Day Trip From Kansas City to The Bridges of Madison County

The www.madisoncounty.com website says: "The Bridges of Madison County" was made on location in Madison County, Iowa. A reconstructed farm house provided the key set, with additional sequences shot in the towns of Winterset and Adel, along with the actual Roseman and Holliwell covered bridges. Locations were coordinated with the full cooperation of the Iowa Film Commission, Winterset and Adel Chambers of Commerce, and the Madison County Covered Bridge Preservation Society. You've seen the movie "The Bridges of Madison County" where Robert Kindaid (Clint Eastwood) comes to Madison County, Iowa to take pictures of the covered bridges because he is a professional photographer on assignment with National Geographic magazine. He asks directions from Francesca Johnson (Meryle Streep) who's at home, alone because her husband and two children have left for four days for the Illinois state fair....... well the rest is in the movie but I had fun taking pictures in Madison County today!

How To Find Out What Crime Is Happening In Your Neighborhood

I've just learned of www.crimereports.com .... a great website that no matter where you are in the U.S. you can put in an address or a zip code and see what kind of crime is happening in your neighborhood.

It appeared that there was a place to also search for sex offenders.

They give you the option of signing up for e-mail notifications of crimes in a certain area. Of course I had to sign up and see how it worked!

How To Stay Safe This 4th At The Lake Of The Ozarks

It's a common known fact that many people go to the Lake of the Ozarks for the holiday weekend.

This year if you want to stay safe be extra careful not to consume any of the water while swimming.

Recent testing has found levels of e. coli bacteria that are above the state's acceptable limits.

The samples that showing the highest levels were found at Horseshoe Bend.

The http://www.lakesunleader.com that serves the Ozarks has the full story.

5519 NW 84th Ct. Kansas City, MO 64155 "A Great Home!"

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters

In the summer, people tend to look for ways to light up outdoor spaces for family gatherings, like patios, yards and pool areas. While warm weather brings people outdoors, it is important to be careful when using electrical devices, whether it is a gardening tool, a bug zapper or even just a radio.
Although summer is a time for fun, it's worth it to take a few minor safety precautions that could prevent a major mishap. Most importantly, do not use electrical appliances in wet area — ever ! Be careful using cords around pools, ponds or damp areas. Even wet grass can create a hazard. If you must use electrical appliances around these locations, be sure to use only Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protected outlets or extension cords that have the GFCI built into the cord.

Why do I need Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)?
GFCIs can help prevent electrocution. "Ground faults" are often the result of damaged appliance cords or consumers who use electrical products in wet environments, such as bathrooms or swimming pool decks. GFCIs detect any leakage of electrical current in a circuit that might be flowing through a person using an electrical device. When such a loss is detected the GFCI turns electricity off before serious injuries or electrocution can occur.

There are three types of GFCIs. The most common receptacle type GFCI, is similar to a common wall outlet. Additionally, circuit breaker GFCIs are often used as replacements for standard circuit breakers and provide GFCI protection to all receptacles on that individual circuit. Temporary or “plug-in” GFCIs are frequently used in outdoor settings with electric tools, mowers, trimmers and similar devices. Temporary GFCIs should never be used as a permanent alternative to a regular GFCI.

How can I install GFCIs in my home?
An estimated 400 million GFCIs are installed across the country, but there are still many older homes without GFCIs. By installing GFCIs in every home in the United States, the U.S. Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that more than two-thirds of the approximately 300 electrocutions occurring each year could be prevented!

Consumers are encouraged to use a qualified electrician to install receptacle and circuit breaker-type GFCIs. The portable GFCI requires no special knowledge or equipment to install, but it does require testing before every use.

Do I have to test the other GFCIs in my home?
Like all electronic devices, GFCIs can be damaged or wear out, and may need to be replaced over time. Many consumers, however, don't check their GFCIs to verify they are working. And while the electrical receptacles in a GFCI may continue to function, the GFCI circuit may no longer work. As a result, the National Electric Safety Foundation (NESF) encourages a simple test once a month and after any violent thunderstorm.

