1. Eat locally made ice cream at Smuggler’s, Sundae School and Cape Cod Creamery
2. Go to the Wellfleet Drive-In
3. See the fireworks over West Dennis Beach
4. Cruise down Commercial Street in Provincetown
5. Run AT LEAST one road race
6. Ride the Cape Cod Central Railroad Dinner Train
7. Take a whale watch out of Provincetown
8. Watch the sunrise at Nauset Beach
9. Watch the sunset at the boardwalk at Gray’s Beach
10. Eat fish and chips at Captain Frosty’s, Sir Cricket, and The Lobster Trap

Katie Clancy is a Cape Cod native and real estate agent with William Raveis Real Estate in their new Yarmouth Port, MA office. She was a Top Producer in her office for the month of April 2013! Katie can be reached via email at katie@katieclancy.com or by phone at (508)737-1248. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and her blog.

1. When to Buy: June: Apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, honeydew melon, plums, zucchini squash blossoms, raspberries, strawberries July: Cauliflower, sweet corn, Japanese eggplant, gooseberries, watermelon, radishes, tomatoes August: Grapes, long beans, nectarines, peaches, summer squash, tomatillos, heirloom tomatoes
2. Where to Buy: Of course you can always buy summer produce at your local grocery store, farm stand or farmers market. But, if you’re looking for a great weekend activity, look in your area for “pick-your-own” farms where you can choose your own produce.
3. How to Pick: Not sure what fruits and vegetables are “good” or “bad”? Every one is a bit different. Check out these Fruit and Vegetable guides from The Kitchn to help you make the best decisions.
4. What to Make: Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping, Smoky Ham-and-Corn Chowder, Grilled Striped Bass with Plums and Potato-Mushroom Papillotes, Squash Blossoms with Pimento Ricotta, Grilled Bread and Marinated Tomato Salad
5. Save for Later: The biggest rule of thumb for freezing summer produce is to make sure everything is dry before packing it. For fruits and veg with high water content (think of a tomato) it’s typically best to cook them down in to a sauce before freezing. For pitted fruits, leave the skin on, remove the pits and slice them in to wedges before freezing. And, as always, make sure you’re sealing your bags properly to prevent frostbite!

Connecticut:

3297 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Al Filippone Associates

Views: 2865

Massachusetts:

267 Sandwich Rd, Falmouth, MA

Listing agent: Russ Pelletier

Views: 1696

New York:

101 Roundhill Rd, Cold Spring, NY

Listing agent: Hope Mazzola

Views: 1201

Rhode Island:

31 Coddington Wharf, Newport, RI

Listing agent: Patsy Ewenson

Views: 250

Featured Homes:

25 Foxcroft Rd, West Hartford, CT

Listing agent: Dawn Baker

134 Berry Lane, Bristol, RI

Listing agent: Sandra Andrade

As my Mom always told me, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. That means it may be time to dust off your apron and wooden spoon and mix up something delicious for Dad. Why not start with some honey barbecue chicken wings (delicious) and move on to a buffalo chicken pizza (also delicious)? Of course, no mean would be complete without desert: President Obama loves the First Lady’s apple cobbler—chances are Dad will too.

If your Dad is a foodie, there are a lot of ways to spoil him this Sunday. Try a set of fancy barbecue tools from Williams Sonoma or a stuffed burger press for the Juicy Lucy lover. For the Cadillac of foodie gifts: why not give Dad the gift of bacon? Bacon jam.

Alternatively, if Dad isn’t hip to the foodie scene, you can treat him with a set of personalized golf balls or a FitBit FLEX if he’s trying to get healthy. If you really want to go all out, go for Craftsman.

What are you planning for your Dad this weekend?

Lisa’s Featured Home:

558 Dutton Road, as known as home plate farm and the former home of Babe Ruth, is truly one of Sudbury’s signature homes. Experience an unsurpassed lifestyle in this meticulously and lovingly renovated home that blends traditional architecture with 21st century amenities. A gourmet chef’s kitchen features the highest quality appliances and features for the discerning chef. The home’s family room offers coffered ceilings, a Rumford hearth, built-in cabinetry and entertainment surround sound. The magnificent landscaped grounds surround this wonderful home with stone patios, a gunite pool, and a multi-use barn.

David’s Featured Home:

46 Flanagan Drive is a dramatic, custom contemporary home in a covered neighborhood. Upon entering the home, you’re greeted with a soaring fieldstone fireplace that sets the tone for the beauty of the home’s interior. Open and bright, all three furnished levels offer excellent flow throughout the home. Highlights include a circular driveway, central air, a double sided fireplace, a heated sun room with a built in spa and a lower level recreational room.

]]> http://blog.raveis.com/2013/06/12/introducing-lisa-greene-david-ferrini/feed/ 0 http://blog.raveis.com/2013/06/11/the-changing-needs-of-seniors-and-their-families/ http://blog.raveis.com/2013/06/11/the-changing-needs-of-seniors-and-their-families/#comments Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:37:24 +0000 Dr. Ann Meyerson, William Raveis Westport http://blog.raveis.com/?p=5392 People are living longer, and seniors age 65+ are becoming a larger share of the population. Currently there are 40 million people over the age of 65 living in the United States; constituting approximately 13% of the population. By the year 2020 the number is expected to grow to 72 million, or one in five, Americans.  Recent studies indicate that one in four adults is expected to live beyond the age of 90, including half of those currently 65 or older. This growing segment of the population will create a greater need for products and services in areas such as health care, insurance, elder-law and housing.

The psychological and emotional issues experienced by seniors will often take precedence over the actual physical move.  Letting go of an old situation and then launching forth again in a new situation is a confusing process, one that must be carefully navigated.

REALTORS® across the country, especially those in the Northeast, have an excellent opportunity to assist our senior clients and their families. Whether your client is a senior who is relocating, moving to independent or assisted living or an adult child dealing with an estate, their real estate needs require specific guidance.  One client joked, “who doesn’t have a relative in Florida who could use your help?”

Having focused on seniors transition, I handle all aspects of the move and sale of the existing properties.  With thoughtful  introductions and referrals, I can provide complete transition services to the Raveis agents through the Relocation Department.  In the next blogs, I will discuss the various components of the process, the psychological and emotional challenges and how, as concerned REALTORS®, we can provide our assistance and expertise to this growing client base.

Dr. Ann Meyerson is an agent at William Raveis in Westport, Conn. and specializes in helping seniors and their families during real estate transitions. She has been featured as an industry expert on Channel 12 News and has hosted the Real Estate Forum on Channel 88. Ann shares her professional time between Connecticut and Florida where she is actively involved in Senior Transitions and is affiliated with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®. You can learn more from Dr. Ann Meyerson on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, FourSquare and their blog.

1. Clean First: If you clean your pantry before attempting to organize it, it will help alleviate a large part of the task. This will also get your pantry ready to have all your items replaced.
2. FIFO: The “First In, First Out” policy is definitely an important aspect of pantry organization. The way it works is you want to place newer items toward the back of the pantry, so you use up older items first. This will help keep things from going bad.
3. Stocked, but not Overflowing: You want your pantry to be well stocked, but if you have too many items, it can be overwhelming. The idea is you don’t want to have 20 bottles of vinegar, but you also don’t want empty shelves.
4. Group Items: By grouping like items together, you can quickly and easily find things in your pantry. You’ll also want to group items by size to make sure that you maximize space—you don’t want to use a tall shelf for spices when that space might be better used for large boxes.
5. Labeled Bins: You might want to consider putting pantry items in to matching, labeled containers. This is a quick and easy way to organize your pantry and provide a sense of coherence.

Connecticut:

19 Joanne Circle, Westport, CT

Listing agent: Michelle Genovesi

Views: 3056

Massachusetts:

267 Sandwich Rd, Falmouth, MA

Listing agent: Russ Pelletier

Views: 700

New York:

49 Midland Ave, Rye, NY

Listing agent: Maureen Skrilow

Views: 385

Rhode Island:

9 Chestnut St, Newport, RI

Listing agent: Arthur Chapman

Views: 409

Featured Homes:

74 Hickory Grove Dr, Larchmont, NY

Listing agent: Maria Mantis

53 Harbor Farms Rd, Falmouth, MA

Listing agent: Rich Generazio

William Raveis Rentals is the largest rental company on the Cape. With over 500 listings, you will definitely find the summer spot of your dreams with William Raveis.

