Brigita's Blog: March 2009

As spring and the nicer weather approaches, more and more open houses will be held. 

An open house can be a great sales tool, but it also exposes you to numerous unfamiliar people for the first time.  Here are some guidelines to help you stay safe:

• Ask the local police department to have a squad car drive by during your open-house hours.
• Make sure your cell phone's battery is fully charged and check your cell phone's strength and signal prior to the open house.  Have emergency numbers programmed on speed dial.
• Inform your relatives, friends and brokers (if you are an agent) when and where you will be holding the open house.  They may be able to stop by to check on you.
• If possible, have a relative, another agent, friend or any person you know stay with you during the open house.  There is safety in numbers.
• Determine several "escape" routes that you can use in case of an emergency.  Make sure all deadbolt locks are unlocked to facilitate a faster escape.
• Turn on the lights and open the curtains.  These are not only sound safety procedures, but also great marketing tactics.
• Make sure that if you were to escape by the back door, you could escape from the backyard. Frequently, high fences surround yards that contain swimming pools or hot tubs.
• When prospective buyers begin to arrive, jot down their car descriptions, license numbers and physical descriptions.
• When showing the house, always walk behind the prospect.  Direct them; don't lead them.  Say, for example, "The kitchen is on your left," and gesture for them to go ahead of you.
• Notify a friend or a relative that you will be calling in every hour on the hour.  And if you don't call, they are to notify the police immediately.
• Inform a neighbor that you will be showing the house and ask if he or she would keep an eye and ear open for anything out of the ordinary.

These guidelines pertain not only to real estate agents , but also to For Sale By Owner open houses.  It is always better to err on the side of caution. 

A few months ago I was contacted by a consumer looking for a rental home in the Nazareth Area School District.  I received her criteria and we set out looking for a home for her and her family to rent.

After checking out a few homes, we finally came across a home that she was interested in and proceeded to put in an offer.  She already had all her information that she needed, such as credit check, pre-approval letter, etc.  Her credit score was fantastic so I saw no problems.  Everything seemed to be in order.

Once the offer was accepted, the porperty management wanted to do a credit check.  She did not want to have one done because there had been an identity theft and she had to change all of her records.  The property management company insisted, so she gave in and supplied her information. 

The property management company came back and denied her application.  Some of the information that was given did not match.  I informed my client and she told me that some of the info she had supplied was given in a rush and therefore it was wrong.  She gave me new info and we passed it on to the property management. 

This time the property management found that she was renting a local home and called the landlord.  The landlord had nothing favorable to say about her. 

When my client was confronted with the info, she claimed that she lived in New Jersey with her mother and had no address locally.  We then asked for her driver's license and even the last name on the driver's license did not match. 

Long story short, she was very angry about being rejected after having explained everything to us about the identity theft.  I received a dissatisfied e-mail from her and never heard from her again.

Now, I don't do rentals very often, so this was different experience for me.  Since she had all the paperwork in hand (and it looked legitimate) I didn't think twice about it.  Goes to show that double checking never hurts, even if it looks like all the documents are in order.

The question is:  Was this really identity theft and fraud?

What will an old resident's fate be?  Nazareth council will decide tonight

From reading the title, I'm sure I have your attention and perked your curiosity.

Who is this old resident of Nazareth who's fate will be decided tonight? 

This resident has resided at the same place in Nazareth for 107 years and has seen many visitors over the years.  This resident is an old beech tree located in the town's circle.

The tree is dying a slow death and the town will decide if it needs to be put out of it's misery.

Many initials are found inscribed in the trunk of this tree over the years.  This contributed to it's slow death.  When initials are carved into the trunk it is like a wound on a human.  If it is not taken care of right away, infection and parasites invade and start eating away at it.

A few years ago, efforts were made to try and extend the life of this tree, but it doesn't seem to be working.   

What will happen to this historic tree in the circle?  We'll find out tonight.

Update 3/6/09:  The fate of the old resident was decided.  It was voted 7 - 1 to put it out of it's misery.  Many residents were upset with the outcome.  They stated that the tree provided lots of shade for many over the summer months.  The council decided that it was a hazard with falling branches.  Therefore, it will be cut down in the near future.

Some residents came up with the idea to make a bench or a picnic table out of it and place in the circle, where it resided, so it can still be enjoyed by many.

Here is a daily inspirational thought for all to remember. 

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.  So, love the people who treat you right.  Love the ones who don't, just because you can.  

Believe everything happens for a reason.  

If  you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. 

If it changes your life, let it.  

Kiss slowly. Forgive quickly. 

God never said life would be easy.  He just promised it would be worth it.