Rick Tourgee - Provincetown and Cape Cod

When looking to buy or sell your piece of Provincetown Real Estate or in the surrounding area, please call me at 508-487-6002 or e-mail me at Rick.Tourgee@Century21.com

I am an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and a Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) with a successful track record servicing many Buyers and Sellers. I follow the Golden Rule and look out for my Clients needs above my own.

Attention anyone and everyone looking to buy real estate: I wrote a post here in my blog about a year ago about Buyer Representation and how valuable it is when looking to purchase real estate. I had a few potential Buyers share their initial impressions about how they “viewed” looking for an Agent or Agency when looking to purchase. Much to my surprise, they initially felt they should work with an Agency that has the highest number of listings. That is totally false and shows consumers need a better education on Agency Representation.

I was delighted to explain Buyer representation and how it provides significant value to the Buyer- regardless of the number of listings I have or my company has listed. As an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), I have a duty to look after my Buyers best interest above my own interest. I am able to show Buyers any listings for sale in the State of Massachusetts, regardless of who the property is listed with. Thus, it does not matter how many listings I have under my name, since I can show and sell all listings. I can share all of the positive and negative attributes about a property. I can give my opinion about the price- whether it is over priced or a terrific value.

If a Buyer works with an Agent that has the listing, the Agent might be working as a Dual Agent where as the Agent works for both parties. Or depending on the model which the Agency has set up, the Agent could be working for the Seller.

If I were a Buyer, I would would want someone working for me, exclusively. I would not want to wonder whether an Agent is looking out for their own interest above my own.

Think about this long and hard prior to working with an Agent. Be sure to know the facts and not the myths!

When looking to buy or sell your piece of Provincetown Real Estate or in the surrounding area, please call me at 508-487-6002 or e-mail me at Rick.Tourgee@Century21.com

I am an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and a Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) with a successful track record servicing many Buyers and Sellers. I follow the Golden Rule and look out for my Clients needs above my own.

With prices for everything increasing, the stock market falling and economic uncertainty spreading, more and more of Cape Cod's senior citizens are looking to reverse mortgages as a source of income.

As financial pressures drive increased interest, however, homeowners considering a reverse mortgage should make sure they know exactly what they're getting — and who they are getting from, experts cautioned.

A reverse mortgage is, most simply, a type of loan that lets homeowners, generally 62 or older, trade their equity for income. With a reverse mortgage, a borrower can choose to receive regular monthly payments or open a line of credit. When the homeowner either moves or dies, the loan is paid back out of the proceeds of the property's sale.

Neither the borrower nor his or her heirs will ever have to pay back more than the value of the home. If the home sells for more than is owed, the borrower or the heirs keep the difference.

Due to a rising tide of foreclosure proceedings, a reverse mortgage can, in some cases, provide homeowners with enough money to stay in their houses. In other cases, reverse mortgage funds can pay off an existing home loan, making more money available for basic needs.

Reverse mortgages, however, are not without their downside, experts clearly point out. The fees for the loan can be very expensive. Closing costs often range between $10,000 and $17,000 or higher. And monthly insurance and administrative fees can pile on even more cost.

These fees are not paid up front, but are rolled into the loan, and can eat up available equity faster than the borrower expects or realizes.

All of this makes me wonder whether reverse mortgages are part of the problem along with sub-prime loans. We have been reading in the news media that sub-prime loans is part of the reason for the current financial problems. Maybe they should also consider whether reverse mortgages should continue to be made due to falling values.

I could be all wrong since I am not a mortgage expert. I would love to hear comments from mortgage people with their opinion. Are reverse mortgages good for the borrower and the lender???

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When looking to buy or sell your piece of Provincetown Real Estate or in the surrounding area, please call me at 508-487-6002 or e-mail me at Rick.Tourgee@Century21.com

I am an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and a Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) with a successful track record servicing many Buyers and Sellers. I follow the Golden Rule and look out for my Clients needs above my own.

I was chatting with a fellow Real Estate Agent this morning. He brought up a very interesting idea about the $700 billion bailout package recently passed by Congress. Think of this: if you were to take that money and divide it equally to every adult in the USA, that would put about $500,000 in the pocket of every adult!!

If this happened, can you imagine what would happen to the economy?? His thought is if the adults used the money to pay off their mortgages and spent the rest on cars, big screen TV's, etc., etc.........this would be a tremdous boost to the economy while funding the mortgage companies for these "poor performing assets" while creating tons of jobs, which would in turn create even more jobs as these people spent their income!!

Something to think about!!!!!!!

What are your thoughts??

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When looking to buy or sell your piece of Provincetown Real Estate or in the surrounding area, please call me at 508-487-6002 or e-mail me at Rick.Tourgee@Century21.com

I am an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and a Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) with a successful track record servicing many Buyers and Sellers. I follow the Golden Rule and look out for my Clients needs above my own.

Attention people who enjoy biking on the Province Lands Bike Trail: On Monday, October 6, 2008, Cape Cod National Seashore officials and a contractor will begin a partial renovation project on the 7-mile trail, which has the distinction of being the National Park Service's oldest bike trail. Sadly, it may also be among the most dangerous.

Picture a narrow asphalt trail winding through the dunes, with a faded yellow line down the middle, pavement cracks and root heaves are large big enough to cause significant damage to your bicycle as well as your body! What if there is something unexpected in the path - a disabled biker, an animal, as examples - it could send you off into the dunes! Can you handle a curvy ride down a steep slope ending in a three-way trail intersection? Then there's the danger of the blowing sand.

Over the years, these issues have caused many serious accidents! I am thrilled they are finally going to renovate part of the trail. I have been on many bike trails and I have to admit, the scenic beauty of the Province Lands Bike Trails is among the best! But, the dangers of being on the trail were always a major concern.

According to an article in the cape Cod Times Newspaper, the cost of this renovation may run $1.3 million. A small price to pay to have a safe trail running through our beautiful National Seashore!

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When looking to buy or sell your piece of Provincetown Real Estate or in the surrounding area, please call me at 508-487-6002 or e-mail me at Rick.Tourgee@Century21.com

I am an Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) and a Seller Representative Specialist (SRS) with a successful track record servicing many Buyers and Sellers. I follow the Golden Rule and look out for my Clients needs above my own.