SUMMERTIME IS HEATING UP!

After all the rain we've had in June and July, August 1st dawns with lovely blue skies and sunshine! I hope an indicator of warm summer days to come. The rainy real estate climate has been changing too! More buyers are out looking at homes and with the large inventory of homes on the market, they should be able to take their pick of great homes in exceptional price ranges. Interest rates are still low and with reasonably good credit, a loan isn't difficult to find.

Take into account the $8000 tax credit and the MSHA $5000 grant to first time home buyers and we can see some buyers rushing in to take advantage of these programs. These programs are expiring soon - so if you know someone who should be buying a home soon - have them call me right away.


Right now in our area, The statistics regarding single family home sales since July 1, 2009 are as follows:



Cornish: 13 Current Listings
0 Pending
2 Sold (Median* sold price: $126,750)

Limerick: 47 Current Listings
7 Pending
1 Sold (Median sold price: $135,000)


Newfield: 41 Current Listings
7 Pending
3 Sold (Median sold price: $155,000)


Parsonsfield: 32 Current Listings
3 Pending
1 Sold (Median sold price: $45,000)


Limington: 43 Current Listings
9 Pending
3 Sold (Median sold price: $147,250)


Standish: 100 Current Listings
21 Pending
8 Sold (Median sold price: $185,788)


Baldwin: 16 Current Listings
1 Pending
1 Sold (Median sold price: $1,058,311)


Porter: 18 Current Listings
1 Pending
1 Sold (Median sold price: $275,000)

Hiram: 26 Current Listings
4 Pending
1 Sold (Median sold price: $140,000)

Waterboro: 121 Current Listings
28 Pending
10 Sold (Median sold price: $140,000)



*the median price indicates that 1/2 sales occured above this amount and 1/2 below.

"If Mama Ain't Happy - Ain't Nobody Happy!"

Oh How true it is!! Here we are in the New Year - 2009!! Wow! When I consider that the new year is ahead of me - As many others, I look back at 2008, evaluate what went well? - what didn't? - What do I want to improve and what will that look like in time, energy and committment? As we laughed when Pat mentioned the above quote, I suddenly had one of those eye-opening moments, revelatory in nature, and a realization that will certainly change the way I think about my small, somewhat insignificant life in light of the greater scheme of a great big universe bursting with galaxies, solar systems, and more unknowns.

Back to "If Mama Ain't Happy ...", I completely underestimate my power of influence! If Mama can set the tone for her home - her husband, children, friends, and extended family - what an effect she has on the world around her. Unfortunately negative!

Of course, my personal goal is to impact the world around me in a positive way - cheering on those who are actively running the race! But as I've run my own race - I haven't really paid much attention to the power my own influence might actually have in the most minor moments of my life. Minor moments like when I'm busy getting ready for my day and I'm interupted, or chasing the run-away dogs when I've got an appointment that I was going to make 'just in time.' Doing menial tasks that just must be done with some degree of regularity and which go without praise or notice.

Training my attitude to positively influence the world around me is the start of developing the kind of influence I'm really reaching for. What I exhibit in the most trivial areas of influence will surely freely exhibit in those more visible. So I'm going to pay attention this year! Pay attention to the people I would like to influence. And to those I actually do! I think I'll look at those who influence me - and why. I'm sure that upon examination I will find that each has a common trait of positive influence in the even closest relationships of life.

The fact is - It really is true! "If Mama ain't happy - ain't nobody happy!" But if she is ---- the whole house is dancin'!!! I want it to be my house in our quaint little New England Village! Happy New Year - 2009! I've got a whole community to influence.

