As agents, we all have to deal with the dated listings. As buyers, we’ve all seen them.

When speaking with homeowners, sometimes a little subtraction might help them see the light!

Me: Your home is in beautiful condition. How many things have you updated since you bought it in 1983?

Seller: Everything was top of the line when we bought it, and we’ve taken care of everything over the years. There’s been no need to change anything – everything works just fine!

Me: I’m not going to disagree – this home is in wonderful shape! But to be realistic, some of the home’s elements, which are 28 years old, are a bit dated. Kitchen cabinets, counters and floors – bathroom finishes and colors, and other design features just don’t resonate with today’s buyers.

Seller: Harrumph. Young people today are just so picky! Bob and I loved everything about this house when we bought it!

Me: Let me put it another way. When you bought this house in 1983, everything was perfect, right? But how would you have felt if you had walked into this house in 1983 – and it had kitchens, baths and other design choices from 1955? That was 28 years before your house was new – the same time difference from 1983 to now.

Here’s where the seller (hopefully) starts seeing the light. No one in 1983 wanted a 1955 kitchen. So now it makes a little more sense that people aren’t going to be knocking your doors down for a 1983 kitchen. Even if it’s in immaculate condition.

As we age, time does go by more quickly. We didn’t believe that when we were young and our grandmother told us that – but those of us that have passed the half century mark knows that it’s true.

So to middle age and senior clients, items that are two or three decades old may not seem particularly old. I’m sitting at a desk that I purchased new in 1989. It was so modern then! Birch and chrome with Euro-style drawer pulls. I loved it then. And it still suits me fine. Luckily, it’s in a room that no one sees. But I get it. People in their 20s and 30s must look at this desk and say, “Wow – people sure had a weird sense of style back in the ‘80s!”

And that’s the last thing you want them to say when they are trying to buy your home!

Here’s a general rule of thumb for my area. I’m not going to say the numbers are correct, but I’ve heard them enough from buyers to know that it’s a common perception. And perception often trumps fact.

When seeing a dated kitchen: “Wow, that’s going to cost us $40,000!” And when seeing the dated bath, “There goes another $15,000!”

Now those numbers may be close – or not. But as sellers, do you want potential buyers whacking those kinds of numbers off of your asking price?

So when putting your home on the market – please do a little subtraction. Subtract the age of your kitchens and baths from the year that they were new. That will help put things in perspective!

And if you don’t want your buyers to be subtracting the cost of a remodeled kitchen or bath off of your asking price, do some minor upgrading before trying to sell your home! $5,000 worth of cabinet fronts and counters may save you from a $40,000 price hit down the road!

Richard Strahm is an award winning Realtor specializing in the North Penn areas of Montgomery County -- Lansdale, Upper Gwynedd, North Wales, Towamencin, Hatfield -- and beyond! Visit him at www.NorthPennAndBeyond.com or call today at 215-853-2624 for a free and private consultation about all of your real estate needs.

New Pennsylvania Listing Contract!

Here's an important piece of news for Pennsylvania real estate professionals and Pennsylvania home sellers.

The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors is in the process of updating the Listing Contract (Seller Agency Contract) -- Exclusive Right to Sell Real Estate.

This is a long overdue change, and makes the contract much easier to understand.

While this is not finalized yet -- expect the new form, when released, to be similar in content.

The sample form is color coded in this fashion:

Black: Unchanged from the current version of the Agreement.

Blue: The location of the language has changed, but the concept has not.

Red: New concept or substantially different wording.

Much of the wording changes are to help the consumer understand his or her rights and responsibilities under the contract.

Not happy with the changes? Now is the time to make your voice heard with the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors.

Personally, I think this is a well thought out and clearly executed change. I look forward to using this new contract when it is released!

Looking to sell a home in the North Penn or Indian Vally towns of Lansdale, Souderton, Telford, North Wales, Hatfield, Harleysville and surrounding areas? Call Richard Strahm of RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-853-2624 for a free, no obligation Comparative Market Analysis of your home.

Last day for Lansdale Borough Residents to register for the 2011 T-Ball Program prior to the program being opened to non-residents.

2011 T-BALL SIGN-UP

Boys & Girls ages 5, & 6 (born between 8/1/04 through 7/31/06) are eligible to participated in our coed t-ball program. .

The season runs from mid April through mid June. All games and practices are held at Fourth Street Park.

Games are played on Tuesday evenings @ 6:00 PM and Saturday mornings @ either 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM.

FEE: $25.00/CHILD Resident; $75.00/non-resident

The success of this program depends upon parents willing to volunteer their time in the capacity of head coach or assistant coach.

Please note that all volunteers are required to complete the "PENNSYLVANIA CHILD ABUSE HISTORY CLEARANCE" form. The department will pay for and forward all forms to the state.

Please send completed registration form and payment to: Lansdale P&R Department, One Vine Street, Lansdale, PA 19446

Please include "PENNSYLVANIA CHILD ABUSE HISTORY CLEARANCE" if volunteering to coach. If you were a coach last year, please include copy of your clearance.

Americans tend to be obsessed with royalty. Two hundred and thirty five years ago we were fighting to get away from the monarchy -- but now we seem to be collectively drooling over the upcoming royal wedding.

And we love to dub businesses with royal titles, too. And look how some succeed! You have the royal couple, Burger King and Dairy Queen. With their children Princess Cruise Lines and Prince Tennis.

But if you're from the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania area, you might just want to dethrone Dairy Queen and replace her with a local favorite:

Potty Queen! Talk about a Royal Flush!

Hey - I'm looking for some of that brownish-green stuff. Yeah, I know it's pretty scarce around these parts. But dude, I'm kind of desperate here. Can you hook me up? Please?? C'mon - you know what I'm talkin' about!

Man, who knows where I can score some grass around here?

Now, before you go calling the Narc Squad on me - I'm talking about grass as in lawn - the green stuff we enjoy around our house most of the year.

The stuff that has been absent under the snow in the Philadelphia region for a month and a half, because that's how long we have been snow covered!

But the sun and some milder weather have been doing their job in tandem - and the grass, brown and straggly as it may be, is starting to reappear. Yay!

Who would have thought that I could get a high off of the grass in my back yard? I CAN'T WAIT FOR SPRING!!