Madison Wisconsin Real Estate News

Happy Halloween from Lake & City Homes Realty! Check out this amazing pumpkin carving website and choose your favorite from the pumpkin carving gallery. Then comment on anything you see in my blog (including this post) and you'll be eligible to win a $10 sign-up promo code from Alice.com (no affiliation). The drawing will take place at Lake & City Homes Realty on Friday, November 6th, 2009.

When I realized that the creator of these amazing pumpkin carvings, Scott Cummins, only spends 1-2 hours on each carving, I was inspired to figure out how I too might start working smarter, not harder! So, whether you're buying or selling, here's some tips (as opposed to dirty tricks!) for working smarter in today's real estate market to get the kind of results you want:

1. When selling, take the time to study the comps with your Realtor and price your home appropriately given its age and condition

2. When selling, make the effort to declutter your home, clean it thoroughly, and create an inviting atmosphere for prospective buyers

3. When buying, be pre-approved by a qualified local lender that local Realtors know and trust so your ability to deliver on your loan commitment won't be unduly questioned by the seller

4. When buying, don't write ridiculous "lowball" offers that only serve to alienate sellers and cut the conversation short

5. When buying a short sale, be patient, have a flexible lease (preferably month-to-month), and know that such sales are typically "as-is" 

I hope that you find Scott's carvings as entertaining as I did and that you enjoy Halloween 2009 wherever you happen to be spending it. Don't forget to comment on my blog and good luck to everyone in our upcoming Alice.com drawing!