April 2010 Newsletter Here’s What’s Happening in Our Neighborhood:


ACTIVE: 4965 Grundy Way - a Glenfield, 4 Bdrms, 2 1/2 baths. A Gutner Team Listing. Hardwoods, granite , back staircase, fireplace, screened sun room, in-ground pool. Asking $582,500




5020 Mead Dr. - an Eaton in perfect condition! 2full, 2 half Baths, finished basement, granite, greenhouse. A Gutner Team Listing. Asking $519,900




4814 Mead Dr. - a Belmont with finished walk-out basement and large, flat yard with lots of privacy, stainless kitchen, corian, shadow box moldings. A Gutner Team Listing. . Asking $534,900.




4010 Hunt Dr. - a Columbia w/upgraded culinary kitchen, hardwoods through first and second floor, 2 story family room and Jack-n-Jill bath. Asking $579,900.
PENDING: 4953 Mead Dr. - 4 bdrms, 3 1/2 baths, white cabinets, granite, fireplace, media room, finished basement. Asking $575,000. Reduced to $524,900 for 81Days.
Temporarily off the Market: 4903 Mead - a Belmont, 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, hardwoods, granite, finished basement, deck, patio. Was originally asking $579,000. Reduced to $549,500. Re-listed at $537,900. Reduced to $509,000 for 266 days
SOLD 4211 Aly - 4 bdrm, 2 1/2 bath, hrdwds, corian countertops, trex deck, hot tub, 3 car garage. Asking $539,900. Reduced to $529,000. Sold for $505,000 for 128 Days.

I am often asked why some homes in Hearthstone sell for more than some of the homes in our neighborhood. Some of the homes in Hearthstone are larger and on larger lots than our smallest models and last year, several of the smallest models sold. Last week I took a look at a home on Seneca Ct that had just gone on the market and was priced at $569,000. I thought for sure that it was too high. I pulled up to this home deep in a cul-de-sac and immediately knew that the inside would be beautiful. Full stone on the front, a side-entrance garage (with brand new, expensive looking doors), and a lot that I would put in the top 10 of both our neighborhood and Hearthstone. Inside, the house was rehabbed from top to bottom. New site-done hardwoods. A kitchen with the best cabinets available, glass doors, wine cooler, stainless appliances. A finished basement with a custom bar with stone walls and a powder room. Large new life-time deck, fresh paint, new carpet and not a drop of clutter. There were 9 people looking at it when I was there. It is under agreement and I’m not surprised. All of our homes are at or near the “re-do” stage and those who re-do will sell faster. Will they get their money back? At Seneca Court my guess is that no, they won’t get all of it back, but they sure did sell fast! They really did an over-the-top job but hopefully they have enjoyed it for a while.

Please don’t forget to send your $30.00 to Denise Canney who has done such a wonderful job of making sure that our “un-tended” areas stay nice looking. You can drop it off or mail it to her at 4013 Hunt Drive. It’s a pleasure to drive around our neighborhood and with homes now for sale we need to keep these areas looking like someone loves them!

Once again, I am receiving letters at home from attorneys who would like to help me lower the assessment. And they charge 50% of what they save you!!! As you know, we helped 288 people last year lower their assessments FOR FREE! WE will be helping people again this year and ask only that you send us AN EMAIL to jeri@gutner.com with your name, address, model and improvements. We will begin the process and get back to you with what you have to do. Many of your neighbors saved several thousand dollars so don’t hesitate to act!

BUILDER Magazine’s Top 10 Elements of Style for 2010

Let’s not call them “trends” because trends come and go. Builders try to design homes that will last for generations. Builders are paying attention to Consumers who now desire less maintenance and more free time. Here’s the top ten design areas that builders agree on this year.

1. Standard height of 9 feet on first floor and a shift away from the two story great room to more effective use of second-floor space.
2. Low-maintenance/no-maintenance materials, especially on exteriors. Ceramic tile and stone floors, brick exteriors, and metal trim instead of wood on the outside are just a few examples.
3. Larger laundry rooms and mud rooms.
4. Natural materials are important on the interior—hardwoods, granite. Classic is here to stay.
5. “Me” spaces. Quiet corners and cubby holes to escape everyone, a computer niche, a junk room, a chair with a bookshelf.
6. Decline of the living room and increase in “special” rooms, such as home offices and media rooms. As houses get smaller there just isn’t room for a place you only visit to dust. It will still exist in many builders homes but it will not be a “formal” room.
7. Technology advances. Builders agree that they need to offer pre-wiring for an abundance of amenities, like Ethernet, surround sound, stereo equipment. Keyless entries, computerized security systems, advanced lighting controls, etc.
8. Outdoors for entertaining. Builders are paying attention to the back yards. Covered areas with full kitchens, home theaters, sleeping porches and dining rooms are popular. Decks and patios are still strong, but a screened porch is more popular.
9. Mixed products on the same street. Smart-growth initiatives are promoting design plans for master neighborhoods that mix singles, townhouses and condo’s.
10. Rear-loaded homes. As lots get smaller, garages are going out back or across an alley, saving the front of the home for porches. Remember your parents home, drive up the driveway and the garage is hidden back there. It’s back!



Need Help With “Stuff” around the House?

People I can’t live without:
My Painter, HVAC guy,
My Second Husband (our handyman)
My Decorator
My Tree Guy
My Plumber and My Roofer
Need a referral? Call Us!
If you are planning to put your home on the market in the next 6 to 8 months,
it’s not too early to start talking to us!
Attic Ventilation

Attic areas can hold substantial amounts of moist air. In the summer it is very hot and humid in the attic, however, in the winter it can be more humid causing a fair amount of problems.
1. The roof is roughly 1/2” away from blistering shingles.
2. As heat in the house rises, it gets trapped in the attic acting as a hat for the entire home.
By having good ventilation the hot air would be removed drawing in relatively cooler air. Insufficient air movement in the attic doesn’t allow the heat from the second floor to go anywhere. Hi temps and humidity will delaminate the roof sheathing, excessively dry out the roof framing and cause an earlier need to replace.

There are many ways to vent an attic; fans, ridge vents, gable end vents. The important thing is that it IS ventilated which will save you repairs and heating/cooling bills.

How to Save on Homeowners Insurance

1. Don’t shop on the internet. It is impossible to compare apples to apples.
2. Raise your deductible. A $1,000 deductible can save you as much as 25%.
3. Ask whomever is quoting how they figure the cost of the land into house coverage. Land doesn’t burn or blow away.
4. Buy your home and auto policies from the same company.
5. Ask what you can do to lower your costs by reducing risk.
6. Improve your home security w/alarms w/monitoring station.
7. If you’re at least 55 years old and retired or work from home, insurance companies love homebodies. They maintain their homes and are quick to spot problems.
8. Maintain good credit. It’s the first thing they look at.
9. Stay with the same insurer and if you ASK your loyalty will be rewarded with a discount.
10. Review your coverage and policy and coverage every year.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY -
BE SURE YOU HAVE SUMP PUMP COVERAGE!!!
Remember!!! We work with ALL national Relocation Companies and while they may tell you that you have to work with their selections, that is NOT the case!