the oklahoman real estate

FREAL ESTATESATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011 THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

INDEX

Handy 4FStone 5FPermits 8F

HOUSE PLAN

EuropeancharmBrick veneer and classickeystone arches lend aEuropean ambiance tothe Landry.PAGE 3F

LISTING OF THE WEEK

Two-storyTudorThe Listing of the Week is atwo-story TudorRevival-style home with apool on ½ acre in OklahomaCity’s historic Linwood Placeneighborhood.

PAGE 3F

Answeringthe callThe Consumer Fi-nancial ProtectionBureau’s homemortgage complaintand dispute resolu-tion hotline is takingcalls and helpingborrowers.

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KennethHarney

THE NATION’S HOUSING

IN BRIEF

BED KEEPSPETS COOLThe K-9 Koolee givesyou a totable way tokeep your pooch coolin hot weather. Theportable dog bed iscooled by nontoxicpolymer packs andhas a pop-up canopyto provide shade.Adding water to thereusable packs andrefrigerating them inadvance will main-tain a cool surfacefor up to eight hours,the manufacturersaid. The bed foldsand has a handle andshoulder strap. TheK-9 Koolee comes intwo sizes, small/medium for dogs upto 55 pounds andlarge for dogs 55 to125 pounds. They sellfor $169 and $189,respectively, atwww.k9koolee.com.

DEHUMIDIFIERMAINTENANCEQ: How do youclean the watercontainer of a de-humidifier? I emptythe containers ofmy Amana dehu-midifiers daily, butthey still have aslimy buildup in thebottom. I triedscrubbing the bot-tom with a toiletbrush, as the areais hard to moveyour hand aroundin. I tried pouringbleach into thecontainer andscrubbing.A: Amana’s custom-er service depart-ment recommendsspraying the insideof the container witha commercial moldand mildew removerand letting it sit forthe time directed onthe label beforerinsing and drying.Filling the containerwith white vinegarand letting it sitovernight also mightdo the trick.MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

After Jo Snyder Ritterbecame a widow, the lastthing she expected was tofall in love again. But out ofthe blue she met a char-ming engineer who soonproposed. However, thehappy union brought withit an unusual complica-tion: Together, they hadtoo many houses.

Snyder Ritter, a real es-tate broker since 1977,owned a custom-builtCape Cod on a pond in averdant setting, along witha vacation home near a golfcourse. Her new husbandowned a split-level, plus avacation home located ona scenic waterway.

“Owning all that real es-tate felt overwhelming. Wehad to come up with a log-ical plan,” she recalled.

To deal with the situa-tion, Snyder Ritter and hernew husband had a longtalk, considering eachproperty on its merits. Sheruled out moving to his

split-level because it wastoo small to fit her treasur-ed antiques. He ruled outmoving to her Cape Codbecause it was designed byher former husband,which felt awkward. Andboth wanted to let go oftheir vacation propertiesto simplify their lives.

So in the end they soldall four homes.

After selling the proper-ties, she and her husbanddesigned and built a largecottage overlooking a lake.

“We absolutely madethe right decision. We lovethis house,” said SnyderRitter, who’s affiliatedwith the Council of Resi-

dential specialists (www.crs.com).

Snyder Ritter’s manyyears in real estate haveconvinced her that there’sno single right answer tothe thorny housing ques-tions that often arise aftermarriage. Nor is there oneright answer for those whoinherit a home and mustdecide whether to moveinto that property, to rentit out or to sell it.

Have you found yourselfwith an extra home due tomarriage or inheritance? Ifso, these pointers couldprove helpful:

I Think of retirementplanning before you lockinto a housing decision.

James J. Casey, a certi-fied financial planner, rec-ommends that those whoacquire an “extra house”through marriage or in-heritance should considertheir options in light of aholistic financial plan, in-cluding their need for re-

tirement savings. This isimportant at any age butespecially if you’re a babyboomer approaching re-tirement age.

If the home you’ve ac-quired is much larger thanthe place where you nowreside, he urges you to takeinto account energy andupkeep.

“Get down to one houseas soon as possible, even ifthat means renting out theextra place for a whilerather than selling it im-mediately,” he said.

If you want to work witha financial planner to as-sist you in making theright decision, Casey sug-gests you to ask friends orrelatives for names or con-tact a trusted accountantor attorney for referrals.

I Don’t automaticallyreject the idea of changingneighborhoods.

Will a coming marriagemean you’ll have morethan one property in your

joint household? If so,would it be an option foryou or your partner tochange neighborhoodswithout taking on an ex-cessively long commute? Ifso, you might wish to con-sider moving, said DorcasHelfant, a real estate bro-ker and former presidentof the National Associ-ation of Realtors (www.realtor.org).

I Don’t rule out sellingboth your homes and buy-ing another. Helfant en-courages remarrying cou-ples with two houses to letgo of both homes and to-gether purchase a place oftheir own, tather thanstruggling for comfort in aspace with a history in-volving a partner’s previ-ous relationship.

“That could be the hap-piest outcome for every-one involved,” she says.To contact Ellen James Martin, emailher at [email protected].

UNIVERSAL UCLICK

Tips for those who acquire extra homesEllenJamesMartin

SMARTMOVES

Raising a glass of seasonal cheermight be easier with a wine chillerclose at hand.

A built-in table stretchesthrough the kitchen of a modelhome at 7320 White Hawk Drivein north Oklahoma City. Thespace comfortably seats eight,said builder Jeff Click, with every-thing in easy reach: wine chiller,refrigerator, extra plates and sil-verware.

“It’s designed to be as formal asyou want to make it, but also as in-formal and casual as breakfast,” hesaid.

It’s a trend both builders anddesigners are seeing in homes —smaller footprints, more ameni-ties and flexible, open floor plansthat don’t waste an inch of pre-cious space. In Click’s modelhome, the kitchen opens directly

into the great room, and windowsacross the back look out on abackyard that can also function asa gathering area.

“Entertaining and social as-pects of the design elements havebecome more important, particu-larly among younger buyers,” hesaid.

Technology has changed thegame in entertaining, replacingbulky televisions and stereos withmore streamlined devices thattake up less space and draw musicand movies wirelessly through theInternet.

“This is a design feature,” Clicksaid of a flat-screen televisionmounted on a nearby wall. “Theflat-screen display is part of thedesign element for this greatroom, and it doesn’t feel like a fo-cal point of it.”

The nearby theater room fea-tures a counter across the backwhere the family can share dinner.

“And when you’re done, you

can leave the dishes up here andhop down there,” Click said, refer-ring to a reconfigurable sofa fea-turing cushions that can be piledin different ways to accommodateguests.

The space also allows a party tosplit up without going separateways, Click said.

“Ladies can watch a movie out

TECHNOLOGY IS GAME-CHANGERFOR DESIGN OF MODERN HOMES

BY DYRINDA TYSONFor The [email protected]

A counter-mounted television leaves no doubt: This kitchen, already built for gathering people, is ready to party. PHOTO PROVIDED BY A KAREN BLACK CO.

Homebuilder Jeff Click shows the entertainment room of his modelhome in the Silverhawk addition at NW 178 and Pennsylvania.

PHOTO BY STEVE GOOCH, THE OKLAHOMAN

SEE HOMES, PAGE 2F

2F SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011 THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COMREAL ESTATE

there while the guys watcha game in there,” he said.“You’re not disconnected.”

When it comes to re-vamping entertainmentspaces, designer KarenBlack of A Karen Black Co.said modern electronicsare a mixed blessing.

“On one hand, it’s mucheasier cabinetwise to de-sign around, but from theelectronic standpoint, weusually have to pull in aprofessional now to makesure everything’s wiredproperly,” she said. “So theelectronics are a big dealnow. They were always abig deal, but it seems likethey’re a bigger deal nowthan before.”

Looking past wallsSome of Black’s work

has her looking past thewalls, though. Manyhomes look out on spec-tacular backyards.

“We’re adding a lotmore windows that lookout into the backyard andallow that green spacemore into the house,” shesaid.

In one recent case, hercrew literally took out afireplace, shifting it from awall overlooking the yardto a different wall and in-stalling French doorsacross the wall leading tothe yard. The clients havelived in the house 10 years,she said, “and they say itfeels like it’s been like thisforever because it seemsnatural.”

Now that the backyardis so accessible from thehouse, Black’s company isinstalling an outdoorkitchen and a covered out-door lounge area with atelevision and a fireplace.

