Saturday Reporter-Herald July 30, 2011 D1

www.reporterherald.com Saturday, July 30, 2011 Reporter-Herald

Real EstateMatters

• •

� See GLINK/Page E3 Second level of the Franklin — open kitchen to dining and great rooms.

Photos courtesy Oakwood HomesThe Franklin bi-level floor plan from Oakwood Homes.

Oakwood’s 20/20 SaleFree A/C,landscapingand more atThompsonRiver RanchPAID A D V E RT O R I A L

Price is always a majorfactor when lookingfor a new home, so

of course you want to findthe best value package forthe cost. Through August15, Oakwood Homes is of-fering big savings in theform of their 20/20 pro-motion – 20 points fortheir 20 years building inC o l o r a d o.

With eight sales in thepast month, offers like thisadd even more to the valuethe homes and communityhas to offer.

Beautiful surroundingscenery and interior land-scape of Thompson RiverRanch do justice to theColorado countryside, sohow about the landscapeof your yard? You don’thave to worry about it ifyou put five of your 20points towards free front-yard landscaping. Add anair conditioning unit foranother eight points and

you’ll make it throughthese heat waves in com-fort — and without payingmuch due to how energyefficient Oakwood’s homesare in Thompson RiverRanch.

For a complete list of

free selectable itemsoffered, visit Oakwoodhomes’ website atw w w. O a k w o o d H o m e s C O.com or stop by thecommunity and speakwith one of theCommunity Managersthis weekend.

You can also view andpersonalize each of the15 different floor plansoffered at ThompsonRiver Ranch onOakwood’s website.Adding an extra bedroom,office space, mediacenter and more arepossible additions youcan make to whateverfloor plan you fall in lovewith.

“All our home buyers

appreciate the ability tocustomize the rooms andspace of the home they arebuying, which allows morepersonal touches than theycould get through otherhomes on the market,”said Mike Welty, Communi-ty Manager at ThompsonRiver Ranch. Building ahome from the groundup allows personalizationat no extra cost so yourhome remains verya f f o rd a b l e .

You can tour the ninemodels this weekend andsee what free choices youwould select with your 20points. Contact Mike Weltyor Dwayne Montoya at970-669-9801 for addition-al information on thecommunity. You can findmore information onThompson River Ranch orstart building and person-alizing your home today atw w w. O a k w o o d H o m e s C O.com.

Building a home fromthe ground up allows

personalizationat no extra cost so

your home remains

very affordable.

QUICK MOVE-IN HOMES

• Gilpin: $219,9001,748 finished square feet — three bedrooms,two-and-a-half baths

• Fr a n k l i n : $203,2921,667 finished square feet — three bedrooms,two-and-a-half baths

Call or visit the sales office for more informationor to schedule a showing.

ILY C E GLINKTRIBUNE MEDIA SE RV I C E S

Question: Last summerwe refinanced our farmhome. Line 103 of the

settlement statement indicatedthat we had settlement chargesof about $4,000. A month or solater, we listed the property forsale and it closed at the end oflast year.

Can we claim the $4,000 onour income tax itemized state-ment (schedule A) for last year?

Answer: Just about everybodyhas seen a settlement state-ment if they have purchased orsold a home during the last 30years or so. That settlementstatement is usually prepared bythe closing agent, title compa-ny, settlement agent or by theperson handling the closing of aresidential transaction.

The settlement statementgoes by the name of HUD-1,closing statement or settlementstatement, depending on whatstate you are in. But the docu-ment itself is a standard state-ment that is the same whereveryou close on a residential realestate transaction. There mightbe some exceptions, but mosteveryone will agree that theform seems quite long and con-fusing, even after the so calledimprovements to the form putin place at the beginning of lasty e a r.

The amount you referencedfrom line 103 is the sum ofcosts from the second page ofthe settlement statement. Youare right to think that youmight be able to deduct someof those expenses, but some aredefinitely not deductible.

The second page of the settle-ment statement will includecharges from your lender to giveyou financing; it may also in-clude points and fees chargedby your lender, fees charged bythe closing agent, title companyand other parties, prepaid inter-est, fees to record documents,and amounts you might need toescrow for real estate taxes andinsurance payments.

For practical purposes, youmight have already deducted orhave the right to deduct someof those fees. If you paid inter-est at the time of your closing,you might have received a 1099form from your lender itemizingthe interest that was part ofthat $4,000. You won’t be ableto deduct that amount twice.

Some of the closing costsfrom that page of the form are

Deduct sumfrom the

settlementstatement

www.HomeStateBank.com(970) 203-6100

An FHA 203(k) mortgage allows you to finance both your homepurchase and renovation with a single loan. Call now to learn more.

Loans and rates subject to credit approval. FHA conditions and restrictions apply.

Vivian DeVoe, VP Mortgage Banker, 970-227-4702

Buying a home that needs work?Call the experts in FHA 203(k)renovation financing.

Think big Bank small

D2 Saturday Reporter-Herald July 30, 2 0 1 1

Mortgage rate update

30-year fixed

15-year fixed

5/1 ARM

This week Last week Tre n d

4.53%

3.66%

3.02%

4.53%

3.66%3.02%

Home & Real Estateis produced everySaturday by the

Loveland Reporter-Herald.

EDITORIAL INFORMATION635-3656

DISPLAY ADVERTISING669-5050

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING635-3650

For home and real estate advice,features and information, visit

www.homeandrealtyguide .com

Regional Snapshot for Loveland/Berthoud Residential

April M ay Ju n e

Active Listings 966 1004 973Previous Year Active Listings 1126 1117 1101

Sold Listings 137 126 155

Median Sales Price $212,500 $200,000 $220,000Previous Year Median $199,900 $214,500 $234,000

Average Days on the Market 155 107 121Previous Year ADOM 119 118 121

Year to Date Listings Sold 395 521 676Previous Year YTD Listing Sold 401 559 728

E

Real Estate Transactionsare supplied by ProspectsUnlimited Inc., 1151 EagleDrive No. 467, Loveland,CO 80537, 667-1537.

