Donna J. Schulze

A new and fresh town councilor has been elected to our Precinct today. Hats off to James Cote for running a neat and enthusiastic campaign. He won hands down over Jim Crocker who has had the seat for several years. Speaking from an Osterville Cape Cod Real Estate owners' perspective, in a village with over thirteen real estate offices, the tides are turning to a new and fresh approach which has been needed for a decade or so. Having not grown up in Osterville on Cape Cod I have felt at times like an outsider within the community. Recently as President of the Osterville Rotary Club things have changed. The guidance and respect of our elders throughout the community are assisting our new members with forward thinking about Service Above Self. As we approach 2012 we all look forward to new, young and fresh leadership which will afford opportunities for all! Congratulations to the Cote family, not only Rotarians, but friendly neighbors.

Piggy Neighbors, Foreclosed or REO's in the neighborhood

This issue is certainly a problem as no one wants to live near a neighbor that doesn't have pride of ownership. Especially in these times with dozens of foreclosed and abandoned homes. What I have done to help my clients selling around these properties is to approach the bank or owner and get permisssion to clean it up myself or pay to have someone do it for me. Nobody usually says no to FREE.

A few years ago there was a home listed with a competitor of mine for a year that would not sell. The owner let the listing expire and was referred to me known as the "agent that sells the unsellable" to market it for them before THEY got foreclosed upon as well. The house my clients owned was decent but needed a few things to be done inside like paint and carpet cleaning. But this was not the reason for the house not selling.

The house directly across the street was a big issue. The owners were getting foreclosed upon and had a tenant that had left the property outside in terrible disarray. With three non-registered cars in the yard exhibiting flat tires, bashed in windows and blocks underneath the frames, the place looked like a junk yard or an area with break-ins. To add to the picture there was a couch in the front yard, trash barrels, animal cages and various old rusted appliances. An eyesore in the neighborhood with no lawn and tons of leaves and brush, I quickly surmised that this "white elephant" was turning people off to our listing, just on the drive by.

My clients had approached the town health department on Cape Cod and various other departments regarding the issue, but no one could seem to help. Being the pro-active REALTOR that I am, I decided to contact the owners of the nasty house, who had no money or energy, for permission to tow and donate the abandoned cars. We requested the titles for the cars from the old tenants, who gladly signed them over to us for $100. Then I got permission from the owners of the house to clean up their front yard and do a dump run. Since it was winter, there was not much that could be done to the landscaping. But I hired a handyman guy to fix the front screen door that was flapping in the wind and also contracted a landscape company to get rid of all the old leaves, brush and old dead Christmas Tree. True, it cost my company about $450 to do all this but I knew we could sell my listing with this "eye sore of a property" cleaned up.

True to my instinct the listing went pending in three weeks and sold in 45 days. I wrote the expense off as a business expens to "marketing". One important caution is not to get overzealous and trespass or clean it up without permission. Also, it helps if you have good relations with the neighbor or tenants or REO company, otherwise if you are a for sale by owner and do not, hire a Realtor can make it happen.

Smart buyers purchasing Real estate on Cape Cod know that their window of opportunity is almost over. If you purchase now most closings will happen in April or May 2011. This gives the new owners just enough time to work on the property before the season officially starts and the salt water beaches beckon you to relax.

Historically the most anxious sellers list and sell in the winter months because they MUST sell. But be aware that sometimes the owners will readjust the price in the Spring, 5%-!0% upward, due to supply and demand.

In the last few weeks several properties that had been sitting around in the Hyannis Waterfront District have recently gone "pending" meaning that buyers, investors and first timers are smartly snapping these properties up! Just around the corner are the upcoming Cape Cod summer events like the Melody Tent, Pops by the Sea, Father's Day Car Show, maritime feativals, shelling, fishing, salt sea sailing and various other delights that Cape Cod has to offer.

Of note condominiums are getting bought up as well. There has been a lull in this market over the years but it is beginning to turn around. This weekend nine units went under agreement in the Mashpee, Barnstable, and Sandwich areas that had been on the market over 200 days. So if you want to come to the cape and not do yard work, would like a pool, tennis and trash pick up why not buy a condo at Deer Crossing in Mashpee for $182,500 or a condo in Highview in Sandwich for $162,500. Low fees, total enjoyment, relaxation and fun.

Of note the bank rates going over 5% may be a wake up call if you will be financing. If you want to be "wash ashore" and are ready to experience the magic of Cape Cod Massachusetts my recommendation is to do it now before you say coulda, shoulda, woulda!

Buying a home on Cape Cod or anywhere in New England in January is the best time to buy. The weather is frigid, some homes are unheated, do not have electricity or water but consider this is a valid sign of a motivated seller. Consider hiring a local Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and bundle up. Last weekend was the busiest weekend since January 2006 in our office. Our agents prepared tours of homes, condominiums and building lots for investors, second home buyers, first time buyers and moving back to the Cape Cod area buyers. Some of these properties are being offered at 25% -30% off spring market prices. Offers are coming in like wildfire!

Most popular now is the Historic Hyannis Waterfront District which is currently in revitalization. New street lights, store fronts, restaurants, community centers, a railroad and transportation center are all within a mile radius of the harbor. For under $200,000 a buyer can literally steal a three bedroom property over 1500 square feet on town sewer! Also, in this area are new state of the art condominiums located in town with garages for walkers and wanderers that hate driving.

Where else in New England can you live this close to the ocean for under $500,000? Our quality of life is wonderful, the salt sea air is rejuvenating and we have some of the best health care in the country. So, get on your winter britches and start shopping for a new Cape Cod property today. Or, in 5 years you'll be wishing you bought that place on the Cape for a song!

To view over 4200 properties for sale on Cape Cod go to www.RealEstateCapeCod.com or for a vacation rental go to www.C21SeasideRentals.com.

Cape Cod is a very special place to live, visit or invest. After 32 years of calling this my home, not a day goes by that I don't thank GOD that I left the city of Waterbury, CT and never looked back. In early spring of 1978 I was living in Dennisport working for an older woman tending gardens and preparing her cottages on the ocean for summer rentals. As the days grew warmer and summer came into full bloom I was caught up in the romance and splendor of Cape Cod living. This, I decided, would be new my home.

In the mid 70's, with interest rates at 13% and homes selling on Cape Cod for $36,000- $50,000, I wasn't sure how I would ever afford to buy a home. I lived with others or rented.

Fast forward to Thanksgiving 2010. Now I own a real estate company in Barnstable. Our agency is very busy. Buyers are excited that real estate prices are affordable and back to pre-2002 prices. Foreclosures happen daily, short sales are abundant, estate sales inevitable, and interest rates are the lowest in history.

Most of the short sales and foreclosures are snapped up by market prepared first time home buyers, second home investment buyers or cash-rich investors or flippers. Now is the time to get in the real estae market. Don't sit on the sidelines and be a "real estate arm chair quarterback". If you hesitate, you will miss out on a once in a lifetime event. This is the time to get involved on Cape Cod. Like I always say, there is no time like the present.

Very soon the housing crisis will be over and prices will stabilize on Cape Cod. Saavy buyers will tell you in years to come how they "stole" a piece of Cape Cod in 2010 during the recession. Hopefully you won't be saying "shoulda", "coulda" or "woulda".