“And I think it’s directlyrelated to this bringing theoutside in,” she said.

The patio at Click’smodel home is made forlounging as well, with arti-ficial turf underfoot to givethe area “more of a greenfeel instead of cold con-crete.” It looks out on acombination fire-waterfeature that offers a spec-tacular light show afterdark.

“And that fireplace putsout quite a bit of heat, too,”he said.

Dreary weather doesn’tnecessarily have to chasethe party back inside, ei-ther. Aside from outdoorfireplaces, homeownerscan invest in portableheaters — often seen out-side restaurants — to keepthings warm. Black saidher company installedheaters in the gables abovea lounge area, and they areeffective.

“It can really be nice andtoasty,” she said.

Click said he warms hisown grill area at home withan infrared heater. Portableversions can be set upwherever they’re needed,but he mounted one abovehis grill.

“If you can install a TV,you can install one of thesethings,” he said.

FROM PAGE 1F

Homes: Electronics now important

Left: An outdoor kitchen begs for guests.PHOTO PROVIDED BY A KAREN BLACK CO.

The flat-screen television is a design feature but does not dominate the livingroom in the Jeff Click model home in the Silverhawk addition at NW 178 and Penn-sylvania Avenue. PHOTO BY STEVE GOOCH, THE OKLAHOMAN

Left: A reconfigur-able sofa hascushions that canbe piled in differ-ent ways to ac-commodate differ-ent guests in theJeff Click modelhome in the Silver-hawk addition.

PHOTO BY STEVE GOOCH,THE OKLAHOMAN

Right: A built-in table inthe Jeff Click modelhome comfortably seatseight with wine chiller,refrigeratror, extra platesand silverware in easyreach.

PHOTO BY STEVE GOOCH,THE OKLAHOMAN

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2011 3FREAL ESTATE

Brick veneer and classic keystone arch-es lend a European ambiance to the Lan-dry. This home offers more than 3,300square feet of indoor living space, plusthree outdoor patios, and a three-car ga-rage.

A recreation room over the garage is theonly living space on the second level, sothe rest of this plan could easily be adapt-ed for wheelchair accessibility.

Ceilings are lofty, starting with the 12-foot-high covered porch, foyer and diningroom, to the foyer’s right. Both the foyerand the dining room flow into the evenloftier vaulted living room. Light washesdown into this large open space throughskylights, and more spills in through astack of wide windows.

A long conversation bar rims the kitch-en, which is otherwise open to the livingroom. Working at the kitchen sink, youcan talk with people seated at that bar orin the living room, while keeping an eye

on the nook, patios and backyard as well.Other kitchen amenities include Lazy Su-san shelving, a work island with built-incook top and two pantries.

In the nook, a desk and shelves hide be-hind folding doors. Nearby are anotherdeep storage room, a large utility room, afull bathroom and a guest suite with awalk-in closet. A door into the three-cargarage is through the utility room at theend of the hall.

On the opposite side of the Landry, theowners suite fills the rear and secondarybedrooms are up front. In addition to aluxurious bathroom with a spa tub andoversized shower, the suite has two largewalk-in closets, one nearly twice the sizeof the other. A French door leads out ontoa covered patio that could be private.

A review plan of the Landry, including floor plans, elevations,section and artist’s conception, can be purchased for $25 byphone, mail or online. Add $5 for shipping and handling.Associated Designs, 1100 Jacobs Drive, Eugene, OR, 97402.www.associateddesigns.com. (800) 634-0123.

HOUSE PLAN

Landry’s keystone archesoffer European ambiance

The Listing of the Weekis a two-story Tudor Re-vival-style home with apool on half an acre inOklahoma City’s historicLinwood Place neighbor-hood.

The 5,188-square-foothome at 3141 NW 18 hasfive bedrooms, five baths,four living rooms, two din-ing rooms and an attachedthree-car garage. The for-mal living room and familyroom have fireplaces. Thestudy has built-in book-cases, a wet bar and fire-place.

The kitchen has beenremodeled and has granitecounters, eating space anda breakfast bar. The kitch-en clubroom has a flag-stone floor, fireplace andbeamed ceiling.

The master bedroom ison the lower level and has awalk-in closet, whirlpool

tub, Roma steam sauna/shower and heated floorfacing the courtyard.

The home has a base-ment, Florida room, winecellar, covered deck, openpatio, kennel, storage area,security system and under-ground sprinkler system.

The home, built in 1937,

is listed for $575,000 withJane O’Toole of RE/MAXPreferred Properties. Formore information, call 751-4848 or 620-7543.

Nominations for Listing of the Weekare welcome. Send information onsingle-family homes to The Oklahoman,Richard Mize, P.O. Box 25125, OklahomaCity, OK 73125. Nominations may befaxed to 475-3996.

LISTING OF THE WEEK

Tudor Revival-stylehome offers space

The Listing of the Week is at 3141 NW 18. PHOTO PROVIDED

LOS ANGELES — A judgehas sentenced Jodie Fos-ter’s estranged father tofive years in a Los Angelesjail for bilking more than$100,000 from poor andelderly people in a home-building scheme.

City attorney spokes-man Frank Mateljan saidLucius Foster was sen-tenced Dec. 9, two days af-ter he was convicted of 21misdemeanor counts ofgrand theft.

The 89-year-old Fosterwas convicted of taking$5,000 each from peoplefor whom he promised tobuild affordable homesmade from cargo contain-ers. The units were neverbuilt, and prosecutors saidhe lied to clients.

Lucius Foster told CityNews Service that he re-mains estranged from hisdaughter, a two-time Os-car winner. He is due backin court Feb. 23 for a resti-tution hearing.

Lucius Foster, Jodie Fos-ter’s estranged father,addresses his victimsbefore being sentencedin Van Nuys, Calif., Dec. 9.

AP PHOTO

Jodie Foster’sdad convictedin scheme


Do you have some aviddo-it-yourselfers on yourholiday gift list this year?If so, here’s my annualroundup of suggestionsfor some interesting,good-quality tools worthconsidering. They’re listedin order of the manu-facturer’s suggested retailprice.

Black & Decker All-In-One Laser Level (ModelBDL100AV, $29.97): Thisis a clever and useful littlelevel that really works. Ithas two parts: a heavy-duty suction cup; and asmall level with a bubble,a light and a laser beam.The two are held togetherwith a powerful magnet.The suction cup holds theunit securely to mostsurfaces, and a green lighttells you when the unit islevel (red light when it’snot). It projects a brightred laser line for levelingpictures, shelves or what-ever. It includes two AAbatteries.

Craftsman FoldingClench Wrenches (Mod-el 30879, $29.99): Thisclever, compact pair ofwrenches covers a widerange of bolt sizes andtypes to tackle just aboutany type of project.Ratcheting, adjustable andcollapsible, for the tool-box, glove compartment,RV, bike — anywhere. One6-inch and one 8-inchwrench cover ¼ to 7⁄16

inch and 6 millimeters to11 millimeters.

Milwaukee 6-in-1 Com-bination Pliers (Model48-22-3069, $32): Ahandy, professional-grade

tool for anyone’s toolbox.These heavy-duty, nee-dle-nose pliers feature awire stripper, wire cutter,pliers, loop-maker andscrew cutter for the com-mon 6-32 and 8-32screws, and a head de-signed for reaming metalpipe from ½ inch to 1inch in diameter. Nonslip,spring-loaded, lockinghandles and forged alloysteel round out a well-made tool.

Craftsman NEXTECG2 Drill/Driver (Model30565, $79.99): A nice,compact, 12-volt lithiumion drill-driver at an af-fordable price. It featuresa two-speed gear box(trigger-controlled).There’s an 18-positionclutch for proper torquesettings to match thematerial and fastener. Ithas a comfortable, soft-grip handle, built-in fuelgauge, keyless chuck, andLED work light. It in-cludes a 12-volt battery,carrying case and quickcharger.

Skil Oscillating Multi-Tasker (Model 1400-02,$79.99): Oscillating toolshave been on everyone’swish list, and Skil hasintroduced a great kit fordo-it-yourselfers at anaffordable price. Designedfor home projects and

light remodeling, theMulti-Tasker has a varia-ble speed, 2-amp motor,integrated dust control, asoft-grip handle and ano-mar head. The kitcomes with three blades;sanding pad and paper;case; and an adapter plateto fit other blades.

