Lancaster County PA Realty Check: May 2007

If General Motors had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

1)  For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a week.

2)  Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

3)  Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason.  You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue.

4)  Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause you car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

5)  Apple would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable and twice as easy to drive, but would run on only five percent of the roads.

6)  The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "General Protection Fault" warning light. 

7)  The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.

8)  Every time GM introduced a new car, buyers would have to learn to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

9)  Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door-handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna. 

This is for those of you who depend on your spell checker to catch errors.  I think this came from the RealTalk listserv a few years ago.  Thank you to the one who originally shared it. 

Eye halve a spelling checquer

It came with my pea sea

It plainly marques four my revue

Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word

And weight four it two say

Weather eye am wrong or write 

It shows me strait aweigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid

It nose bee fore two long

And eye can put the error rite.

Its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it.

I am shore your pleased two no

Its letter perfect awl the weigh

My checquer tolled me sew.

Sause unknown. 

You all know the old maxim:  "You only get one chance to make a first impression."  Not surprisingly, the same goes for your house!  Whether you want to get the best best price for your home, or want to sell in the least amount of time, it's important to prepare your home properly for its first exposure to the public.

If you do nothing else, keep it clean!  Remove clutter, and make sure everything smells as good as it looks.  This is no time for pet odors.  Consider having a garage sale to get rid of unneeded things, or store excess at another location.

Consider new paint or floor coverings in prominent rooms that need it.  If the carpets are worn or stained past the point where shampooing would help, replace the carpet.  If you have hardwood floors under the carpet, consider exposing the hardwood.  If the hardwood is worn, consider refinishing it.  Beautiful hardwood floors are a plus in any home.

Now is the time to make repairs.  Prospective buyers may flush toilets, open and shut closet doors, and try windows.  Little things that haven't bothered you in years may cost you a sale.  Make sure heating, air conditioning, electrical and plumbing systems are working properly. If these systems have problems during the home inspection phase of a transaction, it may end up costing you considerably more later.

Exterior maintainance counts, too!  A potential buyer will actually decide within 15 to 20 seconds whether he or she wants to see the inside of your house.  It's called curb appeal.  Don't underestimate the importance of freshly painted trim, clean vinyl siding, nicely water-sealed and stained deck, colorful flowers and neat landscaping.

Don't forget the front door!  This is one of the most important elements of the "first impression".  Put on a coat of fresh paint and replace the weathered hardware.  If the door has serious problems, replace it with a new one.  It will be an investment that will more than pay itself back.

Here are nine mistakes that can cost you time, money and stress!

1)  Purchasing contingent before your own home is listed or sold.  Contingency contracts often don't settle.  This will cause you undue stress and may lead you to take a lower offer on your property as an act of desperation.  Additionally, the seller will be free to shop other offers and call for your release, but you will be tied to one property.

2)  Failure to plan.  What if you found the perfect home at the perfect price the first time you looked, and while you were thinking it over, someone else bought it?  The smart buyers know what to do BEFORE they look.  They have determined their financial limitations and comfort zone.  Even if you have bought a home in the past few years, there have been many changes in your available options.  If you have not had a current explanation, get one before you proceed.

3)  Trying to purchase on your own.  The contract that the Realtor(R) uses is many pages long and was wtitten for your protection.  There is no substitute, and these contracts are not available to the public.  Only Realtors can gain you access to your maximum selection of homes.  A Buyers' Agent is paid by the seller on your behalf, and has your best interests at heart.  There is a misconception that you can get a better deal through the listing agent.  This is not true.  The listing agent's job is to get the best price and terms for the seller.  Even the sharpest investors use Buyers' Agents for their best possible bargaining positions.  The smartest plan is to choose a true professional with references and a proven track record.  Allow your Realtor to walk you through the process step by step, and the results will save you time, effort and money.

4)  Shopping new construction without a real estate agent.  The fact is that there is no reason not to take you Realtor with you.  The new construction company will happily pay them, and the experienced agent will provide you with enlightened insight on the construction quality.  Should you fail to take your agent with you the first time you visit, or not allow your agent to register you before you first talk to the builder or developer, there is no discount to you, and the builder may refuse to pay your agent!  The obvious result is a lack of agent enthusiasm due to your lack of loyalty to them.  If you need to sell your home in order to purchase new construction, the fee your agent will receive from the builder will be a great motivation to make sure your present home gets sold quickly.  If you do not have an agent, get one first!

