Hidden Upgrades

When walking through a home, the eye-catching higher end details often stand out. Great hardwood floors. Solid surface counter tops. Wonderful paint colors. Garden tubs. Six panel, solid wood doors.

Don't forget to ask about the things that are not as easy to see. Look for higher end upgrades in energy efficient features. These upgrades in a home will not only improve your comfort, but they also will save you money, making a home more affordable in the long run.

Take a good look at the windows. Are they a basic builder's grade window, or has the homeowner splurged with low e glass and argon fill? Windows can be a source of enormous heat loss in a home, and quality windows are a huge money saver in the long run. There are many different types of windows, and The Efficient Window Collaborative has an informative website explaining some of the differences.

What is the r-value of the insulation? This one is not easy to see, so ask the seller for documentation if they can provide it. Higher r-values make a home less expensive to both heat and cool.

Have the ducts been sealed? Heating and cooling combined account for about 46% of a home's energy cost on average. With a forced air system, ducts that have been sealed and insulated can prevent energy loss significantly.

Check out the efficiency rating for the heating and cooling system. An Energy Star system is one upgrade that will save you a lot of money over the years.

Those stainless steel appliances might look pretty, but will they cost you a pretty penny to operate? Even low end, inefficient appliances are available in very modern and appealing finishes. Look on the sides of the doors for efficiency ratings or write down the model numbers and check them out online after you take a look at a home.

Ask for copies of the seller's utility bills for the previous twelve months. Yes, there are lifestyle differences the can affect energy usage, but at least you will have a ballpark idea of how much your utility costs would be.

If you buy a highly efficient home, you may be able pay for the cosmetic upgrades you want with the money you are saving on your utility bills. The hidden upgrades can save you big money as the years go by!

Things to Do

Yes, we are a day late with our Thing to Do this week. Sorry about that. Wednesday was a wild and crazy one around here!

~ If you missed Rainbow Fleece Farm's Cabin Fever event last weekend, you have another chance this weekend to check out the sheep and the fiber. Email Patty or call her at 608.527.5311 for more information. Rainbow Fleece Farm doesn't have a website, but you can find them at W7181 Hustad Valley Rd by New Glarus

~ Eat something different this weekend. Go out for breakfast at one of our classic diners like Corner Cafe in Monroe. Grab a new treat at New Glarus Bakery or Cafe Claudeen for an afternoon snack. Try one of the new items on Barrett's Brick Cafe's updated menu. Splugre on the warm lemon pond cake with cardamon creme anglaise at the Dining Room at 209 Main. Whatever you try, our local restaurant owners will be thrilled to see you! Shop local, eat local. It matters.

~ Bag Ladies is under new ownership. They start with a bang this weekend with an open house event in their new location, the lower level of the Monroe Medical building on the northwest corner of the Square in Monroe. Stop in for specials.

~ Coffee house night! We love these. Come over to River Valley Trading Company in Blanchardville this Friday evening. Local musicians will perform starting at 7 pm. Fiber Enthusiasts, don't forget about their Yarn Ewenited Guild meeting today.

~ Movie buffs, do you know what is playing in the area? Tooth Fairy, Cop Out and Valentine's Day are playing at The Goetz in Monroe. Lindo Theater in Freeport will have Dear John, Avatar, Edge of Darkness, From Paris with Love, When in Rome, Valentine's Day, Shutter Island, Tooth Fairy, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and The Wolfman.

~ There will be a performance by The Korean Five on Saturday evening at the Masonic Temple in Freeport. This quintet features a soprano, mezz-soprano, tenor, baritone, and piano in an opera performance. Adults $15.00, students are free.

~ Did you know that there is a remnant of an original upland prairie still by Freeport? The last remaining section of the Shannon Prairie is on the south edge of town. Learn more about it during a lecture on March 2 from 7 until 8:30 pm. Keith Blackmore, retired Highland Community College biology and ecology instructor will talk about the prairie at St John's UCC, located on Park Blvd in Freeport.

Property of the Week

This week's featured property is a split-level ranch in Monroe.

