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Break for Valentine’s Day!

Feb12
2021
Written by mary.w

Take a break from stressing about getting your home sold (or finding your perfect home) to surprise your loved one with this delicious and really quite simple recipe from McCormick spices for your romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner!

Rosemary Baked Chicken with Potatoes
Rosemary Baked Chicken w/Roasted Potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon McCormick® Paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Rosemary Leaves
  • 1 teaspoon McCormick® Sea Salt Grinder
  • 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Coarse Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
  • 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, halved
  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix oil, paprika, rosemary, sea salt, pepper and garlic powder in large bowl. Add chicken and potatoes; toss to coat well. Arrange chicken and potatoes in single layer on foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan sprayed with no stick cooking spray. (For easier clean-up, try lining pan with foil.)
  • Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender, turning potatoes occasionally.

Take time to relax and enjoy a lovely Valentine’s Day dinner. Selling your home can resume the next day!!

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Rent v Buy

Feb07
2021
Written by mary.w

IS RENTING A RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU?

It’s true that when you’re paying rent you’re not gaining any equity in that home so for some that means you’re just flushing your money down the toilet, BUT there can be an upside to this decision too.  Perhaps you’re new to an area and you’re not sure if your job is going to be permanent…or you’re not sure if this is the area your want to live in long term…or you aren’t financially in a position to put down a decent down payment that would give you a best mortgage rate….or perhaps you can only afford so much a month and by renting a property where the rent includes utilities, HOA fees and all maintenance you don’t have those added expenses. Plus, remember,  you’re not paying real estate taxes on top of your monthly payment. This may allow you to live in an area you desire but as a homeowner could not afford. Perhaps you’re downsizing or retiring and don’t want all the stress and upkeep of home ownership.

Perhaps, you have your own reasons for choosing to rent instead of own at this moment in time. Don’t let other’s shaming you for choosing to rent instead of own cause you to make the wrong decision

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Great Rates = Buyer & Seller Market!

Feb05
2021
Written by mary.w

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 2.84%, down 2 points over the last seven days. Just last month, the average interest rate was 2.88% for a 30 year mortgage. That rate is an amazing considering it is 129 basis points below the 2019 average rate. In other words this is a great time to get a fixed rate mortgage.

The interest on a 15 year fixed rate mortgage can be had for below 2%! With rates like this, we are in one of the rare times when it is just as advantageous to be a buyer as it is a seller. In many areas, the market has been so vibrant that inventory is low while demand is still high making it a perfect time to sell. At the same time, if you diligently shop the market and take the time to get pre-approved for your mortgage prior to finding your dream home, you can enjoy paying next to no interest on your mortgage!

So whether you’re wanting to buy or sell, it’s your time!!

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Twas the Night Before Closing

Dec18
2020
Written by mary.w

Twas the night before closing

And all through the house

Every creature was stirring

Even the notorious mouse

Boxes were piled as high as could be

Folks yelling to each other

Because none could be seen

Feelings of stress

Were compounded by tears

Walking room by room

Remembering the years

Kids measurements on the door trim

Will be a photo from here on out

And the laughter that was rampant

Fills the air all about

Memories come flooding

As you roam room to room

And again the tears flow

Knowing you’re leaving it all soon

But as strong as the memories

Fill your head and your heart

Step with joy and anticipation

Into your brand new start

The journey continues

As this last one began

And with blind excitement

In your new home you’ll soon stand

The tears may still fall

From time to time

But gatherings of laughter

Will help leave the sadness behind.

So go fill your truck

From bottom to top

Say your final goodbye

Then move on and don’t stop

When you reach your new home

Don’t just open the door

Open your heart and your mind

And enjoy what’s in store!!

(Mary Witkowski 12/18/20)

Moving can dredge up a lot of emotions. Allow yourself to feel them all so that your journey will never lack any chapters.

Copyrighted poem may not be used or duplicated without permission of author.

 

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Buying/Selling Through the Holidays!

Nov27
2020
Written by mary.w

Black Friday seems like the perfect day to recirculate these timeless thoughts about buying/selling through the holidays. Sit back, relax and then decide what’s the best choice for you!

The holiday seasons are upon us and inevitably, whether selling or buying, you may be asking yourself; “Should I continue to market my home/search for my new home from post-Thanksgiving until post-New Years. Review the pros and cons of both.

SELLING PROS:

  • Many other sellers remove their homes from the marketplace during this time which reduces your competition. Lower inventory means that you can stand out to those that are shopping and possibly be rewarded with a higher price.
  • The fact is that regardless of the season, there are always buyers in the market to purchase due to job transfers, divorces, end of leases, seasonal closing on their own home that they’ve sold and people who want to take advantage of the current low interest rate before it goes up.
  • As long as you don’t go overboard, the sights, sounds and aromas of the seasonholiday-dinner cause buyers to imagine what it will be like to enjoy their own holiday gatherings in front of your roaring fire and beautifully displayed Dining Room table.

