Help My Neighbor Raise Money for the Idaho Humane Society

Thanks to your support, we shelter over 14,000 lost, homeless, and sometimes abused pets each year at our animal shelter. We are Idaho's largest humane law enforcement agency and each day we investigate and pursue cases of abuse or neglect perpetrated against animals.http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/colleen-patterson/seespotwalk2011

25 Best Places to Retire

If you're the type who can't survive without your symphony, art, and theater fix, you may have resigned yourself to staying in some pricey coastal burg during retirement. Take a look at Idaho's capital city instead.

Granted, Boise is no Manhattan. But its thriving cultural scene includes an opera company, a philharmonic orchestra, and a ballet. At Boise Art Museum, which focuses on contemporary American art, you'll see works by Ansel Adams and Chuck Close. (Read More)

Ensure Clients Have Access to Affordable Mortgages

On September 30, the cost of a mortgage could rise significantly. If this happens, many of your clients run the risk of being priced out of the American Dream of home ownership. Even worse, this could hold back the housing recovery.

We need you to share your market expertise with Congress. Send the letter below urging them to make the current mortgage loan limits for FHA and GSEs permanent. Well-qualified buyers don't need another hurdle to access affordable mortgage financing.

To find out how these projected FHA loan limits will impact your market use the drop down box below.If you don't find your state and/or county, it means your FHA loan limit will remain unchanged.

What is Normal?

It wasn’t until this year that I really found the meaning of “the old days”.  Listing homes in this day and age is probably one of the most confusing issues a realtor can face.  When I was tasked with listing and marketing my parents’ home, I set out to do everything by the book.  The difference this time is the times.  Prices down, buyer pool short, money not as available.

I took many pictures, the lawn manicured and ad taken out in the local marketing book.  Stating with a price that was to market conditions I quickly changed the price to reflect the ever changing conditions.

Low and behold we received a contract two months into the listing period.  Now comes the hard part, right?  Within two weeks the inspection and appraisal were done without any problems.  Then three weeks ahead of closing date we are all ready to sign and close. 

Wow it is nice to see the old days.  Also it is great to have agents that know how to sell and buy homes to smooth the process.

Remembering September 11 2001

Remember all that were lost on 9-11, Remember all our service men and women that continue to give their lives for our Country.  God Bless the USA

Art in the Park

Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., FREE, Julia Davis Park.

Though Art in the Park has reached the ripe, old age of 55, the annual event is back with its party pants on and ready to get down this weekend. With 270 artists scheduled to set up their wares in Julia Davis Park this year, including 43 newbies, Art in the Park will turn downtown into a Petri dish of art lovers, baby strollers and street food vendors. Last year alone, Boise Art Museum estimates that the event drew in 250,000 attendees over the course of the weekend. (Read More)

TEXAS BBQ Garden Valley Fire Dept Auxiliary Fundraiser

Saturday, September 10 · 5:00pm - 8:00pm

BBQ beef/pork/shrimp! Great entertainment !!! Fire dancers at dusk !!!
$20/adult $10/age 8-12 $3/ age 7 and under Contact Diane Caughlin, Toni Palmiotto or Deb Drake for tickets

 

Fall Home Maintenance Series!

8 Easy Ways to Seal Air Leaks Around the House

By: Jeanne Huber

Published: September 16, 2009

For what the typical family wastes every year on air leaks--about $350--you can plug energy-robbing gaps, start saving money, and enjoy a more comfortable home.

1. Insulate around recessed lights

Most recessed lights have vents that open into the attic, a direct route for heated or cooled air to escape. When you consider that many homes have 30 or 40 of these fixtures, it's easy to see why researchers at the Pennsylvania Housing Research/Resource Center pinpointed them as a leading cause of household air leaks. Lights labeled ICAT, for "insulation contact and air tight," are already sealed; look for the label next to the bulb. If you don't see it, assume yours leaks. An airtight baffle ($8-$30 at the home center) is a quick fix. Remove the bulb, push the baffle up into the housing, then replace the bulb.

