STOP BY AND SAY "HI"!

Today, we are busy, busy, busy...

getting ready for the 18th Annual

Androscoggin Business to Business Trade Show!

 

Join us Thursday, June 13th

at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee

in Lewiston for

Maine's largest business networking event!

 

 

- Drawing for a $100 gas card to J&S Oil

- Information on Apple Valley Condos

- Fontaine string bags (while they last)

- and Flat Brenda!

 

 

Make sure to come by booth 311 to say "Hi"!

 

Admission is free if you have a business card.

The show starts at 9:30am and goes to 5:30pm.

We will see you there!

 

We are always available for your real estate needs!

Call (207)784-3800 or e-mail us at

brenda@fontaineteam.com

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO SELL A HOME IN MAINE?

You are considering selling your home and

want to know how long it takes to sell a home in Maine.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a concrete answer to that question? 

The truth is, how long it takes a home to sell depends on

a lot of different things and is difficult to track. 

 

Pricing, staging and marketing have a great deal to do with

how quickly a home sells.  Buyers are looking for the nicest house at the best price. 

If you are priced at the lower end of homes comparable to your home

the chances of your home selling quickly improve.  You may even get

 multiple offers and sell for more that you would have listed at a higher price. 

If your home is uncluttered and staged, buyers will be more likely to

feel that the home is well taken care of

and worth more money. 

 

The key to getting an offer on your home is having it seen. 

All the staging and price reductions in the world won't do any good if

your house is not seen by buyers.   This is why making sure your agent

has a good marketing program is key.  For example, in Maine 97% of buyers

use the Internet to search for a home. 

 

 Does your agent have a website and

a good Internet marketing program?

 

The best way of tracking how long it takes homes to sell may be

the days on market on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service).  Of course this

only takes into account the time the property was listed by an agent

who uses the MLS. The property could have been listed by an agent who

does not use MLS, could have been listed differently in MLS, or

could have been for sale by owner.   Just like most things related to real estate,

the time it takes to sell can vary greatly from location to location. 

 

Check out the latest Days on Market for properties sold in Maine

 according to the MLS as of March 12, 2013.

 
 
 

    

    Androscoggin County   136 days

    Cumberland County      118 days

    Franklin County            254 days

    Kennebec County          197 days

    Oxford County              234 days

    Sagadahoc County        135 days

    Maine                            182 days

 

Fontaine Family - The Real Estate Leader has

an average Days on Market of 84 Days!

 

Would you like to hear about or marketing plan

to get your home sold for top dollar faster? 

Contact us today for a FREE, no obligation consultation! 

Call (207)784-3800 or e-mail brenda@fontaineteam.com.

TIME TO BOOST YOUR CURB APPEAL

Summer is almost here

and that means the buyers are out and looking....

is your house ready? 

Have you paid any attention to your Curb Appeal? 

 The first impression of a potential buyer is crucial...

so here are some easy things you can do to boost your Curb Appeal...

1.  Routine Maintenance - mowing the lawn, weeding, trimming shrubs and making sure driveways and walkways are clear and clean seems like common sense, but you would be surprised how often I see houses listed for sale where the yard looks like a jungle.  If you let your yard go, it may give potential buyers the impression that other things have also been neglected. 

2.  Clean it Up - Put away the hose and toys and make sure the entry is free from spider webs and debris.  Tripping over toys or having a spider drop on your shoulder are sure turn offs for potential buyers.

3. Front Door - Painting your exterior doors is a pretty easy project that can make the front of your home pop - just don't go too crazy with the color! While you are at it...adding easily readable house numbers makes your home easy for potential buyers to find.

4. Lighten Up - Make sure your exterior lights look nice and are in working order.  Replace broken fixtures or burnt out bulbs.  Some buyers drive around to scope out potential homes in the evening...a well lit home will attract attention and a dark home will fade into the night.

5.  Pretty Plants - Add some life to your yard easily by adding a few pots of flowers to the front porch or freshening up your planting beds.  Fresh mulch can also make a huge difference.  

6.  Window Work - Wash your windows.   Chances are you don't realize how dirty they are, but a buyer will be looking closely.  Once your windows are clean, adding shutters and window boxes of flowers can add a lot of character without a huge expense.

7.  Mailbox Makeover -  Is your mailbox held onto the post with duct tape after a run-in with the plow this winter?  Now is the time to repair the post, make sure the mailbox is not rusted or covered with peeling paint. 

Homes with great curb appeal often sell quicker and for more money! 

 Boost your Curb Appeal and then get ready for the offers to roll in! 

Check out my Curb Appeal Pins on my Pinterest by clicking on the logo below...

 If you would like more information on how to sell your home faster and for more money, please call Fontaine Family - The Real Estate Leader on click the button below to send us an e-mail!

DID HURRICANE IRENE DO DAMAGE TO THE HOME YOU ARE SELLING?

So you have your property listed for sale and then came Hurricane Irene...now you have water in the basement or tree damage to your garage roof...what now? 

It is now time to call your agent and update your Seller's Property Disclosure.  Although requirements are different from state to state, most states do require sellers of real estate to disclose some facts about a property they are selling. 

Sellers Property Disclosure - A statement of facts made by the seller about the condition of a property being sold 

 
© Copyright Dominic Robinson
and licensed for reuse under
this Creative Commons Licence

Property disclosures originally became a requirement to protect buyers, but it has turned out they have often protected the seller.  For example - A buyer purchases a home where the seller disclosed there had been water in the basement after storms.  Several months later after a summer storm, the buyer ends up with water in the basement.  They call their agent insisting that they were never told of a water problem and that they plan to sue the sellers and agent.  In this case the agent or agents involved could pull the property disclosure from the file.  In most states both buyer and seller are required to sign this document.  If the document is produced and does in face state there had been water in the basement, the seller has some protection that they would have not had without that written document!

As you can see, making disclosure of required items up front could be a benefit to you as a seller.  Do you need to update your disclosures?  Call your agent to see what disclosures are required in your state!