The Mass Association of Realtors MAR and Mass Housing have partnered together to present "Opportunities Knock: Community Homebuyer Fairs and Open Houses Statewide" on the weekend of May 31 & June 1 to start off National Home Ownership Month. The purpose of the event is to get more people into the market by promoting homes for sale that are affordable to low and moderate income first-time homebuyers who are eligible for MassHousing financing. And who better at making this happen for them than Realtors?
This is an excellent opportunity for Realtors and first-time homebuyers not only to promote the idea that now is a very good time to buy in Massachusetts but also to help low and moderate income first-time homebuyers experience the "American Dream" of home ownership. The purchase price limits are different for all Counties and towns and would surprise most people as to their height of limits. On Cape Cod on Saturday May 31 at the Cape Codder in Hyannis from 9 am to 1pm buyers will be able to meet Realtors, Lenders and Homebuyer counselors. Tour of Open Houses will be that Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4pm. My listing at 15 Maravista Ave, East Falmouth, asking price of $260K will be on the tour and Open Houses on Saturday and Sunday will be held there from 1 to 4 pm! Hope to See you There! Checkout their website at Opportunity Knocks 
National Home Ownership Month
2 comments • Stephen D White, E-Pro, ABR Cape Cod Realtor® • May 29 2008 06:25PMMemorial Day 2008
Yes its official. Memorial day kicks off the summer season. The tourists will be on Cape Cod this weekend. Roads will be busy, the summer season and activities will be starting. Hopefully along with the arrival of warmer temperatures. May the roads and highways be safe. Please dont drink and drive if youve been drinking- use a designated driver!
Remember to Think about, Pray for, and Thank all the veterans who have fought and are still fighting for this great country. Towns will have veterans parades and celebrations to enjoy.
12 comments • Stephen D White, E-Pro, ABR Cape Cod Realtor® • May 23 2008 10:31AMGas saving practices- myths or reality?
Today I just read an online news article about saving gas. It references to earlier information and info posted here on AR sometime ago, saying that a lot of the advice given in that AR post wouldnt help and may even hurt.
Here's the article at http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/105077/6-Gas-Saving-Myths
Of course you should perform regular oil changes, and keep your tire pressure at acceptable levels for better and optimum level of gas usage. You should of course either brake or accerelate at acceptable levels so not to waste gas. My car has a manual transmission which Ive always thought was better for gas usage. With gas going to $4 per gallon, realtors, consumers and the general public have to conserve.
Steve White is the Owner/ Webmaster of SDW Realty of Cape Cod.com website and agent of Ocean Blue Realty, LLC of Falmouth. He has over 30 years of Administrative, Military, Computer and Web Experience. He has lived on Cape Cod since 1974 relocating from Medford Ma near Boston. He is a full-tmie realtor working with both buyers and sellers. He has earned his E-Pro Internet Professional and ABR Accredited Buyer Representative Designations. He has actively participated and blogged on Active Rain since February of 2008. He is an active member of the Cape & Islands Association of Realtors CCIAOR, National Association of Realtors NAR, and the Massachusetts Association of Realtors MAR.
12 comments • Stephen D White, E-Pro, ABR Cape Cod Realtor® • May 22 2008 11:49AMTax Rebate check?
Has anyone actually gotten their Tax Rebate check or deposit yet? or have you gotten someone else's check or deposit? I know I paid my taxes and I got a letter from the IRS saying that if I paid my taxes I should be getting a rebate before June 08. How much depending upon if I am single, married and with dependents? Now I read that the IRS has directly deposited funds into the wrong accounts? how is this possible?
If you used a direct deposit to pay your taxes then you should have gotten your tax rebate directly back into the same account right? Well Im waiting for my check. Today is the 16th of May. I read on the IRS.GOV website that it should have been mailed today, May 16th because of my social security number. Is our government so big and or inept that they cant handle their paying customers- the American Public?! maybe the government should be run more like a business?
Steve White is the Owner/ Webmaster of SDW Realty of Cape Cod.com website and agent of Ocean Blue Realty, LLC of Falmouth. He has over 30 years of Administrative, Military, Computer and Web Experience. He has lived on Cape Cod since 1974 relocating from Medford Ma near Boston. He has earned his E-Pro Internet Professional and ABR Accredited Buyer Representative Designations. He has actively participated and blogged on Active Rain since February of 2008. He is an active member of the Cape & Islands Association of Realtors CCIAOR, National Association of Realtors NAR, and the Massachusetts Association of Realtors MAR.
