2008 Profile of a Pennsylvanian Home Buyer

The National Association of Realtors have released their 2008 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

So, what did Buyers in Pennsylvania look like last year?

• The median age was 38 years old. For first-time Buyers, the median age was 29 (Go you under-30somethings).
• 66% of home buyers had no children under the age of 18 in the home.
• 59% were married couples, 18% single females, 11% single males, and 9% unmarried couples.
• First time home Buyers accounted for 46% of purchases.

And I thought this was especially relevant:

• 43% of Buyers used social networking websites such as Facebook, MySpace, etc. (Pssst...look to your Right ->)

So what does this mean for Bucks County Sellers?

Well, for one thing, when staging your home, make sure you're appealing to the right age group. If you're selling an entry level townhome, keep those 20-somethings in mind and make sure that it's not their "parents" house. I'll give you a hint - look to Target for some great decorating ideas.

Another thing to keep in mind is the growth of the single Buyer and the fact that a large percentage of Buyers did not have small children in the home. I've been routinely staging my extra bedrooms as a nursery and a child's room, but perhaps a better option would be as an office/guest room - maybe a daybed and a desk?

Lastly, make sure that you're utilizing social networking sites to sell your home. If you're not participating in any of the sites, ask your Realtor if they are, and if / how they plan to market your home on these sites.

112 Fair Oaks Court, Eagle Ridge, Newtown Township / Council Rock School District

As promised, here's the first look at my FABULOUS new listing in the Eagle Ridge development in Newtown Township / Council Rock School District!

Pretty great looking, isn't it?

Price / Condition / Location - this home is a triple threat!

We're going to start off the showings at my

Open house on January 25th from 1-3 p.m.

I've got professional pictures and a 360 degree virtual tour coming in the next day or so, and I'll be continually updating our website. I've even figured out how to post a photo tour on youtube, so watch for that, as well.

Want more information, like floorplans, Seller's Disclosure, Home Owners' Association rules, taxes, or room sizes? Go visit our website!

http://www.112fairoaks.com/

In the meantime, here are some sneak peeks at this great 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath home. I've also included the google map of the home so that you can see just how close you'd be to Historic Newtown Borough and major roadways for an easy commute.

View Larger Map

Psst...I'll Let You in on a Secret!

I've got a great new listing coming on the market!

It's a really fabulous townhome located in Eagle Ridge in Newtown Township.  Spacious, well-maintained, private back deck, and priced RIGHT. 

No "Let's price it at 2005 pricing and see what happens."  going on here - I've got super-smart, reasonable Sellers.

They Rock! (And so does their townhome)

Check back on Tuesday for the first peek at this great home.  I promise you won't be disappointed in it's condition, location, or price.  Top notch all around!

AGAIN with the no electricity...

See this? This is a picture of Brian, Dana, and I trying to look at a house in the absolute PITCH DARK.

Apparently, light itself has become a novelty for not only bank owned properties, but also for pre-foreclosure properties.

I understand that people are losing their homes and all kinds of horrible things are happening to Sellers. I'm sure our ability to see their home, that they are losing, isn't really high up on their list of priorities. I also understand that they honestly may not be able to afford to keep electricity on at the property.

All I ask if for the common courtesy of a heads up when I make the appointment. A simple, "Daylight showings only" in the agent comments will suffice. There's no reason for me to show up at a house where we have to use the lights from our cell phones to navigate the stairs, lockbox, and house itself. It's a complete and utter waste of everyone's time, and quite honestly, pretty ridiculous.

Sure, it's good for a laugh, since hilarity always ensues, but it's not so great for selling a home.

If you're a listing agent with a home like this, please have some common courtesy for your fellow agents, and for our clients. It's a silly situation all around. It's dangerous for people who are looking, and makes our industry as a whole look bad.

Bucks County Real Estate Market Heats Up

Bucks County Buyers are coming out of hibernation, and they're motivated and looking for the deals.

Ok, this is purely a non-scientific observation. In the past week, my personal client base has blossomed. I'm now working with three serious Buyers who weren't looking last week. I feel energized, and excited, and I'm thrilled to be on the hunt again.


