You just found out that the house you just bought has termites. DON'T PANIC!

You found the house of your dreams, you negotiated a great price, conducted a building inspection, and the building inspector says that the house has termites.

Don't panic just yet. You really need more information before you make any decisions on what to do.

A building inspector once told me that roughly 65% of the houses that he had inspected over the years have had  some sort of infestation, so it's really not uncommon in our area of Connecticut. New homes can have termite issues, and older homes can have termite issues, too - so infestation is not having to do with age, necessarily.  I remember one newer home that I had listed where the homeowner was very concerned about ever getting termites, so she put a pebble garden around the perimeter of her house, and it looked beautiful. She had a part of a split rail fence adorning her front yard, and it was about 5' away from the home itself, and guess what? The house didn't have termites, but the split rail fence did, and she had to treat her whole house anyway.  There's at least one good reason to keep wood away from the house. So remember, keep that firewood away from the house, too- so you don't run into unnecessary problems (and expenses).

When active termites have been found, or evidence of termites have been found in a home, it needs to be treated.  It does not necessarily mean there has been structural damage to the home- your inspector will be able to ascertain whether the home needs repair, just a treatment, or both. Almost always, the seller of the property treats for termites if they are found, and if there are repairs that need to be done as per the inspection, you can do one of a few things- ask the seller to repair the damage, ask the seller for a credit so you can repair the damage, or walk away if it seems like too much. Some banks insist on a Wood Destroying Insect report as part of the paperwork needed to complete the mortgage process,
and will  insist on treatment to  the property in order to grant a loan.  It's your decision.  And remember, always speak with your attorney for legal advice.

 It's always best to speak with a licensed inspector to get as much information as you can, if this is something of concern to you. No realtor knows what a licensed inspector does. When it comes time to hire an inspector, make sureyour professional is a member of ASHI. (The American Society of Home Inspectors) . Members of ASHI subscribe to a strict code of ethics.  You deserve  the best.

Zillow says my house is worth WHAT???

I got a call today from a potential client who wanted to know what her home was worth, and she quoted me a figure from Zillow.com. I'm glad she couldn't see my face, because my jaw just about dropped. It wasn't overpriced, it was SEVERELY underpriced.  Zillow is all over the lot as far as pricing is concerned.

Zillow IS a good informational site, I'll give it that, but it is no substitute for a local real estate agent's price estimate. Let me explain why. There are no local agents deciphering the local market as it pertains to your house that  let the Zillow pricing module know the neighborhood nuances, which make a BIG difference.

For example, there may be one side of your street that is more desirable than the other side. Zillow doesn't know that. There are perceived or real neigborhood boundaries that Zillow doesn't understand, and cannot effectively price a home without this knowledge. There are school districts and boundary lines that may be different for you than they are for your neighbor. Zillow doesn't know that either.

So although the immediate price that this woman got when she punched in her address was way too low, yours could be way too high. At any rate, it's hit or miss when the value of your home is concerned.

Don't trust your biggest investment to an algorhythmic equation. It doesn't work. What you need is a local agent (LIKE ME!) to properly assess your homes worth, and to give you an honest and true estimate of value. All you have to do is contact me.

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Choosing the Best Real Estate Agency to represent you in CT

When it comes time to hire a real estate agent to sell your home, there are a multitude of agencies to choose from, so how do you choose? Company A tells you that they are #1 in sales,  company B tells you that THEY are #1 in sales, and company C tells you that THEY are #1 in sales. How are you supposed to figure that one out? 

Well we figured it out a few years ago when a bunch of other Office owners/ Brokers and I were sitting down for coffee, and that exact subject came up. The owner of one company said, "I (my company) must be number two, 'cos everybody else is number one." Everyone sitting at the table laughed pretty hard over that one, but guess what? He was right.  Forget about those number one claims that brokers make. Everyone can be number one in a specially defined niche, and maybe just maybe, you don't WANT that numebr one company. There are reasons for it.Honestly and truly,  do you want to know who number one REALLY is? It's YOU, the client.

So what are the main type of agencies to choose form, and which one is best for you?

National Franchise - While a large well known franchise has great name recognition, buyers really don't care which sign is out in front of your house. If they want to buy it, they will. the internet has taken that argument out of the large franchise arsenal. A concern with a large franchise is the very real possibility of dual agency.

Franchise Boutique- I think this type of company is best for sellers, and this is the type of company that I am affiliated with. A nationally franchise company that is locally owned and operated offers the best of all worlds. Local expertise, national exposure, and less possibility of dual agency.

Local Company- There are a few types of local companies- either the low key or the little powerhouse. Not a bad choice if the property has only a limited VERY local market.

Discount Agency- I'm not a fan, period.  You, as a seller, do the vast majority of the work that can get quite complicated for someone who does not deal with real estate on a daily basis. It makes no sense at all. I hate to say it, but do you know what some agents think when they see a listing with a discount brokerage? They figure that they are getting paid less for the same amount of work, and they figure you won't negotiate at all, whether it's true or not.


So what's best for you? If one doesn't stand out clearly over another, conduct a few interviews.  Or, you can just call me and we'll get started!



Is there any preparation to complete prior to a building inspection?

After the negotiations are completed on the purchase of your home, the buyers will conduct a thorough building inspection of the premises at their expense. A number of homeowners tend to get a bit nervous about this, and think that they should "prep" their home for the inspector. There's no need to get nervous, and no need to prep your home for an inspection.
A couple of things that you should do are-

*Make sure that the inspector can get to your electrical panel, your boiler (or furnace) and hot water heater, and that access to these crucial components to your home is not blocked.
*Close all the windows 48 hours to the inspection if the buyers are planning on doing a radon test.
*If you have any manuals on any appliances, heating and cooling system, or home accessories that are to be included in the sale, leave those out.
*If you have had a contractor perform any work, now is a good time to put those permits and receipts in a file, (not necessarily in open view) for future reference, and to have it ready for the closing.
*Last but not least, you are not expected to be there, and it's probably a good idea to scoot if you were going to be home. Inspections last anywhere from about 2-4 hours depending on the size of the home.

When I represent buyers in a purchase, I attend the building inspection and stay for the duration. Not all agents do, so make sure you tell your agent to let the buyers agent know they are expected to remain for the entire inspection, and lock up the house afterwards.
When I represent sellers, I make  the buyers agent aware that they are expected to do just that, and that I may stop by just to say hello. Do not insist that your listing agent be present during the inspection. It only seems like eavesdropping on your part,  and does not afford the buyers agent and buyer the privacy to discuss whatever might come up.  I will, however, drop by about an hour or so after the inspection has  started to offer a friendly hello to the buyer and agent , and get an idea of how things are going. Most often, if there are big issues, you will know right away.

Just relax and let your agent handle the rest.... Your agent? That's me!