About Lackawanna County, PA

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS!

SIT DOWN ! SHUT UP ! AND HANG ON !

Last night I read a post authored by Tony Toto.

'General Welfare' and it's Meaning in The U.S. Constitution

My mouth dropped when I read it. At first I did not grasp what he was saying and then it hit me. I urge you to read it. Tony breaks it down for us much better than I can.

This is not about political affiliation. This is about being an American. Put aside your political beliefs and allow yourself to ponder this from neutral ground.

"WE THE PEOPLE" have given our Constitutional rights away in dribs and drabs. It did not start with the previous administration, nor did it begin with the current administration. It began when we became apathetic. The realization that something is wrong has only begun to hit us.

It matters not whether you are a Democrat, Independent or Republican.

"WE THE PEOPLE" began giving our rights away when we elected officials and then sat back and ignored what they did in office. It's not about the President, the Congress or the Senate. The demise of our rights started in our own back yard.

When you hire someone to do a job you provide oversight of their job performance. If they are not attaining your expectations you counsel them and give them your guidance. If they fail to make corrections you fire them. As Donald Trump so aptly puts it - "IT'S NOT PERSONAL - IT'S BUSINESS."

"WE THE PEOPLE" have lost control over our government by our own doing. Those of us who do exercise our right to vote sit back after election day and let our officials do as they please. We figure on the next election we will right the wrong. BY THEN THE DAMAGE IS DONE.

LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS needs to be nurtured and stewarded daily. We are so caught up in our daily lives we ignore the big picture.

CHANGE needs to come from within us - "WE THE PEOPLE"

It starts by speaking out and being involved at a local level. When was the last time you attended public hearings at a local level?

It requires us to continually reach out to all our elected officials up the chain to the Oval Office. When was the last time you wrote, called or emailed a state, or national elected official? Discount the current issues at hand.

If we have lost control WHO IS AT FAULT?

YOU ARE I AM WE ALL ARE

While you are busy building your business and prospecting for leads - set aside an hour a day to

PROSPECT FOR FREEDOM

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TURN AN EXPIRED LISTING ~ INTO A SALE - PART 3

THE VIEW FROM AFAR!

In our previous installment we talked about curb appeal and interior appeal.

Now lets take a critical look from afar.

Being objective is critical to changing the outcome. Are there things in and around the home that cause buyers to overlook the positives and focus on the negatives?

Start by going around the exterior and interior of your home looking for ways to improve the way it shows. In the last installment we suggested sitting outside your home and making a critical assessment.

CURB APPEAL: Keep the lawn and shrubs trimmed, plantings weeded and add fresh mulch. If the exterior of your home looks drab or plain add some color. Add a nice seasonal wreath to the front door.

Place colorful pots with plants or small shrubs outside the front door. Power wash your home to eliminate green mold, cob webs, and accumulated dirt. Wash down the driveway. Clean the gutters and remove branches from the roof. Keep all lawn equipment, toys, and clutter stored away out of sight.

KITCHEN: This is probably the most important room in the home. If your kitchen is outdated or messy it will not show well.

Look for some inexpensive fixes to make it more appealing. Dark and dingy cabinets could be given a fresh look with paint. Try washing the cabinets with Murphys Oil soap, waxing them and adding new hardware.

How is the counter top? If it is scratched or laminate is peeling consider replacing it with a more modern inexpensive laminate.

How is the paint? Is it neutral? Consider repainting the kitchen.

How is the floor? Does it show wear? Use some throw rugs in areas that are not perfect.

Keep the counter tops as free from clutter as possible. That lovely 4 piece canister set maybe distracting.

Remove everything you can from the counter. Make it look spacious. No magnets on the refrigerator. No dishes left in the sink.

This kitchen is dark, cluttered and looks small.

PAINT: All the rooms should be neutral. If any are painted strong colors this can be a turn off. Strong colors make a room look small and dark.

Consider repainting. Many homeowners feel they will leave the painting to the new owner. In today's competitive market prospective buyers are selecting homes that need the least amount of work. A fresh coat of neutral light paint might completely change the way your home shows.

FLOOR COVERINGS: If your carpet shows stains arrange to have it professionally cleaned. If it is worn or stretched you might want to consider replacing it.

Many prospective buyers are looking to eliminate carpet because of allergy factors. Your Realtor can offer you advice as to the trends in your market. Today there are several choices for floor covering that offer affordable solutions. If you have hardwood floors under the carpet you might consider removing the carpet and rejuvenating the hardwood.

BATHROOMS: Clear off the vanity tops. Remove any unnecessary decorating items. Keep the tub, shower doors, toilet and sink clean. Be sure the caulking around the tub is not black, cracked or pulled away from the tile. Make sure the grout is clean in any areas that are tiled.

CLUTTER: Start packing now. Pack away off season clothes, collectibles, and any items you do not use on a regular basis.

