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| | It's time to celebrate! Christmas in September? Not even close, but my favorite day of the year is finally here. That's right, it's back to school time. Summer is winding down, we've geared everybody up with the latest and greatest in school supplies and it's time to turn the kids over to the teachers until next July. Thank goodness! The first day of school is my favorite day of the year.
Maybe you have a "Calvin", who is less than thrilled about heading back to school. Or, perhaps you have a "Susie", who is looking forward to it with gusto. Either way, fall is synonymous with change and new beginnings. If you think moving to a new home is in your future, now is a good time to discuss the real estate market. I would be happy to sit down with you, even if only to help you review your situation, and to advise you of any issues or opportunities you should be aware of. Then, once I am up-to-date with your specifics, I can assess your selling potential and evaluate your buying prospects, according to current conditions, as well as future trends.So, whenever you’re ready to put a plan together, I want you to feel free to give me a call anytime.
I also want to pass along some important information regarding the STAR tax program. If you are a homeowner in New York State, you will want to review this important information on the STAR tax program. New legislation requires all homeowners receiving a Basic STAR exemption to register with the New York State Tax Department in order to receive the exemption in 2014 and subsequent years.
Enjoy the first day of school and the fresh new beginnings that come with the fall season!
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What Do Buyers Want to Pay for Your Home? |
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If you’re selling your home, you’ll have a very personal perspective on what it‘s worth. You’ll remember all the hours you put into making the backyard flower garden beautiful, or the work you put into renovating the basement, or the money you spent on installing new hardwood floors in the livingroom and hallways.
It’s natural to want these improvements factored into the asking price. However, potential buyers don’t have that same perspective. Although they may appreciate the improvements made to the home, buyers will only be interested in paying current market value for your property. That’s the price for which comparable homes with comparable features are currently selling in your area. Buyers don’t see all the hours you spent on improvements and renovations. What they see, instead, are the final features: the hardwood floors, the freshly painted bedrooms, the sparkling new master ensuite. Features like these will certainly help sell your home faster and for the best price — but that price will likely be close to the current market value. Now, it’s tempting to try to set a list price high above the current market value in the hopes that some buyer will appreciate all the time and money put into the property. But that strategy rarely, if ever, works. In most cases, pricing your home higher than comparable properties on the market only discourages potential buyers from viewing it. Buyers expect to pay market price. The good news is that the current market value of your home may be a lot higher than you think. The only way to know for sure is to have an experienced REALTOR® look at it and provide you with an estimate. Want to find out the current market value of your home? Call today. |
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If you get an offer for your property that you consider too low, resist the urge to react in a negative way. It’s normal to feel disappointed, or even insulted. Just try not to show it.
Why? Because even a low offer signals, at the very least, interest. That means the other party might still consider a higher counter offer. And, they’ll be much more receptive to that counter offer if the atmosphere is positive. |
| Are You Adequately Insured? |
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With so much news about hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and floods, we are becoming more and more aware of the unpredictable power of nature, and the indisputable importance of insurance.
Although we may forget about our home insurance policy for extended periods of time, we should examine it carefully at least once a year, in case we need to make an unexpected claim. It’s also a good idea to keep a photographic and/or videotape record of valuables (with copies saved off premises) to more accurately estimate the cost to replace important possessions, including: - Furnishings and equipment
- Technical hardware, software and accessories
- Possessions, including books, art, antiques
- Documents and business materials
- Personal mementos, hobby equipment, tools, etc.
- Loss of time and/or revenue (for self-employed home office or small business)
Insurance should serve the purpose of providing good value while protecting material goods and looking after family needs. To prevent irreplaceable loss and enormous disappointment, investigate the details of your policy today, and make sure you fully understand the fine print. |
| notable, quotable... quotes! |
“You have to put in many, many, many tiny efforts that nobody sees or appreciates before you achieve anything worthwhile.”
Brian Tracy “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”
Ambrose Redmoon “Never let your memories be greater than your dreams.”
Doug Ivester |
| Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.
©IXACT Contact Solutions Inc. |
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