National Open House Weekend 2015 !

The spring weather has finally arrived and it is just time for National Open House weekend ! Whether your home is listed with a Realtor or if you have decided you are doing FSBO this is a weekend to take advantage.  This blog will be dedicated to making your home stand out and getting the buyers to stay at your open house !

Signage ! 

• With so many open houses you may think your Realtor might not need as much in the way of signs but it actually means the opposite ! I suggest discussing what strategy your Realtor plans on taking BEFORE the open house weekend.  If you are doing FSBO than you will want to make sure whichever main road is nearest to you has visible signs directing the buyers not only into your area but make sure the sign will get them to your home ! 
• Speak with your Realtor see if they have any sign riders that will have the day & hours of your open house.  This is a great way to market you home if you are not having your open house on a Saturday because it will give your home the added exposure that buyers might notice while they are at another open house in your area.  
• Another great piece of exposure is social networking - share your open house with friends & family.  This is a tool that you can use whether you have a Realtor or you are doing FSBO.  This is free advertisement and you never know who is looking to buy a house until they see yours ! 

Give Them The Information ! 

• Buyers will be seeing a lot of homes this weekend, you want to make your memorable not only in their mind but also in the paperwork.  Personally I always have "Buyer Packets" it not only contains information about the house but also the community information like entertainment & school information, a small informational packet about buying, and things like Home Warranty information.  This helps buyers remember all that your community & home offers ! 
• If you are doing FSBO than this information is the most important - give them the information but do not hover over them ! Buyers generally feel they are imposing when a homeowner is their during a showing, so you do not want them to feel free to stay and walk around since not only are you their for a showing but you are who they will be negotiating with ! 
• Also giving buyers options on what information they would like to take is often helpful. With so many open houses it gets them to stand still take a breathe and peruse what they would like to take rather than be shoved another hi-lite sheet and dragged around the house for a quick tour before the next buyer walks in.  

Refreshments & Food 

• Many homeowners will bake before/during an open house to give the buyers a nice aroma, but on a weekend like this I suggest my homeowners do NOT.  First for safety reasons with so many buyers and children attending open houses a hot stove, or the temptation of a toddler and fresh baked cookies can spell disaster.  Simple solution is to open up those windows or get a scented wax tea light - it gives you the smell without the risk ! 
• Just because fresh baked goods are out - I will often bring small bottles of water and chips for buyers to take.  There is never any harm in offering the buyers something that they can take on the road or while they are walking around your home with no risk of making a mess ! 

Turn On The Charm ! 

• I recently wrote a blog about getting your home ready for the spring selling season, this is the weekend you want to make sure you take those tips and use them ! Make your outdoor area as welcoming as your indoor area, lighten up the curtains and put out some colorful potted plans for curb appeal ! You can find the full blog on Staging Your Home For The Spring Here. 

Common Questions About Showings & Open Houses

This week we will be talking about the common questions brought up by both buyers and sellers about open houses & showings !

What Is A Brokers Open House VS Consumers Open House ? 

• The brokers open house is something that is set-up for other real estate agents from both the company who has your home listed and other agencies in the area.  Brokers open houses are a bit tricky to predict the turn-out it will rarely be affected by the price of the home, but rather the area is what will determine the turn-out.  Certain areas will just not have the buzz about town on the 2 days that these open houses normally take place which can effect turn-out greatly.  Broker open houses are normally a bit shorter than the consumer open house, and most agents will provide refreshments & food.   
• You should have your consumer open house the same weekend that you had your brokers open house, the reason why is so that the brokers who attended can inform their buyers of that great house and tell them to attend your consumer open house !

Why Isn't The Listing Agent Holding My Open House ! 

• Keep in mind if your agent works with a "team" than it will still be as if the agent you signed with was holding it, real estate teams are common.  If you are listing with someone who has this kind of arrangement you will know before you have signed the paperwork for the listing if they did not inform you speaking with their broker is suggested.   Coldwell Banker has quite a few agents that are part of this trend and are all extremely knowledgeable and successful agents.  
• If you did not list with a team, their will still be the possibility that another agent may hold an open house.  Your agent should discuss this with you before it happens, I suggest though that all sellers ask this question at the time they sign into a listing agreement.  Occasionally  I will have other agents hold an open house, because of a large event where I can't possibly be at 4 homes at the same time.  Making sure you discuss this at the time you list is very important, I also suggest discussing the amount of open houses and advertising that will be provided for the open house discussed. 

Why Are Agents So Strict About Signing Into Open Houses ? 

