Showing posts with label buying a home in winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label buying a home in winter. Show all posts

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Tips for Winterizing Your Vacation Home

The time has come again, and as quickly as Summer showed up, it moved on and made way for Fall. The Autumn season has many beautiful things to offer, between fun events, cooler temperatures, and those gorgeous changing leaves. However, it can also provide the opportunity to accomplish a few tasks on your to-do list with your vacation home. Here are a few things you need to remember as the months begin to loom, and how you can protect your vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks during the off-season.



Wrap Your Pipes

Wrapping pipes under the sink and in a basement, as well as anywhere else around your home can be a huge help. Look for wraps that are made from fiberglass, foam and foil, foam, or rubber to provide proper insulation to your pipes over the Winter. This can conserve energy and save money, but can also protect against any freezing temperatures that we may experience this Winter.

Unplug Appliances

Now is a great time to clean, protect, and shut off the appliances in your vacation home. This will include fridges, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and ACs. If you are not sure how to Winterize your air conditioner, you can either do some research online or hire a company to take care of it for you.

Turn Off the Water

If you want to prevent water leaks and indoor flooding this Winter, you will want to turn off the water at the mainline. This is an important step and one you will not want to forget. It is not hard to turn it back on if you decide to come back to your vacation home during the Winter months.

Drain the Pipes

This is incredibly important when you will not be in your home for a season. You may even want to hire a professional to come to drain your hot water heater, to clear the pipes of water, and to shut off propane or natural gas.



Clean the Gutters

After the leaves have fallen, it is a great time to clean out the gutters and downspouts. You can install downspout guards, screens, snap-in gutter screens, and mesh gutter guards to help prevent water damage from ice dams and puddles on the roof, and around your foundation.

Winterize Outside, Too!

Do not forget to drain all outside hoses, disconnect them, roll them up and store them. Cover all outdoor faucets with foam or hard plastic covers as well. The foam covers keep outdoor faucets from freezing during the colder temperatures, and the hard plastic covers can provide additional protection from the weather and small curious animals.

Outdoor Appliances

You should also disconnect the outdoor appliances, like fountains, bug zappers, and even the satellite dishes. You can secure them with plastic or store them indoors to protect against the cold weather.

Outdoor Furniture

Storing your outdoor furniture, raised garden beds, plant post, grills, tools, and other outdoor items inside is also a great precaution. If you cannot bring them indoors, you can always cover them with plastic and secure them in a wind-free location.

Find An Exterminator

Finally, this is a great time to schedule an exterminator to continue pest inspections and pest control through the Winter.



Time to Make Your List
As we kick off Fall, now is the perfect time to make sure that your vacation home at the Lake is ready to withstand the upcoming months. Some predictions for the Winter are expecting cooler than normal temps, as well as more snow than we usually get. This means that your vacation property may need to be sealed up more than in the past - and you will want to make plans for any watercraft and docks that you have as well.

If you do not have a vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks, now is the perfect time to start looking. The market has been doing some great things for home buyers, and off-season is commonly accepted as the best time to buy a home. Ready to get started? Team Lasson can help you get started on your mortgage at the Lake of the Ozarks!

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 



Michael Lasson
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS #: 493712

4655 B Osage Beach Parkway
Osage Beach, MO 65065

Direct: (573) 746-7211





**The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent First State Bank of St Charles’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

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Location: Osage Beach, MO, USA

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

5 Winter Real Estate Buying Benefits

It is a common misconception that Winter is the “slow” time at the Lake of the Ozarks. While it does slow down for many businesses, because tourism is not as high October through April - that does not apply to real estate! We are finding ourselves busier than ever, as homeowners are ready to buy their vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks. Here are a few benefits to buying real estate in the Winter.


Benefit #1: Fewer Competing Offers

While it’s true that we still have plenty of buyers looking for homes and mortgages at the Lake of the Ozarks during the Winter, you may find that there is less competition. Instead of having a bidding war with several other buyers, you may only be competing against one other person if any at all. Winter is a great time to buy a home, and if you have been thinking about buying a vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks, now is the time to do it!

Benefit #2: Motivated Sellers

Many are still under the impression that Spring and Summer are the best times to buy and sell homes at the Lake of the Ozarks. Because of this, you may find that a seller is motivated to get their home off of the market if they are selling in the Winter. This could mean that a seller is also more comfortable with negotiating if there are not as many people trying to get the property.

Benefit #3: Expired Listings Available

The Winter months are when the expired listings market is at its largest. There is generally a great selection at this time of year. If you have been looking for a vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks, start now, and you should not have any trouble getting it ready by Summer!

