Is your nest Empty- Empty Nesters:

Real Estate 411 -Empty Nesters: Now What? Our lives are a series of changes, many that we initiate and many that are out of our control. We reinvent ourselves, our children grow up and leave home, we get divorced or struggle through personal loss of a loved one. Whatever it may be, we find ourselves with choices. One of those choices is where to live and HOW to live. Possibilities for Empty Nesters For many people, being an "EMPTY NESTER" offers seemingly unlimited possibilities. Some of the most popular choices include: Move to the mountains, lake or ocean to enjoy resort-style living: This is a great option for the over 65 crowd, or for those who are ready and willing to pull up your roots and relocate to a more desireable area to live and play! Pay off your mortgage and stay put: You may be perfectly happy as an empty nester and ready to settle into the peace and quiet of your home. Consider planting that garden you have always wanted or build a workshop for your hobby. Who knows there may be a new business in the making! Downsizing: Selling a large house and opting to move into a smaller house, apartment, condo or retirement housing is often a good decision, especially if the mortgage on your existing house is paid off.  Going into business: If you have a large house (or the money to invest in one) and a flair for hospitality, you may wish to consider running a bed-and-breakfast out of your home. This can be a great source of income, particularly if you live in a touristy or urban area, or near a college - these areas have lots of travelers arriving at various times during the year.  Hosting an exchange student: Providing a temporary home for a foreign-exchange student can be a rewarding experience. Empty nesters who miss having children and teenagers around often enjoy having a young person in the house again, and they get the opportunity to learn about other cultures from the students they host. The Emotional Factor Transitioning from an active household to an empty nester can be an emotionally troubling time. Some people lose their sense of purpose when their children leave home or when they find themselves alone from divorce or death. Others are reluctant to sell the house in which they watched their children grow up and where so many memories have been made. But staying in a house that's too big for your needs can create an unnecessary tax burden. It's always better, from a strict financial standpoint, to downsize or use your larger home to generate income. But take the time to make sure it's the best decision for you emotionally. Real Estate Diversity offers Options Whether you are living in Dallas Fort Worth, Austin, Portland, San Diego or Boston, the diversity in real estate offers generous opportunities for the empty nester. Finding the type of home that fits your needs is key. Here's our list of options that match the statement for your lifestyle choice. What would you choose? Luxury, downtown or historic lofts - I like open space and want to be around people and the buzz of activity. I am an artist and want lots of open space and light. Luxury high-rise - I want something with a fabulous view of the city and concierge services. Townhomes and condominiums - I like living around a lot of people but I'm done with yard work! Mixed-use Development living - I want to be close to shopping and food, no more commuting for me! Suburban homes - The kids and grandkids are around the corner and I want to stay active in the grandkids school activities. Luxury homes -  I have worked hard to get to my position and with the money I have saved and earned from my investments, I intend to live in style! Farm and Ranch - I hate traffic and the city, I want land and space to breathe and enjoy the peace and quiet. Mobile and modular homes - I am on a limited income now and just need to get into something that will be easy on my pocketbook. Lake homes - I'm ready to retire and fish and play! Duplexes - It would be nice to have rental income to help on my house payment. Garden/zero lot homes - I want a real house but since the kids are gone, I don't need a big yard, besides, I hate to do yard work! Vacation homes - I need a small place I can escape to but don't want to give up my home and all it's memories. Gated communities - I want a place to feel safe and secure. Remember, when you decide to make a move, don't do it alone. Contact a real estate professional that will be there for you every step of the way! Call if you need any help at all Deric lipski 508 326 5320

Hurricane Irene Help

Dear Friends: The strongest storm to hit the east coast in decades is upon us.  Please be prepared. Experts are calling this storm an "Extraordinary Threat for New England" becasue Massachusetts is 190 miles wide and this storm is 430 miles wide.  No matter where you are in New England this storm will effect you.  We’ve complied these tips from government websites to help you and your family be prepared for the storm. Have an emergency kit which should include: non-perishable food, medicine, water, flashlights, battery powered radio and batteries. Make a family plan to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency. Make sure you have adequate pet food and supplies for your animals. If you have to evacuate - take your pets with you.  There are many pet friendly shelters and hotels out there. Now is the time to plan. Develop a Disaster Supply Kit ‘Go Bag’, with essentials in case you must evacuate quickly. If you are asked to evacuate – Evacuate! You should also: Cover your home’s windows with pre-cut plywood to protect your windows from high winds. Bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down. Keep all trees and shrubs well trimmed so they are more wind resistant. Turn off utilities as instructed.  Otherwise, turn the refrigerator thermostat to its coldest setting and keep its door closed. Turn off propane tanks. Reinforce your garage doors; if wind enters a garage, it can cause dangerous and expensive structural damage. Ensure a supply of water for sanitary purposes such as cleaning and flushing toilets.  Fill the bathtub and other large containers with water. Find out how to keep food safe during and after and emergency by visitingwww.FoodSafety.gov.          If you need us for anything please call.  We can help you if your basement gets flooded, your windows get blown out or if you need roof or gutter repairs we have vendors that can help in any area of your home. You will be able to phone or text us at 508 238-5000 or 508 326-5320 Please pass this email on to your family and friends. Be Prepared & Stay Safe my friend

Important Websites:  www.weather.com  www.erh.noaa.gov/box/  (Taunton National Weather Service)  www.mass.gov

 

 

Hurricane Irene

I am writing this to you at 830 am.. Friday August 26, 2011. Here is the latest up to date information and recommendations regarding hurricane Irene..

. Here are the following recommendations:

1. All outside furniture stowed away, removed from all decks. Anything that can blow off your deck secure and or stowed inside.

