New Year, New President, New House??

Ok, as a "loyal customer" pointed out, I have been slacking on my blogging. What can I say? I've been busy! Yes, I said busy! THERE ARE PEOPLE BUYING HOUSES IN THIS ECONOMY!! I know it seems impossible, but it's true! If you read one of my first blogs (before everything seemingly went to hell) I wrote about how all the negative talk about the housing market and the economical climate could very well become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I hate to say I told you so, but I TOLD YOU SO! The media reported on nothing but the negative aspects of our world at that time and people listened, got depressed, stopped spending, got scared - and guess what? It happened! We are in a recession. However, I REFUSE TO PARTICIPATE!! I want to focus on the GOOD things happening in our country. We have a new President who I believe will help get us out of this, interest rates are at record lows, housing prices are at their most reasonable in years and opportunities exist for everyone! We in Maine are very lucky. We have not been hit as badly as the rest of the country and things will soon begin to turn around. Maine tends to follow Boston as far as economical trends. Boston is now showing signs of a turnaround, which means that Maine should follow suit. I really do believe that by the third or fourth quarter of 2009 we will start to see a noticeable difference in our economical climate here in Maine. And this time I will be very happy if my prediction is right!!

IT'S A GOOD TIME TO BUY.........

Sorry it's been so long since my last post, but.......

Interest rates are down, sellers are anxious since winter is on it's way, and there's plenty of inventory to choose from!

With the elections quickly approaching we can expect an economical honeymoon period once our new president enters office. This means that the deflated selling prices buyers have been enjoying are likely to go away - at least for a while. So, if your on the fence about buying right now, hop off and call your Realtor!!

SPRING IS COMING - REALLY, I PROMISE!

I'm not sure where you are right now, but here in southern Maine the snow is CRAZY!! I don't ever remember a winter like this. It's storm after storm after storm! What does this mean for Realtors? Un-plowed driveways and un-plowed walkways! Sellers, if your house is on the market PLEASE make sure that potential buyers can actually get into the house to see it! This goes for vacant houses as well. Just because you've already moved out does not mean people will understand why they are wading through hip-deep snow to see your house when there are 50 others just like it on the market right now. Try to remember that buyers have plenty to choose from and you need to make your house "The One". We all know that first impressions are everything. A lot of buyers know within the first few seconds whether they want the house or not. Struggling to get to the front door does not bode well for a sale!
That's my rant for today. Phew, I feel better!
Have a good day and get out there and SHOVEL THAT SNOW!
Rebecca

New Year, New House?

It's a brand new year, and for many people now is the time they begin thinking about a move. Seems logical, right? But who wants to trudge through snow trying to figure out where the lawn begins and ends? Who knows what's under all that white stuff? While both of these things are bothersome, buying a house in the winter can mean big savings for the buyer. Let's face it, winter is not a booming time in real estate, especially these days. Since people don't typically list their homes in the winter this means that most of the homes on the market have been sitting there since fall - or worse yet, summer. At this point many sellers just want out and are dropping prices to make that happen. So how do you get past not being able to see the lawn? Have your broker ask the seller for any pictures they may have of the exterior of the house and any landscaping they've done. You can also look up the house on that towns assessors database. Usually there is a picture of the house along with the tax information that may have been taken when it wasn't sleeting outside. The point is, don't let bad weather stop you from finding the home of your dreams. You just may save a little money to boot!!
Have a great weekend!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

SNOW!!!!

Well, the snow is officially here. We got enough dumped on us in the past two days to last me a lifetime! Here's a tip for those of you who are thinking of listing your home in the next year or so: Take pictures of your landscaping and other outdoors shots so that when winter hits and you decide it's time to list you've got something to show prospective buyers. Make sure your broker puts one or two of these pictures on the MLS and in the virtual tour that they do for you. People are often hesitant to buy in the winter because they don't have a clear picture of what the house looks like on the outside. Therefore, it's invaluable to be able to show them and may save your house from staying on the market until spring when they can see for themselves!

Enjoy the weather!

Giving Thanks

It's getting near Thanksgiving time. Are you thankful for your Realtor? Let me know what they're doing right! Too often we hear about the bad experiences people have with professionals. Is your Realtor really going the extra mile to help you find a home or sell the one you're in? Give them a shout out here!!
Have a great week!
Rebecca