Feb
22
Love is in the air….
February 22, 2012 | Bridgewater Homeowner's, Buyers, Empty Nesters, Feel Good, First Time Buyers, Homeowner's Tips, Just for fun, Move Up Sellers, Real Estate News, Sellers | Leave a Comment
Valentine’s Day may be over but “love” happens every day of the year. Where do you want to be?
Jan
28
The Best Day of Fishing Ever….
January 28, 2012 | Feel Good, Just for fun | Leave a Comment
The Best Day Of Fishing Ever!
I’ve heard of salmon jumping into boats, but never anything quite like this…
Tom Satre told the Sitka Gazette that he was out with a charter group on his 62-foot fishing vessel
when four juvenile black-tailed deer swam directly toward his boat.
“Once the deer reached the boat, the four began to circle the boat, looking directly at us. We could tell right away
that the young bucks were distressed.
I opened up my back gate and we helped the typically skittish and absolutely wild animals onto the boat. In all my years
fishing, I’ve never seen anything quite like it!
Once onboard, they collapsed with exhaustion, shivering.”
“This is a picture I took of the rescued bucks on the back of my boat, the Alaska Quest.
We headed for Taku Harbour. Once we reached the dock, the first
buck that we had been pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back
as if to say ‘thank you’ and disappeared into the forest.
After a bit of prodding and assistance, two more followed, but the smallest deer needed a little more help.
This is me carrying the little guy.
My daughter, Anna, and son, Tim, helped the last buck to its feet. We didn’t know how long they had been in the icy
waters or if there had been others who did not survive. My daughter later told me that the experience was something that
she would never forget, and I suspect the deer felt the same way as well!”
Jan
27
January 27, 2012 | Bridgewater Homeowner's, Buyers, Empty Nesters, Homeowner's Tips, Move Up Sellers, Real Estate News, Sellers | Leave a Comment
Are Homeowners Glad They Own?
It might come as a surprise but a whopping 72 percent of surveyed homeowners nationwide are satisfied with owning a home. The other 28 percent, not so. They say they’re dissatisfied and that’s likely due to the devaluation of their homes.
But surprisingly, of those who were satisfied with owning a home, only 24 percent said it was because of home appreciation. The majority, 76 percent, had many other reasons they were happy to own their own home including the one that proves the American Dream is alive and well: pride of homeownership. Following closely behind were the freedom to control their home improvements and upgrades. All this according to HomeGain’s 2012 National Home Ownership Satisfaction Survey.
Of those who were unsatisfied with owning their home, 63 percent blamed depreciation as the root of their dissatisfaction. However, the cost of owning a home, such as paying for property taxes, homeowner’s association fees, upkeep, and routine repairs, also sucked the joy out of homeownership and led this group of 37 percent to be unhappy about homeownership.
On the bright side, most – three out of four – are very happy with homeownership even in spite of such rocky real estate times where declines in home values have crippled some homeowners severely.
The survey polled homeowners all across the country. So you might be wondering is there a connection between where you live and how satisfied you are with owning a home?
The highest percentage of satisfied homeowners comes from the Northeast where there is 77-percent satisfaction, according to HomeGain. Pulling in at a close second is the Southeast at 73 percent satisfaction. The West and Midwest were at 71 percent and 68 percent, respectively.
Those who purchased their homes within a timeframe of the past three to eight years were the least satisfied. If they bought more than eight years ago, they tended to be more satisfied.
The higher-end market was the least satisfied with owning a home, especially if they paid more than $800,000 for it. This group’s dissatisfaction rate was 69 percent. But those who purchased homes for under $75,000 are cheering. This group’s satisfaction rate was 77 percent.
Of course, a lot of homes are sold through foreclosure and short sale, which, depending on the side of the sale you’re on, can leave you satisfied or very dissatisfied. Those purchasing a foreclosed or short sale had the highest satisfaction ratings; 79 percent and 83 percent, respectively.
New and existing homes didn’t fare so well with homeowners. They were fairly dissatisfied and showed it in a 73 percent and 71 percent rating, respectively. Most seemed to have expected an increase in the value of their home and when depreciation hit, this highly disappointed them, making this the primary reason for their dissatisfaction.
An interesting statistic may reflect the need for freedom from being tied down to a home and its maintenance as well as other costs. Homeowners ranging from 18 to 25 were the least satisfied (45 percent) with owning.
On the other end of the spectrum, those homeowners between 55 to 65, were the most satisfied with their homeownership. This group’s satisfaction rating was 76 percent.
HomeGain collected some comments from some of the surveyed homeowners. Here’s how one satisfied homeowner summarizes homeownership, “Just knowing I own it. I rented a house two times after owning a home for 16 years, and I do NOT like relying on, and dealing with, a landlord! I also feel pride in owning my home. I just bought a house 8 months ago and am very happy!”
Written by Phoebe Chongchua
January 27, 2012
Wondering What Your Home Is Worth? — Let me show you-click instantly.
Oct
3
Fall Fixes for the Home..Bridgewater Homeowner’s are you ready?
October 3, 2011 | Buyers, Empty Nesters, Homeowner's Tips, Move Up Sellers, Real Estate News, Sellers | Leave a Comment
Fall Fixes for the Home for my Bridgewater Homeowner friends….
“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” – George Eliot
Fall is a welcome reprieve from the oppressive heat of Summer. It also offers homeowners all across the country a chance to ready their homes for cold weather, hard rains, and all that cold seasons have to offer.
As the seasons change, once again it’s time to perform some home maintenance. Here are 9 yearly tasks that will help keep your household in working order when the temperatures drop.
1. Clean Gutters: Do so frequently. Clogged gutters can result in standing water and roof damage. Plus, if you clean them frequently, you’re less likely to have to deal with decomposing leaves.
2. Mow and trim: It seems counterintuitive, but Fall is a wonderful time to both fertilize and reseed your lawn. A maintained lawn improves a home’s value and saleability. Use this time to trim shrubs and grass one last time so that your yard stands out, even in a dormant season.
3. Prune trees: With Winter comes ice. With ice comes broken limbs. Take advantage of nice weather and cut back or remove precarious limbs. It only takes one heavy snow or ice to weigh down a limb and damage property.
4. Powerwash: Driveways, sidewalks, decks, and patios can get quite grimy during the summer months. Invest in a powerwasher and you’ll be surprised how clean you can get them!
5. Outdoor Living: Some furniture is made to be stored during rainy or snowy seasons. Clear a place in your garage or shed for the items. Consider covering them with a tarp and storing cushions in vacuum seal bags.
6. Heating Systems: Check furnaces and change filters. Not only will it boost efficiency, but it will also save you money in the process.
7. Check for Leaks: Recaulk around windows and doors to help prevent heat from escaping.
8. Fireplace: You don’t want a chimney fire. Be sure to have your chimney swept or cleaned each year.
10. Piping: Check pipes for insulation to prevent freezing and bursting.
Every season holds different responsibilities for a homeowner. Be sure to stay on top of tasks each season to maintain your home’s value!
Written by Carla Hill-
Apr
25
Realty Times – Let it Shine, It’s Not Just Paint Color That Counts
April 25, 2011 | Buyers, Sellers | Leave a Comment
Realty Times – Let it Shine, It’s Not Just Paint Color That Counts.
Apr
8
It’s time to slow down, stop, and smell the roses…
April 8, 2011 | Buyers, Empty Nesters, Just for fun, Move Up Sellers, Real Estate News, Sellers | Leave a Comment
Mar
5
We are all so busy that we forget….
March 5, 2011 | Buyers | Leave a Comment
It’s easy to be busy and forget to be productive. Everyday make your list, prioritize it, and stick to it. You can make a difference…
Mar
2
Going Up? Depends on your outlook.
March 2, 2011 | Buyers, Move Up Sellers, Sellers | Leave a Comment
GOING UP?
Are you successful? Just average? Struggling? Before you respond, consider where your response is coming from. Like everything else, your reaction depends on your perspective.
These judgments are relative to where you are on the ladder. Feelings of success come from comparisons to those who have accomplished less. Likewise, feelings of failure arise from looking at those who have accomplished more. Where you stand right now can affect your perspective even more than where you have been or the steps you are planning yet to take.
Comparing your work to that of others often introduces doubt. The wisdom of Lao-tsu’s Tao Te Ching tells us that “whether you go up the ladder or down it, your position is shaky.” You might assume that a job promotion would raise one’s confidence and sense of worth, but studies have found that “nearly half of recently promoted managers… express uncertainty and doubt about themselves and their new position.” (Cassirer and Reskin, 2000)
The trouble is that a promotion places you in a position where you are no longer the best among lesser performers (a big fish in a little pond). Now you feel like a little fish in a big pond, measuring yourself against those who have already arrived. The big fish enjoys more confidence and security, while the little fish frantically fights to maintain against his larger competitors.
Once you realize, however, that it is only your own perspective that is holding you back, you can begin to take action. Again, it must start from the inside out, because you cannot cause change around you until you have effected change within you. Remember that it’s not the size of the fish or the pond that matters – it’s how much you enjoy being in the water!
Feb
28
Got a screw loose? Easy homeowner’s tip
February 28, 2011 | Buyers, Homeowner's Tips, Sellers | Leave a Comment
Feb
24
Interesting Lesson in Anger Management
February 24, 2011 | Buyers, Just for fun, Sellers | Leave a Comment
Lesson in Anger Management
BITTER FRUIT!
Here’s an interesting lesson in anger management. A bar in eastern China has developed a novel way of attracting clients – allowing customers to beat up the staff! The Rising Sun Anger Release Bar encourages its patrons to smash glasses, rant out loud, and actually punch specially trained workers.
At first you may think, “Hey, that’s not a bad idea! What a great way to safely release all that pent up steam.” After all, pressure today comes from every corner of our lives – work, family, finances. It might be tempting to vent your anger under such circumstances, but is literally hitting out the best, if not easiest, solution?
We become angry with others who don’t meet our expectations, but often that anger really comes from our own unhappiness with ourselves. If we feel the type of outrage that would lead us to desire harming another, that would suggest a need for an adjustment in lifestyle and psychology. After all, it has been said that he who angers you, conquers you.
As in William Blake’s poem, the first step is to speak your anger. The effects of repression are twofold, in that the cause of your wrath remains completely unaware and unable to compromise (or apologize), and those feelings of negativity will continue to grow and fester from within, leaving you in worse shape than before The Great Offense.
In the words of Marcus Aurelius, “How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.” That applies whether you go to an Anger Release Bar or choose to repress your wrath. Balance is only achieved once you can both confront and conquer those feelings, either on your own or with a little help. Dig in and rip out that “Poison Tree” by the roots!