About 2 months ago, I listed an expired listing which was on the market for awhile and listed for a much higher price which the market also rejected. I listed the home below the previous price, but still too high. So yes, you guessed it.
We had 2 showings in 2 months. Lots of open houses, marketing to buyer agents, 30+ websites and frustrated sellers ( and agent). Every week during this time, I informed my sellers weekly of sold homes and homes that were under agreement.
After exhausting all of my efforts, I approached the sellers with some real concrete market data and statistics, most of which was shared in our first meeting at the time of the listings, but the sellers needed to "try the high price. Sometimes market value news is tough to hear, tough for me to communicate to my sellers as well. Finally they reduced the price.
After one week, at the reduced price, we had 5 buyers preview and consider purchasing the property. All 5 buyers through their agents submitted an offer! I have to admit, I was absolutely shocked!. We now have one accepted offer and one back up offer.
The sellers of this home are very smart for reducing their price. Now they can move on with their lives, buy a home that suits them for a great price..
The buyers also won. They will likely gain equity if they stay in the home for 7 years or more.
I am so grateful to my company for providing the knowledge to help my sellers get what they needed.
I also have even more insight on how important it is urge my sellers to price just slightly below market value.
So many times, I see sellers make the mistake of pricing to high when they first list the home. Then they every other months they keep reducing the price down just a bit, but still over market value...chasing the market down. Eventually they sell for a really low price because they cannot keep up the pace of the declining market with the small price reductions.
My advice to sellers.. PLEASE..refrain "Neverland/Fantasy" pricing. If you want your high price, you might want to consider selling it in a different market.
If you owe more than what the home is worth, this a completely different blog. Speak to an educated experienced agent regarding this matter.
I digress.. All of the marketing in the world will not convince buyers to buy your home if your home is out of the range of true market value.
Just to illustrate. I like to shop at Macey's, say I find a dress, my size, my color etc.. I see the dress at Macey's for $150. then I see the same dress at Penny's for $95.00. All things being equal, which one do I buy? This is how buyers are thinking today. They're greatest fear is paying too much and right now, with all of the inventory, real estate, in my opinion, is about price.
You may say " but I have a unique home". Sad to say, but in the current market, there aren't unique homes, that buyers will pay over market value for.
Lori Lincoln, Realtor/Partner with Keller Williams Realty. If you would like more information on selling your home. Lori lis a Real Estate Expert in Bristol County Massachusetts. If you would like a free market valuation of your home without cost or obligation, call Lori Lincoln who knows the facts, the neighborhoods and will help you achieve your goals and sell your home.
Lori Lincoln and her team sell homes in Taunton Massachusetts, Berkley, Assonet, Rehoboth, Somerset, Freetown, Bristol County MA and surrounding cities and towns.
For a Free MLS Search for the entire state of Massachusetts go to Massachusetts Real Estate
Thank you for viewing my blog.
Lori Lincoln
http://www.Lincolnteamrealestate.com
508-878-0917
Clean Classic 4 square Country Charm is what you'll find in this 4 bedroom 1.5 bath spacious Colonial in the suburban section of Taunton. If you love Hardwood Floors, you will find them under carpet in the living room and throughout the entire home. Sip Lemonade on the Trex Front Porch and chat with your neighbors. Yard is fenced in for pets and/or children to play. Come and see. This home is a charmer!
Back Yard has 2 fenced areas
Front of House
Dining Room with built in Hutch
For more photos, go to http://www.LoriLincolnTeam.com
You will also find homes and real estate listings for all of Massachusetts. Lori Lincoln is a Keller Williams agent and sells homes in Greater Taunton Massachusestts and surrounding areas.
Thank you for viewing my blog.
Lori Lincoln/Realtor-Partner
Keller Williams Realty
508-878-0917
http://tauntonhomelistings.com
http://LincolnTeamRealEstate.com
you cn email Lori at lorilincoln@kw.com
This market is overwhelmed with agents who haven't any experience in short sale properties. It can be a daunting experience for the sellers and the buyers.
My most recent short sale involved sellers who placed their home on the market with 2 different agents in 2 years prior to listing the home with me.
The first agent grossly overpriced the home, listing it as a regular listing. In the meantime, the sellers had such high hopes of selling for a price that never would be.
Hence, the listing expired, and in walks agent number 2 who also overprices the home giving the sellers high hopes of selling the home at a profit.
When the listing expired again, the seller called me. The first conversation with the sellers didn't go as well as they would have liked. Market statistics don't lie. If a home's market value is less than what the seller wants, it will not sell, short sale or not.
