Home Town Heros In Bangor, Maine!

Posted by: - May 13th, 2010
Historic Thomas Hill Standpipe

Historic Thomas Hill Standpipe

We think Bangor, Maine is a pretty unique place.  We have many things other cities have like an airport, waterfront, hills, a forest and rivers.

But Bangor is a great place to raise a family, a wonderful place to live. Bangor has hometown pride like no other.  It is shown through an incredible array of volunteerism that is known world wide.

One group of volunteers is called “The Maine Troop Greeters” that have met over 1 million troops as they traveled through the

Bulletin Board at Bangor International Airport

Bulletin Board at Bangor International Airport

Bangor International Airport from all points.  Perhaps you have heard about the DVD that was done about the troop greeters? “The Way We get By” is a documentary about the countless people that go to the airport at all hours of the day and night to perform their service to other service people.

People that live here, love it and are not afraid to roll up their sleeves to share their talents, time and resources to make it on RelocateAmerica.com as one of the top 100 Most Livable Cities.

So, come visit, come work, come live with us and be part of our community!

Photo credits: The Maine Highlands and The Maine Troop Greeters.

Posted in Bangorism, Relocate | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Gingerbread houses

Posted by: - December 30th, 2009

Gingerbread houses 2009 007

Last month our office was turned into “Gingerbread House Central”! I decorate  gingerbread houses for all of my clients who have purchased a home this year. Each home is decorated with the last name of the clients and hand delivered to be enjoyed through the holidays!

Thanks to all my clients who made 2009 a stellar year! I’m looking forward to what 2010 has to offer!

Best wishes,

Tricia

Gingerbread houses 2009 001

Gingerbread houses 2009 005

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Protect yourself from a low home appraisal

Posted by: - December 30th, 2009

You’ve just accepted an offer on your home, the buyer is satisfied with the building inspection results, now smooth sailing until the closing date, right?

Guess again. Findings show that 12 % to 13 % of contract cancellations were caused by low home appraisals.

Here is the common scenario:

The seller lists the home for $225,000; the buyer offers $175,000 and they settle on a $200,000 sales price. A week before closing the appraisal comes in at $165,000.

Then what happens?

The seller has already come down on their price, they do not want to go any lower. The buyer isn’t going to pay more than the appraised value, or may not even have the extra cash to do so.

What is causing these ‘short’ appraisals?

Lack of recent comparables area home sales (“comps”) making it difficult for appraisers to determine the current market value

Foreclosures and short sales ‘skew’ the comp values.

Some lenders are using appraisal management companies (AMCs), whose pool of residential appraisers include those with limited training and/or little familiarity with the area being appraised.

What can you do to protect yourself?

Buyers:

  • Tell your lender you prefer to use an appraiser who comes from your county.
  • Request that the appraiser have a residential appraiser certification and a professional designation (SRA-Appraisal Institute’s Senior Residential Appraiser, MAI-Member of the Appraisal Institute).
  • Meet the appraiser when he/she inspects the home and share your knowledge of recent short sales and foreclosures that might skew the comps.

Sellers:

  • Get an appraisal from a qualified appraiser (do your homework!) before you list your home.
  • Use this appraisal to set a realistic price for your home.
  • Give a copy of this appraisal to the buyer’s appraiser. This will give the appraiser useful data and another perspective.
  • Question a low appraisal. Some maybe simply due to human error.

Check out full Bankrate.com article

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

BANGOR, MAINE-One of the top 25 Places to Retire!

Posted by: - September 17th, 2009

Money Magazine named Bangor #23 on the list of Top 25 places to retire!

Check out some of the reason why Bangor made the list!!

Bangor hosts the American Folk Festival every year. This 3-day event held at the Bangor waterfront is a celebration of multi-cultural traditional arts and attracts thousands of festival-goers each year.

University of Maine’s Center for the Arts. Located on the University of Maine campus, this facility hosts many events  from well-known performers from all around the world.

Penobscot Theatre.  Laugh, cry, reminisce. Attend a play and experience the talented performers at the newly renovated Penobscot Theatre.

University of Maine’s Museum of Art. Located in downtown Bangor, the museum showcases over 6500 original works of art, including works by artists such as Marsden Hartley, Winslow Homer, John Marin, & Andrew Wyeth.

Walk, hike, or bike the 680 acres of wildlife habitat in Bangor’s City Forest or visit Baxter State Park or Acadia National Park, each only about 90 minutes outside of Bangor.

View Bangor homes!

Posted in Bangorism | Leave a comment

Defining ‘Bangorism’

Posted by: - January 15th, 2009

What is a ‘Bangorism’ you may ask? ‘Bangorisms’ can be a person, it can be a place, or it can be a thing.  It is a characteristic that people identify with Bangor and our community.  Bangorisms are unique to Bangor and add to our quality of life. 