Whether you have a receptacle-type or circuit breaker-type GFCI, pushing the TEST button should turn off the power of the circuit.

To test a receptacle-type GFCI:

Push the RESET button located on the GFCI to assure normal GFCI operation.
Plug a nightlight (with an ON/OFF switch) or other product (such as a lamp) into the GFCI and turn the product ON.
Push the TEST button located on the GFCI. The nightlight or other product should go OFF.
Push the RESET button again. The light or other product should go ON again.
If the light or other product remains ON when the TEST button is pushed, the GFCI is not working properly and a certified electrician should be called in to assess the situation and, if necessary, rewire or replace the GFCI.

Testing your circuit breaker GFCI:

• Locate the circuit breaker box.
• Verify that the breaker toggle is in ON position.
• Press the TEST button on the circuit.
• The toggle switch should snap to the TRIPPED position.
• RESET and return the toggle to the ON position. Power will be restored.

If the circuit breaker fails to trip when the test button is pressed, it must be checked by a qualified electrician immediately.

GFCIs are Not a Replacement for Common Sense Safety
It is important to remember that GFCIs are only back-up safety devices — you must always use common sense with electrical products. Be sure to take extra care wherever water and electricity are present. Even with GFCIs, electricity and water do not mix.

How To Select A Home Inspector

How Do You Select the Right Home Inspector?
As sure as the spring flows at The Fountain of Youth, home inspecting provides a stream of knowledge to wash away the fears of home buyers. But fear may be replaced by frustration if the wrong inspector is chosen! Some pointers on selecting your next home inspector will go a long way toward making the process a happy one.
1) Be sure to ask how long the inspector has been in the inspection business. Longevity gives comfort that the company will be with you in the future as new needs and issues arise.
2) How many inspections has the inspector personally performed? This is important! An inspector may have been in business for 5 years but inspected less than a dozen homes. Your home buying decision is far too important to be a practice place for a part-time inspector.
3) Confirm that your inspector has experience in homes similar to the home you are having inspected. All homes have some systems and features in common, but a new home in Johnson county has risks and issues that differ from an historic beauty on Ward Parkway. Only someone who has walked the walk and crawled the crawl numerous times in similar homes can sleuth out those important items.
4) Is your inspector ASHI certified? In our states, the business of home inspection is unregulated. This makes it especially important to verify professional credentials and experiences before making a selection. If they aren’t certified they don’t want to learn!
5) Ask when the report will be delivered. Often the buying decision is time critical, you want to be sure you will receive your completed report in time to read, review, and respond. The best companies can deliver the report to you right at the home as the inspection is completed.
6) Does the completed report include photographs? Often the report will contain descriptions of damage or defect in locations of the home that only the inspector was able to access, like rooftops or crawl spaces. You will want pictures of these areas to make your understanding of the scope and location of the damage clear. It also makes repairs simpler to get estimated when a photograph is available.
7) Lastly, be sure to attend the home inspection, watch the process, and ask lots of questions - the history of your home will unfold before your very eyes!
Our beautiful country is rich in homes and heritage, and your home inspector can help you to know the past and enjoy the future in your new home!

First Choice Home Inspections: 816-554-1199

First Time Buyers Beware: That Only Happens On Television

I've been showing a lot of first time buyers lately that have been watching a lot of television shows that show home remodeling, home decorating, and home buying.

Don't get me wrong, most of those shows are full of useful information, remodeling and decorating ideas and they can even give you tips on things to look for when shopping for a home that could be problematic... so they can be useful.

But please keep in mind that these are nationwide shows, some are even shot in Canada, and not everything they say apply to every area of the country.

Remodeling projects that they say can be completed in a weekend would be a tough job for seasoned hands, let along two women single handedly.