Clean out all the closets so they do not looked stuffed. Pack up toys that the kids have outgrown or donate them. It's fine to neatly store boxes in the garage or basement. Less is more.

Too much stuff in this room. The photo was taken at Christmas, but was still on the MLS in June.

PETS: A bird in a cage is not usually a problem. There are some pets that are innocuous. There are others that can create a problem.

The best advice is to remove all signs of the pet before a showing. Remove dog or cat beds, scratching posts, and dishes. Be very aware of pet smells and do what you can to neutralize them.

Living around the pet everyday and in the environment you will become immune to noxious odors. Ask a friend or relative to give your home the sniff test. Make it a point to remove the pet well in advance of showings. Some people are highly allergic to pet dander. It's ok that they know you have a pet, it's better that they don't see it.

BE READY: A showing request can come anytime. Most sellers want notice and Realtors understand that. Always be reasonably prepared for a showing. If you do get a short notice request it won't impact you adversely. Doing a quick pick up or a load of dishes is much easier than cleaning the entire house. That spur of the moment showing might be the buyer you have been looking for.

WHAT IF THERE ARE BIG PROBLEMS? In a future installment we will discuss prioritizing improvements or changes. Some issues are too cost prohibitive to completely eliminate. Rather than ignoring them we will come up with a plan to address them.

Please watch for more articles in this series.

Part Four ~ No Duct Tape Please

Part Five ~ Spring into Action

Part Six ~ Plan a Staging Party

Part Seven ~ Who is the Best Realtor

If you have any questions I'd be delighted to answer them. My area of practice is North East Pennsylvania. Through my Active Rain community I have relationships with thousands of active and successful Realtors all over the country. Some may work in your home town. My fellow

FIDELITY DEPOSIT AND DISCOUNT BANK

Recently contributed $15,000.00 towards a new Autism Center in Scranton, Pa.

FIDELITY BANK donated the funds towards the building a state-of-the-art center.

The center will be run by Friendship House.

Autism has been diagnosed more frequently in recent years. It affects 1 in 150 children.

Friendship House has been offering services to children and their families for a number of years in Scranton Pa. Friendship House provides services for children who are experiencing emotional and behavioral issues. The ages range from infant through teens.

Services are available for those families living in Northeast and Southeast Pennsylvania.

For more information please use the links supplied to contact the sources mentioned in this article.

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Bonnie and Jayne Vaughan - Driven and Dedicated Realtors. Serving Buyers, Sellers, Investors, Clarks Summit Pennsylvania

For more information and free MLS please visit THE SISTERS WEBSITE

Dear Friends of Animals,

PETLAND a national pet chain has been uncovered by the The Humane Society of the United States as a huge outlet for puppy mill puppies.

The Humane Society of the United States is collecting signatures on a petition to stop PUPPY MILLS.

They have filed a class action lawsuit against one well know NATIONAL pet shop PETLAND. The case was dismissed by a federal judge on August 7, 2009.

An ongoing investigation into the suppliers of PETLAND puppies uncovered horrible abuses.

Those of us who have worked for the humane treatment of animals know that puppy mills are nothing more than flesh mongers. People profiting through abuse and inhumane treatment need to be stopped.

Retail outlets such as PETLAND reap huge profits at the expense of these pitiful creatures who live miserable lives. They spend their entire lives confined to small dirty cages stacked one on top of the other.

Please read the referenced articles. Included is a Facebook petition you can sign. If you cannot access it let me know. The petition ends August 30, 2009. There are currently 633,000 signatures.

FACEBOOK PETITION

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/31

ARTICLES REGARDING PETLAND

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/petland_investigation_2_062909.html http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/puppy_mills_dark_hopeless_040408.html

PETLAND HOME PAGE

In addition to signing the petition you can tell PETLAND how you feel about their activities.

If you currently shop at PETLAND kindly consider your choice more carefully. Spend your dollars at a Pet Store that DOES NOT SELL DOGS OR CATS.

MAKE LIKE A DETECTIVE

In the first installment of this series we touched on identifying the reasons your home did not sell.

We advised that to be successful it was necessary to ferret out the obstacles to the sale.

The list of everything that could be considered is extensive. It would be impossible to discuss in detail each possibility in a small series of articles. An experienced Realtor knows what to look for. It's an unconscious process. Reducing it to a step by step guide would consume volumes. Let's try to look at the most common problems.

You must look at your home as a commodity. You have to live in the home while it is marketed that is understood. For the purpose of marketing your home it should be as neutral as possible.

To be a good detective remove your personal attachments and be critical and analytical. Think about the all the details. Remember - it is not how you see your home - it's how the buyer sees the home.

To begin our detective work we will start with some basic highlights. We will go into the interior and exterior of the home in detail in the next installment.

