Viroqua Wisconsin: October 2008

Did you know Wisconsin's western boundary is approximately 250 miles long and fronts on the Mississippi River the entire way? If you have not had the opportunity to travel along highway 35, known as the Great River Road, it's worth the trip.

With scenic bluffs to the east and the River on the west there are many sights to see. Such as soaring eagles, egrets and cranes in marshy areas, riverboats, paddleboats and barges traveling up & down river. There are also many Rivertowns to explore along the way that have marina, taverns and quaint little restaurants. Most of these small towns have populations of less than 800, so you won't find tourist traps here.  What you will find is natures natural scenery.  I took these photos this week while showing several homes overlooking the river.  The lower two photos were taken from the decks of those homes.  

 Are you searching for homes to buy in Viroqua or Vernon County Wisconsin

call Mary Strang  therteam.com  RE/MAX Hill Country Realty 608-637-3599

Twas the week after closing and all through the house not a creature was.....wait... it is not a mouse... OMG its water in the basement! This is usually follow by a loud shriek coming from the new owner's mouth... yelling "Holy s#X%, call the Realtor!"

Occasionally things, just seem like they go kaput right after a closing? If you have just recently closed on a home this is certainly the worst possible thing to imagine. At this stage nothing is suppose to be wrong. The Buyer feels self-assured with their purchase by having paid for a professional home inspector's advise. The Buyers most likely are still in the midst of settling-in and reorganizing life from the chaos of unpacking. While the Sellers, on the other hand, are relieved to have the selling process over and behind them. They have moved on to another place and may even feel the Buyer got a bargain of a price on their former home. Some Sellers probably still think they should have held out for a higher price!

Today it is commonplace to have the entire house inspected, the well tested, and the septic system thoroughly checked out by licensed contractors. When something breaks down immediately after the Buyers moving in, it's amazing to find out what some might believe. Sometime they think that someone definitely lied, have hid information and/or did know about the problem. From time to time, when this happens, we have seen Buyers reactions range from polite normal questioning to the wild side of high drama and threats of lawsuits. Of course, there will be questions and demands for answers, that is expected. It's not a pleasant moment for anyone when something like this happens. However, there seems to have been a vast shift in attitudes about responsibility ever since independent inspections became commonplace. I think home inspections have caused some unrealistic expectations by the consumers. Just because you had an inspection, does not mean you have a guarantee that things will be absolutely perfect from then on, some stuff might brake down and the when is unknown. Inspection are usually visual not invasive. Therefore there are no guarantees given by the inspector and no home regardless of the price will prove to be flawless. Home inspections are opinions of condition with no guarantees on future conditions. Even newly built homes can have defects like cracks in foundations or poorly sloping grading prior to being landscaped properly that could result in water in the basement. Older resale homes have many more defects, and some go unfortunately undiscovered until later.

So, you ask, "What to do if a home you just purchased has something go immediately wrong?" Calm down, take a deep breath, get the inspector back for another look, diagnose the problem and get bids from at least 2 or 3 contractors to repair the problem. "Who is going to Pay?" Consider buying a home warranty policy prior to closing, or you can negotiate for the seller to provide one as part of your offer. This would be a wise thing to do because this will cover most of things that could possible go wrong. A home owner's warranty covers the furnace, the appliances, and the hot-water heater, and for a small extra premium both the well and septic system could also be insured. At this point, if there is no policy in place, or if the problem is something not covered, you may have to seek legal council to resolve the problem directly with the Seller. Regrettably, it is no longer the Realtors responsibility or job to negotiate these problems after a closing.

 Are you searching for homes to buy in Viroqua or Vernon County Wisconsin

call Mary Strang  therteam.com  RE/MAX Hill Country Realty 608-637-3599

Last night, temperatures plunged below 30 degrees for the first time this season. This morning's landscape was glistening and frosty white. Just a reminder; that if you have an unoccupied cabin or home on the market for sale and it has not yet been winterized because you have not had the time or have not given much thought to your plumbing systems... it is definitely time to drain the pipes. Don't take any more chances, and take action to avoid having your pipes burst. By just follow these few steps to prevent major damage to your property you can prevent some major losses. If you are not sure what to do and are not the DIY type, then hire a plumber to take care of the task. Otherwise, here are a few simple tips to follow to avoid some very unpleasant surprises.

1. Turn off the water supply
2. Open up all the faucets inside and outside. Let all the water run until the system is empty.
3. Put RV anti-freeze into the toilet bowl, sink, tub drains and inside the toilet tanks.
4. Drain the hot water tank, and if you have a private well you should also shut off the circuit breaker to the well pump. 

If you cannot turn off a water line, then use electric heating tape and wrap them around any pipe you cannot drain.                                                                                                                              

 Are you searching for homes to buy in Viroqua or Vernon County Wisconsin

call Mary Strang  therteam.com  RE/MAX Hill Country Realty 608-637-3599

Open House Sunday, 10/12/08 2 P.M. to 3:30 P.M.

Later in the afternoon directly following the open in Westby, Jean Driscoll will host a second open house in Viroqua.

This sunny Ranch Home is neat as a pin. It has two bedroom. a large eat-in kitchen, gas fireplace for cozy winter evenings and cove ceiling in the living room. If you are looking to tread lightly on the earth and want cozy, affordable digs, then come on over and visit this home Sunday. The price is right at only $79000. Move in without delay.