The Oklahoman Real Estate

FREAL ESTATESATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2012 THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM

INDEX

Handy 5FStone 6FSinger 6FPermits 8F

HOUSE PLAN

Vacation retreatThe Torrington’s owners mightenjoy keeping one unit as avacation retreat for themselvesand renting the other one out.PAGE 4F

LISTING OF THE WEEK

CountryhomeThe Listing of the Weekis a country home setamong 5 acres of treesat Arcadia.

PAGE 4F

Buyers,sellersat oddsWhile nearly 80percent of consum-ers in a new surveythink this is a greattime to buy a house,more than 92 per-cent of current own-ers think it’s not agreat time to sell.

PAGE 3F

KennethHarney

THE NATION’S HOUSING

IN BRIEF

REUSE ‘STUFF’TO BUILDThere’s no shortageof ideas out therefor reusing salvagedmaterials, but ChrisPeterson providesthe how-tos. Pe-terson, an expert inhome design, repairand renovation, haswritten “BuildingWith SecondhandStuff.” It’s a practicalguide to choosing,salvaging, refreshingand reusing materi-als such as wood,metal, stone andglass. The bookfocuses on workingwith the materials,but there’s plenty ofinspiration to sparkyour creativity, too.“Building With Sec-ondhand Stuff” ispublished by Cre-ative PublishingInternational and ispriced at $19.99 insoftcover.

WINEGLASSESCAN SURVIVEDISHWASHERA simple devicehelps keep wine-glasses safe in thedishwasher. TheTether is a flexiblesilicone rod thatstabilizes stemware.It clips onto thestem of a glass andfits over a tine of adishwasher rack tokeep the glass fromtipping and breaking.The Tether is avail-able from Quirky. Afour-pack can beordered for $14.99plus shipping atwww.quirky.com.MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

Are you soon headinginto retirement and plan tomove to a distant location?If so, Ronald Phipps, a sea-soned real estate broker,suggests you view anydestination you’re consid-ering through a wide-an-gle lens.

“Making a smart strate-gic move means giving lotsof forethought to any placewhere you plan to move.The right location is stillthe first and most impor-tant rule of real estate,”said Phipps, immediatepast president of the Na-tional Association of Real-tors (www.realtor.org).

Now more than ever, heurges retirees planning ahome purchase to factorairport access into theirselection of a community.Living within a 50- to 60-mile radius of a major air-port typically means low-er-cost flights and greaterease of travel, importantfactors for many retiredpeople.

Moreover, he contendsthat buying a home in amid- to large-sized metroarea with frequent airflights gives you the bestodds for future apprecia-tion. And he believes thatcities with internationalair service, a lure for for-eign property purchasers,could be your best resalebet in the years ahead.

Besides airport access,Phipps recommends thatretirees considering along-distance move factorthe availability of energyresources into their home-buying decisions.

“Capacity shortages insome parts of the U.S. arealready foreshadowing ra-

tioning for water and elec-tricity. So pay close atten-tion to these issues beforechoosing where to move,”he said.

Here are a few other fac-tors to consider in a retire-ment destination:

I Factor your personalinterests into any retire-ment purchase.

Have you been so busyduring your working yearsthat you’ve barely focusedon how you’d like to designyour retirement? If that’sthe case, you might con-sider engaging the servicesof a “life coach,” an adviserwho could help you chartthe path to greater fulfill-ment in retirement.

“A life coach can be agood sounding board,helping ideas bubble up inthe course of the conver-sation,” said Sid Davis, areal estate broker and au-thor of “A Survival Guidefor Buying a Home.”

One way to locate a cer-tified life coach is through

the International CoachFederation (www.coach-federation.org). Once atthat website, look forcoaches in your area whospecialize in retirementplanning. You might alsofind helpful books that arewritten by retirementplanning experts.

I Make sure financialfactors are incorporated inyour housing plans.

Jeffrey Wuorio, a per-sonal finance specialist,said many older peopleunderestimate their ex-pected life spans, as well asthe financial wherewithalthey’ll need to cover theirexpenses for all the yearsthey’re likely to live.

“Research shows that ifyou and your spouse havealready lived to age 60, atleast one of you can expectto live to at least 90,” saidWuorio, author of “TheComplete Idiot’s Guide toRetirement Planning.”

To address the financialelement of their retire-

ment planning, he sug-gests that empty-nestersconsider selling a largefamily house to reducetheir energy costs, as wellas their property tax andupkeep burdens. He saidmany retirees discoverthat living in a smallerplace is surprisingly pleas-ant.

I Check into localtransportation and healthcare resources.

“In the future, if youcan’t drive anymore, itcould be extremely impor-tant to have close access togood public transporta-tion,” Wuorio said.

In terms of medical fa-cilities, Wuorio stressesthat retirees typicallymake many more medicalvisits than do youngeradults.

“Make sure there aregood clinics and hospitalsin your area,” he said.To contact Ellen James Martin, emailher at [email protected].

UNIVERSAL UCLICK

Finding top retirement property takes researchEllenJamesMartin

SMARTMOVES

After one of her characteristi-cally busy weeks, Mary Berrywasn’t sure she was up to attend-ing the Oklahoma City Metro As-sociation of Realtors’ annual ban-quet last month.

But Chuck Harris, broker andmanager at Berry’s Century 21 AllPro Realty, insisted. She had to go,he said, because he was getting anaward.

“I said, ‘OK, for you, I’ll go,’ ”Berry said.

So she shut down the office at8524 S Western Ave. No. 102, sothe whole staff could attend the

festivities. But the staff — Harrisincluded — had been keeping a se-cret under wraps for almost twomonths.

They did such a good job thatBerry was floored to hear her ownname called as the association’sRealtor of the Year.

“I don’t think I’ve ever beenmore shocked,” she said.

Then Harris got a surprise of hisown, winning the Board of Direc-tors Award for his work as presi-dent of MLSOK, the metro-areaMultiple Listing Service.

“He didn’t know he was gettingan award. He just told me that toget me to go,” Berry said with a

METRO-AREA REALTOR OF YEARIS SPECIALIST IN FORECLOSURES

Real estate agent Mary Berry, named 2011 Realtor of the Year by the Oklahoma City Metro Association of Realtors, shows some of thefeatures of a laundry room/office in a listing at 13504 Calistoga Drive in Oklahoma City. PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN

This home at 13504 Calistoga Drive is one of the foreclosed housesthat Realtor Mary Berry has had listed recently.

PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN

BY DYRINDA TYSONFor The [email protected]

SEE BERRY, PAGE 2F

THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2012 3FREAL ESTATE

WASHINGTON — Wheredo you side in the great realestate buy-sell divide of2012?

If you’re a homeownerconsidering selling some-time in the new year, areyou apprehensive that youwon’t get the price youneed or want, and there-fore it’s possible you won’teven try to sell?

If you’re a buyer, do youagree that with 30-yearfixed mortgage rates nowbelow 4 percent and homeprices near cyclical bottomin many areas, 2012 offersextraordinary opportuni-ties, even if listings arefewer than you mightprefer?

