Sue Paige

Buyers have much to choose from and the offers are being made. There are several things a buyer can do to help them know if the property they are making an offer on is the one they will get.

Make sure to know exactly what you can afford. Even though you might be pre qualified for a certain amount, you need to consider your monthly costs beyond those that are set on a regular basis. Gas for your vehicles, food, heating fuel, medical costs, auto maintenance, etc. You don't want to get in over your head. Remember the home which is a short sale or bank owned might be at a lower purchase price, but the taxes per year aren't. Can you afford that property in the long run?

When you are searching for that Realtor to find the property you know you want, make sure he/she hears what you are asking for. Let your Realtor know that is the person you want to work with and have a buyers' agreement between you both. This way the Realtor is to give you full fiduciary duty, help you make the right decisions for you, get you through the process from search to closing in the least amount of stress as can be done. Your Realtor is your reference point.

Remember due to fair housing, your Realtor can't give you information on the surrounding neighborhood, school systems, or public safety issues. That is the buyer's responsibility. Most of the answers the buyers are searching for can be found on the internet.

When searching for that home know what is the minimum you wish to own. It might mean a three car garage, four bedrooms, family room, finished basement, perennials gardens, water view, water frontage, etc. The inventory for what is for sale is enough to be able to locate that special place. If, however, you find your qualification for a loan doesn't meet the amount needed for what you are looking for the where can you compromise? Remember the more parameters you place on what you are looking for narrows the search down. That might sound bad, but think of it as not spending time looking at homes that won't work out for you. It might take longer to find that right place but it can happen.

When you find that right place then it's time for the offer. It is important to give the seller the message that you are serious and ready to buy. Counter offers can take place, but don't abuse the option by starting way low, hoping the seller will continue countering. They just might not and then you loose the property you chose. Let your realtor do a market analysis to know what is a sound offer.

Once the offer has been accepted then the work between the selling broker and the buyer's broker starts. It's important to have a Realtor who is a full service broker who can make sure the different tasks needed to be fulfilled prior to a closing are taken care of in a timely manner. There will be a lot of communication taking place. You want to be kept abreast of all that is going on. Remember, this is your purchase!

When it comes time to go to the closing table your realtor will inform you of what you need to bring to the table.

When you get your keys, leave and return to your new property.

Congratulations, you just purchased a new property. ENJOY!

Our government wants to give the first time buyer up to $7500 cash for purchasing a home for the first time or if you haven't owned in the past three years. What does this mean? When it comes time to file your taxes you will have up to $7500 given to you. If you have $2000 owed to the IRS then it will mean you won't owe but will receive a check up to$5500 back.

Now don't think this is a total give away! There is no interest to be paid, but, in two years up to $500 will be deducted from your tax return for up to fifteen years. If you sell the home within that time frame then the remainder owed will be taken.

Just think. You can put the $7500 towards principle payments to your mortgage and get the 30 year mortgage cut back with significant savings to you in interest payments. What this does is build your equity quicker.

This is a great way to get into a home and be paid to do it. Why not look into this offer and take it. It is only available till July 2009. This means you have to close on a house before the offer is not available.

For sellers this is a great time to sell that home to the first time buyer and know you are helping someone meet their dream.

Like cutting out c oupons for shopping at the store, this is helping those be able to afford to buy. This money could be offered as a " gift" to help with closing costs. Then when you receive your rebate check, just pay that person for having helped you find that home.

For more information please contact me and we can talk. I am in the Sebago Lake Region in Maine but can help you find an agent to work with you from anywhere in the country. Let's talk.

Susan Paige
associate broker
ERA Today Realty
Naples, Me
207-693-6500 ext. 222
207-749-5459
susan.paige@era.com

I was at my local bank yesterday talking with the manager and learned something and wanted to pass it on.

At the Norway Savings Bank you can go online to www.norwaysavingsbank.com and with inputting information you can be prequalified before looking to purchase real estate. I wonder if other banks offer this service? Then you wouldn't have to go into the bank to see where you sit.

If you want to test it , then try it and ask for Holly Chase to follow up with you. You can reach her at hchase@norwaysavingsbank.com. She assured me to help those who contact her. Just let her know Sue sent you.

Good luck.

Sue from Maine

This is the time of year when you want to start considering what your propertys' needs are before the snow flies. at www.northscaping.com have a few helpful hints . You don't have to guess what is needed.

One of their hints is to prune most trees and shrubs in early spring rather than fall.Cutting back in the fall can cause injury to the plants. Spring pruning will allow the growing season to enhance the healing .

* shovel or blow snow onto tender shrubs and perennials: I find doing this helps insulate the plants along with giving you a spot to throw that snow. You don't want to do this in areas where the Spring rains could cause the rotting of roots.

*keep your lawn clean and no more than 1.5" high going into winter. This along with raking leaves and debris will give your lawns the chance to not be injured by the weight of snow on it. I also find give my lawns a treatment so the "grubs" don't feed on the roots doesn't happen. In the Spring your grass can be unhealthy due to grub attacks.

*protect the trunks of young trees with plastic tree guards. You can go to your local garden center to find the best way of doing this.

*leave perennials standing until next spring, but do remove fallen fruits and leaves. You still want to clean up under fruit trees, rose bushes, etc. I also find by leaving those perennials left alone, I can hopefully not be pulling weeds which might actually be a perennial. Have you found doing this in the Spring? I actually have to label them so I know when they begin to come up in the Spring, I know not to pull them.

*give all evergreens one heavy watering as close to freezeup as possible. This will give them some moisture and help them continue to allow you to enjoy them.

So there you go, some helpful hints to preserving your yards thanks to www.northscaping.com. I wish you all luck with your property maintenance.

Now off to sit in my garden while I still see it.

After reading the papers and listening to the different news stations I wonder what is going to happen this coming winter. Some of the local towns are wondering how they will be able to help their residents get through the winter with the costs of fuel being high.

Many people are disabled, on a fixed income, elderly, single parents with children under the age of two, or newly unemployed. Who, what will help them if they find they can't afford to heat their residence? There are some towns putting on concerts to help raise money for the fuel assistance programs. There just won't be enough money through the state to accommodate all the requests which might very well come in this Winter, especially if it is going to be anything like last Winter.

People are going to question what they are going to spend their money on. Will they sacrifice medications in order to heat their homes? Will they sacrifice food for heat? Will they sacrifice heat to put gas in their car to go to work?

I worry about what is happening and ask for what other areas in the country are doing to help those who need the help. Maybe you can give me some feedback so I can pass it on to the surrounding towns where I live.

Sue Paige
ERA Today Realty
Naples, Me.
207-693-6500