Bring the family home! This comfortable split level home located on a quiet street has all you need. 3 bedrooms, main floor laundry, living room with fireplace, family room, refinished wood floors, generous storage area, 2 car attached garage, spacious eat-in kitchen, bright rooms filled with natural lightening. The landscaped yard has plenty of room for kids, grandkids, pets or more gardens.

Sideways Shakespeare Company

We are big fans of the arts here at Cheese Country Realtors, so it is exciting to see a new project starting.

Our friend Jennifer over at Primitive Soul Art Studio in Monroe started the Shakespeare Project for youth a number of years ago. This project has grown into the non-profit group Shakespeare on the Edge, which we have mentioned often on this blog. SotE now includes not only the Shakespeare Project but also The Eclectic Rogues, a traveling youth group who do performances as well as workshops addressing modern issues through the works of Shakespeare.

Jennifer and the SotE group has a new project up their sleeves. The Sideways Shakespeare Company is starting up to encourage creativity and give an outlet to adults who think it is shame that groups like this weren't around when we were growing up.

Here is how the group describes Sideways Shakespeare Company:

“…turning the works of the Bard sideways, upside down and backwards to get to the real art of Shakespeare--the fun!”

Adults here’s your chance to experience the powerful art of Shakespeare
first hand in a group of peers. Experience the Bard, while enjoying the therapeutic value of his work, de-stress, unwind, explore characters, converse, do a little improv, and have a blast!

Registration is going on right now, and the groups should be starting this spring. The introductory rate is only $25, a true bargain. To reserve your spot, email Jennifer or give her a call at 605-325-5268.

Current Homebuyer Tax Credit

New $6500 Tax Credit for Current Homeowners

Are you eligible for the $6500 tax credit? We covered the details in December, so take a look if you want to check. There are 73 days and counting left to get an accepted offer.

You must have an accepted offer in place no later than April 30 and close on the home no later than June 30 in order to qualify for this tax credit.

Things to Do Around Monroe

Hey there. What's shakin' this weekend?

~ The UW Alumni Club is meeting at Toffler's in New Glarus on Thursday evening at 8 to watch the UW Men's Basketball team play the Minnesota Gophers.

~ If sports isn't your thing, come over to Minhas Brewery's Lazy Mutt Lounge on Thursday evening instead for Monroe Art Center's Poetry on Tap. Award-winning Wisconsin poets will read aloud from their works starting at 7 pm. This event is free, and there will be libations courtesy of Minhas.

~ The Alternative Fuel Society meets at the River Valley Trading Company in Blanchardville this Friday starting at 7 pm. Newcomers are always welcome! RVTC also has a free documentary movie screening on Thursday at 7 pm. They will be showing "Mondovino".

~ Did you get your tickets for the Snowshoe Walk and Wine Tasting or the Pirate Night at Monroe Theatre Guild? We talked about these last week, but there are a few spots still available.

~ Calling all performers! Open Mic night at Winneshiek Playhouse in Freeport this Saturday night. From 7:30 to 9:30, you can take your 15 minutes of fame or just enjoy watching others doing their thing. Free will donation, free for performers. Sign up for performers starts at 7 pm.

~ Rainbow Fleece Farm near New Glarus has another Cabin Fever event this weekend. Yarn on the Farm! Come see the new lambs, new wools, new yarns. Saturday has a free needle felting session, and Sunday brings a spin and knit drop in session. Bring your projects, bring the family. Email Patty or call her at 608.527.5311 for more information. Rainbow Fleece Farm doesn't have a website, but you can find them at W7181 Hustad Valley Rd by New Glarus.

~ MTG has a History Day scheduled for Sunday. This free event is open to anyone who wants to come help incorporate MTG's history into scrapbooks for preservation. They also have an adult workshop on Monday evening. Junk Puppets for Adults is free for members ($5 for non-members). Have fun and get dirty learning to recycle everyday items in puppets for use in MTG's future youth programs. If you prefer to take your puppet home, they suggest a $10 supplies donation. Not a member? $15 will get an individual a membership for a year, $20 for a family.

~ Kookaburra's in Monroe has a cooking class next week. "Soups On!" will feature a variety of soups, and as always, participants get to taste. Check out Laura's new grapefruit and thyme dish soap while you are there. It smells superb.

~ Shakespeare on the Edge has a few spots open for their upcoming American Players Workshop with David Daniels. This full day workshop (10 to 4) will be at MAC on February 26, and is open to students ages 9-18.

