Carolyn Hawkins

Growing up we first lived in a much older home, what they use to call a "shotgun" house, which was long and narrow, with the living room on the front, the kitchen on the back, with two rooms and one bath in between. Then we moved into a two year old home (which was almost like new) that was in a new subdivision. One day I ventured into one of the houses being built behind us, it was the first time I smelled fresh lumber, the smells of all of the construction materials that were being used, and I stood there and thought to myself, this is what I want to have when I grow up...a brand new shiny house. And, eventually as time went on I was lucky enough to have a new home. I had been looking for eighteen months on the weekends and was just about to give up when I cut through a road I had been down before, and wahlah - there it was at frame, I backed the car up, walked through it, and Monday morning the paper's were signed. It was the best feeling in the world moving into a home that was totally clean and fresh.

Then there are resales, and these are the homes that keep our business of selling real estate forever churning. Many people, actually a good majority of buyers don't mind a resale at all, especially if they are looking to be in a specific neighborhood, or they prefer certain architecture or features, and more than anything if they get a good deal on a resale.

So even though there may not be nothing like the smell of a new home for some, getting a great deal, the perfect location or type of home is much more important to other buyers. Isn't it a beautiful thing that as real estate sale professionals we can sell the best of both worlds?

Despite all of the negative news, there is quite a bit of good news surfacing in real estate markets in the U.S. According to the majority of economist -the recession is over and finally expanding. Housing sales are up in many areas across the states. Even though unemployment increased, many of these people will find new jobs, and retrain to enter a new vocation. Many workers are taking early retirement, or if they were laid off, and were paying attention to their savings and close to retirement age are going ahead and moving to their retirement location, or simply taking advantage of the home and condo buys, and are utilizing for a vacation get-a-way, and/or renting the property out for an investment. Then we have the first time home buyers that are getting some great homes at a great price. It's good to hear some good news now and then. http://www.southwfloridahomes.com

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You work really hard into the wee hours of the morning preparing the CMA, and lately I've been going way beyond that with additional statistics. and the next day your at the seller's home presenting the detailed information. Ending the presentation the listing is being signed, hopefully at a realistic selling price and "wahlah" the home has this and that, as many of the homes do have extra features. Then we go over the information that we just presented. With the media coverage on the housing market we think every one knows "it's a buyer's market" and many of them do however, it's truly a personal experience to seller. We know it's a tough situation on all levels in this market, so we have to keep on the tough hat while remaining calm and sensitive to the seller. Every now and then the seller will be realistic about the listing price to begin with so you don't have to go back in six weeks because you've had no showings, to bring the price down to what it should have been to start with. We can still hope that we have more "enlightened" sellers than not, by presenting additional information to them, it makes it easier for the seller.

Carolyn Hawkins, Realtor Associate, Allison James Estates & Homes, Inc. www.southwfloridahomes.com