Merry Christmas and Thank You!
Welcome back and Merry Christmas! As a reminder, this year is a time of giving and appreciation and I wanted to tell you thanks for the blessings. We can't tell you how much we appreciate you doing business with us. As you can tell, I’m on the set at Westside Church where they host their annual Christmas Pageant in which they’ve gave out 22,000 tickets in 30 hours. They will do 12 performances over a two week period and if you have not seen this, it’s Broadway quality. Be sure to be on the look out for tickets next year.
More importantly, we ask that you dig deep into your hearts and pockets and give to organizations that need it like the Open Door Mission, local church or Sienna Francis House. Getting involved with your time and kids is the biggest blessing you could ask for. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank you and we love you.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Our New App Makes Searching for Homes Even Easier for You!
Our New App Makes Searching for Homes Even Easier for You!
Do you remember the old way to look for homes? I came across the “books” where all of the homes were listed. You would pick the homes you wanted to see, I would pick up the keys from the listing agent and meet you at the house. Thankfully, we’ve become much more efficient than that.
Other ways you can find homes is looking through our Home Guide, our insert in Saturday’s edition of the Omaha World-Herald, real estate magazines (only 10% of agents use this) or by finding the channel on your television and wait for the right home. But who has time to shop for houses this way?
A better way to shop for homes is to call our office at (402) 680-2500 and we can set up a search and find houses for you. But, none of these methods are the easiest. I wanted to introduce to our new CBSHome app for your smartphone. When you’re out looking for houses, all you have to do is point your phone in any direction and it will bring up the homes that are for sale in that area.
If you have any questions about the functionality of the app, please give Elise Owens a call at (402) 964-4811. We’re trying to find bigger and better ways for you to shop for houses. We’re always in your corner!
Have You Considered a Timbercraft Home?
Have You Considered a Timbercraft Home?
Welcome back! Today we’re going to talk about building a home out of Douglas fir posts by Timbercraft Homes. I have Tom Townsend with me today as he’s building this custom home for an excited customer. One of the neat features of this home is the radiant heat system that is built into the floor. The system uses antifreeze that runs through the hoses in the floor and provides warm floors and helps heat the entire house.
Tom tells us that there are large posts held together by oak pegs that are very strong and secure. Timbercraft, the company out of Michigan, cuts the timber in their shop, pre-fit the posts, load them on a truck and assemble them when they arrive at the job site. The crew puts the house together and has it is ready for windows in about 14 days.
When the Timbercraft frame is put together with SIP (structure insulated panels) panels, it is very energy efficient. SIP panels are constructed by taking plywood, adding foam and then another piece of plywood. The ceiling in the great room and garage and all the exterior walls are constructed with SIP panels. The cost is high, but there is no waste, it is constructed quickly and creates a more efficient home.
If you want to discuss a Timbercraft home, contact me and we will get together with Tom and price out your home. Call me at (402) 680-2500 or email me bill.black@cbshome.com if you have any questions.
Do you have the right homeowner’s insurance?
Do you have the right homeowner’s insurance?
Hey, guys! Welcome back to my video blog!
People ask me all the time about home insurance and whom they should go to. The best thing to do is talk to family and friends; find out whom they trust.
I’ve been with Farm Bureau for a long time and today I am with the seven-time national agent of the year, Troy Perchal!
Troy is here to tell us about what kind of homeowner’s insurance you should have.
Troy Perchal says,
"The most important part of homeowner’s insurance is having the right amount of coverage. Some people have their lot and their home insured; this isn’t necessary. Your lot will always be there so, you do not need to insure it. Plus, agents often overcharge for the double insurance.
Another thing you want to check is your replacement costs. We have a 125% replacement cost. Why the extra 25%? Sometimes lumber can cost more or maybe there’s a clean up needed; it’s an extra cushion.
You also want to check the replacement costs on your personal property. Some insurance carriers have a prorated replacement cost method; they will limit costs based on certain factors such as how old the personal property is.
Earlier Bill had asked about water leakage. Either a backed up sewage, or a broken sump pump can cause water leakage. These are two are separate and must have a specific write up.
I also recommend an umbrella policy. An umbrella policy offers an excess of other protection and costs for losses not under your main coverage."
If you have any questions about Farm Bureau’s homeowner’s insurance, you can call me at 402-758-6633 or send me an email at troy.perchal@fbfs.com
How a Neighbor Can Affect Your Home Value
Hi everyone! Today, I wanted to talk to you about something serious. We’ve had a lot of people who have gotten in touch with us in regards to what their legal rights are when dealing with a neighbor. Remember, when you buy a house, you are buying the neighborhood, so make sure to drive around and see what you are buying.