The New Year brings about more than resolutions, starvation diets, and gym memberships. The holidays are over, people are doing their taxes, examining what they want for the coming year, and are motivated to make changes in their lives. On top of this, the lure of low interest rates, tax refunds, lower prices, and more inventory only sweetens the deal for Buyers in this marketplace.

I've always used Superbowl Sunday (Go Iggles! :) as my personal benchmark for when our selling season starts to heat up. It's when I feel the energy of the market pick up, and usually see an increase in my business. I was concerned that this year might be different.

It doesn't look like it. Although 2008 was a difficult year for many, it was my second best year in the business. Early indicators look like 2009 may follow suit.

There is value in this marketplace, and Buyers are looking to take advantage of that.

Never Buy a Car in the Rain - or a House in the Dark

My Dad always counseled us against buying a car in the rain. Seems he did it once, and although he's a meticulous man, the next day, dings and dents became apparent. We recently bought a car on a rainy day, and you know what? The next day, we found some dings that we had missed.

As winter approaches Bucks County, and our days get significantly shorter, please be cautious about looking at homes at night after work.

From a practical standpoint, it makes it almost impossible to actually see the lot. Since location is the hallmark of real estate, the lot the home is on is almost as important as the home itself. Additionally, it's sometimes difficult to access the property (see my icy driveway post).

As for the interior of the home...

If the Sellers were smart and left the home well lit:

You know how everyone looks hotter by candlelight? It softens the wrinkles and adds a glow to the skin and a sparkle to the eyes. That's what your getting with a warmly lit home. Cracks in the drywall, funky floors, dinged appliances - they'll all be softened by the glow of lamps. What is obvious under the glare of natural light can be missed at night. Also, you need to make sure the the home DOES get lots of natural light during the day.

If the Sellers (I'm looking at YOU Mr. Banker) have left the home dark:

Well, I probably don't have to go any further with this. If you can see it, you can't buy it. Duh.

My recommendation is this: you should always do a second showing on a property you're thinking of purchasing. If the first was done in the dark, make sure the second is in full daylight.

Oh, and never buy a car in the rain.

Hey, Mr. Banker! Shovel your Walkway, Dude!

With the increase of Bank Owned Properties on the market right now, I send a plea to Mr. Banker...

Please, for the LOVE OF GOD, shovel your walkways and driveways.

And it wouldn't hurt 'ya any to buck up for some, let's say heat and electricity.

I set up showings for two bank owned properties that have been on the market for 90 and 185 days. The first property had no heat, and while my clients and I walked through with our breath puffing in the air, let's just say this: my clients weren't inclined to linger. We walked back to the gorgeous in-law suite only to find that the electric to that part of the house had been turned off. We think there was a jacuzzi in the completely dark bath. We're not sure.

As we entered the driveway to the second home, my truck slid sideways on the iceslick of a driveway midway up the hill to get to the home. My clients had made it to the top of the hill, but couldn't come down because I had closed off the driveway. I abandoned my truck and soldiered on up the hill, only to have my client wipe out getting out of his car and yelling down to me to forget it. There was no electricilty on - at all - at this house, so we couldn't see anything anyway.

It took me around 10 minutes to get my truck out of the driveway without sliding into a busy road, and I only did so by driving in a ditch and having pine trees rake the side of my car. I then had to park on the shoulder of the road with my hazards on and tell my clients when the road was clear, since they anticipated sliding down the drive into the road without being able to stop the car.

Since we haven't had any snow or ice since last week, I guess it's been that long since anyone, including the agent, had checked on the condition of the property.

Look, I get it. You're trying to minimize your loss. However, you're still allowing the house to be shown. In theory, you're still trying to attract a Buyer. All the basic tenets of showing a property still apply - even to bank owned properties. Lights are necessary. Access to the home is necessary. If you want people to actually take the time to look at the home, HEAT is necessary in the middle of winter.

Give me something to work with, and maybe I can actually sell your home. Whatever your pay for the minimal expense of basic courtesies for the Buyer will surely be outweighed by a shorter marketing period.