You will never have to pay to be listed as a top neighbor. Period. That important detail clarified, let's discuss how we arrive at two "top neighbors" for a given region:
Localism is a bustling collection of hyper-local communities, and the top neighbors should reflect those members who are most active. When ranking users in a given region, several factors are considered. To get your foot in the proverbial door, you need to have posted at least one "Localism" article or photo for the region.
The very best way to quickly rise to #1 is to post high-quality local content. Keeping a steady strem of incoming posts and photos will massively tilt the scales in your favor.
What doesn't count toward the top neighbor ranking? ActiveRain points and community sponsorships. The top neighbor spots will always go to the most active members in a region. We want to create a level playing field that encourages the growth of communities — talent and dedication are required to win the day.
I've been keeping a running tally on the number of homes that have sold in Rapid City and surrounding communities (Black Hawk, Box Elder, Rapid Valley, Nemo Road, Piedmont Valley) to not only get an idea of how homes have been selling, but also to see what price points have been hottest. As you can see from the graphs, homes in the $125,000 to 175,000 have been the best sellers each month - confirming in my mind the benefit of the first time homebuyers tax credit.
Also interesting to note that after the tax credit got extended in November, buyer urgency went away, "after the Holidays" became the motto of choice, and real estate sales went down. (yes, typical for December, but it just seemed a really slow month! :)
Fortunately, activity has been good, up here in the Black Hills of South Dakota. May it continue! The sun has been shining, the REALLY cold temperatures went away (for now)...it's a good life.
I've been keeping track of past sales in my market area for years, and here's an idea of what we've been through. Hopefully business will pick up this year!
'This enegy efficient four bedroom two bath home boasts an open floor plan with lots of natural light and a fireplace. Tastfully finished with imported tile, warm colors and plush carpet. The yard has beuatifully shaded decks, front and back, perfect for summer enjoyment and entertaining. A paved allley allows off street access to the two car garage. The 14x16 completly finished hobby room attached to the garage makes for the perfect retreat. This well maintained home has had numerous updated over the years including windows, doors, siding, gutters, plumbing, heating and cooling, insulation and more. Vinyl siding, a sprinkler system and low maintainenece landscaping lend to a carefree lifestyle. A smooth top range, side by side refrigerator, garbage disposal, dishwasher and water softener are all included ot complete this ready to move into package.
Yes, I mean ice dam. Most of us have been saying or thinking damn ice, but I really do mean ice dam. What is it? If you develop one on your roof this winter and spring, you will be saying damn ice. Essentially, an ice dam is a ridge of ice and snow that accumulates along the edge of the roof preventing the melting snow from draining into the gutter or off the edge of the roof. This melting and freezing process is repeated over and over as the snow melts from the roof and freezes under the shingles. This process can eventually lead to a leaky roof and potentially a costly repair to both the roof and the interior of the home due to water damage. We will begin to see more and more evidence of them as temperatures extend above 30 degrees during the day and dip down well below freezing at night.
I admit, this is not something I held any knowledge on a month ago. Growing up in east-central Nebraska, ice dams are not something we ever concerned ourselves with. I doubt you could even find a roof rake in David City, Nebraska. Even since moving to South Dakota, this is still not an issue I've had to deal with or have even heard about.
About three weeks ago, I noticed people around the area clearing snow from the edges of their roof. I initially believed they were concerned about the snow load on the roof. After speaking with a few people, I realized it was much more than that. The theory behind clearing snow from the edge of the roof was to eliminate the ridge and allow space for melting and drying. I then purchased a roof rake and removed my own snow.
I found it quite ironic that I did not use a rake all fall to remove the millions of leaves from my lawn since I have several gas powered blowers, vacuums, and mowers to do the work for me, yet I raked the roof of my house in mid-January. It just seems wrong.
I notice however, very few people in my neighborhood seemed to care about the snow and ice buildup on their roof. I then did what I always do when I have a question related to any building structure. I called my expert. Mark Bailey, president of Stonegate Property Inspections, provided my some insight as to how to further prevent ice dams that involve so much more than just roof raking. Mark is a wealth of knowledge with both residential properties and commercial properties as well. It turns out, heat loss from the home is the biggest problem facing property owners. Says Bailey, "The problem is heat getting into attics. Attics are supposed to be the same temperature as the outside air. If it's really cold outside and you go into your attic you should be just as cold. Attic spaces are not supposed to warm." Apparently, heat loss from the home escapes into the attic, heats the roof from the inside and melts the snow.
So if raking the snow from the roof does not completely solve the problem, what should homeowners do? Mark says "the best overall solution is to take preventative measures such as adding attic insulation to reduce heat loss into the attic, sealing openings that let heat into the attic, and improving the attic's ventilation."
He further advises that "all homeowners should check to make sure their bathroom vent fan is not exhausting into the attic space. If the fan is vented improperly to the attic it can cause moisture issues including condensation, wood deterioration, mold, and it can create or add to an ice dam problem. If you find the bath fan exhausting into the attic have a professional properly exhaust the fan to the exterior." To help explain this, Mark sent me some illustrations from Carson Dunlop.
Thankfully for me, I am somewhat of a human polar bear. My house is fairly comparable in temperature to an igloo. I don't have much heat inside the home, therefore there really isn't any heat escaping into the attic.
The long and short of it according to Mark is this: "The best way to deal with ice dams is to prevent them. Be proactive and use a roof rake to remove the snow before an ice dam builds up. However, once an ice dam occurs and the water damage in your home has begun, the only option is removal of the ice."
Within my power team, I have a variety of people such as Mark Bailey who can help assess the damage or potential damage caused by ice dams. I know people who specialize in removing snow from the roof, as well as experts who do the cleanup and evaluation if you have water damage in any part of your home. Sometimes it takes infared imaging to determine whether water has penetrated the home. If you do have water damage, be aware of air quality issues that result from not properly drying the area. I know people who specialize in this as well. I'm here to pass you those referrals if needed.
Sioux Falls, SD. January 15, 2010: Minnehaha County has listed all its Arms Length transactions of residential homes and lots on its website. Are you curious about how much your neighbor's home sold for and who your new neighbor is? You can now get this information without having to go to the court house or even making a phone call. According to the release they intend to update the list on a monthly basis. If you would like to see this information the 2009 list can be found at the following link: http://www.minnehahacounty.org/dept/eq/residential_sales/ResidentialSalesOnly.pdf
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
I then did what I always do when I have a question related to any building structure. I called my expert. Mark Bailey, president of Stonegate Property Inspections, provided my some insight as to how to further prevent ice dams that involve so much more than just roof raking. Mark is a wealth of knowledge with both 