Home Right Com-mand Max HVLPSprayer (ModelC800766, $89): TheCommand Max offers theoccasional user the op-portunity to own a sprayerat an affordable price.Lightweight and easy touse, the Command Max isperfect for smaller pro-jects such as sprayingclear sealers, polyureth-ane, stain and varnish.Properly thinned, it canalso be used to spraypaint. It features an ad-justable spray nozzle fordifferent patterns, andadjustable material flowvolume control.

Skil Combo Router Kit(Model 1830, $109.99):For anyone who needs toadd a router to an arsenalof tools, Skil has come upwith an attractive combokit at a great price. With a2¼-horsepower motorand a ½-inch collet, thisis a definite step up frommost entry-level routers.The motor even has varia-ble speed and soft start,usually only found onmore expensive routers.You get a fixed base and aplunge base, both withmicro-fine depth ad-justments, quick-releaseclamps and soft-grip han-dles. You even get a case.

Werner TelescopingMultiLadder (ModelMT-13, 13-foot, $119.99):If you have only one lad-der around the house, thisshould be it. The WernerMultiLadder is a singlestepladder that adjusts todifferent heights; is a stairladder that can be ad-justed to unequal lengthsfor stairs; converts to twostepladders; converts toan extension ladder; andsplits into two scaffoldbases for use with anoptional plank. The oper-ation is smooth and easy,and the ladder feels sturdyunderfoot in all the differ-ent modes. It features atype 1A duty rating and a300-pound load rating.

Dremel Saw-Max(Model SM20-02,$129.99): This is an in-novative new tool fromDremel with a ton of usesaround the house. It’sbasically a small but pow-erful worm-drive circularsaw with interchangeable,3-inch cutting wheels.Use it to cut wood, plas-tic, metal, tile, masonryand more. You can plungecut, or flush cut for taskssuch as fitting flooringunder door jambs. It’slight and easy to handle,and cuts to ¾-inch deep.It includes four differentcutting wheels, vacuumadapter and a hard case.

Milwaukee M12 Cord-less Ratchet (Model2457-21, $149): Part ofthe Milwaukee family ofcompact 12-volt lithiumion tools, and perfect foranyone who needs theconvenience of a powered

3⁄8-inch ratchet. It’s pow-erful, with 250 RPM and35 foot-pounds of torque.There’s a compact headdesign for tight spaces,onboard LED light andbattery power levels, vari-able speed metal triggerand reinforced steel hous-ing for durability. It in-cludes a case, battery and30-minute charger.

Ridgid TwinBlade Saw(Model R3250, $149.95):This heavy-duty littlebrute from Ridgid usestwin 5-inch blades spin-ning in opposite direc-tions, coupled to a power-ful 10-amp motor. It’ll cutthrough just about any-thing, including stainlesssteel, galvanized iron,wood, copper, steel, alu-minum, rebar and more —both forward and back-ward. It has a compactdesign and comfortablegrips for use even in con-fined areas, and has a waxport for use with waxsticks. It includes bladesand a case.

Ridgid 18-Volt Com-pact Drill/Driver (ModelR86008K, $179): Pro-grade cordless drill/driversare always a great gift forthe do-it-yourselfer, andRidgid has a great onehere. Featuring a compactsize with a slide-in, flat-bottom 18-volt lithium ionbattery with fuel gauge, it

has 455 inch-pounds oftorque and two speedranges (0-450 and0-1,650 RPM). It has atextured, nonslip grip,24-position clutch,½-inch keyless chuckand an LED light that canbe triggered independ-ently. It includes a belthook and handy auxiliaryhandle. Complete kit withfast charger, two batteriesand soft case.

Dealt 20-Volt MAXCompact Drill/Driver(Model DCD780C2,$219): Looking for morepower in a compact pack-age? Dealt delivers withits new pro-grade 20-voltMAX lithium ion drill/driver. It’s loaded withfeatures, including twospeed ranges (0-600 and0-2,000 RPM); ½-inchkeyless chuck; 16-positionclutch; LED light; flat-bottom, slide-on battery;and a soft, contoured grip.It’s all packed into a com-pact body that weighsonly 3.4 pounds and isjust 7½ inches long foreasy access in tightspaces. It includes a com-plete kit with two batter-ies, fast charger, belt hookand hard case.Remodeling and repair questions? EmailPaul at [email protected]. Allproduct reviews are based on theauthor’s actual testing of free reviewsamples provided by the manufacturers.

INMAN NEWS

Gift ideas offered for do-it-yourselfers PaulBianchina

HANDY @ HOME

Lori Purcell was sick ofbeing a landlady andwanted to unload her two-family house in Garfield,N.J. But she knew it wouldnever sell for the $325,440she had paid in 2004.

A short sale solved herproblem.

Sharon Bell was lookingfor an affordable two-family house in Ruther-ford, N.J. A short salesolved her problem, too.

Short sales — in which alender allows a distressedhomeowner to sell for lessthan the amount owed onthe mortgage — have be-come a large part of thehousing landscape.

And though they canstill be drawn-out affairs,real estate agents and law-yers say that as short saleshave become more com-mon, the odds of having asmooth transaction aregetting better.

“The process has be-come easier over time, be-cause we are more aware ofwhat to expect and whatneeds to be done,” said Su-san LeConte, of LeConteRealty in HasbrouckHeights. She said shortsales account for one inevery four transactions inher office.

Process can be slowStill, buyers, sellers, real

estate agents and lawyershave plenty of storiesabout short sales that areheld up for months — oreven years — for a wide va-riety of reasons (andsometimes for no apparentreason).

Purcell, a legal assistant,said it took almost a year tocomplete the sale of herhome.

She had bought thehome in 2004, living inone unit and renting outthe other. But after shemoved in with her fiance inWayne, N.J., her tenantsbrought in extra people —and dogs — to live in theapartment. They were of-ten late with the rent, andthey broke the plumbing.Then a contractor punc-tured a water line. Purcelldecided she was done withbeing a landlady and putthe house on the market.

She soon realized shewouldn’t be able to getnearly as much as she hadpaid, and she started nego-tiating with the bank for ashort sale. Answers were

hard to come by.“You call an 800 num-

ber and speak to the cus-tomer service representa-tives who have no cluewhat is going on,” she said.“Every time I called, I got adifferent story.”

She credits her real es-tate agent, Eileen Meehanof RE/MAX in Saddle Riv-er, N.J., with getting thedeal done.

“She just kept followingup and following up,” Pur-cell said.

The home sold for

$220,000 last fall — morethan $100,000 less thanPurcell had paid.

“It was like a weight lift-ed off my shoulders once itfinally went through,” shesaid.

Lenders often blamedPurcell’s story is echoed

by many who say lendersare slow to act on short-sale offers.

“I’m waiting for thebank — they just don’t giveyou an answer,” said NicoleIdler, of Friedberg Proper-

ties in Tenafly, N.J., whohas been working for twoyears with a seller tryingfor a short sale. As theprocess dragged on, themarket has been sliding, soshe had to cut the askingprice from $349,000 to$299,000. “It’s a verylong, tedious, frustratingprocess,” Idler said.

The delays aren’t alwayscaused by the lenders.Sometimes sellers delaysending the required doc-uments or change theirmind.

Short sales can often be slow processBY MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNEINFORMATION SERVICES


WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — When Bob andLynn Forthman joined Ashby Village inJuly 2010, they never figured they’d needits services so soon.

The virtual “village” in Berkeley, Calif.,is one of 65 nationwide, with 120 more inthe works. The volunteer-driven net-works are meant to help seniors continueliving in their homes by delivering a mul-titude of services they no longer can dofor themselves and to help them stay en-gaged through social events.

What started with the first village in2001in Boston has become a fast-growingphenomenon that could fill a critical gapas baby boomers age and longevity in-creases. By 2050, demographers projectthat one in five Americans will be 65 orolder, part of a “silver tsunami.”

“I think this is going to be the way of thefuture,” said Berdeen Coven, a psycholo-gist leading the drive to launch the SiliconValley Village, expected to open by June.“There just aren’t going to be enough pri-vate facilities for people to age in, and wehave to get together and help each otherout as we live longer.”

Members pay yearly dues, ranging from$35 to more than $900, with half offeringdiscounted rates, according to a nation-wide survey by University of California-Berkeley researchers.

In exchange, members are a phone callaway from such free services as driving,gardening, computer help, home repairs,shopping and other day-to-day needs.

Village volunteers also help memberssell homes that have become too large andmove to smaller dwellings.