L oveland• Laura Chapman from

Charles Cammenga, 1330E 5th St, Loveland,$134,000, home

• Justin Kettler fromSusan Cooper, 1621 Jack-son Ave, Loveland,$150,000, home

• Richard & Letitia Ru-derman from EdwardDoebbeling, 3216 S Coun-ty Road 21, Loveland,$950,000, home

• Resident Trust fromKirk Drew, 1656 OakCreek Dr, Loveland,$141,000, home

• Nita & Carlton Royfrom Duane Eads Revoca-ble Trust, 3356 NederlandDr, Loveland, $445,000,home

• Shawn & BrookeGrennan from FannieMae, 939 Via Real, Love-land, $353,000, home

• Resident Trust fromHarry Heinz, 1726 E 18thSt, Loveland, $174,500,home

• David & Betty Morrisfrom HR InvestmentsLLC, 2032 Crystal Ct,Loveland, $160,000,home

• Neil & Jhoni Sorensonfrom Tobi Jacobi, 811Garfield Ave, Loveland,$155,100, home

• Earp LLC from

Katherine Janson, 328Shupe Ct, Loveland,$195,000, home

• Ping Zhuang fromRandy Nelson, 1488 E 5thSt, Loveland, $375,000,home

• John & Stephani Con-ner from Ruth G SandozTrust, 1611 Agate Ct,Loveland, $188,800,home

• Rich Samples fromShirley Barnes, 15015 NCounty Road 25 E, Love-land, $650,000, home

• Larry & JosephineYoung from Randy Defos-se, 9740 Roan MountainRd, Loveland, $1,050,000,home

• John & Vicki Newfrom Fannie Mae, 2708Susan Dr, Loveland,$108,000, home

• Lloyd & JeannineThomas from JTW Invest-ments LLC, 2313 KirkviewDr, Loveland, $152,700,home

• Jessica Wallace fromLoveland Habitat For Hu-manity, 981 Libra Ct,Loveland, $170,000,home

• Daniel Maddigan fromOak Valley Homes LLC,195 Carina Cir Unit 105,Loveland, $153,000, con-do

• Anne Messerli fromAlice Shaw, 1031 Cim-meron Dr, Loveland,$179,900, home

• Claudia Connour fromRebecca C Larson Revoca-ble Trust, 3620 N Col-orado Ave, Loveland,

$148,900, home• Howard & Sharen

Bader from BrianBurgstahler, 2127Kennedy Ave, Loveland,$246,000, home

• Andrew & KatharineTufano from CRM Hold-ings LLC, 4625 HahnsPeak Dr Unit 102, Love-land, $130,000, condo

• Daniel & Susan Bakerfrom Albert Dill, 880 22ndSt Sw, Loveland,$170,000, home

• Scott & KathrynKohler from Federal HomeLn Mortgage Corp, 4710Mimosa St, Loveland,$275,000, home

• Vincent & DarlenePetross from ElizabethHiggs, 2731 Daffodil Pl,Loveland, $212,000,home

• Susan March fromMark Iannacito, 717Alexandria Ct, Loveland,$211,500, home

• Joseph & Diana Dreil-ing from Dennis Janson,3297 Sedgwick Cir, Love-land, $302,500, home

• Craig & Jean Driearfrom Scott Lebruska, 842Green Mountain Dr, Love-land, $950,000, home

• Kenneth Zigler fromLoveland Midtown Devel-opment I, 1838 GeminiCt, Loveland, $172,200,home

• William & VirginiaRank from Scott Monson,1977 Grays Peak Dr Unit13101, Loveland,$143,000, condo

• Bret & Leah Ludwick

from Jeffrey Reva, 231Foxhaven Pl, Loveland,$250,000, home

• Christopher Masonfrom David Ruh, 7639 WUs Highway 34, Loveland,$239,000, home

• Dale Olhausen fromJames Scott, 2980 Morn-ing Dr, Loveland,$413,000, home

• Jason Devilbiss fromJohn Sippel, 4005 La VetaDr, Loveland, $192,500,home

• Patricia Saunder-swhite from Faith Tjardes,618 E 7th St, Loveland,$155,500, home

• Nathan Miller fromTom Tucker, 7204 MildredLn, Loveland, $264,000,home

• Shawn Campbell fromUS Bank, 715 Cove Ct,Loveland, $312,000,home

• Pamela Elsner fromVolmer Lance, 928 GrantAve, Loveland, $181,700,home

• Ackerman LLC fromAmy White, 343 E 4th St,Loveland, $325,000,home

• Gene & Laural Ander-son from William L Mc-swain Trust, 1013 W 31stSt, Loveland, $195,000,home

• Juliana Burke fromWindmill Properties #1LLC, 4765 Maggie Ct,Loveland, $330,000,home

• Daniel & Melissa Papefrom Fannie Mae, 1979Rangely Ct, Loveland,

$210,500, home• Kyle Sullivan from

Federal Home Ln Mort-gage Corp, 239 W 1st St,Loveland, $150,000,home

• Joshua Keene fromNancie Read, 2743 W22nd St, Loveland,$122,000, home

• Marc & Teresa Youngfrom Paul Vasquez, 3828Surrey Rdg, Loveland,$380,000, home

Berthoud• Lee Wright from Deb-

orah Untener, 720 SagePl, Berthoud, $178,000,home

Estes Park• Corinne Thomas from

Jean Koebler, 1190 StrongAve, Estes Park, $265,000,home

• Thomas Jaster fromThomas Regner, 1481Prospect Mountain Dr,Estes Park, $140,000,home

• Resident Trust fromJoyce Trenholm, 125 UteLn, Estes Park, $725,000,home

• Jeffrey & Irene Klint-berg from Lindsay Lam-son, 2732 Cumulus Dr,Estes Park, $780,000,home

Johnstown• Marianna Williams

from Oakwood HomesLLC, 3836 Beechwood Ln,Johnstown, $208,000,home

• Justin Rimbert fromLsf7 Npl Vi Trust, 650 Tor-rey Pines Ln, Johnstown,$152,500, home

• Tommy Trujillo fromGillam Devl Corp, 3749Brunner Blvd, Johnstown,$274,900, home

• Lance & Raegan Mor-gan from Douglas Ham-ple, 3521 Pinewood Ct,Johnstown, $294,000,home

