aware that technology has changed how a buyer shops for a new home. According the National Association of Realtors and their most recent “Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers” for the past 3 years, 92% of all buyers have used the internet to search for a home. The report also revealed that 95% of those buyers shopping online for a home actually purchased their home through a real estate agent/broker or from a builder of builder’s agent. A minimal 2% actually purchased the home directly from a seller, without knowing them ahead of time. The buyers are searching online for their new homes, but still rely on the agent to find that specific home that fits their needs, negotiate the terms of the sale, negotiate the price and to help guide them through the process. There is so much information now available for a buyer to check out, research and read online, that the buyers are finding that they need to reach out to a real estate professional in order to sort through it all and connect the relevant dots! This is obvious as the percentage of overall buyers who used an agent to buy their home has steadily increased from 69% in 2001 to 95% in 2015. The bottom line is clear. If you are thinking of selling your home, don’t underestimate the role a real estate agent/broker can play in the process. They will be there to help you price the home, show the home, market the home and finally guide the seller through the offer, the purchase and sale and finally the closing. Having an agent/broker by your side has become crucial to the speed and efficiency in which your home can sell. Call Foran Realty today to see how they can help you sell your home. ]]>
Customer Satisfaction
manner, and customizing the responses based on each customer’s needs. Now we know that it doesn’t sound too complicated, however you would be surprised! It’s not as easy as it seems. Here are my top five tips on how to provide excellent customer service:
- Hire the right people for your real estate agency
- Show empathy
- Offer speedy response
- Provide easy accessibility
- Ask your customers and then listen to them
Want to Save Money on Heating Bills?
The temperature is dropping and the heating bills are going up. Some quick and easy tips will have you saving money this winter on home heating bills. 1. Set your thermostat back. For every degree you set your thermostat back over eight hours, you’ll save about 1 percent on your heating bill each year. 2. Use a space heater. If you spend most of your time in one area of your home it is less expensive to use a space heater than turn up the heat in your entire home. 3. Open blinds during the day to let sun in. At dusk, close them to trap heat. 4. Inspect weather stripping around exterior doors. Replace old, cracked, or missing stripping. 5. If heat is escaping at your doors, attach a sweep to the bottom of the doors. Sweeps are flexible plastic strips that are easily screwed to door bottoms, and keep cold air out from below. 6. Fill gaps around windows with interior and exterior caulking. If cold air is coming in around the sashes, install appropriate weather stripping.]]>
How to Pick a Storage Company
Choosing a place to store your personal belongings is an important decision. You will want to make sure your prized possessions are safe and secure. Here are some hints on how to choose a storage facility: First, determine what kind of storage you need. Call a few facilities to ask about size, cost, climate-control, and access. Do some research online. You can try the Better Business Bureau and other online review sites. Contact the local police department to ask about the crime rate in the area where the facility is located. You may be able to find out if they’ve had any break-ins or reports of problems. Try to visit the facility in-person before you commit. This way you can tour the units and get answers to any questions you may have. ]]>
First Night Celebrations
First Night Sandwich Outdoor Venues are free and accessible to the general public and include the parade, exhibits, ice sculptures, storefront and street performances such as jugglers and clowns. Indoor venues are by admission only with the purchase of a First Night Sandwich Button. Buttons cost $10 for adults and $6 for children (3 to 12 years-old). They are available from now until noon Saturday, December 31 at the following locations: Beth’s Café & Bakery, Cafe Chew, Cape Cod 5, Dan’l Webster Inn, Heart of Stone, Sandwich Public Library, Splash Stationers, Stop & Shop – Route 6A, Stop & Shop – Quaker Meeting House Road, and Titcomb’s Book Store. Beginning at 3 PM on Saturday, December 31 buttons can be purchased at Sandwich Town Hall. First Night Chatham First Night Chatham is a family-friendly, alcohol free, town-wide celebration of the arts with over 70 performances and events. There are so many things happening in Chatham that the schedule is actually 2 pages long!! Click here for the full schedule of events. December 31st, 2016 will be First Night Chatham’s 26th New Year’s Eve celebration. It’s a full day of fun and entertainment, starting with the Town Photo at the Chatham Lighthouse at Noon, and culminating with Fireworks at Oyster Pond as the Countdown Cod takes us to the stroke of midnight. Adult Buttons are $20, Kids buttons are $5 and 2 and under are free! First Light Provincetown From the 7th night of Hannukah celebration at the Canteen Holiday Market to Drag Bingo, fireworks, Sound of Music sing alongs and everything in between….Provincetown is the place to be this New Years! Fireworks from MacMillan Wharf at Dusk on New Years Day promise to be an amazing show and free parking in town that weekend makes it an even more desirable destination! Whatever your destination is for the New Years Celebrations all of us at Foran Realty wish you a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year!
