'I'm Typing as Fast as I Can"

Ever get the feeling “ I’m typing as fast as I can” ? and wish you had more than 24/7?
You just start getting the hang of keyboard shortcuts , only to find out that there’s a whole new language to learn ...and...of course..., that gives you the opportunity to type even FASTER! (SMS language ,also known as chatspeak, txt, txtspk, texting language or txt talk) ...
WSYCTAODNTRX Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks ;^ )

Just FYI:The post title reminded me of a book that I read in 1981, “I’m Dancing as Fast As I Can” by Barbara Gordon. The lesson to be learned from the author's story is that we can all benefit by building and maintaining networks of supportive and sensitive family and friends.
Technorati Tag Real Estate

The Spookey Thing

Don’t be Afraid to Invest in Real Estate! Many would-be buyers are spooked by a possible home price decline. One of the principal reasons in holding back home sales is the lack of buyer confidence to enter the market. As with any investment, look longer term.
This morning I was reading The Long View by Lawrence Yun, Vice President, NAR Research . His article emphasises "Opportunities to Seize” He wrote "It’s also important to point out that times of crisis often turn out to have been times of opportunity in hindsight. With over four million net new job additions in the past two years– the time frame during which home sales have steadily fallen – a significant pent-up demand has developed. Home sales and home prices will be higher in 2008 compared to 2007. And, as with any investment, look longer term. Those investing in a home and keeping it for a typical holding period of six to ten years will likely see their investment pay off; those homes will have been a good investment.”
Contact your REALTOR® and buy now. It doesn't have to be a spookey thing.
Maine REALTOR® gramepat Technorati Tag Real Estate

Want to go Skinny Zipping?

Visit the 'ZipSkinny' web site and you might find some interest statistics. Especially if you are planning to relocate or conduct business in a particular location. Perhaps you just want the 'Skinny' on your Neighborhood? All you have to do is type in a zip code for an interesting first glance of an area. This site was created as a Web development hobby project using Census 2000 data obtained from the Census website. The original intent was for mail delivery, not population comparisons. Although the site provides interesting statistics, it is not a substitute for the more thorough research you should do prior to making a decision. Contact your REALTOR® to help you "Know your Neighborhood".

Technorati Tag Real Estate

Trick or Treat and Tradition

In our quaint little Historic Maine village (Somesville) , on Halloween , children and parents always looked forward to going to "Julia's House". She lived on the Main Street in a charming old farmhouse with a huge barn where she enthusiastically greeted the little goblins, had great treats and enjoyed taking pictures of the little monsters. When you returned to visit, there were glossy photos to share,along with love and laughter. When she died, it became apparent that someone needed to carry on her tradition. Now the children still come to a Big Barn/Carriage House on the Main Street, they are enthusiastically greeted & treated, and REALTOR® GramEpat takes digital photos and emails them to the ghosts and goblins. Technology may change the way pictures are taken and distributed, but it will never change the laughter, the love, the holiday fun, and the memories of Aunt Julia.
Stay Safe, Have fun, and Have a Happy Halloween.

PS: If by chance you are in our village for the 'big day", please stop by for a treat and a photo. Whether it is a holiday or not, whenever my car is in the yard, and the lights are on, the welcome mat is always out.
Good safety tips at: The US Food and Drug Administration, Redcross, and The Fire Departments links

Technorati Tag Real Estate

FSBO (For Sale by Owner??)

House of Sand and Fog By Andre Dubus III
Thinking of FSBO (For Sale by Owner) ? Read this book, then decide if you want to ‘go it alone’ or have your REALTOR® help you!
(Of course, after you finish this book, you may decide to just ‘stay put’ !)

"Three fragile yet determined people become entangled in an escalating crisis over the same small house. Combining unadorned realism with profound empathy, House of Sand and Fog is a devastating exploration of the American Dream gone awry".
Oprah's Book Club info:
Author Andre Dubus III on the Conception of this Book "I visited [the Bay Area of San Francisco] for about two months and something lingered, and that was the fog down near the shore. The fog and the sand and the water, and the bright colors of San Francisco.""I had read in the Boston Globe about a woman who was kicked out of her house for failure to pay back taxes... And for years I had wanted to write about the father of a friend of mine in college who was a colonel in the Shah's Air Force who lived in the country and was trying to get back on his feet financially. And I imagined what would happen if he bought this house this woman was evicted from."
Oprah’s Quote: “ I couldn't have even imagined that ending—down to the last quote!— Andre, I've never read a book like this! Thank you very much. Oh my goodness!”

Technorati Tag Real Estate

'AHAH'

Browsing my REALTOR ® magazine the other day, I came across a poem that gave me that 'AHAH" feeling.

Whether you are a buyer, seller, customer, client, leader, staff or sales person, we all find ourselves in situations where we know that "We can't please all the people, all the time". Below is the first portion of the poem. To read the remainder, and to read about this exceptional person, click on the link and enjoy. "The Guy in the Glass" , written by Dale Wimbrow in 1934

When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,

And the world makes you King for a day,

Then go to the mirror and look at yourself

And see what that guy has to say.

For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,

Who judgement upon you must pass.

The feller whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the guy staring back from the glass.

He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,

For he's with you clear up to the end.

And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test

If the guy in the glass is your Friend.