• Daniel Depue fromMejias Invest Inc, 441 Her-itage Ln, Johnstown,$185,000, home

M i l l i ke n• Ronald Brown from

David Scott, 102 S LauraAve, Milliken, $140,000,home

• Nicole & RaymoAcevedo from Ian El-dredge, 281 E HawthorneSt, Milliken, $162,500,home

• Sheryl Blomberg fromBrian Pfeiffer, 903 Car-riage Dr, Milliken,$155,000, home

Windsor• Fredrick & Nola Wagn-

er from Melody HomesInc, 1651 Chelms Ford Ct,Windsor, $288,600, home

• Bryan & Alyse Taitfrom Melody Homes Inc,634 Camberly Ct, Wind-sor, $310,000, home

• Daniel & BethanyKonzek from PrestigeHomes LLC, 687Shoshone Ct, Windsor,$209,400, home

• Christopher & CarolMorris from PrestigeHomes LLC, 621 DenaliCt, Windsor, $216,600,home

• Eric & CassandraJohnson from BartranConstruction Inc, 7338Caledonian Ct, Windsor,$353,200, home

• Kenneth Smith fromJustin Becker, 813 TableMountain Ct, Windsor,$110,000, home

• Craig & RochelleKarus from Homes Dis-tinction Inc, 6653 SpanishBay Dr, Windsor,$412,500, home

• Dustin Fisher from Al-bert Lind, 126 Oak St,Windsor, $118,000, home

• Walter Morrison fromAndrew Apodaca, 811 ElmSt, Windsor, $177,500,home

• Kathleen Taylor fromAspen Homes Colo Inc,520 Moonglow Dr, Wind-sor, $316,300, home

• Stephen & KristiBrown from Kent Baucke,1448 Waterwood Dr,Windsor, $295,000, home

• Ryan & Stacy Haggardfrom Robert Cartner,1724 Platte River Dr,Windsor, $311,000, home

• Signature Bk fromPatrick Frantz, 1267 Hill-top Cir, Windsor,$138,000, home

• Robert & SandraBrown from Scott Gault,200 Poudre Bay, Windsor,$290,000, home

H& Real Estate TransactionsRE

E

Open Houses This Weekend - www.thegroupinc.com

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 12:00-3:004730 Georgetown Drive, Loveland 3 car finished garage.Finished bsmt w/wet bar, entertainment center & fireplace.Energy Star Score of 71 w/dual fuel furnace, A/C, tankless waterheater & power humidifier. 3cm granite countertops, convectionoven, microwave, chimney vent hood & refrigerator in kitchen.

$389,765MLS# 653844

Call Tracy Wilson567-0907

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 1:00-3:00503 Kathryn Court, Loveland Nice-sized corner lot. Well-maintained tri-level has 3 bedrooms + study & 3 baths. Kitchenw/oak cabinets & pantry. Gas fireplace in rec room. Masterbedroom offers it’s own bath & walk-in closet. Private fencedbackyard, shaded patio, sprinkler system, RV parking & storageshed. Blue Ribbon Warranty included!

$224,900MLS# 660849

Call Diana Luthi481-2692

SATURDAY 1:00-3:00749 W 11th Street, Loveland Great opportunity to build equity!Spacious ranch style home. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, beautiful stonefireplace and hardwood floors. Finished basement. 2 car garage.Nice-sized lot with alley access. This home needs a little TLC butis priced accordingly.

$165,000MLS#

Call Cindy Kurtz962-6832

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 12:00-3:00110 Traders Lane, Milliken Pick your own fixtures, carpet &colors. Wonderful ranch style & 2-story home plans to choosefrom. Your choice of 3 great subdivision to live in – SettlersVillage – Colony Point or Centennial Farms. VALUE YOU CANSEE… QUALITY YOU CAN COUNT ON with a WINDMILLS HOME.Visit us at 110 Traders Lane in Settlers Village.

Prices starting in the $150’sMLS#

Call Tracy Wilson567-0907

NEW CONSTRUCTION

SATURDAY 10:00-12:001208 Ulmus Drive, Loveland Easy care vinyl & brick exterior.4-level on almost a ¼ acre beautifully landscaped lot! Kitchenfeatures Tharp cabinets w/roll-out drawers & bayed eating area.New gas FP in family room. Roof replaced in 1996. Whole-housefan & extra insulation. Enormous patio, fenced yard w/sprinkler,RV parking. Oversized garage w/shop.

$227,900MLS# 660847

Call Maribeth Bergan690-1735

NEW LISTING

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 12:00-5:007411 Pimlico Drive, Windsor Brand new, beautiful 3 bedroom,2 1/2 bath home with loft, 2 car garage, covered patio andbasement on oversized lot backing to open space. Our homesoffer incredible value with high quality and energy efficiency in aserene setting. Ask about our builder incentives. Prices startingat $239,900.

$239,900MLS# 647541

Call Kristen Specketer290-8097

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 1:00-4:00302 Lyra Place, Loveland Colorado Craftsman Style Home!Hardwood floors, designer tile, slab granite, alder trim & doors,mission style alder cabinets. Gourmet kitchen. Formal diningroom & breakfast nook. Deck overlooks open space w/accessfrom kitchen & master bdrm. 3-car tandem garage. Garden levelbsmt. Full yard landscape. Close to I-25.

$357,000MLS# 657756

Call Georgena Arnett481-9801

$450,000MLS# 661575

Call John Simmons481-1250

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 1:00-4:002009 Morning Drive, Loveland Spectacular Views –COMPLETELY Remodeled. Private, peaceful & serene mountainfeeling, yet the convenience of paved roads, natural gas, citywater & public sewer. All-season sunroom w/radiant heat.Upgrades include iron railing, wood floors, high-end finishes,granite counters, SS appliances, alder cabinets.

SUNDAY 1:00-3:001476 Jamie Court, Loveland Charming Victorian home! Thefloor plan boasts both formal & informal living areas, greatkitchen w/new laminate flooring, main level laundry and muchmore. Outdoors, enjoy the covered front porch, private patio andlow-maintenance landscaping. Neighborhood pool, park andtennis facilities.

$245,000MLS# 656204

Call Debbie Hansen222-9618

FRIDAY-SUNDAY 1:00-4:00292 Saratoga Drive, Windsor Greenspire at Windsor Lake. Itis more than just a home… It’s a quality of life. Miles of biketrails, open space & parks. Personalize your home from framingto finish! Extraordinary floor plans – Ranch & 2-Story. Lotsavailable on Windsor Lake! Visit our Sales Center or call for apersonalized showing today!