Long story longer.. the sellers owed the bank $100,000 more than market value.. YIKES! I listed the home at a lower price, reduced the price 3 times ( at the mercy of the sellers bank of course), then finally sold the home for full market value.. (not what the seller owed)
Sellers who are in financial trouble should be extremely honest with their agent. As professional agents, our responsibility is to protect your honor and keep conversations confidential.
Most sellers believe that their home will sell for a higher price than last year.. yes, even with all of the media stories on how our market is declining.
In this market, if an agent quickly agrees to list your home for what you want, without documenting and verifying market data, be cautious. Some agents just like to place their sign in the front of your yard for publicity only.
There is much education involved in the short sale process. I will be happy to provide a free, no obligation consultation.
You can reach me at 508-878-0917
Thank you for viewing my blog
Lori Lincoln, Taunton Massachusetts area Realtor
Keller Williams Realty
email: lorilincoln@kw.com
http://www.LoriLincolnTeam.com
Lori Lincoln, Keller Williams Realty lists and sells property in Taunton, Rehoboth, Swansea, Somerset, Fall River,Bristol County Massachusetts and surrounding communities http://lorilincolnteam.com
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There has been much chatter about the deals to be had in purchasing shortsale properties.
First, let me explain what a short sale is:
A short sale is when a seller places their home on the market subject to their banks approval to take less than what they owe.
For an example: Mary owns a property she is in danger of losing to foreclosure. The home has a mortgage note in the amount of $300,000. Fair market value is $250,000. The seller will need to obtain approval from their bank to take a lesser amount than what is owed. They would need to show hardship. 20% of short sales will be approved by the sellers bank.
All buyers need to know this information prior to making an offer on a property. The buyer also must know that the sellers lender may not accept the offer. When a buyer places an offer on a property, a good agent will give you a Short sale disclosure to sign.
Short sales can also take months to complete. Buyers must be patient when they decide to make an offer on a short sale property.
Other pitfalls:
1. Sellers usually aren't motivated to keep the property in perfect condition, so the buyer can be left with debris, garbage, and some of the sellers possessions.
2. The sellers bank usually wants what they want when they want it. The sellers bank is control, and the property must be bought "as is".
3. Beware of signing on with a buyers agent that doesn't know the every detail of short sale procedure.
Unless you prepare yourself emotionally for the short sale experience, don't even look at them. This could be the roller coaster ride of your life.
If you are a patient and flexible person, the BIG benefit of buying a short sale is usually instant equity.
I hope that I explained the basic process well enough for you to understand. If you have questions on short sales, foreclosures or anything real estate related, please call me at 508-878-0917.
You can also email me at lorilincoln@kw.com
My website is http://LoriLincolnTeam.com
Lori Lincoln is a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and services buyers and sellers in Taunton, Rehoboth, Somerset, Swansea and All of Bristol County MA and surrounding areas.
Real Estate and Home Values,real estate in Taunton Massachusetts,For Sale-Rehoboth MA, Somerset. Assonet MA, Freetown, and more! Your Source for SouthCoast Homes! http://LincolnTeamRealEstate.com
Clients are the most important part of my business. My mantra is to give the general public and my clients information and knowledge to help them make the best decisions. Some agents are only in this business for the money. I say, give, give and keep giving and the success will follow.
About Me:
The oldest of 8 children, I grew up in Rehoboth Massachusetts on a farm. As a result, there was always much to do. My strong work ethic directly related to how I was raised.
My husband Andrew and I have been married for 21 years. We have 3 children.. Andrew , Melissa , and Katey . We currently reside in Berkley, MA. Andrew, my husband , and Melissa my daughter are also also licensed agent and are both part of the Lincoln Team.
Prior to Real Estate, I worked in the Advertising Business as an Account Executive for Comcast Spotlight, Media One, AT&T Broadband,Supercoups, and the Town Crier, A weekly paper owned by the Providence Journal.
My "former life" as and Advertising Executive is an asset to my real estate business, and a spring board to my success in Real Estate.
I chose Real Estate as my career because I knew I could make a difference to those experiencing home selling and buying. See, after buying 8 homes in my life, I, like some people have had not so great experiences with agents in this profession. Not that I claim perfection, but with my business background and training, I knew I could make a difference in the lives of my clients and colleagues...giving people my best professional and caring approach to one of the most life changing decisions they could make.. buying and/or selling their homes.
