David Width Jr.

LET ME REPEAT THAT:

SERVICING WILL NOT SELL AN UNSALEABLE HOME!

This is one of the biggest things we need to understand as both real estate agents and home sellers. We as agents and sellers have to snap back to reality and realize that home prices have fallen and probably will continue to do so throughtout this year. I am one of the most optimisitc and positive people that you will find, however this is a fact and we need to stop trying to tell ourselves different.

My main point here is, if you are overpriced by $20,000 or more, there is nothing a Realtor can do as far as advertising, open houses, etc. You could put a 20 X 20 billboard on the AC expressway advertising your home and it would not sell. Then is only one solution to this problem, and that is to pull our a price reduction form and get the price adjusted to where it SHOULD be. You will be surprise as to the increase in activity once the home is priced right, and you will be sure when the price is right because you will be getting buyers in their looking at least once a week.

Realtors you need to understand this also. You are doing your clients a disservice by not being honest with them in fear of angering them. If you let the property sit on the market six months overpriced by $20,000 or more, at the end of the agreement you look like you didn't know what you were doing. Do not set yourself up for failure by taking an overpriced listing, you are only hurting yourself, and your client.

Sellers, if you can not afford to lower your price into the price bracket it should be in, then you are better off waiting till the market gets better. Please understand however that we as Realtors can only do our job with your help. We need the cooperation and for you to trust our opinion, we are professionals and we "do" real estate everyday.

Keep in mind in addition to SERVICING WILL NOT SELL AN UNSALEABLE HOME, that THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE RIGHT PRICE AND TERMS WON'T CURE.

Meet with your real estate professional today to discuss whether your price is right, and if it isn't make that price reduction and help yourself.

I took this photo of this icicle that was hanging from a house that isn't too far from my office this morning. As I'm sure most of you know, here in NJ we just had a pretty good snow storm on Sunday night that left alot of the white stuff all over the place, about 10-12 inches of it to be exact. The picture doesn't do it much justice, but try and use your imagination. I would say this specific icicle is about 3 to 3 1/2 feet long. Take a look for yourself.

Below are home sales statistics from the Jersey Shore MLS system for residential home sales for
February 2009.

There were 7 UPLAND homes that sold in Febraury with an average of 201 days on the market.

The average UPLAND listing price of these sales was $232,800.

The average UPLAND selling price of these sales was $229,500.

There weren't any waterfront homes that closed in February.

**If we look at the statistics from last month on the upland homes compared to this month we can see there was one more closed property this month than last month. We can also see that the average listing price of these sales compared to those sales was up @ $28,000, and the average selling price was up @ $32,250. **

Below are home sales statistics from the Jersey Shore MLS system for residential sales FROM JANUARY 1ST THROUGH FEBRAURY 28TH OF 2009.

There were 14 total sales for UPLAND homes that sold from the 1st of the year through 2/28/2009 with an average of 158 days on the market.

The average UPLAND listing price of all of these sales was @ $226,900.

The Average UPLAND selling price of all of these sales was @ $219,500.

**There will be no changes on the waterfront since there were no waterfront closings in February 2009**

You can see January statistics at the link below on my prior blog.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/912575/Market-Statistics-for-Little-Egg-Harbor-Tuckerton-NJ-January-2009

As an office, 10 of just went in and bought tickets for the Mega Million Jack pot which is now up to 171 million dollars. Well the cash out option is about 113 million dollars, and then you have to take 25% of that number for taxes, so now we are down to 84 million. Then we would divide that by 10 of us so we are down to about 8.5 million each. Not a bad days work huh?

Just to take the stress off of everything, sit back and think of what you might do if you were to win that kind of money. Let's just say you won as an individual. What would you do with 84 million dollars?

Enlighten me!

I have listed below some ways that the game of golf and hosting an open house are similar to one another. Thanks and I hope that you enjoy.

Golf and open houses are similar because;

1. Sometimes it can be expensive, but you do it anyway.

2.Sometimes the people in front of you (FSBO neighbors) cause you to score bad.

3. Sometimes you can invest countless hours and still can not perfect it.

4. You usually ask your friends (mort/title reps.) to do it with you.

5. You usually try to to it when the weather is good.

6. Sometimes you just want to scream. (a curse word of choice / where are the buyers)

7. Sometimes you just can't wait to get to the nineteenth hole.

8. There is usually a lot of prayer involved. (let me hit this one right/ please just send me one buyer)

9. Every now and then, you are successful.

10. There is always that one shot (buyer) that keeps you coming back.

Hope you have enjoyed the 10 ways golf and open houses are similar!