Stacey-Ann's Blog

My husband and I are purchasing a new home that should be ready at the end of June.  I have heard mixed comments about the necessity of a home inspection when working with new construction.  My gut feeling is that it can't hurt because there could be shoddy construction practices taking place.  However, I have heard people say that it is a waste of money.  I was curious what your opinions were about this.  Also, would you do it pre-settlement or would you do it sometime in the first year before the warranties expire?

Oakcreek Club, Prince George's County new luxury home development has made significant strides this year.  When I first visited Oakcreek Club last May I was immediately impressed by the planned amenities.  However, they were little more than plans and promises at that point.  Currently, the championship golf course is completed and open to members and the community's gates and welcoming fountain are fully operational.  There are additional planned amenities including a club house, swim and tennis facilities, park areas, and a shuttle to the Metro.

Oakcreek Club boasts many different builders and many housing styles to suit just about every buyer.  Available are luxury townhomes, carriage homes, modest single family homes, and estate homes.  Many of the builders are offering great prices and incentives to purchase within Oakcreek Club and there are many immediate or quick delivery models available.  Because of the variety of available floor plans, Oakcreek Club is perfect for the first-time or down sizing buyer to the buyer moving up to a grander home, as well as many options in between.

If you are interested in purchasing a home in Oakcreek Club I would be happy to help navigate the process of choosing the perfect builder and the perfect floor plan for you.  I also have information on the quick delivery homes available.

If Oakcreek Club is not the right fit for you I would be happy to help navigate the many wonderful new home options available in Prince George's County. 

 Please do not hesitate to contact me for help with all of your real estate needs. 

I mentioned in an earlier post that I am selling my own home.  It's given me a clear vantage point for how rude some realtors can be. 

• We've had realtors make appointments to show early on a weekend morning.  We've gotten up early and left with the children, drove around for 2 hours only to come back and see no business card.  My husband and I were left in limbo - did they come or not.  When I followed up with the realtor he said "Didn't see we ran out of time."  -  At 10am?

• Many realtors don't leave their cards so were are not sure who has been through our home.

• Yesterday (Memorial Day) someone rang the doorbell and told my husband she was a realtor and she wanted to show our home.  He asked her to give him 2 minutes.  He said he ran upstairs to grab the kids and to make sure they had not made a huge mess when they were playing.  When he came back down he opened the door to see the woman driving away.  When he called her she said "Maybe we'll try to stop back."  Needless to say he was furious!!

• Many realtors don't give feedback on the property.  I have an email feedback service and I got feedback the other day that said "Absolutely uninterested".  Now it was my turn to be furious.  I don't mind if your buyers aren't interested in my home, however, as a professional courtesy you can provide some feedback about condition, price, etc. 

• Less than 25% of the realtors who have been through my home have responded to the email feedback requests that they receive from me.  I feel that it is an important part of my job to provide useful feedback to a listing agent when it is requested.

2 bedroom 2 bathroom top floor condo for sale in sought after gated community in Prince George's County.

Features include large floorplan, updated appliances, washer and dryer in unit, balcony.  The condo community boasts a secure, gated entrance, community pool, tot lots and more.

Low condo fee includes all utilities!!!

Location is convenient to Prince Georges Community College, restaurants, shopping, metro, and the highway.

This condo is offered at $189,900.

If you are interested in this or any other home for sale in Maryland call me - I can help.

Beautiful single family home for sale in desirable Oatland Farm community. 

• Feature include 4 bedroom, 3.5 bathrooms, updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances, family room with gas fireplace, new custom deck, moulding, shutters. 
• Lower level features a fully finished basement with  a media room. 
• Upper level features 4 bedrooms, large master suite with double walk in closets and a luxury bathroom. 
• The house has a 2 car garage, brick front construction, and a new custom deck, all on 1/3 acre of land. 
• The price has recently been reduced and it is offered for $669,900.   (Estimated taxes in the first full fiscal year of ownership are $7215.75).

If you are interested in this or any other home in Maryland please give me a call - I can help.

As a new agent I have found it difficult to generate business.  I was planning to prospect expireds but have found keeping up with the mailings daunting.  I was wondering if anyone knew of expired tracking software that would make it easier to keep up with which address got which mailing, etc.  Also, I was wondering do people find that this type of prospecting is worthwhile or is there too much competition?  Are there any good suggestions for how to make this type of prospecting pay off?

Its been a tough few weeks trying to sell my own home.  The realtor in me says lower the price, the seller in me cringes at the thought of a precipitous price drop.  As difficult as it has been, its been a good lesson for me.  As realtors we are about the business of selling real-estate, then why is this one different - because this time its personal.  I am no different from every other seller who is actively engaged in the home sale process and attached to my home.  Every time someone comes through and doesn't make an offer it feels like a personal attack on my home and my sense of style (irrational, I know)!

The home sale process is fraught with stress.  Even in my own case where the move is an exciting one to be closer to our family to a new home that we love, there is still considerable anxiety - what if we don't like the new neighbors, what to do about childcare, will it be too long to get to work, what if we have to pay two mrtgages, etc.  Imagine the stress that comes when the sale is prompted by less than pleasurable circumstances, divorce, job loss, death, inability to make payments.  As realtors it is important for us to be mindful of the emotional and personal reasons that are involved in the home-owner's decision to sell and to be able to respond to these clients as people first.  The best realtors are the ones who people begin to see as friends.  A home-owner is much more likely to take suggestions and directions from us if they truly believe we are on their side.     

Although these weeks have been difficult i've truly been able to understand what its like to live with your house for sale - always having to be extra neat, people coming by at all times of the day, having to pack up the entire family and leave at a moment's notice.  I won't pretend that I am happy it turned out this way, I would have much preferred the house selling the minute we put it on the market.  But since, it hasn't worked out that way, at least its given me a sensitivity to seller's issues and an ability to relate to them in a way that was impossible before. 

So now seller me has to take realtor me's advice, lower the price and cross my fingers.