Let me help you with your next move. You can reach me at 508-878-0917 or email at lorilincoln@kw.com
You can view listings, home market trends for Taunton, Rehoboth, Somerset, Swansea, Assonet, Dighton and surrounding communities by going to: Lori's Blog
<script language="Javascript" src="http://www.feedblitz.com/blogroll.asp?89d687dc4c4876a8be26c0550f7ff5c212086443" type="text/javascript">
</script><noscript>
<iframe width=180 height=120 frameborder=0 src="http://www.feedblitz.com/blogroll.asp?89d687dc4c4876a8be26c0550f7ff5c212086443/html">
</iframe></noscript>
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, It is the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 55,976. I call it the city that seems like a town!
Taunton's nicknames are derived from its history. The nickname Silver City is born of Taunton's industrial past when companies such as F. B. Rogers/International Silver Co. as well as Poole Silver and Reed & Barton produced silver goods throughout the city. Christmas City is still evident each December with Christmas celebrations on the Taunton Green. The name Taunton means "town (or city) on the river."
History
Taunton was founded in 1637 by Elizabeth Pole, and officially incorporated as a town on September 3, 1639. Most of the town's settlers were originally from Taunton, Somerset, England, which led early settlers to name the settlement after that town. At the time of Taunton's incorporation, they explained their choice of name as being, in honor and love to our dear native country... and owning it a great mercy of God to bring us to this place, and settling of us, on lands of our own bought with our money in peace, in the midst of the heathen, for a possession for ourselves and for our posterity after us.Prior to 1640, the Taunton area was called Cohannet.
Mayflower Hill Cemetery
The British founders of Taunton took possession of the land from the native Wampanoags. The Taunton area was the site of battles (on its soil or the surrounding area) during various conflicts, including King Philip's War and the American Revolution. Taunton was re-incorporated as a city on May 11, 1864.
Once a great industrial city, the "Silver City" was home to many silversmithing operations, including the Taunton Silversmiths, Reed & Barton, Poole Silver, and the F.B. Rogers Silver Co./International Silver Co. Various other industries operated throughout the city into the third quarter of the 20th century.
In October 2005, the nearby Whittenton Pond Dam threatened to fail following a week that brought nine inches of rain to the city. Over 2,000 city residents were evacuated and Mayor Robert Nunes issued a State of Emergency. It is estimated that if the dam had failed, the Mill River would have inundated the downtown area with up to six feet of water. In response, Governor Mitt Romney ordered an immediate inspection of high-risk dams throughout the Commonwealth.[
Taunton once included many surrounding towns, including Norton, Easton, Mansfield, Dighton, Raynham, and Berkley. Possession of the latter is still noted by the naming of Taunton Hill in Assonet, which is now North Main Street, a street that heads into Berkley Ma.
Geography
An abstract map of Taunton's watershed
Taunton is located at 
41°54′5″N, 71°5′37″W (41.901491, -71.093628).GR1 According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 124.2 km² (48.0 mi²). 120.7 km² (46.6 mi²) of it is land and 3.5 km² (1.4 mi²) of it (2.81%) is water. This is the second largest city by area in Massachusetts.[citation needed] Only Boston, at 48.42 square miles of land, is larger.
Taunton has one major river, the Taunton River, alongside with its tributaries including the Mill River and the Three Mile River. These rivers are within the Taunton River Watershed.
There are nine designated historic districts within the city:
Municipalities (in grey) that were once part of Taunton
Due to the annexation of towns from the original town of Taunton, the city now is irregularly shaped, with it (along with neighboring Raynham) roughly making a triangle. The city is bordered by Norton to the northwest, Easton to the north, Raynham to the northeast, Lakeville to the east, Berkley and Dighton to the south, and Rehoboth to the west.
City neighborhoods include Clearview Estates, East Taunton, Elliot's Corner, Herring Run Estates, Linden Estates, Matthews Landing, North Taunton, Oakland, Pine Crest Estates, Pine Hill Estates, Wades Corner, Weir Village, Westville, Whittenton, Whittenton Junction, Willis Lake Village and Woodward Estates. Taunton is also home to almost the entirety of the Massasoit State Park in East Taunton, and a large portion of the Hockomock Swamp Wildlife Management Area in North Taunton.
Demographics
Historical Populations YearPop.YearPop. 1790 1900 31,036 1800 1910 34,259 1810 1920 37,137 1820 1930 37,355 1830 1940 37,395 1840 1950 40,109 1850 1960 41,132 1860 1970 43,756 1870 1980 45,001 1880 1990 49,832 1890 2000 55,976
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 55,976 people, 22,045 households, and 14,483 families residing in the city. The population density was 463.7/km² (1,201.1/mi²). There were 22,908 housing units at an average density of 189.8/km² (491.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 91.67% White, 2.74% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.59% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.93% of the population.
