Why You Owe it to Yourself to Get Pre-Approved...Before you Start Looking

Just about the most fun you can have is to dive into house shopping on the internet. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, and every once in a while, I do a quick search and get dreamy eyed and excited about houses that are on the market. It's wonderful - all those possibilities waiting out there...

Some women window shop for clothes. I window shop for houses.

If you're moving beyond the "window shopping" phase, however, you owe it to yourself to call a reliable mortgage broker or bank and get pre-approved so that you know how much you can afford. Now, sometimes it will be a welcome surprise, and others a reality check. At the end of the day, though, real estate is best faced with a dose of reality.

There is nothing more heartbreaking than falling in love with a house and then finding out you cannot afford it. Really. It's devastating, and it instantly takes all the fun out of what should be a very joyful process. Instead, you find something you love, only to have it ripped away from you. You start to think, "I'll never find another house as great as that one." It's the "one that got away" syndrome, and you'll build that house up to the epitome of every dream you've ever had, whether it actually is or not.

Secondly, it makes all the houses in your price range look bad. And they aren't. No matter what the price range: a great $200,000 house cannot compete with a $250,000 house. A fabulous $1,000,000 house cannot compete with a $1,250,000 house. It doesn't mean the house is less than, or a junker. But you've spoiled your perception of a good house by unfairly comparing it to houses to which it has no business being compared. Apples to Apples, folks. It's the only way to find the best of the bushel.

I know many people say REALTORS push Buyers to get pre-approved because they don't want to "waste their time" with unqualified Buyers. The truth is that I want you to enjoy your experience, to appreciate what you can afford, and to be happy (and on good financial footing) at the end of the process. Let's have fun, not heartache!

Relishing the Spring Weather

It's gorgeous out today. I'm blogging from a back patio that I haven't seen since about September, and listening to the happy sounds of mowers and weed wackers. Spring yard cleanup may be the only time I look forward to manual labor. (I don't shirk it, but let's just say it ain't exactly my deal either!) I wanted to share with my readers this great find:

Hortulus Farm Nursery & Gardens

I am deeply ashamed to admit that, while I can walk to this hidden treasure, I've never taken a tour of the gardens. I need to. I have no idea how to garden in my soil.

I've moved one tree to three different locations in my yard because it always "looks stupid" a year or two after the move.

I once planted 200 tulip bulbs (while 7 months pregnant!) only to have them be clear cut by a herd of deer.

I had large flower gardens that required the equivalent of one year's college tuition spent in annuals.

We've gone with the dirt and weed landscaping since our rehab ripped up the front of our yard. Although I'm leaning towards hiring a company to landscape, there's that inner artist (ego-ist) in me that thinks I can do it on my own. I want a naturalistic look, with ferns and perennials that look more beautiful as they age.

Maybe I can actually swing it with a tour of the Hortulus Farm under my belt.

Where are all these smart people coming from?

I just had the absolute pleasure of meeting with my friend Lindsay about selling her home. Again, I'm so pleased with how darn SMART she is! How am I meeting all these smart Buyers and Sellers? I love it!



Here are some of the things she's doing that are going to pay off for her:

• She spent 13 hours painting her pretty crimson red room a soft neutral color. Backbreaking, thankless work that will pay off (Promise Lindsay!)


• She's replacing some windows that won't stay open (they'll only come up on the home inspection anyway, and it's a good pre-emptive strike against inspection issues).


• She's repainting her ceilings and has banished all smokers outside.


• She's cleaning out and cleaning up, and when her house goes on the market, it's going to be ready to go!

I can't wait to show her house - it's going to knock Buyer's socks off.

Want some more tips on how to prepare your house for sale? Shoot me an email, and I'll be happy to give you all my secrets!

We Don't Need No Stinkin' Internets...

So, how important IS you web-based marketing strategy? The following statistics are taken from the 2007 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers:

84% of buyers used the Internet to search for homes in 2007 compared to 80% in 2006.

73% of Internet home buyers drove by or viewed a home they found on the Internet.

57% of Internet home buyers walked through a home viewed online.

