Lake Ozark Real Estate and Community News

If you've ever wanted to see precisely where and what there is to see around the lake, here is your complete reference! This painstakingly compiled map shows all of the restaurants, bars, and marinas around the Lake of the Ozarks. From one end to the other, you'll be able to find your old haunt or a new favorite!

For the vast majority of us Easter is a time to gather with family, watch the little ones hunt down eggs, and enjoy a meal. We know that Easter is largely associated with Christianity and the resurrection of Jesus. But why is this so? The birth and death of Jesus have not been pinned down to precise dates, and the days in which we celebrate the occurrences are just placeholders.

The original Easter holiday stems from pagans celebrating the goddess of fertility and renewal they called “Eostre” at the turn of the season on the Spring equinox.. Also associated with this pagan celebration was an egg-laying rabbit they called “osterhase”. From there, early Christians co-opted these traditions to ease the pagan conversion to Christianity. From there, all is history.

Today, we still have a great many holdovers from that pagan celebration. Coloring eggs, rabbits, Easter baskets and so much more have roots dating back beyond recorded history. Even in recorded history, some traditions have no clear beginning. Wearing your best clothes and hot cross buns, while seemingly obvious, have no clear start. We just know that this is what we do, and we do it happily.

Many things we take for granted can be traced back a very long time, and many of these things have no clear reason behind them. It’s tradition, and we hold to it! But that’s simply part of the joy that comes with the holiday. Where would we be if we didn’t have the children hunting down eggs, cleverly (and occasionally maliciously) hidden from sight? Where would we be if we didn’t have the chocolate rabbits and baskets full of shiny, fake grass? This is, after all, a celebration and a time for joy!

With the season of renewal, we also have a renewal of attitudes. The long, grim winter has ended and we can now enjoy the warmth and growth of Spring! The pagans definitely had one thing right: This is a good time to celebrate. Around the world many different cultures and countries have unique traditions too numerous to count, all in celebration of Spring’s arrival.

So go out and have a good time with your family! If you are the churchgoing type, enjoy your service! Hide the eggs stuffed with candy and doused with brilliant colors! And if a few of those eggs should mysteriously go missing, well, we won’t tell. ;)

11 Easter Tradition Origins: http://mentalfloss.com/article/94189/origins-11-easter-traditions

14 Easter Traditions from Around the World: https://www.womansday.com/life/travel-tips/g2175/easter-traditions/

Spring has arrived, and with it plenty of room for new growth. The time to plant is fast approaching, be it for vegetables, herbs, or flowers. Here you will find a number of tips to assist you in any planting endeavors for the Lake of the Ozarks region. As is the case these days, you can certainly find much more comprehensive assistance elsewhere on the internet. But our goal here is to simply pique your interest and offer a bit of help on your way. We will provide a few links at the end that you may find helpful.

Be it veggie, herb, or flower, you must wait for the final freeze to pass. Historically, the final freeze in Missouri has been anywhere from April 1 to May 1. The Farmer’s Almanac predicts the final freeze to be on April 10 this year, but that has a 50% accuracy warning. Planting is supposed to begin nearly a week after that date, so April 17 is predicted to be the ideal date.

In any case, you can always begin plant pots in your home!

Indoor planting has a whole set of rules on its own, though it can be quite simple. Some good soil, a stable temperature, sunlight, and plenty of water are all it usually takes. If you wish to try your hand at something new, be sure to refer to the seed packet for a full list of suggestions on best growing practices. Be sure you give the seeds plenty of room to grow as well, otherwise they are not likely to survive the close quarters or the replanting.

Common crops such as corn and tomatoes are planted at this time. Less common seeds, such as broccoli or beets, are also a good idea. Herbs, too, are to be planted. Basil, oregano, thyme, and sage all stand a good chance of planting this time of year.

The sheer variety of flowers can be overwhelming. We recommend finding your favorite assortments and following the instructions on their seed packets. Begonias, lily varieties, dahlias, and many other bulbs ought to be planted at this time. With so many options, you should be able to find a few you can easily manage.

