Winter Stresses on Trees and Shrubs::Featured Agent Michelle Dittrich

Heavy snow and ice, as well as frozen soil conditions, can damage cherished trees and shrubs in residential landscapes. Even areas without major snowfall experience high winds and huge fluctuations in temperatures during winter. But homeowners can lessen the adverse effects of winter weather with preventive maintenance.
What can happen in winter, and how can you avoid it?

Michelle Dittrich
CBPP St Simons Island Office
Mobile Phone: (917) 513-3322

"Branches of trees can break due to the excessive weight of ice or snow," says Tchukki Andersen, BCMA, CTSP and staff arborist with the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA). "Proper pruning encourages the formation of the strongest possible branches and branch attachments. When pruning alone isn't enough, properly installed cables and rigid braces can add support to a weakened part of the tree."
Winter winds cause evergreens to lose moisture from their needles. Even some deciduous trees suffer from winter drying. If water is not available as moisture is drawn from living cells, permanent damage will result. The best prevention consists of planting only hardy species in areas of prolonged exposure, watering plants adequately in the fall, and mulching to insulate the soil and roots from severe cold.
On sunny days in winter, the tree's trunk and main limbs can warm to 15 degrees higher than the air temperature. As soon as the sun's rays stop reaching the stem when the sun sets, the tree's temperature plummets, causing injury or permanent damage to the bark. The two common types of injury are sun scald and frost cracking. The effects of sun scald and frost cracking can be reduced by sound arboricultural practices to maintain overall health, and by covering the trunks of young, susceptible trees with a suitable tree wrap.
Winter is a good time to prune
"Most skilled arborists prefer pruning when trees are dormant," says Andersen. "With no leaves on the tree, the arborist is better able to evaluate its architecture and spot dead or diseased branches. In addition, since the ground is frozen, damage to the turf underneath the tree due to falling limbs and tree care activities is negligible. This is also a good time to check trees for diseases and other damage."

Here are some other things TCIA recommends to improve the health of your living landscape:

• Aeration in thawed soil around trees helps improve water and air movement in the soil. This strengthens the tree's root system and reduces soil compaction.
• When planting, choose hardy trees available in your area as they have better chances for survival in severe weather conditions. Choosing the best location and following proper planting procedures should be your highest priorities.
• Stop fertilizing trees in early fall to allow them to prepare for winter.
• In case of moderate storm damage, restoring the tree to its former health and beauty may take some time, but it generally can make a full recovery. Broken, hazardous limbs should be removed immediately. Pruning to remove broken stubs and restore the balance of the crown can be put off a little while, but shouldn't be delayed more than one growing season.

Source: www.treecaretips.org.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2015. All rights reserved.

Flip Flop: 2014 Rings in Lowest Share of Flipped Homes Since 2011

RISMEDIA, Friday, February 27, 2015— RealtyTrac® recently released its Q4 and Year-End 2014 U.S. Home Flipping Report, which shows that 136,269 U.S. single family homes were flipped in 2014, 5.4 percent of all single family home sales during the year—the lowest share of flips since 2011.

A total of 32,578 U.S. single family homes were flipped in the fourth quarter, representing 5.3 percent of all single family home sales during the quarter. The 5.3 percent share of flips in the fourth quarter was up 11 percent from the previous quarter but still down 12 percent from a year ago.

The average gross profit—the difference between the purchase price and flipped price—for completed flips of single family homes in the fourth quarter was $65,993, representing a 37.1 percent gross return. That was up from an average gross profit of $65,285 representing a 36.5 percent gross return in the third quarter, and an average gross profit of $63,017 representing a 36.4 percent gross return in the fourth quarter of 2013.

“Investors have picked much of the low-hanging fruit when it comes to home flipping over the past three years since home prices bottomed out in the first quarter of 2012,” says Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac. “As home price appreciation slows to single digits in most markets, flippers need to be more selective and creative about the properties and neighborhoods they target.

“In many cases the best neighborhoods for profitable flipping in a slower-appreciating market are those that come with a higher risk because of location and condition of properties, but also have a bigger upside if investors are able to correctly predict the path of progress in the region,” Blomquist added. “It appears that most investors completing flips in the fourth quarter were able to do just that. Even though the share of flips was down from a year ago during the quarter, the average gross return per flip increased.”

