I’m No Oprah – Favorite Things of One Connecticut Yankee

In the spirit of Christmastime, here are some of the things I may enjoy giving or receiving this year:

Tickets to A Christmas Carol at the Hartford Stage.  $5 of your ticket price will go to my favorite non-profit, Our Companions.

Amaryllis Bulb Kit from White Flower Farm -  These kits make beautiful gifts and they’re perfect for anyone with a black thumb.

Anything from LL Bean - I love LL Bean because they know how to treat you right.  I ordered a few things from them this year and received them within 2 days and paid nothing for shipping. 

Tom Tom Go Navigation System – I already have one of these and it has changed my life, for the better.   

Giftcards to Walmart.  I don’t like shopping at Walmart but you can download songs for $.88.  The frugal Connecticut Yankee in me loves to save money.

Books. My favorite gift titles this year for pet lovers are Marley & Me and From Baghdad with Love.  I can’t read books about dogs because they make me cry (something bad always seems to happen to them) but other people are stronger than me.

A Christmas Wreath – a business associate of mine hand delivers a Christmas wreath every year to my office.   

Coffee – I’m not a coffee snob so just about any brand will do. 

Lucky’s Fudge – My mom makes the best fudge ever.  I hope to get some for Christmas this year (hint).  Last year at Christmas, I was pregnant and had gestational diabetes so I couldn’t have any sweets (you have no idea how hard this was for me). 

J. Crew Flip Flops- I am a flip flop aficionado.  Not sure what that says about me but I’ve tried many brands of flip flops and by far, these are the best for your money. 

Lazy Blogging – Part 1

With only a few days until Christmas, I find myself behind schedule.  More gifts to buy, holiday cards to mail, gifts to wrap – and by the way, work to do.  I don’t know how much of an audience I have (I don’t even think my parents care about reading my blog) but I’m going to be doing some lazy blogging for a few days at least.  Just so you know…

This is a link to a guest post I did yesterday on Athol Kay’s site, The Real Estate Guide.  Called the Home Buyer Panic Glossary, it details a few of the types of home buyer panic I’ve witnessed as a buyer’s agent (and even experienced myself as a home buyer).  It’s mostly for real estate agents but home buyers may want to read it if they think they’re coming down with a case of it.

Coyotes in My Backyard – Maybe Yours, too?

In response to the news this morning that two small dogs had been attacked by a coyote in South Windsor, I took a look at a map to see how close these attacks were to me.  Too close is the answer. Here’s a map of the two incidents that occurred on Cliffwood Drive and Steadman Circle.  My house is somewhere in between.

 

I don’t think I have much to worry about with my dogs – I have three 60 lb dogs who’ve managed to frighten away deer, fox, birds, cats, chipmunks and the occasional UPS man (I don’t think they’re supposed to just drop the package in my driveway but who can blame them).  But just to be on the safe side, I will be much more cautious – and so should you if you have pets. 

Be Careful Home Sellers – That Realtor May Not Be Real After All

If you are selling your house through a realtor or for sale by owner, you should know that you could be a target for criminals.

I came across a post on a blog in Florida about people posing as real estate agents to gain access to homes for nefarious reasons.  The blog featured a story on the local evening newsabout a woman who says a person claiming to be a realtor knocked at her door and asked to view the property.  The “realtor” handed the seller a business card and said that the buyer may be submitting an offer.  When the seller did not hear from the realtor, she called the number on the business card and that realtor said that she had never been to her house.  Scary stuff. 

The seller had to have her locks changed but she is lucky that all she lost was some money – she could have been robbed or hurt by the phoney realtor or worse.

While I don’t take listings,  I thought this was important enough to share.  Home sellers should never allow someone into their home without an appointment.  If you’re using a realtor, buyers or other realtors should call the listing office to schedule an appointment.  The office will then call you, the seller, to verify the time and date of the appointment.  You can even request that your realtor accompany all prospective buyers and agents during the showing.

If you’re selling your home without a realtor, you will want to schedule appointments over the phone and ask some questions first.  To a realtor, ask their name, agency, office phone number and address.  Before the appointment, call the number they gave you and ask to speak with the realtor to confirm the appointment.

To an unrepresented potential buyer, ask their name, address, and phone number.  In addition, ask whether they have been pre-approved by a lender, when they are looking to close, whether they have a house to sell and where they saw the ad for your property.  These are good questions to ask anyway. 

Before the appointment, call the number they gave you to confirm.  When the buyer shows up to your house for the appointment, ask them the same questions you asked over the phone and verify that they gave you the same answers. 

Here are some other safety tips:

• Have someone with you during the showing. 
• If you must show the house alone, let someone know you have an appointment and to call you a half-hour into the appointment to check on you.
• Carry your cell phone with you. 
• Don’t tell the agent or the prospective buyer anything about your schedule or personal habits.  
• During the showing, maintain a safe distance from your visitors and always stay between them and the front door.  
• Park your car on the street, not in the driveway or garage in case you need to leave quickly.

Follow your gut instinct.  If someone is making you feel uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to refuse them the appointment or allow them into your house.  You don’t have to be rude – just let them know that you are unable to show the house to them at time and to call back to reschedule.  They may feel put out but they’ll get over it.

Home Buying 101 – Step Four: Know Your Rights

This is the fourth installment of twelve weekly features for first-time homebuyers on buying a home. 

Homebuyers must know their rights regarding fair housing and lending practices.  The Department of Housing and Urban Development already has a great section of their website dedicated to the rights of home buyers.  These are all links to their site:

Fair Housing  Laws that provide equal access to housing.

Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) RESPA requires that consumers receive disclosures at various times in the transaction and outlaws kickbacks that increase the cost of settlement services.

Predatory Lending

MMM…Pepe’s Pizza Comes East of the River

Not earth shattering news for most people; but, if you love pizza like I do, this is news you shout from the rooftops.  New Haven’s Pepe’s Pizzeria is looking to open it’s third restaurant (the second in Fairfield).  I’ve driven 45 minutes and stood in line in the cold for this pizza - it’s a rite of passage for any Connecticut teenager and it’s that good. 

According to the news, Pepe’s will be open in June 2007 near the Buckland Hills Mall which has been undergoing a revitalization since the opening of the Shops at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor.   I may have to wait in line again but at least it will be a shorter drive.

Airplanes? No, no airplanes.

Reading this story reminds me of a showing I had last year near Bradley Airport - Homes Near Airport to Receive Sound Insulation. 

Some clients I had were looking around the general Windsor Locks area.  A house came on the market and the photos looked promising.  Knowing that it was near the airport, I called the listing agent to find out if airplanes can be heard at the house.  Her response was “Airplanes?  No, no airplanes.”  Great.  I set up the appointment and met my clients after they left work the next day.

I got there a few minutes early and waited in the driveway.  On the map, the property didn’t look close to the actual boundaries of the airport.  But, in the first five minutes, I heard two planes overhead – very close to the ground as they were coming in for their landings.  My clients arrived and we continued to hear planes – inside and outside the house.  And, we walked to the boundaries of the property and it abutted some type of airfield with planes parked (correct terminology?).

Was the agent thinking flights would be cancelled that day?  Was she hoping for spontaneous deafness on the part of me and my clients?  Did she think the house’s charm would overwhelm our senses?  Not everyone cares about the noise but if someone asks – just tell the truth. 

Needless to say, my clients were not interested in a property where airplanes could be seen, heard and probably felt from their living room.   But, they could have gotten free noise abatement!  I’d love to see a listing offering that.