Benefit #4: Great Time for “Subject to the Sale”

Depending on the listing, you may want to make a “subject to the sale” offer, and Winter months are generally when they get accepted the most, even with some movement on the price. Some homeowners at the Lake of the Ozarks may be willing to sell certain equipment with the home, and this could include yard maintenance equipment or even items as large as boats or other recreational equipment.

Benefit #5: January is the Biggest Corporate Transfer Month

More corporate relocation moves happen during January than any other time of the year. While this may not apply to vacation homes, you just never know what is going to hit the market due to these types of changes. 


Let’s Get Started!

If you are considering purchasing a home in the near future, the first step is to get a pre-approval. This will let you know how much you can afford for a home and what kind of down payment you'll be looking at. Team Lasson knows that this is a great time to buy a home, and we would love to help. Visit our website to learn more about our mortgage services at the Lake of the Ozarks, or give us a call at the number below.

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 



Michael Lasson
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS #: 493712

4655 B Osage Beach Parkway
Osage Beach, MO 65065

Direct: (573) 746-7211





**The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent First State Bank of St Charles’s positions, strategies, or opinions.

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Location: Osage Beach, MO, USA

Friday, November 9, 2018

5 Tips for Buying a Vacation Home in the Off-Season

If you have been dreaming of the perfect vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks, now is a great time to start your search. Much like any other real estate, there are things you need to keep your eye open for in the winter. The good news is that when things slow down during the off-season, you may even find the perfect home for an even better price. Here are a few things that Team Lasson suggests you keep in mind as you buy a second home at the Lake of the Ozarks.


Understand the Pros and Anticipate the Cons

There are always pros and cons to buying in any season - don’t let either be a driving force for your decision. The pros of buying in the winter are that there will be less competition for Lake of the Ozarks real estate. Prices may also be better on homes because owners are eager to get them off the market. Cons could include that weather could postpone a showing if there is ice or snow. Another con could be that you won’t get to see all of the summer beauty. Either way, take everything in stride and realize that there are pros and cons to every season.

Buy for the View

When buying a vacation home, it can be easy to get swept away with finding a home in the perfect location, or next to your favorite restaurant. However, we think that buying for the view is even more important than buying for location. Unlike your full-time home, where you’ll be making a daily commute, or need to be in a specific district, your vacation home is strictly for enjoyment. When you look out of the windows or sit on the balcony or back deck - make sure that the view is breathtaking! Of course, when buying a home at the Lake of the Ozarks, you may find both!

Tax Season Incentives

If you’re buying your vacation home on or before December 31, you can deduct the interest and property tax portions of your mortgage payment, points on your loan, and interest costs from your taxes. End-of-year tax benefits can be a great reason to buy a vacation home in the winter, and it can be helpful for paying off your Lake of the Ozarks home loan.

Keep Summer In Mind

It’s important to keep summer in mind when buying your vacation home in the winter. Because you aren’t seeing the home in the summer months, there may be aspects of the house you forget to focus on. Remember that you will be using your air conditioning a LOT during the summer months, and it most likely won’t be turned on during the winter months. Ask lots of questions about this part of the home. You can ask when was it replaced, how often was it serviced, and if there is paperwork to verify these maintenance tasks. You’ll also be spending a lot of time in the outdoor spaces. While they may not be in their prime during the winter, make sure you take a look at the patios, porches, and balconies of the home. You’ll also want to look over the dock if the home comes with one. Docks can be very susceptible to winter conditions, so look closely and ask your inspector to focus on it while checking the home.

Who Will Watch Your Home For the Winter?

Finally, the last thing to think about while buying a vacation home (and this applies in any season) is, who will be looking out for the property during the offseason? Empty home’s can be more susceptible to conditions if there is no one around to check for water leaks or power outages. The Lake of the Ozarks has many incredible companies who provide home watch services.


Ready to Start the Process?

If you want to buy a home at the Lake of the Ozarks, the first step is to get pre-approved. Team Lasson is here for you, and we can assist in making the mortgage process easy. Our team is here to answer all of your questions about buying a home, but also the Lake area. We live here full time and can make suggestions to help you get settled in. Buying a home starts with getting your mortgage, and we are here to help!

For Lake area news, resources and tips on financial services, please 



Michael Lasson
Senior Loan Officer
NMLS #: 493712

4655 B Osage Beach Parkway
Osage Beach, MO 65065

Direct: (573) 746-7211



**The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent First State Bank of St Charles’s positions, strategies, or opinions.
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