Smith Macdonald Real Estate Group's Stowe VT Real Estate Blog » vermont real estate

Sunset In Stowe, VT | Smith Macdonald Group

mckee — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:08 +0000

Here’s another installment in my series: “Sunsets Throughout the Seasons in Stowe, VT.”

This was taken from my backyard on May 5, 2012 of the sun setting over Mt. Mansfield and Stowe Mt. Resort.

Declutter That House to Sell It Faster – Market Ready – NYTimes.com

mckee — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:00:28 +0000

When we sit down with clients to discuss selling their homes one of the main features we review is the shape of the house. Not just the overall condition and impression it will make on the market, but how it will be received by the market. What we have found is there are very few home owners that don’t need to declutter on some level. By decluttering your home you make it show and feel larger and move inviting to potential customers.

Think about how much stuff we collect over the years, how much of it just ends up taking up space in a closet or the basement. What type of impression does that leave? Many people may think that since you can’t keep an organized home it’s a sign of other underlining problems like you haven’t kept the house in shape. Even if you just clean up your closets so they give the appearance of having more space that’s a start.

Recently the New York Times ran a great article dealing with decluttering your home to help it sell faster. Please click here to read that article: Declutter That House to Sell It Faster – Market Ready – NYTimes.com.

Sunset in Stowe, VT

mckee — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:21:13 +0000

Welcome to my new series, Sunsets Throughout the Seasons in Stowe Vermont.

I hope to bring you different sunsets from different times of year and from different locations in Stowe. We have an amazing back drop for most of our sunset, that being Mt. Mansfield and Stowe Mt. Resort.

I hope you enjoy this series and our beautiful town.

Will the Housing Market Finally Start Rebounding in 2012? – WSJ.com

mckee — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:33 +0000

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article and based on the year end numbers from our local market, now is a good time to buy a house. Over 71% of people surveyed in a recent study felt that it was a good time to purchase a home.

Locally this holds true, Stowe and the surrounding area have continued to remain affordable for buyers. The historically low interest rates are helping purchasers get into homes that might otherwise be out of reach. That and the seller’s realization that by making adjustments to their asking price can result in finding a buyer.

Read the WSJ article here:

Will the Housing Market Finally Start Rebounding in 2012? – WSJ.com.

Subscribe to the Smith Macdonald Group’s Blog

mckee — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:47:42 +0000

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Pending Home Sales Rise Again in November, Highest in a Year-and-a-Half

mckee — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

According to the National Association of Realtors pending homes sales have reached a 19 month high, the highest since April 2010. This is a good sign because it shows that this high has been reached without the assistance of the Home Buyer Tax credit. As with the rest of the economy we hope to see this high sustained and an indication of a move towards more positive economic ground.

To read more click here:

Pending Home Sales Rise Again in November, Highest in a Year-and-a-Half.

Vermont Thrift Saved the Day?

Peggy — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:33:40 +0000

This is a great article talking about why Vermont has the lowest rate of foreclosures in the country. Something that has allowed homeowners to maintain a truer property value than a lot of other states. The article is from bloomberg.com “Vermont Foreclosures Held Off by Yankee Ways, Land-Use Laws“

By Brian K. Sullivan

Jan. 29 (Bloomberg) — Vermont is avoiding the foreclosure crisis plaguing homeowners across the U.S., perhaps owing to traditions of thrift, modesty and self-reliance — bolstered by laws that protect buyers and land.

The foreclosure rate in Vermont is the lowest in the U.S., 0.04 percent of all homes in the state, according to RealtyTrac Inc. of Irvine, California.

To read the full article click here.

Real Estate Agent in the Making

Peggy — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:07:42 +0000

It was Saturday afternoon and I had to go to a showing. Since the house had a great rec room with pool table, ping pong and foosball, I decided to invite my six year old grandson, Eli, along. He was staying with me for the week-end and needed to have some diversion.

Eli was under strict instructions to stay in the rec room while I was showing the house. We arrived to the house ready and he explored every inch of it, including the “really cool” ladder that went to the cupola. He turned on all the necessary lights and wanted to light the gas fireplace, which is where I drew the line.

The potential buyers arrived at the house, I barely got the door open when Eli announced,”This is a really cool house and you should buy it.” Attempts to get him back down in the rec room were futile. He guided us through the house, pointed out all of the features that he thought they should know about. And the amazing thing was, they were exactly the same features I would have pointed out to them.

I was a bit apologetic, but I was assured that it was the most interesting and fun house tour they had been on and that I should split the commission with him when I sold it.

Just in case you’d like to see the house. Click here is a link for the visual tour of Blueberry Hill.

Any offers will have to be reviewed by Eli.