Dennis Herman

There are many types of loans and assistance programs available. Listed here is a short sample. Due to the frequent changes in the lending market you should check the links provided for the latest information and consult with a Wisconsin licensed lender.

The following list is a brief explanation of some of the programs offered. Check the web sites for more and current information.


WHEDA Loans
Http://www.wheda.com/
WHEDA Loans can offer you the following advantages.
Competitive interest rates
Loans with credit scores as low as 620
Home buyer education classes
Unemployment insurance
Major rehabilitation loans up to $10,000 above the purchase price
For single family homes, duplexes and condominiums
New construction loans with a 700 credit score
Reduced interest rates in targeted areas
Lender training
WHEDA Loans may have the following restrictions
Only for first time home owners or if you have not owned a home for three years
Income and purchase price limits
Recapture tax if you sell within the first 9 years
Condominiums may have restrictions
3%, 5% or 10% down payment required based on credit score and type of property



FHA Loans
http://www.fha.com/
FHA insurance is backed by the U.S. Government
FHA loans are assumable
No income limitations
Loan amounts to $271,000
Single family homes, duplexes, four family units and condominiums
All property must be owner occupied
Loans with additional money for improvements
Loans for manufactured homes
Additional loan amounts for energy efficiency updates
Disaster loans
No minimum credit score
Loans up to 31% of income for principle, interest, taxes and insurance
3% down payment that may include the closing costs

While attempting to find the deal of a lifetime try and find a home for sale with the perfect yard. If you are looking at foreclosed and bank owned properties chances are these properties have been sitting vacant for many months and the weeds have taken over the yard. How do you turn a weed infested yard into a lush lawn?

The best tip is to talk to the neighbor with the best yard on the block. This is a great way to get out and meet the neighbors. If you are lucky they will be sick and tired of looking at the lawn and do the work for you. Since we don't all live in a perfect world we will have to consider some alternative solutions.

Hiring a lawn service to get the lawn up to par may be the solution. Interview a number of forms and get written estimates detailing the steps taken and the chemicals involved. This is another good place to begin by talking to the neighbors. This may get you a discount because this will save the company a trip by doing a number of lawns in the same neighborhood.

If you can not afford a lawn service or you take pride in doing the job yourself you can look on the Internet to gather information on lawn care. Based on my own experiences and investigations I have found sites that have been able to identify every weed in my yard and some of them that I thought were regular plants. These sites offer information on weed control.

For lawns the best solution I have found is to go with a weed and feed in the early spring when there is dew on the lawn in the early morning. The problem with this is many of the weeds, especially clover and dandelion tend to seed before they die. I have found that applying about half the recommended amount in the early spring does a good job of controlling the weeds. Follow up with a second application of half the recommended amount six to eight weeks later to kill off the weed that sprout up from the seeds that have sprouted. Two years of this should get the lawn to a point that you can get out and pull the few remaining weeds by hand.

Another fact I found out the hard way is that the fertilizers that claim to kill the seeds before they sprout do not kill clover seeds. I don't think there is anything on the market that kills clover seeds. Clover is a sneaky weed that seems to have a plan to outwit you. Just when it looks like you defeated it a hundred plants will spring up and seed over night. To combat these buy a good quality pump sprayer and a concentrated mixture of weed killer for lawns. Mix it in the spray bottle per the instructions and walk over the lawn by rows spraying the weeds as you pass them. Another thing you may want to do is walk over the lawn before you cut the grass and hand pick the clover that has seeds. If you run it over with the lawn mower you will be scattering the seeds all over the area, which is falling into the plans of the clover. I carry one of those plastic shopping bags to put the clover and seeds in. Make sure the bag does not have holes in the bottom which will allow the seeds to fall out.

You can find that deal of a lifetime and get the perfect lawn with a little hard work, time and patients.

Most buyers know this is the house they are going to buy as soon as they walk through the door. You can see the look on their face and the emotions they exhibit as they go from room to room. They will begin conversations on placement of the furniture and plans to paint, carpet and other changes that will make this house their home. Things are looking up. The search appears to be over. The only detail to consider is the basement. That is when you hear the drum roll in your head. What will you find in the basement?

Many deals are made or broken based on the condition of the basement.

What is the next step when you find the perfect house but questions arise based on the condition of the basement? It all depends on what you find in the basement. If it is limited to signs of moisture on the walls it may be a simple problem to correct. The solutions may range from adding a dehumidifier or painting the walls with a high quality sealer to thousands of dollars in foundation and drain tile repair. The problem may be caused by down spouts that do not drain far enough from the foundation, clogged gutters or poor drainage on the lot.

Other signs to look for in a basement are cracks in the walls. Do the cracks represent a major or minor problem? Are they step cracks or horizontal cracks. Do the basement walls show any signs of shifting? Can the cause of shifting be identified?

These are questions that should be addressed by a state licensed Inspector. An inspector can assess a problem and may recommend a simple solution or the aid of an expert in foundations such as an engineer or company specializing in foundations. At times there may appear to be no noticeable problems with a basement but an inspector may observe signs of a pending issue that will require additional maintenance to avoid future problems.

Most people think of an inspector as a person that tells you if a property is in good or poor condition. This is only part of the inspection. A large part of an inspection is to instruct the buyers on everyday maintenance issues that will help protect the value of the property for years to come by avoiding costly repair issues. Many of the problems seen in properties may have been avoided if simple low cost preventative measures were taken before a minor problem turned into a major concern. An inspection is one of the greatest learning opportunities a buyer will encounter in the home buying process.

Feel free to contact me for a list of Wisconsin state licensed inspectors that I have worked with in the Milwaukee and Woukesha County areas.

Following is a detailed list of marketing services that may be included in the standard listing contract.

Review current market conditions in your area

Determine a sale price Review suggestions on how to prepare your property for all future showings

Answer your questions concerning issues

Supply you with a detailed estimate of selling costs and proceeds

Property photos inside and outside Room measurements

Specification sheets MLS listing

Yard sign

Lock box

Showing registration and follow up

Qualify potential buyers

Open Houses

Full Color ad in the Real Estate Book

Internet promotion that no one matches

Here is a brief list of services you will receive after a Listing Contract is signed.

Marketing your property

Providing you with monthly marketing reports.

Present all Offers to Purchase made on your home.

Counsel you on all of the offers and negotiate the best possible price for you.

Negotiate and follow through with all the major contingencies that your Offer may contain.

Follow-up on closing procedures and title processing.

Guide you through the closing process.

Assist you in finding a new home.

Contact a cooperating Broker, if you are moving to a new area.

Coordinate the sale of your property with the purchase of your new home. --