NBC Action Communities

Call for Action continues its investigation into Chad Franklin. We've heard from over 90 consumers who are in the same situation.  Our latest investigation reveals questions over the paperwork. Consumers say they filled out a handwritten application asking for address, income, and employment history. But, consumers say when they call their lender, they are told the lender's application shows different answers to those questions. 

If you are a customer, you should call your lender to see what they show on their application. Often, the dealer will send that directly to the lender and the consumer may not see it. But, you have a right to it and should ask your lender to work with you and give you a copy.

Jenn (strathman@nbcactionnews.com)

It's a question many consumers across the metro are asking about a car dealers ads.  They saw and heard the promises on television and radio.  We've heard from many customers who saw the promise, walked into the dealer, and signed up for the offer.  Fast forward six  months to a year.  Now, the consumers say the dealer is not holding up its end of the bargain and they're stuck with the financial burden.  We go undercover to find out what's really going on at this dealership.  Then we go back with our cameras rolling to get answers. What happened to the advertised deal? Was it really a deal or is there no deal at all? Tune in Wednesday night at 10 for this Call for Action investigation.

Feel free to share your thoughts....

The headlines tell the story. It seems every day we are reporting on some new data showing the slowing housing market. But let's face it, sometimes you still have to sell. We found there are quick and easy ways you can make your house more marketable in this slow market. Here are the top ten.

1. Declutter and store

 Experts say you need to pack up personal belongings and pictures long before you think about moving. Take down pictures -- you don't want to be the focus when a buyer is looking at the house. You want the architecture to tell the story.  Also, what's personal to you is not to the buyer. They may have a different style than you and if your style dominates, it might be hard for the buyer to see themself living in your home.  Once you pack up extra items, store them neatly in your garage or rent a storage unit.

2.  Paint

 You want the buyer to walk in notice how fresh and bright your home looks.  A new layer of paint in a neutral tone will help sell the house. 

3.  Create space

 You want your home to look open.  Experts say many people move because their old space is too small, so create space.  Remove your appliances from the countertop. Leave only one out. You don't want to distract from the countertop and backsplash.  Also, if there is empty countertop it makes the buyer think there is enough space for all their appliances.

If you have a side pantry or rolling cabinet, move it or remove it. Make sure it's not in the way doesn't interupt the flow of the room. Also, it might lead the buyer to think there is not enough cabinet space so it may be best to remove it.

If you have a bed against two walls, move it away from one to create space on both sides. It makes your room look bigger.  Keep the corners of your room open. If you have six dining room chairs, but only four at the table, and the remaining two in the corner of the rooms -- put them all around the table. It opens up your room and creates space.

4.  Update

 Make sure the house is modern and updated. You can add new lights, faucets, and door handles for cheap.  If you want to spend money, do it in the kitchen or bath.  New stainless steel appliances are a plus in your kitchen.

5.  Clean

 Clean the light fixtures, windows, and your driveway.  Make your home easily accessible and remove snow.  If you declutter your home before you put it on the market, it will be easy to keep it clean during the sale.

The best advice is to walk around your home and look at it.  What is the first thing you look at when you walk in the room? Create a focal point and make sure it blends with the house.  If you find it hard to figure out what to take down, ask a friend or neighbor to walk through the home to help you decide what personal effects to remove. Experts say it's essential to detach yourself from the house if you want to sell it.

A popular new trend is to stage a home.  Your realtor can help you do this or you can hire a professional for $250 or more to help you figure out what needs to go and what should stay.

If you have any comments or tips...feel free to share them.

Jenn

COMPOSITE DECKS

Composite decks are all the rage but if you've noticed the advertising has changed a bit as the product has been exposed out in the market. From no maintenance to low-maintenance to even some maintenance. So what does this mean for you? It means you should not throw away those scrub pads just yet when you buy a composite deck.

Composite decking offers lots of advanatages over wood decks but expect to use a little elbow grease to keep yours clean. After all it's out in the environment so succeptible to problems. You may not be staining it every few years, but you still need to keep it clean.