There are 22,045 households out of which 32.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 13.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,932, and the median income for a family was $52,433. Males had a median income of $36,895 versus $27,686 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,899. About 8.0% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.9% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Bristol County Superior Courthouse with the Soper Fountain in the foreground.
The city has a Mayor-Council form of government. Taunton also has a School Committee and many boards and commissions. As the seat of Bristol County, Taunton is home to the county's few administrative offices and several of its courthouses, including the Bristol County Superior Courthouse. The Massachusetts State Police's Troop D (Southeast District), 4th Barracks, patrols Taunton and is located in Middleborough.
Taunton is a part of three separate state representative districts: Third Bristol (entirely located in Taunton), Fifth Bristol (which includes Dighton, Somerset and part of Swansea), and Twelfth Bristol (including all or parts of Freetown, Lakeville, Middleborough and New Bedford). It is a part of the First Plymouth and Bristol state senate district, which also includes the towns of Berkley, Bridgewater, Carver, Dighton, Marion, Middleborough, Raynham and Wareham. On the national level, the town is part of Massachusetts Congressional District 4, which is represented by Barney Frank. The state's senior (Class I) Senator is Edward M. Kennedy, and the state's junior (Class II) Senator, up for re-election in 2008, is John F. Kerry.
Politics
Taunton has been a hotbed area of local, state, and national American politics for centuries. Many famous political or politically-controversial events occurred in Taunton's long history. This town was the first in Colonial America where a women (Elizabeth Pole) was credited with its founding. Robert Treat Paine was a long-time Taunton resident and a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the first Attorney-General of Massachusetts. Part of King Phillip's War was fought on Taunton's limits.
Former U.S. presidents, such as Presidents James K.Polk, William H.Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, gave campaign speeches in Taunton. The city's former Camp Myles Standish during WWII was a prisoner-of-war camp, a welcoming area for about a million U.S. and Allied soldiers; and a candidate site for the U.N. Headquarters, soon after the military camp closed. Although the city hasn't been as much of a hotbed of politics as it once was, it still continues to be a politically active region of Massachusetts.
Economy
Taunton economy has historically been based on silversmithing and shipbuilding. Reed & Barton produced the 1996 Summer Olympics medals and exclusively-used silverware for the White House. Also, the city produced the anchor for the USS Constitution. The nearby town of Raynham produced the anchor for the Civil War-era ironclad USS Monitor.
Today, the city's economy has many emphases on semiconductor, silicon, and electronics manufacturing. It is home to corporate headquarters of many leading corporations in various industries. Currently, the city is trying to attract biotechnology research companies to its industrial parks.
Education
Education in Taunton ranges from preschool through post-secondary education.
Primary and secondary
Taunton has ten public elementary schools and four public middle schools,[4] which include:
The city also has three Catholic elementary schools and one Catholic middle school:[5]
Taunton has two public high schools (Taunton High School and Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School) and one Catholic high school (Coyle and Cassidy High School).
Higher education
Taunton is home to a satellite campus of Bristol Community College, which meets at Taunton High School. In addition, the city houses career schools such as the RobRoy Academy beauty school.
The city is serviced by a central public library, the Taunton Public Library, which opened in 1903 and has undergone several expansions and renovations since that time. Also of note is the Old Colony Historical Society, which archives the city and region's past.
The Taunton Green is the name of the city square. Early in its history, "The Green" was used as a training ground for militias in the American Revolution. Some say it was also the site of the historic "Liberty & Union"/"Taunton" flag raising in 1774 by the Sons of Liberty, prior to the American Revolution.In the 20th and 21st century, the city square was temporarily transformed during the winter holiday season into a grand display of Christmas lights, scenes, and extravagant events. This is where and how the city earned its unofficial nickname in the surrounding areas as the "Christmas City."
"The Green" continues to provide a centralized location for city-wide Christmas activities, other holidays, events, and parades for the citizens of Taunton. A waterfall can sometimes be found at the center of the Taunton Green, although currently it is used only rarely, possibly to defray maintenance costs.
Always to be seen flapping together in emblematic unison, the "Liberty & Union" flag and the U.S. flag fly side-by-side on the flagpole at the city's center.
Media
Taunton is served by several publications including the Silver City Bulletin, The Taunton Call, Brockton Enterprise, and the Taunton Daily Gazette. Regional papers of importance such as the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and Providence Journal, are also widely available.