Zips with highest share of Q4 flips in Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami

Among zip codes with at least 10 single family home flips completed in the fourth quarter of 2014, there were 10 where flips represented 25 percent or more of all single family home sales during the quarter. Metropolitan statistical areas with top 10 zip codes for share of flips in the fourth quarter were Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Jacksonville, Florida, Tampa and San Diego.

Averages from the top 10 zip codes for share of flips during the fourth quarter:

• Average of 23 flips during the fourth quarter
• Average flip share of 27 percent of all single family home sales
• Average increase of 77 percent in share of flips from a year ago
• Average purchase price of $110,611
• Average gross profit of $95,700 and average gross return of 49.6 percent

Zips with highest gross return on Q4 flips in Baltimore, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Chicago

Among zip codes with at least 10 single family home flips completed in the fourth quarter of 2014, there were 10 where the average gross return on investment for flips was 120 percent or higher. Metropolitan statistical areas with top 10 zip codes for highest average returns on flips in the fourth quarter were Baltimore, St. Louis, Jacksonville, Florida, Chicago, Detroit and Washington, D.C.


Averages from these top 10 zip codes for biggest average percentage return on flips:

• Average of 17 flips during the fourth quarter
• Average flip share of 12 percent of all single family home sales
• Average increase of 3 percent in share of flips from a year ago
• Average purchase price of $66,695
• Average gross profit of $99,419 and average gross return of 150.9 percent

Zips with biggest annual increase in Q4 flips in Seattle, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, L.A.

Among zip codes with at least 10 single family home flips completed in the fourth quarter of 2014, the top 10 with the biggest year-over-year percentage increase in the share of flips were in the following metropolitan statistical areas: Seattle, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Cincinnati, Sandusky, Ohio, and Akron, Ohio.

For more information or to view the complete report, visit www.realtytrac.com.

How to Choose a Remodeling Contractor - Featured Agent -- >Annette Bryant

Annette Bryant
South Carolina
Coldwell Banker Platinum Partners
(843) 986-7343

How to Choose a Remodeling Contractor

(BPT) – Trusting a contractor with both your home and money can feel overwhelming. Spare yourself time, expenses and sanity by following these steps for choosing the best remodeling contractor.

1. Decide what you want out of your newly remodeled home. Start thinking about goals, amenities and a rough timeline, making sure you can clearly articulate your ideas to a contractor. Idea centers such as Houzz.com can serve as inspiration for kick-starting your remodeling project. This phase is also ideal for researching sustainable building products. By using green products, homeowners save money on heating and cooling costs, and builders can decrease the construction's carbon footprint.

2. Ask for advice. You're not the first person to remodel your home, so don't go through the process alone. Talk to friends, relatives, neighbors and coworkers about their remodeling experiences. In addition to collecting referrals, ask targeted questions about how those contractors communicated throughout the process and mitigated any setbacks. If you know a building inspector, ask which contractors regularly meet code requirements.

3. Research and contact businesses. Start gathering information on your referrals and local prospects by visiting their websites or making phone calls. Make sure these remodeling contractors have the required licenses, liability insurance and ability to obtain local permits for your project. Most will also tell you if they belong to a professional association such as the National Association of the Remodeling Industry or National Association of Homebuilders. The Better Business Bureau also issues warnings about those that might not be trustworthy. Through your research, select three to five potential contractors.

4. Set up meetings with contractors. After identifying your top candidates, schedule face-to-face meetings with each to discuss your project. Ask questions and make sure communication is fluid and straight-forward. How many projects does the contractor handle at one time? Are his or her past projects similar in scope to yours? If you find a particular meeting goes especially well, ask for references and a bid on your project.

5. Compare bids and references. Think of this step as putting the finishing touches on your selection process. When contacting references, ask them to rate their satisfaction with the project. Did the contractor meet time and budget requirements? As soon as the bids come in, look at the cost breakdown of labor and building materials. The best contractor is not always the cheapest. Now's the time to find out if a contractor uses the best quality products that meet your budget.

6. Choose your contractor and sign a contract. With all of your research on hand, select the best contractor for your project. After confirming with the contractor, draw up a contract that includes a description of the work, products to be used, cost and completion dates and let the project begin.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2015. All rights reserved.