One show suggests that when you find a home you want to make an offer on "low-ball them." In other words, if they are asking 225,000.00 go in and offer them 25,000.00 less right off the bat.

I'm an advocate for negotiating a good deal, but my experience has been that this type of low-balling offends the sellers. I've even had a couple of sellers even refuse to make a counter offer because they were insulted.

Work with your REALTOR®. Ask them to show you comps in the neighborhood of homes that have sold as well as those for sale. Compare them to the home you want to make an offer on and proceed with a sensible offer.

I hear more and more REALTORS® working with sellers stressing the importance of pricing homes properly to sell in this market of over abundance.

Then there are those sellers who are having to bring money to the table to even sell their homes and have very little wiggle room.

I understand everyone wants a deal but just because the television shows are telling you to "low ball and ask for your closing costs to be paid," doesn't mean that it always happens or it's the rule of thumb to follow. In my opinion that only happens every-time on television.

I work with buyers and sellers so I see, feel and understand both sides.

As a buyer if you really want the home and give an outrageously low offer on a home that is priced correctly and the sellers get offended and refuse to counter - then you have lost out on a home that you really wanted and you are disappointed. That isn't a win/win for anyone.

Work with your REALTORS® and as buyers and sellers make mindful decisions.... and remember everything that is seen on television isn't always the case.

FHA Mortgages

FHA Mortgage Information
I had a wonderful and interesting chat with Jeff Belonger today my Blog Talk Radio Show about FHA Mortgages.

Jeff Belonger, also known as The FHA Expert, took the time to lend some interesting information about FHA Mortgages in general.

Jeff comes equipped with over 15 years experience in the mortgage industry and is packed full of knowledge about FHA mortgages.

If you would like to listen to the radio show in it's entirety please feel free to listen in using the link below.
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Kansas City Home Inspectors

I don't mind telling you that 95% of my clients have chosen to used First Choice Home Inspectors when buying Kansas City Real Estate.

I have always found them to be thourough, investigative and correct in their inspections.

Now they are offering mold inspections as one of their services. Read below the effects of mold.

If you need help with your North Kansas City Real Estate needs, please call me.

Fran White, REALTOR®
816-682-3897
Reece and Nichols Residential



First Choice is Now Offering Mold Inspections!
Chris McCullough at First Choice Property Evaluations, Inc. is now certified to perform Mold inspections. We have added this service to provide a complete package of home inspection services.

We now offer Whole House, Whole House with Licensed Engineer (PE), Certified Radon Testing, Termite Inspections, Mold Inspections, Thermal Camera Inspections, Foundation and Structural Inspections.

Asthma has increased 300 percent in children in the past ten years. Research by WHO, in Germany, finds prostate cancer, breast cancer, and other cancers increasing due to mold-related problems.

Mold is the number one health problem with one in every three persons affected by mold and one in ten with a severe problem related to mold. These can range from the common cold, tonsillitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia, to cancer.
Check your home's humidity levels; buy or borrow a hygrometer and watch the changes in R.H. that occur throughout a typical day in different rooms of the house and over the heating season. To inspect your home for mold growth, winter is the best time except for basements which should also be inspected in the summer. With a flashlight and some simple tools, go through the entire house, both inside and outside, searching for moisture damage and mold growth and their potential causes.

The Stachybotrus species of mold is dangerous; it will start growing in 80 percent humidity but, once established, can grow at 55 percent humidity. This mold can develop from the decay of building materials and is much harder to control. If more than ten square feet develop, it is advised that a professional clean it up. When you see a small speck of mold, that's only part of the problem - the remainder being inside the walls.

Some of the causes of mold include: brush and trees within 30 feet of the building; venting the clothes drier inside the home; furniture against outside walls; plants and aquariums; standing water, such as keeping cold water in the kitchen sink; hot tubs; using several gallons of water to wash floors. 'Sick Building Syndrome' is caused by moisture and mold growth. It migrates through foundations up from the soil.
A dehumidifier is not the final answer as it only does the air and not the walls. What is required is a combination of ventilation, circulation and heat. Carpenter ants and termites will smell moisture from miles away and they only attack damaged wood. Ventilation alone won't help a crawl space. In the summer the vents bring in warm, moist air.

