Brigita's Blog

This is important!  Please pass this along to others!

We have a little less than three weeks and counting to get the word out all across this great land and into every community in the United States of America.  

 THE PROGRAM:

On Friday, September 11th, 2009, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States.

Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this eighth anniversary of one of our country's worst tragedies.  We do this to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends, and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.

In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism.  Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared.  Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity.  Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.

Action Plan:

So, here's what we need you to do:

 (1) Inform everyone you know.  Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.

 (2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11.  Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.

Remember:  UNITED WE STAND!! 

Thank you for your participation. 

God Bless You and God Bless America!

What makes a good real estate agent?

A good real estate professional has several main roles. 

A real estate professional will:

1-   Educate their clients about the market and about the buying/selling process.  The client will be informed of every step in the process.

2-  Analyze the clients wants and needs to better be able to find the right home for their buyers in a short amount of time.

3-  Have great listening skills.  It is so important that the agent listens to their clients to be able to help them in their particular situation.

4-  Only show homes that fit the buyers criteria.  This will prevent loss of valuable time of showing homes that are not right for the buyer.

5-  Abide by a strict code of ethics and standards of practice.  When representing a buyer, seller, landlord, tenant, or other client as an agent, REALTORS pledge themselves to protect and promote the interests of their clients.  This obligation to the client is primary, but it does not relieve REALTORS of their obligation to treat all parties honestly.  When serving a buyer, seller, lnadlord, tenant or other party in a non-agency capacity, REALTORS remain obligated to treat ALL parties honestly.

6-  Put their clients first, their paychecks second.

7-  Co-ordinate the work of other needed professionals.

8-  Negotiate on your behalf.  Once a buyers agency contract or a listing agreement is signed, the agent looks out for thier clients best interests.

9-  Check and double-check paperwork and deadlines.  Time is of the essence and therefore all details must be checked and rechecked.

10- Solve any problems that may arise.  A real estate professional will make sure the transaction will go as smoothly as possible.

There are other minor roles that a real estate professional has, but these are the main ones and, I think, very important ones.

Here is a great post written by Alan May suggesting 6 reasons why your home may not be selling. 

It is an excellent post explaining why a home may not possibly sell.

Read on:

Are real estate agents becoming tour guides of the real estate profession?

I have spoken to several real estate agents working with buyers and I am finding out that their buyers have been looking for homes for several years.  Yes, you heard right!  Several years.  The agents have shown about 40-50 properties to their buyers and still have not found their dream home. 

I don't understand.  With so much inventory on the market, aren't the buyers able to find a suitable home?  Or, is it the fact that the buyers are not motivated enough?  That they are just being nosey and want to see what is out there?

When we show them that many homes, we are just using up our energy, time and losing money.  Is it really worth it?

Don't get me wrong.  All clients and consumers are important, but we owe it to them not to spend a lot of their time, and ours, showing homes that are not even close to what they are searching for.  It's like when you go into the grocery store into, let's say, the cereal aisle.  With such a large selection, it is difficult to make a decision.  The same holds true when buying a home.

Before taking a buyer out, find out what their exact criteria are.  How many bedrooms and baths do they want?  Do they want a garage?  How large of a property would suit them?  Are they interested in newer homes or older homes?  Why are they searching for a home?

These are all important factors that we need to find out before taking the buyers out to view homes.  And only send them listings that closely fit their criteria. 

So, the next time you have a buyer, see if you can find out exactly what kind of home and property they are searching for.  It will be a lot less frustrating for the both of you. 

Horse farm for sale in the Nazareth Area School District in Pennsylvania.

1497 Clearfield Rd., Bushkill Township, Pennsylvania  18091

Searching for a quiet and secluded place for you and horses, yet close to shopping and major routes?  Then this property is just for you! 

The home has 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, an large eat-in kitchen, full basement, an extra room for either an office or a sitting room, and a closed in porch.

This level property, located in the Nazareth Area School District in Pennsylvania, is ideal for horses.  The 15+ acres are partially wooded with a pond and has several meadows, which can be fenced in for pasture or left as hay fields.

The barns can be easily converted to house horses and equipment.

