A home without greenery is a bare one. Landscaping is an integral part of the overall esthetics of a home, and plants are a key component. But while most plants are pretty to look at, not all of them are healthy or even safe in your garden. Some of them will invite unwanted insects to your yard, while others will just take over your garden completely.

Before you start planting, make sure you avoid the following species. 

1. Yucca

The yucca plant might make a visually dramatic statement, but you’ll be spending a lot of time maintaining it. The pointy leaves will need to be consistently pruned and discarded once they’ve reached the end of their lifespan. It attracts plenty of insects, and the root system is very pervasive. If you plan on getting rid of the plant some time in the future, you’ll likely need to dig a large proportion of the area around it, which means any adjacent plants may be gone along with it. Yucca is best suited in planters inside the home so that it can’t intrude on other species in your yard, or attract lots of bugs. 

2. Bamboo

Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the entire world. While it’s a wonderful resource for renewable and sustainable building materials, it’s not necessarily ideal for a residential garden. Within a short time span, your yard will be completely taken over by this tropical plant. Preventing invasion of bamboo to nearby plants is a real chore, and often involves taking extreme measures, like pouring concrete barriers. If you must have bamboo in your home, reserve it for large planters.

3. Mint

Having an herb garden makes it convenient and affordable to season dishes and beverages, and also wafts wonderful aromas within your home. But mint is best planted in containers, as its roots are aggressively obtrusive and will easily and quickly spread like a weed. 

4. Purple Loosestrife

Purple Loosestrife is a perennial that quickly becomes impervious and chokes out native vegetation. For this reason, it’s dubbed the “Beautiful Killer.” Even if you decide to remove the plant from your garden, you’ll need to discard it carefully or it will continue to spread no matter where you dump it. The best way to prevent its spread is to burn whatever’s left if it once it’s been removed, and wrap it up in a plastic bag before discarding it.

5. Weeping Lovegrass

With the frequent and devastating wildfires that have been engulfing many parts of California over recent years, the last thing you want to do is add components to your yard that will make it even more vulnerable to fires. Weeping Lovegrass is just the type of plant to help spread wildfires and increase their intensity. This plant develops roots very quickly, and spreads like wildfire (pardon the pun).

6. Kudzu

This climbing vine is pretty, but it can quickly and easily take over everything in its path. It can grow as fast as one foot each day, and can even spread to your neighbor’s yard or across the street! Once it’s planted, it’ll take years of herbicide application before slowing and eventually stopping its growth. The primary roots of this plant will need to be focused on in order to make sure it never returns once it’s finally gone.

7. Leafy Spurge

One of the worst plants for your garden is the leafy splurge. For starters, this plant is notorious for invading space around other plants and flowers, and essentially just forces them out of the way. Not only that, leafy splurge also spits out toxins that make it nearly impossible for other plants and flowers to grow in its vicinity. Even after you’ve gotten rid of the plant, its seeds can remain in the soil for years.

8. Water Hyacinth

This plant is popular in waterfalls, large bird baths and small ponds because of its ability to clean out any contaminants. However, it can also kill off other plants and even fish at the same time. If you want the same lovely lavender color in your yard, opt for a lilac bush instead.

Before you whip out your gardening gloves, make sure you’ve done some research into the types of plants and flowers that will do well in your yard, and avoid species that will do nothing more than wreak havoc in your prized garden.

If you are a tomato lover like me and are fortunate to have ample garden space right now you are being inundated with piles of ripe tomatoes, more than anyone could eat. Of course I have a dozen plants by design. I’m planning on having fresh tomatoes on my table past Christmas at least. Well at least fresh before I preserved them by cooking and freezing. If you don’t grow your own, grab a bushel full at a nearby farmer’s market and enjoy that fresh, sweet just picked taste well into winter.

I believe freezing is the best and easiest way for the home cook to preserve tomatoes for months to come. Canning works well too but make sure you learn from a veteran canner or really study. Many procedures used for years to can tomatoes may not work with today’s low acid varieties. Check out The National Center for Home Food Preservation, https://nchfp.uga.edu/. Freezing is simple and safe. First, peel the tomatoes. Cut a small X with a paring knife in the bottom of the tomatoes. Drop into simmering water. When you see the skin wrinkle (1-2 min.) remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into an ice water bath. When cool remove the skin and discard. Do this in the sink over a bowl to catch any errant juices. Core the tomatoes and quarter them. Fill quart size heavy duty freezer bags to almost the top. Fill with any extra juice. Squeeze out as much air as possible and carefully seal. Freeze flat. These tomatoes can be used in any recipe as you would use canned (equals approx. 28oz can). 

Fresh tomato sauce is delicious and since it is quickly put together and only minimally cooked it really keeps that fresh taste even after freezing. Take one quart fresh tomatoes, about 6-8. Peel and chop. In a large heavy skillet heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Add I cup finely chopped onion and cook for 4-5 minutes. If you would like a little spice in your sauce add ¼-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or do as I do and seed and finely chop a small jalapeno. I always have them in abundance in the garden. After the onions are soft add 4 cloves finely chopped garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer until the tomatoes give up their juice and collapse, about 10 minutes. Salt to taste, fresh tomatoes will need some salt but don’t overdo. Turn off heat and let cool. Pack in 16oz freezer containers leaving ¼ inch at the top for expansion. This sauce is delicious over any pasta especially angel hair spaghetti. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It also makes a great condiment for fish and chicken.

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Most buyers have to take out a mortgage in order to pay for a home purchase. While taking out a new mortgage with a lender is the more common approach to take, there’s another option: taking over the seller’s mortgage.