And, with our brand new website, www.capecodvacation.com, you can quickly search for the perfect home—search by nearest beaches, arrival date or any number of amenities.

So get searching, your perfect summer vacation is waiting!

However, for most sellers, the decision to sell is something that they have been thinking about for a while.  Of course, the usual things spring to mind: tidy up the yard, plant up some pots, declutter the house etc. etc. But what about those things that regularly come up on inspection reports?  Why not take care of those before a buyer flags it up as a potential problem?  That way, you take the issue out of the equation and hopefully can avoid any further price reductions or closing credits based on repairs that are needed.

Furnaces, unless they are really new, almost always come up on inspection reports. Ok, so your furnace is old and the inspector tells the buyer that it’s past its life span. What’s the buyer thinking now? Most likely that he’s going to have to replace it soon, at a cost of around $5000.  So, why not get your furnace cleaned and overhauled before you list your house? That way, you can disclose that yes, your furnace is old, but…it’s working perfectly and here’s the paperwork to show that it’s been regularly maintained.  Suddenly, it’s much less of an issue for a buyer!

Broken window panes are an easy and inexpensive fix, but they will catch the inspector’s eye, so why not get someone in to replace them before your house lists?   Replace missing roof shingles and repair disconnected guttering; fix that leaky faucet and get an electrician in to repair that outlet that doesn’t work.  It will save you doing it later and there will be less on the inspection report that the buyer needs to worry about and trust me, they will feel much happier proceeding with the transaction!

This post was written by Denise Darnell, and agent in our Southport, Conn. office. Denise knows that buying or selling a home is one of the most important things you will ever do, and wants to help make that experience as smooth and successful as possible. You can visit Denise on her blog, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

To Vote!

1. Visit socialmadness.com
2. Select “At Large” from the drop-down menu (the last option)
3. Select the “Large” tab
4. Vote for William Raveis!
5. Don’t forget to visit the site each day to cast your vote!

Connecticut:

19 Joanne Circle, Westport, CT

Listing agent: Michelle Genovesi

Views: 3056

Massachusetts:

604 E Washington St, Hanson, MA

Listing agent: Liz McCarron

Views: 736

New York:

69 Valley Ln, Chappaqua, NY

Listing agent: Bonnie Koff

Views: 352

Rhode Island:

9 Chestnut St, Newport, RI

Listing agent: Arthur Chapman

Views: 383

Featured Homes:

38 Pine Hill Avenue, Norwalk, CT

Listing agent: Anne Papastathis

160 Central St, Hingham, MA

Listing agent: William Tierney

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrKbcKGVpqE

How Katie Describes Herself:

“When I want the freshest oysters, I don’t go to the fish counter at the grocery store; I go to John, the East Dennis oyster guy. When my husband wants a perfectly tailored suit, we don’t go to the mall; we go to Puritan Clothing in Hyannis. When I want the best chocolate this side of the Alps I don’t go to the candy store, I go to The Hot Chocolate Sparrow in Orleans.

When you want a home on Cape Cod entrust your dream to me, Katie Clancy. In my previous life as a teacher I helped found the Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School in Orleans and later taught at The Laurel School in Brewster.

Peak life experiences include singing Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Chatham Chorale and the Cape Symphony Orchestra, completing my first Hyannis Sprint Triathlon, and giving birth to my fourth daughter at Falmouth Hospital.

A Cape Codder since I was a kid, I can find you the right house, bank, builder, school, auto mechanic, and yes, even the right oyster guy.”

Katie’s Featured Home:

“105 Corporation Road is just a short walk to Corporation beach, a beautiful stretch of ocean that’s just a perfect place to spend your Summer. It’s also an easy walk into Dennis Village, where you can enjoy everything from great coffee to delicious sandwiches and handmade candies to a sophisticated wine bar. It’s the place to be in Dennis Village. The house is an amazing steal for the neighborhood it’s in.”

Katie’s Articles on the Raveis Blog:

• Negotiation: The Three Currencies
• Up? Down? What’s Going on in the Real Estate Market?

Katie Clancy is a Cape Cod native and real estate agent with William Raveis Real Estate in their new Yarmouth Port, MA office. She was a Top Producer in her office for the month of April 2013! Katie can be reached via email at katie@katieclancy.com or by phone at (508)737-1248. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and her blog.

Regardless of what you’re contemplating revamping (whether it be your digital marketing, social media,  print advertising or something completely different), there are a few steps that you can take to get you really thinking about what you want your final product to be.

1. The audit. What are you currently doing that works? What doesn’t? It’s important to be completely honest in this assessment, because it will tell you what you need to change.
2. The feel. Do you want to be cool? Edgy? Timeless? Relevant? Intuitive? Classic? Your answer will ultimately drive your new program. Throw out all the words you can think of, and see what fits.
3. The reality. Realistically, what do you want to do that you KNOW you can accomplish? If you’re looking to create a new digital marketing campaign, what do you know you can do yourself? List out everything you could possibly do.
4. The dream. In your wildest dreams, what could you imagine your new program doing? Maybe you want an online ad that talks to the consumer, or that knows their likes and dislikes and targets them specifically. It doesn’t necessarily have to be plausible today, but it’s good be creative and think outside the box.
5. The priorities. Of everything you just listed, realities and dreams, how many are feasible? Pick a number and then prioritize your list. You can always revisit it later to add another aspect, but start with a manageable list.

Could you see yourself using these strategies in a brainstorm? If you had the choice today, what would you want to revamp?

For more information on Matthew, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google+, check out his website, podcast and blog, and download his app for your Apple or Android device.

Massachusetts:

12 Longmeadow St, Longmeadow, MA

Listing agent: Suzanne White

Views: 630

New York:

101 Roundhill Rd, Cold Spring, NY

Listing agent: Hope Mazzola

Views: 265

Rhode Island:

132 – 134 Harrison Av, Newport, RI

Listing agent: Iris Zaff

Views: 226

Featured Homes:

67 Beacon Hill Dr, West Hartford, CT

Listing agent: Ginny Proft

95 Enterprise Street, Duxbury, MA

Listing agent: MaryBeth Davidson

Pinterest

• More Informative Pins: Sometimes, you just want information. And on Pinterest, clicking through a pin to get to a website for that information is a hassle. What if you could instantly view product information, recipes and movie details all in a self-contained pin? That’s the idea behind Pinterest’s new brand partnerships (companies include eBay, Target, ModCloth, Sony and Netflix).

LinkedIn

• Refreshed LinkedIn Today: Are you using LinkedIn? If so, are you utilizing LinkedIn Today? If not you should start. Especially now. You now have the functionality to follow “channels” on LinkedIn Today specifically tailored to your professional, or personal, interests. These channels will aggregate stories that are being shared, giving you a quick and easy way to find articles on topics that interest you.

Google

• Updated Google Maps: Google Maps is a great resource for directions and, in recent years, has become a go-to for seeing a neighborhood around a particular location. Now, with updates to the operating systems, Google Maps will have more seamless zooming and enhanced details. Google also introduced Earth View, a new function that offers the ability to view 3-D renderings of cities and other areas.

Twitter

• Twitter Advertising: Up until recently, advertising on Twitter was limited to those companies and individuals who Twitter invited to participate. Now, Twitter has opened their self-serve advertising platform for all US users.
• Tailored Twitter Trends: Twitter updated its app for iPhone and Android, adding the ability to view Trends from around the world or geotargeted to your specific location. Located in the Discover tab, the feature shows you what’s trending on Twitter as whole. You can also drill down to tailored trends within the app. They’re based on your location as well as who you follow on Twitter.

Instagram

• Instagram Tagged Photos: You can now pull up the profile of almost anyone on the service and browse photos he or she appears in. Only the person who publishes a photo to Instagram can tag people in it.

There are a number of real estate podcasts available, and they’re released on differing schedules. Most podcasts release about one episode a week, although some produce more or less.  Getting started is easy. If you use an iPhone, you can download the “Podcasts” app and find your podcasts directly through that service. You can subscribe to a particular show and it will auto-download any new episodes as they become available. If you don’t have an iPhone, you can still download podcasts through iTunes and listen to them on your computer.

In terms of what podcasts you should subscribed to first, I would highly suggest Real Estate Today Radio. It’s a great show produced by the National Association of REALTORS® and features industry experts, interviews, call-in questions and live field reports to showcase the latest information on the real estate market.