A new study by the Re-search Institute for Hous-ing America, the thinktank affiliate of the Mort-gage Bankers Association,documents a profoundmarket fissure caused byowners’ fears and hesita-tion — what researcherscall “negative selling sen-timent.”

While nearly 80 percentof consumers in thestudy’s survey think this isa great time to buy a house,more than 92 percent ofcurrent owners think it’snot a great time to sell.

The study was conduct-ed by Syracuse Universityeconomist Gary Engel-hardt using extensive datafrom the University of Mi-chigan’s Survey ResearchCenter, which is generallyrecognized as an author-itative source on consumerattitudes.

Struggling to acceptEngelhardt said that un-

like earlier post-recessionperiods, owners have beenmore deeply shocked bythe extent and severe sideeffects of foreclosures,short sales and unemploy-ment.

In the aftermath of ear-lier recessions, such as inthe early 1990s, 40 to 60percent of homeownersremained relatively posi-tive about their prospectsif they chose to sell — farhigher than the tiny sliverwho see it that way today.

Many owners “have notadjusted their price expec-tations downward” to keeppace with local declines inproperty values followingthe mortgage bust, Engel-hardt said, thereby con-tributing to the sharp di-vergence in their real estatevisions compared withbuyers’.

This is consistent withthe results of a study con-ducted in mid-2011 by Zil-low, the online real estateand mortgage informationcompany.

Zillow found that sellersnationwide were havingtrouble coming to gripswith what market forces

had done to their propertyvalues. They knew priceshad declined, but theydidn’t necessarily thinkthose devaluations appliedto their houses.

For example, peoplewho had bought theirhomes in 2007 or laterthought their homes wereworth about 14 percentmore than their actualsales value.

People who boughthomes before 2002 wereslightly more realistic butstill overvalued theirhouses by about 12 per-cent.

Dynamic effectsHow are such seller per-

ceptions affecting local re-al estate market dynamicstoday?

For one thing, they arekeeping owners out of thegame. But they also arebringing more motivatedand committed sellers tothe fore.

Glenn Kelman, chief ex-ecutive of Redfin, a na-tional realty brokeragebased in Seattle, said theshortages of listings insome markets currentlyare the byproduct of own-ers ”waiting for bettertimes to sell.”

But owners who believethey need to sell now —they’re downsizing, mov-ing to a new area, or there’sbeen a divorce — turn outto be “more reasonable” ingeneral, according to Kel-man.

“Some are even re-signed” to the reality thatdespite their unfortunatetiming, they will definitelysell provided they price thehouse realistically.

David Howell, executivevice president of McEn-earney Associates, a largerealty firm active in theWashington, D.C., area,said the absence of sub-stantial numbers of peoplewho’d otherwise be sellersmay also be a “healthy”development.

With listing inventorieslower than typical for thistime of the year, there arefewer houses for buyers tochoose from. This, in turn,exerts a slight upwardpressure on prices.

What about sellers whorefuse to believe theirproperties won’t com-mand the prices they ex-pect or require?

Mike Litzner, broker-owner of Century 21American Homes on NewYork’s Long Island, said,

“It’s all about educatingthem. We try to show themthe comparables” — therecent selling prices ofsimilar houses in the area.

“If sellers really want tosell,” Litzner said, “theyadjust their expectationsto the changed realities.” Ifthey adamantly refuse,Litzner said his agents of-ten decline the listingrather than waste weeks ormonths trying to marketan overpriced piece of realestate.

Howell said his firm’sagents sometimes walkaway from unreasonablelisting price demands, butthey also use a techniquethat essentially seeks tobridge the seller-buyer di-vide: pre-authorized pricereduction clauses embed-ded in the listing contractthat ratchet down the ask-ing number.

The initial reductionkicks in within the firsttwo to three weeks if thehouse fails to attract buyerinterest.

“It works,” Howell said.“And both sides stand tobenefit.”

Ken Harney’s email address [email protected].

WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP

KennethHarney

THE NATION’S HOUSING

‘Negative selling sentiment’ can be problem

If sellers reallywant to sellthey adjusttheirexpectationsto thechangedrealities.”

MIKE LITZNER,CENTURY 21

SAN JOSE, Calif. — As yearfive of the housing crisisbegins, the Obama admin-istration’s programs tohelp struggling homeown-ers haven’t solved theforeclosure problem, butthey are keeping a growingnumber of people in theirhomes.

But the report card fromcritics of the programs ismixed at best.

More than 880,000homeowners have beenable to modify their mort-gage payment under thetwo big foreclosure pre-vention programs the U.S.Treasury Department ad-ministers with funds fromthe Troubled Asset ReliefProgram.

The Department ofHousing and Urban Devel-opment administers simi-lar programs for the Feder-al Housing Administrationand the government-backed Fannie Mae andFreddie Mac administerprograms for the loansthey own or guarantee.

Still, only $2.7 billion ofthe $29.9 billion allocatedto the Treasury Depart-ment’s Making Home Af-fordable program and Har-dest Hit Fund has beenspent.

Another $8.2 billion isset aside for homeownerscurrently in the three-yeartrial modifications, a Trea-sury spokesman said.

The numerous pro-grams typically have in-centives for lenders andservicers to offer relief forhomeowners strugglingwith their mortgages.Some help underwaterhomeowners become cur-rent on their loans; otherslower interest rates tomake payments moremanageable; still othersjust help homeownersmanage a foreclosure or

short sale.Banks have defended

their work, and point to alarge number of loan mod-ifications done outside thefederal programs.

Wells Fargo said in astatement that it believesthe programs “have beenhelpful.”

“While the number ofborrowers helped has notmet the government’s ini-

tial projections, the pro-grams have facilitated theindustry’s ability to delivermore streamlined solu-tions than ever before.”

In a statement, Chasesaid it has offered 1.2 mil-lion modifications tostruggling homeowners. Itsaid the “most effectiveway” to keep borrowers intheir homes is to lowertheir mortgage payments

by reducing the interestrate.

Few modifications writedown the principal to thevalue of the house today,leaving homeowners withpotentially big balloonpayments if they sell thehouse later.

“There seems to besome assumption thathome prices are going tobounce back and that’s go-

ing to fix the underwaterproblem,” said ChrisThornberg of Beacon Eco-nomics. “That’s not goingto happen.”

“If you are making$40,000 a year and you’re$100,000 underwater onthe house, your best bet isto get ... out of that houseas soon as possible. Yourcredit score is going to healfaster than your equity.”

Writing down principal“is a solution that deservesconsideration,” said SeanO’Toole of Foreclosure Ra-dar, a foreclosure informa-tion service, “but it’s also aslippery slope. Once youoffer principal balance re-ductions, all of those folkswho are underwater andmaking their payments aregoing to want one.”

MCT INFORMATION SERVICES

Mortgage aid programs still have trouble helpingBY PETE CAREYSan Jose Mercury News

There seems to be some assumptionthat home prices are going to bounceback and that’s going to fix theunderwater problem. That’s notgoing to happen.”