Once you have sorted out what you want your garden to be, you should consider what kind of garden you want. No, we don’t mean veggie or flower; that ought to have been decided when you picked your seeds! If you’re feeling ambitious, feel free to pursue both! What we’re talking about is the plot. A raised bed? Planters? Normal beds? A bit of research may be needed here, as some of these can require a good deal of preparation. Raised beds, in particular, do require a bit more work on your part. The results, however, speak for themselves.

Once that’s decided, you need dirt. Lots and lots of good, healthy dirt. Fertilizer is helpful, though if you’re going the organic route be prepared for some unpleasant smells. Be sure you have the weeds cleared and the soil aerated. Spreading some form of pest control is also highly recommended. Missouri is home to a large number of plant-destroying pests. Additionally, the rocky ground can make for some aggravating cultivation. It’s at this point you’ll likely begin to see the pros and cons of your bed choice.

If you have prepped some seedlings in your home, make sure you have prepared the ground for an easy transition. If you are just starting from seeds, be sure to follow the recommended depth for planting, otherwise your seeds may fail to sprout! If all goes well, you will be seeing some sprouts in anywhere from a few days to just over a week.

After that, it’s simply a matter of removing weeds, keeping it watered, and keeping the pests away. The pests can surprise you, as they are not limited to insects. Snails can cause much havoc, as well as a number of rodents. Rabbits and squirrels are particularly voracious, though you may notice a turtle or two munching on some of your produce. They’re quite fond of cucumbers and strawberries. One pest most people tend to forget about are deer. If you live in a wooded area, a light fence with some orange tape tied to it should ward off the worst offenders.

Any seasoned gardener will likely know much of this by rote, but then again, we assume any seasoned gardener won’t have need of our tips! ;) Hopefully you learned something from us, and we hope your efforts at gaining a green thumb go well. Have a happy Spring!

Farmer’s Almanac: https://www.almanac.com/gardening

Urban Farmer Learning: https://www.ufseeds.com/learning/

Lake Area Master Gardener’s Resource Page: http://extension.missouri.edu/camden/mastergardeners.aspx

Demystifying Your Dewinterizing

A great many people find themselves needing to winterize their homes and boats in the winter. Many hire professionals, and many prefer the DIY route in a bid to save some money. If you're among the latter group, let us be the first to congratulate you on doing it properly and making it through the season!
However, as the Spring approaches, you now need to undo all of your efforts, and then some! Well, perhaps we can assist you with that. This blog will contain some helpful tips to get you on your way to a proper dewinterization. But please keep in mind that a professional service will almost always do a much better job!

For Your Home

Your first step should be preparing to turn the water back on. For this, you should first remove all aerators from faucets. This should easily be done by hand, but if you find a stubborn one, a pair of pliers will come in handy!
Before turning on the water, make sure all of the faucets are in the "Off" position. When winterizing, they should have been left in the "On" position, so be sure to check them all! If you have water-supplied appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators, or water softeners, be sure to turn those valves on.
If you have an electric water heater, make certain it is turned off at the breaker box and open the cold water inlet to fill it. Also make certain the pressure relief valve is closed, lest it leak. Go outside and open a hose faucet to help relive pressure on the system before you turn the water on again.
If you have access the the water shutoff at the meter, be sure to turn the water back on slowly. If pressure builds too quickly, it may cause or exacerbate a leak in your system. After the valve is open, make sure you check to see if water is flowing from your hose faucet.
Return to the water heater, and allow it to fill completely before you turn it on. You might want to wait a few minutes for the water to warm before the next step, as you'll be testing the faucets in your house one at a time, cold and then hot. This process will allow you to pinpoint any leaks you may have. Make sure everything is draining properly, and that none of your drains have leaks. This also allows ample water to run through the lines and clear any debris or leftover water. If you filled your line with antifreeze, this is also a good way to be certain the antifreeze is flushed. If you did use antifreeze, make absolutely sure that you run every water faucet possible for a few minutes to ensure a full flush.
Once you have gone through the faucets, you can then turn your toilets back on. Wait for the tanks to fill, then flush a few times. Inspect the base of the toilet for water to ensure you have no leaks. Once this is complete, you can turn off the outside faucet.
You're almost done! Now that you have cleared the pipes of air and let the system run through a bit, it's time to inspect the plumbing at large. Go through the house and inspect every pipe you can. Stop off at the water heater and appliances to be certain there's nothing amiss. If you find any water, you likely have a leak. If not, you're good to go! Your house is dewinterized, and you can use it normally. Now don't forget to put the aerators back on the faucets!