I would also suggest Real Estate Realities with The RebelBroker, which is produced by a REALTOR® in Morgan Hill, California. The host, Robert Whitelaw, discusses the latest real estate news and the market from an insider’s perspective.

There are also several business podcasts that are worthwhile. Wall Street Journal This Morning offers a great first look at the daily headlines in news, politics, entertainment and more. It’s a quick podcast—normally lasting about 30 minutes—so it’s perfect for your morning commute. I also love TEDTalks Business, which takes the famous TEDTalks and cuts out manageable bites of business acumen to give you great insight.

And last, but not least, there are a host of fun (and funny) podcasts that you can download for something a bit lighter. NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me is a weekly news quiz on current events that will have you laughing out loud.

If you find any other podcasts that you love, leave us a comment and let us know!

• What’s a median price?  Why do you use it in Local Housing Data (LHD)?
• What’s the difference between median and average?

The price statistics that get mentioned and displayed most prominently on our site and others are usually the latest average or median price for the month.  These figures are compared with the month before and/or the same month the previous year.  The one-month numbers are used because they are the most current and the simplest to understand and explain.  They are good for starting conversations, but do not tell the whole story.

Let’s start with a little background.  Both average and median statistics are intended to represent the “central” value in a group of numbers.  The average is the sum of the numbers divided by the size of the list.  The median is the middle number on the list when it is in sorted order.

Statistics like average and median work best with data like people’s heights, which is distributed as in the familiar “bell curve” normal distribution (see chart below).  With normally distributed data, the average and median will be equal.  They both coincide with your intuitive idea of where the center is when the data is normally distributed.

However, real estate price data is usually not normally distributed.  The chart below is a breakdown of unit sales by sale price.  Each bar represents the number of sales in a $50,000 range.  The bar at the extreme right represents sales at all prices $5M and above.  As you can see, the number of sales in each price range at first rises quickly to a peak and then declines slowly across the higher price ranges towards the right.  While there are exceptions, this “skew” to the right is pretty common.

So where is the “center” of the price data?  The median statistic tells us that there were an equal number of sales above and below $470,000.  The average is much higher at $779,000, since the very high prices on the right outweigh the low prices at the far left and “pull” it above the median.

On Local Housing Data, we feature the median over the average.  There are two main reasons for this.  First, the median is closer to what most buyers will actually pay.  Second, in most towns most of the time, the median is less subject to distortion then the average.  In most towns, there are relatively few sales in a given month.  So a single transaction at the high end can affect the average disproportionately, making it seem that prices have changed more than they have.

In many towns we cover, there are not enough sales each month to that the averages (or medians) are very stable from month to month.  So you have to look over longer periods of time.  This is why we provide 3-month, year-to-date, and 12-month numbers as well.

Also, most real estate statistics (including prices) vary seasonally.  They tend to be lower in winter and higher in summer.  So it’s most relevant to compare values to the same period in previous years.

So, median price is preferable to average.  But is there an even better way to gauge values?  In a future post, we’ll consider price per square foot … the most under-utilized number in real estate.

“When you have one foot in boiling water and the other in ice water, on average you are comfortable.”

– An old statistics joke

Paul is CEO of REsource Analytix, which provides the charts and statistics on Raveis Local Housing Data and the Local Housing Newsletter.  He holds an MBA in Statistics and Operations Research from New York University and founded REsource after a successful career consulting and developing business intelligence applications for companies including UBS, Georgia-Pacific and Pfizer. 

Connecticut:

263 Country Road, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Elizabeth Kamar

Views: 2372

Massachusetts:

267 Sandwich Rd, Falmouth, MA

Listing agent: Russ Pelletier

Views: 531

New York:

75 Stuyvesant Ave, Rye, NY

Listing agent: Nancy Everett

Views: 434

Rhode Island:

17 Cherry St, Newport, RI

Listing agent: Arthur Chapman

Views: 160

Some of my favorite memories happened in backyards:  from pool parties to barbecues to late nights around the fire. The backyard is a great place to gather with friends and family to relax and recharge, so it only make sense to make the most of the space.

First things first: color. Regardless of the season, adding a splash of color can really bring a space to life. Especially in the summer, when the world is in bloom, your backyard should be in too! There are a lot of ways you can incorporate color in to your décor, from punchy throw pillows to an updated picket fence to a wall of fabric. The possibilities are endless, and you can bring in color in as little or big of a way as you’re comfortable.

Next you’ll definitely need some seating.  Whether you choose go ultramodern or stick to tradition, the type of seating you choose can have a huge impact on the overall feel of your space. Picnic tables are great for family-friendly areas, while metal chairs add a cool, vintage touch.

The rest is in the details. If you want to add an upscale touch, an outdoor kitchen can be a great addition when entertaining. Allowing the chef to socialize while preparing delicious meals. Providing a bit of shade is also important, and this overhead canopy is an elegant alternative to the traditional umbrella. For smaller spaces, little touches, like adding a vase with flowers to the table or putting twinkle lights in the trees, can make a big difference. And last, but not least, a fire pit adds a great focal point for conversation and, of course, allows for s’mores on demand.

How much is the home worth in the current market?

Ethically, real estate agents can’t tell you what you should offer for a home. However, you can find an approximate home value by asking the agent how much similar homes and properties nearby are selling for.

Are there any problems with the house?

When you buy a home, you want to be aware of any potential problems like roof, flooring, window or foundation damage. Sometimes homeowners are willing to make needed repairs for a seller and the right price. Other times you will need to make the repairs yourself, which will mean additional expenses.

How old is the home and its appliances?

Knowing the age of the home and things like the plumbing, roof, air conditioner and any appliances included in the sale can help you determine if there may be maintenance costs to cover in the near future.

Is the home on a flood plain and what is the property tax liability for this home?

If the home is situated on a flood plain, you’ll need to invest in flood insurance. Also ask about the property taxes for the home, since both of these aspects will be determining factors of the cost of living in the home.

What are the average monthly utility costs?

Your monthly utility costs will fluctuate depending on your personal use and family size, but knowing what the seller pays can help you estimate the utility costs you can expect should you purchase the home.

What kind of neighborhood is the home in?

The type of neighborhood you are looking for is a personal decision, so ask the right questions for you and your family. For example, you may ask about nearby schools or the demographics of the neighborhood. Things like access to public transportation, hospitals and shopping may also help you determine if the home is right for you.

Why is the seller moving out of the home?

If a seller says that he or she is moving due to reasons directly related to the home or property, you should carefully consider your investment. Common reasons to move range from outgrowing a home to relocating for work, but if the reason includes problems with the property, you may want to reconsider your offer or even whether or not you are still interested in the home.

These are just some of the questions you should ask as you look at homes and start the buying process. There is a lot to know and consider when investing in a home, and an experienced real estate agent can guide you through the process.

Christine Norcross & Partners is a leading team within William Raveis Real Estate. Based out of Wellesley, Mass. their team is comprised of five professionals each with specially targeted backgrounds and talents. Because each member specializes in a particular area, they are able to go above and beyond to accommodate all of your needs and requests. You can find Christine Norcross & Partners on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and on their blog.

Apps

Sprout it: Designed for the green and brown thumbed alike, Sprout it is an app that lets you discover vegetables and herbs best suited for your garden, create customized growing plans and get support with reminders and encouragement to help you grow with more confidence.

Garden Pro!: If you’re looking to learn more while you garden, Garden Pro! will definitely be able to help you out. It acts as a great reference guide for over 7,000 pants, providing information on sun and  water requirements as well as soil and climate recommendations and estimated bloom time.

Gadgets

Botanicalls Kits: If you need a gentle reminder from your plants that they need love, than this might be for you. This DIY kit lets you create a monitoring device that will allow your plants to tweet at you when they’re feeling thirsty.

Koubachi: A Wi-Fi enabled plant sensor, Koubachi measures soil moisture, tem­perature and light intensity. It then uses care models to determine the exact needs of your plants. The device can even be used to care for multiple plants, because once it’s learned about one plant it can be moved to another to gather intelligence.

Click and Grow: For the extremely challenged gardener, Click and Grow will grow you a garden without any watering or fertilizing. Simply add batteries, fill the water reserves and you’ll have a great little garden in no time. Click and Grow measures all the necessary parameters and doses an exact amount of water, fertilizer and air, according to the plant’s needs. Once you’ve had your fill of one plant, you can even replace the cartridge to grow something different.