Whew! Can you believe that is only a sampling? Hope to see you out and about!

Property of the Week

This week's featured property is a renovated property near Monroe's Downtown Square.
Step into the comfort and convenience of this home only one block away from Monroe's Historic Square. This house has so much character! There are beautiful archways throughout, and charming quirky details like the pass through window between one bedroom and the hallway. The vintage light fixture in the foyer and iron railing on the staircase are fantastic period elements.

At the same time, you will appreciate the renovations that have been taking place over recent months. There is new carpeting, the kitchen is being completely redone, and the wood floors in the living room have been refinished.

There is plenty of room to raise a family with over 2100 square feet and three bedrooms. Expand your space even more by creating outdoor living spaces on the secluded backyard wooden patio and front yard stone patio. This property has a 2+ car heated garage with plenty of room to store other toys. Garage has span-crete floors with a full basement that features underground access to the house.

If you want a charming home in a great location, this is it! Leave the cars parked and walk to all of the downtown amenities, parks and schools. Priced at $138,900, it also includes a home warranty for your peace of mind.

Last chance for Open Enrollment

In Wisconsin, there are certain inflexible rules that apply to where public school students may attend school. School districts are geographically drawn, and students attend the district within whose boundaries they live.

Once a year, for three weeks in February, parents may apply for their children to attend school for free in a different public school district. This practice, Open Enrollment, is the only chance for a year to change school districts without physically moving.

Parents may apply for admission to up to three school districts for their children. These applications are not guaranteed to be approved. If the application is approved, the parents are not required to enroll their children in that school district.

If you are planning a move, that would put you geographically in a new school district, but you want your children to stay in the school district in which you currently reside, you can apply for open enrollment now as if you had already moved. If you are unsure of where you will be moving to, you can apply in the fall for a tution fee waiver. A tuition fee waiver is temporary, and you must then apply for open enrollment as soon as possible afterward (February of 2011 will be the next chance).

Virtual schools operated by public school systems (like the virtual middle school and virtual high school here in Monroe) also must follow open enrollment rules. If you wish for your child to attend a public virutal school, you must get your open enrollment application in right away.

The deadline for open enrollment applications to be received is 4 pm on February 19, this week Friday. You can download an application from the DPI website. There are also links to to answer questions you may have about open enrollment and a telephone number you can call with questions.

Local food producer want to know your opinions

We've talked about our friends up at Goosechaser Farm by Blanchardville frequently here on Cheese Country Realtors. Well, Stef and Andre have been busy developing a new offering, and they could use some input.

They have been developing their line of brats made from heritage pork, turkey, chicken and more. Trust me, these brats are worth trying. Created from Stef's custom spice blends and meat from animals raised naturally on Goosechaser Farm's patures, the brats are a truly local product. We have had the pleasure of enjoying some before, and we have become complete converts. Delish.

In order to better meet customer expectations when developing a new service, Stef has put together a short survey. In exchange for about the 3 minutes of your time necessary to answer the survey, you will be entered to win a year-long subscription to Goosechaser Farm's Brat of the Month Club. Take the Survey!

Curb appeal in Winter

The days are growing longer, but we are still in the depths of winter here in Green County. Helping a home to have some curb appeal this time of year is a bit harder than in the summer months with gardens blooming, but it is still possible to do things to help.

~ Clear your driveway, sidewalks and porches of all snow and ice. Get out there right away after a snow storm to clean them off. If you do get a buildup in ice in spots from driving into the garage or people walking on the sidewalk, pick up a scraper at Farm & Fleet or Ace Hardware to clean that off. If buyers worry about slipping as they approach a home, it alters how they see the inside.

~ If you still have any holiday decorations or lights up, remove them immediately. By now, these are stale decor and they give the impression of a home that is not maintained as quickly as it ought to be.

~ Look up. Do you have huge icicles hanging down from your eaves or other issues on the roof or gutters? This isn't the best time of year to get up there to take care of an ice dam, but you can at least get out there with a roof rake if needed.

~ Store away that garden equipment and patio furniture. Having the chaise lounge sitting under a mound of snow on the deck doesn't remind people of summer entertaining. It can, however, make some people think you don't maintain your possessions.