2. Plug open stud cavities

Most of your house probably has an inner skin of drywall or plaster between living space and unheated areas. But builders in the past often skipped this cover behind knee walls (partial-height walls where the roof angles down into the top floor), above dropped ceilings or soffits, and above angled ceilings over stairs.

Up in the attic, you may need to push insulation away to see if the stud cavities are open. If they are, seal them with unfaced fiberglass insulation ($1.30 a square foot) stuffed into plastic garbage bags; the bag is key to blocking air flow. Close large gaps with scraps of drywall or pieces of reflective foil insulation ($2 a square foot). Once you've covered the openings, smooth the insulation back into place. To see these repairs in action, consult Energy Star's DIY guide to air sealing.

3. Close gaps around flues and chimneys

Building codes require that wood framing be kept at least one inch from metal flues and two inches from brick chimneys. But that creates gaps where air can flow through. Cover the gaps with aluminum flashing ($12) cut to fit and sealed into place with high-temperature silicone caulk ($20). To keep insulation away from the hot flue pipe, form a barrier by wrapping a cylinder of flashing around the flue, leaving a one-inch space in between. To maintain the spacing, cut and bend a series of inch-deep tabs in the cylinder's top and bottom edges.

4. Weatherstrip the attic access door

A quarter-inch gap around pull-down attic stairs or an attic hatch lets through the same amount of air as a bedroom heating duct. Seal it by caulking between the stair frame and the rough opening, or by installing foam weatherstripping around the perimeter of the hatch opening. Or you can buy a pre-insulated hatch cover kit, such as the Energy Guardian from ESS Energy Products ($150).

5. Squirt foam in the medium-size gaps

Once the biggest attic gaps are plugged, move on to the medium-size ones. Low-expansion polyurethane foam in a can is great for plugging openings 1/4-inch to three inches wide, such as those around plumbing pipes and vents. A standard 12-ounce can ($5) is good for 250 feet of bead about half an inch thick. The plastic straw applicator seals shut within two hours of the first use, so to get the most mileage out of a can, squirt a lubricant such as WD-40 onto a pipe cleaner and stuff that into the applicator tube between uses.

6. Caulk the skinny gaps

Caulk makes the best gap-filler for openings less than 1/4-inch wide, such as those cut around electrical boxes. Silicone costs the most ($8 a tube) but works better next to nonporous materials, such as metal flashing, or where there are temperature extremes, as in attics. Acrylic latex caulk ($2 a tube) is less messy to work with and cleans up with water.

7. Plug gaps in the basement

Gaps low on a foundation wall matter if you're trying to fix a wet basement, but only those above the outside soil level let air in. Seal those with the same materials you'd use in an attic: caulk for gaps up to 1/4-inch wide and spray foam for wider ones. Use high-temperature caulk around vent pipes that get hot, such as those for the furnace or water heater. Shoot foam around wider holes for wires, pipes, and ducts that pass through basement walls to the outside.

In most older houses with basements, air seeps in where the house framing sits on the foundation. Spread a bead of caulk between the foundation and the sill plate (the wood immediately above the foundation), and along the top and bottom edges of the rim joist (the piece that sits atop the sill plate).

8. Tighten up around windows and doors

In the main living areas of your home, the most significant drafts tend to occur around windows and doors. If you have old windows, caulking and adding new weatherstripping goes a long way toward tightening them up. Bronze weatherstripping ($12 for 17 feet) lasts for decades but is time-consuming to install, while some self-stick plastic types are easy to put on but don't last very long. Adhesive-backed EPDM rubber ($8 for 10 feet) is a good compromise, rated to last at least 10 years. Nifty gadgets called pulley seals ($9 a pair) block air from streaming though the holes where cords disappear into the frames.

Weatherstripping also works wonders on doors. If a draft comes in at the bottom, install a new door sweep ($9).