The property is located near state gamelands and close to Jacobsburg State Park and horse trails.

Relax after a hard day watching and listening to the wildlife right outside you door.  The property may be placed in Act 319.

Some of the outbuildings need some TLC.  Property has lots of potential and is being sold AS IS.

Listing Price: $420,000

Brigita McKelvie, REALTOR, e-PRO, GRI
Residential, Rural and Horse Properties
Keller Williams Real Estate, Bethlehem, PA
Office: 610-867-8888    Direct: 610-393-9424
E-mail: brigita@brigitamklv.com
Web: http://www.RuralAndHorseProperties.com

Timothy Geithner, the current United States Secretary of the Treasury, has placed his home on the market and it's not selling.  Why?  Price!  It is not priced to sell in today's market. 

Click here to see the video.

Watch this hilarious clip of how NOT to sell a home.

And this is from the man with a large role in directing the Federal Government's economic response to the financial crisis! 

Unbelievable!!...

You'll get a kick out of some of these horse laws.  And these are ALL true!

Marshalltown, Iowa - Horses cannot eat fire hydrants.  (I'd imagine them to be a bit tough.)

Rasario, Argentina -  Horses are required to wear hats in hot weather.

Great Britain -  It is against the law for an Englishman to sell a horse to someone from Scotland.

Washington, D.C. - Fishing is not allowed from horseback.

Rhinelander, Wisconsin -  A horseman riding while intoxicated must be given a "large dose of castor oil" by his wife.

Tranquility, New Jersey - A person cannot distribute handbills while on horseback as a means of advertising for a wife.

Hortonville, NY - The rider of any horse involved in an accident resulting in death shall immediately dismount and give his name and address to the person killed.  (Now that's quite a challenge!)

Paradise, California - It is illegal to let a horse sleep in a bakery within the city limits of the community.

Southerland, Iowa - In the evening, horses must always have a light attached to their tails and a horn on their heads.  (I wonder if this horn replaces the horn on a Western saddle.  LOL)

Boone, North Carolina - No man is allowed to ride his horse "in a violent manner".

Clearbrook, Minnesota - Female riders can wear heels measuring no more than 1 1/2 inches in length.

Upperville, Virginia - Married women cannot ride a horse down the street while wearing "body hugging clothing".  A $2 fine will be imposed on any female rider who wears "clothing that clings to her body".  (I wonder if that includes riding breeches.)

Corvallis, Oregon - An attorney can be barred from practicing law if he refuses to accept a horse in lieu of legal fees.

McAllen, Texas - Citizens are outlawed from taking pictures of horses on the Sabbath.  Any person who "disturbs" or "otherwise antagonizes a horse" in this manner will be subject to a fine of at least $1.50 and can be jailed for as much as "3 full days and nights".

Here are some strange but true random facts about horses that you will enjoy learning.

Read on:

Adult male horses generally have 40 to 42 teeth while the females only have 36 to 38.

Horses do not have collarbones.  Their front limbs are directly attached to the spinal column by muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Horses like classical music.

Human hair and fingernails are made up of the same protein as horse hooves.

Social animals, horses can become friends both within their own species and with humans.  Without companionship and exercise, the develop "stable vices" including wood chewing and wall kicking.

Horses sleep better in groups because they know the others will help watch out for predators.

People with disabilities ride horses to strengthen muscles while instinctively balancing.  (This is why the handicapped riding programs are such a success.)

Leather from horsehide is used to make jackets, baseballs, gloves and boots.

Horsehide can also be used in producing glue.

Saddling and mounting a horse from its left side is often thought to have originated when right-handed soldiers carried their sword on their left hip.  During war, it was easier to step into the saddle with their left foot and throw their right leg over the horse.

In Chinese culture, people born in "the year of the horse" are considered free-spirited, independent, and smart.  (Gee, that sounds like me.  I was born in the "year of the horse".  Maybe that is why I love horses, too.)

A horse that weighs 1,200 pounds can eat 7 times its own weight in food every year.  (That's why horses are not cheap to keep.)

The nearest horse relative are the rhinoceros and the tapir.