Happy New Year!! 2009

I find myself amazed I'm only a few hours away from 2009 - probably like many I'm saying "Where did the year go?" It seemed to fly by! When I think back to the last 12 months - I'm trying to put a word in place that would describe each one - Last of January and part of February - I spent in Washington state with my mother and sister helping my mother settle into a new home - Came back ill - and recovered the rest of February. March was cold with lots of snow - (I had hoped to miss "winter" by going to Washington but oh well, ). April - I exhausted my creative talants in my garden designing a visual garden with hopefully low maintenance - May through September we lived our vacation at the lake - started to really take care of our bodies and surprisingly - lost nearly 90 #s between the two of us. If you're interested I'll tell you what we did in another post. I learned to love walking - and couldn't believe I felt upset if I didn't get a 3-4 miler in! The real estate market picked up in August here and I found myself busy again - (although I've never not been busy-I'm usually trying to drum up some new marketing technique - ie: the internet push) Mid-October we moved back home and I lost momentum - different roads, icy conditions make walking difficult. No wonder it feels like the year passed so quickly! November I spent getting ready for the Holidays - mine and others - and Thanksgiving was so euphoric for me - I feel like I've truly been celebrating Christmas for the last 5 weeks!

Tomorrow's New Years Day! 2009! As I ponder the coming year - I have to look at the last and say how grateful I am for the friends and family that I have. New friends this year - Diane Snow who by the way is the creator of the "Runaway Cowgirl" series of novels - Miki Earle, whom I've known for years casually, but now have a kindred relationship and Theresa Drown who is such and amazing woman! I am so blessed! My dear longtime friends, Heather Labbe', Deb Homer, Sheila Ouelette, each woman gifted and inspirationsal - they inspire and encourage me more than they could know. What is more important than the relationships we have in life. Family and friends!

I thank God for each of my clients - past and present. For the most part, I feel like we've become friends during this time when our lives have intersected as a result of their desire to buy or sell a home and my occupation to serve them. I treasure each one, and am truly thankful for the opportunity to know them.

I am thankful for my family of 9 children, sons-in-laws, daughter-in-laws, 13 grandchildren, and all the extended family that exists in my life. I am overwhelmed at the wonderful young men and women Pat and I call our own! They are each unique - talanted - brilliant and beautiful! Genuinely concerned about others, they make us proud parents. Nothing can be so satisfying as seeing our children exhibit Godly character, living lives that benefit themselves and those around them. We are so proud of each one and for very different reasons! God has been good to us in 2008! Stephen's motorcycle accident was frightening for all of us. He's walking with a cane now since Dec 4 and his progress is outstanding! He braved the Phoenix Zoo with us just after Christmas and was still smiling at the end of the day! Yes, God has been very good!!!!

More than ever, I am blessed to be married to a man I adore and who adores me (at least he makes me feel that way!) I don't take marriage and a loving relationship lightly! It's serious business, hard work and worth every sacrifice and every victory! Our 12+ years have taught us much and we regularly admit that we are so fortunate to be married to each other and thankful as well.

I am looking forward to a great New Year 2009! I hope that yours is filled with new friends and family, much success and at least 2 of your heart's ambitions fullfilled. My son Jeff said that one of his ambitions has been to find out what that stringy part inside the banana peel was called - and thanks to google - was fullfilled in only a matter of minuets! May yours come as easy! Happy New Year!!

GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS!

I was driving to Limington yesterday and saw Jen briskly moving toward the Christmas trees at her business on Washington Street, Nature's Way. I thought about how briskly Christmas was moving toward me and how much I needed to do.

I love Christmas! I love the generous spirit of neighbors helping neighbors without a thought for themselves. Mark and Kelly Roulliard out in Parsonsfield gave up an entire Saturday to rebuild a dormant Kerosene heater so that their new neighbor, Marsha, could have heat in the ice storm. Then brought over his generator while He and Kelly attended a party that evening. Generous to a fault! I love the traditional Christmas decorations that adorn our town. Green balsam wreaths hung on doors and windows, red bows with tails wafting with the winter wind - Gray-white sky predicting Snow that strands us by the woodstove, sipping cocoa and tea.

I got a good shot of the school nurse, Mellissa and her daughter on the Line School Float at the Village Christmas parade in Limerick - Had to put it here for everyone to see those red antlers!

Sitting at Krista's Restrauant in Cornish for lunch, friends stop to chat as the seats fill up around us - time seems to be irrelevant as we laugh, share and enjoy the spirit of the season. I drop by to say a quick Merry Christmas to Nicci at Diamond Cuts Hair Salon and by the Bangor Savings Bank where Theresa the bank manager and all the tellers greet me with a cheerful Holiday greeting while I make my deposits - even there the Christmas spirit reigns - Life is good at Christmas in Cornish, ME and the neighboring villages. Everyone is getting ready for Christmas with a smile!