$242,900MLS# 643842

Call Kelli Couch310-8804

SATURDAY 1:00-3:00920 Norway Maple, Loveland Custom built home by TroendlyConstruction. Ranch plan with 2 bedrooms & den on main level.Bedroom, bath & family room in basement. Tandem 3 car garage.Nice finishes include granite, alder & SS appliances. Choose yourcolors.

$350,000MLS# 654230

Call Rich Gardiner227-0964

NEW CONSTRUCTION

AN EXCLUSIVE SERVICE OFTHE GROUP, INC. REAL ESTATE

Northern ColoradoReal Estate Source

The Real Estate Source is a magazine produced byThe Group featuring homes for sale and new home

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Northern Colorado

Real Estate Sourcew w w . t h e g r o u p i n c . c o m

SATURDAY 1:00-3:001541 Dryland Street, Loveland Great floor plan w/ full masterbath, 3 bd 2 ba, ranch styled home in North Loveland location.RV parking, oversized gar. Other floor plans and lots to choosefrom if this does not fit your needs. Contact listing agent for moredetails.

$293,500MLS# 641473

Call Mark Moran218-1891

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 1:00-3:003069 Hudson Drive, Loveland Covered deck with built-inBBQ & flagstone patio. Inside features Alder cabinets, granitecountertops, large eat-in kitchen, formal dining area, cozy livingarea with gas fireplace, hardwood flooring & study. Convenientlaundry next to bedrooms. This beautiful 2-story home has itall!

$340,000MLS#

Call Kim Summitt689-6950

NEW LISTING

$315,000MLS# 660462

Call Sally Lee227-7742

SUNDAY 1:00-3:002821 Logan Drive, Loveland Professionally remodeled 4bd+ study, 3ba, 3070 sf. home! The kitchen has travertine tile,stainless steel appliances! Wood floors throughout the mainfloor! Lots of special touches are found everywhere! It feels likehome the minute you enter!

SATURDAY 12:00-2:004481 Ribbon Court, Loveland Super clean 4 bedroom, 3 bath,2 story home on .38 acre w/ mountain & water views. Wood& tile flooring on main. New kitchen w/slab granite, newerSS appliances w/GE 5-burner gas range/oven & French doorrefrigerator. 4 car tandem garage. Entertainment Trex deck. FunUrban style basement.

$349,900MLS# 649924

Call Cindy Kutin391-4735

HUGE PRICE REDUCTION!

NEW HOMES!

NEW CONSTRUCTION

CLOSE TO LAKE LOVELAND

SUNDAY 1:00-3:002916 Purgatory Creek Drive, Loveland Gorgeous detachedpatio home. Heated 4-car garage. Upgrades including slabgranite countertops, wood floors, knotty alder trim, doors &Tharp cabinets. Separate dining room or office on the main level.Near neighborhood trails & lakes. Additional master associationof $500 per year.

$362,900MLS# 653305

Call Cindy Kurtz679-1545

Saturday Reporter-Herald July 30, 2011 D3

not deductible in any event when you aredealing with a residential transaction.Some of these fees may be related torecording charges, title company fees andthe closing fee. If your farm home is han-dled as a business, you’ll have to talk toyour accountant to determine how to han-dle these expenses.

If you paid points to obtain the loan, youwould have been entitled to divide theamount you paid by the number of years foryour loan and deduct an equal amounteach year that you had the loan. But sinceyou have now paid that loan off,you may be entitled to deductthose points on your return for lasty e a r.

Other costs and expenses may gotoward increasing the basis of yourhome, but not expenses for real es-tate taxes and insurance. That is tosay, if you spent $3,000 in costs toobtain the loan and the basis onthe home was $400,000, your new

basis would be $403,000. And when you sellthe home you would not owe any tax on thefirst $403,000 of the sales price.

Keep in mind that current law allows youto exempt the first $250,000 in profit fromtaxation when you sell your primary resi-dence, as long as you have used that homeas your primary residence during the priortwo of the last five years. Married coupleswho qualify for the exemption can keep upto $500,000 in profits tax free.

For precise information of what you canand can’t deduct, take a look at the bookletput out by the IRS called: Publication 523,“Selling Your Home” and Publication 936,“Home Mortgage Interest Deduction.” Yo ucan download these publications atw w w. I R S . g o v.

For more information, callGlink’s radio show at800-972-8255 on Sundaysfrom 9 to 10 a.m., write to RealEstate Matters Syndicate, P.O.Box 366, Glencoe, IL 60022 orvisit www.thinkglink.com.

Real Estate Matters

GLINKFrom Page E1

DAV I D MOOREMCCL AT C H Y-TRIBUNE

It’s late July, when the thermometer hitsthe high point and the heat and humid-ity can be so oppressive a meat locker

seems like an appealing cool spot.If the home’s air conditioner never seems

to get the whole house cool enough orsome rooms just feel like a sauna no matterthe thermostat setting, here are some op-tions to consider:

TRADITIONAL, OR SPLIT AC UNITS

A split system is the most common typeof air conditioner used to cool homes. Witha split system, the filters, vents, ductworkand temperature control panels are insidethe home, while the condensing unit is out-side. Split systems work by forcing cool airthrough the ductwork, which replaceswarm air within the home and removesmoisture. These central air systems can ef-ficiently cool an entire home, but a secondsystem is often needed to adequately con-trol temperatures on upper floors. Thesesystems are also more costly to install andrepair than other AC units.

WINDOW UNITS

Room Air Conditioners, or window unitsas they are often referred to, are used toprovide supplemental cooling for smallerspaces generally a single room. The con-cept of a window unit is not that differentfrom a split system. Although it is mountedin a window, the condenser, fan and evapo-rator is located outside, while the controlsand vents are inside. Window units are sub-stantially less expensive than a traditionalsystem, but are far less efficient with theircooling capacity.

