EMAIL NOTIFICATION FOR PRODUCT RECALLS

Having young children in our family, I am in shock at the number of recalls there are due to lead paint violations. I receive email notification each time a product is recalled from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. It’s wonderful because a lot of the recalls aren’t mentioned on the news and unless you are checking websites regularly you could miss them. It’s very easy to sign up for and you can unsubscribe at any time. It’s just one more way to make sure you are taking the steps to protect your family.

BUYING A LISTING

You are in the market to either sell or rent your home. You meet with three agents from different local companies. Two of them give you much lower prices than you expected to hear; although, they were able to back up the price with recent sales or closed rents from your area.

The third agent tells you your home should be listed at a much higher price.(Higher than it’s actually worth based on market conditions).

Of course, you decide to go with the third agent who seems confident that they can sell your property at this higher price. This agent, with their lies, has just “bought your listing”. Now you can sit back and wait and wait and wait and eventually your agent will convince you to lower your price over and over again. This is a common practice for some agents and one reason why Realtors® have a bad reputation and why it is so much harder for the honest agents to get a break.

Look at all the facts (sales or closed rentals) presented to you. More times than not, the lower price is usually the more accurate price.

If your home is overpriced:

• It will sit on the market longer
• People will think there is something wrong with your home
• The longer it sits, the more money you lose.
• Homes that are overpriced often receive an offer to purchase that is lower than it’s actual market value.

WINTER IS HERE

It’s getting chilly (and windy) out there. Her are a few tips for things you can do to prepare your home before the wintery chill really sets in:

1. Have your furnace serviced once a year. You don’t want your furnace to fail in the middle of the night or during a big snow storm.

2. Clean and Vacuum your baseboards. The heat need to be able to get through. Dust bunnies really take a liking to the baseboards heaters. You will be surprised what a difference a quick vacuum will make.

3. Remove or cover your air conditioners.

4. Say bye bye to window screens and put in the storm windows. This will help keep out the draft. Also replace any weather stripping, where necessary.
5. Clean out all those pesky leaves from the gutters and make sure the gutters are leak free and in good working condition.
6. Have your chimney cleaned. It should be cleaned before ¼” of soot builds up. You want to make sure you are not putting yourself in danger when you light that fire.
7. Keep the damper closed on the fireplace when you are not using it.
8. Drain and turn off the water to outdoor faucets, hoses and sprinkler systems. You don’t want them to freeze and burst.
9. Think about installing a programmable thermostat in your home. This way you can keep the temperature lower when you are not home and have it turn up the temperature before you get home.
10. Install or change the batteries on your fire/smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors. Both are very good to have but if the batteries are low, it’s not going to help you.
11. Drain the gas from your lawn mover. I forgot to do that last year. BIG mistake.
12. And lastly, get your snow blower ready. I’m hoping for a white winter. We hardly received any snow last year, so with the little ones around I’m hoping for some good days to make snowmen and go sledding.

MATERIAL FACTS VS NON-MATERIAL FACTS

Examples of Material Facts:

1)      The square footage of a home

2)      Yearly taxes

3)      The condition of the home

4)      Any structural or environmental problems known to the Seller

5)      The presence of easements, encumbrances, or any boundary disputes.

6)      Problems with the mechanicals, such as heating, cooling or plumbing.

These are all things, you the Seller, need to disclose. If you are debating whether or not to disclose something, it is probably better to give all the information honestly. You never want to try to hide an issue.

Examples of Non-material Facts:
1)      If a death took place in a home
2)      If a home is haunted
3)      If an occupant of the property is or has been infected with a disease
4)      If the home was the site of a felony.

Non-material facts do not need to be disclosed by the Seller or the Realtor. If you have concerns and would like more information regarding these issues you may put a request in writing, which will be presented to the Seller. The Seller, however, by Connecticut law, may either give a written response or may refuse to reply.

CREATE YOUR OWN ICE CREAM

Create your own ice cream flavor and choose between gelato, regular and premium. What a cute idea. I saw this website mentioned on the Food Network Channel the other night. It’s a little pricey; $49.99 for a half gallon and $79.99 for a full gallon, but what a unique gift for someone special or a nice way to treat yourself.
If you would like to order one of their classic flavors the price is $39.99 for a half gallon and $59.99 for a full gallon.

MOLD IN THE HOME; WHO’S RESPONSIBLE?

I came across this article the other day about a family that found a “secret room” full of mold after they had purchased their new home. They are now in the process of suing the Realtor, saying she knew about the mold. I’m not sure why they wouldn’t go after the Seller. The Seller needs to disclose as much information as possible. If they knowingly withhold information then they can be held liable. Of course if the Realtor, knew about the mold and didn’t say anything then she is also responsible.
By law, a Realtor can not fill out the disclosures for the Seller. As a Realtor, I will provide information about the home, taxes, schools, and zoning. I am also required to disclose information that is available through public sources. I am not an inspector and cannot give advice on, or detect mold (that is not visible) or other issues, that is better left to the professional trained in that area.
As a Buyer, you have the right to perform inspections, including, but not limited to, inspecting the structure, mechanicals, mold, septic, well, water, radon etc. I suggest a home buyer test as much as possible.

