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6 Tips to Save Money and Conserve Energy this Fall & Winter

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The weather is changing and the temperatures are cooling down. The trees have already begun to lose their leaves and people are swapping their shorts and dresses for jackets and scarves! With the new season comes a new opportunity to re-evaluate your home-energy usage and prepare for the cooler months. To help kick off your eco-friendly home improvement mindset,  the Fran Campbell Team  offers a few tips to curb your energy use and save you some money this fall and winter. 1. Cover drafty windows and seal cracks . You can choose window treatments and coverings not only for decoration but also for saving energy. Carefully select window treatments; there are options that can reduce heat loss. However, to effectively reduce cold air leakage you may also need to caulk and weather-strip around windows to reduce air infiltration. 2. Give your furnace a tune-up . As the temperatures begin to fall, heaters start working overtime. Give your heating unit a tune-up early on i...

Halloween Decorations to AVOID When Trying to Sell Your Home

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It's that time of year when the leaves are beginning to change, the temperatures are dropping, and people are gearing up for Halloween! It's a fun time to get in the spirit of the holiday and we all want to have fun decorated houses that trick-or-treaters will ooh and ahh at when it comes time to knock on your door. But if you're attempting to sell your house, you may want to err on the side of caution with the decorations. That's not to say you shouldn't decorate at all, but perhaps keeping to neutral autumn decor is best. Check out some Halloween decorations you should AVOID when you're trying to sell a home at the Lake of the Ozarks . Forego the Scary Decorations This Year Many home buyers have small children. If they bring their child along with them while walking through your home, it could become more of a hassle trying to enter your home if your front lawn is covered in gruesome decor that the children are afraid to pass by. Home buying is stressful...

Pro Tips for Planning the Ultimate Housewarming Party

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After all the work of purchasing a new home at the Lake of the Ozarks and getting everything moved in, hosting a party may be the last thing on your mind. But this is actually a fantastic time to show off your new home to those friends and family members who've been dying to see your new digs. Plus, it's also a great opportunity to meet your new neighbors! Your housewarming party doesn't have to be anything fancy or extravagant, by any means! But just to help you get started with this next exciting adventure in being new homeowners, the Fran Campbell Team has some simple tips for when you're planning your housewarming party! Invite, Invite, Invite! If you're looking to show off your new home to family and friends, creating an invite on social media can save you some time. If, however, you're looking to get to know the neighbors, a personal or printed invitation is the best option since your new neighbors are probably not on your friends list yet. Adding...

Investing in Real Estate: Foreclosures

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Investing in a foreclosure property can have big potential, but it takes real effort to cash in. As such, it should be approached as any significant investment, requiring focus, diligence and careful research into local property, economic and demographic trends. Let's learn a little about what investing in a foreclosure property entails: Are foreclosures a good investment? A foreclosure property is a home that has been repossessed by the lender because the owners failed to pay the mortgage. Thousands of homes end up in foreclosure every year. Economic conditions affect the number of foreclosures, too. Many people lose their homes due to job loss, credit problems or unexpected expenses. It is wise to be cautious when considering a foreclosure. Many experts, in fact, advise inexperienced buyers to hire an expert to take them through the process. It is important to have the house thoroughly inspected and to be sure that any liens, undisclosed mortgages or court judgments are cl...

Safety First: Kid-Proofing Your Home

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Ask any parent or grandparent; children provide an endless source of joy in the household. Children have a uniquely positive view of the world, and their enthusiasm can be infectious. Underneath all the joys of raising children, however, comes a great deal of responsibility. Fran Campbell Team  wants to remind you that it is absolutely crucial to ensure that your home provides a safe environment for the next generation. If you're expecting children in your home soon, consider following these suggestions to childproof your home. Electrical Outlets At best, electric shocks are unpleasant - at worst, they're dangerous. Block electrical outlets in your home from inquisitive fingers with plugs, electrical tapes, or safety latches. Heavy Objects and Furniture Toddlers have a knack for unintentionally knocking things over. If possible, bolt heavy desks and dressers to the wall. Push televisions or other heavy objects farther back so they are out of reach of the youngsters. ...

Top 5 Reasons to Forego FSBO Status and Hire an Agent

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One of the biggest reasons homeowners may consider selling their home as "for sale by owner" is to try to save money on commission expense. However, with all the legwork it takes to sell a home, it may cost you more in the long run for not hiring a real estate agent at the Lake of the Ozarks to sell your home. Not only do homeowners who hire an agent see a higher profit return for their home, but they significantly lower their risk of potential legal problems as well. If that's not enough reason to hire an agent and forego FSBO status, check out these other 5 reasons we've got for you: #1. Online Real Estate Websites Cannot Provide Accurate Valuations of Your Home If you've ever gone on real estate websites like Zillow or Trulia, you've probably seen their estimated valuation. While in a perfect world, being able to see the estimated value of a home online would be wonderful, no every region is the same when it comes to real estate value. This is especi...

Qualities to Look for When Choosing a Real Estate Agent

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Choosing the real estate agent to help you buy or sell your Lake of the Ozarks home is a big decision. Your agent will be your advocate, your confidant, and your ally throughout the entire real estate process - it's crucial that you choose the right person for the job. Here are some of the qualities to look for in your real estate agent at the Lake of the Ozarks . Trustworthiness This is the first and arguably most important quality to look for in a real estate agent. Your REALTOR® is going to help you navigate one of the largest transactions you will ever make in your life, and it's incredibly important you trust her/him to do so with honesty and integrity. Timeliness Real estate transactions often include hard deadlines that must be met in order for the sale to go through - no exceptions. You need to be confident that your real estate agent will be able to meet these deadlines and keep your transaction on track. Credibility As we have said, real estate transact...