Heather's Bucks County Real Estate Blog

Let's Take...A Long Walk. Walking the Canal in Upper Bucks County

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:08:17 -0500

I had an errand to run at my listing at 507 River Road in Upper Bucks County. It's a gorgeous property that would make a wonderful vacation home for someone in Philadelphia or New York.

We're just coming off a week of cold, rainy weather, so I decided to load up the dog and take a walk along the Delaware River. The weather is mild (sorta...compared to the 40's), the leaves are golden, and the sun was shining.

There are so many pretty "finds" when you walk the canal. This little waterfall is only one house away from my listing, and is an extension of a larger one on the other side of River Road. If I didn't have the dog, I would have grabbed a photo of the larger waterfall. There are many artists living along River Road, and it's evident in their homes and their landscaping. I should have taken more photos of the funky homes that line the canal. There was also one home with a phenomenal, drop-dead, labor of love yard that had me seething with jealousy.

But really, the allure is the Delaware River itself. River living in Bucks County is the vacation home without the drive or the isolation. It's gorgeous scenery, antiquing, lazy days of drinking coffee and watching the water (but we have high speed internet, Central Air, and nice restaurants).

Come tour this great vacation home (or full time if you're feeling like River living suits you all year long)

Make sure you take a nice long walk.

Historic Home Tour on Bristol Day - 907 Radcliffe St Open House 10/17 from 1-3

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:04:56 -0500

The Bristol Cultural and Historic Foundation is hosting the

33rd Annual Historic Bristol Day

October 17, 2009

10 am - 5 pm

They have a wonderful program planned for the day including crafters, musical programs by the 85 year old Bracken "Cavaliers" Drum and Bugle Corps (the corps is 85 years old - not the individual drummers or buglers :), historic home tours, children's entertainment, tours of historic properties in town...

You can read the full itinerary here, and find a map of the events here.

Additionally, I'll be holding my own little historic home tour that day.

I'll be holding an open house at

907 Radcliffe Street

1-3 pm.

Here's a sneak peek at this really gorgeous home listed at $425,000. Make sure you stop in and say hello!

Buck County Open House Sunday, 9/13 in Bristol Boro - Come Visit During the Italian Festival

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 07:37:15 -0500

I'm holding another open house on Sunday, September 13th in Bristol Boro, Bucks County, coinciding with the Bristol Lions Italian Festival. Enjoy the music, enjoy the food, enjoy touring this GORGEOUS home on historic Radcliffe Street!

907 Radcliffe Street

Bristol, PA 19007

For Sale $425,000

Open House September 13th from 1-3 p.m.

Bedrooms:	4
Bathrooms:	2½
Area:	Historic Bristol Borough
Style:	House
Square Footage:	3,068
Lot Size:	0.47 acre
Year Built:	1901

Rich in history and located on one of the most prestigious streets in Bristol Borough with views of the river, this turn of the century home melds the charm the historic-home-lover demands with the updates a modern homeowner expects. View our photo and virtual tour to truly appreciate this property.

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Heather Oberhau e-PRO, ASP, e-Certified

Office:	215-860-4778
Mobile:	215-584-2700
Fax:	215-579-2508
Email:	Heather@SoldbyHeatherO.com
Website:	soldbyheather.blogspot.com

Open House on Radcliffe Street, Bristol Borough, Bucks County - Rescheduled!

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:59:18 -0500

907 Radcliffe Street

Bristol Boro, PA

$435,000

Please join me for the open house this Sunday,

August 9th from 1-3 p.m.

This is an amazing opportunity to own a very special property on Radcliffe Street. Situated on almost a 1/2 acre lot (with possible subdivision). Four Bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and tons of gorgeous vintage features, this home has been beautifully updated.

Please visit our website at www.907Radcliffe.com for additional photos, information, and a virtual tour.

Technorati Tags: home for sale,bristol boro,open house,radcliffe st,bucks county

Open House in Bucks County, Warminster Township: July 26th from 1-3

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:01:20 -0500

449 Valley Road

Warminster, PA

$279,900

Be the first to tour this drop-dead gorgeous, HUGE home by visiting our open house this Sunday:

July 26th

1-3 p.m.