~ Make sure all your exterior lights have working bulbs. This helps make your property more inviting for evening showings and helps people see the back yard.

~ Take advantage of whatever winter greenery you do have in your garden. If your evergreens are bowing low under the weight of snow and ice, get out there and shake them free. People are drawn to natural beauty, and while a dusting of snow on everything is lovely, it isn't so attractive to see bushes looking like they will collapse.

~ Throw some greens, ribbons or holly into your porch planters. These decorations look fresh all winter and help add some interest outdoors. Consider a decorative basket of pinecones next to your front door or create a small still-life decoration using those old snowshoes. Don't go overboard. Toss out the worn out welcome mats and get some neutral mats in modern styles.

~ Don't keep the snow shovels and bucket of salt right by the door. Put these into the garage or basement after use. It might not be as handy, but these things are not appealing.

~ Make sure your windows are sparklingly clean. It will show if they aren't. Also check your blinds and curtains. These are visible from outside, so make sure they are lined up in a nicely symmetrical manner. Symmetry makes things more attractive to the human eye, so don't have the blinds in one bedroom half open and fully open in the room next door. From the outside, it is a dissonant chord.

~ Encourage the kids to play in the back yard. The unbroken blanket of snow on the front grass is more appealing than one that has been crisscrossed with tracks, snow angels and half-created snowmen. As a mom, I know this is a party-pooper thing to say, but these things are visually distracting.

Things to Do Around Monroe

Another week, another weekend to plan for.

~ Blackhawk Technical College has some interesting community education classes starting next week.

• Inspired Art, Drawing People, or Pen and Watercolor Fundamentals,
  
• Quickbooks, Access, Skype , or Social Networking,
  
• Cake Decorating,
  
• Meditation,
  
• Organic Gardening, or Plan Your Herb Garden,
  
• Conversational Spanish,
  
• Sustainable Building: Green Design Basics with LEED principles are all starting in the next two weeks.
  

The Skype workshop is tonight, and as long as there is room, you can enroll up until the last minute.

~ Stop in at the Historic Courthouse in Monroe for a free Valentine's Day cookies anytime between the 11th and the 14th. Sponsored by Monroe Main Street.

~ The Albany Lions club are having a Pancake Day on Saturday at their building in Albany.

~ Local singer/songwriter Beth Kille (of Clear Blue Betty fame)is playing a solo show on Saturday evening at Toffler's in New Glarus starting at 9 pm. No cover charge.

~ Oakdale Nature Preserve in Freeport has a family day this Sunday from 1 until 4 pm. The theme this month is Bluebirds. There will be nature play, puppets, puzzles and activities for all ages at this free will donation event.

~ The YPs of Green County have another business showcase, this time at Studio M in Monroe. Go there on Monday, February 15 at 5:30 pm. Meghan and Molly will discuss the studio from 5:45 until 6:15, and the YPs can watch the a Tap Dance class starting at 6:15.

~ Monroe Arts Center is sponsoring another Poetry on Tap event at the Lazy Mutt Lounge (in Minhas Brewery) in Monroe. This free event is on February 18, starting at 7 pm.

~ The Friends of Browntown Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area have partnered with Brennan's Market and Monroe Sign Design to bring us the Snowshoe Walk and Wine Tasting on February 20. Snowshoe your way through the park to three different tasting stations, and you can taste 9 wines in all. Hot cocoa and hot cider will also be available at this family friendly event. Tickets are $20 per person, $30 per family, and the event starts at noon. Call Larry at 608-558-2289 for tickets and information. The proceeds will go towards new playground equipment.

~ Also next weekend in the Monroe Theatre Guild's Pirate Night. Bill Rients and his scurvy dogs will provide an evening of swashbuckling pirate music at the Stage building on Monroe. Tickets are $10, with free floor seats for kids under 12. If you want to purchase tickets, give us a call or text at 214-5796.

Property of the Week

This week's featured property is a commercial building in Monroe, Wisconsin.

Here is your chance to own a piece of Monroe’s history dating back to circa 1865.

