Spring Market has broken in greater Portland!
In the past 2 weeks we have been negotiating a number of contracts for buyers in fairly competitive situations. Not only has the spring market broken but it appears to be quite competitive, some of the situations involved near misses on multiple offers!
Easier guidelines for government loans recently passed by congress seem to..(read more)
It is always such a treat to leave for a sunny destination in Feb. We escaped with few problems and arrived at our resort at Sandals in Montego Bay. Our room was breathtaking with it's own balcony steps from the clear green warm sea. Jamaican music floated in the background. Our personal butler arrived with a cell phone to allow us to reach him at any time. Nagging thoughts of guilt..(read more)
I have recently had conversations with several past clients who are struggling with the decision of whether or not to place their homes on the market this year.
They all know that they wish to sell, but it is a matter of either waiting to sell until next year or selling this year.
On the surface, a reasonable response might be, of course, to wait until next year, because of so may uncertainties...(read more)
I have recently had conversations with several past clients who are struggling with the decision of whether or not to place their homes on the market this year.
They all know that they wish to sell, but it is a matter of either waiting to sell until next year or selling this year.
On the surface, a reasonable response might be, of course, to wait until next year, because of so may uncertainties...(read more)
This winter has been snowy. Strangely enough, I have realized that I actually enjoy the silence and calmness that it provides. Life slows down a little. On heavy snow days, It is sometimes not possible to leave the house so there is more time for cooking and reading and just escape from multitasking. It offers a chance to think about the big picture.This is a rare opportunity in todays world. I actually..(read more)
I have been a Realtor since 1985 [continuously] but getting a transaction to the closing line is always a challenge. This is due changes that are continuously taking place in the industry.
Last week we encountered several issues closing on an upscale condo in an upscale popular community. Approximately 1 week prior to closing, I received a call from the sellers notifying me that a pipe had frozen[but..(read more)
I have been in real estate in greater Portland [Maine]since 1985. 1990- 1993 were challenging markets, but I learned that there are definite benefits to this marketplace for certain people. It is a great opportunity to achieve significant equity, fairly quickly, that would be unobtainable otherwise in a hot sellers market.
The first category of folks is the group who own a starter home and wish..(read more)
Are you thinking of buying a home or selling your current home, but want to educate yourself more on the current market? The following service is free and easy. Just fill out the linked form and you will immediately receive a free current market report in your e-mail. The report includes graphs showing recent sales vs. homes currently on the market, an interactive map, and much..(read more)
Have we bottomed out? The number of units in July '07 compared to the number of units sold in July '06 actually increased by 4% in Maine. The median sales price edged up a little bit also.
Next month will tell us more. Stay tuned! Actually there are advantages to this current marketplace which does not seem to be appreciating quickly as in the several past years. If you are a seller of a "starter..(read more)
It was interesting the new twist that occured in a recent closing. The sellers did not decide that our transaction could be under their employers' relocation benefit program until after we were fully under contract and all contingencies had been negotiated, Therefore the buyers had no obligation to comply. Nor did they feel any obligation to comply. After all, why dissolve your legal contract..(read more)