For Your Boat

While a house is one thing, boats are quite another. We highly recommend using a professional service to winterize and dewinterize your boat. Boats are far more complicated than houses. Being less insulated and holding damp, they are far more prone to damages than homes and very likely to have expensive issues if they were not winterized properly. Assuming they were, the process of actually dewinterizing your boat is fairly simple, if a bit time consuming. Just be happy Lake of the Ozarks is freshwater, as the salty ocean brings a whole host of issues all its own! Now, on to the process.
Much like the house, you will want to remove aerators from the faucets and make certain any water-using appliances are connected. If you have a water heater, follow the same procedure outlined above. Then begin filling you water tank!
While the tank is filling, you can install your batteries. Once that's done, run through your electronics to be sure they work, leaving out the water heater and water pumps of course. If you are connected to dock power, this course of action is a bit moot. It might be wise to switch over to batteries before you do the run-through. Check on your water tank frequently to prevent overfilling, or you might have a mess on your hands.
Once the tank is full, turn on the water pumps. Fill the water heater and turn it on. Open one faucet and leave it while the air is purged from the system. Once that faucet is running cleanly, feel free to run the other faucets one at a time. Since boats should have antifreeze run through the system, make sure you run every faucet possible for a full system purge. Don't forget the toilets! As boat owners know, boat toilets must be manually filled. You should run through this process a few times to clear any antifreeze. Also, don't forget any exterior faucets. Once that's done, you should be good to go! Don't forget to put the aerators back on!
Now, on to the engine. This is likely to be the place where you run into trouble. The engine should have have extensive winterizing done on it by you or a professional. Just to be safe, check all fluid levels: oil, coolant, fuel. Also visually examine the lines for any cracks or breaks. If any are seen, cease dewinterizing and get it fixed.  If you don't notice anything, feel free to proceed, but keep an eye on things.
You'll want to make sure any and all lines that were removed from the engine are reattached. Make sure there is water ready to run through your engine, either from the lake itself or an external source. It's much easier to do this while in the water though. Make sure your fuel system is primed. This differs from boat to boat, so make sure you have an operators manual on hand to reference for your model. This manual should also be helpful on winterizing and dewinterizing procedures, so feel free to defer to it for any questions.
Once everything is ready, put it in neutral and start it up! You will likely notice a good deal of smoke in your exhaust, but fret not! This is normal after dewinterizing. If it continues, you'll certainly want to shut it off and have a look. Keep an eye on your gauges and make sure everything is normal. If all goes well, leave your boat running just above idle speed and inspect your engine compartment for any leaks. Again, if anything is amiss shut it down and get it fixed. Make sure the exhaust water is running clear and any antifreeze has been flushed out.
Test your engine out; run through forward and reverse (Best done away from the dock) and make sure the safety stop is properly functioning. Test the steering and make sure everything is working properly. Raise the speed and make sure your tilt/trim is working as it should. Assuming everything has gone well, you have successfully dewinterized your boat!

A Slow Time

It’s once again the time of year for ice, snow, and frigid temperatures. Many people are loath to go out and do anything in this type of weather; and for good reason! Winters in the lake area are typically quiet, with events few and far between. For the Special Olympics Missouri, however, this time of year is very special.

Cold for a Cause

Across the state, the Polar Bear Plunge is being held. This charity event is one of their biggest fundraisers, and attracts hundreds, if not thousands, of participants every year. A project of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Missouri, this event is hosted locally by the Osage Beach Police Department.

Participants are expected to pay a $75 registration fee, and must be at least age 10 to participate. The Polar Bear Strut registration begins at 8:30 a.m., with the Strut at 10 at the OBPD. The Plunge will be held at Public Beach #2. Registration opens at 2 p.m., with the event at 2:30. There will also be a Pee Wee Plunge at the Osage Beach Fire Departments Fire House #2 on Highway KK for children up to the age of 9. The fee for that event is $25.

