I am so excited about this listing, I just had to share it with all of you.  Are you moving to Vermont?  Do you know of someone that is relocating?  This home has 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 6.21 acres, a four stall horse barn, bonus room, many recent updates.  For more information, check out my website www.darkhorserealty.com

What a great day to sit in front of the computer and write a blog post!  April showers are in full force here in East-Central Vermont.  I love this time of year, don't you?  The daffs and crocus are poking through in the garden, the birds' songs are getting louder and more excited.  It's time for new beginnings.

Have you checked out all that the National Association of Realtors website has to offer?  Right Tools, Right Now.  The E-Library offers magazine and newspaper articles, free of charge.  You can check out the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, etc.  There are a lot of discounts and other tools under Realtor Benefits.  It's all there....free of charge to members.  Log in at www.realtor.org with your NRDS# today and check it out. It's also a great place to search for forms and information, such as the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.  NAR has the complete run down of what the Stimulus Plan has to offer real estate consumers.  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

As I look out the window right now, the April showers are actually snow showers!  Godfrey!

Positive Thoughts:

The wave is coming to Vermont!  Northern Massachusetts and Souther New Hampshire are reporting a lot of real estate activity.  Get your car gassed up, sharpen your pencils, get ready to sell some real estate!

I did a little research for my area (Eastern-Central Vermont).  I found that real estate sales for 2008-2009 are about equal to sales in 2000-2001, which was a very good year in our area.  It may seem slower, but that could be due a higher number of real estate agents here.  You need to make yourself stand out.

There are so many good reasons to buy right now.  First time home buyer tax credit, lowest interest rates on record, lots of inventory to choose from and most sellers are ready to negotiate.

We have some awesome listings here at Dark Horse Realty...........take a look for yourself..... www.darkhorserealty.com

Calling all buyers, now is the time! 

So today I attended a leadership symposium hosted by the Vermont Association of Realtors.

I have to say,it was a really interesting day.  The group was about 100 strong. 

The morning speaker was Adorna Carroll, who many of you have undoubtedly heard as well.

Adorna's message was clear and concise.  It was an enlightening look at how Realtor Board Leadership should work. 

Have you considered checking in to available positions with your local Realtor Board?  There are a variety of ways that Realtors can be active in their local board.  Your input is needed and necessary.  You can be involved as much or as little as you'd like.....but GET INVOLVED.

The message of the day was don't be left behind.......be involved in the development of your local Realtor Board.....you can make a difference.  Every Board needs an education committee, a government affairs committee, a community liaison, an affiliate chairperson.....there are so many ways you can help.

Although I did hear that some real estate markets are beginning to get back in to the swing, there are still some Realtors who have some time on their hands.  Call your local board and get signed up to serve on a committee.

And so it is.  Ground Hog Day.  The days are getting longer and the air is getting warmer......teasing us about the upcoming spring season.  SPRING....it will come!

I am feeling very hopeful about the real estate market in Vermont.  Although the National reports can make anyone feel glum, all we can do is focus on our local markets.  There are some wonderful properties for sale here.  Vermont has a lot to offer.

Our local Realtor Board is reporting that businesses in the area are interested in networking.  For a few years everyone was so busy, it wasn't necessary to make connections, stop and talk to each other, promote our fellow businesses.  That trend is changing.

Now is a great time for us to patronize local restaurants and event facilities for this purpose.  They need us and we need them.  These businesses help draw buyers to our area. 

Internet, email, texting, blogging.....all great tools.  However, mingling with your peers, having a laugh or two, getting to know each others strengths, we still need to do that. 

This may sound strange to those of you in large metropolitan areas.....but up here in the Green State of mom and pop businesses............we all need to stick together.

Be well everyone,

What a good week we have going on.  Temperatures are comfortable in the day, cold enough to make snow at night.

The election has passed.  A decision made.  The stock market still fluctuates, but I am getting a good feeling here in Vermont this week.

It seems that folks are satisfied with their choices, we all did our best. 

Local mortgage bankers I have spoken with are still reporting that the area banks are still intact.  They still have money to lend, they have folks still applying for loans, and folks are still getting approved.

Linda Diggins (one of my fellow Realtors at Dark Horse) and I both had really pleasant closings last week.  Buyers and sellers were both happy and looking forward to their new adventures.  What a great feeling when it all works out for everyone involved...both parties excited and satisfied.

I am happy to report that people in our area seem upbeat and encouraged about the future.

I hope the same is true for you.

A Big Veteran's Day Thank You to those who have served and are serving. We appreciate your service and sacrifice!

Here is a photo of my nephew Darin, who is serving currently in Iraq. We miss you Darin, God Speed

It's not a surprise that the first question most buyers I have met with lately are asking is "how much does it cost to heat this house?". We are all pleased that oil prices have gone down a little bit......but I have been looking around my own home to see just where I can save a little on my electric and heating bills. Here are a few thoughts my husband and I came up with that I have shared with customers:

1. Replacing the air filter in your furnace frequently not only keeps your furnace working efficiently, but will also cut down on the dust blowing through the air vents
2. Insulating the heating ducts keeps the air warm and will cut down on leaks while air is transferred from the ducts in to the rooms of your home
3. Are your air vents or baseboards blocked by furniture or curtains? Keeping heating vents exposed will help the warm air circulate through the house
4. How old is your furnace? how old is your hot water heater? Our hot water heater was more than 15 years old. There have been such energy efficient changes in these products it is a good idea to see if you can get one or both replaced and START SAVING MONEY and the ENVIRONMENT! I find myself sounding very much like my parents when I say, if you are chilly, PUT ON A SWEATER! I remember growing up in Claremont, NH, my father would keep the thermostat on 62 degrees. He'd always remind us that when it's 62 outside we all run around in shorts and t-shirts. So set that thermostat to a lower temp.....and put on a sweater if you are chilly! Who knew Dad was so smart.
5. Solar gain........Mark and I cut down a couple of trees that were blocking the sun coming in to our living room. We have achieved some wonderful solar gain. The house stays very warm during the day....not to mention we got a cord or two of wood to burn over the winter. We replaced the trees with some nice, but shorter, shrubs.
6. Weather stripping.......of course we can all check the weather stripping around our doors and windows.....re-caulking can be done if necessary. Check out your local hardware store for those window insulation kits.

These are just a few things everyone can do. How many more can you think of?

Over the last few months, I have heard that more and more insurance companies are unwilling to issue homeowner's insurance polices for properties that have an underground oil tank.

Several insurance agents have mentioned to me that the day may come when it is impossible to get such coverage.

The tanks, usually made of steel, are prone to rusting. Rusting leads to leakage which can lead to pollution of groundwater and wells. A huge concern for all of us.

Due to the potential problems with the tanks, many home buyers are putting a contingency in their purchase and sales contract requiring the seller to have any underground oil tanks removed before closing (this happened during a sale of mine last June in Weathersfield, Vermont). It was not insurmountable, but did take some extra effort to coordinate.

Any tank that is out of service for more than one year must be permanently closed.

The cost to remove a tank can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500 depending on the location.

The State of Vermont does have a program which provides a grant of $1000 to qualifying homeowners to have these tanks removed. The program has a $100,000.00 limit per year beginning on July 1st. I am told the funds run out quickly.

The State of Vermont maintains a list of contractors who will remove the tanks.

For more information about the grant program or to get a list of contractors, you can contact the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation at (802) 828-3888.