The historic Lanz Building is a rare property with over 14,000 square feet on 3 levels located on corner lot in Downtown Monroe. This location is ideal for your business or non-profit, a well traveled corner between Turner Hall and the Square. There is newer electrical, 16” solid masonry walls, exposed brick walls, 11’ ceilings on main floor and 9’ ceilings in basement. The building is loading dock capable, and there is underground parking available. For your customers or employees, there is plenty of parking available thanks to street parking on two sides and a large public lot to the rear.

This building is easily divided inside with multiple exterior access points. Whatever you are thinking - restaurants, retail space, art gallery, museum, office spaces or anything else - this space is wide open and waiting for someone with a vision.

Valentines Day = Chocolate

Chocolate and Valentine's Day are a perfect pairing. Treat your sweetheart at a couple of local events this weekend!

River Valley Trading Company in Blanchardville is having their 2nd annual Chocolate Tasting and Auction on Saturday afternoon. From 2 until 4, sample delicious and unusual chocolates from TerraSource Gourmet Chocolates along with various wines. For only $2, you can sample all of the chocolates. Then, bid for your favorites in the silent auction. Stick around to show the selection of interesting and varied local gifts available at River Valley Trading Company, and save 10% on any of them.

After chocolate appetizers, head across the street to the new Pecatonica Grapevine. There, owner Christine Pieper will have another tasting, this time pairing wines with delectable morsels from one of our favorites, Stef over at Goosechaser Farm. Chef Stef will be bringing quiche with roasted duck on apple and fennel slaw with raspberry walnut vinaigrette; pumpkin gnocchi with sesame walnut butter; and red wine braised pastured pork with spaetzle and winter vegetables. If the samples are too enticing, pick up a full size dinner to take home. There will be more TerraSource chocolates here too! The event goes from 4 until 6, $7 per person.

Chocolate Temptation had a very popular chocolate fondue event last year, and they are repeating it this year. Now, both Saturday and Sunday are currently full, but I just spoke with Scott, and they are taking names to see if they have enough people to add another seating. I highly recommend it, so call them at 328-2462. If fondue isn't your thing, they will also be open for a while on the afternoon of Valentine's Day too, so take your sweetheart in to share a dessert and coffee drink.

Finally, take your little sweetheart to the Candyland Ball at the Masonic Temple in Freeport. From 6:30 until 8, little girls ages 10 and under can come with an adult in their lives (dad, mom, or whomever is special) to dance and enjoy the evening. $25 per couple, $28 for non-residents, each additional child is $7.

Most of the local restaurants will be doing reservations or special menus for this coming weekend, so treat your sweetheart. If you prefer to do the cooking yourself, consider a local foods menu! There are many places available to get local meat, including the previously mentioned Goosechaser Farm, and if you need some winter veggies, call Barb at Mainstreet to connect with the farmer's market coordinator. Many vendors do still have root crops like onions, potatoes and carrot available. Round out your table with wines from Famous Fossil or Primrose, or beer from New Glarus Brewing Company or Minhas.

January 2010 Green County Market Report

Another month has ended, so it is time for monthly report on the Green County, Wisconsin real estate market.

Regarding the number of single family homes that sold in Green County in January of 2010:

• 15 homes sold in January of 2010,
• The homes were on the market for an average of 126 days,
  
• The average sale price was $153,993,
  
• The median sale price was $122,000,
  
• The highest priced property sold was $333,500,
  
• The lowest priced property sold was $19,500.

Things are still looking better than they did in January of 2009:

• 11 homes sold in January of 2009,
• The homes were on the market for an average of 124 days,
• The average sale price was $128,036,
  
• The median sale price was $117,500,
  
• The highest priced property sold was $264,900,
  
• The lowest priced property sold was $9,500.

One of the most promising things I see in looking at the homes that sold was they were in a large variety of price ranges. Yes, six of them were under $100K, but many of our homes in the area are in that price range. There were homes that sold in almost every single price bracket in our realtor data base up to $350,000 instead of a bunch of starter homes and just one or two higher end homes. Considering the abundant inventory in higher end homes in the area, it is excellent to see these starting to move again.

Three months in a row of positive numbers. This is great to see!

Things to Do Around Monroe

What to do, what to do.

