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Shut The Door!

By Bob "RealMan" Timm

Services for Real Estate Pros with Ward County Notary Services 607851

January 20, 2025 07:08 AM

I know exactly how Titus feels. When I awoke this morning and put Baby out (my dog) it was a negative 25 degrees not counting the windchill.

It's the kind of day where I'm thankful I have a warm home to live in. I'm thankful that I have a reliable furnace, and also that when we rebuilt our home after the flood we did not skimp on insulation or quality windows.

If you are from a Southern State and you purchased an older home up North here you may be discovering the value of good insulation and windows today. Many old homes had inadequate insulation and single pane glass windows. Double pane is better and triple pane is even better. The best windows made today use argon gas between the panes.

It's hard to bring a 100 year old home up to today's heating standards because re-insulating and new windows are very expensive. I remember when my family moved to Fargo ND. It was a big home (even had a butlers quarters and butlers staircase that led to the kitchen) and fuel oil was only 19 cents a gallon. My dad was making mega-bucks for the day but we moved out in less than a year due to the cost of heating.

This is one of those things a first time home owner often doesn't take into consideration and one of the reasons a first time home owner should use an experienced Real Estate agent.

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Patricia Feager

Appraisal Review Board, Denton County, TX - Flower Mound, TX

Licensed to April 2027

Hello Bob "RealMan" Timm - From experience, I agree. Argon Windows are best. Growing up in Chicago inside a house that was one of the first ones built after the Great Chicago Fire, you have no idea how cold that house was. It was a two-story four flat with one space heater in each of the 4 flats. Brrrr...

I can only imagine how important it is to have good insulation and proper windows where you live, or in any northern parts of the United States.

Stay warm. Excellent advice, especially for those moving up north,

Jan 20, 2025 07:51 AM

Roy Kelley

Gaithersburg, MD
Bob "RealMan" Timm

Minot, ND

Bob "RealMan" Timm

Thank you Patricia Feager . Before our remodel our single pain glass windows with storm windows outside before them always had thick frost covering the bottom 3rd of the window. On windy days the furnace would run constantly at this temperatures.

Jan 20, 2025 07:56 AM

Nina Hollander, Broker

Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC

Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

It always amuses me, Bob, when people insist on finding an older home that is "better built." They don't get how much stricter code is today, how much better materials are today, etc.

Jan 20, 2025 08:04 AM

Bob "RealMan" Timm

Minot, ND

Bob "RealMan" Timm

GREAT point Nina Hollander, Broker , my Love. Not only have materials improved but heating technology has jumped in leaps and bounds. Even the placement of vents and returns have reversed from placing return vents being placed near outside walls and heat vents placed near the center of the house (but in each room).

Jan 20, 2025 08:17 AM

GilbertRealtor BillSalvatore

Arizona Elite Properties - Chandler, AZ

Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net

Oh my god, 25 degrees BELOW ZERO. How do you do that? Thank you for sharing the information. Wishing you continued success. Bill

Bill Salvatore, Realtor- Arizona Elite Properties

Jan 20, 2025 09:06 AM

Roy Kelley

Gaithersburg, MD

Bob "RealMan" Timm

Layers! It takes a lot of layers of clothing if you want/need to go outside Bill Salvatore - East Valley . Hoping you have a great 2025.

Jan 20, 2025 06:31 PM

Will Hamm

Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO

"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Hello Bob, we had -2 at 9am this morning and have a high of 7 on this Monday. Spring is just around the corner

Jan 20, 2025 09:06 AM

Bob "RealMan" Timm

Minot, ND
Roy Kelley

Gaithersburg, MD

Bob "RealMan" Timm

That's what I keep telling myself Will Hamm . Once January is over the worst is over... I hope.

Jan 20, 2025 06:33 PM

Lew Corcoran

Better Living Real Estate, LLC - East Bridgewater, MA

Expert guidance. Exceptional results.

Thanks for sharing your insights, Bob "RealMan" Timm! Your perspective on the impact of quality insulation and windows really hits home—especially in this frigid weather. It’s a reminder that good choices in a home can make all the difference.

Jan 20, 2025 02:28 PM

Bob "RealMan" Timm

Minot, ND
Roy Kelley

Gaithersburg, MD

Bob "RealMan" Timm

Thanks Lew Corcoran . I don't remember if I was shocked over my first months utility bills or not but being I was earning minimum wage it probably did scare me at least a little bit. Actually Lew I ate a lot of saltines and spam until I found my calling.

Jan 20, 2025 06:58 PM

Roy Kelley

Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

I would not know how to cope with your weather.

We have icy conditions in Maryland. 18 degrees as I post this comment.

Dolores and I have been watching the inauguration events on TV.

Jan 20, 2025 02:36 PM

Bob "RealMan" Timm

Minot, ND

Bob "RealMan" Timm

I hope I get out to meet you and Dolores some day Roy Kelley , Id love to see Maryland. BTW icy is scarier to me than snow.

We watched some of the inauguration but really only cared about the presidents speech (which we thought was pretty good). Being we live in an area that is oil rich we loved hearing "drill baby drill". That is great news for North Dakota.

Jan 20, 2025 07:09 PM

Roy Kelley

This is definitely not the best week to visit Maryland or DC. The weather was a challenge for those attending the inauguration events.

Jan 21, 2025 07:58 AM

Brian England

Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ

MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I sure hope that he is in no danger of ever becoming a frozen meal, haha, that doesn't sound appetizing at all to me.

Jan 21, 2025 04:49 AM

Bob "RealMan" Timm

Minot, ND
Roy Kelley

Gaithersburg, MD

Bob "RealMan" Timm

Cuy (guinea pig meat) is considered a delicacy Brian England . I looked it up and it looks horrible as it is served whole... it makes me sad to see a baked pet 😪.

Jan 21, 2025 08:07 AM

Adam Feinberg

Howard Hanna Elegran - Manhattan, NY

NYC Condo, Co-op, and Townhouse Advisor

About 10 years ago I replaced my bedroom window and the sliding glass door in my living room. They cost around $6k each- and I don't want to know how much more it would be today- but they made a huge difference in sound insulation and retaining heat.

Jan 22, 2025 09:25 AM