MOLD

Composite decks are succeptible to mold.  That's right mold. Take a look at some of the pictures we've seen on decks across the metro. The manufacturers say it happens because the decks are installed wrong and homeowner's don't keep them clean. But, we even met a man who cleans his deck with a blower several times a week and still had a mold spotted deck.

Click here to view a controllable slideshow and individual photos.

CLEANING

Mold is an industry problem, but each manufacturer addresses it a little differently. Some tell you to throw a 3-1 bleach solution on it to clean. We've heard from many consumers thinking that's simply way too much and consumers are concerned about the effect the bleach has on the deck itself and the plant life around the deck.

There is a company in Lawrence that offers a more bleach diluted product. Watch our story to see them in action cleaning a metro man's deck and decide for yourself.  The company is Prosoco, and is featured on the Trex website as a possible cleaning solution.  Here is the link to Prosoco.

http://www.psc-solutions.com/DC_Main.asp

In the video, we used Composite Deck Restorer and the sealer is Composite Deck Protector. For the deck you saw in the video, the company says it would cost $130 for materials and it should last you 1-3 years before you see mold spots again. I do not endorse products, we simply showed you this as a possible solution. The real test will be long term. The bottom line...it looks like you're going to have to do some cleaning on your composite deck.  Nothing is maintenance free.

Trex has a pretty comprehensive website and informational brochure on the mold issue and lists the Prosoco product. Trex says low maintenance means you don't have to apply a sealer yearly to protect it.

http://www.trex.com/universal/technical_info/tech_mildew.asp

CALL THE MANUFACTURER

If you're unhappy, call your manufacturer. AERT manufactures ChoiceDek and it is in the KC area cleaning decks. The company can't help you if it doesn't hear from you, and I know some of you had trouble before getting help. I think we finally have their attention as there are deck cleanings and contacts now.

Let us know about your experience. Happy blogging! Jenn

 

Deal or no deal results
The coupons advertise carpet cleaning for less than ten bucks a room. Sounds like a good deal, right? To find out, we filled a house with hidden cameras. Out of the four companies we tested, only one honored its advertised price. We got quotes ranging from $57.98 to $384.70. What a price difference. Remember, we have coupons that have a two room mimimun so we should be spending less than 20 dollars! So where does $384.70 come from? We wanted to know as well, so we confronted the salesman who didn't give us very many answers. Guess what...his bosses never returned any of our calls either.

When does $9.95 Apply?
We did hear from some of the other companies. They all tell us the advertised price is for a basic steam clean. They tell us they do hundreds of basic steam cleans, but mostly for repeat customers who get their carpets cleaned on a regular basis. Companies admit the $9.95 doesn't really apply to new customers because often their carpets are more dirty and they need deeper scrubbing and they charge for it. But get this....according to the IICRC or Institute for Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (sort-of the industry setting body for the carpet cleaning industry) customers should expect these basics in all carpet cleaning: Vacuuming, Preconditioning, Extraction, Grooming, and Drying. While the IICRC sets the standard for carpet cleaning, these are just recommendations. So in essence, there should not be an extra charge for scrubbing since the IICRC says that's a basic part of carpet cleaning. But, again, the IICRC just recomends companies follow those standards -- they don't require it. And, not every company is a member of the IICRC.

Finding an IICRC company
To become an IICRC certified firm you must meet tough criteria that aims to protect consumers. To find one in your area...go to the following website.

http://www.certifiedcleaners.org/locator.shtml

Changes on the way
Two carpet manufacturers (Shaw and Mohawk) are making changes to their warranty. The carpet industry hopes this helps customers from getting taken by unscrupulous cleaners. Starting in 2008, customers must use IICRC certified cleaners when getting their carpets cleaned. .

It's expected this will help the situation, but it's likely these bait and switch tactics will continue in some form.

So have you found your carpet coupon to be a deal or no deal at all? Share your experience below....