Rochester, NY

When you've been in the real estate business a while, you get used to the issues that come up in home inspections. There are about a handful of problems I've heard mentioned over and over again. I've gotten so that I can predict them before the inspector even opens his or her mouth.

If you're planning to put your home on the market, knowing about common inspection issues can be a huge advantage. If you fix them before listing your home, it makes the home inspection process go more smoothly and lessens the probability that the buyer will get nervous and try to back out. It also sets you apart from other sellers who haven't done their homework and prepared in advance.

Here are six easy-to-fix potential problems:

Lack of GFCI outlets in the kitchen and baths. You know those outlets that have the reset button? Those are GFCIs, or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters. They're designed to trip if the current flowing through the circuit differs by a small amount from the current that's returning. GFCIs are inexpensive devices that can prevent electrical shock. Inspectors expect to see functioning GFCI outlets in places where there is running water, such as a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room.

Missing or non-functional gutters and downspouts. Many people see a damp basements and panic, but they can often be fixed with some simple changes. First, make sure your home has gutters that are in good working order and free of debris. Second, make sure the downspouts from those gutters are directed far enough away from your home that the water isn't just flowing right back toward the foundation!

Negative grading. Another simple fix to keep your basement dry is to make sure the soil is graded away from your foundation rather than toward it. It's known as a positive rather than negative grade. If the ground slopes downward toward your house, that's not good; that means water is flowing that way, too. Simply adding more soil so that it slopes upward toward your home will go a long way. Just make sure the soil isn't so high that it's touching the siding.

Touchy-feely shrubs. Don't let your bushes and shrubs sit against your home. They retain water and hold it right against your foundation. Keeping shrubbery at least 18 inches away is best. And anyway, out-of-control bushes just aren't appealing to buyers.

No handrails! This one seems simple, but I see a surprisingly large number of homes that have stairs without handrails, both inside and out. They're often leading to the basement or a deck. Adding them is an easy fix that can save you and your future buyer from liability issues. Safety first!

Bathroom fan that's not vented to the outside. If you have a fan that vents into your attic, all that moisture is building up there with nowhere to go. And, as we know, moisture leads to mold. Some may say this setup is worse than not having a fan at all! Having your fan vented up through the roof can save you from future moisture problems.

Keeping an eye on these simple issues can save you from inspection woes. Obviously, these are just explained in my layman's terms. If you have any questions, always consult a professional!

Now, let's get that home...

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I am proud to help buyers and sellers in the Greater Rochester, New York area find the homes of their dreams. If you are considering purchasing or selling a home in the Rochester area, don't hesitate to contact me. I pride myself in providing the best possible service for my clients!

When you work with me...

Visit my website at www.YourNYDreamHome.com to learn more about the services I offer!

• Sellers: Find out how much your home is worth by requesting a FREE Home Evaluation!
• Buyers: Become a savvy consumer by requesting FREE Home Buying Tips!

Contact:
Kristen Wahl
Realtor Associate
(585) 455-5524
KWahl@RealtyUSA.com

November 2009

After a two week delay, President Obama signed a bill which will extend the $8000 tax credit for qualifying first-time home buyers through June 2010. First time home buyers will receive the $8,000 Federal tax credit if they:

1. Sign a contract by April 30, 2010
2. Close on the home by June 30, 2010.

The new bill will also provide a $6,500 credit for move up buyers who purchase a new primary residence, and have lived in their current home for at least five of the previous 8 years.

The bill has a few provisions including:

1. Single tax filers who earn up to $125,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, single filers who earn $145,000 and above are ineligible.

2. Joint tax filers who earn up to $225,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, joint filers who earn $245,000 and above are ineligible.

The credit will not be giving for investment properties or vacation homes. You will receive this credit when you file your taxes. If you have been considering selling or buying a home, now is a good time to take advantage of this credit. It is best to contact your tax advisor for more specific information to see if you qualify.

I consider myself a life-longer learner. I love taking classes at my local real estate association, and I'm even a member of the Professional Development Committee. I subscribe to a variety of online publications and read them each and every day. I've always believed it's tremendously important to be on top of what's going on with the real estate market, both in the Rochester area and nationally.

The other day, I was reminded just how important it is to be up on the latest real estate news. I was in the bank doing one of my favorite things, cashing a commission check. The teller was a woman I went to high school with, and we were chatting about life and how business was going. You know, the usual. Then, she said, "I heard the first-time buyer tax credit was extended."

My response was an excited but clueless, "It was??" She responded that she had just seen it on the t.v. screen at the back of the bank.

It turns out she wasn't 100% correct. The extension of the tax credit was passed by the Senate, but still needs to be approved by the House of Representatives and receive President Obama's signature.

Still, the fact that she knew more about it than I did at that point was a reminder of just how connected the typical layperson is these days. Between the internet and stations like CNN and MSNBC, they know information about the real estate market almost immediately, often before we agents do! That's the reason it's so important for all of us to stay at the top of our games.

When pondering the changes in society, it's easy to think, "If they're so connected, what do our clients need us for?" As agents, we've built our reputations on being the experts, the ones to go to for advice on the market. Will today's information age cause us to become obsolete??

Absolutely not. As you may have noticed in the example above, even though my friend knew about the tax credit, the information she had received from the t.v. wasn't clear to her. Later, on Facebook, I clarified the issue by sharing an article and a quick synopsis of where things stand.