Connecticut:

3297 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Al Filippone Associates

Views: 2860

Massachusetts:

1193 Main Street, Hingham, MA

Listing agent: Kathy Foraste

Views: 806

New York:

75 Stuyvesant Ave, Rye, NY

Listing agent: Nancy Everett

Views: 434

Rhode Island:

60 Van Wickle Lane, Bristol, RI

Listing agent: Melinda Birs

Views: 201

Below, we have presented our monthly data on how the market performed throughout the northeast for the month of April.  For more information, and to access the fastest housing numbers available, visit Local Housing Data.

Connecticut:

Massachusetts:

Rhode Island:

New Hampshire:

Vermont:

 Maine:New York:

Of course, you should start off with the most important meal of the day: breakfast. Your Mom probably spent a lot of years making sure you were well nourished before school. Treat her to breakfast in bed with this Bacon and Egg Breakfast Tart.

While most will be taking Mom out for lunch or dinner this year, be a superstar instead. You can make a delicious meal at home, without have to make a reservation. Try out this menu of Asparagus Caesar Salad, Butter and Parsley Potatoes and Lemon and Lavender Chicken to really impress Mom.

And, of course, no Mother’s Day would be complete without dessert. I think your Mom would love a Chocolate-Peanut Butter Tart. Your Mom isn’t alone, either. I think everyone in your life would love this dessert.

And, even though you’ll be a hero for filling your Mom’s day with delicious food, you should still give her a gift. At the very least, a handmade card will make her melt. This Family Tree Photo Card is an especially nice touch. If you want to take it a step further, check out these DIYs for a lovely Jewelry Box and Hanging Floral Arrangement.

The moral of this blog post: take care of your Mom this Mother’s Day! She deserves it!

Connecticut:

3297 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Al Filippone Associates

Views: 3159

Massachusetts:

16 Elmwood Avenue, Longmeadow, MA

Listing agent: Suzanne White

Views: 725

New York:

6 Birch Ln, Chappaqua, NY

Listing agent: Barbara Karlen Blitstein

Views: 274

Rhode Island:

60 Van Wickle Lane, Bristol, RI

Listing agent: Melinda Birs

Views: 201

“After months of planning, seeing the Convention come together in such an effective and professional manner was overwhelming, in the best way,” said William Raveis, president and chief executive officer of William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance. “Every piece of feedback I’ve received has been extremely positive, and I’m tremendously proud of everyone involved in the planning and execution of the event.”

Keynote speakers included award-winning speaker and philosopher Matthew Ferrara of Matthew Ferrara and Company, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research at the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS Dr. Lawrence Yun and Executive Vice President for Luxury Portfolio International^TM Stephanie Pfeffer.

Additionally, the Convention featured sessions with award-winning, bestselling author and social media strategist Kathryn Rose and award-winning real estate coach and trainer Suzanne Getz.

Throughout the Conference, attendees were afforded the opportunity to attend educational breakout sessions on next-generation listing presentations, building a winning team, winning the exceptional properties listing and the power of video marketing, among dozens of other topics.

“Our focus was to create an atmosphere of learning, networking, recognition and fun for all of our William Raveis business family attendees,” said Bill Gamelli, senior vice president of customer services and 2013 Convention chairman.  “Mohegan Sun was a perfect destination and many brought spouses or significant others to join in the celebration.”

Grand Sponsor William Raveis Mortgage lead an extensive list of sponsors and exhibitors including Bigfoot Communications, CoreLogic, Impact Marketing Specialists, People’s United Bank, William Raveis Insurance, The Kelsey Company, SWAT Environmental and Advanced Computer Technologies.

The last night of the Convention was rounded out by the 39^th Annual William Raveis Awards, an event which recognizes the leaders in the company’s real estate, mortgage, insurance, title and administrative divisions. Among the winners for Real Estate, Jean Ruggiero (Greenwich, Conn.) and Al Filippone (Fairfield, Conn.) were named the Top Producers by Volume for an individual and team, respectively, and David Friend (Hingham and Scituate, Mass.) and Rick Dressler (Glastonbury and Simsbury, Conn.) were named the Managers of the Year.  For Mortgage, Pete Fickeisen (Boston, Mass.) was named the Top Producer by Volume, and for Insurance, Heidi Summa (West Hartford, Conn.) was named the Top Sales Director. Lastly, Gail Sweetman, director of career development, was named Entrepreneur of the Year.

William Raveis is currently working to plan 2014’s Convention & Expo, which will aim to celebrate the company’s 40^th Anniversary.

About William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance

William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance is one of the top companies in the nation. It was ranked in 2012 by sales volume in Real Trends 500^® Magazine as the #1 family-owned real estate company in the Northeast, the 3^rd largest family-owned and the 8th largest real estate company in the USA.  The innovative firm is known as an “Award-Winning Team,” being nationally recognized as an industry leader in technology, marketing and REALTOR^® education.  Such recognition includes winning the coveted “Most Innovative Brokerage or Franchise” distinction and placing as a finalist for “Most Innovative Website or Web Service” at Inman News’ 2011 Innovator Awards, held in San Francisco, California. William Raveis’ award-winning website, raveis.com, draws more than 10 million visits annually and includes more than 300,000+ MLS listings in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.

For four consecutive years, William Raveis has been named as “The Best Real Estate Company” by the Commercial Record and was awarded the Banker & Tradesman’s Gold Medal Residential Brokerage award from 2008-2011. William Raveis was also named the #1 “Best Place to Work” in 2010 & 2012 by the prestigious Boston Business Journal.  The Boston Business Journal placed the firm as a finalist “Best Place to Work” in 2011.

William Raveis Real Estate is a household name in its founding state, CT and is the #1 real estate company in world-renowned Fairfield County.  The company entered the Massachusetts marketplace in 2003 and, according to the 2010 closed sales volume in the Multiple Listing Service Pin, is now the largest independent brokerage in that state with 30 offices.  William Raveis recently expanded into New York and presently has offices in Rye, Harrison, Katonah, Chappaqua, Tarrytown and Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County and offices in Nyack, Rockland County. The firm has 3,000 highly trained sales professionals and over 90 company-owned and affiliate offices in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  For more information, visit raveis.com or blog.raveis.com.

For details, contact:

Samantha Hamilton

(203)225-2494

samantha.hamilton@raveis.com

Let me be clear.  We are experiencing a rising market with rising prices due to demand (homebuyers) outnumbering supply (home sellers).  This is a temporary situation which will gradually subside.  By the time it subsides, prices will be higher than they are today.

But does that mean you must join the insanity to buy a home?  Not necessarily.

Here’s how to look at the real estate market: there is no such thing as THE real estate market.  There are many real estate markets – a market for every neighborhood, price range and type of home.  For example, there is no Boston real estate market.  There is a market for West Roxbury single- family homes priced in the $500,000’s.

Whether a home is to be sold over the asking price is a case-by-case question.  Every home is a unique offering, with a price to be determined by the demand for that home and the seller’s willingness to sell.  There are too many subjective variables to develop a generalized overall statement about the entire real estate market.

Consider the following:

1. When looking at your real estate market, learn how many homes are really selling, as opposed to just the homes being listed.  You may find a majority are selling close to asking, without dramatic bids.
2. Don’t forget to look at homes sitting on market for some weeks, instead of just looking for brand new listings.
3. Hire a real estate agent who is on your side, who encourages you to look at different options rather than just pay more.
4. You may be looking in the wrong market if you keep making offers and can’t seem to get a break.  I’ve been directing some of my buyers to sleepier markets where they are buying beautiful homes for under asking.

We have a natural tendency to look to where the action is, and run with the crowd.  But that may not be the right place for you to buy a home right now.   Let counterintuitive thinking take you in the other direction. Question the market assumptions and look for alternatives.  You don’t have to be part of the frenzy.