Before working in the attic, take some precautions

Try to do attic work on a cool day. Wear protective gear: disposable clothes, gloves, and a double-elastic mask or half-face respirator. Bring along a droplight with a fluorescent bulb, plus at least two pieces of plywood big enough to span two or three joists to support you as you work. To save trips up and down a ladder, try to move up all of the materials you need before you get started. One warning: If you find vermiculite insulation, hold off until you've had it checked for asbestos; your health department or air-quality agency can recommend a lab.

Jeanne Huber writes a home-repair column for the Washington Post and has commissioned three new roofs on various houses over the years.

Fall Home Maintenance Series!

Essential Heating System Maintenance

By: Oliver Marks

Published: September 24, 2009

Getting your home's heating system professionally serviced every year will keep it running smoothly and help keep heating costs under control.

Who does the job?

The simplest way to get the work done is to hire your fuel company to do it. Oil companies and gas utilities usually provide this service, or you can hire the contractor who installed the equipment. Also, some plumbers handle heating systems.

What is involved?

The technician will clean soot and corrosion out of the combustion chamber where the fuel is burned, and check it for leaks or damage. He'll inspect the flue pipe for open seams, clogs, or corrosion that could cause carbon monoxide to backdraft into the house. He'll replace the filters on oil and forced-air systems. Finally, he'll test the exhaust from your cleaned machine and use the information to adjust the burner for maximum efficiency.

How much will it cost?

You'll pay between $100 and $180 for the service, depending largely on whether you have a gas system, which is easier to maintain, or oil, which requires a fair amount of soot removal. Usually the cost is covered by an annual maintenance contract that also provides 24-hour emergency service. While the technician is there, he should also service your water heater, assuming it has a separate oil or gas burner.

When is the best time to do the work?

Ideally, have your system tuned up in the fall so it's in top shape for the start of the heating season. Of course, that's when technicians are the busiest, so if you can't do it when you want, do it when you can—as long as your system is serviced once a year. And don't expect your provider to call to remind you that it's time. Even if you subscribe to an annual service plan, you still need to call to make an appointment. Call in the spring or summer to be sure of getting on the schedule in the fall.

A former carpenter and newspaper reporter, Oliver Marks has been writing about home improvements for 16 years. He's currently restoring his second fixer-upper with a mix of big hired projects and small do-it-himself jobs.

Fall Home Maintenance Series!

Repair Sagging and Leaking Rain Gutters to Save Money

By: Pat Curry

Published: October 8, 2010

Repairing sagging and leaking gutters is a simple task and can be tackled in a day.

How to fix leaky gutters

Seal leaky gutter joints and small holes using gutter sealant applied from the inside the gutter. A tube of sealant costs about $5.

Repair larger holes using a gutter patch kit or a scrap of metal flashing glued down with sealant. You’ll find patch kits at home improvement centers for about $10.

How to straighten sagging gutters

If you suspect a sag, get up on a ladder and sight down the length of the gutter. Gutters should be straight. Long gutters should have a peak in the middle to enable water to run toward downspouts at either end.

The problem area should be easy to spot. In most cases, you can simply reposition loose hangers, using a cordless drill or a hammer.

Here’s how to set stubborn sags straight:

• From the ground, prop a long, straight 1x4 or 2x4 brace under the sag.
• Get up on a ladder and remove a hanger or two near the sag.
• Sighting along the gutter, adjust the brace until the sag disappears.
• Replace the hangers. If needed, add one or two new hangers for extra support. They cost less than $3 each.

Serial remodeler Pat Curry is a former senior editor at BUILDER, the official magazine of the National Association of Home Builders, and a frequent contributor to real estate and home-building publications.

Fall Home Maintenance Series!

The Value of Home Maintenance

By: John Riha

Published: March 9, 2010

Regular home maintenance is key to preserving the value of your house and property.

“It’s the little things that tend to trip up people,” says Frank Lesh, former president of the American Society of Home Inspectors and owner of Home Sweet Home Inspection Co. in Chicago. “Some cracked caulk around the windows, or maybe a furnace filter that hasn’t been changed in awhile. It may not seem like much, but behind that caulk, water could get into your sheathing, causing mold and rot. Before you know it, you’re looking at a $5,000 repair that could have been prevented by a $4 tube of caulk and a half hour of your time.”