If you're looking at homes for sale in Bucks County, especially in the Warminster area, this is truly a must see home to put on your list! Totally renovated, thoughtfully updated, and with a phenomenal amount of living space, you'll be happy your visited the open house.

Want to see more photos? (You really should take a look). Visit our website at:

www.449Valley.com

Hope to see you there!

6 Things I Promise to Do for Buyers and Sellers in Bucks County

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:14:46 -0500

I'm being bombarded by a general lack of professionalism, not just in Real Estate, but in life in general. So, in a bit of a rant, here are

Six Things I Promise to Do for Sellers and Buyers in Bucks County!

1. I'll call you back. I'll email you back. Promptly.

2. When I tell you I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it. If, for some reason, it doesn't get done, I'll let you know beforehand why it wasn't and when it will be.

3. I'm going to keep you updated on your status. If you've listed your home with me, I'm going to automate reports that give you feedback and website stats. I'm going to call you and let you know how your open house went. If you're buying a home with me, I'm going to call and let you know where we are in the offer process, the negotiation process, and the settlement process.

4. I'm going to take good pictures of your home. Not only am I going to take good pictures of your home, but I'm going to hire a professional photographer / virtual tour provider to take good pictures of your home. No pictures with me in the mirror, or trashcans at the driveway, or dishes in the sink. I promise your home will NEVER appear on www.lovelylisting.com

5. I'm going to conduct myself as an adult at all times. Even when I'm mad. I'm going to remain courteous. I'm not going to curse, yell, or employ excessive snottiness with you, a cooperating agent, a mortgage lender, or a repairman. No matter how irritated, angry, or even enraged I am.

6. I'm computer literate. That means that not only will I employ the latest online tools to promote your home, but I also know how to do things like: scan and email documents and put the right people on copy of emails. I also know how and when to use "reply" vs. "reply all."

There it is. My promise of Professionalism.

Give me a call if these sound like qualities you expect from a REALTOR while you search for homes in Bucks County!

Technorati Tags: bucks county,real estate,sellers,buyers,professionalism,realtor

Bucks County Sellers - Yes, you CAN sell your home in 30 days!

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:13:11 -0500

In fact, you can sell your home in Bucks County in THREE DAYS. I just did.

420 Brandywine Court

Warminster, PA

$165,000

Sold in 3 Days

48 Brecknock Court

Newtown, PA

$470,000

Sold in 12 Days

What's the secret?

Staging the home before you list it. One home was professionally staged, the other I did myself (it was my personal fix & flip investment). Staging works!
Pricing the home with good, solid comparables, and pricing it within the pricing reflected by those comps.
Pictures and internet presence.

Easy access to the property, and property in showing condition when Buyers tour

Honestly, it's a lot of front end work - getting a house ready to sell isn't easy. Nor is marketing the home. I probably spend a good 40 hours marketing a home before it ever hits the MLS.

If you do the right things before the house goes on the market, however, you'll realize a quick sale, at the right price, and it will position your home to be in demand during those first crucial weeks on the market.

Ew! Dahling, you don't want to live THERE!

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Sun, 31 May 2009 20:24:05 -0500

Recently, there was a question posted on Trulia.com where the poster asked about the safety of a certain neighborhood. Typically a post will generate several replies by REALTORS. This one?

<<crickets chirping>>

One brave soul, named Joe the Builder ventured a reply as to his opinion on the safety of the neighborhood, and then questioned why REALTORS didn't rush to answer. It engendered a great discussion (and slight thread hi-jack) between us, and you can read about it here.

Here's the thing...REALTORS are bound to uphold the Fair Housing Laws, and one of those has to do with something called steering. Steering is when a REALTOR will try to guide someone to a neighborhood, school district, area, price range, etc, based on their own personal opinions. It can range to overt discrimination (only showing a Russian Buyer homes in an area with a large Russian population) to more subtle "opinion" based steering (encouraging a Buyer to buy in one school district over another).

Because of Fair Housing Laws, REALTORS are not supposed to give an opinion on the quality of neighborhoods, school districts, or areas. Now, I've got an opinion, all right. Trust me - I always have an opinion! But, I'm not allowed to spout those opinions off to you as they relate to "better" neighborhoods, school districts, etc. The best I can do is point you in the direction to find the information you need: police stations, websites, data sources, etc.

It's important for you to realize that no matter how much you trust your REALTOR, and how much we WANT to tell you what we think, we just CAN'T, and that's a limitation that may be frustrating for all involved, but ultimately serves the higher good.

For more information on Fair Housing Laws, click here.

Where do Adults Go to Run Away From Home? This Bucks County Retreat.

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:16:00 -0500

Remember when you wanted to run away from home? Go to a place far away from nagging parents (bosses), chores (housework), or school (work).

Now you can.

This amazing Bucks County Retreat allows you to run away from it all and enjoy your weekends in peace and tranquility. Listen to nature, not traffic. Sip coffee leisurely, not on the go. Explore the river towns of Bucks County, rather than navigating the concrete jungle.

www.RiverRoadHouse.com

$350,000

Situated high up on a hillside in bucolic Bucks County, this 2 BR/1 BA 1920'S restored bungalow has been featured in Country Home magazine, on the cover of Life magazine and in the pages of Philadelphia magazine as one of America's ultimate country retreats. Just 90 min away from NYC it's the ideal weekend home or perfect for full-time living. Surrounded by old-growth Japanese maples, ferns and evergreens, the bungalow manages to meld vintage features with modern amenities, including C/A & high speed internet. A new kitchen features stainless steel appliances w/convection oven, DW, washer & dryer, GE Profile refrigerator, custom Italian cherry cabinets, terrazzo-inspired countertops and handmade glass tile backsplash. Upstairs, a large loft-like BR features exposed beams and views of the Delaware River. Downstairs, a blue and white ticking fabric padded guest room has built-in cabinets for extra storage. A screened-in porch and separate outbuilding for office, workshop or artist studio round out the property.

Ideally located amidst the PA River towns of New Hope, Lumberville, and Point Pleasant, and only 5 miles from their NJ counterpart, Frenchtown, this weekend retreat is only 90 minutes from New York, and an hour from Philadelphia.

Visit our website for additional information and photos.

Bucks County Open House - May 17th from 1-3 in Newtown

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:49:18 -0500

48 Brecknock Court

Wiltshire Walk

Council Rock School District

$470,000

Find more information at: www.48Brecknock.com

I wrote about this stunner of a home in Wiltshire Walk, just outside of Newtown Borough, late last week, and I promise it delivers. Every single piece of feedback we've gotten from agents says that the home shows beautifully.

So, what is there to love?

Upgraded Gourmet Kitchen with Premium Appliance Package
Granite counters and a custom tile backsplash
Hardwood Floors throughout the 1st Floor
Upgraded molding package with shadow box molding in formal living and dining rooms.
An amazing 2 story family room with a wall of windows and built-in TV niche above the fireplace.
An ENORMOUS media room in the finished basement that is wired for home theater surround sound.
Finished basement also includes a playroom/office and exercise room - oh and you still have storage.

All this within 1.5 miles of Historic Newtown Borough and 1-95, this premier Bucks County location offers small town living with an easy commute to NY, Philadelphia, and Trenton.

Please join me for my

Open House Sunday May 17th from 1-3 p.m. and take your own tour of this beautiful home. Hope to see you there!

Want to see all the open houses in Bucks County this Sunday?

Go to http://www.prufoxroach.com/ and look for this button:

Super-Fabulous new Listing in Wiltshire Walk, Newtown Township, PA

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:40:10 -0500

How great is this place???

48 Brecknock Court

Newtown Township / Council Rock Schools

$470,000

www.48Brecknock.com

This 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath townhome in Wiltshire Walk has all the goodies: hardwood floors throughout the main floor, gourmet kitchen with premium appliance package and custom tile backsplash, upgraded trim package with shadowbox molding in the formal living and dining room...

Not to mention, the drop-dead gorgeous finished basement with huge media room wired for home theater, private office/playroom with french doors, exercise room, and you still have plenty of storage.

The Best of Heather's Hints - How Sellers in Bucks County PA can Get Their Home Ready for Sale

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Sun, 03 May 2009 20:31:02 -0500

My husband and I just spent the day getting our fix and flip investment property in Warminster, PA ready to be put on the market. There is the inevitable list of piddly little "to-do" items that take forever to complete: cabinet hardware on the kitchen cabinets, grills on the A/C vents, toilet paper holders and towel racks in the bathroom. We spent about 5 hours today doing a multitude of tiny things that add up to mean big money in the end. Of course, I played washer woman - nothing like cleaning toilets in a house that was inhabited solely by workmen. G-ross!

I was going to write a blog about how to prepare your home for market, but quickly realized I've talked about this ad nauseum on this blog (you might have noticed my obsession with cleaning kitchens and baths). So, rather than reiterate, I've decided to just link those babies up!

Heather's Links to Love for Sellers in Bucks County, PA

The 10 Minute Staging will tell you how to quickly get your home show ready (and you'll see my messy kitchen).

5 Things That are Sure to Run Off Buyers will tell you the five quickest ways to get a Buyer out of your house (which should NOT be the goal here :)

Find out How a Plate of Cookies can beat out hardwood floors.

The Quickest Fixes for Your Kitchen and Baths illustrates my obsessive nature regarding these rooms.

When Does it Make Sense to Rehab an Estate? Find out my criteria...

Look for more hints here in the very near future. Every time I put a flip house on the market, I remember how difficult it is to get a property ready to market. These investment properties keep me in tune with my Sellers frustrations :)

3 Reasons Why it's Great to Be a First Time Homebuyer in Bucks County

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:50:51 -0500

Oh, I know Realtors get a bad rap for the constant refrain, "Now's the time to buy!" but in all honesty, conditions are coming together to create a perfect opportunity for first time homebuyers to buy a home in Bucks County.

1. Inventory is HIGH, Prices are DOWN, Sellers are REASONABLE

As of today, there are 1,440 residential homes for sale in Bucks County priced under $300,000. Within that inventory, there are singles, townhomes, condos, historic farmhouses, etc. Year-to-date median price for Bucks County homes has gone from $292,000 in March of 2008 to $260,000 in March of 2009. Sellers know what the market is like, and we're seeing fewer and fewer homeowners pricing their homes at peak pricing. Reality has set in, and Sellers have made adjustments to their expectations.

2. $8,000 of Free Money from the Government

I'm sure you've heard of the First Time Homebuyer credit that was included in the stimulus bill signed in February. As of right now, you must settle on your new home before December 1, 2009 in order to qualify. For more information on the tax credit click here.

3. Interest Rates are Low...like REALLY Low

As of Tuesday of this week, FHA mortgage rates were at 5% with 0 points and a FICO of 620 or higher. Because you only need to put 3.5% down on an FHA loan, we are seeing a re-birth of this product...and the rates were at FIVE PERCENT. Just to give you a point of reference, when I purchased my home in 1998, we paid 7% and that rate was considered "good." We re-financed in 2003 and paid two points to get 5% and I distinctly remember saying to my husband, "Oh my God! We'll never be able to touch this interest rate again in our lifetime!" Here we are 6 years later, and we're at 5% with 0 points for FHA. Unbelievable.

If you think you might be interested in starting a home search, please don't hesitate to contact me. I also have a snazzy new website where you can search listings, and also sign up for "Daily Listing Alerts" where you'll get an email every day of the properties just hitting the market.

Interested? Just click the button and register!

Open House in Eagle Ridge, Newtown on April 19th from 1-3 p.m.

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:15:14 -0500

You get another chance to view this beautiful home located in Eagle Ridge in Newtown Township. I'll be hosting an open house at this great house on Sunday 4/19 from 1-3.

112 Fair Oaks Court

Newtown Township / Council Rock School District

It's huge for a townhome at 1,468 square feet, 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths, and I continue to get extremely positive feedback on our pricing and condition.

Take advantage of the first time homebuyer credit of $8,000 and live right outside Historic Newtown Borough with his charm, restaurants, and killer ice cream shop.

Want more information or additional pictures and a virtual tour? Visit our website:

www.112FairOaks.com

See you there!

Why Appraisals May Be Doing Buyers (and Agents) Dirty Work in the Future

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:19:22 -0500

For the first time, ever, in my real estate career, I'm seeing homes not appraise for the contract price.

Now, some may think this is long overdue, and that appraisers are finally doing their job the RIGHT way. I'm of the opinion that appraisers were doing their job the right way all along - houses were worth those inflated prices because people were willing to pay those inflated prices. If houses are worth what a Buyer is willing to pay....well, I'm getting off track here.

Anyhow, the fact of the matter is that appraisers are now under direct scrutiny, and they're being a lot more stringent about how they perform their appraisals. I'm hearing (and our office reporting) of a lot more deals falling through because the home did not appraise at the contract price.

What does this mean for Buyers and Agents?

Well, it lets us off the hook just a bit, doesn't it? No longer can Sellers overprice their home against their Realtor's advice and hope that someone, somewhere will pay their inflated pricing. I mean, sure they can still do it, but that appraisal is going to kill any deal they get at their inflated pricing, unless they are willing to lower their price to the appraisal price.

For Buyers, a appraisal can be your very best friend. It can shave a few thousand dollars off your contract price. Of course, it can kill the deal, as well, but in most cases, the Seller is more than willing to compromise with you to get the deal done.

What does this mean for Sellers?

Comps, comps, and more comps! Make sure that your asking price is backed up by good, solid, CURRENT comps. You can't overprice by $5,000 and hope you can squeeze a little bit out of your home. There's no squeezing anything at this point (except your proceeds). Don't look at it as a loss - you probably wouldn't get that extra $5,000 anyway. Look at as you are priced right.

Secondly, keep an eye on your Seller's Assist numbers. Previously, no one had a second thought about jacking the contract price up to accommodate a Seller's Assist. Those days are gone. Your house needs to appraise at the contract price, not at your net price. If you're offering a Seller's Assist, figure on taking it off of your current price.

There are new procedures going into place in May that will affect how lenders order appraisals, and I expect some fall out in pricing to result. It's more important than ever that you keep appraisals in mind when pricing, or purchasing a home.

Did Anyone Get their First Email?

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:41:11 -0500

I didn't get my first email today. Did anyone get one?

Bucks County Open House 4/5 from 1-3

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:45:58 -0500

I'm holding an open house at a really great new lisiting in Wrightstown, PA on April 5th from 1-3 p.m. Stop in and visit with me!

114 Midland Road
Wrightstown

$310,000

This renovated home has 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and an amazing 25 x 16 family room. It's in the Anchor Estates development, and in the Council Rock School District (Wrightstown Elementary School).

As always, you can visit the Prudential Fox & Roach website and search for the open houses for the week.

The Single Girl's Guide to Real Estate in Bucks County - Are you in?

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:01:53 -0500

I Don't Need All the Business...Just the Right Business

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:49:54 -0500

I've been posting on Trulia for a few weeks now (see my profile here), and one thing I've noticed about some Realtors...

Man, they don't want to give up a paycheck, do they?

I've seen agents claim to be experts in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. Not one or two counties- like ALL of them. Now, seriously, how is that possible?

I've seen people jockey to be first to answer any post that comes up, hoping to beat all the other agents out to "get the business."

I'm a pretty smart person. In fact, I'm probably a little vain about being "smart." I don't think I know everything, but I'm pretty sure I can learn most things (with the exception of geometry - I'm hopeless at geometry). I don't, however, think that I'm the best choice for every real estate need for every person out there.

Commercial Real Estate? Not my thing. You'll do better with someone else, and if you're in , PA, I know who you should work with.

Chester County Real Estate? Can I do it? Sure. Can I do it well? Probably. However, I can point you in the direction of a GREAT Chester County Realtor, so why take on business that isn't in my comfort zone?

Vacant Land in Bucks County? See, now this I think I can handle very well, even though I don't do many deals on vacant land. So, you know what? I'll partner with an agent in my office with a lot of vacant land experience so that my client gets the benefit of both of our experience and expertise.

I don't believe that you need to be everything to everyone. First, it's impossible, and secondly, you aren't doing what's best for your client if you're concerned with grabbing every opportunity, whether or not you're qualified for it.

So, what are my specialties?

Bucks County Residential Sales (Both Buyers and Sellers)
Bucks County Fix & Flip Property Investments
Bucks County TLC properties for owner/occupants
Wrightstown, PA Real Estate (Because I live here, love it, and can give you the lowdown on the neighborhood)

If you have a real estate need outside of these areas, please don't hesitate to call me. I can probably offer some general information, and I'll certainly point you in the right direction as far as contacts who can give you more intensive help.

If I'm not the right woman for the job, I'll tell you, and I'll help you find the right REALTOR for your needs. If you find someone who claims to be an expert in everything, beware. Quite often, they are a jack of all trades, master of none.

Bucks County Open House Extravaganza - March 22nd from 1-3

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:56:23 -0500

Prudential Fox & Roach is having an Open House Extravaganza this Sunday 3/22/09 from 1-3 p.m.

So far, we have over 1500 houses signed up and will be held open. Go to the Prudential Fox & Roach website and click on the red box to the left to see how to search open houses. We also have a super-cool tool directly underneath (Home Tour Planner). You enter in the MLS numbers of the open houses you want to visit, and this tool will come up with a customized map for your tour.

But the most happening, wildly popular, open house will be held here:

www.112FairOaks.com

112 Fair Oaks Court, Newtown

$240,000

Come visit me (and maybe a few of the other 1,500 open houses) this Sunday!

3 Ways of Finding Your Zen in Real Estate Negotiations

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:26:35 -0600

1. Keep it civil.

I wrote a post What NOT to do in a Real Estate Transactionwaaaay back in January of 2008. I think my favorite line of that post was "never start negotiations with an opening salvo to the other party." Look, you don't have to be friends with the other party, but keeping the dialog civil, on-task, and moving forward is going to accomplish your goals. Once the other party hates you, it's difficult for them to remove the emotion to work through the deal. Antagonistic negotiations often de-volve into fighting over trashcans and a $30 bathroom mirror (I've seen it happen).

2. Learn the Serenity Prayer. Repeat as necessary.

You can't control the other party, you can only control your end of the deal. People have complex lives going on, with motivations, finances, and weird dynamics that you never will, nor would want to, understand. Trying to figure out the other person, while good for hours of discussion, usually isn't very productive. Take a look at the offer, figure out how to make it acceptable to you, turn it back over to them and let them do the same.

3. Take the time to remove the emotion.

It's VERY typical to get emotional during negotiations. Heck, even I get irritated when I sell my fix & flip properties. It's ok. It's human. You're on opposite teams in this game. So, while you can rant and rave about how CHEAP the Buyers are being, or how NITPICKY the home inspector was, take the time you need to remove that from your response. Usually, by the next morning, you can look at the situation with a clear mind. Take the time you need to think things over, because you might regret losing a workable deal by telling someone to go pound sand.

Bucks County Real Estate Inventory - February 2009

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:19:55 -0600

Bucks County has seen some positive movement on the Months Supply of Inventory (the number of months it would take to sell all the homes on the market at the current sales rate). Our December numbers were 16.2 months, which was the highest MSI (Months Supply of Inventory) we had seen in over two years. Our January 2009 number dropped to 13 MSI, and February ended at 11.2 MSI. Although it's an increase of 42% from Febrauary 2008, and 110% from February 2007, I'm pleased to see a consistent trending downward of the MSI since our high in December.

5 Things to do this Spring in Wrightstown, PA

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:26:24 -0600

Do you feel it? Spring is coming. Oh, sure, it's pretty far off, but we've been spoiled by some pretty warm days lately, and I'm getting antsy for Spring.

Here are 5 things to do this Spring in Wrightstown, PA. Mark your calendars!

1. Tour the Hortulus Farm and Nursery.

Looks like Renny Reynolds and Jack Staub have taken back over the operation of the farm and nursery for the 2009 Season. You can book a tour of 8, or they are now offering open tours every Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m. during the gardening season. Starts April 15, 2009!

2. Sign the kids up for Tri-Township Baseball League.

Last day to sign up is March 13th, and the season starts on April 18th. Games are held at the Grange Fair Grounds on Penns Park Road. Baseball isn't my sport (I'm more of a soccer kind of girl), but this is a great league to be a part of.

3. Take the kids to Wrightstown Elementary School's Spring Fair.

I don't know how these Parents and Teachers organize something so...well...involved and wonderful for the kids, but this thing kicks some serious butt. If you have a child starting Kindergarten at Wrightstown Elementary School next year (and if so, sign-ups are now), definitely try to make it. It will give your son/daughter a look at the school, and you'll get a feel for the wonderful community fostered at the school. It's scheduled for March 28th from 10-2.

4. Sign up to be a member of Anchor Run CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).

Fresh, organic vegetables for six months out of the year. You pay for a farm-share and then commit to either 4 hours (half share) or 8 hours (full share) over the course of the growing season. I hear wonderful, wonderful things about not only the delicious produce, but the community feel of the co-op. ***Ooops, looks like you missed this one. They are no longer accepting applications for 2009 Membership. I'm leaving it in, because you should put it on your list for next year! Get there early.***

5. Used Book Sale at Wrightstown Village Library.

This is probably THE most adorable library you'll ever go to. This little library packs a big punch with the number of programs it offers. While you're helping fund the library and scoring some cheap books, get a summer schedule and gear up for "Movies by Moonlight" - movies shown outside on the side of the library, while you relax on the lawn. AWESOME! The used book sale is scheduled for May 2nd (9-5) and 3rd (1-5).

Help! My Listing Expired and I'm Never Gonna Sell This Place!

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:11:38 -0600

Cute clip-art aside, I know that having your home listing expire without a sale isn't funny or cute: it's scary and disheartening.

I ran a list of expired listings in Bucks County, and boy...there are quite a few. I'm certainly seeing an increase in expired listings, so you are not alone.

You may be panicked at the thought that you will never sell your home. You may feel as if it's a lost cause, or that it'll "never happen."

So, what do you do if your listing has expired?

Decide whether you want to re-list with your current REALTOR (R). Were you happy with his/her service, marketing, communication, etc? Do you think he's done all he can to sell your home? Contrary to the knee-jerk reaction to find a fall-boy for the lack of a sale, your REALTOR might not be to blame. If you think that it's time for a change of REALTOR, you'll have plenty to choose from when they inundate you with mailings :) (Disclaimer: you might see some mail from me. Check it out and give me a call!)

Start from scratch with a new CMA. Often, when a house is on the market, you live in a fishbowl of your direct price range. Pricing may have changed while you've been on the market, and you'll want to take another look at what's actually SOLD while you've been on the market, and the NET sold price.

Take all the negative feedback that you've received and handle anything that reared it's ugly head. If someone mentioned the Spongebob mural in the kid's room, paint it. If someone mentioned the carpets were stained, clean them. This is your chance to address all the issues that cropped up and start fresh. View those past Buyer's as your own personal "Problem Finders." If one person mentioned it, you can be sure that others noticed, just didn't remark on it.

Stage it. This is especially important if you've moved on and your home is now vacant. It's important. It works. You don't even have to go full-bore, but you need to put some furniture in the house.

Take a step back and a deep breath; then evaluate your situation with a clear mind. Then, take the next steps forward to move on...interview another REALTOR (Me! Pick Me!) do another CMA and make a pricing adjustment - fix the problem and get your home back on the market.

Above all, remember that homes are selling every day in Bucks County. Your home WILL sell.

I've got no tolerance today...

Heather Oberhau, Bucks County Real Estate, e-PRO (Prudential Fox & Roach) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:59:32 -0600

Hey Guys,

Ok, I think I just may be being bitchy. Let me know what you think...

I've been working with these Buyers for about 3 years. (They took a year off when they had their baby). They're extremely difficult and the guy is completely ridiculous as to his expectations, etc. He's also not forthcoming and almost adversarial towards me - like I'm out to rip him off. I'm pretty tolerant of him, since my husband is sorta like him - afraid to disclose info, takes a long time to make decisions, etc. However, I'm not feeling the love with him. Before baby, they put in an offer $100K under asking price, which was a ridiculous price, and I got them within $5K of where they wanted to be and they didn't budge. Fair enough - we've all got a drop dead point (even though I seriously thought I walked on water by getting them to that point). I was a little frustrated by how difficult they were to deal with.

After baby, I kept finding them houses within their price range that wife liked. They would ask for all this information from me (HOA docs - even though they get them as part of the AofS, plot plans, neighboring plot plans, etc) I would engage in multiple discussions with Realtors, get their Sellers all excited, only to have the husband say "I don't like the yard." or find SOMETHING that he didn't like about the property. In retrospect, that's probably what all the info-gathering was about - finding the husband something to point to as his reason for not moving on the property. I found them the deal of the century on a pre-foreclosure house, only to have them come back and say, "Yeah, even though it's $50K less than what we told you we could afford, we can't swing it." O-kay....

They switched gears and looked closer to the husband's work and parents (think I'm seeing what's going on here) and we saw 3 houses, 2 of which they were seriously interested in. They picked their first choice, and we talk about home sale contingencies, etc. I send them comps for their property (although they haven't discussed with me the selling of their home and I get the vibe they're going to do something without me). I send them the tax records of all the houses in the development (their request). She tells me they're ready to go, and I tell her I can write up the offer around 2:30 on Saturday. She's going to call me.... except I get no call. When I email her on Monday, she says "Oh, Husband decided we would be stretched too tight." Thanks so much for letting me hang out all day Sat waiting to see if you were going to want to meet. A quick email would have been courteous.

Two weeks later they ask to see the other house. We meet on Saturday and from what they're saying, they've decided to make an offer. We talk strategy, etc. They ask for the tax records (again!) and say they're going to email me, then...silence. She emails me this morning that they want to write the offer tonight. When I pull it up, it's already under agreement.

I call and tell her that I think we should have a meeting and game plan: really figure out what price point/area they WANT to be in, and make sure we have our paperwork in order. I still don't know what they're pre-approved for - she won't come out and tell me. Then, I ask, "Are you going to use me to sell?" She answers "No, we've got someone here in the borough that we're using."

SO, I'm going to have to write an offer with a home sale contingency on a property that isn't even my listing (which is kinda unheard of around here, and to be completely honest - very embarrassing for me). They didn't even give me a chance on the listing, nor did they give me a head's up when I sent them COMPS a few weeks ago. I can't even imagine the headache it's going to be to add a THIRD Realtor into MY transaction. I've also got to worry about if they're looking at houses with their listing agent, since I'm positive that husband is not going to sign a Buyer's Agency contract with me. I'm going to have to insist, right?

What do you say, folks? I think the wife is totally devoted to me, but to be honest, I'm getting some serious "2nd Class Citizen" vibes about her status in the house. Should I just cut them loose to their listing agent? I mean, are they going to refer anyone to me when they don't even consider me "awesome" enough to sell their OWN home? I'm kinda like, all I might get out of all this is a single side sale - a one shot and done. Do I want to deal with them for that?

THANK GOD I HAVE THIS BOARD. No one outside this business would understand this scenario.