• Safety, safety, safety !!! That truly is why - an open house is the most dangerous part of an agents job.  Not only are we in a vacant home, but we have signs directing everyone on exactly how to find us ! Put yourself into the agents shoes, and understand we are simply protecting ourselves and our homeowners ! 

What Should I Do If I Have An Agent & Attend Another Agents Open House ? 

• Some agents are very strict about who can/can not attend the open house. Personally whether you a have an agent or don't does not matter to me.  What is important is the feedback, if your working with a Realtor but don't want the listing agent calling you for feedback than offer it to them before you leave, that feedback is important for us to pass along to our sellers ! 
• If you have an agent try to have a stack of their cards or their information available to provide for the listing agent, they may ask you to still sign in with your information but again that is not  about only getting your information for most agents its about their safety.  IF that agent steps over the bounds and tries to solicit you after that than let your agent know immediately ! 

Who Should Be Present During Showings ? 

• Obviously the buyers and their agent will be their for showings, but homeowners should actually leave the home.  Buyers will often times feel as if they are intruding if the homeowner is their regardless of if they are nearby or not.  Sellers should discuss this before they sign the listing, if you are not comfortable having the home shown without you or your agent present you will need to make sure the agent is willing to accommodate that request beforehand.  
• If you are concerned about buyers getting all of the information about the "extras" your home has than talking to your agent about a additional hi-lite sheet is what I recommend.  Even if your agent verbally tells them, chances are they will be seeing a lot of homes and it might just be too much.  Making sure your hi-lite sheet is informative but don't be excessive listing things that are obvious.  Updated kitchen, is repetitive if their is a picture but if you have a chefs stove than the make and model is the kind of information you should make sure is provided !  

What Tenants Should Know & Expect During The Sale Of A Home

For many renters selling a home isn't something they need to think about, but what about when your the tenant in a property that is being sold.  Often times it is hard because you are not told what you should expect to have happen and what rights you have.  This blog will help clarify what your responsibility and rights are through-out the process.

Do You Stay Or Do You Go ? 

• If you are currently still in a lease on the property, by law you are allowed to occupy the apartment until the lease expires.  After the housing market crashed, many tenants found themselves paying rent to an owner who did not keep up with payment to the bank leaving the tenant in a home the bank would no longer allow them to live in.  This was the reason legislation was passed to protect tenants from these potential issues.  
• If you are NOT in a lease than you are not legally entitled to stay, which may not be a bad thing.  Once the potential buyer has gone to contract on the home I will normally reach out to the tenant so that both the "soon to be landlord" and tenant can meet.  Just like when you rented the apartment you may decide that it will not be the right fit for you anymore.  This will allow you time to decide without having a closing date looming in front of you.  

Showings & Open Houses:

• These 2 things will have to happen, you should discuss with your landlord having a meeting with all parties including the listing agent to set up a schedule and open communication to make sure that everyone is on the same page.  If you have a specific showing schedule that is established from the very beginning of the process it will make things much more predictable and easier to deal with.  
• Open houses are often a difficult idea for a renter, you are not given much choice on allowing people to go through your home and it may feel a bit like an invasion of privacy.  This is a risk all renters take when they move into a home that is either an investment property or in someone else's home.  That being said, the open communication and scheduling will help ease this tension - some homeowners will decide that they do not want their tenant disturbed with an open house but that is ultimately a discussion that must be decided on between landlord and tenant - the Realtor must abide by your landlord.  

Where Does Your Security Go?

• This is another important reason to meet with the soon to be landlord. If you decide that you will be staying as the tenant than your security deposit will need to be given from your original landlord to your new landlord.  
• If you will be vacating the apartment than your security deposit will legally need to be provided to you by the original landlord. If their was repairs needed than they will need to provide you with the documentation and the remainder of the security - same as if the home was still under their ownership.  

Who Works For Who ? 

• The listing agent works for the landlord, unfortunately the agent must follow the direction of the landlord in regards to showings, open houses and information provided to buyers.  Although you may want the listing agent to do things in a particular way if the agent is being directed by the landlord that is ultimately who they need to follow direction from.  
• If you feel that the process will be too much the agent can work for you as well by helping you to move out of your current location.  Their is no form of dual agency if you will be going into another rental home.  If you have decided to go into a purchase than you can still use the agent but you will want to fill out a Buyer Broker contract to keep all information about the motivation for a quick move confidential from all other sellers.  

Open House Etiquette

Open houses can prove to be a bit tricky, most sellers don't know what they should be doing to prepare.  Buyers are often not sure what the do's and don'ts are for open houses and believe it or not their is a proper etiquette that everyone should be following.  

