the importance of every disclosure in the report, with the understanding that there is no such thing as a perfect house.