Ruth Lerner is a Brookline Realtor specializing in Brookline, Mass., Chestnut Hill, Mass., Brighton, Mass. and West Roxbury, Mass. real estate. Since 2002 she’s represented both buyers and sellers with a post-transaction satisfaction rate of 97%. You can contact her on her website, and find her on Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Connecticut:

3297 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Al Filippone Associates

Views: 3430

Massachusetts:

249 Concord Rd, Longmeadow, MA

Listing agent: Suzanne White

Views: 542

New York:

86 Marcourt Dr, Chappaqua, NY

Listing agent: Stacy Levey

Views: 342

Rhode Island:

60 Van Wickle Lane, Bristol, RI

Listing agent: Melinda Birs

Views: 272

Facebook

• New Timeline: Did you notice that your Timeline started looking a bit funky this month? Don’t worry, you weren’t hacked. Facebook began rolling out their latest update to the interface. This new design will make it easier to showcase your likes and hobbies, with boxes that showcase which movies, books, television shows, etc. you’ve “liked.” There’s also a smoother integration with Apps like Pinterest and Instagram.
• Redefined Ad Targeting: If you’ve used, or are considering using, Facebook Ads, it will be important to note that they’ve redefined their targeting. Partnering with four data companies, Facebook will now be using your shopping activity across the web and in-stores to better predict your consumer behavior. Scary? A little bit.
• Emoticons: Have you ever felt that “liking” a post isn’t quite enough? Many people have expressed concern that Facebook doesn’t offer a “dislike” button. In a seeming first step, you can now add a whole host of emotions to your Facebook status. Feeling “sexy” or “ashamed”? Now you can let the world now.

Twitter

• New Twitter Cards: New Card options bring additional types of content — specifically, app, product information, and photo galleries — within the expanded portion of tweets. Twitter also now supports the option to view that content from directly within the app, or download the app onto your phone directly from the tweet.
• Twitter #Music: If you have a hard time finding new music, Twitter is there for you. Twitter #music is a mobile app that’s designed to surface the most popular and relevant music to you based on activity on Twitter.

YouTube

• Multiple Account Management: Do you have a hard time managing your YouTube account, or do you have a team of people uploading videos? Now, Google is allowing multiple users to manage the same YouTube account. By linking accounts, Google said it will unlock new features such as improved video sharing, live broadcasts via Hangouts, and a YouTube tab on your Google+ page.

New Sites to Watch

• Medium
• Whisper
• Chirpify
• deviantArt

If you aren’t registered but still want to come to the Convention, don’t fret! Just make sure that you visit our “Will Call” table upon entering—our talented team can help you get set up on site! We’re also providing free WiFi throughout the Convention—just look for the “raveisconv” network, and use “raveisconv” as the password to get instant access.

Okay, on to the fun stuff!

Chair Massages: Need a rest after all the Convention excitement? Exceptional Properties is sponsoring chair massages in the pre-function area. Sit back and relax!

Company Store: Have you always wanted a swanky William Raveis padfolio or golf shirt? Our Company Store will be in the pre-function area, so stop by and check out our samples! You can buy products there, or place an online order.

Cyber Café: Our Cyber Café will be a great place to stop and recharge. With quick-charging stations available for every device, and WiFi to check your email, our Cyber Café will help you with all your technical needs.

Headshot Updates: Alan Goldfinger will be updating headshots at table #PF12 in the pre-function area on Wednesday and Thursday, courtesy of William Raveis Marketing. Be sure to stop by and smile!

Join the Conversation!: We’ll be live-tweeting the entire event, check out our Twitter waterfall to see what everyone is saying and join the conversation by adding #RaveisConvention to all your tweets!

MacBook Pro Raffle: Stop by the William Raveis Charitable Fund, Inc. booth (#604) to buy your $10 raffle ticket for a chance to win a new MacBook Pro! 100% of net proceeds will go towards the Sandy Hook School Elementary Educational Fund.

Mercedes Raffle: Stop by the Marketing booth (#605) to purchase your $100 raffle ticket for a chance to win a lease on a 2013 Mercedes. Only 500 tickets will be sold, and all proceeds are donated to the William Raveis Breast Cancer Research Fund.

Silent Auctions: On Wednesday from 4:30-6:30 p.m., stop by the Steiner Sports booths (#512-515) to bid on amazing sports memorabilia and stop by our office tables to check out the baskets that will be up for auction. All proceeds are donated to the William Raveis Breast Cancer Research Fund.

Vendor Expo Passport Raffle: If you’re interested in winning great prizes live TVs, iPads and vacations, make sure to get every vendor to punch your passport! Once you finish, drop off your form at the Company Store in the pre-function area to win great prizes!

Connecticut:

3297 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Al Filippone Associates

Views: 3236

Massachusetts:

14 Jarvis Avenue, Hingham, MA

Listing agent: Peggy Dinger

Views: 558

New York:

18 Paulding Dr, Chappaqua, NY 

Listing agent: Ellen Grollman

Views: 298

Rhode Island:

4 Wood St, Bristol, RI

Listing agent: Anne Kellerman

Views: 227

We’ll also be selling tickets throughout next week’s William Raveis Convention & Expo, so stop buy our Marketing Booth (#605) in the Expo hall to get your ticket—we’ll even have a Mercedes there for you to check out!

Prize is non-exchangeable, non-refundable for credit – Drawing is June 3, 2013 at William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage and Insurance at 7 Trap Falls Road, Shelton, CT 06484 at 12:00 pm. Winner need not be present. – Sponsored by the William Raveis Charitable Fund, Inc. to benefit the William Raveis Breast Cancer Research Fund – Winner responsible for all applicable taxes and automobile insurance. – A minimum of 250 tickets must be sold for drawing to occur. One prize to be awarded.

“I didn’t even believe it when Roseann called to tell me I had won a trip to the Bahamas,” said Caravella. “I’m opting to take the cash prize and I’m going to use it as an opportunity to take my wife to her home country—England. We made plans to go two years ago, but unfortunately my wife became ill so we were unable to. I’m so excited to be able to bring her now.”

Customers become eligible for the trip by filling out an entry form at any Raveis open house throughout the year. A longtime contest, it’s hosted by William Raveis Real Estate as an incentive for buyers and sellers, as well as a marketing tool for agents.

“I actually found out that I won on my husband’s birthday, so I gave him the trip as a birthday present,” said Benedict. “His office voted me ‘Wife of the Year’! We’re going to opt for the cash prize and take a family fishing trip to Alaska. We’re all so excited!”

Benedict has been with William Raveis for seven years and is a part of The Magyar Team, a top producing team within the company since 2006. Benedict is married with three sons, and is sincerely looking forward to a well-deserved vacation with her family.

“This contest is a thank-you to the communities we serve for choosing our services,” said William Raveis, chairman and chief executive officer of William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance. “Congratulations to Lou and Roseann on the win and I wish them the best in their travels.”

The winners may opt for the trip or its cash equivalent. The drawing for this year’s trip was held on March 4, 2013 in Shelton, Conn.

About William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance

William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance is one of the top companies in the nation. It was ranked in 2011 by sales volume in Real Trends 500^® Magazine as the #1 family-owned real estate company in the Northeast, the 3^rd largest family-owned and the 8th largest real estate company in the USA.  The innovative firm is known as an “Award-Winning Team,” being nationally recognized as an industry leader in technology, marketing and REALTOR^® education.  Such recognition includes winning the coveted “Most Innovative Brokerage or Franchise” distinction and placing as a finalist for “Most Innovative Website or Web Service” at Inman News’ 2011 Innovator Awards, held in San Francisco, California. William Raveis’ award-winning website, raveis.com, draws more than 10 million visits annually and includes more than 300,000+ MLS listings in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.

For four consecutive years, William Raveis has been named as “The Best Real Estate Company” by the Commercial Record and was awarded the Banker & Tradesman’s Gold Medal Residential Brokerage award from 2008-2011. William Raveis was also named the #1 “Best Place to Work” in 2010 & 2012 by the prestigious Boston Business Journal.  The Boston Business Journal placed the firm as a finalist “Best Place to Work” in 2011.

William Raveis Real Estate is a household name in its founding state, CT and is the #1 real estate company in world-renowned Fairfield County.  The company entered the Massachusetts marketplace in 2003 and, according to the 2010 closed sales volume in the Multiple Listing Service Pin, is now the largest independent brokerage in that state with 31 offices.  William Raveis recently expanded into New York and presently has offices in Rye, Harrison, Katonah, Chappaqua, Tarrytown and Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County and offices in Nyack, Rockland County. The firm has 3,000 highly trained sales professionals and 85 company-owned and affiliate offices in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  For more information, visit raveis.com or blog.raveis.com.