CHRIS THORNBERG,BEACON ECONOMICS

4F SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2012 THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COMREAL ESTATE

The Torrington would fit nicely in abeach setting and has some upscale fea-tures not usually found in a duplex.

Its owners might enjoy keeping oneunit as a vacation retreat for themselvesand renting the other out. The cantile-vered setback is visually interesting, andthe recessed porches are widely separatedto enhance the sense of privacy.

Double walls, also known as partywalls, provide extra sound buffering be-tween the two units, and an exterior wallseparates the covered patios. Bedroomsline up along the outer edges, thus assur-ing totally private sleeping environmentsas well.

A description of one will serve for both,since the units have identical but reversedfloor plans. Standing in the entry, the liv-ing-dining area is on one side, a coat clos-et and passageway to the bedrooms are infront, and direct access to the garage is onthe opposite side.

Few duplexes feature a lofty, vaultedliving and dining area such as this. The

high ceiling creates an expansive sense ofopenness, with natural illumination dur-ing most daylight hours. Plenty of naturallight washes in through a wide set of win-dows up front, plus a smaller dormerwindow higher up.

In the kitchen, the ceiling is flat andlower. An overhead plant shelf and raisedeating bar also mark this boundary.

Stove, sink and refrigerator cluster in atight, step-efficient triangle here, conve-nient for meal preparation and cleanup.Cupboards and work surfaces are in goodsupply. Counters wrap around three sides,while a floor-to-ceiling pantry boostsavailable shelf space.

More storage is found in the hallway tothe Torrington’s bedrooms and a two-section bathroom. The rear bedroom isslightly larger.

A review plan of the Torrington, including floor plans,elevations, section and artist’s conception, can be bought for$25 by phone, mail or online. Add $5 for shipping and handling.Associated Designs, 1100 Jacobs Drive, Eugene, OR, 97402.www.associateddesigns.com. (800) 634-0123.

HOUSE PLAN

Torrington duplex holdsmany upscale features

The Listing of the Weekis a country home set in 5acres of trees at Arcadia.

The 1,500-square-foothome at 13320 E Timber-wood Lane has three bed-rooms, two baths, one liv-ing room, one dining roomand a detached single-cargarage. The home has largecovered patios front andback. The roof is metal.

The acreage and home,built in 2004, is listed for$150,000 with Ryan Hukillof Paradigm AdvantEdgeReal Estate. The home is inthe Luther School District.From State Highway 66and Hiwassee Road, gonorth 2 miles to NE 220,then east 1⁄8 mile and southon Timberwood Drive toTimberwood estates.

For more information,call 259-6565.

Nominations for Listing of the Weekare welcome. Send information onsingle-family homes to The Oklahoman,Richard Mize, P.O. Box 25125, OklahomaCity, OK 73125. Nominations may befaxed to 475-3996.

LISTING OF THE WEEK

The Listing of the Week is at 13320 E Timberwood Lane at Arcadia. PHOTO PROVIDED

Arcadia home is on 5 acres


Q: We live in a 2-year-old condo with west-fac-ing windows.

The afternoon sun isvery bright and hot attimes. Someone told methat you can have a filmprofessionally applied tothe inside of the win-dows that will still allowall the light to come in,but will cut the ultravio-let rays and it will stay alittle cooler in summerand keep it a little warm-er in winter, as well ascutting down on sun fadefor carpet, etc.

Do you know anything

about this and if it reallyhelps? What should welook for in a product, andhow do we find a reliableinstaller?

A: There actually is awide range of windowfilms that can be applied toyour windows, includingones that will block UVrays and heat from enter-ing, while helping to re-duce heat loss backthrough the glass, so youalso get some benefit in thewinter.

Depending on yourneeds, you can get filmsthat are completely clear

or ones that are tinted sothat people on the outsidecan’t look in.

To find an installer,check the Yellow Pagesunder “Windows — Tint-ing.” As with hiring anyperson to work on yourhouse, you need to make

sure that the company youhire is properly licensed,bonded and insured.

Ask that they make a sitevisit to examine your win-dows, and that they bringsamples of the differentfilms.

Also, ask for local refer-ences of people they haveworked for so that you cansee some of these films inan actual house, and alsocheck on how the past cli-ent felt about the compa-ny. Finally, be sure you getat least two competitiveestimates; make sure thatyou fully understand the

price, warranty, and ser-vices they’re providing;and be sure you get every-thing in writing.

There are a couple ofother things to be aware of.With many types of insu-lated-glass windows, theapplication of a tintingfilm can void the window’swarranty. Be sure that youask the tinting companiesabout that, and also checkwith the window manu-facturer to verify whatyou’re being told.

Also, window films canbe something of a gray areawith condo associations.

Technically, the condo as-sociation owns the win-dow, and a window film isusually considered an al-teration of the window it-self, not just a windowcovering. So before you in-stall a film, be sure tocheck with your condo as-sociation to avoid any con-flicts.

If it turns out that a tint-ing film is not a viable op-tion for you, you can alsoinstall interior or exteriorroll-up sun shades thatwill accomplish the samegoals.

INMAN NEWS

Alternative window treatments help block sunPaulBianchina

HANDY @ HOME

PHILADELPHIA — The seniorhousing sector, driven by invest-ment companies, has gone gang-busters since 2010.

In the third quarter of 2011, 39senior housing deals worth $5.5billion were completed, primar-ily by real estate investmenttrusts that specialize in housingfor the elderly. That figure in-cludes independent-living andassisted-living communities,but not nursing homes.

The total value of senior hous-ing deals in the quarter endingSept. 30 was greater than thecombined total in the previoustwo full years, according to theNational Investment Center forthe Seniors Housing & Care In-dustry in Annapolis, Md.

Brandywine Senior Living inMount Laurel, N.J., has partici-pated in the consolidation fren-zy. Brandywine, which had beenowned by New York private eq-uity firm Warburg Pincus LLCsince 2006, sold its 19 assisted-living facilities in five states in

December to Health Care REITof Toledo, Ohio, in a deal valuedat $600 million.

Brandywine Senior Living,now primarily a managementcompany owned by Chief Exec-utive Brenda G. Bacon and otherexecutives, leased the facilitiesback and continues to operatethem.

Brandywine, with 2,000 em-ployees, is not standing still.

“The senior-living industrysurvived the pressure on real es-tate after Lehman Bros. col-lapsed,” said Bacon, 61, who co-founded Brandywine in 1996with two nursing homes that sheowned and $65 million in privateequity.

Steve Monroe, editor of thetrade newsletters SeniorCare In-vestor and Senior Care Acquisi-tion Report in Norwalk, Conn.,cited the relatively small drop inthe senior housing occupancyrate during the real estate col-lapse of recent years as reason forits attractiveness to investors.

“It dropped from 91 percent to87 percent,” Monroe said. “If youonly dropped that much in the

worst we can throw at you in 70years, that’s pretty ... good.”