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A Guide to Rooftop Solar Power
Thanks to federal tax incentives and a growing concern for the environment, many Americans are installing rooftop solar panels to cover or offset the cost of their utilities. In the last ten years the solar industry has grown by an unprecedented 1,600 percent and it shows not signs of slowing. As solar becomes more affordable, however, debates have opened up around the use of solar power and its effect on older ways of producing electricity (like coal-fired and nuclear power plants). Solar power is a complicated process that is part of an even more complicated industry. If you’re thinking about making the switch, consider this your crash course in rooftop solar power.
I’m interested in solar. Where do I start?
Before you call a local solar provider and start getting sales pitches it’s useful to know some background information on solar in your area. Do some research on your home state to see if your local government has incentivized solar in any way. Some states have provided funding to banks to offer loans for home solar systems. You should also consider some details about your home, your current energy provider, and the amount of time you’re going to spend in your home. If you plan on moving anytime soon, leased panels may not be something you want to put up on the roof. Some buyers will happily take over the lease; others won’t be so sure or may see it as a headache. You’ll also want to learn about net metering from your current electricity provider. The electricity market is now in flux due to the increase of solar. As solar makes electricity more accessible, it could make electricity costs go up from your local utilities company. Net metering is the way that power companies measure how much electricity your panels put into the grid during the daytime which will be discounted from your monthly utility bill. Finally, you’ll want to consider how beneficial the panels would be to your bill. If your home doesn’t receive a lot of sun or have enough viable roof space, solar panels might not be worth it. If you can buy the panels flat out, however, they’ll likely save you a lot of money in the long run.Buying, leasing, and financing your panels
Buying, leasing, and financing all have their advantages and disadvantages which you’ll want to weigh before committing to one option. For example, even if you have the funds to buy outright you might prefer the leasing option for the maintenance and repairs guarantee. Maybe you want to buy or finance to take advantage of local and federal tax incentives. Another thing to consider is the changing technology itself. As solar power improves, so does the technology that makes it possible. If you’re thinking of moving within the next few years it might be in your best interest to wait for the next generation of panels for your new home instead of buying panels that will be outdated in the home you’re in.Making the calls
Once you’ve decided you want to go ahead with solar panels on your home you have another round of research to do. Compare providers in your area. Get quotes and setup options to find one that you’re happy with. Get a sample contract and read all of the fine print. Finally, check out the customer reviews to make sure you’ll be happy with this provider–especially if you’re leasing and will be dealing with them for the next 15-20 years. ]]>Another Property Sold – 12 Bristol St Dennis, MA
Adding Subtle Touches of Disney to Your Home
Are you a lover of all things Disney? Do you wish that you could be in Disney more often than not? Well Disney lovers rejoice! There are simple ways to add subtle and classy touches of Disney into your home, inside and out. Here’s how to add subtle hints of Disney to your home: Art: Disney has stunning pieces of artwork and sculpture for sale in their parks and online. There are various artists that create these works of art for Disney and the themes vary. You can find Mickey and Minnie, theme park, attraction, and other character themed pieces and in all different sizes. There’s even artwork for various seasons and holidays such as Christmas and fall. There are pieces to fit all styles from vintage to classic that would look great in entryways, bedrooms, bathrooms, and bedrooms. Family Room, Bed & Bath Accessories: Small signs, accent pillows, throws, a toothbrush holder, and towels are among the many accessories available for living spaces. bedrooms and bathrooms. Add accent pillows to your couches and beds, small signs to your nightstand and shelves, and a toothbrush holder and decorative towels to your bathroom. Kitchen Accessories: There are so many great kitchen accessories that you can purchase in the parks and online. There are items ranging from salt and pepper shakers and silverware to wine glasses, mugs, plates and dishes, hand towels, and so much more. Create a small display of the various Disney mugs from the resorts you’ve stayed at or display Disney plates in your dining room or kitchen. Outdoor Accessories: Disney and other retailers sell various types of accessories for the outdoors. Items such as lawn gnomes, string lights, and solar lighting are great ways to add a little Disney magic to your outdoors. From Mickey and Minnie, Goofy and Donald Duck to theme park and attraction themed items, your possibilities for brining Disney home are endless. And with so many possibilities you can add the touches of Disney that you love the most.]]>
Rent Your Home
Foran Realty that will help make it happen. Do keep in mind that renting out your home can be a big undertaking, so it is important to know what you are getting into, and to prepare accordingly. With a little bit of planning and hard work, you can put your home to work for you! Getting your Home Ready to Rent
- Keep careful records.Rental income is taxable, but many of the expenses you will incur as you prepare your rental are tax deductible. Keep detailed records of the money and time you spend getting your home ready to rent so that you can maximize your deductions at tax time.