For details, contact:

Samantha Hamilton

(203)225-2494

samantha.hamilton@raveis.com

Downsizers: In an ‘up’ market like the one we are approaching, prices rise consistently at most price points. You will do best if you can wait until we are firmly into the recovery (maybe one more year?). Example: If the property you are looking to buy is $275k and prices improve by, say, 8% through next year, by the end of next year you may find yourself paying close to $300k for it. But the same math applies to the property you are selling. If it is worth $450k now, you’re likely to get $36k more for your house by waiting. That’s a net gain of $14,000 just by being patient with the market recovery. One caveat: If interest rates start to climb, it could neutralize that difference quickly and dictate swifter action.

Upsizers: ‘Upsize in a Down market.’ Your sweet spot is shrinking, upsizers. The value of your current property is improving, which is terrific, but so are the values on your proportionately larger and more expensive property. Selling the $275k house and buying the $450k house now presents a difference of $175k. With 8% growth that difference stretches to $189k. Save yourself some money and make your move now.

Second-Home Buyers: I have always maintained the position that vacation homes are bad financial investments. I make some exceptions for income properties that can carry at least most of their weight with rentals. Except for the odd circumstance where you purchased at an irrationally low number and are looking to sell in a robust market, look for the return on this investment only in your hammock. For a vacation home purchase, no matter what the market, try to buy as modest as you can and be realistic about the trouble and expense of upkeep, insurance, etc. You want to come there to relax and recharge, not scrub three bathrooms and fret about bills.

This is a guest blog post from Katie Clancy, a Cape Cod native and real estate agent with William Raveis Real Estate in their new Yarmouth Port, MA office. Katie can be reached via email at katie@katieclancy.com or by phone at (508)737-1248.

Stephanie has been with Luxury Portfolio since its inception in 2005 and today is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of this industry leading luxury real estate marketing program while ensuring the award-winning website LuxuryPortfolio.com, maintains its market leader position.

Previously she served as the Vice President of Marketing for Koenig & Strey, a large Chicagoland real estate brokerage with 1,200 agents and prior to that as the Director of Communications & Internet for GMAC Real Estate, an international real estate franchise. Before getting into real estate marketing Stephanie worked in advertising and public relations on the ad agency side.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Boston University and a Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University. She currently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, dog and two cats.

At the William Raveis Convention, Stephanie plans to present Be Your LUXURY Self®, an educational seminar about Luxury Portfolio International®. Her discussion will include:

• the latest on how to utilize this award-winning marketing program in developing your business at all levels;
• how to grow your business with the tools and resources offered through Luxury Portfolio;
• social media strategies and tactics and ways in which you as real estate professionals can take advantage of these new tools to grow your business.

Stephanie will be speaking on Wednesday April 24, 2013 from 2:40-3:30 p.m. in the Uncas Ballroom.

You can connect with Stephanie on Twitter, LinkedIn or on her personal blog.

For more information on the William Raveis Convention, please visit http://www.raveis.com/convention and follow #RaveisConvention on Twitter.

Connecticut:

3297 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Al Filippone Associates

Views: 3147

Massachusetts:

249 Concord Rd, Longmeadow, MA

Listing agent: Suzanne White

Views: 776

New York:

23 Smith St, Chappaqua, NY

Listing agent: Suzette Kraus

Views: 310

Rhode Island:

193 Hope St, East Side Of Prov, RI

Listing agent: Nelson Taylor

Views: 178

Below, we have presented our monthly data on how the market performed throughout the northeast for the month of February.  For more information, and to access the fastest housing numbers available, visit Local Housing Data.

Connecticut:

Massachusetts:

Rhode Island:

New Hampshire:

Vermont:

Maine:

New York:

]]> http://blog.raveis.com/2013/04/11/local-housing-data-march-2013/feed/ 0 http://blog.raveis.com/2013/04/10/hgtvs-house-hunters-my-experience-with-television/ http://blog.raveis.com/2013/04/10/hgtvs-house-hunters-my-experience-with-television/#comments Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:57:34 +0000 Justin Pieragostini, Sales Associate William Raveis Katonah http://blog.raveis.com/?p=5126 In November, I was selected to a part of HGTV’s House Hunters. It was such an amazing experience that I am I am excited to share—to truly understand what actually goes into making a television show would shock you! Being able to bring HGTV’s cameras here to Bedford, New York to showcase—on a national level—how cool it is to live in this dynamic community has been an honor.

Here’s how it all happened:

While educating my clients, Steven and Megan Grskovic (and their three children), about fine homes and the Northern Westchester-area market, I began the process of selecting the type of homes that they were looking for. The Grskovic’s were in the process of relocating from Boston, Mass. the Westchester, New York to take on a great new job in New York as an advertising executive, working on commercials for Wendy’s. The Grskovic’s are just the greatest, kindest people and absolutely amazing parents. We hit it off immediately and became friends on all levels!

In passing, I jokingly mentioned that I thought they would be a great story to showcase on HGTV. Their eyes lit up and the light bulb went off, they were immediately hooked on the idea! I set their expectations clear—that there was a lengthy approval process to get through. But, for the Grskovic’s the prospect of being able to show their friends and family their home search through a national setting was enough to lure them in. For me, I could just imagine my son being able to walk into school and tell people his Daddy was going to be on TV. It would be a lot of fun for both families.

But the truth is, for me, the bragging rights were really to showcase this part of the country and the dynamic, thriving community that exists here.

We first submitted our written applications, the standard stuff, who we were and what was special about this area of Westchester—that was pretty easy—it’s an area of the country like no other! It’s a hub, so-to-speak to commuters, with its proximity to NYC allowing residents the best location, in my opinion, in the country!

A few days later the video application came as a result of the networks interest: how would we be on camera? Do we have interesting personalities that are outgoing and captivating? Can we communicate our “story” on camera? You know, telling someone a story is one thing, but doing it with a camera pointed at you becomes a whole different story.

Low and behold, the production company loved the story, my clients and the Westchester community that I presented. They took the applications and video, pitched it to HGTV and, guess what, they loved it! We were in, and they told me that the film crew and producer were scheduled to fly out in three weeks to film!

As you can imagine: I was in shock. This was actually going to happen! WOW. I almost couldn’t hold in my happiness. I am sure there are many other people that were applying to be on the show, and the fact that myself and my clients were chosen was pretty humbling.

The first day of filming, I guided the crew to area locations that would really showcase the essence of what Bedford and the surrounding areas were all about: the Bedford Oak, downtown Katonah and some great equestrian properties along the BRLA. We showcased some really fantastic locations, even Richard Gere’s Restaurant in Bedford. It was interesting to see people’s reactions as the camera was rolling on sidewalks of downtowns and the director was explaining how to get the shots she was looking for.

I have great relationships with local business owners, as I grew up here in Mt. Kisco. I approached some owners with permission to film some aspects of the show at their locations, and everyone was so accommodating! We filmed all the homes we toured and some family interviews and introductions to my clients on location, as well as in different parts of town.

As an overall experience, I have to tell you, there is a lot of work that goes into filming on a professional level. The sound engineer always had to have the perfect sound levels, our wireless microphones needed to be positioned perfectly, the camera man was constantly adjusting his lens and camera settings, the perfect light was needed in every take and often moved around as we went about our business—there was a lot of moving parts. TV magic truly is magic.

Being part of such a successful show is an honor for me… the amazing factor or being able to tell people I was selected to be on national television is humbling and, truthfully, I would love to do it again.

On that note—is anyone looking to buy or sell a home in the area? Sorry, I had to get that in—I am, after all, a REALTOR!

Justin Pieragostini is a licensed REALTOR® in William Raveis’ Katonah, New York office. Justin believes that real estate is the biggest influence on our overall quality of life, and strives to make the home-buyer process a liberating and fun experience for his clients. Justin specializes in luxury rentals and seasonal properties as well as luxury homes and estates. You can follow Justin on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube.

The chart below is based on sales in Fairfield County, CT in 2012.  The chart includes data on 6,255 sales with market times of 300 days or fewer (about 95% of all sales).  The scattered dots represent the S/L ratios for the given number of days on market.  For example, properties with a market time of 75 days had an S/L ratio of 94%.

The black line curving from the lower left towards the upper right is the percentage of sales (% Sold) that took place in the corresponding number of Days on Market.  This tells us that almost half (46%) of listings sold in those first 75 days.