SELLING CONS:

  • The number of buyers shopping during the holidays is smaller than in the more active spring season.
  • If you live in an area that experiences extremes of cold, snow and ice, you have the added task of making sure your exterior areas are clear and safe to travel. You also need to prepare yourself for the frustration of no shows and reschedules in the event of inclement weather.christmaslights
  • If you do a lot of entertaining, you might have to be more diligent with regard to keeping your home “show ready”.
  • In many areas affected by the time change, it gets dark a lot earlier making evening appointments more challenging thus you should prepare yourself to be doing more weekend showings.

BUYING PROS:

  • The reason someone may have their home on the market during the holidays is because they have a “need to be sold by” deadline ie: starting a new job, moving to help out with a family situation, downsizing due to a job loss or reduction in income, etc. This may provide a great opportunity to purchase your dream home at a reduced price.
  • Due to less homes being sold during the holiday season, title companies may have a more open schedule to ensure the closing date you prefer.
  • Like the “Greek restaurant dilemma” of a menu that is so large it’s hard to make a decision, by having fewer homes to choose from, your shopping process may be far less stressful and more effective.

BUYING CONS:

  • Since many people take their homes off the market at this time, you will have less inventory from with to choose.
  • Due to holiday entertaining, viewing appointments may be more difficult to schedule BUT keep in mind if someone is choosing to sell during this season, they will most likely work with you to find a convenient time.
  • If you live in an area with inclement weather, getting to and from appointments might be more challenging.
  • In many regions, with the time change, it gets dark a lot earlier making evening appointments more difficult (hard to see addresses, hard to see exterior negatives about the home) which means you will most likely want to schedule viewings for the weekend, which can be more difficult. That said, if the seller is motivated, they will understand the local weather impediments and most likely be willing to be accommodating.

Whether you’re selling or buying, you can take advantage of the holiday season to achieve your desired result and toast in your Happiest New Year!!gift

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A Great Winter Ahead for Selling?

Nov13
2020
Written by mary.w

In the second half of this year, the housing market  surged with activity. Today, real estate experts are looking ahead to the winter season and the forecast is anything but chilly. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) notes:

“It will be one of the best winter sales years ever.”

The typical winter slowdown in the housing market is simply not on the radar. Here’s why.

While today’s historically low mortgage rates are expected to remain low, they won’t be this low for much longer. This could be the last chance for homebuyers to secure such low rates, and they’re ready to take action. In a recent article, Bankrate explained:

“If you’re looking to buy a home…expect mortgage rates to remain low into 2021. However, the possibility of rates falling to 2.5 percent or lower has faded as the U.S. economy has rebounded.”

As long as we continue to see low interest rates, we’ll see hopeful buyers on the hunt for their dream homes. Yun confirmed:

“The demand for home buying remains super strong…And we’re still likely to end the year with more homes sold overall in 2020 than in 2019…With persistent low mortgage rates and some degree of a continuing jobs recovery, more contract signings are expected in the near future.”

The challenge, however, is the lack of homes available for sale. With that in mind, all eyes are on homeowners to see if they’ll sell this winter or wait until spring. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist for realtor.com, says it’s best for sellers to capitalize on this moment sooner rather than later:

“We currently see buyers sticking around in the housing market much later than we usually do this fall. If that trend continues, we will see more buyers in the market this winter, too. So, this winter is likely to be a good time to sell.”

With buyers ready to stay active this winter, sellers who want to close a deal on the best possible terms should not wait until spring to put their homes on the market.

Bottom Line

Experts agree the winter housing market could potentially be bigger than ever. Whether you’re ready to buy or sell, contact a local real estate professional today so you can be in your dream home by the new year.

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Virtual Staging Offers Cost and Time Effectiveness!

Nov06
2020
Written by mary.w

With the onset of Covid and a desire to make staging more affordable for sellers, virtual staging software is a new and exciting part of the staging industry. This allows sellers to upload photos of their vacant rooms to a computer program and then literally furnish those spaces like a model home.  If you would like to stage your home but have not done so due to the often very high cost of bringing in a staging company and paying rental on the furniture along with the labor cost of using a physical company. If this is something that you have been wanting to pursue, I’ve listed below several national company websites. You can also search online for local companies that offer this as part of their services.  Happy Selling!

https://stuccco.conm/virtual-staging

https://virtualstagingrenderinggroup.com

https://3dstagers.com/virtual-staging

www.padstyler.com/virtual-staging

Posted in General Information, Market News, New Features, Selling Tips, Tips and Ideas
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Personal Pumpkin Patching

Oct24
2020
Written by mary.w

With Covid-19 still being an issue in many areas, the fun and joy of hay rides to the pumpkin patch, laughing with strangers seeking the same perfect pumpkin and warming up with hot apple cider has been cancelled. But the season has not and the enjoyment of ringing in autumn is still in our hearts so here are a few ideas to help you create your own “waiting for the great pumpkin” event.

