Hamden, CT

I say this to every seller I meet. It gets them thinking about making a favorable impression. I walk around the house and yard with them, asking them to play the role of the potential buyer. It can be enlightening - or not. Sometimes sellers will speak with pride about renovations or redecorating they did 40 years ago and how much value that adds to the proprerty. We may have to work with that, so my mantra with sellers is Quality-Order-Serenity.

Quality: It is imperative that everything be in working order, even if it is not modern. I ask sellers to fix all those small things they have been putting up with, such as leaky faucets, loose hinges, doorknobs that come off in your hand, and windows that don't open or stay up. I try to highlight architectural features, such as moldings, fireplaces and mantles, built-ins, or a bank of beautiful windows. Many homes in Hamden built in the 1930s and 1940s have wonderful architectural details. Some have stone front porches, porticos or tudor features.

Order: With our busy lives, we seem to be a bit messier. Clutter must go! Clutter confuses my buyers, who often want to just leave the house rather than focus on what may be under the clothes on the floor or the stacks of boxes in the corner. Clutter is ugly and can be hazardous. I see blocked back stairways in multifamily units all the time, and shudder at the thought of an emergency evacuation in the middle of the night. I recently met a Feng Shui practitioner, and am quite fascinated by the concept. Feng Shui literally translates into "wind-water". It is a discipline that strives to make our lives more harmonious by integrating humans with their natural environment. It focuses on energy flows throughout the home. Much of the modern contruction and decor borrows from this, including open floor plans, the placement of oversized windows and furniture arrangement. Feng Shui abhors clutters, which blocks energy. Some houses have a wonderful energy. They are light, they are spotless and there is a natural flow or traffic pattern to each room. Furniture is scaled to the size of each room. These are the houses that sell almost immediately, if they are priced right.

Serenity : The purchase of a home is an emotional, as wel as major financial, undertaking. Buyers want to come home to a house they love, to help them justify the expense. Sellers need to appeal to all the buyers' senses. The house should sparkle and should smell good. No fish fries the night before an open house. (True story!)Master bedrooms should look peaceful, with beautiful bedding and no work stations. Dining rooms can set the tone for the home - formal, relaxed, or playful. With baths, think "spa". A beautiful framed mirror over a sink can give the impression of luxury. Rolled towels and fine toiletries can add to the spa feel.

Remind your sellers that selling a house is a cooperative endeavor. Together you can have some fun working to make that first impression a lasting and positive one. I welcome your comments.

Think of me when working with clients relocating to the Greater New Haven area.

Those of us that have a little extra time right now before the Spring market may want to use it to get back to the basics of real estate. That means training, educating our clients and honing our marketing skills. This is a continuing education year in Connecticut, which gives us an opportunity to pick courses that will expand our horizons. As president elect of the Connecticut chapter of the Certified Residential Specialists, I want to plug our next course offering on March 26th and 27th. It CRS 206, "Technologies to Advance Your Business", designed to help you maximize your productivity through the use of the latest gadgets. This is an area that both fascinates and overwhelms me. My "twenty-something" clients are all about technology and want information in the time it takes to request it. We all need to know how to meet this demand. The course will be offered at the Holiday Inn (formerly the Connecticut Grand Hotel) located at 2580 Main Street in Waterbury, Connecticut. For information, please contact Debra Cummings Waldorf at 860-354-6441 x 11.

In addition to educating ourselves, we need to educate our clients about market conditions, the local inventory and credit issues. We want our customers to make good financial moves when buying real estate. That means getting them qualified by a reputable lender and staying within their budget and comfort zone. This is a good time to suggest the purchase of multi-family homes in strong rental markets. Prices have come down to more realistic levels - now related to cash flow (again, back to basics), rather than future appreciation. There will always be a need for well maintained apartments, particularly in college towns like Hamden and New Haven. "Well maintained" is the key phrase here. I always advise my clients to "take care of the house and the house will take care of you." No one loses money with real estate, held over the long term, if the property has been well maintained. The only downfall is the repeated borrowing against the equity of the house for purposes other than repairs and updating. Once equity is eroded, the client's financial stability is at risk.

Now is the time to distinguish ourselves with a new marketing program. Sadly, many of our colleagues are going to be out of the business, as sales drop. Internet marketing may be a cost effective way to grow your business in a changing market. In good markets, we often get lax about regular customer contact. It's time to make those lists, check them twice and contact past customers. Ask for the referral. Get out there and meet with new people in related fields such as banking, law, insurance and accounting. Ask for the referral. Get the point? Asking a colleague for a referral is the most cost effective way to get a qualified lead. To ensure even greater success, ask the colleage to make the introductory call for you. It can be very impressive to potential clients. With a few new strategies, we'll weather this market cycle.