new construction in clinton – Page 7

How To Compile A Home Inventory.

Posted on December 14, 2015

Take an inventory of your home belongings

Creating an inventory of your home’s contents is important, not only for insurance purposes, but also for creating peace of mind. It helps verify what items you own in case you suffer a loss due to fire, a natural disaster or burglary.

Make a list of all the items you own that are important to you. Electronics, jewelry, artwork, family heirlooms and furniture are items you want to insure. Once you have the list, add the serial numbers, brands and estimated costs for each item to show proof of ownership. It’s a good idea to take photos of your items to show their condition.

Once you’ve collected this information, store it in several safe locations. One copy of the information should be sent to your Mel Foster Insurance agent, another should be stored on your personal computer. It’s also important to have another version stored on a USB drive kept outside of your home or use cloud storage. The cloud is highly recommended because there are free services accessible from any computer.

You can never have too many copies of this information. Physical copies are also a great idea because they’re so reliable. Getting a safe-deposit box at your bank, or investing in a fireproof safe are perfect ways to protect your information in case you can’t access the information anywhere else.

Click here to contact a Mel Foster Insurance agent for help in getting your home inventory started.

Guide For Finding The Right Listing Agent.

Posted on November 30, 2015

You’re ready to sell your home. You want top dollar, a fast sale and a great real estate listing agent. The best way to find the right agent is to interview three and ask these questions.

How much will my house sell for?

The three agents should be fairly close in their estimates. Beware of an agent who is suggesting a price that seems high compared to the other two prices. This may be a ploy to get your listing and usually ends in disappointment.

How will you market my listing?

Mel Foster Co. agents have a wide range of marketing tools available including local and national online sites, an app and more traditional vehicles like newspapers, magazines and flyers. Choose the agent who you feel will do the most to market your home.

Do you have a specialty?

If you’re a millennial first time buyer, an agent who specializes in seniors may not be the right fit for you. Also ask what listings each agent has in your desired neighborhood.

What do you expect of me?

This is where you’ll get honest feedback about your home. A great agent will have no reservations telling you to do some paint touch up or have your carpets professionally cleaned. Your agent should offer staging ideas that will help your home attract more potential buyers. An agent who is sincerely interested in working hard on your behalf will have recommendations to get your home open house ready.

Click here to find an agent or office and get started with the listing process.

Three Things Your Agent Can’t Tell You

Posted on November 17, 2015

If you’re moving to a new town or even just across town to a new neighborhood, you may unintentionally ask your real estate agent questions that legally he or she cannot answer. Fair housing laws restrict your agent from answering what may seem like honest questions. But your agent can guide you to resources where you can gather the data you are seeking.

Is this a good neighborhood?

Seems like a pretty basic question, but the classification of “good” could mean a host of things. Is it a question about crime, walkability or proximity to amenities? If crime is your key concern, the web is filled with comparative sites that allow you to look at two cities side by side and form your own opinion.

Are the schools good?

There are a number of independent websites where you can find rankings, test scores, graduation rates and other academic benchmarks. For each major city served by Mel Foster Co., a link is available with additional listings for public and private schools. Click here to link to the communities page.

Is it cheaper to live in Iowa or Illinois?

This is a much more complex question that is best answered by your income tax advisor who is familiar with your situation. Click here for broad information about both states and specific communities.

Mel Foster Co. App Makes Home Searching Easier

Posted on November 12, 2015

Find homes with the Foster Finder — Mel Foster App

Mel Foster Co. and HomeSpotter are pleased to announce an exciting new app update with enhancements to make home searching easier.

The Mel Foster Co. App – powered by HomeSpotter – is a home search app available for iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets. This app features full MLS listing details, high-resolution photos, an interactive mortgage calculator, a GPS locator and an augmented reality feature to view nearby homes in real time.

The updated app features INRIX Drive TimeTM. This allows users to find homes by their preferred commute time to any address, taking the guesswork out of purchasing a new home. Can’t remember the exact address or MLS number you’re looking for? After typing the first few numbers, new auto-complete features makes smart suggestions. Interested in a particular city or zip code? The new bounded-search places outlines on the map and shows you only listings within the particular area.