Sellers Etiquette 

• Go be a buyer!  Take the time and go check out your competition, giving buyers the space to see your home without feeling like they are intruding will pay off in the long run! 

• Send your pets for a spa day ! Or just see if a neighbor would be okay with letting them run around their yard for 2 hours, whichever works for you.  Buyers can be intimidated by dogs running underfoot, and many have allergies you don't want them rushing through because they are avoiding a sneezing fit. 

• Share the news of the open house.  Your agent will do the necessary advertising but you can give your home an extra boost by doing a bit of Facebook sharing with your friends and family.  

• Don't limit who is "allowed" to view your home, that nosey neighbor might just have a friend or relative looking that you don't know about ! 

Buyers Etiquette

• Most important is make sure you sign in, try and be a bit courteous do not scribble to the point the agent can't read your handwriting.  If your working with an agent be sure to bring some of their business cards with you to give to the agent working the open house.  

• Believe it or not you don't need to knock or ring the bell at an open house, simply walking in is acceptable.  If your not greeted by the agent they are more than likely somewhere in the home possibly with another buyer just make your presence known by calling out to the agent. 

• Your pets are not their pets, if you have a traveling companion be prepared to leave him or her in your car ! Homeowners may also have allergies and no agent likes cleaning up those presents your pet may leave behind ! 

• Open houses with children can be interesting, and speaking as a single mom I understand sometimes you can't get a babysitter.  Your best bet is to bring some items to keep them occupied video game, or a coloring book will usually do the trick.  

• Keep in mind this is someones home so put yourself in their shoes. Don't go snooping through bathroom cabinets,  you should also ask before using the bathroom some homes might be winterized which will make for a very awkward conversation if you don't check first ! Now although the bathroom cabinets are off-limits you can ASK the realtor if they have any sort of custom cabinetry in the kitchen before opening although most realtors will point out if there is custom cabinetry.  

• Be honest with the agent, but understand that they work for the seller and certain things like your opinion of price might not be accurate.  Giving them your honest opinion to the agent is important but keep it to these 3 areas: How interested in the home are you, What is your opinion of the listing price, and how well did the home show.  

You are now ready to hold your open house ! Happy House Hunting ! 

Safety Tips For Sellers

We are lucky to live on Long Island where crime is not a big issue. However, I still stress to all of my sellers to play it safe while their home is listed for sale. 

Here are some very important tips to remember:

1. All Buyers Must Be Accompanied By An Agent.

Sure, some people may see your sign and take it upon themselves to knock at your front door. Do not let them walk through on their own or give them information about the home. Most agents have their cell numbers on the sale sign.  Tell them for more information or to schedule an appointment, to call your agent.

2. Put All Valuables Away.

When you list your home for sale, please put away or better yet, lock up all valuables. Most real estate agents have a comfort level with their buyer but it is impossible to screen every person that wants to look at your home. Most Realtors never leave their clients alone but it can still be easy to slip a piece of jewelry into a pocket. Also, make sure ALL valuables are safely put away during a public open house. If we get a good turnout, it is nearly impossible to keep an eye on everyone that walks through.

3. When Returning Home After A Showing Check Every  Doorway. 

Agents are responsible for securing a property when leaving however, they may be so intent on showing the property that they forget to lock a door.

4. Stay By The Door

If you are going to be home during a showing we always recommend you stay out of the way of the agent and their buyer so they do not feel pressured.  There is another reason and that is because you are opening your doors to strangers, always make sure there is nothing between yourself and your front door.  It is always better to be safe than sorry, and it will allow you to keep an eye on who else could be coming in (ex. Family/Friends).  

Going Green In Your Home

Interest in the environment and green building has moved beyond installing energy efficient appliances and swapping out incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescents. With luxury condos touting eco-friendly features like rain water recycling and construction companies incorporating energy saving features into new homes, it's no wonder real estate professionals say more and more potential home buyers are asking about "green homes."

With demand for environmentally friendly homes blossoming across the country, one way to make a home stand out in a stalled real estate market is to retro-fit it to green standards. Below are some tips from the professionals at Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation on how to make your home sustainable, energy- and cost-efficient now, to appeal to eco-conscious homebuyers later.

Replace hardwood floors with renewable materials. While hardwood has been the flooring of choice for the past several years, bamboo floors are 

much more eco-friendly because bamboo grows quickly and can be easily replaced. In the kitchen, linoleum floors, made from solidified linseed oil, wood flour or cork dust over a burlap or canvas backing, is very eco-friendly compared to modern floor coverings made from polyvinyl chloride.