5)  Choosing the wrong lender.   Beware of lenders who offer seemingly extremely low rates.  There are undisclosed junk fees and many other deceptions.  Published rates?  They are obsolete before they're published, and often inaccurate.  The truth is that not all lenders are created equal, and it is impossible for you to judge the good from the bad without experience of their policies and track records. Only the best real estate agents with your best interests at heart will bother to determine the difference.

6)   Picture hunting.  Probably the largest time waster for buyers.  Ads, including those on the internet,  are generally slanted to generate a phone call to the company and gain buyer control.  Very seldom (less than 5% of the time) do buyers even remotely like the house once they see it.  The truth is that many properties do not get advertised.  Although the internet has become a more important resource each year, the best way to find a property in the long run is to use a Realtor's resources to see and evaluate the best properties in person.  If you say you are just looking, you are really just wasting time.

7)  Choosing the wrong Realtor.   The real estate industry is too easy to get into, and very hard to survive in.  The industry is full of inexperienced and incompetent agents.  Only a few truly see your lifetime value and are concerned with you satisfaction beyond the immediate transaction.  These agents inherently know what they are doing, and will require you to undergo a thorough buyer interview and pre-qualification.  They will make scheduled appointments to tour you and will preview many properties to save you time. 

8)  Bargain hunting when you should be value hunting.   The fact is that fewer than half of the properties on the market ever sell, and those that do, generally sell within 98% of their asking price.  Most sellers do not realize this, and for the most part there is very little room for negotiation.  If you buy a $100,000 home for $90,000, you usually end up with a $90,000 home in need of work.  The values in our market usually do not last long.  Search for the most home for the money and plan to pay close to the asking price for such a value.

9)  Not having professional inspections.  Friends' and relatives' opinions are important but seldom admissable in court.  If you are getting any type of inspection, you should hire and pay a professional to do it for you.  If they are wrong their liability insurance should recover any loss you may have.  Not all home inspectors are equal, either.  Your Realtor can give you references to reputable inspectors.  Make sure your inspector is certified by the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).

Good disclosure helps everyone.  It gives buyers useful information, protects sellers from non-disclosure issues, and helps agents do their jobs with fewer distractions.

For no-obligation information on how an Accredited Buyers Agent can protect your interests and save you money, contact Brian Schulman at (717) 951-5552 or brian@findlancasterhomes.com .

 ©BrianSchulman2008

This month we watched luminaries address the graduating college classes across the nation, giving them advice and wisdom to take with them as their careers and adult lives begin.  What we may not be fully appreciative of, however, is how different a world they grew up in as opposed to ours.  Some food for thought:

The people who are graduating college this spring were born in 1986.

They are too young to remember the first space shuttle blowing up on liftoff.

Their lifetime has always included AIDS.

Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic.

The first CD player was introduced four years before they were born.

They have always had an answering machine.

They have always had cable.

They cannot imagine not having a remote control.

Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.

Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.

They don't know who Mork was or where he came from.

They never heard "Where's the beef?",  or  "De plane, Boss, de plane!"

They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea who J.R. even is.

McDonald's never came in styrofoam containers.

They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter. 

Do you feel old yet? 

This post is only for those whose level of maturity qualifies them to relate to it -    ;o)

1967:  Long hair   

2007:  Longing for hair

1967:  KEG

2007:  EKG

1976:  Acid rock

2007:  Acid reflux

1967:  Moving to California because it's cool

2007:  Moving to Arizona because it's warm

1967:  Trying to look like Marlon Brando or Liz Taylor

2007:  Trying NOT to look like Marlon Brando or Liz Taylor

1967:  Seeds and stems

2007:  Roughage

1967:  Going to a new, hip joint 

2007:  Receiving a new hip joint

1967:  Rolling Stones

2007:  Kidney stones

1977:  Disco

2007:  Costco 

1977:  Parents begging you to get your hair cut

2007:  Children begging you to get their heads shaved

1977:  Passing the drivers' test

2007:  Passing the vision test

1977:  Whatever

2007:  Depends 

Apparently I'm not the only one here who gets a kick out of Steven Wright's offbeat sense of humor.  I had some positive feedback from the first collection of Wright quotes that I posted.  Here are some more:

 I had to stop driving my car for a while.. the tires got dizzy.