As the chart shows, properties that sell quickly generally sell close to asking price. Properties that are on the market longer tend to sell at lower S/L ratios on average.  Intuitively this makes sense because people who are motivated to sell will tend to price near the market and quickly get offers close to the list price.

Sales/List Ratio is a 7-day moving average

There are a couple of interesting things about this chart.  First, notice that the S/L ratio actually rises in the first 20 or so days.  This most likely represents situations where offer prices were bid up in the first few weeks and suggests that at least a few percent of listings went on the market underpriced.

After that, the S/L ratio drops quickly to 94% at 75 days (the red line), then flattens out and descends slowly from 94% to 92% between 75 and 300 days (the tan line).  That is, there was a sharp 6% drop in within 75 days and then a gradual 2% decline over the next 225 days.

One way to look at this is that almost half of sellers were priced close enough to the market to get offers within 75 days and were sufficiently motivated to accept up to a 6% discount from list. Other sellers had less urgency or less realistic expectations.  About 50% sold between 75 and 300 days.  (Keep in mind that these numbers only include listings that actually sold and not those that were taken off the market unsold.)

Could a seller in the 75 to 300 day group have sold faster by lowering their price more?  Consider that between 75 and 100 days, the average S/L ratio was 94.4% and between 275 and 300 days, it was 92.3%.  That’s a difference of about 2% over a span of 200 days or about 1% per 100 days.

It is fair to say that some unique properties might have to wait for the right buyer to come along and would not sell more quickly even at a sharp discount.  But the figures above suggest that  by lowering the list price by 1% below where it was at time of sale, a seller who took, say, 250 days to sell might have sold in 150 days (all other things being equal).

Of course, this is easy in hindsight.  When a house has been on the market for, say 100 days, the seller does not know if it’s going to sell next week or next year.  But for properties that have been on the market a while, the numbers suggest that being a little more aggressive on pricing could mean significantly less market time.

While the general patterns described here for Fairfield County are also present in other areas, the numbers vary by locality, price range and market conditions.  For numbers in your area, please drop me a line at PEvans@REsourceAnalytix.com.

Paul is CEO of REsource Analytix, which provides the charts and statistics on Raveis Local Housing Data and the Local Housing Newsletter.  He holds an MBA in Statistics and Operations Research from New York University and founded REsource after a successful career consulting and developing business intelligence applications for companies including UBS, Georgia-Pacific and Pfizer. 

Each year, in an effort to raise additional funds, the William Raveis Breast Cancer Committee hosts a golf tournament, with 100% of the net proceeds benefitting the William Raveis Charitable Fund, Inc. When an individual or business makes the decision to sponsor the tournament, they can be confident that their donation will go toward supporting important programs throughout the Northeast.

You can support the fund either by registering to play in the tournament, or by signing on as a sponsor. If you decide to play in the tournament, your $150 entry fee includes: 18 holes of golf with cart, complete access to practice greens and driving range, 2 drink tickets, BBQ lunch on course at The Triple Tee. Following the tournament, enjoy a reception with open bar.

There are also a number of sponsorship levels, and we would be happy to work with you to determine the best possible option for your business. Feel free to take a look at the attached flyer, which has the breakdown of this year’s sponsorship levels.

If you are interested in sponsoring the tournament, you can fill out the flyer below and return it to samantha.hamilton@raveis.com or simply register online to sponsor or play.

The 5th Annual William Raveis Breast Cancer Golf Tournament, at Mohegan Sun Country Club at Pautipaug, will commence on April, 25th at 10am, rain or shine without refund. 100% of the net proceeds will benefit the William Raveis Charitable Fund, Inc. The William Raveis Breast Cancer Research Fund is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Please contact wrbcf@raveis.com for a receipt and tax deduction information. Always consult your accountant when applying these deductions to your tax return.

Thank you for considering supporting the William Raveis Breast Cancer Research Fund!

Connecticut:

239 Collingwood Avenue, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Thomas Doonan

Views: 3242

Massachusetts:

415 Washington St, Brookline, MA

Listing agent: Cheryl Cotney

Views: 922

New York:

23 Smith St, Chappaqua, NY

Listing agent: Suzette Kraus

Views: 330

Rhode Island:

193 Hope St, East Side Of Prov, RI

Listing agent: Nelson Taylor

Views: 234

“Our business model is unique versus other companies we compete against in the Northeast,” said Mr. Raveis. “We are a privately held family business that has a strict focus on the success of our sales associates.  We empower them with cutting edge technology and marketing tools that allow them to be more skilled and effective in servicing their customers and clients.  The company has grown significantly by attracting the most talented experienced sales associates where we have opened new offices.”

William Raveis is now the largest independent brokerage in Massachusetts with 31 offices and over 700 agents and employees.

“As we expand our presence in to Yarmouth Port, our entire team is excited to begin providing superb customer service to home buyers and sellers on Cape Cod’s Northside,” said Wendy Beaulieu, vice president of William Raveis Cape Cod. “Our team understands Cape Cod’s unique real estate market, and is prepared to begin marketing homes throughout the Cape’s beautiful bayside and historic Rte. 6A.”

The Yarmouth Port office is supported by a team of experienced, highly-professional agents. The office opens its doors with 11 experience agents with a lifetime sales volume of over $350 million*. Included among this esteemed group of agents is Peggy Crampton, a 25-year veteran of the Cape Cod real estate market with a lifetime sales volume of over $106 million* and Mark Uppendahl an experienced Cape Cod realtor with over $64 million* in lifetime sales volume.

William Raveis is excited to see continued growth in Massachusetts, and is confident that the new Yarmouth Port office will be a successful addition to its local community.

*Source CCIAOR MLS

About William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance

William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance is one of the top companies in the nation. It was recently ranked in 2012 by sales volume in Real Trends^® Magazine as the #1 family-owned real estate company in the Northeast, the 3^rd largest family-owned company in the nation and the 8th largest real estate company in the USA.  The innovative firm is known as an “Award-Winning Team,” being nationally recognized as an industry leader in technology, marketing and REALTOR^® education.  Such recognition includes winning the coveted “Most Innovative Brokerage or Franchise” distinction and placing as a finalist for “Most Innovative Website or Web Service” at Inman News’ 2011 Innovator Awards, held in San Francisco, California. William Raveis’ award-winning website, raveis.com, draws more than 10 million visits annually and includes more than 300,000+ MLS listings in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.

For four consecutive years, William Raveis has been named as “The Best Real Estate Company” by the Commercial Record and was awarded the Banker & Tradesman’s Gold Medal Residential Brokerage award from 2008-2011. William Raveis was also named the #1 “Best Place to Work” in 2010 & 2012 by the prestigious Boston Business Journal.  The Boston Business Journal placed the firm as a finalist “Best Place to Work” in 2011.

The company entered the Massachusetts marketplace in 2003 and, according to the 2012 closed sales volume in the Multiple Listing Service Pin, is now the largest independent brokerage in that state with 31 offices.  The firm has 3,000 highly trained sales professionals and 85 company-owned and affiliate offices in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  For more information, visit raveis.com or blog.raveis.com.

For details, contact:

Samantha Hamilton

(203)225-2494

samantha.hamilton@raveis.com

Mortgage Loan Originators from William Raveis Mortgage, LLC who were recognized by this designation included: Michael DeRosa (NMLS 58223), Peter Fickeisen (NMLS 12344), Jack Greer (NMLS 12570), John P. Grosso (NMLS 12606), Mark Hawkins (NMLS 12401), Scott King (NMLS 41665), Frank Kolb (NMLS 81725), Betty Lauziere (NMLS 40923), Nancy Morgan (NMLS 53458), Jorge L. Rivera (NMLS 12303) and Andrew van Dyk (NMLS 23716).

“William Raveis Mortgage, LLC strives to provide the highest level of service and quality to our customers,” said Ryan Raveis, executive vice president of William Raveis Mortgage, LLC. “Having 11 out of 30 of our Mortgage Loan Originators achieve this type of ranking is indicative of their skills in these areas and our combined commitment to be the best mortgage company in the country.”

These officers were ranked among entries from mortgage professionals across the country.  To be eligible for initial consideration in Mortgage Executive Magazine’s rankings, originators must have had a total “personal” production of at least $30 million in 2012, and entries could not include loan volume of associate or junior Mortgage Loan Originators that earn a commission on the same loan files.