Senior housing includes inde-pendent living and Brandywine’sspecialty, assisted living, whichis for those who can no longerlive safely on their own but whodo not need the more intenselevel of care provided in nursinghomes.

For investors and operators,

assisted living has an advantageover nursing homes in that it isnot that dependent on govern-ment funding. Assisted-livingresidents, by contrast, typicallyuse private resources to pay rent.

Assisted living also has a busi-ness advantage over continuing-care retirement communities,where seniors have the assurancethat they will not have to move

again, Bacon said.Seniors who move to contin-

uing-care retirement communi-ties live first in the independent-living section.

They have to be able to get byon their own, which means theycould just as well remain in theirhouses.

Because many seniors are re-luctant to sell their houses in aweak market, some continuing-care retirement communities aredealing with significant drops inoccupancy rates.

Moving to assisted living isusually not a choice, Bacon said,speaking in the voice of a senior:“I’m going to move into assistedliving because I need to. I havesome needs that need to be metand can’t be met at home.”

For most seniors, the cost ofassisted living ranges from$3,000 to $10,000 a month, de-pending on the accommodationsand the level of care, said Bacon,who started her career as a socialworker before earning an MBA atthe Wharton School of the Uni-versity of Pennsylvania in 1980.


Senior housing market continues to growBY HAROLD BRUBAKER The Philadelphia Inquirer

Brenda Bacon, Brandywine Senior Living president and CEO,stops to say hello to personal trainer Kim Stewart who is work-ing with Jean Anderson at Moorestown Estates assisted-livingcenter in Moorestown, N.J. MCCLATCHY TRIBUNE PHOTO


Q: I applied for a shortsale, submitted all thepaperwork and waitedfor months to hear backfrom the lender, only tobe rejected. The bank hasnot yet filed a foreclosureaction against me. Can Iput the house back onthe market, find anotherbuyer and resubmit thepaperwork in hopes thebank will approve it thesecond time around?

A: Yes. The adage “if atfirst you don’t succeed,try, try again” is custommade for short sales. Thekey to getting a short saleor loan modification com-pleted is persistence. It’sjust as often the second or

third try that’s approved asthe first. Here are two reallife examples:

I Client 1: He made agood living and came to usto try a short sale on an in-vestment property thatwas about 50-percent un-derwater. On the first try,the bank would not evenconsider it. On the secondtry, the bank would ap-

prove it, but not waive thedeficiency and wanted a$30,000 contributionfrom the seller. On thethird try, the bank ap-proved the short sale,waived the deficiency andasked for no money fromthe seller.

I Client 2: The bankcame back with an ap-praisal that was 30-per-cent higher than marketvalue for the home. Thatkilled the deal. The home-owner waited six monthsand found another buyer.This time, the bank agreedto the valuation and evengave the seller money atclosing to cover moving.

If a short sale falls

through, you (or your law-yer) don’t have to wait a setamount of time and canresubmit the paperworkimmediately. If the bankhas not filed for foreclo-sure, it may start the proc-ess. Deal with that sepa-rately, but don’t give up onthe short sale.

A successful outcomedepends not only on thehomeowner’s circum-stances, but also on whatprograms the lender is of-fering at the time.

Gary M. Singer is a Florida attorney andboard-certified as an expert in realestate law by the Florida Bar. Send himquestions online athttp://sunsent.nl/mR20t7 or follow himon Twitter @GarySingerLaw.


GaryM.Singer

REAL ESTATE LAW

Rejected short sale? Try again

DEAR BARRY: I readyour column religiouslyevery week

It seems that most ofthe problems answeredby you deal with ques-tionable inspections byhome inspectors.

I am beginning tothink that the majorityof home inspectorsmust be either extreme-ly incompetent or theymust be in the pocketsof the sellers or realtyagents.

How can a buyer findan honest, reliable, andcompetent home in-spector?

ArchieDEAR ARCHIE: Your

question raises more thanone issue, so I offer thefollowing four answers:

1. Many of the ques-tions I receive are com-plaints about home in-

spectors. Human naturebeing what it is, peoplespeak up more readilywhen they have a badexperience than whenthey have a good one.

The fact is there aremany competent homeinspectors in the profes-sion, but people don’twrite to say what a greathome inspection they justhad. Therefore, the com-plaints show up often inmy articles.

2. Unfortunately, thereare many home inspectorswho do not perform thor-ough or competent in-spections.

No doubt, there aresome cases where this isdue to unethical relation-ships with Realtors. Per-sonally, I don’t know anyinspectors who operate onthat level, so I expect thatcollusion of that kind is a

rare practice.But home inspectors

are often exposed to sub-tle suggestions and pres-sures from agents. With-out intending to be dis-honest, there could be atendency, in such cases,to soften the presentationof some disclosures.

3. Some home inspec-tors lack the knowledgeand experience needed toconduct a thorough andadequate property eval-uation.

Most home inspectorsreceive ongoing education

from associations such asthe American Society ofHome Inspectors andvarious other state asso-ciations.

But not all home in-spectors are on the ad-vanced side of the educa-tional curve.

4. The toughest ques-tion is how to find a com-petent, reliable homeinspector. The best I canoffer is a method that isnot foolproof.

Try to find someonewith years of experience,who has performed thou-sands of home inspec-tions.

Look for someone whois regarded by Realtors asa nit-picky perfectionist.

In fact, you could callreal estate offices and askif there is an inspectorwho is known as a “dealkiller” or “deal breaker.”

Inspectors with thatkind of reputation arelikely to be qualified andhonest.

DEAR BARRY: Thehouse I’m buying is over100 years old, and thereappear to be somestructural problems.

The main supportbeam in the basement iscracked, causing theupstairs floor to sag.The sellers have in-stalled temporary sup-ports and say that per-manent repairs can bedone at a later time forabout $1,000.

Should I buy thishome or leave wellenough alone?

ChrisDEAR CHRIS: If you

seriously wish to pur-chase this home, youshould disregard the sell-ers’ assessment of the

support problems andhave the foundation andframing systems profes-sionally evaluated. Con-cerns regarding the struc-tural integrity of a homeshould not be left tochance or to offhandopinions.

The framing defectsshould be investigated bya licensed structural engi-neer.

The property shouldalso be fully evaluated bythe most thorough andexperienced home in-spector you can find.

Additional problemswill be revealed by a qual-ified home inspector, andwith the sellers soft-selling a structural defect,additional findings couldbe decisive.

To write to Barry Stone, visit him on theweb at www.housedetective.com.

ACTION COAST PUBLISHING

Why all the house-inspector complaints?BarryStone

INSPECTOR’S IN THEHOUSE


NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — When Jackand Gina Sheehan wanted to demolishand replace their 1952-built waterfronthome in Yorktown, Va., they didn’tchoose the custom-built route.

Instead, they went with what is mostlya modular home.

“I did a lot of research online, looking atmodular, the pros and cons, and visiting acouple of factories in Virginia and NorthCarolina,” said Sheehan, a retired aero-nautical engineer who is a business devel-opment consultant. “When you look atthe construction methods, you found outthe basic factories are all about the same.The difference is what is put into the engi-neering and quality controls.”