You absolutely NEED the following:

• Great photos and a virtual tour
• Enhanced realtor.com listing with custom verbiage
• RSS feeds to other real estate websites: trulia.com, oodle.com, google.com, etc.

I always provide a custom website for my sellers to fully utilize and enhance the online presence of my listings. Want some examples? Check out the following:

www.958Decker.com

www.1618Rockcress.com

Want more information? Shoot me an email and I'll be happy to talk online marketing strategy with you!

"How's the Market?" - What's it Matter?

I've gotten a few emails from potential Buyers and Sellers, and they all want to know, "What do you think of the market?"

I think they should forget about the market, and live their life.

Do you want to sell your house? Price it appropriately, get it sold, and move on with your life. For whatever reason - you've outgrown it, it's too much for you, you don't like your neighbor next door - all those things aren't going to be put on hold until the market "recovers." Do your research, figure out your next steps, and then take them.

Do you want to buy a house? Figure out your price range, what you want, and then go buy one. Don't pay rent for the next two years so that you can time the "absolute BOTTOM" of the market. Sit on your own back deck this summer and pay off your own mortgage, rather than someone else's.

Deal with the reality in front of you. Live your life. Move forward. Make yourself happy.

Don't put your life on hold trying to "outsmart" the market. Be happy, rather than "clever."

Bugs, Rot, and Redemption - A Conversation with my Tree Guy

I had a few trees removed the other day, and got to talking with the very knowledgeable Paul Anthony of Advanced Tree Care in Newtown (215) 968-9161. We were talking bugs, rot, and redemption of local trees. I asked Paul about some of the more prevalent diseases he's been seeing in the area. Here are a few of the ones he called out. I've included links to more information, so that you read up on the symptoms and treatment:

Maple trees can be afflicted with verticillium wilt, which is a soil born vascular disease. There is no cure for this disease, so it may result in losing the tree if it is afflicted.

Birch trees are susceptible to the bronze birch borer which can kill the tree within 2 to 3 years if left untreated. Keep an eye out for Birch Leafminer attacks, since they can weaken the trees and leave them open to borer attacks.

Ash trees have their own borer, who traveled overseas from Asia in packing crates. These exotic bugs have been causing damage in Pennsylvania ash trees, and have even resulted in quarantines in an attempt to stop their infiltration into the US.

Oak trees can be afflicted by bacterial leaf scorch, and since there's no known cure, and stopping infestation is difficult, this could be a "hope and pray" that you don't lose a tree to this infection.

Anyway, the parting advice I got from Paul, is that if you see a tree that looks in distress, call an arborist to evaluate the tree. They can take a specimen of the tree to the lab, correctly identify the problem, and make recommendations for a course of action.

If all else fails, and you lose the tree, perhaps you'll meet Paul during the removal. He's a wealth of information. It's also a lot of fun to see him and his crew climb the trees. My kids thought it was really cool - you will too. Check out the the hair raising picture below:

Joyful Buying and Selling...It's still out there

I've begun working with new clients, and they are a complete joy to work with. Why? 'Cause they're so darn SMART!

Here's a few things that they're doing that are going to pay off for them...big time:

• They've decided to sell their home first, then buy. They'll know exactly how much money they have to work with. More than that, they won't have that excruciating stress of selling their home under the gun because they are making two mortgage payments. They can get the right price for their home, rather than having a fire sale to stop the bleeding.

• They're educating themselves on the market before they begin the process. When they sell their home, they'll know exactly where they want to look, and exactly what price range. They'll be serious, committed, EDUCATED buyers who know the price/condition/market and are ready to see a home and make an offer.

• They're just so rational, realistic, and excited about the process.

On top of this, they're a blast to shop with and talk to. They also have a cute baby, and she smiles at me a lot because I'm her favorite ;)

The market is filled with these people. We're so used to hearing about desperation and foreclosures and "Seller says make an offer!" that we forget that there are people out there who are joyfully selling and buying. And when we work with them, well, it's a joyful relationship all around.

Thanks for reminding me of that Brian and Dana!