Don't flush away your money. Consider replacing existing commodes with low-flow toilets which use approximately 20 percent less water per flush, or dual-flush toilets with two buttons to give home owners the choice of flushing with a half- or full tank.

A ray of light.  In many neighborhoods, owning a home on the north side of the street has always been more desirable than ones on the south side. South-facing windows provide more natural daylight, making a home more bright and cheery. More importantly, natural daylight helps keep indoor climate comfortable during the 

winter months, allowing a homeowner to lower the thermostat. Alternatively, drawing shades during key daylight hours during the summer can help cut down on air conditioning needs.

Green gardening. Sustainable landscaping is becoming all the rage to eco-conscious home owners. Planting native plants, vegetation and shade trees strategically around a home will keep it cool during the summer and block cold winds during the winter. Native vegetation thrives in its preferred environment and won’t require excess water. In addition, concrete driveways and patios can be replaced with permeable paving materials, allowing water to pass through to the ground, in turn reducing runoff that erodes soil and causes flooding of sewer systems.

Fire Safety Tips For Homeowners

It is time for us to touch on some more safety tips, after the brush fires that we have been having over the passed 2 weeks I want to take the time to not only speak on fire safety but some important things for first time home-buyers to look out for.  Most people know that when you buy your first home that you want to make sure that your smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly but there are more precautions you can take to ensure your family is safe.  

Doors 

This is often over-looked by many homeowners but you should try to be sure that all the doors in your home are solid doors rather than hollow.  This is Fire Safety 101, a solid wood door will keep the fire out of a room !  If you can not have them in all rooms your bedroom doors should be the first ones you change ! 

Fireplaces

Now if you are purchasing a home with a fire place there are many different kinds but the safest fireplace be in my opinion is a coal fire place.  This is because when the coal burns it turns into ash, and will not have any embers to fly out while you are keeping warm and cozy! Many coal fireplaces will also have a "burn setting" that allows you to safely use this fireplace to heat your home, throughout the winter.  

You will also want to know if your fireplace is "Radiant Heat" or "Convection Heat".  Radiant heat is where the heat radiates out from the fireplace and will warm all things close to the fire.  This will often cause the fireplace itself to get very hot, the hearth, even walls or surrounding furniture.  To be safe you will want to make sure that this fireplace has a proper screen and you have surrounding furniture a safe distance.  Convection heat is the common kind of heat you will get from a coal fire-place it takes longer to heat a room this way but it is much safer if you will be using it as a main source of heat.  This kind of heat will cause the air itself to get warm, and pulls the cooler air closer to the heat source - this allows it to heat the entire space while avoiding specifics areas becoming dangerously hot as it may with radiant heat.  

When you have your home inspection done, they will always check the fireplace but it is also important that you have it checked annually once you have moved into your new home.   A chimney could have build up causing improper ventilation, a build up of a flammable substance called creosote, or a loose chimney cap could allow animals, rains or leaf build up in your chimney.  

Garage

Now this is usually some debate for people, because how do you keep a garage safe when it is used to store all those things that you don't want to risk having in your home (ex: spray-paint, propane, sealers, gas).  If you do not have a shed to put these items in you want to make sure that you set aside a specific area to store these items, be sure that they are in a secured non-flammable cabinet.  You can find these kinds of "lockers" and your most Home Depot or Loews stores.  You should also always keep a fire extinguisher handy anywhere you are storing these kinds of items! 

If you are buying a home with a garage that was added-on or newly constructed you can ask them if they had fire-grade Sheetrock installed, many garages are constructed with full brick wall  to ensure the attached home is protected if a garage fire were to happen.  I would always recommend if you do not have a shed, and you have the fund to purchase one to do so, that is the best way to protect your home from any mishaps !

Outdoor

If you will be using your outdoor shed to store all of those things that could potentially ignite or fuel a fire the most important thing is the location of where you will be putting the structure.  You want to be sure that it is built on a cement slab, and not in close proximity to the home.  The safest place to put your shed is in one of the back corners of your yard, with enough room that it is not right on top of your fence, be sure to check your towns zoning to see how large of a shed your allowed, and what restrictions they have on placement.  

Whether you are storing these items in your shed or garage you should make sure everything is properly marked, and clean out the area annually.  

