Real Estate and *stuff *

Real Estate and *stuff *

A real person helping real people with real estate

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Fred and Ethel recover from Short Sale Monday

November 15, 2011

Fred and Ethel – the BNI Whales that have been traveling with me since our meeting last week – apologize for being absent yesterday.  Monday consumed them as they realized how much time and energy is needed to successfully close a short sale.  They were back in full force today though!  Spreading the word about the great stuff that can happen with BNI!

 

The whales started the day posing on the might jeep while it was being loaded with all the necessary items to carry out a full day of real-iting (Fred and Ethel have quite the sense of humor).  They are looking forward to get out and away from the desk and the phone after yesterday!

Fred and Ethel stopped by 10 Dighton Street in Worcester which closed last week to pick up the signs and the lockbox.  The new owner was home and they wished him well!  Fred thought this was a great way to start the day!

 

Stopping again on the way into the office for a weekly inspection on a foreclosure listing.  18 Burncoat Street in Leicester is a foreclosure that just came out of contract and is back on the market.  With a new price of $59,500 and a passing Title V – it’s a great buy!

 

Into the office for Business Builders.  Business Builders is an accountability group that meets bi-weekly and is run by Pam Crawford.  It helps keep Realtors ON track by holding them accountable to their goals.  What works, what doesn’t and most importantly…what are we actually doing that generates business.  Great group!  It’s nice to connect with the other agents in the office too.

Fred and Ethel set up in the office for a few hours before the next appointment.  Confirming that their recent buyers are good with their pre-qual on a house that needs a new septic, recalling all the banks involved in the short sales, letting the new rental clients that they…above four other applications…got the rental they wanted and then off again!

After a few stops – checking in at a broker’s open to preview a new construction in Leicester…stopping in on the sellers of 10 Dighton in Worcester to wish them well in their trip south for the winter and finally…

Staples.  Ugh!  Fred and Ethel feel the same love/hate feeling that I do…so many things that could be used…so much money could be spent!  Must…keep…to…budget!!  This would be a time to consult with Andrea Goodman…Swampdrainer!  She keeps business…in business by keeping their PnL’s tight!  At any rate…Fred and Ethel learn that jump drives fail and they must be replaced.

Ending the day with Wes Oliver from Prestige Mortgage at Picadilly’s in Westborough for a frosty cold one and nice chat…Fred and Ethel finally get home to spend some quality time with the huskies…

 

New Kitchen Cabinet Hardware—Low-Cost Ways to Jazz Up Your Style

January 8, 2011 — 2 Comments

Replace old kitchen cabinet hardware and gain an instant style update that’s simple to do and easy on the budget.  It’s a quick way to really make an impact on the room and express yourself.  I am all about expressing my individual style and if you take a few moments in this aisle at your local Lowes, you will be amazed at all the choices you have.

Measuring for kitchen cabinet hardware

Replacing kitchen cabinet hardware is a job you can do yourself. But note there’s a wide range of sizes when it comes to the spans between screws on kitchen cabinet hardware. You’re in luck if your doors feature a knob with a single screw that secures to the door or drawer front, and you want to replace it with the same.

Otherwise, you’ll need to measure precisely the spread between screws. Use a measuring tape to measure from the center of one screw hole to the center of the other. Write the measurement down and count the number of pulls and/or knobs that you need. If you’re making your purchase at a home center, bring the handle and dimensions with you.

If you opt for handles that don’t match up with existing holes, fill holes with wood filler and camouflage the repair with fresh stain or paint. Or you can cover the fix with a backplate that fits behind the new handle.

Hinges can be tricky

Hinges can be difficult to switch out because there are so many different types and sizes. If your kitchen cabinet hinges match the finish on the new hardware or if the hinges are hidden anyway, you can keep the originals.

Otherwise, before removing all the hinges, remove just one and then shop around—online or at a home center—to make sure you can find one that will work for your installation.

Installation tips for kitchen cabinet hardware

  • If you need to re-drill your cabinet drawers and doors, speed up the project either by making a jig or buying one. You can make a jig from scrap plywood following directions available online. Or purchase a plastic jig from a home center or online for about $7.
  • As you drill, keep the bit perpendicular to the door or drawer face. You can position an 8-inch tri-square next to your drill as a visual guide. If you’re inexperienced using a power drill, there are a number of drill guides available, starting at about $17.

This a really fun way to the spend the afternoon!  It gives a brand new look to your kitchen and it’s easy to do.  We will be talking about this in up-coming events at a Lowe’s location in Worcester County – ask me more about it!

 

Holiday lights…energy saving LEDs and a gift card!

November 30, 2010 — 1 Comment

That’s it…I am decorating with every light strand I can find!  Here is some great information on the energy costs (or lack of energy costs) associated with LED Christmas lights and a holiday lighting contest!  Realtor.com has a contest on their Facebook page with a $250 gift card prize!  (see links at the end of the blog)

Newer decorations that use LED lights are especially light on the pocketbook. Even if you take your holiday decorations to the extreme, you might see little change in your utility bill if you use LED lights. )If you’re reluctant to deck your halls for the holidays because of your own or others’ economic hardships, you may be happy to hear that lighting up for the festivities doesn’t cost nearly as much as it used to.

According to MarketWatch, advancements in energy efficiency have led to big savings for consumers, who now can expect to spend just $1.26 a month to light, for five hours a night, a 70-watt decoration such as an inflatable snow globe that uses LED lighting.

You might not be so lucky if you go the route of the Griswolds from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” since the older, bigger bulbs tend to suck up quite a bit more energy. But if all you need is one strand of 50 minilights on for five hours a night, that’ll put you back 40 cents a month. And if you indulge in the LED strand, it’ll cost just 7 cents a month, MarketWatch reports.

Maybe that’s helping convince more people that it’s time to buy some new holiday decor.

MarketWatch also writes that according to a survey from the National Retail Federation, fewer people, at 31.5%, plan to use the same decorations they used last year, compared with 34% from a similar poll in 2009. Online and brick-and-mortar retailers have seen similar signs of a growth in holiday decor sales.

So if you plan on taking your holiday decorations to the next level this year, why not see if they’re among the nation’s best?

Realtor.com is asking homeowners to upload images of their holiday decorations to its Facebook page, and will award the two homes with the best decorations each a $250 gift card for Bed Bath & Beyond.

Think your home has what it takes to win? Or do you plan to pass on the decorations this year because of utility costs or other reasons?

Don’t want to upload your pictures or join their Facebook page…just email me your pictures with your name and I will make sure it gets in – amymullen@remax.net