In the end, the couple went with Pro-fessional Building Systems in Middleburg,Pa., because the company was better ableto work with their custom plan and stillgive them the benefits of buying modular.

The Sheehans soon hope to have movedinto their three-story house with 2,700square feet of modular-built living spaceon two floors. They hired John Glover ofTidewater Custom Modular Homes inSmithfield, Va., to oversee the construc-tion site. The first level is a custom-built,aboveground basement with garage spaceand full bath designed by an architect.

Accustomed to damaging storms likeHurricanes Isabel in 2003 and Irene lastyear, the Sheehans also are building theirhome to withstand 130-mph winds; anyflooding will be limited to the garage level.Instead of the standard 2-by-6 framingstuds, basement walls are done with 2-by-8s, placed closer together, or on 12-inch centers instead of 24-inch centers.

Bolts, larger-than-usual hurricaneclips and threaded rods that go into theconcrete footers help tie the house andfoundation together. To access the sec-ond- and third-floor modular spaces, theSheehans installed an elevator.

“The brick mason set the cinder blocksso the rods run through the cavities intothe footers,” Jack Sheehan said. “There’smore strength in the first floor of thishouse than in most whole homes. Wewere lucky, we had earthquake and hurri-cane tests the same week, and the housenever even moved.”

For amenities, the house offers quartzcounters, hardwood floors, gas fireplace,ceramic tile floors in baths with floorheater strips, tankless water heater, ener-gy-efficient heating and cooling and 50-year shingles. Elevated front- and rear-screened porches offer scenic views.

Price to build the entire house: $110 persquare foot. That’s considerably lowerthan many custom homes, which usuallystart about $125 per square foot.

“All areas vary,” Glover said. “In our ar-ea, we find that there is typically a 10 to 20percent savings versus comparable site-built construction. This savings can varyfrom plan to plan. We have a 3,000-square-(foot) plan we provide turnkey,excluding site activities like well, septic,clearing, driveway to our published stan-dards for $77 per square foot.”


Modular home may be cheaper alternativeBY KATHY VAN MULLEKOMDaily Press

Left: The Care Cottage is a modularhome from Nationwide Homes that canbe attached and detached with an inte-rior designed to be user friendly forthose with special physical needs.

MCCLATCHY TRIBUNE PHOTO

Below: Suzanne Cook built this water-front home using modular units inGloucester, Va. MCCLATCHY TRIBUNE PHOTO

A crane lifts a modular unit onto the second floor of a home built bySuzanne Cook in Gloucester, Va. MCCLATCHY TRIBUNE PHOTO

Top $$$ For Your Trade!Zero Down w/your Land.

WAC 405-631-7600

3, 4, 5 Bedroom Reposavail! Huge savings. Zero

down with your landWAC 405-631-7600

Trade your trailer. PushPull or Drag. Guaranteed$5000 & UP! 405-631-3200

3 bed Double on CornerLot $428/mo Financing

Avail. 405-324-8010

Rent to Own: Nice 2&3bdMWC $350&up 390-9777

Rent to Own: Nice 2&3bdMWC $350&up 390-9777

Owner carry with down.Nice homes & fixers.

417-2176.www.homesofokcinc.com

I BUY HOUSESAny condition. No cost

to U 410-5700

I BUY & SELL HOUSES27 YRS EXP 650-7667

HOMESOFOKCINC.COM

The City of Alva, Okis seeking individualswho are interested in

purchasing theHomesteadRetirement

Center.The Center is an

independent livingcenter containing a full

service kitchen & diningfacility. The Homestead

has 50 apartments ofvarious sizes. It is

located near the ShareMedical Center and

Northwest TechnologyCenter. It sits on 5.45acres. The Center wasbuilt in 1997-98 and has

approximately 52,000 s.f.of gross area with brick

exterior, concreteparking, spacious yardand open foyer. For

additional informationcontact Steven Brown,City Business Manager

at 580-327-1340 [email protected]

Excellent Opportunity!!!for someone who wantsto own & operate theirown country cafe. NearNorman, Noble & LakeThunderbird. Call 405-226-2015, Co.

36year old AC/Heating Co.Okla town of 30,000

Gross $1.2-$1.5 million.Net $250-$300K. Bldg, 5trucks & tools included.$700,000. 405-481-0937

PRIME RETAIL LOCATIONI-35 frontage, showroom,ofcs, warehouse 10,800sf$5,000mo. 8801 S. I-35Dale or Mike, 631-4447

SMALLBUSINESSLOCATION1250 sq ft. S. 89th & I-35$500mo. ph: 631-4447

Great retail space! 44 ftfrontage, 5820 N MayAve, 2330 sf, 664-2100.

7608 N Western AveRetail/Office space, up

to 2200sf avail, 370-1077

GREAT Office SpaceVarious NW locations300-6000sf 946-2516

6000sf Warehouse Ofcs13919 N. Harvey Ave

Oklahoma City, OK 73114

K Office, K Warehousefor lease. Various sizes.

221 W Wilshire 842-7300

Nice secluded, Furnished3bd home near Wilburton.

$600mo 918-465-3508

$99 Move In Special1 & 2bds, carports, coinlndry $345-445 470-3535

TOP LOCATION!Pd. wtr/garb. Near malls.Try Plaza East 341-4813

Free Month Rent! 1&2bdQUIET! Covered ParkingGreat Schools! 732-1122

»» ALL BILLS PAID»»310 S Lahoma nice, clean,

1bd efficiency $350Fidelity410-4300, 692-1661

$99 MOVE IN + DEP 1, 2,3BD, Newly renovated!

S8 OK Call today 475-9984

$100 Off1st Mo Rent 1&2 BedroomsFurnished & Unfurnished

NEWLY REMODELEDGATED COMMUNITYCAVE CREEK

ON ROCKWELL3037 North Rockwell

495-2000

$100 off1st Mo Rent Selected Units

LARGE TOWNHOMES& APARTMENTS

• Washer, Dryers, pools• PC Schools, fireplacesWILLIAMSBURG

7301 NW 23rd

787-16202, 3 & 4 bedrooms

Isola Bella Gated com-munity, Fitness center,

indoor pool, dogpark,Putnam City Schools,granite countertops,Cherrywood cabinets,full size connections

available in some homes.No pet weight limit.