I have the world's largest collection of seashells.  I keep it on all the beaches of the world...  perhaps you've seen it. 

I have an answering machine in my car.  It says, I'm home now.  But leave a message and I'll call when I'm out.

I installed a skylight in my apartment.  The people who live above me are furious.

I intend to live forever...  So far, so good. 

I like to reminisce with people I don't know.

I spilled spot remover on my dog.  Now he's gone.

I replaced the headlights in my car with strobe lights, so it looks like I'm the only one moving.

I saw a bank that said "24 Hour Banking," but I don't have that much time.

The early bird gets the worm, but the seciond mouse gets the cheese.

A good Realtor(R) will answer your questions, and even give you information you may not have thought to ask about.  However, you should be aware of some good questions to ask, and know the answers to, BEFORE you sign that purchase agreement.  You don't want to find out things you didn't know about after you're already committed to a contract.

Are there features in the area that may affect the future value of the property you're considering?  A new highway route?  New school?  New commercial enterprises?

What are the neighborhood and the neighbors like?

What have the utility costs for the property been?

How far away are schools, public transit and shopping?

What major repair expenses can I expect in the next two years?  

How much traffic passes near the property?  Trucks?  Railroad tracks? 

Who has the best service and rates in the mortgage field?  How do you select the best lender to work with?  You really should ask for suggestions from your Realtor. Get yourself preapproved by a lender you decide on, before you actually go looking at houses, certainly before making any offer.

What can I ask to be included in the sale?  Is anything excluded?

How flexible are the sellers on their asking price?

Are there signs of moisture in the basement?

These and more are the types of questions I discuss with my buyer clients.  The better prepared you are to ask intelligent questions, the more satisfactory you home-buying experience is likely to be!

For more no-obligation information on how an Accredited Buyers Agent can protect your interests and save you money, contact Brian Schulman at (717) 951-5552 or brian@findlancasterhomes.com .

 ©BrianSchulman2008

As something of an aspiring wordsmith myself, I like to read the thoughts of writers who pay attention to words that other people use without much thought.  Comedian George Carlin is certainly a humorous observer of language.  Norm Crosby creatively butchers English.  One of my personal favorites is Steven Wright.  Here are some of my favorite quotes:

A lot of people are afraid of heights.  Not me.  I'm afraid of widths.

Do Lipton employees take coffee breaks?

When they asked George Washington for I.D., do you think he just whipped out a quarter?

Don't you hate when your hand falls asleep and you know it will be up all night.

Ever notice how irons have a setting for "permanent press" clothes?  I don't get it.

Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.

For my birthday I got a humidifier and a de-humidifier... I put them in the same roon and let them fight it out.

How young can you die of old age?

I bought some batteries, but they weren't included.

I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.

I got this powdered water - now I don't know what to add.

I had a friend who was a clown.  When he died, all his friends went to the funeral in one car.

Forrest Gump finally died and went to Heaven.  He was met at the Pearly Gates by Saint Peter himself.  However, the gates were closed as Forrest approached the gatekeeper.

Saint Peter said, "Forrest, it's good to see you.  I must tell you that this place is filling up fast, and we have been administering an entrance examination to everyone.  The test is short, but you'll have to pass it before you can get into Heaven."

Peter continued, "The test has only three questions.  First, what two days of the week begin with the letter "T"?

Forrest quickly answered, "That's easy!  That would be 'today' and 'tomorrow'."

Saint Peter was taken aback, and exclaimed, "Forrest, that's not the answer I  had in mind, but you do have a point, and I guess I didn't specify, so I'll give you credit for that answer."

"Now here's the second question: how many seconds are in a year?"

Forrest had to mull that one over.  Finally he answered, "Twelve!"

Saint Peter was astounded.  "Twelve?  Twelve?  How in Heaven could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?" 

Forrest replied, "There's got to be twelve seconds.  January second, February second, March second..."

Peter said, "I see where you're going with this...  Let's get on with the third and final question.  Can you tell me God's first name? 

"Sure," Forrest replied.  "It's Andy."

"Andy?" exclaimed an exasperated Saint Peter.  "OK, I understand how you came up with your answers to the first two questions, but how in the world do you arrive at God's first name being Andy?"

"Shucks, that was the easiest one of all!" said Forrest.  "I learned it from the song:

"Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am his own."

Saint Peter smiled, opened the Pearly Gates, and said, "Welcome, Forrest!"