Peter Hawley

You might ask why Real Estate is a better investment than most, and there is one resounding clear answer. You can use it everyday! You cannot do that with stock certificates.

Here in Falmouth, MA where I Sell and List Real Estate (www.peterhawley.com) I am asked by many Buyers, is this the right time to purchase a property? There are many factors to be considered when I answer that question. Is it a good time to buy and try to flip for a quick profit? No! Is it a good time to buy a property where I can raise my family, have a fixed cost other than my insurance, taxes, and energy? YES!

Home ownership is not just an investment of dollars; it is the investment in how we choose to live, how we choose to interact with our community, our friends, and our families. It is our space where we surround ourselves with what we feel is beautiful, where we are often most comfortable where many say we are more "ourselves".

You are investing dollars no question, but you are building equity, you are building for the future, and when you look at owning from the perspective of "cost of use", you have made the better investment.

October is such a fascinating month to watch and savor the harvest of so many locally grown crops. As I drive toward the sea down the winding roads leading to my office in Falmouth, MA where I list and sell Real Estate (www.peterhawley.com), round every corner I come upon fields littered with bright orange pumpkins, and I look specifically for the flooded bogs that let me know cranberry harvesting is soon to begin.

Cranberry production is a very large crop, grown successfully here on the Cape, it was once uniquely a Cape crop although now the fruit is also grown in New Jersey and Wisconsin and even in Oregon The first sign that the harvest will soon begin is when a bog (an area of soft marshy ground, where water is pumped in and out to keep it very wet), is flooded during the September and October harvesting season. When I see this I know that within days, I will see strange looking machines driving through the bog, with what appears to be "egg-beaters" in the front, that dislodge the berries from the vines, and let the fruit float to the surface.

The sight of millions of red ripe cranberries floating on the water, against the deep blue sky is a sight to behold and cherish. The cranberries are corralled by a boom and moved towards a huge vacuum hose through which they are pumped to waiting trucks, herded by people in bright yellow waders, making sure every berry is captured.

There is a sense of order and purpose when watching the harvest, which is not always the case with the real estate market, as the chaos in the financial markets, congressional wrangling, and fears of total economic collapse seem to be the leading headline, one sometimes does not know what they should do with their present and future investments.

But like the fall harvest, those seeds that were planted in the spring, and nurtured through the growing season, produce more successes than failures. Good sound investment in real estate will also produce more success than failures, if it is nurtured. With the continued high inventory of property, and moderating prices, it is a good time to buy, and if you keep your property in good repair, you are attentive to the landscape; you also will harvest a profit when the time comes to sell.

Green is Good....

That is correct Green is good, it is the "buzz word" for everything from kitchen cleaning products to building material. The Green that I want to speak of is money. Good old green cash. Every minute it seems there is a news flash, another financial organization is about to go under, billions are written off, and world wide there is a scramble to shore up the financial markets, to bring some stability to what has been a hard to fathom sometimes, an apparent complete meltdown.

In Falmouth MA (www.peterhawley.com) where I list and sell real estate, I have been very busy this past week responding to questions from my clients and potential Buyers. What do I think will happen? I do not know what will happen other than this. Interest rates are still at all time lows, prices continue to moderate, people want to sell and they want to sell now. There is nothing wrong with that picture if you are a Buyer.

What has been wrong is that Buyers were not and in many cases are still not in a good position to purchase due to their debt load. Buyers must make a decision, when it comes to housing, what is most important, what is the priority, what is the financial goal.

Being as clear of debt as possible will determine if you can purchase a house, lenders will only be interested in those customers who have a proven record of financial responsibility, who have high credit scores, who have a reserve. They know what happens when they lend to just about anyone, everyone loses.

The good Green is CASH, and if you are wanting to purchase a home, then it is time to sit down, review those credit card bills, understand what you are buying and understand why you are buying so much. It is time to look at those cars in the driveway, and decide if you can afford the cost of ownership, or is there some other vehicle that will meet your needs at a lower cost. If you are in debt, and I do not care how much debt you have, you can make a plan, using only the money that comes in now, and be out of debt, and you can save, and invest in homeownership. I am here to guide you toward homeownership, and the security of a sound financial investment. For further information contact me at phawley@jackconway.com

VOTE YES - Moving to Cape Cod

Every 4 years we have the opportunity to make changes of those that represent us in government. We must filter through the hype, the ending barrage of messages; we evaluate the choices and then make our best choice.

Campaigns are not unlike Real Estate marketing, but it is not every couple of years, it is every day. And like a voter, we must filter through all the hype, and evaluate the choices, and then make our best choice.

In Falmouth, Ma, where I Sell and List Real Estate (www.peterhawley.com), I always suggest to my clients that collecting the facts about a property is job number one. If you are buying, the adverts about a property are of course enticing, but you must go beyond the hype, and collect and verify the facts, so you know everything about what you are thinking of buying. Buying a property is an emotional decision, it is how you feel when you see, touch, walk through a house, what you see when you come and go to the house, and these are powerful motivators when we look at a property. Having the facts with you when you make that visit will put you in a better position to ask questions, look at specific points of interest, and better evaluate your choices.

Knowing the facts also include your financing, understanding what is available, how a specific mortgage package will affect you today and tomorrow. There are lots of mixed messages out there about financing. This is one area that you do not want any surprises. Let me guide you home 2 Cape Cod, with the power of the Jack Conway Team, we deal in facts and you will be glad you voted YES!

The Seasons are Changing

There was a slight chill in the air as I began my commute to my Falmouth office where I List and Sell Real Estate. (www.peterhawley.com). As I follow the winding roads spotting a deer bounding across an open field, the sweet smell of freshly cut hay floated into my open car window. Further along right in the middle of the road, my first yellow school bus of the year, which reminded me that I have to adjust my travel time, so I will not wear out my brakes. I turned to follow the beach road and on this beautiful August day, not a cloud in the sky, the water a brilliant blue, seemingly floating on the horizon was the ferry from Woods Hole steaming towards Martha's Vineyard, I am sure full of those who are getting an early start on the Labor Day weekend.

It is not only the changing of the seasons that I feel, it is the changing of business, this past few months, and hopefully continuing through the remainder of the year. Sales are up, very much ahead of the past 2 years at this time. The other Agents in my office have full schedules, showing property and this marked increase of activity is most welcomed. Prices have moderated which have made housing purchases more attractive and more affordable for many. This is the time for renters and first time home buyers to be out seeing what is available and with the addition of the $7,500 tax credit for first time home buyers which was included in the recently signed, Housing and Economic Recovery Act, HR 3221 many people may soon realize their dream of home ownership.

If it is time for you to come back into the real estate market, or want to learn more about the many programs available to assist you in buying a property, you may contact me at phawley@jackconway.com