405-721-2191

$99 Special1 & 2 BD & Townhouses•City bus route/Shopping•Washer/Dryer hookupsValencia Apts

2221 N. Meridian

946-6548Walford Apts-Midtown-518 NW 12 large 1bd 1ba1100sf $850mo $600depwasher/dryer hookup.Studio 600sf $650mo $400dep. Basement efficiency$400mo $200dp 409-7989

1 Month Free!2bd $575 Casady751-8088

»» ALL BILLS PAID»»Pre-Winter Special

$189 1st Mo293-3693

DREXEL ON THE PARK

Furnished/UnfurnishedBills Paid» Wkly/MonthlyWes Chase Apts, Elk HornApts, Hillcrest 370-1077

MAYFAIR Great location!1/2 bd W/D hdwd flr quietsecure ngbrhood¡947-5665

Briargate 1718 N Indiana1bd, 1ba $525, $250 dep,800 sf, all elect 409-7989

Plaza Apts 1740 NW 171bd 1ba 750sf $500mo$250dp 409-7989 no sec8

•ABC• Affordable, Bugfree, Clean » 787-7212»

800 N. Meridian 1bdAll bills paid 946-9506

»»»»»»»»»»»»»» Bills Paid 681-7561 »» 1 bd From $550 Move»» 2 bd From $650 In»» 3 bd From $740 Today»» Call for Special »»»»»»»»»»»»»

$99 SPECIALLg 1bdr, stove, refrig.,clean, walk to shops.$345 mo. 632-9849


$99 Move In Special!!!Lg 1 and 2 Bdr, $345 to

$420 mo. 632-9849

San-Tee Apts, 1 bd$325 a month

685-2909

3315 1/2 SW 28th2bd apt upstairs, all bills

pd $575/mo 408-5836

San-Tee Apts, Sm eff.$275 a month

685-2909

The Gardens SW 74th.2 bed, 2 bath $580; 1 bed$420; No Pets; 681-9722.

»»»»»»»»»»»»»» Bills Paid 354-5855 »» 1 bd From $550 Move»» 2 bd From $650 In»» 3 bd From $740 Today»» Call for Specials »»»»»»»»»»»»»

Copper Chase TH/Condo3/3/2, private patio, pool,

tennis ct. No dep. req.$1500/mo. 623-1443

Quiet NW Townhome,1 bed + study, 1K bath,

$550 mo ‘ 748-3868

926 SW 35th StreetMoore, OK

3 Bed, 2 Bath, Newly Re-modeled Duplex! All Ap-pliances Included! 2 CarGarage, Fenced in BackYard. $1100 per month,(less with long termlease) plus $500 initialdeposit. Pets under 20lbs Welcome With Addi-tional Deposit. 405-274-9503 or 405-274-6299.

2411 NW 12th 1bd 1ba1car wood floors, insideutility, 1000sf, $575mo,$275dp 409-7989 no sec8

Lux 1800sf, 3Bd 2Ba 2Carliv, hdwood, alarm, $1050,745-2700/371-3020.

Large 1bed, new paint &carpet, $415 + gas/electric2607 N Dewey 232-9101

New paint, 2/2/1, W/D.8410 Wakefield Ave MooreSch, $600/mo 834-6328

Duplexes, 3 bed, 2 bath, 2car, some new, some gat-ed, call Rick, 405-830-3789.

All bills paid, cableincluded. $425/mo. SW

OKC area. Call 634-7219


3bd, 1.5ba, new appls,$850/month. NO PETS

7412 NW 27th. 205-2067

Spacious 3bd, 1 liv, 2BA,2 gar. Lg fnc yd. Frplce.$1375. 760-3550

1N to 10A, E. of OKC,pay out dn. before 1st pmt.starts, many are M/H readyover 400 choices, lg trees,some with ponds, TERMS

Milburn o/a 275-1695paulmilburnacreages.com

OWNER FINANCING1-10 Acres

Many LocationsCall for maps405-273-5777

www.property4sale.com

9481 Lakeridge DrGuthrie, OK

3bd/2bth Mobile Homeon 2.5 acres (m/l)

Woodlake Properties273-5777

Call for Maps! See whywe sell more acreagesthan anyone in Okla.

E of OKC. o/a 275-1695

HUNTING HUNTING153A pasture/hunting+neathome site, on blacktopnear Gracemont $198,900160A Irrigation potentialTillman Co $1700/acre73A Tillman Co hunting/farm land $87,600342A Kiowa Co river fronthunting/farm land $350K320A Wichita Mtn, remote& refuge like $480,000850A good hunting/grazing,river frontage $795/ac

Tumbleweed Terr. REJohn McElroy 580-569-4213

OWNER FINANCING$2000 down No Credit Ck522 E Douglas Dr. $49K¡596-4599‘ 410-8840¡

UPDATED 3bd 2ba lrgcov patio $104,900

Marian Cleaton & Assoc373-2494

BANK OWNED 3/1.5/2 brknew crpt, roof, tile, paint,appls, counters &cha $87.9kRealty Experts 414-8753

Updated 3/2/2, huge living& master, blt 81, PC Schls1942sf, lots storage$139.9KRealty Experts 414-8753

Bank Owned 3/2/2 2035sf+ enclosed patio/sauna,corner lot, PC Sch $99.9kRealty Experts 414-8753

ARBORS townhousew/creekview 3bd 2ba

$124,900 Marian Cleaton& Assoc 373-2494

3bd, 2ba, 2car, fncd yrd,1750sf mol, Moore Schls,close to Tinker, Ownerfinancing avail. 210-6721

Beautiful ''3bedroom''new carpet, texturedwalls all the goodies

looks brand new, pricedto sell $85,900 -570-4291

OWNER FINANCING$2000 down No Credit Ck1204 SW 56th 2-3/1 $56K1041 SW 32 2/1 $45,000

2509 SW 39 3/1 $51,000712 SW 28 4/1 $1000 dn¡596-4599 ‘ 410-8840¡

1 AC 3bd+office & mediarm,storm shelt approx 3100'

1.1 AC 4bed 2.5bathapprox 2400' $250,0002.6 AC 4bd 3ba horse

ready w/barn $199,0005 AC w/stocked pond

3bd 1.5ba 2 liv $159,000Marian Cleaton & Assoc

373-2494

40 ACRES HUNTINGLAND HUGHES CO.

$20,000. 405-886-1643

Year End Sale! SaveThousands! Own LandZERO down. Turn Key.

New & Repo Homes. Topdollar for your trade!

$2500 furniture allowancew/new home purchase.

WAC 405-631-7600

REPO REPO REPOPALM HARBOR4bd/3bth 32 x 80

high quality, Belowwhole$ale. Call now

405-324-8000

For Sale1997 Fleetwood DW,3 bed, 2 bath new car-

pet/tile, roof. Located inBurntwood. May be

moved 912-7867

312 S. CarneyCarney, OK

3bd/2bth Mobile Homeon large lot

Woodlake Properties273-5777

About to Repo2bd/2bth, Large Living,Fenced Yard $324/mo.

readynowwac.405-577-2884

5907K NW 40th 1bd 1bafncd yard, $435mo

$400 dep . 921-6981

MH 1 BR., 29th &Choctaw. $390 + $200dep. 390-2471 651-1165

2208 Doris 2/1 $450Free List 681-7272

2+Acres-Horses3 Bed+Office,2Ba,CH/A,Edmond Schools Avail-able 1/1/12 740- 6723

Trails South3bed, 2ba, 2 Car 1550$1150 610-733-5759

3/2/2, 1400sf mol, ch/a,308 Cherryvale Rd $950mo, $950 dep 370-1077

3/2/1 brk, kit appls. 1 yrlease. avail now $750+deps 454-2314/664-3751

Houses All Areas-Free List4 bed from $595-12953 bed from $495-9952 bed from $395-795

605-5477 2545 SW 59th

4 bd, 1K ba, ch&a, newremodel, $750, Sec 8,354-7413/642-3847

1016 Willowbrook3bd 1.5 baths w/den$675/mo 408-5836!

3 bd, 1K ba, 2c, fncd yard,fireplace, $675 mo + dep,10022 Isaac Dr, 412-7013

602 W Lockheed 3/1$550Free List 681-7272

951 NW 2nd nice 3bdbrick home, 1car garage,fresh paint, clean, $750Fidelity410-4300, 692-1661

943 NW 2nd 3bd 1.5bath1car 900sf $750 +depHome&RanchRlty794-7777

943 NW 2nd 3bd 1.5bath1car 900sf $750 +depHome&RanchRlty794-7777

Lovely 3/2/2 brick homeKoi pond $1075 603-4775

readyCouncil/Hefner $700R/

$500D No pets No smok-ing call 728-4369

Sec 8, 2808 NE 18th,3bd, 1ba, Like new,updated. 417-5600

600 E. Elder Lane4bd, 2ba, CH&A, new

carpet & paint, No Smoking$1,150/mo + $1,000dep

405-262-0179

3bd, 2ba, 2car, fncd yard,Mustang Schools, $875/mo+ dep. 405-210-6721

2016 HARDIN AVE4bd 1ba ch&a $725mo

$500dep no sec 8 812-4299

1020 Clover Ln 1200sf3bed 2ba $700 mo, $500dep 409-7989 no sec 8

7012 Spinnaker 3/2/2 $12952933 NW 70 3/2 $8956717 NW 131 3/2/2 $11957616 NW 27 3/1.5/2 $1095Express Realty 844-6101www.expressrealtyok.com

2bd 1ba 4001 NW Libertych&a, wd hu. $685mo

$500dep 831-0825

3232 Brushcreek, inQuail Creek on the golfcourse, 3 bed, 2.5 bath,2 car, 1 FP, $2275 mo,$2000 dep. ¡ 831-0825


605-5477 2545 SW 59th

Windsor Hills Executivehome 2 story 4 bed, 2Kbath, 2 car, fenced backyard. $1250 mo + dep946-0111 or 887-4455

Updated Executive home.Granite & travertine 3b

2+b 2liv 2din 2car GreensNW 122nd $1450 830-3399

K Off Special924 NW 109th 3bd 2ba2car 1300sf $850mo $800dep, no Sec 8 409-7989

2139 NW 14th 3bd 2ba,garage, 1300sf, $850 mo,$600dp 409-7989 no sec8

3 bed $400mo + $200dep,1520 NW 10th; Others;

no sec 8; 639-0556.

6509 Dulane Cir., 3bd,2bath, fireplace, doublegar, $975/mo 408-5836

»» SECTION 8 OK»»712 NW 88th, ch&a,

$795 per mo, 942-3552

9417 N. McKinley, 2bd,1bath, w/garage,

$550/mo 408-5836

2137 NW 29 lg 1/1 $350Free List 681-7272

2319 NW 10, Nice 2 bed$500 • 732-3411

510 SE 18th 2bd 1ba ch&aappls, $525+dep. refs reqd.Avail Feb 1 ¡ 627-5966


605-5477 2545 SW 59th

3004 Neighbors Ln extranice 2bd brick home with1 car garage, ch/a, clean,only $650. Fidelity RealEstate 410-4300, 692-1661

522 SE 48th,3 bed, 2 bath, CH&A,

washer/dryer hookup w/appliances, 405-501-6570

Near Tinker, 3 bed, 1Kbath, 1 car, new carpet,paint & tile, ch&a, $700mo, $500 dep, 517-4400.

29 SE 33rd 1bed 1bath,water & gas paid $350

Free List 681-7272

6208 Joe's Dr., 3 bd,1 bath, $450/mo

408-5836


605-5477 2545 SW 59th

325 SW 92nd Extrasharp spacious 2bd patiohome w/2ba 2car garage,ch/a, fp only $850 FidelityRE 410-4300, 692-1661

1160 SW 77th Ter nice2bed brick home 2 bath1car ch/a $650 Fidelity410-4300, 692-1661

1020 SW 58th-2bd duplxnew carpet + paint, applsno: pets, smoking $595mo

owner 405-642-4116

2501 SW Murray Dr,(corner SW 46th & Villa),nice 2 bed, 1 car, $495 +

dep, 685-6817, Co.

611 SW 32 nice spacious2bd home with carportclean, fenced only $450.Fidelity410-4300, 692-1661

121 SW 39th, 2 bed, 1 baGarage, $385/mo

408-5836

2/1/1, ch/a, fenced, newtile & cabinets, hardwood

floors, $545, 550-5128.

3600 SW 36th, 2bd, appl,Section 8 ok, $450 +$400 dep. 685-8240

2924 SW 51st, 3 bed, 1bath, ch&a, no pets, nosec 8, $475, 631-2383.

2 bedroom$450mo $250dep.

631-8039

3700 SW 42nd 3/1.75 $750Free List 681-7272

VILLAGE, 2117 Erin Pl,3/2/0, ch&a, remodeled,

appt only,$750, 843-5853

1724 Marian 3bd + bonus1bath $700+dep WACHome&RanchRlty794-7777

1724 Marian 3bd + bonus1bath $700+dep WACHome&RanchRlty794-7777

2bd, 1ba, w/appls incl. +W&D, Edmd Schools,

storage shed. No pets.348-6240 or 623-1181

MH in trailer park on SE59th, 3 bed, 2 bath, bigliving/kitchen, 826-4637.

Male has 1 bedrm withhouse privileges, cable &util incl, $350, 234-2228.

Couple seeking room-mate to share house,

smoking okay, $400 moutilities included,

326-9114

Farms, RanchesFor Sale, Okla. 308

HomesFor Sale 309.9

HuntingProperty 336.0

Commercial RE

Established Business For Sale

Established Business For Sale

Business Property For Rent

Offi ce Space For Rent

Warehouse Space For Rent

Yukon 438

Condominiums,TownhousesFor Rent 441

Houses for rent


Oklahoma CityMass Architects Inc.,

3101 SW 24, school, add-on, $6,000,000.

MAPS for Kids, 2717 SRobinson Ave., CapitolHill Elementary School,school, remodel,$5,900,000.

Smith & Pickel Con-struction, 3501 NW 63, of-fice, remodel, $800,000.

TPC Construction Inc.,9425 SW 29, residence,erect, $347,000.

Harold Poage, 2215 SCounty Line Road, resi-dence, erect, $325,000.

Justice Homes Inc., 15312Daybright Drive, resi-dence, erect, $265,000.

Manchester EliteHomes LLC, 14700 SedonaDrive, residence, erect,$260,650.