P O RTA B L E

Portable air conditioners are an alterna-tive to window units that can be set up in aroom without need for exterior ventilation.Most new units use refrigerant and requireonly occasional filter cleanings. They’refairly simple plug in and turn on. They’regreat for adding additional cooling effortsto spaces like upstairs bedrooms, convertedattics or cooling small, non-air conditionedwork spaces. Although they are less obtru-sive and more mobile than window units,they tend to be a bit pricier.

AC SIZING

There are multiple ways of sizing an ACunit for a home or business. If replacing anexisting unit that cooled appropriately, it’sa safe bet the same size is the way to go. Ifpurchasing a new one, it is always best toconsult a professional contractor. If sizedincorrectly, the unit will be inefficient andmay do an inadequate job. For instance, anoversized air conditioner will cycle on andoff too frequently and prevent it from prop-erly dehumidifying the air. An air condi-tioner that’s too small will frequently haveto run at full capacity, which could de-crease the lifespan of the machine. It mayalso be incapable of adequately cooling theentire space.

WHAT IS A BTU?

The term BTU, or British Thermal Units,indicates how well a heater or air condi-tioner can impact the temperature of aroom. A higher number of BTUs means bet-ter heating or cooling.

CARE OF YOUR AC UNIT

It is a good idea to change disposable airconditioning filters every 60 days. A gener-al rule of thumb for any HVAC system own-er is to have equipment thoroughly inspect-ed at least once a year. Annual service visitswill keep the system running at maximumefficiency and can help extend the life ofthe unit.

Beating the heat: Optionsfor cooling your home

E

To add a listing or speak to an advertising representative,call the Reporter-Herald at 669-5050

For details about these open houses, see the ads in this section. For additional open houselistings, please check the “Real Estate Classifieds” section of this publication. This guide is

brought to you by the Daily Reporter-Herald, local real estate agents and area builders.

WWW.HOMEANDREALTYGUIDE.COM•CLICK ON OPEN HOUSE MAPS

saturday sundayPrice Location Address Hours Office Phone

From the$140’s NW Loveland

43rd & Wilson Avenue The Cottages atEnchantment Ridge 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

Starting$150’s Milliken 110 Traders Lane 12-3PM The Group Inc. 970-567-0907

$150’s -$220’s SE Loveland

Boise Village North, 1/4 mile South of Hwy 34on North Boise Avenue, 1899 E. 11th 10AM-6PM Midtown Homes 970-456-4600

$165,000 SW Loveland 749 West 11th Street 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-962-6832

$169,900 NW Loveland 4403 Elliot Place 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

$209,500 SW Loveland 1210 Ida Drive 10AM-12PM The Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

$224,900 SW Loveland 503 Kathryn Court 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-481-2692

$227,900 NE Loveland 1208 Ulmus Drive 10AM-12PM The Group Inc. 970-690-1735

$239,000 NW Loveland 4496 Hayler Avenue 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

$239,900 Windsor 7411 Pimlico Drive 12-5PM The Group Inc. 970-290-8097

$242,900 Windsor 292 Saratoga Drive 12-5PM The Group Inc. 970-290-8097

$264,900 Berthoud Colllins Park Subdivision 1-3PM RE/MAX Alliance 970-566-4627

$293,500 SW Loveland 1541 Dryland Street 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-218-1891

$298,664 NW Loveland 4355 Ridgway Drive 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

$299,900 NW Loveland 1920 New Hampshire Street 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-227-3893

$323,400 SW Loveland 1/4 mile West of Wilson on 14th Street, SW/ 12-4PM Glen Marketing 970-663-4522

$339,900 NW Loveland 2175 Rio Blanco Drive Coldwell Banker 970-566-9716

$340,000 NW Loveland 3069 Hudson Drive 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-689-6950

$349,900 SW Loveland 4481 Robbin Court 12-2PM The Group Inc. 970-391-4735

$350,000 NW Loveland 920 Norway Maple 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-227-0964

$357,000 SE Loveland 302 Lyra Place 1-4PM The Group Inc. 970-481-9801

$389,750 SW Loveland 975 Prism Cactus Drive 12-4PM Glen Marketing 970-663-4522

$389,765 NW Loveland 4730 Georgetown Drive 12-3PM The Group Inc. 970-567-0907

$450,000 NW Loveland 2009 Morning Drive 1-4PM The Group Inc. 970-481-1250

$625,000 NE Loveland 3015 Challenger Point Drive 11AM-1PM RE/MAX Alliance 970-518-9005

Price Location Address Hours Office Phone

From the$140’s NW Loveland

43rd & Wilson Avenue The Cottages atEnchantment Ridge 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

Starting$150’s Milliken 110 Traders Lane 12-3PM The Group Inc. 970-567-0907

$150’s -$220’s SE Loveland

Boise Village North, 1/4 mile South of Hwy 34on North Boise Avenue, 1899 E. 11th 10AM-6PM Midtown Homes 970-456-4600

$169,900 NW Loveland 4403 Elliot Place 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

$224,900 SW Loveland 503 Kathryn Court 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-481-2692

$239,000 NW Loveland 4496 Hayler Avenue 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

$239,900 Windsor 7411 Pimlico Drive 12-5PM The Group Inc. 970-290-8097

$242,900 Windsor 292 Saratoga Drive 12-5PM The Group Inc. 970-290-8097

$245,000 SW Loveland 1476 Jamie Court 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-222-9618

$264,900 Berthoud Colllins Park Subdivision 1-3PM RE/MAX Alliance 970-566-4627

$298,664 NW Loveland 4355 Ridgway Drive 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-532-5900

$299,900 NW Loveland 1920 New Hampshire Street 12-5PM The Cottage Realty 970-227-3893

$315,000 NW Loveland 2821 Logan Drive 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-222-7742

$323,400 SW Loveland1/4 mile West of Wilson on 14th Street, SW/Hwy 402 to the Dakota Glen Subdivision 12-4PM Glen Marketing 970-663-4522

$340,000 NW Loveland 3069 Hudson Drive 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-689-6950

$357,000 SE Loveland 302 Lyra Place 1-4PM The Group Inc. 970-481-9801

$362,900 NE Loveland 2916 Purgatory Creek Drive 1-3PM The Group Inc. 970-679-1545