The Fun

A traditional part of the Plunge is crazy costumes and outlandish antics. Plungers are encouraged to be bold and unique, and oftentimes succeed. Teams have fundraising goals that they attempt to meet, and frequently have themed costumes. The family-friendly event will have a food tent, souvenirs, and lots of pictures.

Additionally, they plan to hold an afterparty at Tan-Tar-A. There will be live music, silent and live auctions, and plenty of food! Plungers get free entry, and guests pay a fee of $10. Special lodging rates are being offered.

Donate

To donate, go to give.somo.org. From there you may search for a specific team or individual to support, or you may donate directly to Special Olympics Missouri.

You may mail offline donations to: Special Olympics Missouri, Lake of the Ozarks Polar Plunge, 1001 Diamond Ridge, Suite 800, Jefferson City, MO 65109. Please include your name in the memo line of checks.

Are you looking for a great, meaningful gift to give to your loved ones this year? Well, you found it. It is fun, easy and inexpensive to do.

Here is what you'll need:

• Candles
• Tissue Paper
• Printer Paper
• Printer
• Scissors
• Tape
• Wax Paper
• Hair Dyer or Hot Air Gun

Instructions:

1. Trim a piece of tissue paper.
   • Make it smaller than a piece of printer paper.
2. Tape the piece of tissue paper that you just trimmed, shiny side down, onto the piece of printer paper.
3. Put the prepared paper into the printer so that it prints onto the tissue paper.
4. Choose the photo you would like to be used for the candle.
5. Print the picture.
6. Cut the photo.
   • Leave a very small margin around the photo.
   • The photo will be on the light tissue paper.
7. Now place the photo on the candle.
8. Put a sheet of wax paper over the photo.
   • Make sure that there are not any air bubbles that exist under the paper.
9. Get your heat source (hair dryer or hot air gun) and turn it on.
10. Point the heat source at the area of the photo.

    • The upper layer of candle wax is going to start melting together with the tissue paper. The picture should get darker.

11. Once the picture gets a coloration which is consistent, then you will want to slowly pull the wax paper off.

12. Leave the candle alone to set for half an hour.

13. Your gift is now finished!

If you’re considering making the leap to homeownership, there’s more to think about than the curb appeal of those homes for sale in the health of your credit score tops the list. To many, a credit score seems like a random trio of numbers determined by a complicated algorithm, but it represents much more to a lender who’s considering whether to approve your mortgage loan. While you may not need a perfect credit score, it’s important to know what you can do to improve your numbers.

A low credit score can indicate you’re a risky borrower, while a high score can significantly upgrade the mortgage terms you’re offered. But even if your score teeters on the edge of dismal, there are steps you can take to speed up the credit repair process and improve your chances of landing a home with manageable loan terms.

What’s the minimum credit score for a mortgage?

The minimum credit score required to receive a loan depends in large part on the type of loan you’re considering. FHA loans have some of the lowest credit score requirements, at 580 with a 3.5% down payment. However, that doesn’t take other applicants out of the running; FHA lenders allow lower scores with a down payment of 10% or more. Veterans Affairs (VA) loans are a bit trickier. While the VA doesn’t have a minimum credit score requirement, VA lenders do—and that number varies by lender. Some lenders require a score of 620, while others might be at 640. The good news? Getting a “no” from one lender doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. For conventional loans, most lenders will look for at least a 620 credit score, according to Chris Hauber, a mortgage loan originator with Hallmark Home Mortgage in Denver, CO. Ideally, however, applicants would need to have a 660 credit score to land a better rate and avoid jumping through additional hoops.

What is a good credit score?

Beyond approval for a mortgage, the range your credit score falls within can drastically change the interest rate you can lock down—and the amount you’ll pay in private mortgage insurance (PMI), if applicable. For instance, the approximate difference in rates for a conventional loan with a 680 credit score versus a 740-plus credit score could be 0.25% to 0.0375%, Hauber says. But the PMI premium in this scenario would double.

“Once you’re over 740, you’re considered to be in the ‘perfect’ range for mortgages,” adds Hauber. “If you put less than 20% down, however, you’ll need PMI. For PMI, the high bracket in terms of credit score is 760-plus—meaning you’ll pay less in monthly premiums with this score or higher.” In simple terms, a credit score below 700 is likely to be considered “fair” in the world of mortgages. The perfect credit score would be 760 or higher unless you’re able to put down 20% and skip the PMI, in which case a score of 740 or more would suffice.

