8 Tips for Finding Your New Home

A solid game plan can help you narrow your homebuying search to find the best home for you.

1. Know thyself - Understand the type of home that suits your personality. Do you prefer a new or existing home? A ranch or a multistory home? If you're leaning toward a fixer-upper, are you truly hand, or will you need to budget for contractors?

2. Research before you look - List the features you most want in a home and identify which are necessities and which are extras. Identify three to four neighborhoods you'd like to live in based on commute time, schools, recreation, crime and price. Then hop into REALTOR.com to get a feel for the homes available in your price range in your favorite neighborhoods. Use the results to prioritize your wants and needs so you can add in and weed out properties from the inventory you'd like to views.

3. Get your finances in order - Generally, lenders say you can afford a home priced two to three times your gross income. Create a budget so you know how much you're comfortable spending each month on housing. Don't wait until you've found a home and made an offer to investigate financing. Gather your financial records ad meet with a lender to get a prequalification letter spelling out how much you're eligible to borrow. The lender wont' necessarily consider the extra fees you'll pay when you purchase or your plans to begin a family or purchase a new car, so shop in a price range you're comfortable with. Also, presenting an offer contingent on financing will make your bid less attractive to sellers.

4. Set a moving timeline - Do you have blemishes on your credit that will take time to clear up? If you already own, have you sold your current home? If not, you'll need to factor in the time needed to sell. If you rent, when is your lease up? Do you expect interest rates to jump anytime soon? All these factors will affect your buying, closing and moving timelines.

5. Think long term - Your future plans may dictate the type of home you'll buy. Are you looking for a starter house with plans to move up in a few years, or do you hope to stay in the home for five to ten years? With a starter, you may need to adjust your expectations. If you plan to nest, be sure your priority list helps you identify a home you'll still love years from now.

6.Work with a REALTORR - Ask people you trust for referrals to a real estate professional they trust. Interview agents to determine which have expertise in the neighborhoods and type of homes you're interested in. Because homebuying triggers many emotions, consider whether an agent's style meshes with your personality. Also ask if the agent specializes in buyer representation. Unlike listing agents, whose first duty is to the seller, buyers' reps work only for you even though they are typically paid by the seller. Finally, check whether agents are REALTORSR, which means they're members of the National Association of REALTORSR. NAR has been a champion of homeownership rights for more than a century.

7. Be realistic - It's OK to be picky about the home and neighborhood you want, but don't be close-minded, unrealistic or blinded by minor imperfections. If you insist on living in a cul-de-sac, you may miss out on a great homes on streets that are just as quiet and secluded. On the flip side, don't be so swayed by a "wow" feature that you forget about other issues - like noise levels - that can have a big impact on your quality of life. Use your priority list to evaluate each property, remembering there's no such thing as the perfect home.

8. Limit the opinions you solicit - It's natural to seek reassurance when making a big financial decision. But you know that saying about too many cooks in the kitchen. If you need a second opinion, select one or two people. But remain true to your list of wants and needs so the final decision is based on criteria you've identified as important.

Information is courtesy of HouseLogic.com and G.M. Filisko.

9 Unexpected Energy (and Money) Savers

Celebrate Earth Day! April 22, 2011.

Here are a few surprising ways to cut your energy bill this season.

1. Put lamps in the corners: Did you know you can switch to a lower wattage bulb in a lamp or lower its dimmer switch and not lose a noticeable amount of light? It's all about placement. When a lamp is placed in a corner, the light reflects off the adjoining walls, which makes the room lighter and brighter.

2. Switch to a laptop: If you're reading this article on a lamptoop, you're using 1/3 less energy than if you're reading this on a desktop.

3. Choose an LCD TV: If you're among those considering a flat-screen upgrade from your conventional, CRT TV, choose an LCD screen for the biggest energy save.

4. Give your water heater a blanket: Just like you pile on extra layers in the winter, your hot water heater can use some extra insulation too. A fiberglass insulation blanket is a simple addition that can cut heat loss and ssave 4% to 9% on the average water heating bill.

