Archive for the 'Information - Other Areas' Category
Is Your Home “For Sale” Ready?
June 8th, 2009 categories: Information - Other Areas, Real Estate News
Getting Your Home Ready To Sell
You are going to be moving, be it two months or six, you will still have to prepare. Get a jump-start on the whole process. This is also going to assist you in the selling of your home. Remember all of those closets, cupboards and drawers you have meant to go through and organize? Well, right now is the time to do it. This will give prospective buyers a clean slate to look at (remember that buyers will be opening cupboards and closets) and you will be a couple of steps ahead on your future move
Start with your closets.
1. Pack up a container of items you can donate. You know, those items that you have thought about using, but have not in over a year - get rid of them. Donate those items to a local charity and use it as a deduction on your taxes in the following year. Keep good records - see form 8283 for non-cash charitible donations or visit the IRS website for more information. http://www.irs.gov
2. Pack all of your out of season items and mark accordingly. When you arrive at your new residence, you will be able to identify, allowing you to unpack and put away in its new location.
Now the only things left in your closets will be items you currently wear and use. And look how neat and clean everything looks! Do the same thing with drawers and cupboards. Dishes and utensils used for special events and holidays can all be packed away and marked. Any item you feel you don’t need, again - donate it. You can also receive credit for household items you donate.
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Wired For The Future
June 8th, 2009 categories: Information - Other Areas
I usually do not repost other blogs, but I have seen too many homeowners gut their homes to the studs and only include electrical wiring in their remodeling projects. Read Tom’s article below if you are preparing for a remodeling project. This article has been reprinted with Tom’s approval. Call him if you have any questions about keeping your home up to date.
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Thanks Tom for the info
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Missing in Action - Buyers!
July 1st, 2008 categories: Information - Other Areas, Real Estate News
Are all the buyers on vacation? Did the buyers all move to Antigua? With it being a buyers market, there sure seems to be a shortage of them. Market conditions are showing that high end and resort buyers are out there, but the buyers of traditional family homes are lying in wait.
Here are some reasons why there should be a plenitude of buyers for traditional homes
- Currently interest rates are still low
- Prices on homes have fallen between 15 an 20 percent, some areas a little more or less
- Buyers have more tools and resources to work with
- Mortgage lenders are still issuing loans
- Real estate is still an equity builder
Some reasons buyers are still sitting on the fence:
- They are waiting for prices to fall further
- Some are waiting for the perfect foreclosure to come their way
- Too much inventory, making it difficult to make a decision
- Afraid they will not qualify under stricter standards
- Selling their current home will not bring them the market value they expect
Whatever the reasons are that you are encountering, we need to educate the buyers and encourage them to visit with a couple of lenders. Most will be pleasantly surprised at the rates they can still obtain, and what there monthly costs will be.
Once the market gets back on track, we will likely see the interest rates begin to climb back up. This indeed is the best time to buy a home, especially for the first time home buyers - since they do no have a home to sell.
Information for you to use in the Finger Lakes area of Real Estate, brought to you by Mary St.George
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Is Your Picture Really Worth A Thousand Words?
April 20th, 2008 categories: Information - Other Areas
As Real Estate Agents, we became used to everyone handing you a business card with their picture on it, but did we really need to see all of the faces on those cards? Well, maybe…just to remember who it was we networked with or worked on a deal with. But come on now, we see agents faces on “everything”. They are on sign riders, blogs and everything in between. Quite the overkill I would say. Could it just be the sign of the times, where we all just become so vain, that it is us, the individuals that want to see our face out there?
- Do our clients choose us because we supply a photo?
- Maybe they choose us because they like the way we look.
- Does it make us more important?
- Did we get the contract from the photo?
- Does it make us more knowledgeable ?
- Does it guarantee a sale or closing?
There are times when I am glad I have a photo to refer to, but it is less times than more.
What if everything we purchased came with a persons photo on it? A can of corn that included the machinist best photo or a sofa with the upholsterer’s best candid shot, where will it stop? Or how about the agents that use photos from twenty years ago and then you get to meet them in person? You look at them and think, you set the meeting up with the wrong person.
Yes, there is a place for our ugly mugs, but it does not include “everywhere”. How about a nice shot of your local area? or maybe an interesting graphic or logo to pique the interest of the viewer. This maybe just my personal preference, but I don’t feel comfortable with my photo on everything and I really get tired of seeing the same pictures over and over.
There are many Realtors out there that are quite successful, that do not use their personal pictures on all the media they create. Here in the Finger Lakes, lets promote the area views and not ourselves. I welcome all agents comments and I am posting this for that purpose since I see humor in the subject.
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Information and Links for Other Areas
March 12th, 2008 categories: Information - Other Areas
Luxury home and resort purchases can take you all over the country and even the world. I have added this post to address my friends in other areas interested in promoting their areas of interest and expertise.
When thinking about choosing a property in an area you like, you should always do your homework to check out pricing, evaluations, market conditions and trends. The best way to do this is to contact a specialist in the area of your choice. When looking for a broker to consult with, contact your local broker for a referral. Like myself, we are usually connected to networks within our own specialities. For instance I specialize in resort/second home properties and am in contact with other specialists all over the country and Internationally. Many of these great agents I know on a first name basis. Would I recommend most? Definitely…All of them? …No.
If you would like information about other areas to relocate to or purchase a vacation home, give me a call and I can set up an appointment with the perfect person for your needs. And of course if you need information in the Finger Lakes area, I am here to assist your buying and selling needs in this area.
Of course you can always visit any of the other Tomato Vine Nation Bloggers. Find out where and who they are by visiting the attached map.
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AreaMaps.org Destination Information and Lodging Directory
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