Some of the rooftops and car windows were frosted again this morning which made me all the happier I decided to dress warmly. In spite of the temperature, I happened to notice a number of people out and about with shorts on which gave me the chills just looking at them. It would have to get a whole lot warmer than it did today to get me even thinking about donning shorts and t-shirts.
After visiting with a few Realtors about their showings on several of my listings, I called the sellers and asked if they would reduce their listing prices so that we can possibly get them sold all the sooner. They both agreed on my recommended price reductions, so I quickly made the changes online, along with adding “price reduced” riders to their yard signs.
The first price reduction was on 725 N. Washington which is that exceptionally well built 4 bedroom home that’s had many recent improvements including a new kitchen and updated bath. Most buyers don’t realize how large that home is until they starting walking thru it, and in spite of its size, it has a very well laid-out floor plan. My favorite part of the home is its huge solarium/den that’s facing south which gets flooded with oodles of natural light. The home is now priced at $112,500 and well worth every dollar.
The second price reduction was on 908 N. Pennsylvania which I’ve named the “cottage on the hill”. It’s actually much larger on the interior than it appears from the street due to its set-back and elevation. That home would be a perfect fit for a single person or young couple just starting out. The owner recently spent over $6,000 on the retaining wall out front which is a definite plus. It’s not often you find a garage that’s built into the side of a hill, and believe me, it’s still in very good condition. The “cottage on the hill” is now priced at $38,500 which puts it down in the investment grade range. I do hope it isn’t purchased by one of our rental barons because I’ve always had a soft spot for that neighborhood.
Since I had time earlier this morning, I called one of my dear friends whom I’ve not spoken with for a number of weeks just to play catch up on happenings. We had a good chat and a few laughs which helped to kick-start my day. We both agreed that there are a number of us “natives” that are waiting for the other shoe to drop with that River City Renaissance project that’s been unfolding down at our jinxed Southbridge Mall. There aren’t many natives left who remember all the smoke, mirrors, and intrigue that went on back when they built that eyesore.
I’m sure if someone dug deep enough, they’d be appalled when seeing all the willful waste of money that’s been spent on that Music Man Square since that nightmare of a brain storm our previous mayor pushed so hard to get built. It’s of public record what they paid for that group of buildings south of the Square, and then how little it was subsequently sold for, and to make matters worse, the “Square” now wants to buy it back this time around for even bigger bucks, just so to create all the more willful waste money. When you step back far enough and look at the whole picture of it all, don’t you think our residents deserve far better management of the tax dollars they’ve so faithfully paid year-over-year? This is why I really don’t like talking about fiscal waste because it upsets me all over again, which is likely why I try not to even look at those buildings when driving past them.
At two different occasions today, I heard separate horror stories about something really nasty that several sellers had done to innocent buyers. The first one spoke about how a supposed prominent citizen sold a home, and after closing, the new buyer discovered the real reason why the central air conditioning was set near freezing cold along with there being numerous air fresheners placed all over the house. Who would’ve considered that all of the carpeting in that home would have to be replaced because it was soaked with cat piss.
The second story was nearly the same with the exception of the air conditioning running. That poor buyer not only had to have all the carpet in her new home ripped out, but also sections having to be replaced of cat piss-soaked wooden underlayment before they could re-carpet. The mother of the buyer was beyond livid when speaking about how her hard-working and overly-trusting daughter was duped by that wicked seller. If only those buyers had known, they would’ve subtracted the costs of new carpets from the prices they offered. As far as I’m concerned, both of those sellers are very naughty monkeys, and hopefully in the end, karma will settle those scores.
This afternoon I spent some time visiting with a marketing person about a new direction I’ll be taking with my advertising these coming months. I was impressed by his knowledge as well as his willingness to make my recommended changes. I’ll be looking forward to positive comments about it from our general public. As he was walking out, I mentioned how disappointed I’d been with the advertising department of our local newspaper, and yet all the more willing to explore a new and more productive avenue of marketing my listings.
Tonight’s one-liner is: If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest of pleasures cease to please.