5. Turn off the burner before you're done cooking: When you turn off an electric burner, it doesn't cool off immediately. Use that to your advantage by turning it off early and using the residual heat to finish up your dish.

6. Add motion sensors: You might be diligent about shutting off unnecessary lights, but your kids? Not so much. Addition motion sensors to playrooms and bedrooms cost only $15 to $50 per light and ensures you don't pay for energy that you're not using.

7. Spin laundry faster: The faster your washing machine can spin excess water out of your laundry, the less you'll need to use your dryer. Many newer washers spin clothes so effectively, they cut drying time and energy consumption in half-which results in an equal drop in your dryer's energy bill.

8. Use an ice tray: Stop using your automatic icemaker. It increases your fridge's energy consumption by 14% to 20%. Ice trays, on the other hand, don't increase your energy costs one iota.

9. Use the dishwasher: If you think doing your dishes by hand is greener thatn powering up the dishwasher, you're wrong. Dishwashers use about 1/3 as much hot water and relieve that much strain from your energy-taxing water heater. Added bonus: you don't have to wash any dishes.

Information courtesy of House Logic and the National Association of Realtors.

What Buyers Want In Homes Today

Buyers have a long list of what they want when home shopping, but one of their biggest desires is a good deal. But that's not all they want. Here are the top four things that made the list of top home buyer preferences.

1. Homes that are in good condition. Many buyers would rather spend more money upfront to get into a house in nice condition rather than spend money later on to fix it up.

2. A bargain with incentives. Buyers will look at short sales or foreclosures, but they don't want to do the fix up work. They are looking for sellers who will give them gift cards for new furniture or paint to seller paid closing costs.

3. Outdoor living areas. Buyers want homes with outdoor kitchens, screened porches, and two-way fireplaces.

4. Open kitchens. The kitchen is the gathering place of the home and buyers want open, flowing floor plans.

Information courtesy of Realtor Magazine.

Copper on Sheep Creek Confirmed

Article from the Meagher County News in White Sulphur Springs, MT dated 1/27/2011

Tintina Gold Resources, Inc. has confirmed the presence of a high grade Middle Copper Zone on its Sheep Creek Copper-Cobalt-Silver property north of White Sulphur Springs. Their most recent drill hole intersected 2.56% copper, 0.11% cobalt and 13.5 g/tonne silver at Strawberry East target area. This area is located about a mile and a half southeast of the Strawberry Butte location where the company has recently completed an estimate showing the area contains 366 million pounds of copper. It is suspected that further drilling in this area could add substantial resources to the emerging Sheep Creek resource inventory. A representative of the company noted, "This clearly demonstrates that the Sheep Creek property has significant expansion potential well beyond the resources already identified at the Strawberry Butte target. The Strawberry East target area could easily become as important as the Strawberry Butte target area. We are also planning to complete a resource estimate on the Lower Zone intersections at Strawberry Butte. Meanwhile the Company is currently undertaking a Preliminary Economic Assessment on the mineralization encountered to date. With the shallow nature and nearly flat geometry of the Upper Zone at Strawberry Butte, we believe that bulk underground mining could be employed with modest capital costs and low operating costs given the properties excellent location relative to infrastructure. Our plan is to fast track this high quality copper resource towards production."

The Sheep Creek deposit sits 16 miles north of White Sulphur Springs along a maintained gravel road and within two miles of US Highway 89. The property consists of approximately 5,775 acres of fee-simple lands and mining claims in central Montana. The property contains sediment-hosted zones of massive sulfide mineralization originally explored by Cominco American Inc. and BHP during the 1980's and early 1990's. The drilling undertaken by Cominco and BHP had encountered significant zones of stratabound copper sulfide with cobalt in multiple bedded pyrite zones in the lower part of the Precambrian Belt Supergroup; this same stratigraphic unit hosts the Sullivan zinc-lead-silver deposit.

Exploration to date conducted by Tintina Gold has identified an inferred resource of 7 million metric tonnes grading 2.4% copper, 0.12% cobalt, and 12.3 g/tonne silver at a 1.5% copper cut-off grade based on an assumed copper price of $2.50/lb.

Use Lead-Safe Professional for Older Homes

When you are ready to remodel or renovate your pre-1978 home, it's important to hire a Lead-Safe-Certified Professional, recommends the National Association of Home Builders. Before being banned in 1978, lead was a common ingredient in exterior and interior house paint, and is still present in many older homes. Lead ingestion has been shown to cause developmental delays and disabilities in young children. In April 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency enacted the Lead, Renovation, Repair and Painting rule that required training in lead-safe work practices for all remodelers working in pre-1978 homes. EPA Lead-Safe Certified Renovators are equipped to use lead test kits, educate consumers about the dangers of lead and use prescribed lead-safe work practices. When planning your home remodel, read the EPA's Renovate Right pamphlet to better understand the dangers of lead exposure and how to conduct a safe home remodel. consider hiring a certified risk assessor or lead inspector to determine if your home contains lead paint. After completing the renovation be sure to maintain records of the work that's been done. For sound advice on lead safety, go to www.nahb.org/leadsafe. To find an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Renovator near you, contact your local home builders' association or go to www.leadfreekids.org. Information courtesy of RISMedia, sponsored by Lowe's.

DIY Home Energy Audit in 6 Easy Steps
October is Energy Awareness Month

Perform your own home energy audit to see if you need fixes that can lower your energy bills by 5% to 30% annually. Is your home squandering precious energy? Here's how you can search out areas of energy waste that may be costing you money. By following up on problems, you can lower energy bills by 5% to 30% annually. With annual energy bills averaging $2,200, investing in fixes or energy-efficient replacement products could save you up to $660 within a year. Leave the deerstalker hat and magnifying glass behind. All you'll need for energy sluething is a flashlight, screwdriver, paint, stirrer, tape measure and-not just for serenity's sake-a stick of incense.
1. Hunt down drafts. Hold a lit stick of incense near windows, doors, electrical outlets, range hoods, plumbing and ceiling fixtures, attic hatches, and ceiling fans in bathrooms-anywhere drafts might sneak in. Watch for smoke movement. Not what sources need caulk, sealant, weather-stripping or insulation.
2. Check attic insulation. Winter or summer, insulation does the most good when it's overhead, so start with the attic. First, do you have insulation? if the insulation you see covers the tops of the joists by several inches, you probably have enough. If the insulation is only even with the tops of the joists, you probably need to add insulation.
3. Check wall insulation. Remove electrical outlet covers to see if your wall contains insulation. Shut off power to the receptacle before probing beside the electrical box with a wooden paint stirrer. Check some switch boxes as well. Their higher wall location lets you see if blown-in insulation has settled.
4. Look for stains on insulation. These often indicate air leaks from a hole behind the insulation, such as a duct hole or crack in an exterior wall. Seal gaps with caulk or spray foam insulation.
5. Inspect exposed ducts. Look for obvious holes and whether joints are sealed. Heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) ducts are made of thin metal and easily conduct heat. Consider insulating them. Uninsulated or poorly insulated ducts in unconditioned spaces can lose 10% to 30% of the energy used to heat and cool your home.
6. Check anything that goes through an exterior wall. Examine dryer ducts, plumbing lines under sinks and vanities, anything that pierces a wall. Any gaps around it should be sealed with spray foam insulation or caulk.
By: Jane Hodges courtesy of www.HouseLogic.com

Looking For Something To Do in Montana?

From our small town's 4th of July Parades to enchanting concerts, Montana has something for everyone! Check out the Local Happenings section of our website under the Area Information page. You will have a great number of activities throughout the state to choose from. Maybe you have always wanted to participate in a Triathalon - then come to Seeley Lake on October 13, 2011 and compete in the Seeley Lake Challenge Triathalon-Duathalon. You'll enjoy the valley's fall splendor too! Or maybe you are looking for good entertainment. If so try one of the many musicals at Carroll College in Helena. Whatever your pleasure, you'll find fun activities for all ages in Montana. Come visit today!