Taunton has local cable television channels which include the Taunton Educational Network (channel 9), Taunton Local Access (channel 15), and Taunton Municipal Network (channel 17). Comcast's Taunton system carries all Providence and Boston stations as well and both markets are available over-the-air. The two radio stations based in Taunton are WPEP 1570 AM and WSNE 93.3 FM, the latter of which primarily serves and has its studios in Providence.
Some of the major Internet providers in Taunton are Comcast, EarthLink, SBC Yahoo! Dial, and Verizon. The Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant (TMLP), Taunton's electric company, is also an Internet service provider for the city and its surrounding towns.
Healthcare and utilities
Taunton is home to the Morton Hospital and Medical Center.
Electricity is provided to residents by the Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant. Municipal water and sewer also service the city.
Transportation
Taunton is the central highway hub of southeastern Massachusetts. Much of the eastern part of the state's major highways intersect and/or runs through the city, especially at its center. US 44, MA 138, and MA 140 intersect at a square at Taunton's center, which is called the Taunton Green. MA 140 is also accessible from the eastern neighborhood of the city, popularly referred to as "East Taunton." Additionally, MA 24 and MA 140 intersect near East Taunton, and it is at that junction that Route 140 ceases to be a 2-lane divided freeway from the south and becomes a smaller state highway to the north. Interstate 495 runs through the northern portion of Taunton, unofficially referred to as "North Taunton", and parallel to Myles Standish Industrial Park, Taunton's main industrial park.
Various smaller routes run through other parts of the city. These include a small portion of MA 104, close to the Taunton-Raynham city limits, and MA 79, close to the Taunton-Berkley-Lakeville (Plymouth County) city-town-county limits. Taunton is the western terminus of MA 104. It merges into US 44 after entering the city.
Several freight rails pass through the city on their way towards Fall River, New Bedford and a link-up with the line in Middleborough. There are plans being worked on to link up parts of this rail with the Stoughton line of the MBTA commuter rail system to Boston. The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority, or GATRA, provides bus mass transit.
Taunton also has its own municipal airport, serving mostly smaller craft and occasional commuter jets. The nearest airport with national airline service is at T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island, and the nearest international service is at Logan International Airport in Boston.
Some content is courtesy of Wikipedia- no copyright necessary
A do-er, high energy and motivated to work hard for my clients.
All Contacts and Clients are treated with the respect they deserve. Responsive and pro-active to their needs.
Buying and Selling Houses is a major decision, work with someone that truly cares about what matters to YOU.
Helping Buyers and Sellers in Taunton Ma, Dighton, Berkley, Rehoboth, Swansea, Somerset MA and All of Bristol County Massachusetts
Dear Lori,
You are the best agent! You sold our home in no time flat! Thank you for your attention to detail and your responsive service.
Joe and Judy
Dear Lori,
You are the best! You got us top dollar for our home. Just when we thought that we had reached the end of our rope and almost gave up the thought that our home would sell, you came through. Thank you!
Denis and Anne
Assonet
Dear Lori,
Thank you for selling our home so quickly! You had our home under agreement in 60 days! On Winthrop Street! We took a while to close, but nevertheless, You SOLD OUR HOUSE ON WINTHROP STREET!!! What a challenge! You did an awesome job holding everything together. Right there by our sides at all times.
Thank you! Thank You!
Nelson and Kathy, Taunton, MA
Lori,
Thank you for helping us sell our home quick. Now we are in our new home. You worked really hard and had a lot of showings.
Mike and Em
Berkley, MA
One of the most knowledgable people in the industry, especially in Investment Property
J.B
North Dartmouth, MA
Lori,
Thank you for saving us a lot of grief, if we sold it ourselves, we would have given it away.
You're the best!
G and E
Assonet MA
Lori,
We love you! Thank you for helping us all the way through this process. You were there for us at all hours. After all is done, we were so fortunate to have you as an agent. We now have a new friend and will send you lots of business.
Mark and Elaine
Assonet
Lori,
What can I say, you did it again! Thank you for selling our home in Somerset. Your energy and positive outlook amaze us!
Thank you for your for all of your hard work.
Glen and Kathy,
Somerset, MA
We love our new house. You were so responsive. We knew the house was a great deal. Thank you for getting us in to see it before anyone else could! Daniel and David, Somerset Dear Lori After trying to sell my home for 3 months, I turned to you and our house went under agreement in less than 45 days. In a buyers market, I would never try to sell any home on my own again. NS Assonet, MA Lori, Thank you for helping us find a new home. I am so glad I chose you to look out for us. J and P- Fall river
Lori, Thank you for your hard work helping buy a home and selling my house. I cannot believe we sold our home in 30 days.. in this market! Thanks again, Glen
Lori,
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2008 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
Walk-in closet