A screened list of vendors such asplumbers and electricians offer discount-ed rates.

A month after the Forthmans joined, adriver ran a red light in West Berkeley,smashing into Lynn Forthman as shedrove to her haircut appointment. Thedriver fled and was never caught, but the86-year-old woman had five shatteredribs.

“I called Ashby Village and asked,‘Could you people be of any help?’ ” BobForthman said. “They said, ‘Of course we

could.’ ”A geriatric social worker from Ashby

Village warned Bob Forthman againsttransferring his wife from the hospital to anursing home with a poor reputation andhelped him resist pressure to release heruntil she was transferred to a better facil-ity.

After Lynn Forthman returned home,she received discounted in-home carefrom an organization referred by AshbyVillage.

“It’s kind of like an insurance policy,”said Bob Forthman, who retired as a pro-fessor in 1996 from what’s now calledCalifornia State University-East Bay.“They were there when I needed them.”

Most villages have one or two full-timestaff members and a cadre of volunteersfrom fellow members to high school stu-dents.

Ashby Village launched in 2010 with$80,000 in dues and donations fromcharter members and now has 170 mem-bers. It hopes to double that number, saidAndy Gaines, executive director. Ninety-five percent of its members renewed thisyear, paying $750 individually or $1,200per household.

The villages serve a population fallingbetween a wide gap in care for agingAmericans.

Medicaid covers nursing homes andsome in-home care for the poorest, andthe wealthy can afford costly assisted-living facilities or hired help. “But forpeople who are middle-class or uppermiddle-class, there was a hole,” Gainessaid.

A UC-Berkeley researcher is heading athree-year evaluation, funded by theArchstone Foundation, to determine thequalities most likely to ensure the long-term viability of the nonprofit villages.

“It’s too early to draw any conclusions,except that villages seem to be doing pret-ty well,” said Andrew Scharlach, directorof UC-Berkeley’s Center for AdvancedStudy of Aging Services. The numbers ofvillages nationwide are “growing expo-nentially,” he said.

Only a few have failed, Scharlach said,and that was due to either lack of capitalor lack of leadership and paid staff.

MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

Senior ‘villages’ take care of their own

DEAR BARRY: Whenwe bought our house, ourhome inspector found alist of “normal” problemsbut said nothing about as-bestos. Now we are selling,and the buyers’ home in-spector reported “possi-ble” asbestos in all of ourheating ducts. The buyerswere so alarmed by thisthat they canceled theirpurchase offer.

So now we are waitingfor a lab report to see if wedo have asbestos. The factthat our home inspectorsaid nothing about asbe-stos is a puzzle to us be-cause all of it is visible. Ifthe material is found tocontain asbestos, is thereany action we can takeagainst our home inspec-

tor or the sellers now thatfour years have passed?

BrigitDEAR BRIGIT: Many

home inspectors ignoreasbestos issues becauseenvironmental hazards areoutside the scope of ahome inspection. In fact,asbestos is usually dis-claimed in home inspec-tion contracts and reports.Some inspectors point outthe presence of suspect

materials as a courtesy andrecommend further eval-uation by an asbestos spe-cialist. In this respect, therecent inspector providedmore detailed disclosurethan the one you hired fouryears ago, but you proba-bly won’t be able to holdyour inspector liable.

Two types of asbestosare typically found on or inforced-air heating ducts.In homes built before 1973or ’74, the insulation onthe outer surfaces of theducts could contain asbe-stos. The material appearsas grayish cardboard, oftenwith a shiny foil veneer.

It is not regarded as asignificant health hazardbecause it is not friable andbecause it is not exposed to

the air stream within theducts. However, if the ma-terial is damaged, loose ordetached, removal by anasbestos abatement con-tractor is recommended.(Note: The term “friable”refers to asbestos that is ina crumbly condition, ableto be crushed with handpressure and therefore ableto release particles into theair.)

The other type of asbe-stos often found in airducts is over-spray ofacoustic ceiling texture,commonly known as “cot-tage cheese ceiling.” If thismaterial is observed in theducts, it may or may notcontain asbestos andtherefore warrants testingat an asbestos lab. If the

lab result is positive, thematerial should be re-moved by a qualified pro-fessional because it is inthe air stream of the heat-ing system.

If the lab report for thesuspect material in yourhome is negative, the re-port can be shown to futurebuyers to assure them thatthe materials in questiondo not contain asbestos.

DEAR BARRY: Ourbasement has a windowwell for emergency escape,and we want to build adeck on that side of thehouse. We don’t want tocompromise the egress butwould like to have as muchdeck space as possible. Arethere any regulations thatwould prevent us from

building the deck over thiswindow well?

BrianDEAR BRIAN: It would

be wise to frame the deckaround the window well tomaintain the emergencyescape path. If you preferto build the deck over thewindow well, there shouldbe an openable hatch thatcan be lifted to enableemergency escape. How-ever, if the window wellprovides egress from abedroom, then the win-dow also serves as a re-quired source for naturallight and ventilation. Inthat case, it should not becovered.

To write to Barry Stone, go to www.housedetective.com.

ACTION COAST PUBLISHING

Asbestos disclosure kills sale of houseBarryStone

INSPECTOR’S IN THEHOUSE

BY SUZANNE BOHANContra Costa Times

Paul Axelrod, a volunteer at Ashby Village, a seniors neighborhood and facility,fixes a light at the home of Joan Strand in Berkeley, Calif. MCT PHOTO


WASHINGTON — Got abeef with your mortgagelender? Is your bank unre-sponsive when you com-plain that your escrowaccount is fouled up andmaking your monthlypayments needlessly high?

Did your loan officerbait-and-switch you intoa more costly home loanthan you originally werepromised? Or worse yet:Did your home loan ser-vicer ignore you when youtold him you’ve had anunexpected drop in in-come and needed a mod-ification to avoid missingpayments?

If any of these situa-tions sound familiar,here’s a heads-up aboutthe newest and least-publicized source of feder-al help: the ConsumerFinancial Protection Bu-reau’s home mortgagecomplaint and disputeresolution hotline. Neverheard of it? That’s notsurprising since it onlywent live Dec. 1 and theCFPB hasn’t said muchabout it, preferring to ease

into the potential snake pitof mortgage issues thatAmerican consumers havewith their lenders ratherthan get overwhelmed.

The complaint hotlineis accessible online at theCFPB’s website (www.consumerfinance.gov), bytoll-free phone between 7a.m. and 7 p.m. Central —(855) 411-CFPB — as wellas by regular mail and fax.

The bureau was createdby last year’s Dodd-Frankfinancial reform legisla-tion and is supposed tolook out for your interestsin banking, financialproducts, home loans andall other forms of con-sumer credit. Its mortgagecomplaint service is anextension of the agency’sexisting hotline for creditcard-related disputes and

inquiries, which beganJuly 21.

So far, according to thebureau, the card hotlinehas handled 5,074 com-plaints. Of this total, itreferred 84 percent direct-ly to the credit card issuers— mainly big banks — forresolution. Some com-plaints came with in-complete information orwere referred to otheragencies for action.

About 74 percent of allcomplaints were subse-quently reported back frombanks as resolved, and 71percent of total resolutionswere not disputed by theconsumers who lodged theoriginal complaints. Justunder 13 percent of allcredit card complainantsreported that they were notsatisfied with the cardissuer’s actions.

The credit card com-plaint service is likely toprovide a template for theagency’s approach tomortgage problems, whichare expected to be morevoluminous. When a bor-rower submits a formal

complaint to the bureau,complete with accountnumbers and other keyidentifiers, the informa-tion will be sent immedi-ately to the lender ormortgage servicer namedin the complaint using asecure web portal.

The lender must thenreview the information,contact the customer ifneeded and determinewhat action to take toresolve the matter. Next,the lender is supposed toreport its action, if any, tothe bureau, which sends iton to the borrower forreview. Throughout theprocess, according to theCFPB, borrowers “can logonto the (agency’s) secure‘consumer portal’ or callthe toll-free number toreceive updates, provideadditional information,and review responses”from the lender.

If the dispute focuseson what is primarily amatter of state regulationor is beyond the purviewof the CFPB, the disputemay be referred to other

agencies. Similarly, if thedispute points to fraud oridentity theft, the bureauis likely to refer it to eithera federal or a state lawenforcement authority.