LAS VEGAS

We just got back home from our vacation in Vegas. If you are ever in the area, a must see is “O”, a production from Cirque Du Soleil. It is truly breathtaking. The performance itself is energetic and romantic all at the same time. Magical artistry. We were speechless.

Obviously the Bellagio is a beautiful hotel, with glass work by Dale Chihully and the ever changing botanical gardens, but if you are looking for a lovely room at a more affordable price, try the Venetian. We were able to get a newly remodeled suite for good deal, using their special internet rates.

We weren’t too fond of the casino at the Venitian because there weren’t many blackjack tables and they were all $15.00 and $25.00, so spent our gambling time at the Bellagio, where they have $10 and even $5.00 tables.  

KILLINGWORTH CAFE

We went to the Killingworth Café the other night and I forgot how amazing the food is; Simply wonderful. Past clients of mine, Pat and Dick, brought Joe and myself here after they had closed on their home. I had driven by many times prior and just didn’t realize it was a restaurant. The food was great then and still is.

It had been almost a year (amazing how time flies) since we had gone back. I got the ribs. The meat just falls, literally falls, off the bone and Joe got the Bourbon marinated Sirloin tips. When you find a good thing you stick to it. The tenderness and taste are just superb.

We highly recommend this restaurant. Even if you just want to sit at the bar for a snack or drink. Everyone is very friendly. It’s not just a restaurant. You can tell there is a lot of love there. 

The owners have slowly been restoring the Inn and hope to open it once everything is completed. For now, go, sit, be merry and eat well in good company.

They start serving dinner at 5:00- Monday through Saturday and accept Visa and Mastercard.

249 Route 81 (at the Killingworth Circle)

Phone: 860-663-2456

Email: Killingworth-Café@comcast.net

HOW TO END YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR REALTOR

First, did you actually sign a contract with your Agent? If you listed your home, then you probably did. The next question is why do you want to end your relationship? If you are not satisfied with their work, then first try to discuss your concerns. Most issues can be resolved with communication. I say give your Realtor a fair shot. If they don’t know you’re not happy, then they can’t remedy the problem.

If, after voicing your concerns, your agent still doesn’t make the necessary adjustments or if there is a conflict of personality and you feel there is just no way out, well there probably is. For the most part, you can dissolve any agreement with your Realtor by putting it in writing. Of course you will need to read your contract for specific details. There may be a commission due if that agent has been the procuring cause in finding a Buyer.

If you are not comfortable speaking with the agent, then call the office and speak to the office manager.

If you would still like to use the company, just not the agent, that can be accomplished as well. The office manager will be able to choose an agent that better suits your needs.

 

If  you are a Buyer, you may or may not have signed an agreement. In the State of CT, Buyers must either sign a contract to be represented or a notification to unrepresented Buyers. The later is only applicable if the Agent is showing you a listing through their company. Legally they can not show you another company’s listing without representing you.

If you have signed a contract, look at your specific contract and read the fine print. In most cases you can cancel your contract by putting it in writing. You may first want to discuss with your agent what more you are looking for and see if they can meet your expectations. Again if it is a personality conflict, the Agent or office Manager will be able to find representation that is better for you.

What ever you do, do not just walk away and never talk to your agent again. If you buy a home without canceling your contract, you may be held responsible for paying the commission due to that Brokerage firm.

Communication is key.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF REPRESENTATION

A Buyer’s Agent only represents the Buyer. The duties of the Buyers agent are to

*Arrange showings

*Provide information about the home, property, taxes, schools, community and zoning.

*Disclose any information about the property that can be found from public sources.

*Prepare a Market Analysis and counsel the Buyer on what price to offer.

*Write up an offer with the Buyers interest in mind.

*Negotiate the best terms and price for the Buyer.

*Keep the price capabilities and objectives of the Buyer confidential.

*Keep track of all dates, events and requirements for the Buyer.

*Attend the Closing with the Buyer.

 

A Seller’s Agent represents only the Seller and their duties are as follows:

*Prepare a competitive market analysis of the Seller’s home or property

*Create and execute an effective marketing plan.

*Present all offers and counsel the Seller on how to proceed.

*Negotiate exclusively on the Seller’s behalf.

*Keep the Seller up to date on Market conditions

*Make sure all contingencies have been met by their contractual dates.

*Attend the closing with the Seller.

 

A Dual Agent represents both the Buyer and the Seller. When this occurs, both the Buyer and Seller will be asked to sign an agreement consenting to Dual Agency. A Dual Agent owes both the Seller and Buyer equal representation. A Dual Agent must:

*Treat both the Seller and the Buyer fairly.

*Disclose facts each party needs to make an informed decision.

*Assure confidentiality on each party’s price, terms and personal information. The same as they would if they only represented one side of the negotiation.

 

A Designated Agent represents one side of a transaction when the Brokerage Firm represents both the Seller and the Buyer. The Agent will owe her fiduciary obligations solely to the party they represent. When this occurs both parties will be asked to sign a consent form agreeing to Designated Agency.