Outdoor fire pits are also becoming a big back yard amenity that many people like to have.  There are some very important things you should remember before using your fire-pit.  First is to make sure that it is a level surface ideally you want this on a patio to ensure any embers that fly out of the fire are on a solid safe surface.  You want to also make sure that it is at least 10 feet away from any flammable structure such as your home, swing sets, or sheds.   Most important is when you are lighting a fire in this you do not want to use any additional igniters such as gas or lighter fluid, you can pick up easy start logs that have small igniters to make getting your fire going very easy! 

You should also be sure that your outdoor water lines are hooked up properly.  Ideally you want to make sure that you have a hose in not only the front of your home, but the back as well.  Whether the fire is small or large always call your local fire department, even though you may think a fire is out it is best for them to come and be sure.  

There are a few other precautions you should take in your home to be sure your family is protected to find out more you can check with your local library or fire-stations they often have classes or seminars to help keep you informed. 

Tips For Sellers During The Home Inspection Process

I have written a blog previously for buyers about home inspections, but over the passed few months I have found that the sellers are the ones needing more guidance when it comes to their homes inspection.  So this blog is going to be specifically only for those potential sellers out there !!

First lets talk about what you should do to help the process along !

Tips For Sellers Preparing For A Home Inspection 

• Move any smaller furniture that is blocking areas that the home inspector will need to get to (ex: outlets, electrical panels) 
• Clean out utility areas (ex: remove clothes from the washer/dryer) 
• Make sure all your bulbs are working, sounds silly but important (ex: attic, garage)
• Remove your pets to allow the inspectors to work thru the house without any distractions or potential issue
• THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP: LEAVE and let your real estate agent stay ! 

Tips For Sellers During The Home Inspection

• If you decide to stay during the home inspection try your best not to try and "explain" things in the house, something you may think is a big deal might not be and visa versa
• Do not try and cover up anything, the home inspectors are thorough and they will find whatever you may have tried to hide and than they will search more to make sure they didn't miss anything
• Do not negotiate on anything during the home inspection, again something that may be a red flag for you may not be for your buyers
• Keep your distance, do not hover over the home inspector stay available IF he has a question otherwise he is a professional allow him to do his job 
• Don't expect to have the report immediately the first person to get a copy of your homes inspection will be the potential buyer who than can share it with you 

Once the home inspection has occurred is where things may get tricky for a homeowner, this is your second round of negotiations which means the price of what your home sells for just might be changing again! 

The agreed upon price of your home before a home inspection 90% of the time is not the actual final price.  

If there are safety, structural, electric, plumbing issues in your home that is uncovered you will usually be given the option to either 

A: Fix It              or B:                  Give the buyers a credit so they can have it fixed once they take ownership.  

Common Items Needing Negotiations

• Underground Oil Tanks - These will require soil testing, filling or removing old tank, installation of new tank
• Asbestos - Not all asbestos is a hazard but a certified professional is the only one who can safely make that determination
• Wiring - Broken electric outlets, outdated service
• Safety Concerns - Raised pavement on walkways, decking
• Roofs - Older or damaged roofs 

Where Do The Home Inspectors Inspect ? 

There of course are times where if a house is priced well below market value that it will be referred to as "Sold As Is" this is what happens commonly frequently with Short Sales & Foreclosures which means the buyer should have the inspection to make sure they are not getting in over their heads, but should not expect any changes to be made to the contracts or the home.

If you are a homeowner there are some very important things you should remember BEFORE you begin negotiating those items that require repair or credits !

• If there is a significant issue you should try your best to negotiate thru it, because if one home inspector finds it chances are this will be an issue with any buyer 
• There are more homes than buyers, if you have a buyer do your best to keep your deal afloat by being fair and realistic 
• Just because something does not bother you, it does not mean that the buyer should feel the same as you do about an issue, just like you do not want to give your house away, a buyer does not want to over-pay for a home that requires work 
• If you can fix it cheaper than their estimate either A: Suggest getting more estimates B: Offer to fix it
• Trust your Realtor, they should have attended the home inspection, reviewed it and be able to help advise you on what is important

The first thing you should do before you start to negotiate is meet with your Realtor, discuss what showings your home has had since other brokers have become aware of your accepted offer - if you have not had anyone show the home because of that it means that their are no aggressive buyers looking to buy your home.  You should also review the inspection report with your Realtor, we are by no means professionals in the home inspection process, but we do know what we would look at if we were working as a buyers broker and what items could possibly be an issue.  

Most importantly always remember that you may not like to hear what we are telling you, but our jobs are not to tell you what you want to hear, it is to make sure you are informed and help you make good decisions during the process of selling your home !! 

