We won SBCA's 2010 Best of Business Award in the Real Estate category

We received the  2010 Best of Business Award!

March 16, 2011, BestAgentsOnline at Re/Max Heritage has been selected for the 2010 Best of Business Award in the Real Estate category by the Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA)

The SBCA 2010 Award Program recognizes the top 5% of small businesses throughout the country. Using statistical research and consumer feedback, the SBCA identifies companies that we believe have demonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the American economy. The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off statistical research and also information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports. Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

The Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is a San Francisco based organization. The SBCA is a private sector entity that aims to provide tactical guidance with many day to day issues that small business owners face. In addition to our main goal of providing a central repository of small business operational advice; we use consumer feedback to identify companies that exemplify what makes small business a vital part of the American economy.

Great reasons to look at homes in the pouring rain

Did you know that there are great advantages to looking at homes in inclement weather? I have always found the rainy days to assist in being some of the most informative showings. So if the weather outside is less than ideal, don't put off the house-hunt for that day. Here are some great advantages to looking at homes in the rain!

• When it's daylight and the sun isn't out, you will get to see the amount of natural light that exists in the home.

• You get to see for yourself how the well the gutters and downspouts are working, and whether or not some adjustments need to be made for drainage and run-off

•  If there are any hidden or masked odors in the home, the dampness from the rain will bring them out.

• and most importantly, you can check the basement for any water seepage.

The way I look at it-  is if  the house looks good in the pouring rain, it will look GREAT in the sunshine!   So if you are in the market to buy a home, get your umbrella,  forget about what Mother Nature is doing outside, and call me! Rain or shine,  I'm happy to help!

BUYER TIP #2: A house with no curb appeal? Don't dismiss it just yet-

..So your agent drives up to a house  and you take one look at it and think to yourself- NO WAY. You tell your agent that you don't even want to go in. Has that ever happened to you?

Well, let me tell you about that house with no curb appeal- The inside could be absolutely beautiful- you won't know unless you look. If your agent knows you well enough, and I assume he/she would, there is a reason why they made an appointment to see that house. Maybe the inside has everything you want, and more. If it's just a matter of replacing shutters, adding some landscaping or another minor fix, GO inside.

Do you realize how much of a discount that house probably has, just because it doesn't look absolutely beautiful on the outside? There are not many buyers that can see past the outside appearance, and would probably do the same thing that  you were about to- not even go inside. So the seller has had to reduce or discount the property to get people to even go inside. Take advantage of that! Almost always, the outside can be spruced up very inexpensively.  Would you rather buy a house that looked gorgeous outside, but the kitchen needed remodeling? what's the cost of remodeling a kitchen as opposed to a little something outside? Big difference, right? Outside will be a lot less. Remember, you LIVE inside the house- enjoy the beauty of the interior, and work on the outside later.  So the next time your agent takes you to that ugly house, just go in. You might be surprised at how nice the inside is, and you'll be VERY happy for the thousands of dollars you can save because of it.


What to know when buying a home that needs "systems" repairs

Last night I got a call  from a buyer who wanted to see a foreclosed home. She had called the listing agent, and the agent told her the house was a mess, and discouraged the buyer from even seeing it. Turns out that this buyer is not currently represented and knows a friend of mine, who told her to call me. So we set up an appointment to see the house this morning.

I'm not even going to rant about how that agent broke ethical code to her seller by dissuading a potential buyer, I'll just tell you about the house that we saw. The previous owner had purchased this home to make "a quick buck", and was going to remodel it and re-sell it. Unfortunately, he overspent for the house in the beginning, and midway through the renovations, he ran out of money, and the market turned. He tried to hold on to it with the bank, but it ended up being foreclosed.

When we arrived, the back door was unlocked and open, and the garage door was unlocked, and we had the contractor go into the house just to check that there were no unauthorized residents inside. The coast was clear, and the kitchen was nice enough- that made it through the  remodel. The hardwood floors were re-done, however they were somewhat wavy and buckled due to moisture and what have you. Not a big problem there- some sanding ought to handle that. The bathroom was remodeled, too, and essentially the house was pretty much ok... until we went into the basement to check out the componenets of the house.

The furnace was in pieces, and obviously not operating, and there was a BIG NOTE attached to the wall that the septic tank was not operational.   (It would have been nice if the agent mentioned that in the listing, but that wasn't the case- she did not even mention it on the phone with the buyer, either.)

As far as getting a mortgage on a home, the home has to be functional (heating, water and sewage systems need to be working) in order to obtain any type of conventional loan. So what does that mean for this buyer, or for you, given the same or similar set of circumstances? It means that besides having your downpament monies, you will need to have enough to fix the necessary components of the home as a contingency of getting the loan... or you would have to apply for a specific type of loan offered through the FHA, (called a 203K) where you get incremental amounts of money to re-hab the property. In that case, the property will have to appraise for the total amount of not only the purchase price, but the rehab costs  as well. A headache for most buyers. Not to get discouraged, though- all foreclosures are not in this bad of shape, just be prepared in mind and wallet for what comes ahead.

Return on Investment for Home Remodeling and/or Renovations in CT

You may have heard that when you remodel a kitchen or bath you get all (or most) of that money back when you sell. Really that depends on how much money you spend on the kitchen or bath, when you sell your home, and how marketable the remodeling is (colors, current  trends (but not fads), aesthetics, and functionality.  Overspending for your area is not ever a good idea, so if you have a question as to whether your proposed remodeling project  would be worth the money or if you are better off moving to a new location, call me. I'll give you an honest assessment- no charge.
If you are considering buying a home that needs a renovation, your agent should also help you with the cost vs. value of the proposed renovation, and whether or not that particular home makes good fiscal sense for you considering the amount of remodeling that you want to do. I  will always do that for a client, I assume that most agents will.

A few respected sources put out reports on the average ROI (return on investment) for all types of renovation and remodeling jobs.  Realtor magazine is a good source for national averages, but if you want something a bit more specific for our state, Remodeling magazine gets into bigger detail, and its geographically relevant.

I'll include a few ROI's on more upscale improvements below for your convenience -  These figures are from 2009-2010, and  very relevant

90.7%     Siding Replacement
84.9%     Siding Replacement
78.8%     Window Replacement (vinyl)
70.2%     Window Replacement (wood)
62.8%     Major Kitchen Remodel
59.2%     Roofing Replacement
56.7%     Bathroom Addition
49.8%     Master Suite Addition

Also, according to Remodeling Magazine, a mid-range remodel would net on average the following ROI

117.8%    Entry Door Replacement (steel)
 86.0%     Vinyl Siding Replacement
 84.1%     Wood Deck Addition
 83.6%     Attic Bedroom
 82.3%     Vinyl Window Replacement
 81.5%     Minor Kitchen Remodel
 72.9%     Major Kitchen Remodel
 69.5%     Two-Story Addition    
 68.6%     Bathroom Remodel
 67.4%     Roofing Replacement    
 64.0%     Basement Remodel 
 63.4%     Master Suite Addition
 62.3%     Family Room Addition
 61.1%     Garage Addition
 58.3%     Bathroom Addition    
 47.8%     Home Office Remodel