You don’t want to have the most expensive house in the neighborhood. If you buy a junky home, clean it up and improve the value of the neighborhood, that’s great!
So, let’s talk about the neighbor who isn’t taking care of his/her home. What can you do legally?
1.
Make a list. Write down everything you want your
neighbor to take care.
2.
Check your state ordinances. In some cases, city
officials will be able to help you enforce regulation. For example, if there is
a tree that is causing problems, city officials can help you determine the
compromise.
3.
Know your land. When you buy a property, you buy
that space. If a neighbor’s tree hangs on your lawn or over your fence, you
have the legal right to trim it. Do not kill it, though! If you kill it, you
can be fined up to 3 times the value of the tree.
4.
Contact your home owners’ association. If there
is a mud or water issue, it may be something your home owners’ association
needs to contact SID engineers.
If you have an issue with water or mud, call me and let me know. I can help take care of it! I have gone over to a neighbor’s home and told them they are affecting the value of the home next to them.The best thing is to not get an attitude. Don’t lose your temper. Just set up a time to talk. We even had some offer to help their neighbor. In one particular case there was an elderly man who wasn’t physically able to manage the lawn and a church group was gathered to help clean up. So be kind and find a way to get the problem fixed!
If you have any questions please give me a call and if not then have a great day!
Claxton Fireplace
Welcome back to my video blog! We have a fun one for you today! It’s beautiful out today and we’re going to talk about grills fire pits, outdoors kitchens and so much more!
Right now, were at Claxton Fireplace. Dan Claxton is the owner and he is a very good friend. He is a trusted individual so if you have any questions about the products you see today, don’t hesitate to give him a call!
One of the newer things Claxton’s has is these great awnings. So if you have an outside area that gets a lot of heat and a lot of sunshine, these awnings help really cool off and shade an area.
They also have all kinds of different grills: ceramic, gas, and he can even convert your propane grill to natural gas.
Who doesn’t love a good fireplace? They have contemporary, fire pits and anything else you can think of.
We have Josh with us today to tell us more about what Claxton’s has to offer. Josh has been here for six years and he project manages. So if you have plans for adding a fireplace or want a new grill, come to him and he can help you figure out how.
We have almost anything you can think of. We have every type of fire place from contemporary to traditional to outside fire pits. We can resurface and remodel your current fireplace too. At Claxton Fireplace we have our own tile guy, stone guy, etc.
Claxton’s is also the only company that offers power sweep for chimneys. We start from the bottom and run a drill that acts almost as a weed wacker. We also run a vacuum through.
So give us a call at 402.491.0800. We have anything you can think of!
Home Drainage Systems
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When we build your home, we want it to be perfect. One of our biggest concerns is waterproofing your home. The first thing we do is put a sump pump in the basement; we have never had water in our homes.
An important tip for when you do landscaping, do not put the concrete or plastic edging all the way around the house. That edging will prevent drainage away from the home and will instead fill the window wells and leak in your basement.
Make sure you take the precautions to waterproof your basement. We have your best interests at heart when building your home. We have a firm foundation to build it on. If you have any questions about waterproofing, please call 402.680.2500 or email bill.black@cbshome.com
How Rain Affects New Construction
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April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring headaches and problems for builders and clients.
A lot of clients are frustrated that the hole for their homes has not been dug yet. Builders, though, must consider the weather forecast before moving forward with construction.
Here, we have a perfect example of what happens when rain falls soon after a hole is dug. This basement is nine feet deep and flooded with four feet of water. The construction is now two months behind: the water needs to be pumped out, the ground has to dry and then the hole must be dug again and reshaped.
Not only does it put progress behind, it also is dangerous for those living in the area already. Drownings and other accidents are a liability for the builder.
Trust your builder for the best time to begin digging. If you have any questions, please contact us at 402.680.2500 or email Bill Black directly at bill.black@cbshome.com.
Unparalleled Paramedic Service to the Omaha and Surrounding Areas and Beyond
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What’s the one thing on your mind when it comes to your health and safety – especially when you’re dealing with an emergency situation? You want quality, dependable health care and you want only the best people administering that care. Well, Omaha Ambulance does exactly that. Having been in business since 1938 and operating solely as a family business, this organization provides peace of mind to countless people year after year.
We took the time to visit with our friend and owner Brian Townsend who shared with us some of the company’s history as well as information about the services they offer. Townsend and his father, both long time paramedics and members of a local fire department, started Medics At Home and merged with Omaha Ambulance. They have been offering private EMS service for two years now and the scope of the service extends into much of the region.