The Coffeepot is a perfect example of a ‘Bangorism’.  Ask someone not from Bangor what a coffee pot is and they will answer “Something you make coffee in”.  But to a native Bangorian, a coffee pot is a cultural phenomenon.  An italian sandwich so mouth watering that people will line up a half an hour early to satisfy their craving.

More examples of ‘Bangorisms’? The Thomas Hill Standpipe. The Seadog. Stephen & Tabitha King’s home on West Broadway.  The American Folk Festival. All of these contribute to Bangor’s rich cultural and historical elements.

Can you think of a ‘Bangorism’? Let us know what you think!

Posted in Bangorism | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Get the most out of visiting open houses!

Posted by: - November 20th, 2008

Open houses are a great resource for buyers. Usually held on a weekend, open houses allow the listing agent to ‘open’ the house to the public for one to two hours, allowing prospective buyers check out the property and ask any questions.  The listing agent will usually have paperwork on the property to distribute such as the property disclosure which will disclose any material defects. We welcome all prospective buyers to visit our open houses, even if they are currently working with an agent.

Things you should bring to an open house:

Pen/Paper (for taking lots of notes, especially if you are visiting more than one open house!)

Tape measure (simply ‘eyeballing’ a room isn’t good enough, make sure you take precise measurements to make sure your bed will fit into the master bedroom or your couch won’t take up the entire living room!)

Camera (This will help you remember details such as the kitchen or the back yard of a property. Most agents won’t mind if you take a picture of a home and the rooms, make sure to ask first!)

Flashlight (for checking out the basement or a crawlspace!)

Plan out your schedule before you hit the road. Check the local newspaper, online websites, and determine which homes you wish to visit and the times they will be open.  Plan out your route so you will be able to fit in all the properties.

Have a list of questions prepared to ask the listing agent. If you are working with an agent, make sure you keep notes to pass along to them so they can follow up with the listing agent.

Drive around the neighborhood! After you leave the open house, take a look around to find the nearest grocery store, park, school, or gas station.

Give feedback! The listing agent wants to hear feedback.  The sellers need to hear feedback. Comment on the kitchen if you feel that the layout is not ideal or if you think the bedrooms are too small.  Let the agent know if the home has a great yard and that’s the reason why you visited the open house.  Chances are, other buyers feel the same way; feedback (positive or not) helps the listing agent determine why the home may not be selling or what feature will end up selling the home!

Useful links:

TriciaQuirk.com

BangorDailyNews

ERADawson.com

OpenHouse.com

Posted in Real Estate Tips | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Should you Stage your Home?

Posted by: - October 24th, 2008

Did you know?

A typical home buyer decides if they are attracted to a home within the first 8 seconds of seeing it?

So how can you ensure that a potential buyer decides to buy your home? By staging the property. Most people think that decorating a home is the same thing as staging a home.  There is a big difference-staging is a way of furnishing and decorating a room that emphasizes the architectural details and positive features in the home.  The goal of staging is to sell a home quickly and for the most possible money. Staging reduces the home’s flaws, depersonalizes the property, de-clutters, cleaning, improving condition items, and landscaping.  It is possible to over-decorate a room, making buyers focus on these items instead of the room’s possibilities.   Some tips for staging:
Clean out closets! Pack away out of season clothes and other items not being used

De-clutter! Reducing books in bookshelves or putting away knick knacks can make an area look nicer

Remove excessive furniture. This will make a room seem larger. If the room seems too sparse, then add a potted plant.

Add a centerpiece of fresh flowers to a dining room table.

Add plush, color coordinated towels to a bathroom.

Add decorative pillows to a bed in many shapes and sizes.  

Allow natural light in-open all curtains and blinds.

Try to stay away from bold colors (especially in small areas) Wall treatments and flooring should be neutral in color and pattern.

Personal items such as family photos, refrigerator art, and trophy collections should be packed away.  This will allow the potential buyer to feel more at ease during the viewing and allows them to focus on the property itself.

A good cleaning goes a long ways! Be sure to wash windows, scrub bathrooms, and keep kitchen area clean.

Clean out fireplace. If the fireplace is not in use, place a large basket of flowers or large candle holder to fill space.

Fix any items that are broken-loose door knobs, stubborn drawers, blown light bulbs. Check window screens to make sure they are present and in good condition.    

Don’t forget the garage! Most sellers go to great lengths to make their home ready for showings, but forget about the garage! Make sure toys & tools are put away, floor is free of spills and stains, and cobwebs, dust, & dirt is cleaned up.

Why stage your home?

Staged home stand out from the other homes on the market

Staged homes sell faster and for more money

Staged homes showcase features instead of featuring possessions

Showings won’t be ‘wasted’

You can easily live in a staged home during the selling process

Most of your possessions are already boxed up-makes moving process easier when home does sell!

 

Remember! The cost to stage your home is usually less than your first price reduction and could end up getting you more money for your home in the long run!

Posted in Real Estate Tips | Leave a comment