37 comments • Stephen D White, E-Pro, ABR Cape Cod Realtor® • May 16 2008 07:42PMMay 17th Armed Forces Day
Just wanted to post my support for our troops on this blog about May 17, 2008 as Armed Forces Day. May all troops in harms way overseas from all of the different branches be safe!! As a former military member and now military retiree I wholeheartedly support all troops in our active military, guard members and reservists.
Politically the democrats wants to bring our troops home from Iraq sooner than it would seem the Republicans would. Sen John McCain said today that the USA can win the war in Iraq by 2013?! We've been there now 7 years and the the American death toll has fallen off drastically which is great news. Now only if the Iraqi's can only claim back their country & democracy and pick up the slack so that our troops would be able to leave some day!
It seems that an American presence however small may be required there for some time with so much at stake and so much of our monetary resources spent. We dont want to pull out and let the country be overrun and our resources, time and energy spent on the Iraq War be wasted!!
4 comments • Stephen D White, E-Pro, ABR Cape Cod Realtor® • May 15 2008 04:43PMReasons Homes Dont Sell!!
Top Reasons Why Homes Dont Sell
#1 Price
#2 Location
#3 Doesnt show well- staged poorly, bad lighting, dog in the front yard, lousy neighbors
#4 Lousy Listing Agent- overbearing, not friendly, inviting or business like
#5 Bad Market- Buyers or sellers market
#6 Ineffective Marketing by listing agent- poor quality photos, badly written or incomplete property listing descriptions
#7 Inherent Defect- one that you can't change- next to a noisy street or highway, no basement
Any others? comments & your experiences are welcome
Steve White is the Owner/ Webmaster of SDW Realty of Cape Cod.com website and agent of Ocean Blue Realty, LLC of Falmouth. He has over 30 years of Administrative, Military, Computer and Web Experience. He has lived on Cape Cod since 1974 relocating from Medford Ma near Boston. He has earned his E-Pro Internet Professional and ABR Accredited Buyer Representative Designations. He has actively participated and blogged on Active Rain since February of 2008. He is an active member of the Cape & Islands Association of Realtors CCIAOR, National Association of Realtors NAR, and the Massachusetts Association of Realtors MAR.
9 comments • Stephen D White, E-Pro, ABR Cape Cod Realtor® • May 12 2008 02:32PMPrecise pricing better?
Can any agents tell me why Precise Pricing is perceived by some buyers as "more accurate" in pricing real estate than a round figure? Maybe because it stands out from the crowd of listings and is different which to me is just different and not "more accurate"? I read a post here on AR that a University of higher learning somewhere did a study and somehow concluded the Precise Pricing is perceived in many markets as "more accurate"? can anyone shed some light on this topic?
9 comments • Stephen D White, E-Pro, ABR Cape Cod Realtor® • May 10 2008 05:26PMReal Estate is on Sale!!
Has the real estate bubble burst? has everyone finally woke up and found out that real estate was overpriced and that buyers are being better represented, more educated and wont pay more!! Has all of the bad publicity caused buyers to be more cautious to wait until the supposed "bottom" to drop out of the market? Has the mortgage industry finally had to realign itself and get "Real" with the real estate market, our economy being in a recession and foreclosures littering the country, not offering 100% financing and all the cash back that buyers could ask for as long as you sign on the dotted line? what is your perspective? Real estate is cyclical of course so hopefully this is a good thing for everyone involved! I just hope it betters the real estate market for both buyers, sellers and agents as well!
6 comments • Stephen D White, E-Pro, ABR Cape Cod Realtor® • May 04 2008 02:21PMWhat have been your experiences using GPS devices or other such web applications?
I got a sales call today from a guy who wants me to use his GPS system in my real estate biz having seen my website and knowing that I like techie type of Web Technology. I would be able to download his GPS system on my cellphone and be able to link to his GPS interface to my website for my clients to use as well. Ive heard of other realtors talking about the future use of GPS and have known that this technology was on the way for real estate applications. Anybody else have other experiences with GPS or other like web applications?
4 comments • Stephen D White, E-Pro, ABR Cape Cod Realtor® • May 02 2008 07:31PMContent © 2009 'Frequent Contributors'. Design © 2009 ActiveRain Corp.
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