Chelmsford MA real estate listings and homes for sale, home buying, home selling information

My New Blog

Wild Fires - Would You Have Been Prepared?

October 23rd, 2007 9:54 AM

Surely by now you have heard about the devastating wild fires in Southern California. One news report said 1/4 million people have been evacuated, and that got me thinking. Would I have been prepared for such an event? The answer for me is no.

I have often mentioned to my clients the importance of conducting a home inventory for such an emergency, but I have yet to do this myself. It can be a very time consuming task, but it is one I will get started on today. Maybe you should to.

For those of you who wouldn't know where to get started, here are some tips.

The easiest way to I've found is to create a spreadsheet for each room in the house, and my headings are: ITEM, BRAND/MANUFACTURER, MODEL/SERIAL #, AQUISITION (ie. gift, inherited, purchased), DATE AQUIRED, ESTIMATED VALUE. Remember, everything counts. Record everything , not just major items such as appliances and electronics.

I suggest doing one room at a time. Start by taking a picture of the entire room, if you have a video camera use that. Next, take pictures of the individual items. This may seem like a time consuming and tedious task, but it will save you time and aggravation if your home is ever effected by a natural disaster. As I was watching the news last night and saw those homes burning, all I could think of was "they've lost everything." Now put yourself in their shoes, could your remember everything in your home? Having these documented pictures will help your insurance company with your claim, and will increase your likelihood of obtaining full compensation. Be sure to record the serial and/or model numbers of your items. If you have receipts for these items, consider scanning them into your computer. In addition to your electronic copies, you may want to print your pictures and label them with the name, value, and model/serial number.

What to Record

Simply put, everything. Document every room in the house, and don't forget about your closets, basement, garage, and shed. Be sure to include: toys, jewelry, kitchen items (china, utensils, pots & pans, etc.), cameras, clocks, electronics (TV, IPOD, Stereo, DVD player, Speakers, etc.), instruments, artwork, floor coverings, light fixtures, CDs & DVDs, video games, computer equipment (hardware & software), vacuum cleaner, tools, lawn furniture, clothing, appliances, and furniture.

Record Keeping

Ok, you've recorded everything. Now what? I suggest making multiple copies of your records. If you compiled your records onto your computer, don't rely on your hard drive alone. Computers are known to crash from time to time and you don't want to have to do this all over again. Burn your records onto multiple cds. If you did this the old fashion way, scan your records onto your computer. If you don't have a scanner, go to your local copy center and make color copies of the records you've compiled. Whether it is a paper copy or a cd, I suggest keeping one copy in a fire proof safe in your home. Keep another copy at work, at a friend or relative's house, or in a bank safe deposit box. Once you've compiled your inventory be sure to update it from time to time throughout the year, especially around the holiday season.

You never know when mother nature will strike, so be prepared.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those in Southern California.

John

Posted by John Labelle on October 23rd, 2007 9:54 AMPost a Comment (0)

Just Listed! 44 Westland Street Methuen, MA 01844

October 27th, 2007 11:58 AM

$215,000.00
44 Westland Street

Methuen, MA 01844

Beds: 2.0	Rooms: 2
Baths: 1.00	Sq. Ft.: 936.00
Garage: 0	Built: 1919

This is a new listing that
I thought you might be
interested in. Visit this
listing online to see more
photos of the property,
Google Earth satellite
images, and much more.

If you have any questions
about this property or
require more information,
please feel free to call.

John Labelle
RE/MAX Prestige
9782518221
www.viewmynewhome.info

Visit this listing at Here

Posted by John Labelle on October 27th, 2007 11:58 AMPost a Comment (0)

Why Use a Realtor

October 9th, 2007 4:16 PM

Today's market is a challenging one, and now more than ever you need to find the right Realtor to work with. There are many agents in the Chelmsford, Westford, Billerica, Greater Lowell, and southern New Hampshire area, and it is up to you to find the right agent for you. Below are 12 reasons to work with a Realtor.

Why Use a Realtor

All real estate licensees are not the same. Only real estate licensees who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® are properly called REALTORS®. They proudly display the REALTOR "®" logo on the business card or other marketing and sales literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict code of ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again.

Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a REALTOR®.

But if you're still not convinced of the value of a REALTOR®, here are a dozen more reasons to use one:

1. Your REALTOR® can help you determine your buying power -- that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give a REALTOR® some basic information about your available savings, income and current debt, he or she can refer you to lenders best qualified to help you. Most lenders -- banks and mortgage companies -- offer limited choices.

2. Your REALTOR® has many resources to assist you in your home search. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available properties.

3. Your REALTOR® can assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS® have access to a variety of informational resources. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning. schools, etc. There are two things you'll want to know. First, will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

4. Your REALTOR® can help you negotiate. There are myriad negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.

5. Your REALTOR® provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. Your REALTOR® can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property. Title indicates ownership of property and can be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access. The title to most properties will have some limitations; for example, easements (access rights) for utilities. Your REALTOR®, title company or attorney can help you resolve issues that might cause problems at a later date.

6. Your REALTOR® can help you in understanding different financing options and in identifying qualified lenders.

7. Your REALTOR® can guide you through the closing process and make sure everything flows together smoothly.

8. When selling your home, your REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

9. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. Often, your REALTOR® can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability of your property. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer. Your REALTOR® acts as the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, etc. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics requires REALTORS® to utilize these cooperative relationships when they benefit their clients.

10. Your REALTOR® will know when, where and how to advertise your property. There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® studies show that 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts. When a property is marketed with the help of your REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

11. Your REALTOR® can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing -- a lot of possible pitfalls. Your REALTOR® can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process.

12. Your REALTOR® can help close the sale of your home. Between the initial sales agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your REALTOR® is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or settlement).

Posted by John Labelle on October 9th, 2007 4:16 PMPost a Comment (0)