I'm rambling, back to all the preparations for Christmas. I think of my clients and the task ahead of having homes "show ready" admist all the hustle and bustle, so that I can show up with strangers to peek in every drawer, cupboard and closet. (I personnaly throw everything loose into my dryer when someone shows up at my door - don't even ask - it's true!) Having a holiday feeling in a home for sale is a challenge for the seller. So a few tips to help you during the 'season of joy' so it won't become the 'season of stress.'

Clean is of course the Holiday basic! And every realtor would tell you as clutter free as possible. (I personally suggest - you are moving - so pack up - put it into the garage). Freshen up the paint if it's needed, polish the floors and be sure the yard is free of anything not intentional. (I think you know what I mean!) Gather your inspirational magazines - cut out the pictures and be creative. Decorate - but not over the top this year. Buyer's unconsciously need to see themselves in your home. Stick with a new theme - "I call it Simple traditional." A wreath, a few Christmas vignettes for the rooms, a pretty tree and the smell of Christmas cookies. Stay away from the blow-up Santa in the yard and save it for your new house. This is the year to SELL your home. Curb appeal is extremely important - simple is always tasteful! You often get the buyer (or not) at first sight! So if you are selling this season, I hope these simple tips help - If you are my client - I'd like to drop by for a picture of your front door - it doesn't hurt to have that seasonal appeal in those photos buyers are asking for.

So to you who are decorating to sell or you who are settling in and making your home - your own! I wish you the joy of enjoying the simplest of pleasures this year, the love of friends and family and the joy of knowing "every good and perfect gift is from above." (James 1:17). May God Bless you with a very Merry Christmas and the very happiest of Holidays this year.

I was standing at the counter in the Limerick Village Variety on Main St when someone asked me - "So how is it going?" I replied, "A bit slower than my usual Christmas Frenzy - waiting for two to close - the market is slower." Afterward, I thought 'Is the market really that slow?' I've actually been pretty busy since August and things usually slow this time of year through Christmas and into January as a rule. So I did a bit of statistical research - and found that buyers are buying! Sellers are selling! And amazingly in a reasonable amount of days on the market. I searched our local market areas - Limerick - Cornish - Newfield - Parsonsfield - the rural northern areas of York County in Southern Maine. The area I love to live in because of the quaintness of our villages and the historical interest. Living here is like reading a good book - over and over again - you know whats coming and every reading makes it more delicious! People are genuine, pace can be slow (I don't know why mine isn't) and of course - everybody knows your name!

WHAT IS SELLING?

As I analyzed my data I found that there are many homes in our area listed under $200,000 - perfect for the first time home buyer qualifying for 100% financing! I reviewed sales over the last six months of several towns in our area. Because I work in about 10 of our localites, I chose the following four to be representative of sales in the area.

• 
  Limerick: Total Sold: 22 Residential Units. 19% sold at the listed price with a median time on the market of 56 days. The median List price was $188,500 with median sale of $179,950.
  



• Cornish: Total Sold: 7 Residential Units. The median list price was $118,900 with a sale price median of 107,000. Median Days on the market - 154.



• 
  Parsonsfield: Total Sold: 11 Residential units. Median list price was $154,900 and sale of $140,000 and median days on the market of 49.



• 
  Standish: (nearer to Portland) Total Sold 44 residential units. Median List price: $202,950. and a median sale price of $200,000. median days on the market - 85.
  

WHO SHOULD BE BUYING?

There are more homes on the market now under $200,000 than we've seen in a long time. Although not great for the sellers who've been hoping to sell at boom prices - this is the time for first-time home buyers and for investors hoping to pick up a home for future sale or rental. Because of the still available 100% financing - first time home buyers should seek out a mortgage broker or bank to see if they can qualify for a loan. They will probably never get a better deal on a home.

Soooooooo, I must revise my counterside reply to "About average for this time of year and picking up due to the large number of reasonably priced homes on the market and the great 'Christmas gift'of the lowest interest rates in history!"

Come meet me on Main Street - We've got great storefronts in beautiful old buildings? Maybe you'll see me at "All-A-Gog" Toy Store - It is Christmas!