Medics At Home
Primarily covering Nebraska and Iowa, this part of their company focuses largely on transportation side of paramedic services. This is ideal for patrons needing to be transported from one area to a hospital, whether in a wheelchair or stretcher. Some clients require a pick-up and are then dropped off back home when needed.
Pro Med EMS
Servicing Falls City and Auburn, Pro Med EMS primarily provides non-emergency transport as well as supports volunteer departments in some rural areas. They offer BLS as well as ALS with a paramedic on the squad. These paramedics are qualified to assist when the need arises from a nursing shortages in the rural areas covered by the company. In addition, they do 911 response and go beyond basic life support to include life-saving operations.
Omaha Ambulance
Similar to the other two branches of their company in terms of services offered, Brian tells us that Omaha Ambulance is the longest running portion of the firm, with a fleet of 10 ambulances covering the Greater Omaha area. In addition to hospital transports and trips to nursing homes they also provide private customers with pick up and drop off to and from hospitals as needed.
The company also engages in contract services, such as working with the Veterans Administration to transport veterans from one region to another throughout the country.
Specialized needs such as air-medics are handled through the company’s vast network of partners.
For more information about Omaha Ambulance, call (402) 345-6666 or visit their website www.omahaambulance.com.
Bill Black Spotlights Jeff Kloster, Owner of The Rhino Group
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Imagine walking into a hospital. What types of things do you see there? You see nurses stations, kiosks, triage areas, holding areas, hospital rooms and more. Have you ever stopped to think of how all that large stuff gets inside? You might imagine that a number of companies provide the various physical aspects of a working hospital – right down to the patient service equipment (like oxygen machines, monitors etc.) in each room.
The Rhino Group specializes in providing hospitals with their capital equipment needs. This process is more than just procuring and delivering heavy equipment, rather it also involves working with architects and engineers to ensure the implementation of this equipment is seamless.
A key component of The Rhino Group that sets them apart from others in the same industry is their penchant for high-quality service. Their extensive network of service technicians manage and maintain the servicing needs across Nebraska and Iowa, with offices in Carne, Omaha and Iowa City. The company is presently exploring plans to expand into North and South Dakota considering the flourishing oil industry in that region. For anyone that may have connections in Sioux Falls, Vermillion, Yankton, Rapid City, and the Balkans or in that general vicinity – we encourage you to contact Jeff.
As you can see in the video, Jeff and his team cover many critical aspects of their hospital clients’ function, ranging from the patient rooms to nursing stations with an emphasis on communication systems. Whether dealing with data, imagery, digital x-rays or computer systems and electrical connectivity of these systems – The Rhino Group specializes in each. Their involvement in hospital extends into surgery areas too, with nearly every component of the equipment done by the company.
With a strong focus on client care and end-user patient satisfaction, the Bill Black Team is proud to support The Rhino Group as one of Omaha’s very own!
How to Get Rid of Mold Inside Your Home
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Most people would incorrectly assume
that the presence of mold is automatically evidence of an old or neglected
space. The truth is that mold can very much occur even in a brand new home as
you can see in the video we recorded for the blog this week.
We all know that mold is caused by the
presence of moisture. The real question is “how much moisture?” and more
importantly “how can it be prevented?” To help answer these and other
questions, we’ve included some helpful links below where you will find
information that explains indoor condensation and mold issues plus dealing with
those issues.
New Homes Hold Moisture
A surprising fact that you might not
realize is that even brand new homes hold a significant amount of moisture; in
the materials used to build the home plus as a result of the home being closed
off for a long period of time. A house needs to “breathe” and with today’s
energy efficient windows, extra sealants and solid construction at the seams,
moisture does not have a place to escape.
Factor in the position of the home in
terms of wind direction and you will see condensation accordingly that will
ultimately result in mold if that moisture is not dried up regularly.
Preventing Moisture Build-Up
Some easy techniques include raising
your window shades a few inches to allow for some extra airflow. Also, use
ventilation fans after cooking or when moisture builds in bathrooms and other
areas of the home. Keep humidity levels level and as the temps get colder, be
sure to reduce humidity levels accordingly.
Getting Rid of Existing Mold
If you already have mold present in
your home there are some things you can do to rectify the problem. First,
collect as much of the mold as possible using a vacuum cleaner with a
receptacle and attachment. Afterward, wipe the area down with soap and warm
water. Finally, make a solution of bleach and water then wipe the area down
again.
Links for Additional Information and Resources
Understanding Moisture Inside the Home
How to Get Rid of Mold In Your House
Measuring Humidity in Your Home
Moisture Control and Humidity Control
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