New Home, New Pool

I recently read another blog written by another blogger about pool safety, and what to look for if the home you are buying has a pool.  Pools can either  be an asset to a home or a huge drawback for buyers.  This is something that is very hard for a homeowner to understand because they almost always love their pools, and have spent alot of time enjoying them.

I personally had an oversized pool before I had my son, and once he was born I took it down because as a new mother I was nervous and I really did not have the time to take care of it.  Recently I went ahead and purchased one of those new it yourself pools, after about a week I decided that the work to maintain that pool was more work than a true pool so my son and I will now be enjoying a brand new pool in the next 2 weeks.  The reason I bring this up is because while at the local pool store we were reviewing what I needed to do take care of it, and I became suddenly overwhelmed even though I had a pool previously! This blog is going to generally overview what a homebuyer should look for when purchasing a home that comes with a pool, but also give you a true idea of what needs to be done to maintain and upkeep a pool in the simplest terms possible !! 

Here is just a quick punch list of the things you will want to look out for if your thinking of purchasing a home that comes with a pool: 

• Electrical Outlet is a Grounded 220 Volt, minimum of 3 feet away from the actual pool. For the Town of Babylon this is and has been a requirement for over ten years so if an agent tells you otherwise, they are unfortunately incorrect. 
• Wiring underground must be buried 2 feet underground in a protected cylinder.  This may seem like a huge deal but if the homeowners have correctly had the outlet installed any electrician should have known the requirements.
• Filter & Pump should be on a level grounded area preferably not on grass but some sort of brick/wood foundation.  
• Self-Closing Gates on any gate that accesses the pool.  This again is a requirement by the town. In some cases like my home I have a fence around my yard, as well as a smaller decorative fence sectioning off the area of my yard where the pool is.  It is NOT necessary to have a additional fence around the pool but for inground pools I would definitely suggest taking that precaution.   There are many options when it comes to easy assembly fences for this purpose, even if you do not have children small pets can also need to be protected from falls into the pool. 
• Pool Alarm This is a new rule that they have come out with, and I am still looking into it myself, so once I have gotten more information I will add onto this blog.  I did take the time to price them while I was at the store and they seem to run from about $150 & Up because this is a new rule the current homeowner may not have this.   It is not something that needs to be installed, it simply hooks onto the side of the pool and seem to be universal. 
• Liner Rips & Tears A new liner in a pool can become costly depending on the size of the pool, if the homeowner is representing the pool you should take the time to look and see if you notice any sort of rips or bubble spots behind the liner this could indicate a liner issue. 
• Age Of The Pool & Accessories Most homeowners will be able to tell you how old the pool is, but remember it is just like a car just because the body has 120,000 miles on it does not mean the motor does as well.  Most above ground pools were made of Galvanized Steel, but over time they have of course upgraded the material.  The pool I took down was over 20 years old and the pool itself was still in good condition, I did need to replace the liner and pumps a few years before taking it down.  If you are considering buying a home with a pool I always suggest taking a ride to your local pool store and talking to them about the costs and differences between pumps & filters. 
• Clear Depth Changes If your purchasing an inground pool you will want to make sure that you know the depths of the pool, since most are 2 depths with a gradual decline into the deeper end you will want to make sure you know where this is because finding it once your in the pool is only funny for the onlookers ! This is not something you need to negotiate with the sellers most will have sort of marking, just make sure once you take ownership you take the time to mark where the depth is what. 

Next up is the list of things you need to be prepared to do to maintain your pool.  This is where I began suddenly overwhelmed by the amount of "stuff" I forgot I had to do.  Thank god for the very nice boy and the pool store who went ahead and gave me my own little cheat sheet to work from !! The one downside to going into the pool store can be that they see a new pool owner coming, and they will load you up with tons of things you don't need to be doing.  After purchasing your home you should treat it as if you just opened it, in case the homeowners did not properly adjust their chemicals before they left.  Please be aware this is only for homes that use chlorine to keep it clean! 

Day 1 - Afternoon 

• Put in the required amount of PH into your pool, & than wait 2 hours.  The bag will tell you how much to use for what size pool.
• Add in your Alkalinity (This is the chemical that adjusts your PH)

Day 1 - Evening

• Shock your pool either by spreading the shock around the pool or simply pouring into where the skimmer circulates the water, and allow the filer to run overnight

Day 2 - Morning 

• Check your chlorine & PH levels of the pool, begin using your chlorine tabs in the pool if you levels are ok.  The local pool store will have safe canisters that will float in the water keeping the tablets away from children/pets. 