“We are thrilled to offer our clients and app users an update to make home searching more convenient and a better user experience.” said Kris Ratigan, Director of Corporate Marketing at Mel Foster Co. The app still integrates with their website, www.melfosterco.com. Saved properties from the smartphone app, tablet app and website are automatically synced so users always have access to their most recently saved properties.

The Mel Foster Co. app continues to offer a feature they call “Foster Finder.” Foster Finder shows results for Mel Foster and all listing companies. Foster Finder uses a technology called augmented reality that is coupled with a smartphone or tablet’s GPS and compass to overlay property information on a device’s live camera feed. Simply use your smartphone or tablet to find all homes for sale on the street where you are standing. With a quick tap, a view of the entire street and all homes for sale pop up. There is also a radar display that shows the direction and proximity of nearby properties for sale.

“We are always looking for ways to improve our search experience,” Aaron Kardell, CEO of HomeSpotter, said. “We are pleased to offer these enhancements for the Mel Foster Co. app.”

The app is free and available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Market.

Hosting Blood Drive

Posted on November 5, 2015

Mel Foster Co. is proud to host a Community Blood Drive on Thursday, November 19^th at their Elmore Office Park location at 3211 East 35^th Street Court, Davenport, inside the MVRBC Donor Bus. The blood drive will be held 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

To donate, please contact Amy at 563.823.2265 or visit www.bloodcenterimpact.org and use code 3063 to locate the drive and schedule an appointment.

Donor Eligibility Criteria: Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission form available through www.bloodcenter.org) and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo I.D. or MVRBC Donor Card is required to donate. For questions about eligibility, please call the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center at 800.747.5401. Donors who last gave blood on or before 9/24/15 are eligible to give at this drive.

About Blood Donation: Blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45 minutes to one hour. Individuals with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure may be accepted as eligible donors.

Mel Foster Co. Gets a Make Over

Posted on April 9, 2015

Mel Foster Co. Geneseo & Chamber of Geneseo Celebrate

Mel Foster Co. Real Estate Brokerage in Geneseo had a re-opening of its downtown office on Wednesday, April 8. The interior spaces of the office were completely remodeled to accommodate technology upgrades and improved communication tools.

Fred Dasso, managing broker of the Geneseo office said, “With this office concept and remodel project, we are happy to provide a ’boutique-like’ experience for our clients and Realtors®.”

The newly designed boutique-style space, in the heart of downtown Geneseo on State Street, features a spacious seating and conversation area with a large flat-screen display where guests can explore real estate options with an agent.

Lynsey Engels, Mel Foster Co. president, Real Estate Brokerage, said, “Mel Foster Co. is continuing to stay current with industry trends to help agents work more efficiently and comfortably in an office setting. Our Galesburg office was converted into a boutique-style space last year and the feedback we received from agents and visitors made us eager to duplicate that success in Geneseo. Our agents can take advantage of rapidly changing technology within the office and meet with guests in a location that enhances communication to create a better experience for those looking to buy or sell a property.”

Turn A Vacation Rental Into Your Second Home.

Posted on December 8, 2014

Turn a vacation rental into a second home!

Vacation home sales are on the rise, with many people buying for a vacation home to use now and retire to later.

Second home buyers tend to be in their 40s and 50s, are still working, have children who are starting their own families and no obligations to care for aging parents. They are using their vacation home as a meeting place to gather everyone during holidays or other significant family holidays.

When the home isn’t being used, it generates rental income. In some locations, the rental fees can completely cover the mortgage, taxes and fees of homeownership, giving you a vacation home for free that can eventually become your second home in retirement.

Purchasing a vacation home where you’d eventually like to retire allows you to establish community ties for a smooth transition into retirement later. It’s also a great trial run. It gives you a glimpse into where you might want to spend your golden years before the time arrives and you have to make a firm commitment.

There are also financial benefits to owning a second home. First is the appreciation that will happen over time, especially if you purchase in a popular resort area. However even modest appreciation over time is acceptable given all the benefits of second home ownership.

Mel Foster Co.’s relocation division has connections to help you find a second home anywhere in the world. Contact a relocation specialist at 800-367-1134.