Behind The Lockbox

Things you discover while showing houses

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:07:29 -0500

I was out recently with a buyer client, touring houses. We stopped at the sales model in a new home subdivision. The client was checking out the exterior of the house while I was saying goodbye to the sales agent. He came back inside and wanted to know why there was an iron beam sticking out of the side of the house. We went to look at it. This is what we saw.

It turned out that the landscaper had at some point hit the sewer clean out cap with a lawnmower and it had hit and penetrated the vinyl siding of the house. It is a good thing no one was injured.

Wordless Wednesday

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:56:00 -0600

Tuesday Trip

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:21:35 -0600

Wordless Wednesday

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:50:16 -0600

Please Leave!

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:31:27 -0600

Your house has been on the market for a couple months. Your agent called you yesterday to let you know that an agent is showing your house tomorrow. They will be there between noon and 1pm. What do you and your husband do when the agent and the buyer get there? Well, here is what happened to me and my buyers. You open the door and go back to watching TV and sit on your recliner. When we venture downstairs, we find your husband in a room with the door closed, watching TV. Now, my buyers feel like they are intruding and interrupting your Saturday afternoon. They hurry through the rest of the house, wondering how many other family members are watching TV in other rooms? After another minute, we thank you and leave.

If you are a seller and are trying to sell your home, please leave when there is a showing scheduled. I am trying to get my buyer thinking about where their furniture is going to go. It is hard for me to do that when you are still sitting in yours.

Are things starting to change?

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:22:05 -0600

Pent up buyer demand, historically low interest rates and a large inventory of homes for sale can lead to a busy spring market. Add one more thing to the mix. Some lenders are really getting serious about pricing their REO properties and they are pricing them to sell. I have seen some big reductions locally here and also some new REO listings that have been cleaned, with utilities on, and priced well.

I have had multiple offers on one of my Pennsylvania properties this week after months of minimal activity.

Yesterday, I was outside getting the mail and I saw this overhead. We were having one of the bluest skies in a long time and someone was taking advantage of it.

It is time to soar!

Wordless Wednesday

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:40:54 -0600

Speechless Sunday

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:46:39 -0600

The photos and content of this weblog are produced by Rich Mielke, REALTOR with Realty Executives of Frederick Maryland. The views and opinions are those of the author and not those of Realty Executives International or Active Rain.

If you like what you read here, please subscribe to my blog. I regularly read and comment on my subscribers blogs.

Resolutions are made to be broken...

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:56:27 -0600

But goals are made to be achieved!

The problem with New Years Resolutions is, you break them. You resolve not to eat junk food. Then you walk into the office and there is a box of donuts for someones birthday. So, you eat one and now you have broken your resolution. And once you break them, they can fall by the wayside.

So, why not convert your resolutions to goals? Set a goal to eat healthier, work out more, make more contacts, touch base with past clients. Make them measurable. Then, when you meet or exceed one of your goals, celebrate!

Wordless Wednesday

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:38:12 -0600

Tuesday Trip

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:15:13 -0600

Frederick County Maryland Christmas Tree Recycling

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:00:36 -0600

If you live in Frederick County Maryland and purchased a live cut tree this holiday season, here is a list of places where you can drop off your tree for recycling:

Ballenger Creek Park, New Parking Lot on Right 5420 Ballenger Creek Pike, Frederick, MD 21703

Kemptown Park, Lower Left Parking Lot, 3456B Kemptown Church RD, Monrovia, MD 21770

Middletown Park, Middletown Park Recycling Center, 7628 Coblentz RD, Middletown, MD 21769

Point of Rocks, Ruritan Club, Left Side of Parking Lot, 1637 Ballenger Creek Pike, Point of Rocks, MD 21777

Reichs Ford Road Yard Trimming Area, 9031 Reichs Ford RD, Frederick, MD 21704

Thurmont, Eyler Road Park Recycling Center, 30 Eyler RD, Thurmont, MD 21788

Walkersville Heritage Farm Park, Yard Trimming Collection Site, 9224 Devilbiss Bridge RD, Walkersville, MD 21793

These locations will accept trees until 1/23/2009. Please remember to remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, garland, tree stands and plastic bags before leaving the tree at the collection site.
For additional information, please call 301-600-2960 or visit:
www.co.frederick.md.us/recycling

Speechless Sunday

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 11:30:42 -0600

Another sign that things are slow

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:31:51 -0600

Here in Maryland, we use Sentrilock lock-boxes for our listings. I have my boxes set up with an email notification that lets me know that a showing has occurred. The email is sent when the showing agent updated his or her Sentrilock card the next time after the showing. I just received a showing notification from October 21st of last year. That means the agent hasn't been busy, or they have only been showing listings that are on combo boxes since then.

The newest addition to our family!

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:27:26 -0600

It's a Kitchenaid!

Our old dishwasher died on Christmas Day. It was 8 years old and we decided to just replace it, based on cost of repairs and life expectancy. The new one is so much quieter, you can barely hear it running. It has hidden controls at the top which I really like. After washing dishes by hand for a week, I am glad to say that it gets them really clean, too.

Speechless Sunday

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:11:32 -0600

Wordless Wednesday

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:59:38 -0600

Tuesday Trip

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:53:50 -0600

We were recently in Provincetown Massachusetts, one of our favorite places to visit. I snapped this photo of the Christmas Tree at the Whalers Wharf. There was a brief snowfall which helped set the mood for the day. The open rotunda of the building allowed for the snow effect. Unfortunately the snow melted upon falling.

Speechless Sunday

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:30:35 -0600

Wordless Wednesday

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:07:31 -0600

Tuesday Trip

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:49:16 -0600

This is the Macmillan Pier and Wharf in Provincetown Massachusetts as seen from the town beach. On a December day, the only boats you see are the fishing boats. In the summertime there would be recreational boats and people in the foreground. The off season is a wonderful time to explore Cape Cod.

Speechless Sunday

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:36:44 -0600

Wordless Wednesday

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:03:35 -0600

I am now on Twitter

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:05:06 -0600

I had no desire to go shopping on Black Friday, so today was a day to work from home and avoid the traffic and the crowds. Tonight, I finally bit the bullet and signed up for Twitter. I am still trying to figure it all out, I will have to read some of the Active Rain blogs for tips. You can follow me on Twitter by clicking here.

Now lets see if this blog goes out to Twitter, if I set it up right.

A Thanksgiving piece of my mind!

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:01:55 -0600

Well, actually a piece of pie. Pumpkin Pie! From our kitchen to you. I was out in the garage fixing the garage door opener. When I finally got the chain reattached and came back inside, my partner Kevin had just taken this out of the oven.

Just thought I would take this moment to wish everyone on Active Rain a Happy Thanksgiving. As the holidays approach, I am thankful for the people I have met here on Active Rain. Have a safe holiday and remember your local food bank at this time of year. They really can use your donations.