For the time being, theCFPB is referring all com-plaints involving smallbanks or their subsidiariesthat have less than $10billion in assets to otheragencies. In the mortgagefield, however, the vastmajority of loan orig-inations and servicing iscontrolled by the top 10largest banks or their sub-sidiaries, which meansthat a high percentage ofthe complaints receivedwill likely be handled bythe CFPB.

How is this going towork in practice? Thoughconsumer groups are opti-mistic, and the CFPB saidit’s staffed up and ready togo, some mortgage indus-try leaders worry that theagency could be taking onmore than it can real-istically handle, and rais-ing borrower expectationsthat can’t be met.

David H. Stevens, presi-dent and CEO of theMortgage Bankers Associ-ation, said in an interviewthat while he has foundthe CFPB to be “fairlythoughtful” in its ap-proach to lending anddisclosure issues to date,he is “concerned that theyare moving too quickly toosoon.” If they are notproperly equipped to han-dle large volumes ofemails and calls, the ser-vice could be “an investi-gatory black hole” wherecomplaints are filed butnot addressed quickly oradequately, and it could be“a net negative” for bor-rowers who have genuineproblems, he said.

Since the agency isexpected to report on theinitial months’ resultssometime early in 2012,Stevens and consumersshould have answers fairlysoon. Meanwhile, if you’vegot a legitimate complaint,give the hotline a shot.

Ken Harney’s email address [email protected].

WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP

Mortgage complaint window is now openKennethHarney

THE NATION’S HOUSING

The commercial banks reliedon by homebuilders and devel-opers to finance their projectscontinued to hold tight reins onacquisition, development andconstruction loans in the thirdquarter, according to the mostrecent quarterly survey by theNational Association of HomeBuilders’ Economics and Hous-ing Policy Group.

“Restoring the flow of creditto housing is critical for the in-dustry to rebound, provide jobsand boost the economy,” saidNAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a

homebuilder from Reno, Nev.More than half of the single-

family builders and developerssurveyed indicated they had de-cided to put any new construc-tion or land activity on hold untilthe financing climate improves,which has repercussions for theeconomy. Production remainsstymied even in markets withlow supplies of new homes be-cause builders cannot get creditto start new homes, according tothe builders trade group.

“There can be no economicrecovery without a housing re-covery,” Nielsen said. “WhileNAHB’s Improving Market In-

dex shows several housing mar-kets around the nation are slowlystarting to mend, a full-fledgedrevival will not take hold until weresolve the ongoing credit prob-lems for homebuilders.”

Of the minority of builderswho sought loans in the thirdquarter, few saw improvement inthe lending climate over the pre-vious quarter and a significantshare saw conditions continue todeteriorate.

Forty-eight percent of thosepolled said they had looked forfinancing for single-family con-struction in the third quarter.

Only 8 percent said the avail-

ability of financing for single-family projects was getting bet-ter (compared to the previousquarter), 61 percent said it wasunchanged and 31 percent re-ported it had worsened.

Survey respondents who indi-cated that lenders were clampingdown further on credit availabil-ity in the third quarter noted sev-eral ways in which the tighteningwas occurring:

I 77 percent said lenders werereducing the amount they werewilling to lend.

I 75 percent reported seeingthe allowable loan-to-value ratiobeing lowered.

I 66 percent found lenderswho were not making any newreal estate loans.

I 63 percent said they en-countered lenders who were re-quiring personal guarantees orcollateral not related to the pro-ject.

Lenders most often told build-ers they were tightening on loansbecause the regulators wereforcing them to do so. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyedsaid they were given this reasonfor restrictions on new loans,and 52 percent heard it was thereason for tightening on out-standing loans.

Tightening credit stymies home building, association saysFROM WIRE REPORTS


Almost one out of threebuilders nationally sur-veyed reported losingsigned sales contracts theprevious six months be-cause appraisals on theirhomes were less than thecontract sales price, ac-cording to the NationalAssociation of HomeBuilders.

“The inappropriate useof distressed and fore-closed sales as compara-

bles in determining newhome values is needlesslydriving down home prices,killing home sales, causingmore workers to lose theirjobs and delaying a hous-ing and economic recov-ery,” said NAHB ChairmanBob Nielsen, a homebuild-er from Reno, Nev.

Brand-new homes withsparkling appliances andinterior upgrades get com-pared to distressed prop-erty that has been sittingvacant and in disrepair,

with new houses gettingappraised at less than thecost of construction.

According to the survey,60 percent of respondentsreported they were experi-encing appraisals comingin below their contractsales price. Of those re-porting that they had en-countered below-contractappraisals, 53 percent saidthe appraisal amount wasactually less than the costof building the home.

“This is not only unfair

and unreasonable, but itperpetuates the cycle ofdeclining home values,drives more homeownersunderwater, harms localeconomic activity and actsas an obstacle to the recov-ery of the housing market,”Nielsen said.

Falling appraised valuesfor land and subdivisionsunder development haveled some financial institu-tions to stop lending to de-velopers and builders, todemand additional equity

and even to call perform-ing loans.

“Major reforms in ap-praisal practices and over-sight are needed to ensurethat appraisals accuratelyreflect true market valuesand don’t contribute toprice volatility or harm as-piring homeowners andmove-up buyers,” Nielsensaid. “We will continue towork with all stakeholdersin this debate to find solu-tions.”

With the decline in

home prices appearing tohave ended or be comingto an end in most parts ofthe country, resolving theappraisal and creditcrunch issues remains atop priority for the associ-ation.

The builders’ latest Im-proving Markets Index hasshown modest signs ofimprovement in scatteredhousing markets whereemployment is gainingand distressed propertiesare not as numerous.

Low appraisals kill home sales, construction loansFROM WIRE REPORTS

WASHINGTON — This should bea great time to buy a first home.Prices, nationally, have sunk to2002 levels. Sellers are waitinganxiously as homes languish onthe market. Mortgage rates aretheir lowest ever.

Yet the most likely first-timehomeowners, especially youngprofessionals and couples start-ing families, won’t buy thesedays. Or they can’t. Or they al-ready did, during the housingboom. And their absence helpsexplain why the housing indus-try is still depressed.

The obstacles range fromhigher down payments to heavydebt from credit cards and stu-dent loans. But even many ofthose who could afford to buy nolonger see it as a wise invest-ment. Prices have sunk 15 per-cent in three years.

“I’ve looked for a home, butthe places we can afford with themoney we have are not thatgreat,” said Seth Herter, 23, astore manager in suburban St.Louis.

The proportion of U.S. house-holds that own homes is at 65.1percent, its lowest point since1996, according to the CensusBureau. That marks a shift afternearly two decades in whichhomeownership grew before

peaking at 70 percent during thehousing boom.

Fewer buyersThe housing bubble lured so

many young buyers that it re-duced the pool of potential first-timers to below-normal levels.That’s contributed to the decline

in new buyers in recent years. In 2005, at the height of the

boom, about 2.8 million first-timers bought homes, accordingto the National Association ofRealtors. By contrast, for each ofthe four years preceding theboom, the number of first-time-rs averaged fewer than 2 million.

Still, the bigger factors are thestruggling economy, shaky jobsecurity, tougher credit rules andlack of cash to put down, saidDan McCue, research managerat Harvard University’s JointCenter for Housing Studies.

“The obstacles facing first-time buyers are big, and it’s

changing the way they look athomeownership,” McCue said.

First-timers usually accountfor up to half of all sales. Over thepast year, they’ve accounted foronly about a third.

Lending standardsA big reason is tougher lending

standards. Lenders are demand-ing more money up front. In2002, the median down paymentfor a single-family home in ninemajor U.S. cities was 4 percent,according to real estate websiteZillow.com. Today, it’s 22 percent.

And one-third of householdshave credit scores too low toqualify for a mortgage. Themedian required credit scorefrom FICO Inc., the industryleader in credit ratings, has risenfrom 720 in 2007, when the mar-ket went bust, to 760 today.

When the economy eventuallystrengthens, the housing marketwill, too. More people will behired. Confidence will rise.Down payments won’t be sohard to produce.

The question is whether first-time buyers will then start flow-ing into the housing market.That will depend mainly onwhether they think prices willrise, said Mark Vitner, seniorU.S. economist at Wells Fargo.

“It’s a guessing game as towhen things will turn around,”Vitner said.

Wary first-timers hold back home marketBY DEREK KRAVITZAssociated Press

Seth Herter stands in the front window of his rented two-bedroom home in Richmond Heights, Mo.AP PHOTO

3/1.5/2, ch&a $650+$650dep. no pets, fresh remod.

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237 acres, 1 mi E of I-35on hwy 145, near Paoli,$495,000, 405-769-6551.

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FORECLOSURES59, 1-4 bdrm homes in

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OWNER FINANCING$2000 down No Credit Ck522 E Douglas Dr. $49K¡596-4599‘ 410-8840¡

BANK OWNED 3/2/1, brk,open plan, 1271sf, $49,900Realty Experts 414-8753

50 Sunrise Hills19851 SE 193rd, Newalla3bd/2bath Double Wide

on 1N acreWoodlake Properties

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1.5A 21201 SE 59 3/2/21616' Brk As Is 29K OBO

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BANK OWNED 3/1.5/2 brknew crpt, roof, tile, paint,appls, counters &cha $89.5kRealty Experts 414-8753

Nice 3bd Brick Home 2ba2car in excellent wellmaintained area. Only$69,900 Fidelity Real Est410-4200, 692-1661

FORECLOSURES133, 1-4 bdrm homes in

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BANK OWNED Historic4/1.5, 3 liv, 2 din, 2342sf,hardwood floors $69,900Realty Experts 414-8753

COTTONWOOD FARMShome 4/2/2 $192,000 call

for details Cleaton &Assoc 373-2494

OWNER FINANCING$2000 down No Credit Ck1204 SW 56th 2-3/1 $56K1041 SW 32 2/1 $45,000

2509 SW 39 3/1 $51,0001115 SW 32 $1000 dwn 3/1¡596-4599 ‘ 410-8840¡

Extra Sharp 2bd patiohome 2ba oversized 1carbrick, cathedral ceiling,fireplace, ch/a, beautifullydecorated, Westmoore Schlonly $93,500 Fidelity RE410-4200, 692-1661

738 SE 31 3/1/1 Goodhome. $27,500 417-2176

PIEDMONTOPEN SAT 2-4 & SUN 2-5Model home. New hms

on 1/2 ac lots. From NWExpwy & Sara Rd go 4.5mi N Cleaton & Assoc

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40 ACRES HUNTINGLAND HUGHES CO.

$23,000. 405-886-1643

$100 lot rent for6 months. Move

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Woodlake Properties273-5777

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9 MH Communities inSW/NW/SE (Moore)

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GREAT Office SpaceVarious NW locations300-6000sf 946-2516

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$99 Move In Special1 & 2bds, carports, coinlndry $345-445 470-3535

TOP LOCATION!Pd. wtr/garb. Near malls.Try Plaza East 341-4813

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»» ALL BILLS PAID»»310 S Lahoma nice, clean,1bd $450; 1bd efficiency$350 Fidelity Real Estate410-4200, 692-1661

FALL SPECIAL$179 First Mo. 788.4116

Near OU Med CenterMOMENTUM PROP MGMT

$100 Off1st Mo Rent 1&2 BedroomsFurnished & Unfurnished

NEWLY REMODELEDGATED COMMUNITYCAVE CREEK

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495-2000

$100 off1st Mo Rent Selected Units

LARGE TOWNHOMES& APARTMENTS

• Washer, Dryers, pools• PC Schools, fireplacesWILLIAMSBURG

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$99 Special1 & 2 BD & Townhouses•City bus route/Shopping•Washer/Dryer hookupsValencia Apts

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946-65484 Bedroom Condos

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wood cabinets, full sizeWD hook ups, fitness

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Walford Apts-Midtown-518 NW 12 large 1bd 1ba1100sf $850mo $600depwasher/dryer hookup.Studio 600sf $650mo $400dep. Basement efficiency$400mo $200dp 409-7989

»» ALL BILLS PAID»»Pre-Winter Special

$189 1st Mo293-3693

DREXEL ON THE PARK

FREE RENT TIL 2012Newlyremodeled1,2&3bedsPutnam Green 405-721-2210

$159 FIRST MONTHBest Location in OKCLive LARGE 416-5259TUSCANY VILLAGE

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Oakwood Apts 5824 NW 341bed 1bath 800sf $315mo $175/dep. You payelectric only 409-7989

Furnished/UnfurnishedBills Paid» Wkly/MonthlyWes Chase Apts, Elk HornApts, Hillcrest 370-1077

1 Bdrm effi. utilities +cable paid, 4915 Nimitz,nice, $495. 201-4793

Clean & Quiet, 2 bd, 1 ba,downstairs, $650 month,$300 deposit, 370-0278.

Briargate 1718 N Indiana1bd, 1ba $525, $250 dep,800 sf, all elect 409-7989

MAYFAIR Great location!1/2 bd W/D hdwd flr quietsecure ngbrhood¡947-5665

Plaza Apts 1740 NW 171bd 1ba 750sf $525mo$250dp 409-7989 no sec8

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Rockwell Arms, 787-1423

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$99 SPECIALLg 1bdr, stove, refrig.,clean, walk to shops.$345 mo. 632-9849


3315 1/2 SW 28th2bd apt upstairs, all bills

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San-Tee Apts, 1 bd$325 a month

685-2909

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8012 NW 7th Pl Unit 324Thousand Oaks Condos(1 blk W of Council onNW 10th) Extra sharp1bd washer, dryer, fridge,stove, storage closet,wood deck. Tenant payselect only, $500. FidelityRE 410-4200, 692-1661

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718 NE 25th, 2 bed, 1bath, $500 mo + deposit,$50 move in special, sec8 okay, 405-204-4308.

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Duplexes, 3 bed, 2 bath, 2car, some new, some gat-ed, call Rick, 405-830-3789.


3629 Teal Dr. 2bd 1bath,$475 a month

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3921 Pearl Way 3/1/1 $650Free List 681-7272

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2256 Melody 4/2/2 $1350313 Whitman 3/2/2 $12258330 Belcaro 3/2.5/3 $2200Express Realty 844-6101www.expressrealtyok.com

3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car, ap-prox 1900 sf, blt 1989,

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Large 4 bed off Santa Fe,gated, comm pool/rec cen-ter, $1600/mo, 440-2095.

3/2/2, 1400sf mol, ch/a,308 Cherryvale Rd $950mo, $950 dep 370-1077

Near Tinker, newly re-modeled 3 bd 2 ba, fncd

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941 Brown 3/1.5/1 brick,ch&a, Sect 8 OK, $750 rent$500dep. 408-6361

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3/2/2, 9715 NE 3rd Pl, bigyrd, Carl Albert schls, $750972-467-7178, leave msg.

1016 Willowbrook3bd 1.5 baths w/den$750/mo 408-5836!

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4bd 1K ba 1car 2carportwalk to school, 1400sf,

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811 E Pointe Ct. Lane. 3b2b 2c $1095mo no pets.

Jedi Realty 745-5855

17456 Blackjack Rdg 3/2/21600sf $950+dep WACHome&RanchRlty794-7777

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1020 Clover Ln 1200sf3bed 2ba $725 mo, $500dep 409-7989 no sec 8

2437 NW 52nd St¡3/2/2w/covered carport & patio

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7012 Spinnaker 3/2/2 $12956006 N Penn 2/2 $8507616 NW 27 3/1.5/2$10952243 Dublin 3/2/2 $925Express Realty 844-6101www.expressrealtyok.com

Exec. 5/3/2 lease/leasepurch PC Schl $1500+dep7637 NW 102 ¡ 209-6906

3232 Brushcreek, inQuail Creek on the golfcourse, 3 bed, 2.5 bath,2 car, 1 FP, $2275 mo,$2000 dep, 831-0825.

6907 NW 59th Terr2bd dwn bonus room

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or 748-8520

Ski Island, 3 bed, 2 bath,2 liv areas, FP, 1850 sf,2 car gar, private yard,PC Schls, Ray, 740-4108.

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K Off Special924 NW 109th 3bd 2ba2car 1300sf $850mo $800dep, no Sec 8 409-7989

Open House Sunday 1-2,3 bed, 1K bath, $800mo/$750 dep, sec 8 okay,1332 NW 104, 410-9433.

Must see 2bd 1K Ba livdin ch&a appls w/d hkup2340 NW 19 no pets nosec 8 $595 301-5979

Very nice duplex, 3/2/2FP, wetbar, brick,

$850/mo. 787-1308

4525 NW 33rd, 2 bd, 1 ba1 car, amenities. No Sec8. Lse, SD $650 721-7439

3 bd, 1 ba, 1 car, for rentor sale, 1200 NW 102nd,789-4525, leave message

1037 Hoyt. 3/1/1 CH/A$600. 2319 NW 10, Clean2bd 1ba $500 • 732-3411

9417 N. McKinley 2bd1 bath $550 a month.

408-5836!

2/1/1, $495/mo, $200Off First Month, CH&A,W/D hkup. 405-831-0207

3 bed $400mo + $200dep,Others ,2 bds & 1 bds, SE1315 NW 2nd, 639-0556

2bd, cha, cpt, appls. Nopets 4209 NW 52. $550mo $500dep. 721-1164

3232 NW 28th 2/1 $435Free List 681-7272

Lovely 3/2/2 brick homeKoi pond $1075 603-4775

5220 Shalimar Dr. 731353bd 1.5 ba 1car FP, newheat/ac, $700mo/$500

dep. pets ok w/$300 nonref. Dep. sec 8 ok 431-9086

3004 Neighbors Ln extranice 2bd brick home with1 car garage, nice area,good condition, only $550Fidelity410-4200, 692-1661

343 SE 49th spacious2bed home on corner lot,ch/a, well kept area, only$550 Fidelity Real Estate410-4200, 692-1661

3324 SE 57, 3bd, 2ba,2liv CH/A $700.

4201 SE 45 Nice 3bd 1 ba$550 732-3411

5305 Shalimar $7003/1.75/2 No Pets

Giles Ent. 670-4833

3BR, 1BA, CHA, 1375 SF,wd flrs, SW 71st. $600.$500. dep. 203-9287

6517 S Phillips 3/1/cp $450Free List 681-7272

4041 SW 26th nice 2bdcompletely remodeled,fresh paint inside & out,close to grade school,well kept area, only $450Fidelity410-4200, 692-1661

325 SW 92nd Extrasharp spacious 2bd patiohome w/2ba 2car garage,ch/a, fp only $850 FidelityRE 410-4200, 692-1661

Near Integris SW, Rock, 2bd, 1ba, gar/dbl driveway,new paint, carpet & bathfixtures, $575/mo $500dep. No Sec 8, 691-5479.

4 bed, 2K bath, 3 car, blt2003 approx 2300 sf,

$1800 mo, Alex, GoldtreeRealty, 990-0488.

1160 SW 77th Ter nice2bed brick home 2 bath1car ch/a $650 Fidelity410-4200, 692-1661

2 & 3 Bdr homes. Quiet,stove, refrig, new paint &carpet. $495 ea 596-8410

2 bedroom, securitysystem, $525/month +$250 deposit. 631-8039

2/1/1, ch/a, fenced, newtile & cabinets, hardwood

floors, $545, 550-5128.

3216 SW 62nd, 2 bed,30x30 shop Western HtsSchls, $600 mo, 414-4004

OWNER FINANCE lse/purch Nice 3b 1b ch&a lgutil rm 532-2185 for info

3700 SW 42nd 3/1.75 $750Free List 681-7272

For rent/sale, McLoud,3 bd, 2 ba, MH, 12 acres,

$850/mo, 414-4004.

Nice secluded, Furnished3bd home near Wilburton.

$600mo 918-465-3508

1119 Park Manor 3 bed, 2full & 3 half baths, 2car,office, wd flrs, $1595mo,$1500dpTMS Prop348-0720

1229 Sumac, 2000+ sfexecutive home, 3bd 2ba2 living, 2 car, on nicelylandscaped cul-de-saclot, $1295 mo Fidelity RE410-4200, 692-1661

1724 Marian 3bd + bonus1bath $700+dep WACHome&RanchRlty794-7777

Nicoma Park 2bd 2ba, water& sewage paid, fenced yard$475+$300dep. 769-2328

Rent to Own: Nice 2&3bdMWC $350&up 390-9777

TOWNHOUSE627 NW 5th, Rooms withbath. Quiet, Clean, nearBricktown, $120 weekly,$420 monthly. 235-7292

Warehouse Space For Rent

Offi ce Space For Rent

Established Business For Sale

Farms, RanchesFor Sale, Okla. 308

Commercial RE

Houses for rent

HuntingProperty 336.0

HomesFor Sale 309.9

Condominiums,TownhousesFor Rent 441


Bill Gumerson & Asso-ciates, 12201 N WesternAve., day care center,add-on, $4,200,000.

J2K2 LLC, 9000 SPennsylvania Ave., retailsales, erect, $3,800,000.

Fuller Miller Construc-tion, 5209 SW 23, manu-facturing, erect,$2,900,000.

Malarkey Roofing,3400 S Council Road,manufacturing, add-on,$1,800,000.

Fuller Miller Construc-tion, 5209 SW 23, office,erect, $930,000.

Kinser ConstructionCo., 2000 SE 15, ware-house, erect, $900,000.

Watermark HomesLLC, 1509 SW 113 Place,residence, erect,$475,000.

Lingo ConstructionServices, 123 Robert SKerr Ave., office, remod-el, $463,620.

Lingo ConstructionServices, 123 Robert SKerr Ave., office, remod-el, $463,620.

Remington BuildersInc., 13600 Keswick Lane,residence, erect,$270,000.


Taber Built HomesLLC, 16208 Josiah Place,residence, erect,$250,000.

Jeff Click Homes LLC,17404 White Hawk Drive,residence, erect,$217,000.


Bill’s Pavement andMaintenance, 7001 SBryant Ave., parking,install, $200,000.

Biltrite ConstructionLLC, 16109 ScissortailDrive, residence, erect,$200,000.

Oxford Homes LLC,6012 NW 156, residence,erect, $200,000.

Joe Trotter, 12100 NBryant Ave., residence,erect, $200,000.

4 Corners ConstructionLLC, 14301 Willow ReedDrive, residence, erect,$197,700.

Harvest Homes Proper-ties LLC, 213 SW 174,residence, erect,$195,000.

Red Door CustomHomes LLC, 7809 SW 87Circle, residence, erect,$195,000.

Authentic CustomHomes LLC, 8325 NW 143Terrace, residence, erect,$194,000.

Red Door CustomHomes LLC, 12501 Lex-ington Drive, residence,erect, $193,000.

Authentic Custom

Homes LLC, 2200 NW195, residence, erect,$190,000.

Taber Built HomesLLC, 15220 Western VistaDrive, residence, erect,$190,000.

Taber Built HomesLLC, 19217 Butterfly Blvd.,residence, erect,$190,000.

Stone Creek HomesLtd., 4901 SW 126, resi-dence, erect, $188,000.



Aaron Tatum CustomHomes LLC, 17300 PradoDrive, residence, erect,$181,000.


Sun Properties LLC,1416 NW 172, residence,erect, $180,000.

Taber Built HomesLLC, 15509 Cardinal NestDrive, residence, erect,$180,000.

Debbie Gregory Homes,9013 NW 84 Terrace,residence, erect,$175,000.

Debbie Gregory Homes,9025 NW 84 Terrace,residence, erect,$175,000.

TSM Development,3020 NW 16, retail sales,modular, $163,000.

Biltrite Construction,12617 Lexington Drive,residence, erect,$160,000.

D.R. Horton, 2305 NW155, residence, erect,$148,500.

2K Country HomesLLC, 9221 Conners Way,residence, erect,$145,000.

Home Creations, 9901SW 36, residence, erect,$144,600.

Sharper Image HomesLLC, 18125 HaslemereLane, residence, erect,$140,000.

D.R. Horton, 11008 SW40, residence, erect,$138,400.

Design DevelopmentService, doing businessas: Elite Quality Homes,12513 Olivine Terrace,residence, erect, $137,000.

Ideal Homes of Nor-man LP, 300 PartridgeRun Road, residence,erect, $133,000.

Tom Abel CustomHomes LLC, 9101 LollyLane, residence, erect,$125,000.



Home Creations, 18221

Groveton Blvd., residence,erect, $119,400.

Harbor Homes, 17100Serrano Drive, residence,erect, $110,000.

Home Creations, 2341NW 196, residence, com-plete, $102,100.

Home Creations, 18225Groveton Blvd., residence,erect, $101,700.

Home Creations, 2349NW 196, residence, erect,$101,100.

SF&R Realty, 4021 NW3, office-warehouse, re-model, $100,000.

Sooner Traditions LLC,2232 NW 159 Terrace,residence, erect,$100,000.

Harper Ward, 2300Belleview Terrace, resi-dence, add-on, $100,000.

