Getting Kids Involved In Your Home Search.

Involving your kids

Children are becoming more and more involved in the search for real estate, especially as children wait longer to leave the nest and complete their education. Depending on the age of your children, they can use technology to find homes for sale or even be an integral part of determining how much house you can afford.

Mel Foster Co. lists all home for sale, from every listing company, at www.melfosterco.com. Your kids can help you filter by price, bedrooms and other options that are important to you.

The free Mel Foster Co. app can be downloaded to find all homes for sale around a particular location. Once you have the app downloaded to your phone or tablet, your tech-savvy child can launch the Foster Finder to activate your device’s camera and GPS to identify listings while you drive. It’s a fun way to get kids involved on the drive home from school or a friend’s house. And having a helper while you drive is the safe way to search on the go.

Children of all ages can benefit from the financial lessons that go along with buying a house. Searching within a budget is an easy lesson for younger children while budgeting for expenses like homeowners insurance, taxes, inspections and closing costs is a valuable exercise for older children who may soon be buying their first home.

Make your home search a family affair and involve your kids at an age appropriate level.

Mel Foster Co. Receives Relocation Recognition

MF LOGO WITH LRE LOGOLynsey Engels, President, Real Estate Brokerage at Mel Foster Co. Inc. is pleased to announce that their Relocation Division, lead by Deb Boland, has been recognized as a recipient for the 2014 Global Alliance Club by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®.

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® is a global network of over 500 premier real estate firms.  Leading RE is comprised of select independent real estate companies who set the standard of quality service, while generating a highest volume of referral, relocation, and real estate business opportunities for its members.

Mel Foster Co.’s Relocation Department is one of 37 real estate companies to receive this honor.  In order to be a part of this prestigious club, at least one referral must be sent and closed across country borders. The referral was to Alberta, Canada, therefore Mel Foster Co. can make it happen anywhere.

Relocating To The Quad Cities.

Moving to our area?
Moving to our area?

You landed that new job in the Quad Cities, but now what do you do to find a home? Mel Foster Co. offers free relocation services that can help you explore neighborhoods, schools and cities that are a match for your criteria.

Your agent can help you pinpoint options that are near your new job or the amenities you most desire. Do you want riverfront? A large wooded property a few minutes from town? A renovated loft style condo without any yard work? The Quad Cities is such a diverse area, it’s easy to find a match, no matter how specific your needs seem.

Many of the area’s largest employers count on Mel Foster Co. relocation specialists to welcome new hires or transferees to the Quad Cities. Deere and Company, ALCOA and Thomson Prison employees have all used the free relocation services to get acquainted with their new town.

Getting started is easy. Click here for an overview of free relocation services or call 800-367-1134.

Space Saving Ideas For Your Home.

Making your home interior more efficient and attractive on a day-to-day basis doesn’t need to be an expensive or time-consuming endeavor. With the summer months upon us, keeping things orderly, yet functional, will help you and your busy family stay on top of things this season. Consider these space saving ideas and how they might just make your life a little easier this summer.

Pull Out Drawers And Cabinets

Installing a set of pull out bins under a stairwell in the entryway, or a pull out cabinet in the short hallway between rooms, can mean tons of extra storage space for your family. Consider getting pool toys out of sight and out of mind with a pull out closet in the garage.

Hidden Outlets

Are hairdryers and curling irons monopolizing all of your bathroom counter space? Consider installing outlets in the drawers those appliances are meant to be stored in. Never having to remove them from their hiding spot means more space for other things.

Turn Bunk Beds Into Murphy Beds

Need more floor space, or wishing you had a playroom for the kids? Installing Murphy Beds (the beds that pull down from a recess in the wall) could be just what you need. Suddenly there are feet and feet of extra floor space. So much more room for activities!

You Can’t Go Wrong With An Extra Cabinet  

Something as simple as a small extra cabinet in the kitchen to store cleaning supplies can make your life a whole lot easier. Suddenly there is free space under the sink and a small extra storage space. Also, a small cabinet with a high shelf means keeping dangerous cleaning products out of kids’ reach.

Lamp
Space Saving Ideas

How To Lower Your Taxes With Upgrades

When you prepare your 2013 taxes, you can use your recent home improvements to get energy-efficiency tax credits. In addition to helping you lower your energy bills, energy-efficient products eligible for the new federal tax credits actually lower the amount of federal income taxes that you pay.

Eligible home improvements

Exterior windows including skylights and storm windows

Insulation, exterior doors and roofs

Central air, heat pumps, furnaces, hot water boilers, water heaters, advanced main air circulating fans or biomass stoves

How to claim your credit

Your tax preparer can help determine your credit. There is a cap of $500 for fiscal years 2006-2013 combined. You will need to keep receipts to provide proof of purchase and have a copy of the manufacturer’s certification for the product you purchased. If you file taxes on your own, you will need to file IRS Form 5695 with your taxes.

 

How to lower your taxes with upgrades.
How to lower your taxes with upgrades.


,
Office:




© 2024