PH Level Should Be 7.2 - 7.6 
Chlorine Level Should Be 1.5 

When shocking your pool the chlorine level can be higher then 3, you should shock your pool in the evening so by the next day the levels have returned to normal before you go and take a dip.  It is not considered harmful but my personal opinion is do not go in your pool if any of the levels are extremely high or extremely low just to be on the safe side.  You should shock your pool at the beginning of the season, after you have a had a large amount of people swimming, or if you see it getting cloudy or green.  

The amount of work that goes into upkeeping a pool is sometimes overwhelming so I want to take the time to do another punch-list of the general care you need to be ready for while owning your pool ! 

• Checking your chemical levels daily
• Running your filter (setting up a timer makes this much easier)
• Weekly vacuuming (you can also get a auto-vacuum for about $250)
• Spring Opening & Closings
• If your filter has a cartridge system you will want to rinse and dry this out every 2 weeks or so

Please keep in mind I am writing this as a pool owner, and a real estate agent.  Every town is different along with there town codes, so you or your agent should be sure to check out the local guidelines. 

What Do Expect When Buying A Short Sale

Many of today's buyers are opting to take advantage of getting a "deal" on a short sale, now I previously wrote a blog explaining the process of buying a short sale.   I want to take a moment to explain a bit further not the process but what you should expect to see, and how you can prepare yourself for looking at these homes.  If you are looking for information on the process please refer to this blog.

So you have decided your going to get a deal, and you are on the lookout for that home you can steal off the market.  Well let me prepare you a little bit for what you may walk into, remember these homes are often time distressed or abandoned. 

Before you even start looking at short sales you must remember a few important points.

1. There is still a homeowner involved even if they have abandoned the home, unless they have made other arrangements they first have the right to accept or reject your offer.  
2. You have the right to have a home inspection performed on the house, but that is as far as it will go there will be no repairs made to the home. 
3. Anyone looking into a short sale should also become educated on a what a rehab loan is, some of these homes will not be mortgageable and will require a rehab loan.  
4. "Sold As Is" means just that, many people assume that it just means that no repairs will be made but it also means that any CO issues the home may have not and will not be addressed.  

If that hasn't scared you off from purchasing a short sale, let me give you some reassurance.  Not all short sales are in bad shape and/or have CO issues.  Most of our short sales that are coming onto the market are actually still being lived in by the homeowner so let me prepare you a bit more.

• As I said earlier the homeowner still has the right to negotiate before any offer gets submitted to the bank, the chances of "stealing" one of these homes are slim because the bank will want at least 96% of what the market value is, and the homeowner will want the process to go as quickly and smoothly as possible so submitting a low offer would do nothing but waste everyone time.  

• Not every homeowner will be happy that their home is for sale, and to be quite honest some of them will be flat out rude to you.  Don't take it personal, and do not rush out on their account take your time and look the same as you would if the homeowner was being nice.  Sometimes getting into these homes can be a bit more difficult so you want to make sure you see everything while you are there.  

Those that are well versed in DIY projects, or who have family in construction are the most likely buyers to purchase and mortgage a distressed property.  When you are going out to these homes there are a few important things you should really be prepared for, and this is the most important part of this blog, remember this is specifically for vacant distressed homes.   

• Ladies, this first one is for you and I speak from experience when I am saying this.  DO NOT wear heals/skirts/open shoes when you are going out to look at these homes.  Even in this heat I would recommend wearing jeans or long capris rather than shorts.  Some of these homes have been vandalized and their could be glass, or debris laying around and worst case there can be mold in some of the areas of the house or exposed insulation that can irritate your skin.  

• Bring your flashlights and be prepared to use them, even on the sunniest day these homes can be eerily dark.  Most of the time this is caused by the boarded up windows, and doors but the lack of electricity at night is always an issue.  You will also want to consider bringing some hand sanitizer, some of these houses can be a bit on the dirty size so if you are anything like me you will be very happy to clean up a bit after being inside.  

• View these homes during "normal" hours, this is all about your safety.  You will have to use flashlights to see and your site will be way to limited in the evening hours.  There is no way to know if squatters have been using this home for a warm place to sleep, and viewing these homes in the late evening hours is just not safe.  

• NEVER close the door behind your agent, again this is all about your safety as well as your brokers, you never know what your walking into.  By leaving the front door open you are making it clear to those neighbors and other agents who may be showing that you are in the house, and they will be able to hear you inside god forbid something is to happen.

Now I know that all that may make you think it is not worth looking at short sales at all, but it is rare to see homes in this extreme distress anymore.  It is much more typical that the homes are still being lived in or taken care of by neighbors but I have quite a few buyers who are looking for this kind of project coming to me over the passed few weeks.  The best way to find the short sale that is right for you is to talk open and honestly with your agent, here are a two easy ways we can help you before you even step foot into one of these homes.   