D.R. Horton, 7617Meadow Lake Drive, resi-dence, erect, $98,200.

Ideal Homes of Nor-man LP, 13312 SW 4, resi-dence, erect, $92,000.

Home Creations, 15812Crane Way, residence,erect, $90,500.

Ideal Homes of Nor-man LP, 16124 RaindustDrive, residence, erect,$90,000.

T.J. Campbell Con-struction, 3801 S PostRoad, parking, install,$90,000.

Ideal Homes of Nor-man LP, 9501 SW 26,residence, erect, $85,000.

Ideal Homes of Nor-man LP, 14517 Moon DaisyDrive, residence, erect,$81,000.

Ideal Homes of Nor-man LP, 2809 NW 186Terrace, residence, erect,$79,000.

Ideal Homes of Nor-man LP, 9545 SW 27,residence, erect, $76,000.

Stantec Architecture,130 W Britton Road, res-taurant, remodel,$60,000.

Thomas A. O’Brien,10620 NW 103 Place,accessory, erect, $45,000.

Sarratt Construction,11344 Thomas Ave., resi-dence, add-on, $41,600.

Sam Gresham, 1415 NW21, residence, erect,$40,000.

Universal Homes, 1417Regatta Drive, manu-factured home, move-on-mobile home park,$35,900.

A&P Enterprises LLC,2001 S MacArthur Blvd.,manufactured home,move-on-mobile homepark, $30,000.

J.E. Dunn ConstructionCo., 13313 N MeridianAve., medical clinic-of-fice, remodel, $30,000.

B.E. Silsby, 4200 Mar-garet Ave., residence,erect, $30,000.

Showmart Transporta-tion Inc., 3308 SE 89,manufactured home,move-on-mobile homepark, $25,000.

Steve Thurmond, 12516SE 104, residence, erect,$20,000.

Wylie Joe’s, 210 E She-ridan Ave., club-tavern,remodel, $20,000.

Hollingsworth En-terprises, 9216 SW 30Terrace, residence, erect,$16,000.

Jenny Springall, 2751Northwest Expressway,business, remodel,$15,000.

Associated BuildersGroup Inc., 301 N MacAr-thur Blvd., warehouse,add-on, $14,500.

Connelly Paving Co.,3733 NW 10, parking,install, $14,000.

Robby and Paula Har-ris, 9300 SummersetLane, accessory, erect,$13,400.

Welcome Home, 1113Life Style Lane, manu-factured home, move-on,$12,000.

Welcome Home, 9517NW 11, manufacturedhome, move-on, $12,000.

Welcome Home, 9616NW 12 Place, manufac-tured home, move-on,$12,000.

Welcome Home, 1125Life Style Lane, manu-factured home, move-on,$12,000.

Empire Inc., 11020Oakleaf Lane, residence,add-on, $7,000.

Leah and Sean Strick-land, 8800 LakehurstDrive, residence, remodel,$6,000.

Theresa Touchet, 12301SE 119, manufacturedhome, move-on, $6,000.

Matt and Charity May-hew, 1635 NW 164 Circle,storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,595.

Randell L. and Carol E.Cook, 11812 MarbellaDrive, storm shelter, in-stall-storm shelter,$4,595.

Max Showalter, 12801Lorien Way, storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$4,500.

Amy Catlege, 212 SW173, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $4,295.

Timothy Farar, 6009NW 152, storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$4,200.

Jim Neuberger, 5025Barnsteeple Court, stormshelter, install-stormshelter, $4,150.

Kenny and LeahanneJanway, 2225 SW 96,storm shelter, install,$4,000.

Philip Snell, 4708 SE81, storage, erect, $3,700.

Howard and HarleneReeves, 8308 NW 119,storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,675.

Curtis Stark, 501 SE 44,manufactured home,move-on-mobile homepark, $3,500.

Kris Foote, 925 SE 62,business, remodel,$3,500.

Shaun M. Jackson,6304 N Drexel Blvd.,storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,400.

Michael Smith, 15216Burning Spring Road,storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,395.

Linda Reed, 613 NW172, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,300.

Bryce Baumann, 11205Thorn Ridge Road, stormshelter, install-stormshelter, $3,200.

Brian Baldwin, 5400 SE81 Terrace, storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$3,195.

4 Corners ConstructionLLC, 10025 Velletri Ave.,accessory, erect, $3,000.

Ashley Lambert, 12425SW 4, storm shelter, in-stall-storm shelter,$3,000.

Perry D. Laffoon, 304Azalea Hill Drive, stormshelter, install-stormshelter, $3,000.

Silvia Lopez, 3025 SW41, storm shelter, install-

storm shelter, $3,000.Michael Bradley, 700

NW 160, storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$2,995.

Steven A. Erdley, 9625SW 30, storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$2,995.

Southwest Builders,2205 Amber Road, resi-dence, relocate, $2,800.

Jim Jensen, 1201 NW183, residence, install-storm shelter, $2,800.

Te Anh Ngo, 12600Redstone Court, stormshelter, install-stormshelter, $2,795.

Thomas Medlin, 13317Mayberry Place, stormshelter, install-stormshelter, $2,795.

Jeff and Heather Pick-ard, 19508 Yearling Way,storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,700.

Tam Ha, 917 SW 126,storm shelter, install,$2,650.

Taber Built Homes,2425 NW 155, storm shel-ter, install-storm shelter,$2,500.

James Dennetry, 11105 SRoss Ave., storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$2,200.

Alloy Building Co., 401NW 46 Terrace, canopy-carport, add-on, $2,100.

DemolitionsDavid Allred Construc-

tion Inc., 2412 SW 104,entry.

K&M Wrecking LLC,1738 Linwood Blvd., retail.

L&S Demolition, 1730NE 16, single-family resi-dence.

Midwest Wrecking, 1156NW 58, demolition, sin-gle-family residence.

Total Demolition Ser-vices LLC, 532 N Penn-sylvania Ave., vacant slab.

Juan Montes, 2325 S St.Clair Ave., house.

Permits

ORLANDO, Fla. — MattHamilton has dutifullypaid the loan on his Mait-land, Fla., house and anearby rental condo, butuntil now he could not re-finance them to obtainmore-affordable interestrates because the proper-ties are financially under-water.

“It’s been difficult be-cause I’m so far in the holethat no one wants to refi-nance me,” said Hamilton,a product developer forLongwood-based Online-labels.com. “But if youlook at my payment histo-ry, I am a safe risk.”

Hamilton and manyother homeowners with“underwater” mortgagesnow can apply for a newFannie Mae and FreddieMac refinance programgeared for pretty much ev-eryone who owes more ona home than it’s worth —including landlords andsecond-home owners.

The federal govern-ment’s previous foreclo-sure-prevention efforts,such as the Home Afford-able Modification Pro-gram, lowered the interest

rates on mortgages ofhomeowners at risk offoreclosure because theyhad lost income. But thenew Home Affordable Re-finance Program is seen asa possible game-changereven for homeowners whoare underwater but whohave stayed employed andcontinue making theirpayments.

Homeowners who havemissed mortgage pay-ments in the past sixmonths need not apply.And not all the details —such as loan limits — havebeen disclosed yet. Butthis is one of the first refi-nance programs thatdoesn’t require an ap-praisal to determine thevalue of the house.

“It’s a reward for the re-sponsible borrower whoswallowed a bitter pill butstill kept moving,” saidTravis BeMent, mortgage-loan originator for HomeLoans Today of Orlando.“There are a lot of peopleout there ready to pounceon this.”

Many underwater mort-gages were extended tohomeowners at the peak ofthe market in 2006-07,when sales prices werehigher than what they are

today and when interestrates ranged from 5.7 per-cent to 6.5 percent, ac-cording to the Orlando Re-gional Realtor Association.Interest rates on a 30-yearmortgage now can be hadfor less than 4 percent.

One cautionary noteabout HARP: Interest ratescould change by the time aqualified property owner’srefinancing application isprocessed, BeMent said.Fannie and Freddie are notexpected to have the abilityto process the new loansuntil as late as next March.

But HARP, he noted, al-so offers a break to home-owners who want to refi-nance for 15 or 20 years in-stead of 30 years. To qual-ify, an owner must have amortgage backed by FannieMae or Freddie Mac andwill likely need a creditscore of at least 620.

MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

Mortgage-refinancingprogram set to launchBY MARY SHANKLINThe Orlando Sentinel

the oklahoman real estate

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