~ The Wisconsin Regional Art Exhibit opens at the Monroe Arts Center on Thursday evening. This multi-media exhibit features artist from all over the region. The exhibit culminates with an artist workshop on Feburary 27. That all day workshop has $5 admission at the door, but the exhibit in Frehner Gallery is, as always, free.

~ MAC also has a painting workshop this weekend. "Approaches to Winter Painting" with Tina Duemler and Jonathan Wilde is this Saturday from 9 am until 5 pm. $70 fee, registration required. The deadline was actually Tuesday, but try giving MAC a call anyways if you are interested.

~ Young Professionals of Green County are participating in a free curling exhibit this Saturday. Come over to SLICE in Monroe on Saturday from 1 until 3 to learn about curling with other YPs.

~ Brooklyn has a free family movie night this Saturday at their community center starting at 7. Doors open at 6:30, and there will be concessions. Bring your own seating! Did you know that Brooklyn also has drop in Yoga and Zumba classes on Thursday evenings? Classes are from 6:30 to 7:30 at the community center, bring your own mat, $5 per class.

~ Monroe Theatre Guild has a "Painting Cinderella" workshop starting this Saturday. This FREE workshop will involved learning scene painting while working on the set for the middle school musical production of Cinderella this spring. Ages 12 through adult are welcome, 9 am through noon. This is the first of three Saturday workshops for it; come to one or come to all three. Sign up also for the music and movement classes for kids ages 4-7 next weekend or the spring youth choir, both next weekend.

~ MTG members can come over the STAGE building on Sunday for their big Super Bowl Party. Watch the big game on the BIG screen! The fun starts at 1 with board games and cards. Bring your snacks and drinks or a dish to share if you want. They will be pooling for pizza later in the evening. Not a member? Join for just $15 for individuals, $20 for members.

~ Cat's Pajamas is doing an vocal concert at the Performing Arts Center on Monday at 7 pm. Friends who have seen this group perform in the past rave about them. Everything is vocal, but you would swear there was an entire band up there when they perform. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for student, and are available through the any Monroe School office. The event benefits the Monroe School District Choral Department.

~ It will be a busy week for YPs. Tuesday evening is their monthly happy hour networking event. Pop in at Baumgartner's any time after 5:30 for free cheese trays and drink specials. Baumgartener's is owned by fellow YP'er Chris Soukup, and he is sponsoring the food.

~ After the YP happy hour, come over to Kookaburra's in Monroe for one of their cooking classes. Cooking for 2 is this week's class. Sign up on their website or by talking with Laura, $25 per person. They will be making fondue, ravioli gratin, custard and more, and attendees get to eat what they make!

Goodness, there is a lot going on. This doesn't even cover the normal movies and dining options in the area. Have fun!

Get clean and save some green

Wisconsin winters are hard on our cars, what with all the salt and sand from the road making everything a dull grey and the ice that can build up. It can be damaging to the finish and undercarriage of a vehicle to leave that on too long.

We'd like to help you have a little money while protecting the investment you have in your vehicles. Readers of our blog can save 10% on any car wash at Pro-Image Car Wash in Monroe or receive $10 off any vehicle detail in the month of February. Simply mention Cheese Country Realtors or Luis to receive your discount.

Pro-Image had a full equipment rehaul in recent years, and all equipment and chemicals used have been updated to be both highly effective and respect the environment. This is not a touchless system, and what a difference that makes. The soft foam system is wonderful at getting a car to shine, and the polishes used help protect your vehicle until the next time you come through. The soft foam brushes creates friction which allows Pro-Image to use significantly less water and gentler cleaning solutions while still getting your car cleaner. (Touchless systems rely heavily on large quantities of water and frequently harsh chemical to clean your car.) Also, the water used is processed properly through the city's waste treatment system, and nothing ends up in the storm sewers like when someone washes a car in their driveway.

Pro-Image is located at 606 10th St next to Monroe Honda on Monroe's West Side, and as co-owners, we are proud to say that it is 100% locally owned and operated. Stop in Monday through Saturday from 8 am until 6 pm or Sunday 8 am until 5 pm. Remember to mention Cheese Country Realtors or Luis to receive your discount. (If you haven't met Luis in person yet, you pronounce his name Louie.) Call 608-329-4666 to set up a full or partial vehicle detail by appointment.