Technorati Tag Real Estate REALTOR® gramEpat

"You Never Know"

Have you considered the tax savings if you get an opportunity to negotiate and close on your new home before the end of the year?
Purchasing a home before December 31st means that you can benefit from significant deductions on your income tax return for property taxes, points on your loan and mortgage interest. Don’t forget to check with your accountant and the IRS for deductions that are applicable to your personal circumstances. You might also qualify to deduct the interest costs associated with a home equity loan.
Keep in mind that many sellers may also want to enjoy tax savings on the next home they want to purchase …or they may be anxious to save on capital gains. This may give you more leverage during negotiations since they may be willing to accept lower than their listing price. Discuss your options with your REALTOR®. It’s all about timing. ‘You Never Know’. Don’t be afraid to ‘take a look’ and “make an offer’. REALTOR® gramEpat

Technorati Tag Real Estate

Are you "HOME' Sick ?

Do you have a Healthy HOME?
Back in the 'good 'ol days', family doctors used to make HOUSE CALLS and come to your HOME when you were ill! (Believe it or not... That is a true statement!!)

Is it time for your HOUSE DOCTOR (building inspector) to make a HOUSE CALL?
"HOME is where the Heart is"....Is the Heart of your HOME beating correctly? (Has your heating system had it’s annual check up? )
When was the last time you had your ‘plumbing checked’?

(Water tested for minerals, bacteria, radon ?)
How about your lungs?

Is there plenty of air circulating or does your HOME need better ventilation?

(Have you tested your home for air radon? )

(When was the last time you had your chimney cleaned?)

Think about these concerns, then decide if you think it's time for a HOUSE CALL.

Not only will issues like mold and poor water and air quality ruin your home and it’s systems, it can also make you SICK :(

Don’t wait until it's too late and you have to dial 911 or have to call the PLUMBER :`{

”An Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure”. Contact your REALTOR® today for a list of recommended building inspectors in your area....and, please, ...Stay HEALTHY.

Technorati Tag Real Estate

"A Sense of Place"

I feel very fortunate that I have the opportunity to work and live on Mt. Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park.

I was recently hiking on the Park Carriage Roads with grandchildren. One of the kids took my hand, looked up at me and said “Gram E…Could it get any better than this?” Now is the time to buy.

Whether your preference is downtown, uptown or out of town…find your comfort level. Purchase or build your dream home! Don’t postpone your plans.

Contact your REALTOR® today! "Don't let your dreams become regrets”.Technorati Tag Real Estate

Yard Sale or 'Yard For Sale' ?

If you are trying to stage your home for sale, and need to ‘de-clutter’, why not start out with a yard sale and get rid of the unwanted items. “One man’s trash, is another man’s treasure”.
I recently came across an article written by Marshall Loeb, former editor of Fortune, Money, and the Columbia Journalism Review, who writes for MarketWatch.
Here are his 10 tips for throwing a low-hassle, high profit garage sale (Known in Maine as a YARD sale).
1. Ask neighbors to join in. When it comes to garage sales, the axiom “the more the merrier” holds true. So before going it alone, see if your neighbors are willing to participate. The more browse-worthy stuff on display at the sale, the easier it is to draw in buyers.

2. Timing is everything. Your sale will suffer if you hold it on the weekend of the “Big Game” or during a holiday when people tend to go out of town. Try scheduling your garage sale around the first and the fifteenth of the month when people generally get paid.

3. Select sales items carefully. It’s a good idea to choose seasonal items, like sunglasses and bathing suit wraps in the summer and wool sweaters and scarves in the fall. Whatever you’re trying to hawk, you have a much better chance of selling it if it’s clean, particularly when it comes to clothes.

4. Compare prices. Before setting prices, tour garage sales in the surrounding area to make sure your prices are competitive.

5. Group objects by type. To make your products appealing to the buyer, try organizing them according to type and displaying them on clean, sturdy surfaces. If you’re selling smaller items, like hair clips or costume jewelry, consider grouping them in plastic bags.

6. Play to your audience. Put children’s toys in boxes on the ground where they will be easily within reach; clothes will be most appealing when hung up according to size and style, as they are in stores; and items geared towards adults are likely to be noticed when placed on tables.

7. Tag everything. Garage-sale bargain hunters are hagglers by nature, but you don’t want to spend the entire sale arguing over a few bucks. To minimize confusion and discourage prolonged negotiations, put a suggested price on everything.

8. Stock up on change. Many things sold at garage sales hover in the $1 to $5 dollar range, so you’ll need to be equipped with plenty of small bills and change.

9. Have a plug at the ready. If you’re selling electronics like televisions, gaming systems or space heaters, be sure to provide potential buyers with a plug. They’ll want to test out products work before they buy.

10. Advertise. To drum up business, post eye-catching signs around the neighborhood and list your sale on free Web sites, such as Craigslist.org, Garagesalehunter.com, and Garagesalesource.com.

My added suggestion is: Contact your REALTOR® and ask your agent to drop off a stack of listing brochures. 'You Never Know'….You may get lucky and also sell your YARD!

Technorati Tag Real Estate

Bitten by the Blog Bug

A friend of mine sent me the book "Naked Conversations". (This book, written by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel, is about Biz Blogging and how it works.)

25 pages into the book and I was anxious to do my first posting.

My REALTOR® instincts took over and I could hardly wait to enter information that would benefit my clients, customers and colleages.

Today's "GramEgram"

If you have been thinking about increasing your home's value, think first about how buyers prioritize listings that they want to see. They often decide whether to look at a house before they even get out of the car. The most cost effective approach would be to begin with the outside. A little 'elbow grease' can make a big difference. Roll up your sleeves and start washing windows, repainting trim planting flowers, and fixing screen doors. Repair rotten deck boards or, for an even greater impact you may want to consider replacing your old patio or deck. Weigh your options and ask your REALTOR® for advice.

Technorati Tag Real Estate REALTOR® gramEpat