Mold forms on the coldest space. The only way to deal with it is with heat. Wall heaters with fans are more efficient than baseboard heaters.

Pull furniture and store material away from exterior walls and off basement floors; leave closet doors ajar; leave bedroom doors open as much as possible; undercut doors; don't block or deflect warm air registers; open drapes, blinds, and curtains; set the furnace fan to run continuously. This will use more electricity but can be offset by installing a two-speed energy-efficient motor; don't cut off the heating supply or close off unused rooms.

Uninsulated or poorly insulated areas such as exterior corners or foundation walls, should be improved with additional insulation. Be sure to install an air-vapor barrier, usually polyethylene, on the room side of the insulation to prevent hidden condensation behind the insulation. Seal hidden opening into the attic, tighten the attic hatch, weather-strip and caulk around windows and doors, gasket electrical outlets, caulk baseboards and seal the top of foundations. Using an air conditioner on muggy summer days also helps take out the moisture.

Humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air-conditioning units and filtration systems can be a source of mold growth if they are not regularly cleaned.

Key areas to check for moisture sources leading to condensation inside the home are roof leaks (especially at chimneys and skylights); wall leaks (especially at window sills and doors); foundation leaks (especially where the ground slopes toward the foundation); and plumbing leaks (especially at toilet bases and under sink drains).
Check any fuel-burning equipment - furnaces, hot water heaters, boilers, fireplaces and wood stoves - to ensure that they are venting properly. A blocked chimney could mean that combustion products, including large amounts of water vapor, are spilling into your house. Along with that moisture come dangerous combustion gasses, such as carbon monoxide, which cause deaths every year. Have heating equipment and venting systems checked by a trained service person.

If your moisture remedial work includes extensive air sealing, be sure that all fuel-burning equipment has an adequate supply of combustion air. High efficiency furnaces, for example, have their own air supplies and exhaust fans but conventional equipment may rely on house air for combustion and on 'natural draft' to move combustion products up the chimney flue. If starved for air or overpowered by an exhaust fan somewhere else in the house, such equipment can spill combustion gasses indoors. Examples of this include stains near the vent of a gas water heater, smoke entering the room from a wood-burning fireplace or stove, and pilot lights being blown out.

Mold growth often occurs in out-of-the-way areas like closets, corners, walls behind furniture and unused rooms. Increasing air circulation to these areas warms the cold surfaces and lowers local humidity levels.

To solve moisture problems, cover any exposed earth in a crawl space or basement with heavy polyethylene; slope soil away from foundations to keep basement walls and slab dry; patch foundation leaks; don't use humidifiers; avoid drying firewood indoors; operate bathroom exhaust fans during a shower; use your range hood exhaust when cooking; and, avoid steam-cleaning carpets in winter.

Molds are parasitic micro-organisms that appear as black, white or multi-colored stain or fuzz. In addition to causing asthma, they can cause other allergies and serious health problems. There are tens of thousand of varieties of molds and are difficult and expensive to identify, even for experts. Health officials recommend eliminating all molds from inside your home.

Most mold spores need condensation or damp materials to germinate and once are established, many colonies generate their own moisture and can continue to survive even under dry conditions. They also need mild temperatures and a source of food, such as house dust or drywall paper.

First Choice Property Evaluations, Inc.
705-B SE Melody Ln. # 199 Lees Summit, MO 64063
Phone: (816)-554-1199 Email: support@firstchoicekc.com

The State of Things

Home Price Forecast For Kansas City Missouri

Home Price Forecast for Kansas City Missouri (edit/delete)
The Kansas City Business Journal reported that the Kansas City area house prices should fare better than other cities'.