Maintenance affects property value

Outright damage to your house is just one of the consequences of neglected maintenance. Without regular upkeep, overall property values are affected.

“If a house is in worn condition and shows a lack of preventative maintenance, the property could easily lose 10% of its appraised value,” says Mack Strickland, a professional appraiser and real estate agent in Chester, Va. “That could translate into a $15,000 or $20,000 adjustment.”

In addition, a house with chipped, fading paint, sagging gutters, and worn carpeting faces an uphill battle when it comes time to sell. Not only is it at a disadvantage in comparison with other similar homes that might be for sale in the neighborhood, but a shaggy appearance is bound to turn off prospective buyers and depress the selling price.

“It’s simple marketing principles,” says Strickland. “First impressions mean a lot to price support.”

Prolonging economic age

To a professional appraiser, diligent maintenance doesn’t translate into higher property valuations the way that improvements, upgrades, and appreciation all increase a home’s worth. But good maintenance does affect an appraiser’s estimate of a property’s economic age—the number of years that a house is expected to survive.

Economic age is a key factor in helping appraisers determine depreciation—the rate at which a house is losing value. A well-maintained house with a long, healthy economic age depreciates at a much slower rate than a poorly maintained house, helping to preserve value.

Estimating the value of maintenance

Although professional appraisers don’t assign a positive value to home maintenance, there are indications that maintenance is not just about preventing little problems from becoming larger. A study by researchers at the University of Connecticut and Syracuse University suggests that maintenance actually increases the value of a house by about 1% each year, meaning that getting off the couch and heading outside with a caulking gun is more than simply a chore—it actually makes money.

“It’s like going to the gym,” says Dr. John P. Harding, Professor of Finance & Real Estate at UConn’s School of Business and an author of the study. “You have to put in the effort to see the results. In that respect, people and houses are somewhat similar—the older (they are), the more work is needed.”

Harding notes that the 1% gain in valuation usually is offset by the ongoing cost of maintenance. “Simply put,” he says, “maintenance costs money, so it’s probably best to say that the net effect of regular maintenance is to slow the rate of depreciation.”

How much does maintenance cost?

How much money is required for annual maintenance varies. Some years, routine tasks, such as cleaning gutters and changing furnace filters, are all that’s needed, and your total expenditures may be a few hundred dollars. Other years may include major replacements, such as a new roof, at a cost of $10,000 or more.

Over time, annual maintenance costs average more than $3,300, according to data from the U.S. Census. Various lending institutions, such as Directors Credit Union and LendingTree.com, agree, placing maintenance costs at 1% to 3% of initial house price. That means owners of a $200,000 house should plan to budget $2,000 to $6,000 per year for ongoing upkeep and replacements.

Proactive maintenance strategies

Knowing these average costs can help homeowners be prepared, says Melanie McLane, a professional appraiser and real estate agent in Williamsport, Pa. “It’s called reserve for replacements,” says McLane. “Commercial real estate investors use it to make sure they have enough cash on hand for replacing systems and materials.”

McLane suggests a similar strategy for homeowners, setting aside a cash reserve that’s used strictly for home repair and maintenance. That way, routine upkeep is a snap and any significant replacements won’t blindside the family budget. McLane’s other strategies include:

Play offense, not defense. Proactive maintenance is key to preventing small problems from becoming big issues. Take the initiative with regular inspections. Create and faithfully follow a maintenance schedule. If you’re unsure of what needs to be done, a $200 to $300 visit from a professional inspector can be invaluable in pointing out quick fixes and potential problems.

Plan a room-per-year redo. “Pick a different room every year and go through it, fixing and improving as you go,” says McLane. “That helps keep maintenance fun and interesting.”

Keep track. “Having a notebook of all your maintenance and upgrades, along with receipts, is a powerful tool when it comes to sell your home,” advises McLane. “It gets rid of any doubts for the buyer, and it says you are a meticulous, caring homeowner.” A maintenance record also proves repairs and replacements for systems, such as wiring and plumbing, which might not be readily apparent.