$389,750 SW Loveland 975 Prism Cactus Drive 12-4PM Glen Marketing 970-663-4522

$389,765 NW Loveland 4730 Georgetown Drive 12-3PM The Group Inc. 970-567-0907

$450,000 NW Loveland 2009 Morning Drive 1-4PM The Group Inc. 970-481-1250

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5008 Saint Andrews Drive • Loveland $119,900Don’t miss your chance at one of the last lots onLoveland’s prestigious Mariana Butte Golf Course.This lot backs to the 9th fairway. Enjoy greatmountain views as well as abundant wildlife. Bringyour own builder. MLS# 653295

749 W. 11th Street • Loveland $165,000Great opportunity to build equity. Spacious ranchstyle home. 3 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, beautifulstone fireplace and hardwood floors. Large 2 cargarage, and finished basement. Nice sized lot withalley access. Seller may consider new roof withacceptable offer. This home needs a little TLC but ispriced accordingly. MLS #661725

3555 Capitol Peak Drive • Loveland $350,000Gorgeous ranch style home, rich wood floors adornthe entry, kitchen and eating areas. Alderwoodcabinetry in the spacious kitchen and butler pantryarea. Private master bedroom has large walk-in closetand luxurious 5 pc bath. The full unfinished basementis garden level which provides lots of light. Outdoorliving includes large deck, new installed stampedconcrete patio and gas line for BBQ. MLS#659371

935-937 Douglas Avenue • Loveland $185,000All brick duplex that backs to park. Open floor planwith 2 large bedrooms, updated baths and a largeeat-in kitchen. Both sides are currently rented andhave good rental histories. Each side has separateback yards. MLS#652253

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D4 Saturday Reporter-Herald July 30, 2 0 1 1

AS S O C I AT E D DESIGNS

An abundance of natural light washes intothe Alder Springs great room through theself-same windows that offer great views to

the rear. This home is designed for constructionon a lot that slopes down at the left and back.

While its neo-classical Georgian front facadegives it a traditional look, the interior floor plan istotally contemporary. Outside, smooth columnsframe the lofty covered porch; raised stone bandsaccent the bold brick-veneer-covered columns thatsupport and highlight the porte cochere.

Expansive and richly windowed hexagonal roomsform the core of the interior on two levels. Bothhave wings. On the main floor, a wide covered deckwraps around three sides to offer the same fantas-tic viewing options as the great room. Doors in thecentral wall section provide deck access. At thebasement level, similar doors lead to a covered pa-tio that also wraps around three sides.

A fireplace sits at the center of one wall sectionin the great room. The kitchen, which carves out aplace for itself on the opposite wall, has two penin-sular counters, which you can look out across intothe great room and beyond. The counter thatfronts the sink is rimmed by a raised eating bar.

Two bedrooms and a bathroom are in the wingbehind the kitchen. This wing also links to theporte cochere and its storage cabinets. A largeutility room and the deluxe owners’ suite fill theopposite wing, along with a private screened porchthat opens onto the deck.

At the basement level of the Alder Springs, alarge recreation room fills the hexagonal core,sharing space with a kitchenette, play room, andshop/storage area. A guest suite, bunk room andbathroom are also on this level.

For a review plan, including scaled floor plans,elevations, section and artist’s conception,send $25 to Associated Designs, 1100 Jacobs Dr.,Eugene, OR 97402. Please specify the AlderSprings 10-549 and include a return addresswhen ordering. A catalog featuring more than550 home plans is available for $15. For moreinformation, call (800) 634-0123, or visitw w w. A s s o c i a t e d D e s i g n s . c o m .

AlderSpr ingsExpansive home

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Looking for Maintenance-FREE* lifestyle?Open floor plan, patio home w/2 bdrms/2baths, granite kitchen island, backs togreen belt with mountain views! Convenientlocation. MLS#622329. $323,400

3464 Peruvian Torch Drive, Loveland, CO

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Venna HillmanERA Herman GroupGlen Marketing970-663-4522 venna@glencompanies.comwww.DakotaGlen.com

PRICE REDUCED!!! DITCH WATERAVAILABLE!!! BRING YOUR HORSES!!Wonderful ranch style home located on 5.43acres. 3 bed, 2 bath, 3 car garage. 1/16 shareof Big Thompson Ditch and ManufacturingCompany.

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Ursula AlbersCentury 21 Humpal, Inc970-231-0548Ursula.Albers@century21.com

Own your view of the foothills. Nothing in thishome is ordinary-granite and wood. 4bed,3bath, office, 3car, RV storage. MLS# 660736$369,000.Kendall Brooks Subd Between Taftand Wilson off

2045 Alabama St., Loveland

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Bill StephensBear Realty Co.970-219-4831bearrealtyco@hotmail.com

This 3 bed, 2 bath home has it all! A fantasticyard, timeless and perfect hardwood burningfireplace, designer paint throughout, boator trailer parking! Even includes a heatedgarage!

1028 East 16th Street, Loveland

OPEN SATURDAY 1 - 3:30 PM!

Betsy HayesColdwell Banker - Loveland719-250-5916alanjonesbroker@yahoo.comwww.coloradohomes.com

FREE FRONT YARD LANDSCAPING W/SPRINKLER SYSTEM! Gourmet kitchen w/granite countertops & center island. Woodfloors. Master w/ 5 pc bath. A/C. Full unfinbsmnt & 3-car garage on corner lot. $299,900

1920 New Hampshire St., LovelandKENDALL BROOK SUBDIVISION

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Connie SalazarCottage Realty970-227-3893www.lovelandcorealestate.com

Come see this beautifully secluded home,nestled in the Namaqua Hills subdivision. Withcherry cabinets, 7 car garage, 2 fireplaces,huge deck, over 1/2 an acre, it’s 1 of a kind!

1600 Sunnyside Drive, Loveland 80538

OPEN SUNDAY 10AM - 12:30PM!

Paul MastersonColdwell Banker - Loveland970-391-0900alanjonesbroker@yahoo.comwww.coloradohome.com

Brick ranch w/4 BR & 3 BA. Living rm + familyrm w/WB stove. New roof in 2010, energyefficient windows & A/C. Backs to 8 acres ofopen space. Patio, sprinkler, RV/Boat parking& fenced yard. $209,500

1210 Ida Drive, Loveland

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Kevin CookCottage Realty970-532-5900www.lovelandcorealestate.com

A spacious new ranch w/walkout basementbsmt. Inviting open kit/dng/great room area,main lvl laundry. Blt for energy savings, 2x6const, UPGRADES thru out Quality built byWeinland Homes in Quail Run.