• As brokers we have access to things that you do not, if you would not consider a home that would require a rehab loan we have the ability to check the agent listing to see if the home would require one or not before you go and look at it.  

• Many of these short sales will not have pictures attached to the listing, don't discount them just based on that if you are nervous about seeing these vacant homes because you would only want to do cosmetic work, see if your agent would be willing to preview them for you.   

The best piece of advice I could give you when your buying a short sale is to expect the unexpected ! Short sales are not for everyone.  The good news is that we are not seeing any large amount of short sales coming onto the market at the rate they were in previous years, and we are slowly seeing these homes sold !

Virtual Garage Sales !

Real estate agents often talk to homeowners about clearing out some of their belongings from their home before putting it on the market, and many people will decide to try the yard sale route.  This sometimes works great, but alot of people who decide to go that route are often disappointed by the outcome selling things for $1 or $2 after spending the better part of their day pulling things out than having to put it back into their house.  Some homeowners, including myself don't even get to that point I've been planning my garage sale for the past 5 years !

Trust me I can understand why it is such a daunting task, and because of some much needed renovations to my home and a "suggestion" from my contractor I was put in a position that either A. this garage sale I'd been planning needed to happen or B. My garbage men and neighbors were about to hit the jackpot!

After a bit of brainstorming, I realized that I could have a "Virtual Garage Sale" with a little bit of help of Facebook, Craigslist, & EBay.  It would be a garage sale everyday for as long as I wanted, plus it would cost me minimal time and effort plus I would sell alot more in 3 months than doing a 1 day garage sale.

Here are the steps to making your "Virtual Garage Sale" successful !

• The first step is of course deciding where your storage area for your items will be.  If your like me there is not 1 area of the house to put everything you don't want or need anymore and be able to navigate thru it on a daily basis, I unfortunately do not have a basement.  If you are lucky enough to have one than that will usually make your life a bit easier.  I borrowed some fold out tables from friends and families and decided to set shop up in my garage lining the garage walls with the tables.  

• The next step is deciding what you are going to sell in order to make the most of your time, you don't necessarily want to put 50 different items online because maintaining the ad can become time consuming and you will stop keeping up with it because it will become tiresome.   Instead you will want to consider starting with something like 10 ads with 3 or 4 different categories, or think about grouping them so they cross advertise one another.   If your selling things like DVD's your best bet will be to sell them in bulk, putting up the full list of what you have available and sell them in lots of 5 letting the buyers choose which 5.       

• You will want to decide what the best kind of site you want to advertise on.  An Online Ebay Store was a bit much for me to undertake, so I opted for the Craigslist route.    When you use Ebay you will need to decide if you want someone to be able bid or buy immediately with their Buy It Now feature, you will also need to set up a PayPal Account in order to receive payment.  Ebay also allow you to re-list without having to redo the entire ad week after week, but they do charge you to advertise on their website whether the items sells or not. 

• Another option is Craigslist, which is the route which I chose because I was more comfortable not having to be responsibility of making sure the items got delivered.  The upside to Craigslist is the fact that you are not charged per ad, but the downside is you will get quite a few bogus buyers who have no intention of buying.  This site also allows you to simple renew your ad with one simple click, bringing you back up to the top of the list.  

• You will want to share what your selling, you never know who knows someone looking for items for cheap.  I created an entire facebook album where I have what I am selling, and I have sold a few things to friends of friends because of it. 

• Once you have your area set up, and your ads are running you simply sit back and collect your profits ! Because your only running a handful of ads, after you have items sold simply put up whatever you would like to sell next.   

Now, there is some safety & privacy precautions you will want to take if your using Craigslist, which is usually best for large or heavy items.  

• Never believe anyone who offers you a money order because they are "out of the country" or "buying for a relative", they are scams ! 

• Never allow someone to go into your home when they come to pick up the item unless it is absolutely necessary .  

• Always have someone in the house with you, or offer to meet them in an area that you know during the daytime! 

• Do not put your actual home address in the "location" area, just put the town, and never give them your home phone number always use your cell ! 

I've been doing my Virtual Garage Sale, via CraigsList for about 2 weeks and I've sold about $200 worth of items with less than 3 hours worth of work to get it done, and the only reason it took that long was because I had alot of small items I need to sort and group before posting my ads.  I've sold things from an old microwave for $10 to $75 for a old video game system ! Happy Selling !