Rose Creek CottagesConstruction LLC, 17113Trophy Drive, residence,erect, $250,000.

Timber Craft HomesLLC, 2724 NW 173 Terrace,residence, erect,$246,290.

Beacon Homes LLC,14300 Willow Reed Drive,clubhouse, erect,$230,000.

Red Door CustomHomes LLC, 4704 SW 126Place, residence, erect,$217,000.

Red Door CustomHomes LLC, 4709 SW 126Place, residence, erect,$215,000.

Glenstone Homes LLC,1708 NW 196, residence,erect, $210,000.

Rocky Mayberry, 15416SE 71, residence, erect,$200,000.

McBride Homes LLC,2401 W Lindley Ave., resi-dence, erect, $200,000.

McBride Homes LLC,2349 W Lindley Ave., resi-dence, erect, $200,000.

No name provided, 8113Dripping Springs Lane,residence, erect,$200,000.

Lorenz Heritage HomesLLC, 12409 LexingtonDrive, residence, erect,$195,000.

Lorenz Heritage HomesLLC, 4712 SW 125 Place,residence, erect, $195,000.

Belden Building, 2520 WMemorial Road, retailsales, remodel, $190,000.

Quality DesignedHomes LLC, 11720 SW 21,residence, erect, $186,160.

Cliff Marical HomesInc., 11213 SW 38, resi-dence, erect, $178,900.

G Corp. LLC, 5025 Gail-lardia Corporate Place, of-fice, remodel, $175,000.

Taber Built Homes LLC,15513 Cardinal Nest Drive,residence, erect, $170,000.

Cutter Homes, 11745 SW20, residence, erect,$150,000.

F.B.C.I., 5900 W Me-morial Road, restaurant,remodel, $150,000.

Cliff Marical HomesInc., 10621 SW 35, resi-dence, erect, $145,000.

King’s Crown HomesInc., 21 SE 88, residence,erect, $140,000.

Cliff Marical HomesInc., 3500 Arcadia Drive,residence, erect, $134,000.

Westpoint Homes,15724 Hatterly Lane, resi-dence, erect, $130,000.

Silvercliffe Construc-tion Co., 5600 N MayAve., office, remodel,$120,000.

Silvercliffe Construc-tion Co., 5600 N MayAve., office, remodel,$120,000.

Home Creations, 18217Groveton Blvd., residence,erect, $120,000.

Sooner Traditions LLC,2425 NW 193, residence,erect, $120,000.

Home Creations, 1008Aspen Creek Terrace, resi-dence, erect, $115,700.

Home Creations, 3045NW 182 Terrace, residence,erect, $101,200.

Sooner Traditions LLC,2429 NW 193, residence,erect, $100,000.

Home Creations, 15816Carriage House Road, res-

idence, erect, $89,700.Charlie Salsman, 6020

N Coltrane Road, barn,erect, $85,000.

Sodexo, 700 NE 13, hos-pital, remodel, $80,000.

Colony ConstructingInc., 521 W Wilshire Blvd.,office, remodel, $60,000.

Oakwood Homes, 7235Janet, manufacturedhome, move-on, $53,000.

Gary Owens Carpet &Construction Inc., 5328Heron Court, residence,add-on, $46,000.

Champion Window Co.,5309 N Everest Ave., resi-dence, add-on, $45,778.

Concept Ventures LLC,7302 Northwest Express-way, business, remodel,$35,000.

A&P Enterprises, 9717NW 10, manufacturedhome, move-on-mobilehome park, $30,000.

Walther Construction,4219 S Western Ave., hos-pital, remodel, $28,000.

Mickey Cary, 1345 SW25, residence, add-on,$25,000.

Glenstone Homes LLC,19528 Talavera Lane, resi-dence, erect, $21,000.

McAlister ConstructionInc., 9204 Lolly Lane, res-idence, erect, $15,000.

Amir Alaui, 333 NW 5,

restaurant, remodel,$12,000.

Efrain Romero, 3025NW 28, accessory, erect,$10,500.

Pergola Supreme Inc.,1417 SW 131 Terrace, resi-dence, add-on, $10,000.

Richard Svoboda, 4028NW 60, accessory, erect,$4,500.

Roger Brox, 721 West-ridge Court, storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$4,200.

No name provided, 2723NW 16, residence, fire res-toration, $4,200.

Willie Giles, 4909 Ken-nington Lane, storm shel-ter, install-storm shelter,$4,100.

Gary Webb, 15420 CoralCreek Lane, storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$3,995.

No name provided,9320 SW 30 Place, stormshelter, install-storm shel-ter, $3,400.

Edward Keith, 9036NW 83, residence, install-storm shelter, $3,350.

William Stacey David,10309 Little Pond Drive,storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,250.

William Cummins,17305 Triana Drive, stormshelter, install-storm shel-

ter, $3,000.Robert Tero, 6515 NE 113,

storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Precision Builders, 615 NHudson Ave., office, re-model, $3,000.

Heidi Patton, 7148 NW102, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $3,000.

Andrea Kerr, 928 PatcoSpur Ave., storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$3,000.

Mau Dang, 11405 Wal-lace Ave., storm shelter,install-storm shelter,$2,800.

Rachel Picott, 745 SW157, storm shelter, install-storm shelter, $2,650.

Marilyn and AnthonyHolloway, 12109 RoyalCoach Drive, storm shel-ter, install-storm shelter,$2,500.

Lloyd Rains, 15933 SHarrah Road, storm shel-ter, install-storm shelter,$2,400.

DemolitionsRay’s Trucking, 12101

SW 26, single-family resi-dence.

Ray’s Trucking, 1841NW 8, single-family resi-dence.

Midwest Wrecking, 309NW 80, shed.

Permits

WASHINGTON — Thenumber of Americans whosigned contracts to buyhomes in November roseto the highest level in ayear and a half.

It was the best readingon pending homes salessince a federal home-buy-ing tax credit expired. Still,the National Associationof Realtors cautioned thata growing number ofbuyers are canceling theircontracts at the last min-ute, making the gauge lessreliable.

The Realtors group saidthat its index of salesagreements jumped 7.3percent in November to areading of 100.1. A readingof 100 is consideredhealthy. The last time theindex was that high was inApril 2010, one month be-fore the tax credit expired.

Contract signings usu-ally indicate where thehousing market is headed.There’s a one- to two-month lag between asigned contract and acompleted deal.

But a sale isn’t final untila mortgage is closed andmany are falling apart be-fore that happens. Onethird of Realtors had atleast one contract scuttledin November and October,according to the Realtors’group. That’s up from 18percent in September.

Pierre Ellis, an analyst atDecision Economics, saidpotential buyers are “feel-ing comfortable with theirpersonal situations andwith the house-pricetrend.” But the demand forhomes is running into sig-nificant obstacles, he said,including tougher lendingstandards and bigger re-quired down payments.

A “sale pending” sign hangs in front of a home inBrookline, Mass. AP PHOTO

Contract signings forU.S. homes increaseBY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Documents

The Oklahoman Real Estate