It’s called an ‘assumable mortgage’, and it’s named so because the buyer essentially ‘assumes’ the seller’s home loan. Rather than applying for a new mortgage from the lender, the buyer assumes the interest rate, current principal balance, repayment period, and all other terms of the existing mortgage. The buyer then promises to make all future payments on the mortgage, just as they would had they taken out an original loan.

Of course, the lender needs to approve such a scenario before the seller’s mortgage can be assumed by the buyer. While this arrangement might not be right for everyone, it can be beneficial for both parties in many circumstances. Assuming an existing mortgage can be easier and more affordable for the buyer compared to applying for a new mortgage.

Why Would Buyers Assume an Existing Mortgage?

One of the biggest reasons why buyers would consider taking over a seller’s mortgage is to benefit from a low interest rate. If current home loan rates are a lot higher than what the seller is currently paying on the existing mortgage, there’s plenty of money to be saved on interest payments. Even if rates are currently low, the buyer may not be able to secure a low rate based an unfavorable credit score.

Buyers can also save plenty of money on closing costs with an assumed mortgage. There are typically a lot of closing costs involved in a real estate transaction. For instance, no appraisals are needed, which typically cost a few hundred dollars. By assuming a seller’s mortgage,  closing costs like these can be significantly reduced, which means less money needed to close the deal.

Why Would Sellers Agree to Allow Buyers Assume Their Mortgage?

Considering the fact that there are fewer closing costs involved with an assumed mortgage, the seller can also benefit by potentially getting as close to the asking price as possible. After all, the buyer is saving a lot of money through cheaper closing costs and a lower interest rate. 

Sellers can also advertise the potential for an assumable mortgage at a favorable interest rate as part of the overall marketing strategy to sell the home. Since not all mortgages are able to be assumed, it could help the seller stand out from the competition.

Potential Drawbacks of an Assumable Mortgage

Before buyers decide to take over a seller’s mortgage, they will first need to find out if the entire price of the home will be covered by the assumable mortgage, and whether or not a down payment or additional financing will be required.

For instance, if the seller has an assumable mortgage of $200,000, and the home is being sold for $300,000, the buyer must come up with the additional $100,000. The remaining cost of the home will need to be borrowed from a lender at the current market rate, which will likely be higher than the one on the assumed mortgage, unless the buyer can come up with the rest in cash.

If another loan needs to be taken out, the two mortgage lenders will have to contend with each other. Many times different lenders won’t want to cooperate, and for good reason. If the buyer is delinquent on one mortgage, that could be a real problem for the other lender. The benefit of an assumable mortgage is also significantly reduced if the buyer has to take out another mortgage to make up the difference.

For sellers, a potential drawback may be the potential risk of being held liable for the loan even after it’s been assumed. In this case, if the buyer defaults on the mortgage, the seller could be left responsible for the amount that the lender could not recoup. However, sellers can effectively avoid this risk by releasing their liability in writing when the assumption takes place.

It should also be noted that the majority of conventional loans typically cannot be assumed simply because many banks don’t allow it. On the other hand, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans can be assumed. 

The Bottom Line

An assumable mortgage can make sense, depending on the type of mortgage, the difference in interest rates, and the disparity between the purchase price and the amount of the assumed mortgage. Before you consider going this route, you’ll need to chat with your lender to see if it’s even possible. If it is, make sure all the numbers add up, and you’re not putting yourself in a financially vulnerable position.

NORWOOD PARK

Chicagoland is always humming with activity. Here with another social/promotional, I don’t know it just sounds fun, event Wintrust Bank at 6336 N. Milwaukee Ave. is throwing an Ice Cream Social  during lunchtime tomorrow, Friday 8/19. Take a break between 11:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. for ice cream and smiles. How cool and sweet of you, Gladstone Wintrust Bank!

LAKEVIEW

Rosencrance recovery treatment centers opened their newest location at 3701 N. Ashland Ave. in the beginning of the month. With campuses in suburban areas of Naperville, Rockford, and Frankfort this location will be easier access for City of Chicago residents in need of outpatient mental health and addiction recovery services.  But this isn’t your grandpa’s old rehab. This five-story building also houses a 12 Step structured residential program for young adults aged 18 – 29 sharing sober living with up to five adults per unit in 3 – 18 months-long programs. Alderman Tom Tunney, five community members and a representative of Rosencrance have committed to monthly Good Neighborhood Committee meetings for the next two years to ensure encouraging ties between the recovery center and neighbors. For referrals call 773-975-4047 or visit Rosencrance.org for more information.

EVANSTON

No better way to literally take a good gander at one’s neighborhood than from a rooftop. Relatively new  Five & Dime at 1026 Davis St. has a rooftop patio bar. Need I say more? Ping Pong, Foose Ball, Jumbo Jenga.. I’m gonna say that too.

WEST LOOP

West Loop Community Organization’s social night is next week for networking over dinner and drinks. Tuesday’s 8/23 West Loop Night will be catered by Eat Purely and hosted by WeWork Fulton Market (220 N. Green St. 2nd Floor) which offers membership-based shared office spaces for small businesses and individuals. Free for members of WeWork, $10 for WLCO members, and $15 for non-members includes dinner and your first drink, from 4:30p.m. to 7:00p.m.

LINCOLN SQUARE

It’s your lucky month, Lincoln Square, well the Western Ave. North TIF District in particular. Certain neighborhoods that generate more property tax revenue than others can take advantage of The Tax Increment Funding which are government subsidies to make structural improvements to properties owned or used by small businesses. Eligibility criteria requires your business to operate within the boundaries of the Western Ave. (North) TIF; employment of no more than 100 full-time employees; net worth less than $6,000,000 and $500,000 liquid assets; and no outstanding debt with the City of Chicago. This is seriously official stuff and the money’s out there for you to claim. Follow this link to the Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) to learn more and send your application in before August 31.

CATHY MALLERS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO