Dan Sells the Lake

Last January I wrote a blog about 5 Things Every Homeowner Should Know . Today I've decided to add 5 more to that list. Owning a home is an ongoing learning process. Generally, you don't even realize these are things you need to know until a problem arises and forces you to find a solution. The following homeowner tips are simple things that could end up saving you money. Fixing these problems yourself saves you the cost of hiring someone, and basic know-how can keep you from making a problem worse before it gets better.  Secure a loose screw. Occasionally, screws will become loose. This happens often with door hinges. Should this happen to you , it can be fixed without replacing an entire door frame. The best way to do this is to fill the whole with a piece of a small wooden dowel rod. Make the hole a bit bigger if needed to fit the rod inside. Secure it with carpenter's glue. Once the glue is dry, drill a new hole the correct size for the screw.  Locate a w...

It's never too early in the year to start thinking about filing your income taxes.  If you own a home at the Lake of the Ozarks , there are a few tax deductions that you may qualify for.  My Lake Ozark real estate office wants to make sure that you have the chance to utilize these possible tax breaks.   Tax season officially began on January 19, 2016, and this year there is a new deadline of April 18, 2016.  Washington D.C. will be celebrating Emancipation Day on the regular deadline date of Friday, April 15, which causes this year's deadline to be shifted to the following Monday.  In addition to those extra 3 days, you may qualify for other tax breaks.    1. Mortgage Interest Unless it was over one million dollars, all of the interest that you paid over the year on your mortgage is deductible.  That same interest is even deductible on property like an RV or a boat, provided that it has sleeping, cooking, and bathroom facilities...

Most new purchases that you make come with a manual explaining everything that you need to know about the item you have purchased.  If it doesn't, there is usually a link to an online manual that you can access.  Unfortunately, when you buy a home at the Lake of the Ozarks , no one is going to hand you a manual.  You may not be aware that you should know how to take care of something until it breaks and you have to learn the hard way.   Any Lake of the Ozarks real estate agent should be happy to answer any questions that you might have, but you need to know the right questions to ask.  As a child, you probably had no idea that your parents changed the air filter, and when you took a tour of your new home before buying it, the water shutoff valve probably wasn't something that was highlighted.  This blog offers a few pieces of advice that every homeowner should know, and also some easy fixes that can save you money.   1. How to locate the main...