People around the nation may have access to 24 hour information about the real estate market, but they also have lives and jobs that don't revolve around real estate. It's easy for them to become overwhelmed and confused by the sheer amount of real estate data available to them. That's why it's our job to keep track of what's really going on in our local markets. There's almost too much information out there, and our clients need us to make sense of it all for them.

Let them know...

• Which articles they read are most up-to-date
• How much of the news they hear relates to your local market
• What statistics show about the trends in your area

There's still a plethora of knowledge we can share with our clients and friends. We are trained, knowledgeable professionals. We can still be their real estate experts.

I am proud to help buyers and sellers in the Greater Rochester, New York area find the homes of their dreams. If you are considering purchasing or selling a home in the Rochester area, don't hesitate to contact me. I pride myself in providing the best possible service for my clients!

When you work with me...

Visit my website at www.YourNYDreamHome.com to learn more about the services I offer!

• Sellers: Find out how much your home is worth by requesting a FREE Home Evaluation!
• Buyers: Become a savvy consumer by requesting FREE Home Buying Tips!

Contact:
Kristen Wahl
Realtor Associate
(585) 455-5524
KWahl@RealtyUSA.com

This past Monday and Tuesday, RealtyUSA held its annual "Rusa Rally", two days packed full of learning, networking, and fun.

We had two national speakers, Steve Harney and Jonathan Nicholas. Steve spoke about the realities of today's market and how to communicate them to our clients. Jonathan spoke about Social Networking, something we as members of Active Rain are already actively embracing! Both speakers had great insight and were highly worthwhile. I'll share the highlights in a future post.

First, though, I have to share a video that inspired me more than anything else I experienced at the Rally. Our president, Merle Whitehead, played it at the beginning of Monday's presentation, and it blew me away.

The video is a compilation of interviews done by Will Smith that highlight his beliefs about life, work, dreams, and much more. I always liked Will's movies, but had no clue he had such amazing insight and work ethic.

Take a look. I promise you'll be moved and inspired!

I am proud to help buyers and sellers in the Greater Rochester, New York area find the homes of their dreams. If you are considering purchasing or selling a home in the Rochester area, don't hesitate to contact me. I pride myself in providing the best possible service for my clients!

When you work with me...

Visit my website at www.YourNYDreamHome.com to learn more about the services I offer!

• Sellers: Find out how much your home is worth by requesting a FREE Home Evaluation!
• Buyers: Become a savvy consumer by requesting FREE Home Buying Tips!

Contact:
Kristen Wahl
Realtor Associate
(585) 455-5524
KWahl@RealtyUSA.com

If you watch the national news, you're probably bombarded with information about the real estate market. One anchor says the market is still lagging, while another says we're on the rebound. One says the tax credit has been a huge success, while another says it's just a drain on our national resources. Who do you believe??

Personally, I don't put much stock in the national headlines. If you remember one thing after reading this blog entry, remember this: real estate is local! The market in Rochester is different from the markets in Syracuse and Buffalo, and it's certainlydifferent from the market in San Francisco or Miami! The national news people may talk about how the market is doing in "the Northeast", but do they honestly expect us to think that Rochester is experiencing the same trends as Boston, where homes are at least 3 times as expensive and the cost of living is massively higher?

Here in Rochester, we have a lot going for us. Our homes are incredibly affordable. We didn't experience the huge dip in home values that affected much of the nation over the past few years. We still have a strong economic base supported by companies such as Xerox, Paetec, and Paychex. Sure, there will always be people who are concerned about our high New York State taxes, but overall the Greater Rochester area is faring better than most of the nation. We are a region that knows how to hold our own.

I want to share two positive articles about the local real estate market that were published in the Democrat and Chronicle over the past couple of days.

The first, published yesterday, is entitled "Real estate sales up for the quarter." The statistics that stuck out in my mind are that our sales in the Rochester area are up 2.9% from this time last year, and an amazing 48.1% since the last quarter. The article states that this is most likely due to the first-time home buyer tax credit, and I agree. It has brought a ton of buyers into our local market.

The second article was published today and is about the tax credit specifically. It's entitled "First-time buyers drive home sales." This lengthier article quoted the CEO of the Greater Rochester Association of Realtors, several local agents, and some first-time buyers themselves, all of whom agreed that the tax credit has had a positive impact on the local market. The most notable statistic in the article is that the number of accepted purchase offers rose 7% recently. Pending homes are an important factor to consider, since they are an indicator of future sales.

Because of our affordable home prices, tons of first-time buyers were able to use the tax credit to achieve their dreams of home ownership. Now, with the tax credit coming to an end on November 30th, the time for them to purchase has all but run out. Already our pending home sales are starting to flat-line.

Personally, I hope the legislation to extend and possibly expand the tax credit passes. Sure, there has been some fraud, but that happens with every government program. Sadly, there are people out there who will try to use anything for personal gain. Still, I think the positives far outweigh the negatives in this situation. Let's keep the market strong!!

I am proud to help buyers and sellers in the Greater Rochester, New York area find the homes of their dreams. If you are considering purchasing or selling a home in the Rochester area, don't hesitate to contact me. I pride myself in providing the best possible service for my clients!

When you work with me...

Visit my website at www.YourNYDreamHome.com to learn more about the services I offer!

• Sellers: Find out how much your home is worth by requesting a FREE Home Evaluation!
• Buyers: Become a savvy consumer by requesting FREE Home Buying Tips!

Contact:
Kristen Wahl
Realtor Associate
(585) 455-5524
KWahl@RealtyUSA.com