Carolyn E. Durkin - Realtor® - CBR Scituate, MA Real Estate

Every New Year some of us try very hard to start off with a clean slate. Get rid of the old, bad things, and start fresh. I usually take the opportunity to take a long hard look at my business.

Look at the past year at all the interactions I had. Those contacts that resulted in a relationship, and those that did not. Were most referrals? Family/friends? Result of an "up" call? Internet savvy folks who "found" me online? Email contacts? Snail mail? Then I look at the expense report. Am I spending too much on marketing that's giving me no return? Okay, so some things are not giving me much, but do I keep them because I'm told I should? For instance, I'm told I need to have a great presence online. I need to have my face out there. I need to blog. I must generate Google juice. I have a work web page, is that enough? Video is the latest/greatest tool. Should I create one? My FB page recently went over 100 likes, that's encouraging. I have 72 followers on Twitter - hmmm, need to work on that....

I've started blogging on Active Rain again. Will I EVER get featured? Still hopeful that I will someday be able to blog about being an Active Rain Success Story - wouldn't THAT be wonderful?! Just need to stay consistent and offer valuable insight on our local market and the trials and tribulations and JOYS of being a Realtor :)

Then onto the hardware. Laptop, check. Ipad, not yet. In the spirit of starting fresh, I decided I was overdue in updating my iPhone. Apparently, this was a BIG one because I got warned to make sure I transferred all my purchased items before proceeding. Yes, I should have taken this as a sign to backup first, sigh. When it was all over, I had a few new features, but NO CONTACTS in my database! Of course, anger comes first. Then desperation. Then resignation. My own fault.

This forced me into the realization that I had a lot of contacts who simply needed to go. Every person I met at an Open House, every call I ever received on the desk, etc.... did I really need these? Some have been on my phone for a few years. Am I ever going to call them directly? Probably not. Most of those I have an email address for anyway. My current clients, of course, are important. But I can always retrieve their data when I meet them soon. Other agents? All that information is provided in MLS.

Kind of liberating, really. I am certain that if people want to reach me, they can find me. NOT the other way around. Isn't that the best kind of business anyway?

Carolyn E. Durkin, Realtor®, CBR

Happy Spring!

Everywhere I go I am always asked the inevitable question: "How's the market?". I never mind answering. In fact, I quite enjoy it. For the record, this Spring has been very busy in Scituate and all the surrounding towns.Believe it or not, what I am telling people about our Spring market right now is that things are selling - fast. Why? It appears that sellers have heard too much about the decline in home values and have decided it is not the right time to sell. Justified? Maybe. The current inventory is down way below "normal" levels - especially now in what should be the busy spring season. The current pool of buyers consists mostly of those trying to take advantage of the current tax credits. This incentive is ending shortly - a buyer must have a home in escrow by the end of April and close before the end of June. It will be interesting to see what happens at the beginning of May. Will the current pool of buyers simply disappear? Hard to tell. But those who are selling homes right now (under $700,000.00) are enjoying quite a bit of activity.

In going through the current statistics for the towns of Scituate and Cohasset, one point became increasingly clear. The absorption rate is currently 5 months! A 6 month rate is considered a "balanced market". Under that, a seller's market....

The inventory in these towns remains very low. Much lower than the normal holiday low. I would expect that the homes that were temporarily withdrawn will be coming back on shortly. As for actual sales, they have been better than '08 - just slightly. The average home price dropped, of course, but our areas have been seeing stability since last year. Correctly priced homes have been selling briskly.

While I would NOT consider this news that the tide is changing to a seller's market, it is still a great sign. It will still take awhile to get back to a "normal" market pace, but we are getting there.

Sellers need to know that right now would be a great time to consider putting their home on the market. The currently lack of inventory and a very well priced home WILL = a fast sale!

In an effort to further attract home sellers, we have launched a Sell For 3% campaign*. This rate is only for a limited time! Home owners in this area typically pay anywhere between 4% to 6% for the services of a Real Estate Company. Half of the commission goes to the listing agent, and the other half to the buyer's agent (sometimes, one and the same). Sellers trying to avoid paying this sometimes hire what is referred to as an Entry Only company. Essentially, a company that will put your home information on the Multiple Listing Service. Nothing more, nothing less. A flat fee is charged, and the owner STILL has to pay @2 to 2.5% to the buyer agent AND schedule showings/open houses AND take their own pictures AND place their own ads and/or post information online. Studies have shown that most FSBO's give up after 45 days. Our offer is for FULL service from launch to the closing table!

Call me today for the details - *some restrictions apply. Click here to view the slide show.

If you are currently under contract with a different Real Estate Firm, please disregard this offer.

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The beginning of August is a special time here in Scituate. Every year our seaside town celebrates it's rich heritage. This event, like our St. Patrick's Day Parade, seems to be getting larger every year.

Incorporated in 1636, our town has a long history that is kept alive by our active Historical Society. The "Little Red Schoolhouse" is a treasure of documents and pictures dating back over 300 years (the building is currently undergoing renovations and closed until September). Many stories from the "Men of Kent", to the Native Americans who first used the name "Satuit" (meaning - damn that brook is cold!), to the brave Bates sisters who stopped a British invasion by creating an "army of two". The volunteers are very knowledgeable and are happy to share lots of fun and interesting facts. It is during these days every summer that I truly appreciate how lucky Joe and I were to have "discovered" Scituate 15 years ago...

The festivities kick off this year from August 7-9. These three days are filled with many events - most happening in Scituate Harbor. The Scituate Chamber of Commerce has a detailed agenda The music is a huge attraction. A stage is placed in the middle of Front Street and visitors enjoy listening and dancing. There are many different bands scheduled this year. The type of music is diverse and is enjoyed by both young and old. One group scheduled to appear this year is Foghat (remember them?)!

The carnival was added to the Cole Parkway (behind Front St.) a few years ago and is a favorite with the little ones. This carnival is geered toward the very young - not for your teenager.... Nothing like the K of C carnival that was here just a few weeks ago.

I remember several years ago they kicked off the celebration with the release of the butterflies. Sadly, I don't see it on the agenda anymore - it was fascinating to watch and hope that one would land on your outstretched finger....

Of course, being a seaside community, there are several nautical events taking place such as boat races, oyster shucking contest, etc... but a personal favorite is the parade of boats. I highly recommend getting an outside table for lunch at T.K.'s or the Mill Wharf and watch and wave!

The luminaria on Friday evening is a sight best seen from the water, but another great spot would be from the lighthouse. I've always wondered if the candles can be seen from the planes landing/taking off at Logan Airport....

What I love about shopping at the marketplace is the local vendors. My husband and I have found many "Scituate" treasures here that adorn our home. We feel like tourists - in our own backyard!

Many of our historical sites will be open to the public. I love the new signs recently installed at several locations around town. The lighthouse tour is always the most popular. We had a changeover in keepers last summer. A schoolteacher, Bob Gallagher, and his family moved into the cottage. He keeps a blog, a fascinating look at the daily life of a light keeper I also recommend the Lawson Tower tour. This structure very unique and has a very interesting story as to why it was built.

So come and enjoy our beautiful town! It's a wonderful family outing with many sights to see and activities to enjoy. There will be a shuttle service from the Greenbush commuter rail station that will take you directly to the Harbor - highly recommended since parking is extremely limited.

I am hopeful that the recent arrival of summer weather (finally!) will prevail for these three days.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone!