Poughkeepsie, New York - Just Listed - 06/30/08 02:57 PM
COME SEE THIS METICULOUS 4 BDRM 2.5 BATH CENTER HALL COLONIAL WITH NEW OAK WIDE PLANK FLOORING NEW WALL TO WALL CARPETING NEW GRANITE IN KITCHEN. SITUATED ON A LOVELY 1/2 ACRE LOT & CUL-DE-SAC. OVERSIZED LIVINGROOM W/FIREPLACE. BACK DECK OVERLOOKING ABOVE GROUND POOL. PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPING. $449,900 - WON'T LAST LONG!
… (2 comments)

Hyde Park, NY - New Listing - 06/30/08 02:53 PM
STARTER HOME CLOSE TO MANY HYDE PARK CONVIENENCES. PRIVATE BACKYARD. HARDWOOD UNDER CARPETS. GREAT FIXER-UPPER. BUILT IN 1951, 1200 SF. 3 BEDROOMS, 1 BATH. 1/3 ACRE. PRICED TO SELL AT ONLY $169,900! ENTRY LEVEL HOME OWNERSHIP FOR THE HANDYMAN BUYER!
… (0 comments)

4th of July Weekend - Dutchess County, NY - 06/30/08 02:39 PM
Happy Birthday America! Dutchess County residents will have some very good options to consider this 4th of July weekend when it comes to fireworks displays. Did you know that illegal fireworks account for one-third of all Fourth of July injuries? Celebrate safe - public fireworks displays are the safest way to experience the Fourth of July!
JULY 4TH
Great American Picnic - The Dutchess County Fair is hosting the Great American Picnic on the fairgrounds. The Hudson Valley Philharmonic will be performing on Friday at 7 p.m. Two demolition derbies will be held on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Fireworks will be presented at dusk on both … (3 comments)

Dutchess County - Drive-In Movies - 06/25/08 09:34 PM
Do remember drive-in movies? Drive-ins have just about become extinct. Did you know that in the United states there are only a few hundred drive-ins left? Well, two of them are right here in Dutchess County. Load up the station wagon, SUV or mini-van with lawn chairs, pile in the kids lawn and call it a night out! This weekend I even made it through a double feature at the Hyde Park drive-in- yeah, 2 for one! The movie critic in me tells says I should warn you against seeing Get Smart but I'm giving 4 stars to Sex In The City. Both theaters feature a full-service snack bar and radio sound. Below … (6 comments)

Sorry - This Is Why I Didn't Return Your Call - 06/25/08 09:07 PM
I just love when people find me here on the Internet! Whether it's a call from an out of area agent who is referring business my way or potential buyers and sellers, I am always eager to take the call. And, it gives me great satisfaction in knowing that my Internet marketing efforts are paying off. 
Unfortunately, the law requires me to advertise using my agency information including my office phone number. This past weekend and into the week, our office phones started getting a lot of static and interference. We have called the phone company but the problem continues, even after the phone system was supposedly … (6 comments)

Dutchess County - Visit A Farmers Market Near You - 06/25/08 05:12 PM
There's no better place like the Hudson Valley when it comes to fresh produce. The Poughkeepsie Area Chamber of Commerce campaign to "Think Local First" has inspired me to do just that! Why not visit the local farmers markets this summer? You'll find that in addition to home grown fruits and vegtables there is a wide variety of other itmes offered too - including fresh breads, baked goods, wines, cheeses, meats, flowers, fresh herbs, salsas, local honey. You'll even find crafts for sale. Here is a list of the local farmers markets in Dutchess County - and remember - "Think Local First". 
                                                              
                                  http://www.dutchesstourism.com/farmers.asp  
                  
… (1 comments)

Are You Making Your Photos Count???? - 06/24/08 10:28 AM
How do you know when you need to hone in on a certain skill? Realtors need to be marketing experts. Right? And, aren't photos one of the most important aspects to marketing a house? I am my own worst critic when it comes to clicking away at a property for marketing photos. Depending on the size of the home, I will take 40-75 photos. I will take several pictures of each room at different angles and then select only the best. Afterall, we are in the digital age - aren't we? I prefer taking photos on a bright sunny day. I will turn every light on in the house. I take on … (3 comments)

Do You Know How To Make Good Memories That Count? - 06/22/08 03:13 PM
I was truly inspired by a post written by Susan Mangigian, West Chester PA Realtor RE/MAX Preferred, in which she reveals some dark, painful but honest memories about her childhood. I appreciate Susan's honesty in expressing her thoughts in her post Father Knows Best - Susan joins the ranks of Adult Children of Alcoholics. Not by choice, my own husband is a member of this same society. Like my husband, Susan has become a better person today because she saw at an early age what she didn't want to be. I am a firm believer that bad situations can create good people. It's because of determination, hard work and self … (3 comments)

Why Do Men Seem To Accumalate Piles??? - 06/20/08 09:52 AM
I just returned from showing a house this morning. The cute newlyweds loved the many features of the home. One feature the wife particularly liked was a little hidden ledge in the kitchen. She became overly excited at the thought of her husband having a place for his piles of crap! I had to laugh. Suddenly, I had a flashback of the trivial arguments that have erupted between myself and my husband, my mother and father, my daughter and son-in-law - all over the piles which our men leave laying around the house. You know what I'm talking about - there's the pile of bills on … (14 comments)

Umm, Is This A Real Offer ...Or, A Fake Offer? - 06/19/08 06:13 PM
Lowball, lowball, lowball. I HATE lowball offers. I know, blame it on the market! I am partnering on a listing with another agent in my office. We were certain this house was priced right and would go fast! I got all excited when he told me a few days after listing the property that an offer was submitted. Then, imagine my reaction when he told me the offer was 75k less then list price (with only 3% down).
What? Wait, how can that be - when we were even considering suggesting a 10-25k higher price to start out? Thank goodness we have a very reasonable and not so greedy … (14 comments)

Foreclosing On Barbie's Dream House - 06/17/08 12:14 PM
They say to be careful for what you wish for! What is your idea of perfect? Wouldn't we all like to live in a perfect world?? When I was a young girl I would play with Barbie dolls for hours. I was privileged to have all the accessories too - Barbie's hair salon, Barbie's McDonalds, Barbie's convertible, Barbie pool...all these items, to go with the Barbie dream house. I would throw parties for Barbie and her friends - Midge, Ken and little sister Skipper. I fantasized about Barbie's perfect little world. Damn, she even had the perfect body!
Years later, when I bought my first house … (3 comments)

I'll Probably Be a Realtor Until I'm 100 Years Old - 06/16/08 11:26 AM
24/7 Wall St has reviewed a number of large public companies in order to evaluate the possibility of Chapter 11 filings by the end of 2008. First up is American Airlines (and many other airlines made the list too). Ok, so maybe this does not surprise you. The airlines have always been considered a vulnerable industry, yet some of the companies listed were ones I never would have expected to be in financial trouble today, but maybe it's because I don't follow the stock market so closely.
http://www.247wallst.com/2008/06/the-247-wal-st.html
For more than a year, the media spotlight has primarily been on the doom and gloom of … (8 comments)

Why I Feel So Blessed On Father's Day! - 06/14/08 02:47 AM
"Anybody can be a father but it takes somebody special to be a Dad"! I embrace that statement. Through the years, I've seen the differences a father can make in a child's life - not only through my own experiences, but through observations I have made of other fathers or what other people tell me of their fathers. I am lucky to have a father who has always been a Dad! My mother once told me how after already having two boys my father really wanted a little girl...Wow, that always made me feel special!  
This is tough, but I'd like … (4 comments)

Do You Ever Look At Other People And See YOU? - 06/14/08 01:40 AM
My husband was tagging along this week with me on a real estate related errand! We were sitting in the car while stopped in traffic and noticed the guy in front of us, in his car bouncing all over the place. My husband noticed him first. It was evident a bee had gotten inside this guy's car and he was trying to swat at his buzzing enemy from the driver's seat all the way to the back window. It seemed like a long shot, but he had a determined look on his face. I couldn't tell if he looked pissed or just frightened, but it was getting somewhat comical. Then my … (6 comments)

Dutchess County - This Weekend's Festivals - 06/14/08 01:18 AM
The Hudson Valley is known for a different festival almost every week during the summer - It just so happens that there are three festivals scheduled right here in Dutchess County for this weekend - you'll probably find me at one of them - guess which one! Hint...Opa! 

Greek Festival - held 11 a.m.-11 p.m. June 12-14 and noon-8 p.m. June 15. Food, games, music, dancing, vendors. 845-452-0772. Kismisis Greek Othodox Church 140 S. Grand Ave - Poughkeepsie

Strawberry Festival to be held at the Hillside Lake Fire Company which includes a Chicken Cordon Bleu dinner with strawberry shortcake for dessert. You can come just for the dessert. … (2 comments)

Hay Fever And My Jorney to Nowhere! - 06/14/08 12:35 AM
Imagine being only three counties north of NY City and having only one interstate highway! Then, imagine having only 3 bridges to navigate back and forth over the Hudson River! This afternoon my journey began at around 4:15pm. I had a 5pm appointment to meet an appraiser on the other side of the river (one county over). As I was on the entrance ramp to I-84 my cell phone rang. It was the appraiser letting me know he was one exit ahead of me - but stopped in traffic. As I entered the highway I began to see the traffic backed up. I-84 was a parking … (4 comments)

So, What Is WRONG With Intentionally Pricing A House Below Market Value? - 06/12/08 10:48 AM
On this morning's real estate segment of the Today Show, Real Estate Guru Barbara Corcoran suggested for a fast and successful sale in today's market to not be afraid of pricing your listing 10-15% below the market value. See, to speed up the process of getting a sale, this is recommended to drive activity she said " because buyers are looking for the bargains". I smiled to myself when I heard this, because  that is exactly what I suggested on my last listing and it sold in less than a week. After sharing comps and reviewing MLS statistics with my client (a repeat customer), he agreed that this would … (4 comments)

Turning Weaknesses Into Strengths! - 06/07/08 12:24 AM
Growing up, I was not the academic scholar of the family. That role was reserved for my brainiac brother who was 4 years older - "boy genius". Everything came easy to him. Then, there was my other brother - 11 years older, an average to good student, but still sharp. Perhaps there was less pressure on me to excel because I was the only girl and grew up with old world visions - only the boys really needed a higher education because they would one day be the providers. A girl's education could have very well been a waste once she became a wife and mother. I ended up … (6 comments)

Don't Make Me Stop This Car! - 06/06/08 09:02 PM
While driving buyers around town a few weeks ago the wife and husband started arguing about which house they liked better. The wife declared she would get her way and I presumed she was probably right! Then, the husband asked which one I liked better, like I was their referee. Seems I forgot my black & white striped shirt and whistle that day. I insisted that I was staying out of it. I DID at least help them by stating that these were both nice properties and listed pros and cons of each one. This went on for the duration of their house hunting - the bickering!
There was … (6 comments)

A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way! - 06/06/08 03:53 PM
A couple of weeks back a colleague's mother passed away. I attended the calling hours along with some other friends. As we sat in the funeral home talking to her son (my colleague) he became reminiscent about the life lessons his mother taught him. That night I came upon a statement I had never heard before but will be sure to pass on to my own children...and, I'd like to share it here on Active Rain.   
Do something for yourself and it lasts 5 minutes. Do something for somebody else - and it lasts a lifetime!

… (5 comments)

Returned Home To A Super Mega Mutiple MeMe Bug - 06/06/08 01:38 AM
No fair! ...I guess, Arina Hanciulescu on 5/30, Patricia Kennedy on 5/29 and Angela Elliott on 5/29 had no way of knowing I was away on vacation when they passed along the MeMe bug! Why the high demand for a MeMe from ME? I have no clue! But, after returning home it seems I not only have the daunting task of some major catching up to review all the missed posts, I now have this fun little questionnaire to fill out. I'm sooo brain dead, but I'll give it a try! 
Who is your favorite musical artist?
   The Boss!
Who is your favorite artist? 
 
A man way ahead … (6 comments)

 
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Carol Culkin, Dutchess County

Poughkeepsie, NY

More about me…

Century 21 Alliance Realty Group

Address: 1136 Route 9 # U-1 , Wappingers Falls, NY, 12590

Office Phone: (845) 297-4700

Cell Phone: (845) 430-6543

Email Me



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