2. All items that are in the garage and around the property on the ground level, get up off the ground and put up high.

3. If you have a boat, get it out of the water today. All public boat ramps are open, free and accessible.

5. Make sure all your insurance is up to date, and bring all the documents with you so that you have them in a safe place. McMahon and Heist Ins. Agencies also have information on their websites.

4. Take pictures of the inside and outside of your property and all personal property. Use a digital camera with a date on it.

6. if property typically doesn’t get water at high tides and storms, act as though it does and get everything up off the ground.

 If there is any further updates I will send another email. Also will be sending a voice broadcast to you as well.

Be Safe,

Deric

Skydiving with Deric Lipski and Boston Skydive Center

Deric Notes _ Market Confusion

I have suggested in my last few posts that there is so much information available about statistics and trends in Real Estate that we should be clearer on where the market is going than ever. I have also stated this is not the case because for every story with something positive (foreclosures at lowest numbers in 4 years, prices up in May and June), there is an equal negative (unemployment unexpectedly higher, closings off 30% from 2010). Because Real Estate is about numbers, and numbers can be easily manipulated, I like to share what I know is happening right now in Mass. and what I think we will continue to see for the next few years. Hopefully this explanation will eliminate confusion for buyers and sellers alike so that they can buy or sell with confidence. Or at least I hope it does. I call it the "20-60-20" rule of Real Estate, and understanding which group the home you are thinking of buying or selling falls in, explains a lot.
20% of the homes still sell quickly and for top dollar. Buyers especially know this because buyers looking to buy a high quality home in a good location for a fair price can all tell you about bidding wars and homes selling with the seller requiring that the appraisal contingency being removed because all of the comparables in the area have sold for less. These are homes that are clearly better than the competition due to upgrades, lot size, view, location or all of the above. For example, I recently sold a gorgeous home in Saugus for $910,000 with all of the above features. There really was nothing "comparable" and homes of this square footage typically sell in the $700,000's. Yet there were 4 offers and a very happy buyer and seller. Last week in Easton we had 2 offers on a remodeled 2200 square foot home that sold for $25,000 over the asking price. Both buyers removed the appraisal contingency and agreed to other seller contingencies. Why? Because they were smart enough to know that quality is tough to find and there are always buyers for quality. With all of the negative out there it is important to know that this is happening and will continue to happen. These homes, and many others, represent the 20% of the market that sells QUICKLY and for TOP DOLLAR.
60% of the Homes still sell but they take LONGER than ever and price and marketing are critical. This 60% is where a lot of the confusion comes in. There are currently about alot of homes for sale in Mass. Yet many of these homes will take months and months to sell for 2 reasons. First, buyers are very picky and if a home is just "ok" they will look but often not offer. Second, a majority of homes in this category are short sales. Meaning they can take months and months and months just to get an answer and often the answer is "no". They may get an offer in the first month, but by the time the bank answers with price and terms it will accept, that buyer is gone. Then the agent has to start all over, sometimes with a "pre-approved price" that may no longer be such a good deal. Every agent that handles short sales has been frustrated by banks taking forever to get their valuations and approvals done, only to have to re-market the property in a market that has changed. My record is 13 months for a fixer upper in milton, that when we started was a $350,000 house and when we finished was $305,000. All of this is because the bank simply could not respond in a timely manner. The other part of the 60% is "regular sales" that are nice enough homes but are not priced or marketed aggressively and in this market, those sellers have to wait...and wait...and wait, until there isn't much they compete against and a buyer wants what they have. This happened recently in Westwood where there were a dozen properties for sale in late 2010 that were slowly absorbed and not replaced by new listings. In May, two properties that had been for sale for over 10 months finally sold because the buyers wanted Westwood and there wasn't anything else to choose from. So, 60% of the homes will either be "take forever" short sales or "just ok" regular sales that will sell but NOT quickly and NOT for top dollar.
20% - Uh, oh! Can you imagine what these must be? These are properties that unless they are priced well UNDER market, they just don't move. There are over 100 homes for sale right now in Brockton that have been on the market for over 2 years. This may get worse, especially in the condo market as many complexes have lost their FHA approvals and FHA buyers represent 75% of all condo buyers. Losing the majority of our buyers means watch out for prices here. This 20% can also be unique properties in terms of floor plan or location. I am thinking of a fixer in Sharon that has a nice view and property, but access and floor plan are not for everyone. It has been on the market over 600 days. Want to sell it? REDUCE the price! I am also thinking of dozens of short sales that you can only "drive by". You can't actually show it and the agent and/or the seller are pulling who knows what kind of shenanigans to hold onto the property and avoid foreclosure. These properties are "listed" but they aren't really "for sale." They ultimately sell and often for a below market price but how many buyers want to deal with uncertainty for over a year? Not many.
So you can see why buyers and sellers are more confused than ever. I have had new buyers basically not really believe me when we tell them that a property will go quickly (it's in the top 20%), and then they see it with their own eyes and don't make that mistake again. I have had sellers that want to be a "little high" or not reduce after 30 showings and no offers. They are in the 60% that 5-7 months may be how long it takes. Sadly, I have had sellers call me, frustrated with their agent because they have been on the market over 6 months with few showings. The agent didn't tell them what they needed to do to no longer be in the bottom 20%. Unless they price it well under market, condition will have to be addressed, buyers are too picky. Knowing which category your home is in can really help you know what to expect in a market that will likely stay this way for a while!
Here are some people that did sell recently and happy just isnt a strong enough word http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?p=1F03A0A8E0A558D9

Deric Lipski vs a Really tough Expired Listing Cold Call LIVE!!!