3402 Creede Court, Loveland

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Cory RobertsPremier Lifestyle Realty(970) 215-9913plrealty@qwestoffice.net

Two-story with over 1400 square feetfinished. 3 bed, 2 bath with lots of upgrades,seperate dining room, unfinished basement,and covered patio. Or customize your own!$210,000 MLS# 656657

932 Boise Ave, Loveland, 80538

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Custom 3 bdrm/2 bath ranch,open floor planw/slab granite in kitchen, hardwood floors,alder cabinets & trim, designer tile, 3-cargarage, composite deck w/amazing views.MUST SEE! MLS#613207. $389,750

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Saturday Reporter-Herald July 30, 2011 D5

KAT H I E HOPKINSCSU EXTENSION

The sunflower, with its regalnodding head, is often calledthe matriarch of the garden.

It seems to watch over plantsaround it and has multiple person-alities, colors and uses. It is an an-nual or a perennial plant in theColorado region and is used fordecoration, oil, paper production,fuel, and food for humans, cattle,and birds.

The sunflower is from the He-lianthus genus and the annualplant is native to Central America,believed to have been domesticatedin Mexico at approximately 2600B.C. In North America, some NativeAmerican groups were known toplant sunflowers on the northedges of their gardens as a “fourthsister” to the combination of corn,beans, and squash. Early Nativesmade full use of the plant; they atethe seeds, ground the kernels intoflour, extracted oil from seeds fortheir hair, and used the seeds, flow-er petals and pollen to make dyesfor face paint, cloths and baskets.

The Maximillian sunflower (He-lianthus maximillanii) is a perenni-al sunflower that is native to NorthAmerican and a reliable bloomer inthe Colorado area. It easily with-stands the intense heat and pro-duces buckets of three-inch yellowflowers that are loved by both but-terflies and birds. It reachesheights of three-to-10-feet tall andis drought-tolerant once estab-lished.

The sunchoke or Jerusalem arti-choke (Helianthus tuberosus) is an-other example of a perennial sun-flower native to North America. Itproduces bright yellow bloomsabove ground while growing an edi-ble tuber below ground. Jerusalemartichokes grow easily in Coloradoand the gardener may be temptedto leave them undisturbed. Howev-er, the plant needs to be dug andreplanted every few years or thequality of the tuber will degrade.

Sunflowers have a rough, hairystems, with broad, coarse leavesand circular heads of flowers. Thehead is not a single flower, but ismade of thousands of small flowersor florets that are crowded togeth-er and join in the center. The outerpetal-bearing florets can be any col-or from yellow to red to orange tobrown, while the florets inside thehead mature into seeds. Some sun-flower varieties have an inability toself-pollinate and require insects tomove the pollen between plants, ajob that bees happily perform.

Many gardeners believe that thesunflower will track the sun, an ac-tion known as heliotropism. Howev-er, only young sunflowers will haveleaves and buds that change fromeast to west during the day. Oncethe plant is mature, the flower willtypically face east and will notmove. The plant is a bit of a gym-nast while growing and demon-strates phototropism, which occurswhen the petioles (leaf stalk) bendand twist toward the light duringthe day, then unbend and untwistat night.

Sunflowers need at least sixhours of full sun a day and shouldbe spaced 12 inches apart, whilethe very large sunflowers ought tobe spread sporadically throughoutthe garden to avoid crowding. Avoid

high nitrogen soil which encour-ages plant growth but fewerblooms. Sunflowers can be plantedwhen day and night temperaturesare above 50 degrees Fahrenheitand optimum temperatures forgrowth are 70-78 degrees.

Sunflowers are not consideredhighly drought tolerant althoughthe plant does have an extensivelybranched taproot, which may pene-trate up to nearly seven feet, andcan aid the plant during waterstress. A critical time for waterstress is the period 20 days beforeand 20 days after flowering and bet-ter results are noted if additionalwatering is done during this period.

A sunflower patch is an excellentwildlife habitat for birds and squir-rels. But if you’d like to harvest theseed heads, cover the flower withnetting or cheesecloth as the seedsare forming. Four months afterplanting seeds, the plants will bemature and the seeds ready to har-vest. When the flower heads areturned down, the florets in the cen-ter of the flower disk are shriveled,and a lemon yellow color is on theback side, cut the seed head withabout one foot of stem attached.Hang the seed head in a warm, dryand well-ventilated place that isfree of insects and rodents. Place apaper bag with holes or cheese-cloth over the heads to catch thefalling seeds as they drop duringdr ying.

The sunflower has multiple usesas a food. The seeds are eaten as asnack, processed into a type ofpeanut butter known as sunbutter,mixed with flour in bread, used asfood for birds, and added directlyinto cooking and salads. Sunfloweroil is used for cooking, in saladsand to produce margarine. A newform of sunflower oil is calledNusun which contains only 10 per-cent of saturated fat and 90 per-cent of unsaturated fat and is sec-ond to olive oil in healthy features.

The sunflower is also being ex-plored for use in diverse projects.Sunflowers produce latex and ex-periments are being done to usesunflowers as an alternative cropfor the production of hypoaller-genic rubber. Sunflowers can alsobe used to extract toxic ingredi-ents, like arsenic, uranium, andlead.

Sunflower oil is also used to pro-duce biodiesel fuel and is being in-vestigated as an alternate fuelsource for diesel engines. Theblend of sunflower oil and diesel fu-el is thought to have more poten-tial than the use of pure vegetableoil. Sunflower hulls are also beingpressed into pellets and used asheating fuel. The sunflower pelletsare initially cheaper than coal; how-ever they burn faster than coal,which results in an equivalent costto the consumer.

To roast your own home-grownsunflower seeds, follow thisrecipe:

Plain sunflower seeds can beroasted at 300 degrees for 20-30minutes. If you have a desire forsalted seeds, soak seeds overnightin a solution of two tablespoons ofsalt in one cup of water. Boil theseed and salt solution for a fewminutes, and then drain the liquid.Spread the seeds on a flat pan androast at 200 degrees for threehours or until crisp.