- Apply for a rental permit.Permits are not necessary in all areas, especially for short-term rentals, but many cities are responding to the growth of new rental trends by creating new forms of regulation. If a permit is required in your area, give yourself plenty of time to get through the application process before your first guests arrive. Remember that permitting and inspection fees, like all other expenses you incur while preparing your rental property, are tax deductible so be sure to keep careful records.
- Acquire landlord insurance.Call your local insurance agent and ask if your current homeowner’s policy will cover the kind of rental situation you will be offering. Many policies will cover the occasional short-term rental, but for more long-term arrangements, you may need special coverage.
- Prepare your home to rent, inside and out.Make sure that all appliances work, that furniture is comfortable and in good repair, and that everything is clean and neat. Ensure that safety equipment like smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers are in good working order and are clearly accessible. Remove all precious personal belongings to a secure location, such as a storage unit or primary home. Do the same with all toiletries and anything else you wouldn’t want a stranger snooping through. Put clean linens on all of the beds (if you are planning on supplying linens), and make sure that bathrooms are stocked with clean towels, soap dispensers are full, etc. The requirements for safety equipment in rental properties vary widely by region. Smoke detectors are the bare minimum in most places. You will be informed of further requirements through the permitting process. Unless you are going for a very high-end rental, do not furnish your rental with extremely expensive furniture, linens, towels, etc. These items are likely to get damaged or disappear. Look for items of decent quality that are not too expensive but are still comfortable.
- Hire a reputable cleaning service.Some property owners are able to minimize costs by performing rental clean-outs on their own, but this can be a very time-consuming and difficult process, so it might be better worth your time to hire a professional service. If you do, be sure to do some research first and hire a reputable company that is licensed and insured. Get personal recommendations from your rental agent, other property owners, or look for a service with excellent online recommendations.
- Hire a landscaping service.As with cleaning, some property owners take on landscaping chores themselves, but you may be better off hiring a landscaping service to take care of routine lawn maintenance and care. Landscaping services, like cleaning services and other maintenance costs are all tax deductible, and a well-maintained yard is more likely to get good reviews and repeat renters.
- Create a system for providing a key or entry instructions to your guests. This is something that can be handled by your rental agent should you choose to use one. The check in and checkout instructions will be detailed with the lease and any inquiries etc. can be directed to the rental agent and their office, freeing you up to enjoy your time!
- Create a welcome book or informational packet to give to renters when they arrive.Include information about the home and the local area. Providing information on local attractions and dining options, as well as emergency contact information is an option that guests love. Leaving a welcome gift like a fruit basket or bottle of wine is another great way to welcome guests and keep them coming back year after year.
Planning for Money Milestones
In the course of a lifetime people encounter many money milestones. It can be difficult at times to know what to do with our money when we go through significant changes in life. Here are some of the major money milestones people encounter: Marriage: According to TheKnot.com, Americans spend an average of $27,000 on a wedding. So vow not to start off your marriage in debt. Curb spending on the big day by cutting expenses where possible. Buying a Home: Experts recommend saving for a 20% down payment for a home. Make sure to shop for a home loan and plan to spend no more than 30% of your taxable income on housing. Starting a Family: The average cost of raising a child is $235,000, not including college. Plan your household costs to increase 10 to 20% with the addition of a baby. Getting a Divorce: Divorce is expensive. Build a team of professionals who are knowledgeable about the implications of divorce, you will need a lawyer, accountant and financial advisor. Retirement: 56% of Americans ages 18 to 34 aren’t saving for retirement. Take advantage of your employer’s 401(k) or other sponsored retirement plan. A good plan is to save five percent of your income. ]]>