Mortgage Executive Magazine also recognized William Raveis Mortgage, LLC on their list of the Top 100 Mortgage Companies in America and Peter Fickeisen was recognized on their list of the Top 200 Mortgage Originators in America, both ranked by total mortgage volume in 2012.

Congratulations to all of our Mortgage Loan Originators for all your fabulous work!

William Raveis Mortgage, LLC is a full service equal housing lender and broker.

About William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance

William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance is one of the top companies in the nation. It was ranked in 2011 by sales volume in Real Trends 500^® Magazine as the #1 family-owned real estate company in the Northeast, the 3^rd largest family-owned and the 8th largest real estate company in the USA.  The innovative firm is known as an “Award-Winning Team,” being nationally recognized as an industry leader in technology, marketing and REALTOR^® education.  Such recognition includes winning the coveted “Most Innovative Brokerage or Franchise” distinction and placing as a finalist for “Most Innovative Website or Web Service” at Inman News’ 2011 Innovator Awards, held in San Francisco, California. William Raveis’ award-winning website, raveis.com, draws more than 10 million visits annually and includes more than 300,000+ MLS listings in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.

For four consecutive years, William Raveis has been named as “The Best Real Estate Company” by the Commercial Record and was awarded the Banker & Tradesman’s Gold Medal Residential Brokerage award from 2008-2011. William Raveis was also named the #1 “Best Place to Work” in 2010 & 2012 by the prestigious Boston Business Journal.  The Boston Business Journal placed the firm as a finalist “Best Place to Work” in 2011.

William Raveis Real Estate is a household name in its founding state, CT and is the #1 real estate company in world-renowned Fairfield County.  The company entered the Massachusetts marketplace in 2003 and, according to the 2010 closed sales volume in the Multiple Listing Service Pin, is now the largest independent brokerage in that state with 30 offices.  William Raveis recently expanded into New York and presently has offices in Rye, Harrison, Katonah, Chappaqua, Tarrytown and Briarcliff Manor in Westchester County and offices in Nyack, Rockland County. The firm has 3,000 highly trained sales professionals and over 85 company-owned and affiliate offices in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  For more information, visit raveis.com or blog.raveis.com.

For details, contact:

Samantha Hamilton

(203)225-2494

samantha.hamilton@raveis.com

Dr. Yun creates NAR’s forecasts and participates in many economic forecasting panels, including Blue Chip and the Harvard University Industrial Economist Council. He appears regularly on financial news outlets, is a frequent speaker at real estate conferences throughout the United States, and has testified before Congress. USA Today in 2008 listed him among the top 10 economic forecasters in the country and he has been named among the 100 Most Influential Real Estate Leaders by INMAN News.

Dr. Yun received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland at College Park.

At the William Raveis Convention, Dr. Yun plans to discuss the economic outlook of the real estate market in the Northeast, including:

• recent developments in the housing market (national and local)
• the direction of home prices in the next 12 to 24 months
• comparisons with past housing cycles
• shadow inventory and foreclosure impact
• economic backdrop
• forecast of economy and housing market

Dr. Yun will be speaking on Wednesday April 24, 2013 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the Uncas Ballroom.

You can follow the NAR on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

For more information on the William Raveis Convention, please visit http://www.raveis.com/convention and follow #RaveisConvention on Twitter.

Connecticut:

3297 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Al Filippone Associates – Fairfield

Views: 3170

Massachusetts:

181 Teaticket Pa, Falmouth, MA

Listing agent: Beverly Tilden

Views: 807

New York:

137 Charter Cir, Ossining, NY

Listing agent: Cherie Frechette

Views: 443

Rhode Island:

193 Hope St, East Side Of Prov, RI

Listing agent: Nelson Taylor

Views: 261

Prior to her career in social media marketing, Kathryn was a top Wall Street sales executive, responsible for over $100 million in sales per year. She used her collaboration skills to partner with salespeople from other companies to form a lucrative referral network. A sought-after social media and relationship marketing speaker and trainer, Kathryn is also the CEO of the Social Buzz Club, the world’s first online marketing collaboration network. She is the author of six books on social media marketing: The Step by Step Guides to: Twitter, Facebook, SEO/Video Marketing and Linkedin for Business and The Parent’s and Teens Guides to Facebook as well as co-author of the best-selling book Solving the Social Media Puzzle: 7 Simple Steps to Planning a Social Media Marketing Strategy for Your Business and her newest, Return on Relationship with co-author Ted Rubin.

At the William Raveis Convention, Kathryn plans to discuss how to ensure your social media strategy will succeed, with a focus on planning as a key element. Kathryn will go over :

• the seven steps you must take to plan a winning strategy
• the top ways REALTORS are using social media
• practical tips for using top social networks to reach your target audience
• time saving tips and tricks

Kathryn will be speaking on Wednesday April 24, 2013 from 2:40 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. in the Passamaquoddy Room.

For more information on Kathryn on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and on her blog.

For more information on the William Raveis Convention, please visit http://www.raveis.com/convention and follow #RaveisConvention on Twitter.

Frequently Used Lending Terms

Pre-approval

A pre-approval is paperwork written by a lender indicating the price and type of loan that a buyer may obtain given their monthly income, debt, and credit score. This is different from a pre-qualification, which offers simply an “unconfirmed” estimate. Full approval is typically issued after a buyer is under agreement for a particular property.

Home Loan Commitment

After a buyer is under contract for a property, a home loan provider reviews the financial paperwork and the information on the real estate. A mortgage commitment is later granted to verify that the primary requirements have been successfully reviewed and that the loan will be fully approved upon receipt of a few final items.

Appraised Value

An appraisal is ordered by a home loan provider to verify the purchase price of a property. It is completed prior to a mortgage commitment or approval.

Closing Terms

Closing Costs

There are several typical fees related to buying and selling a property. These are referenced as closing costs. They can include broker commissions, transfer taxes, loan charges, attorney fees, title insurance, and local recording fees. Pre-paid expenses such as home owners insurance are often also lumped into the closing cost category, but they are officially a different type of charge billed at closing.

Title Insurance

Title insurance protects against problems with a title and the fees associated with defending your ownership. Although title searches are performed before a closing, there are defects that affect your title to a property that are not easily found in a title search. Title insurance is a one-time expense at closing that remains valid for the entire time that you remain the owner of a piece of real estate.

Mortgage Insurance (MI)

MI is an acronym for mortgage insurance and is typically required on mortgages higher than 80% of the purchase price. There is commonly an up-front charge and a recurring fee, both based on the starting loan amount. MI stays on a loan until it is paid down to 80% of the sale price.

This is a guest blog post from Bill Tierney, an internet savvy REALTOR who covers the South Shore real estate market for William Raveis Real Estate in their Scituate, MA office. Bill can be reached via email at William.Tierney@Raveis.com or by phone at 781-545-1533. Bill has been a licensed real estate agent since 2004 and has extensive experience.

The maven of all things home-inspired, Martha Stewart has a lot of tips and  tricks for getting your home prepared for spring. Her room-by-room breakdown makes the entire process seem easy. Would you ever think that dusting the coils under your refrigerator would be necessary? Or that you need to wash your pillows? Martha explains the entire process to you.

Now, if you find Martha’s (very) extensive list a little daunting, simple things like donating clothes you no longer wear can make a huge impact in your home. For an easy way to make decisions on clothing, use this neat hanger trick. Start by turning all of your hangers around so that they hang the opposite way. Then, as you wear an item, turn the hanger back the right way. This will let you quickly see what you do and do not wear, making your decisions much easier.

Once your closet has had a makeover, spring also gives you a great opportunity to make sure your home is safe and healthy. Change your smoke detector batteries, replace air filters and check your medicine cabinet for expired medications.

Are you ready for spring? Let us know your best tips and tricks for cleaning up your home once warmer weather hits.

Connecticut:

3297 Congress Street, Fairfield, CT

Listing agent: Al Filippone Associates – Fairfield

Views: 3650

Massachusetts:

51 Tobey Ln, Falmouth, MA

Listing agent: Rick Generazio

Views: 1455

New York:

4 Lalli Dr, Katonah, NY

Listing agent: Hope Mazzola

Views: 477

Rhode Island:

19 Bedlow Av, Newport, RI

Listing agent: Lou Upham

Views: 371