Kathie Hopkins has receivedtraining through Colorado StateUniversity Extension’s Master Gar-dener program and is a MasterGardener volunteer for LarimerCounty. For more information aboutCSU Extension, Larimer County,call 970-498-6000 or visitw w w. l a r i m e r. o r g / e x t .

H& Front Range GardeningRE

Matr iarchof the

GardenS u n f l owe r s

make a goldendisplay in the

garden

Some plants“n a t u ra l i ze ” as if

they were growingin the wild

ANNE WUERSLINCSU EXTENSION

Question: I recentlybought some shadyperennials and wastold that these

plants “naturalize well.”What does this mean,aren’t all plants natural?

Answer: While plants arenatural, not all plants natu-ralize. This term meansthat certain plants tend togrow and establish them-selves as if they were in thewild. Think of this term asthe opposite of plannedcultivation. Naturalizingplants spread and multiplyon their own with time.Spring-blooming bulbs suchas crocuses, daffodils, scilla

and anemones can do this,as well as woodland peren-nials such as ranunculus,lily of the valley andbugbane. Shady areaswith understory shrubsand trees support naturaliz-ing plants.

Question: I have heardthe terms “invasive” and“aggressive” applied tosome plants which natural-ize. Can you explain?

Answer: These are vigor-ous plants which spreadrapidly by root growth,seeds, runners or stolons.In a short amount of timethey can take over large ar-eas and can be trouble-some, especially whenplanted in the wrongplaces. A good example ofthis is Bishop’s Weed

(Aegopodium podagraria).Left unchecked, it will growall over, and become a thugin your perennial bed.

Question: Why are someplants termed noxious? Arethese plants the worst ofthe worst? How can plantsbe so bad?

Answer: Noxious general-ly refers to non-nativeweeds. These are intro-duced plants which spreadand reproduce rapidly, dis-place native plants, and re-sult in lost agricultural pro-

ductivity. For more informa-tion, visit Planttalk Col-orado at www.planttalk.organd refer to script #2103for a brief description.

Anne Wuerslin has re-ceived training through Col-orado State University Ex-tension’s Master Gardenerprogram and is a MasterGardener volunteer forLarimer County. For moreinformation about CSU Ex-tension, Larimer County,call 970-498-6000 or visitw w w. l a r i m e r. o r g / e x t .

E

D6 Saturday Reporter-Herald July 30, 2 0 1 1

CA RO L O'MEARACSU EXTENSION

We’re swinging into the busyharvest season, when dailytrips through the vegetables

yield savory additions to dinnertimefare. I admit I ignored my garden fora few days while on vacation; return-ing to it we found slim eggplants,young cucumbers and fully-sizedcauliflower ready for harvest.

We were lucky — the harvest wasstill in its early stages, offering up afew vegetables here and there. Thedays of overflowing baskets and coun-ters are a few weeks away. If you’renew to the fun of growing your ownvegetables, keep a few tips in mind forknowing when to pluck your producefrom the garden.

Taste and color yield clues towhether the vegetable is immature oroverripe, but know your variety andits characteristics. Green tomatoes

take skill and experience to gauge, of-ten requiring the gardener to tasteplenty of tangy, under-ripe fruit beforeyou get the hang of the plant’s subtlesigns.

EGGPLANT

Slender Japanese types are the firstof the season, followed by the largerpods of the classic varieties.

Harvest: Eggplant that’s shiny, uni-formly deep in color with a brightgreen cap as it nears mature size list-ed for that variety. Cut through thestem to harvest, don’t pull.

Av o i d : Dull color, green tinge orbrown discolorations — all signs ofbitter or old fruit.

Ti p : Becomes bitter if stored toolong, so eat soon or store it in thefridge for up to a week.

SWEET CORN

Sweet corn fans dream of daysfilled with creamy yellow, pearly whiteand bicolor ears of this summer treat.

Look for: Ears filled to the tip withtightly packed, plump kernels, burst-ing with milky juice if lightly pressed.The silk should be a dark brown.

Av o i d : Corn with dry brown husksand indentations on the kernels areold, and the sugars have turned tos t a rc h .

T O M AT O E S

Heirloom tomatoes pack plenty oftaste in stripes, pinks, greens,browns, and blacks. Their flavor is asexotic as their names: complex,smoky Black from Tula, sweet,delicate Dr. Wychees, or rich, oldfashioned Brandywine.

Har vest: Brilliantly colored, firm,glossy skin marks a ripe tomato, andthe longer you leave it on the vine toripen, the more complex the flavorwill be. Snip the fruit, don’t pull.

Avoid: Unless a quirk of the type,traces of green indicates that thefruit is immature, the flavor less satis-f ying.

C A N TA LO U P E

A perfect cantaloupe is melt-in-your-mouth sweet, a treasure manyhunt through stores and stalls to find.In a home garden, the plant tells youwhen the melon is perfect.

Look for: Well defined grey-yellownetting over tan skin, but the trick is

to watch the stem for the small crackthat surrounds the join with themelon. When the crack spreads three-quarters of the way around the join,the cantaloupe is a slip stage andready for harvest.

Av o i d : Spongy, wrinkled or moldyrinds are a sign of overripe fruit.

PEPPERS

While bells are the best knownsweet peppers, sweet bananas andItalian bull’s horn types add thrill tofresh salads. Long and lean, thesemay look like their chilicousins, but don’t have thespice.

Har vest: Peppers with deep,rich color that feel heavy fortheir size.

Av o i d : Those with thin wallsthat give when pressed.

Ti p : Some bull’s horn typeshave thinner walls, are lighter,but very sweet. Choose thosethat are wrinkle-free and sleek.

GREEN BEANS

Green beans are best when pickedyoung, cooled quickly and brought tothe table.

Har vest: Good snap beans are slim,the seeds small and not swelling.Look for pods less than one quarterto one eighth inch around with brightcolor and an audible snap whenb ro ke n .

Av o i d : Spindly, blemished or limpbeans or those that are stringy whensnapped.

Carol O’Meara is withCSU Extension inBoulder County.Contact her at303-678-6238 orcomeara@co. b o u l d e r. c o . u s .

H& Front Range GardeningRE

Pe r fe c tTiming

Harvest yourvegetables attheir peak

Front Range Gardening

E

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