In other words the home prices in Kansas City will avoid the price declines expected in the next two years in other markets.

PMI Mortgage Insurance Co released their Winter 2008 U.S. Market Risk Index and their forecast is that there is a less than 5% chance that prices in Kansas City will fall through 2010.

So if you have been sitting on the fence trying to wait out home prices, wait no more. The odds of prices going down any further are slim.

If you need help with your North Kansas City Real Estate needs, don't hesitate to contact me.

Fran White, North Kansas City Real Estate, 816-682-3897

NOW Is the Time To Buy A Home In North Kansas City.

I was poking around over on Chris Lengquist's Kansas City Real Estate Investing blog reading his blog on 2007 and it got me to thinking! (Imagine that!)

We as REALTORS should be the mouthpiece for what the real estate industry.

You hear on the news that "oh the housing market is bad" and immediately prospective buyers/sellers think "Oh I shouldn't buy or sell a home now." That's ridiculous!

Yesterday in sales meeting they said that 30 year fixed rates were at 5.75%.. people are you listening? That is the lowest the rates have been in the last 2 years and 6 months.

What's wrong with this picture? Rates are down and people are still afraid to buy. Why?

If I can help you with your North Kansas City Real Estate needs or you have any questions you can call me or post them here.

Happy New Year North Kansas City Real Estate Owners

Happy New Year to all of my wonderful readers. The holidays are over and it’s time to get back into “real estate” mode.

If you are planning to get your home on the market for Spring, start to get it ready now!

A fresh coat of paint will brighten any room. Clean the carpets. Touch up the molding. Do whatever needs to be done now to get it ready.

My experience has been that Spring market starts in March. It begins to warm and people get in the mood to begin to look for their new homes.

If you need assistance with some ideas on what you could do to get your North Kansas City home ready for spring market, give me a call. I’d love to come by and give you some ideas.

Fran White 816-682-3897

To see more, go to my http://activerain.com/blogs/franwhite blog

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Well I'm getting all prepared for the upcoming icestorm using Utterz! Traditionally in Kansas City we get horrible ice storms and we are in for 18 hours of it starting now!
I'll keep you up to date on the weather through my Utterz.

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7 Tips To Spruce Up Your Home This Winter

When it's cold and the weather encourages us all to spend more time inside it makes us look at our surroundings.

Here are some ideas of things you could do to spruce up your home this winter season!

First determine the kind of lifestyle you live in your home and a budget.

Ask yourself, "what's my style?"

Do you have children or visiting children? Do you entertain a lot? Do you prefer contemporary or casual?


Paint works wonders. Dollar for dollar, paint
gives you the greatest bang for your buck. You
can totally change the look of a room by painting
the walls, trim or ceiling a different color.

Wallpaper is back! And it’s better and more
fashionable than ever. Today’s styles are more
varied, with textured vinyls that can simulate
stucco and grasscloth. You can get BIG looks
without spending a bundle, especially if you do
it yourself.


Toss it up. Bring life to that old sofa with some
fresh new toss pillows in different shapes and
complementary colors. Along the same lines,
throw rugs can add interest and instantly warm
up a room.

Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize!
Little things mean a lot. Give your home
personality with touches like floral arrangements,
plants, candles and artwork.

Visit flea markets and yard sales for unique items that can be
re-purposed. For example, transform an antique
milk can into a functional umbrella stand.

Turn on the light. Lighting can set the tone
for a room, so it’s important to choose the right
lamps and installed lighting.

Rooms should have a lighting source about every 10 feet, so consider
using both floor lamps and table lamps.


Treat them right. Custom window treatments
can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, so
you’ll want to work with off-the-shelf shades,
swags and curtains.

Drapery panels that are positioned high above
the window and flow to the floor are “hot” right
now, as are Roman shades and eco-friendly
bamboo shades.

If you are just starting to look for a home in the North Kansas City real estate market and need some help, I'd be glad to. 816-682-3897