John Riha has written six books on home improvement and hundreds of articles on home-related topics. He’s been a residential builder, the editorial director of the Black & Decker Home Improvement Library, and the executive editor of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. His standard 1968 suburban house has been an ongoing source of maintenance experience.

BSU wins in Chick Fill A Georgia Opener!

Congratulations go out once again to the Boise State Broncos with their season opening win over SEC power Georgia Bulldogs.  The final score 35 – 21, making the Broncos one of the few strong BCS contenders to survive the first game of the 2011 season.

Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic

Saturday September 3, 2011
Governor's Cup Competition

6:30am - Pilot Briefing at Ann Morrison Pilot Briefing Tent

7:03am - Military A-10 Thunderbolt (Warthog) “Fly By”
Two A-10 Warthogs from Gowen Field will over fly the Park on cue at a specific moment during a musical salute to America. The jets and pilots are from the 190th Fighter Squadron based at Gowen Field here in Boise.

7:15am - Competition Day Launch
This is “Competition Day” at the Spirit of Boise-Balloon Classic. Pilots will be assigned a navigational task to challenge their flying skills and the winning pilot will be awarded the “Governor’s Cup for Aviation Excellence”. The community is encouraged to come to Ann Morrison Park to cheer on the balloon pilots as they compete.

Pilots will also have the opportunity to go “Balloon Bowling” again this year as they attempt to knock over six (6) strategically placed “porta potties” in the park. Porta Potty “Balloon Bowling” or “Outhouse Balloon Bowling” as it is sometimes called is unique to Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic (in the ballooning world) and one of the Balloon Classic’s most popular aspects.

See a sample of “Outhouse Balloon Bowling” at : http://www.lighterthanairamerica.com/coke/outhousebowling.html

Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic

Friday September 2, 2011
V.I.P. Day & Night Glow

7:03am - Military A-10 Thunderbolt (Warthog) Fly ByTwo A-10 Warthogs from Gowen Field will over fly the Park on cue at a specific moment during a musical salute to America. The jets and pilots are from the 190th Fighter Squadron based at Gowen Field here in Boise.

7:05am - Tribute Launch to local businessman, Ernie CarrErnie Carr, founder of RE/MAX of Boise was the very first person to agree to sponsor the Ann Morrison Park based Boise River Festival balloon rally. He was a friend of ballooning and was responsible for giving Scott Spencer his start in Corporate Ballooning.

This special launch has become a traditional “salute” and “good-bye” to lost friends of the Boise and Northwest ballooning community.

7:15am - Inflation and lift off from Ann Morrison Park
Friday's Call to Inflate by Lt. Governor Brad Little
V.I.P. Day is the day that we honor those who make the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic possible with their financial support by taking them aloft with us for a flight. Expect to see all 40 balloons at this launch.

Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic

Thursday September 1, 2011
Jr. High School Day and Media Day

7:00am - Inflation and lift off from Ann Morrison Park
7:15am - Call to Inflate by Mayor David Beiter
In addition to this morning’s first competitive task of the 2011 Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic, the initial inflation process will cater to will cater to Jr. High School field trips to the Ann Morrison Park launch site.

A special, more detailed program designed to educate Boise’s Jr. High aged children on topics ranging from weather, decision making and ballooning to coordinating crew and chase teams will be presented. We expect about 20 balloons.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Micron Foundation, students, from math and science departments outside the Boise area, who otherwise would not have had an opportunity to attend the Balloon Classic, will be bussed in from outlying communities. Students will have an opportunity to learn (with Scott Spencer, Event Producer and Disney balloon pilot) about the history of ballooning and the equipment that makes up a modern hot air balloon. Students will also be taught (by Larry Gebert, Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic Official Meteorologist) what makes a “good weather day” for balloon pilots.

Thursday's messages to the students will be geared toward children grades 7 – 9.

Thursday's launch will carry members of the local print & electronic media in what has become a tradition at Balloon Classic.