  • If you have a few friends or neighbors who are in your ‘safe’ group, plan for the adults to each bring a few to several pumpkins (depending on the number of fall-floridachildren) to your home (or one of the other’s homes). For extra fun, have all the kids wear their halloween costumes.
  • Decorate your yard with scarecrows, gourds and scary spiders/skeletons/black cats. Set up a couple of decorated tables or picnic tables with bundles of markers or paints as a pumpkin decorating area.
  • Create a few different piles of pumpkins around the yard and let the kids go on a pumpkin hunt….littlest children getting first dibs.
  • Once all the pumpkins have been chosen, let the kids enjoy hot apple cider or hot chocolate (you can certainly enhance your own cider or chocolate with a bit of libations) while decorating their pumpkins. If there are older children let them go ahead and have their own carving station and provide safe pumpkin carving tools. They can even take on the role of helping to carve the little kids’ pumpkins if they want them to do so.Image result for free images of kids decorating pumpkins
  • If you feel so inclined you can also enjoy a fun version of dunking for apples by having a bucket full of apples in water and letting them “fish” for their apple. Then let them dunk them in melted caramel and walnut pieces to make perfect taffy apples.
  • As the evening draws near and the darkness of dusk falls, light up the jack o lanterns so all the kids can see their fun creations together then they can take See the source imagethem home to create their own home pumpkin show.

No matter what is going on, it’s important to still create wonderful memories for ourselves and our children. This can be done with as big a group as you feel comfortable with having together. Kids and grownups alike will have a special memory to enjoy and remember! Happy Autumn!!

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I Can Handle This Move…No Problem….Wait What?!!

Oct15
2020
Written by mary.w

So recently, after 39 years in my home, I made my first move cross country to start a new life journey but didn’t want to spend $15-20,000 using a traditional moving company. So I explored other options and eventually chose to rent a UHaul Truck and movers to load it, drive it and unload it at the other end. I figured I would rather do all my own packing anyway to decide what will get sold, donated, tossed or packed and really how hard could that be? Turns out, pretty darn hard. With a leaning toward sentimentality and having raised my only child in my home, selling and donating was tough and tossing was even harder! BUT I will admit that once I started selling some things I got more conducive to the idea. By the time I moved, I was giving stuff away!! So here’s some tips to help you on your way!

UHaul: The UBox is ridiculously small and though it might be good for a move across town or taking a child to college, it is NOT a good choice for cross country moves no matter what their Infomercial says. Seriously small!!

UHaul 26ft Truck: This was my choice as all their literature and employees stated that this would accommodate a 3-4 bedroom home. And let me say, when you look at an empty 26ft truck trailer, you will be convinced your things will fit.  Reality, maybe a 1-2BR home at the most. I moved one set of bedroom furniture, one mattress, a sofa, loveseat and twin sleeper plus 4 desks and a few incidental small tables….NO dining room, other 3 bedrooms, kitchen, family room, appliances, washer dryer NONE of THAT! I had lots of bins and boxes but hey, without all that extra furniture it should fit, right? Wrong. Ended up having to buy a 14′ trailer to attach to my daughter’s truck which was also full to make the 1100 mile drive across country.

Granted moving this way saved me probably $10000 in costs and so I would do it again, just smarter and better! My movers were very very nice people….but incredibly slow. Take the time to get referrals as best you can. It will be a great help!

I’m still glad I packed myself as I made sure I have what is most important to me with me in my new home. One thing that made it difficult was that I wasn’t confirmed on the deal going through until 2 weeks before closing so I had to leave a lot of packing until the last minute so the home would still be staged properly in case it had to go back on the market. These are all factors I was not aware of when I started the process but know now and want to pass on so that your move can be less stressful, more joyful and an experience you can look back on as a good part of your new journey.

The key is recognizing that your past memories will be with you forever and your new memories are lying ahead. Give yourself the authority to move forward so when you look back it’s with joy and appreciation for the blessings you enjoyed. Home truly is where your heart is and with the people who mean the most to you.

Happy Journey!

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MUMS the Word!

Sep18
2020
Written by mary.w

As we watch summer, in some places, move quickly out of the way and with a new chill in the air, welcome in the Fall season, it’s good to think about what you can do to refresh your listing with bright new curb appeal if you’re selling or increase the beauty you’ll enjoy yourself as fall flowers fill the air with crisp colors and aromas.

If you’re selling, by taking photos with fresh new autumn landscapes, your listing looks fresh and new instead of old and stale from sitting still all summer.

One of the best choices, beauty wise and for your pocketbook, are Mums! They come in many different colors, shades and sizes so you really can use these rich toned Autumn beauties for all home types including enhancing your condo balcony! You can plant them to fill your ground spaces or use potted mums just as effectively to add wonderful pops of the new season around your home. A key when you’re selling is to not just think about the views of the front of your home but to wrap your yard with color and the life that flowers Image result for free images of fall landscapes with mumsprovide.  If your home is a very neutral tone, an assortment of mums adds the perfect pop of color to make your home stand out in the crowd! As trees begin to change colors, your landscapes will blend beautifully to create a picturesque and inviting home experience for buyers or you!Image result for free images of fall landscapes with mums

 

 

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Founded in 1984, BuyOwner.com® is the leading provider of real estate marketing services. We pioneered the "For Sale by Owner" (FSBO) market, which today represents over 20 percent of all residential real estate transactions.

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