How to improve your credit score

Whether your score is too low to secure a mortgage or you’d rather use available funds to fix your financial situation(instead of putting it toward a larger down payment), there are steps you can take today to start improving your credit score right away. Many credit score problems are the result of a high credit utilization ratio, according to Hauber. (“Credit utilization ratio” refers to debt that is high in comparison to the credit available.) Many experts use the 30% rule of thumb: Charges to your credit card shouldn’t exceed 30% of your available credit limit. It’s important because this factor alone comprises 30% of your credit score. One of the easiest ways to improve your score is to pay down credit card debt, keeping this ratio in mind.

Another huge factor in the health of your credit score is your payment history, or your ability to make on-time payments to your creditors. If you see a recent late payment on your report, one solution is to talk to the creditor and ask for a deletion. While this likely won’t work for a serial late-payer, it could be granted for a one-time offender. If the creditor agrees to the deletion, they will send a letter to the credit bureau requesting that the negative information is removed from your report.

While these fixes normally take a month or two to be reflected in your credit score, your lender can speed up the process by doing a rapid rescore. This requires gathering up pertinent documents to show the changes made—like a new credit card statement or letter of deletion—and using the lender’s credit company to request an updated score from the credit bureaus. This could lead to an updated score in days instead of months, which can make all the difference when you’re trying to get pre-approved for a home loan in a competitive market.

-Kayla Albert

Everyone loves having their home decorated for the seasons, but sometimes decorations can be expensive and/or tedious.

This pumpkin porch light cover is super easy and only costs $1! Yes, only $1. It is also so cute and perfect for Halloween.

Step 1:

Gather your supplies.

• Plastic pumpkin trick-or-treating bucket
  • You can pick one of these up at a dollar store, Wal-Mart or Target. They carry other colors other than the typical orange if you would like a different color.
• Tin snips or shears

Step 2:

Cut the back of the pumpkin.

• On the back, cut down the center from the top to the bottom.

Step 3:

Cut the bottom of the pumpkin.

• This is optional. If you have smaller porch lights, you may not have to do this step; but if you have larger porch lights, you will have to do this step so the pumpkin can fit over them.

Step 4:

Put the pumpkin over the porch light.

• Pull the pumpkin down over the top of the porch light. Use the handle to hold the pumpkin over the light.

Step 6:

Take a step back and look at your cute, cheap and easy decoration!

Should I Rent Or Should I Buy?

No matter the situation; whether you are a young adult ready to buy his/her first home, but you are uncertain or you just want to finally have a place to call your own - the same big question lingers in your mind... Should I rent or should I buy?

Here are some things to keep in mind when answering that difficult question.

You should rent if...

You do not plan on staying in the same place for less than five years.

Are you on a job post that is only going to last a few years? Are you in a new city and not sure you are going to stay? Do you plan on starting a family soon (which will require a little more room)? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, renting may be a good option for you. Constantly paying high transaction costs can potentially lose you a lot of money.

You are uncertain about employment.

No one wants to be living paycheck to paycheck or worry about keeping a job they have. Being in this situation, you should be more worried about building up an emergency fund and saving money.

You have limited funds.

The statement reads true. If you do not have enough for a 20% down payment and/or cannot cover the costs of actually owning a home, renting will be the best bet for you.

You should buy if...

You plan on staying in the same place for five or more years.

You can restore what you paid for and possibly develop a return on your investment. It is also cheaper, in the long run, to buy a house than rent a place long term. It is also nice to have a place to call your own that you can do as you please with it. You could possibly make a profit if and when you sell your home.

You have a secured job.

Job security is a great feeling to have, especially when owning a home. You have a steady income to be able to pay a mortgage on time and be able to keep the home for a long time.

You have sufficient funds.

Having sufficient funds means you can cover whatever additional home costs come your way. You will be able to cover the down payment, closing costs, commissions and maintenance costs.

If you are still not sure whether you should rent or buy, click here to try the "Buy or Rent" calculator to see which is best for you.