PRICING

This should be the number one consideration. A home that is priced right, clean, well presented and in good condition should sell. How did you price your home when you originally listed it? Was your Realtor in harmony with the asking price or did they suggest another price? Given what you know now - your home did not sell - would you consider that price might have been a factor?

To arrive at the best price for your home a Realtor starts by comparing it to similar homes that have sold in the last 6 - 12 months. The CMA is used to illustrate the highs and lows of similar sold properties in your market. The comparison can be adjusted to take into consideration additional features or upgrades unique to your home. A Realtor puts together a CMA to assist you in determining a fair asking price.

Many experts are advising clients to price their home a few percentages below the average price. If 6 homes are for sale in your subdivision all around the same price, and one is priced more attractively would you want to include it in your tour?

What the buyer is willing to pay determines the final price of the home.

BUYER FEEDBACK

What feedback did you receive from buyers at either open houses or showings? Was there a consistent theme such as price, condition, location, outdated kitchen or any other negatives? These are indicators of how the public viewed the commodity.

Whether you perceive these comments to be viable or not you must give them weight.

What if several families who viewed your home stated the back yard was too small? Obviously you can't add a larger yard. What the feedback tells you is that your home might have a greater appeal to a couple without children like working professionals or retirees. It gives you an idea that it might be better to aim marketing efforts to that segment of the buying public.

Take the objection and come up with a solution or modification. If you are unable to find a solution, set that objection aside until you are interviewing agents and ask them for ideas.

AGENT MARKETING

Did you read the public and private description your agent wrote about your home? Did you review the photos your agent used to market your home? You can email your agent and ask them to email the "private" copy of the MLS listing to you. (The private listing includes the information your agent shared with other agents)

For instance the private side might say: Owner must be present for showings. Only available to be shown certain times. Seller in process of fixing roof. These are examples of barriers to showings.

Many buyers do not wish a seller to be present when they tour a home. It hampers them from having a private conversation with their Realtor. Limited showing availability restricts the number of people who can see your home.

Are there enough photos of your home attached to the listing to give a buyer a real sense of how lovely your home is?

Would you make any changes or improvements to the way your home was presented in the listing?

COMMISSION

Many sellers ask an agent to work for a discounted commission. Traditionally the total commission is split equally between seller's agent and buyer's agent. Each agent would be working for a reduced commission.

As an example: you were offered two jobs that were identical. One paid you $5 per hour and one paid $7.50 per hour. Which one would you want to take? The answer is only human nature. Why would you want to do the same amount of work and get paid less?

There is an abundant supply of homes on the market. Being competitive in the compensation you are offering is an important factor.

INTERIOR APPEAL

De-clutter and Depersonalize. You've heard it a million times. Remove all family photos. Remove all religious articles. Pack away the Nick knacks. Take all those Heavy Metal posters out of Johnnys' room. Store excess furniture that crowds a room or impedes the flow of traffic. Thin out the linen closet. Thin out the kitchen cupboards. Nothing screams NO STORAGE like kitchen cabinets overflowing. Leave some open space. Neutralize the space.

A home does not have to be white glove spotless but it has to look clean and orderly.

CURB APPEAL

Go for a ride, pull up to your house and park out front. Take a good close look.

View your home as if you were a buyer. What could a buyer find detracting? Does it look a little drab? Could it use a pick me up?

While you sit outside look at the surrounding homes. Does your home stand out for some reason? Is it a negative or positive? If the bushes need to be trimmed it's a negative. If the house looks blah that's a negative. If the kids toys are all over the front yard. That's a negative.

If the yard is trimmed and the landscaping is maintained - it's a positive. If it looks inviting. It's a positive.

While you are sitting outside look to see if any neighboring homes appear shabby or unkempt. That could be reflecting adversely on your home.

LOCATION

Location is an extremely important factor in marketing a home. It is a fixed factor. There is nothing you can do to change the location of the home. School districts. Distance to shopping. Access to main roads. Desirable sub-division. These things all play into a buyer's consideration.

What if your beautiful home is located near an airport, a dump or some noisy commercial operation? If location location location is the key - then factor factor factor is the appropriate solution.

A home that is well located commands a higher price. A home that is located near a detraction could be offset in the asking price.

Please come back over the next two weeks to check out the rest of our series.

Part Three ~ The View From Afar

Part Four ~ No Duct Tape Please

Part Five ~ Spring into Action

Part Six ~ Plan a Staging Party

Part Seven ~ Who is the Best Realtor

If you have any questions I'd be delighted to answer them. My area of practice is North East Pennsylvania. Through my Active Rain community I have relationships with thousands of active and successful Realtors all over the country. Some may work in your home town. My fellow Realtors who are members of Active Rain are committed and willing to help you turn your home into a successful sale.

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Bonnie and Jayne Vaughan - Driven and Dedicated Realtors. Serving Buyers, Sellers, Investors, Clarks Summit Pennsylvania

For more information and free MLS please visit THE SISTERS WEBSITE