What is the PHSI?

Each month I study the Pending Home Sales Index, issued by the National Association of Realtors. The index is based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed.The NAR uses a large national sampling to come up with their report. It ties the level of monthly contract activity to the level of sales that will occur in the following two months. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001 the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales, and it coincides with a level that is considered historically healthy.The most recent index report for March looked positive: It rose 5.1% to 94.1, up from 89.5% in February. The index is below the 106.2 in March 2010. It’s important to note that March & April 2010 activity was at an elevated level in order to meet contract deadlines for the home buyer tax credit.

via What is the PHSI? | Auburn Maine Homes For Sale.

Perhaps Lisbon Falls’ largest claim to fame is that writer Stephen King attended Lisbon Falls High School. The fictional town of Castle Rock, which he used in several stories, is thought to be based on Lisbon Falls. With a population of 4,541 in July 2007, Lisbon Falls is approximately eight miles from either Brunswick or Lewiston. The average commute time for work is 24.5 minutes. In 2009, estimated median household income was $40,134 ($39,224 in 2000) and estimated median house value in 2009 was $138,904 ($86,600 in 2000). The town is also famous for its Moxie Days, a celebration of the Moxie soft drink, which is sold at Frank Anicetti’s corner store. The store’s official name is The Kennebec Fruit Company, but it is commonly referred to as The Moxie Store and is recognizable by its bright yellow paint. Lisbon Falls and Lisbon share schools, including the Lisbon Community School, Sugg Middle School and Lisbon High School. It is also home to the Lisbon House of Pizza and Beaver Park Recreation Area is very nearby—a lovely location for you and your family to check out!

Updates include a quick Pownal Maine search within certain price points, a quick Maine MLS listing search on the right side where you add your own criteria and finally, a blog style site where we can post community information, events and of course, Pownal Maine real estate related articles. If you have an event you’d like to see posted on this site, just send me an email. Thanks for visiting.

Updates include a quick Monmouth Maine search within certain price points, a quick Maine MLS listing search on the right side where you add your own criteria and finally, a blog style site where we can post community information, events and of course, Monmouth Maine real estate related articles. If you have an event you’d like to see posted on this site, just send me an email. Thanks for visiting.

Problem ants?I recently had an interesting conversation with a representative of Orkin Pest Control. At this time of year in Maine, you may spot a few ants crawling around your home. Here is some useful info on carpenter ants:In nature, carpenter ants live in dead trees, rotting logs and tree stumps. They tend to build nests in deteriorating wood, but colonies can also extend to healthy wood. Carpenter ants make their homes in telephone poles, house porch pillars and roofs, windowsills and wood that comes in contact with soil. They prefer to burrow into damp wood rather than dry wood, and they typically seek wood that has been softened by moisture, decay or other insects….

…Read the whole story via Problem With Ants This Time Of Year? | New Gloucester Maine Homes For Sale.

For safety’s sake

In the event of a home disaster (such as a fire or theft), your memory may not serve you well in filing an insurance claim. Here’s a project that could be a real time saver in such a case.

Create a home inventory instead! It can be done on by hand in a notebook, by digital photo or by hand-held video. This is the best way to inform your insurance company of what you owned.

Record everything you own, including appliances, jewelry, collectibles and furniture. Include what’s hiding in drawers, cupboards and closets. Go from room to room and record narrative descriptions of items. Point out note whether something is an antique, or if there are special reasons to make it more valuable.  A list of serial numbers is also useful. For more assistance, you can do a search online for a “home inventory check list.”

Store your information on a USB drive in a safe deposit box, at a relative’s home, or in an online file back-up service. Consider storing copies of purchase receipts in the same place.

Decline in home value — There may be help from HARP

If the value of your home has declined, you may be eligible to refinance through the Home Affordable Refinance Program. HARP is designed to help you refinance into a new affordable, more stable mortgage. The program has been extended to June 2012. You may be eligible if:

• You have a mortgage owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

• You are current on your mortgage payments and have not been more than 30 days late in the last year.

• You owe more than the home is worth, but your mortgage doesn’t exceed 125 % of the current market value of your home

• The refinance will improve the long-term affordability and/or stability of your mortgage.

• And you have the ability to make the new payments.

If you question if this solution would be helpful for you, please call me, or see your mortgage company today.

I found some tips online from organization expert, Andrew Mellen, to declutter the most important room in your home. First, he says, your kitchen is a food preparation area, and not a storage space. Weed out what you’re not using. Put similar items together, in the best places. If items don’t have corresponding lids, throw them away.

Pots and pans: Use a pot rack if you are short on space. Pare down to the minimum.

Knives: If you’re short on counter space, consider the type of knife block that fits in a drawer. Or a magnetic one on the wall.

Plastic bags: Keep enough to use as trash can liners, take them back to the supermarket for recycling, and switch over to canvas shopping totes to cut down on accumulation of more. Keep a mesh or nylon shopping bag in your handbag for unexpected trips to the market.

Cookbooks: Weed them out. If you’ve had it for years but it doesn’t have a single stain from use, it’s time to donate it. Be ruthless! Your house will show better if uncluttered.

Another true sign that spring is right around the corner, the Maine Maple Producers Association sponsors the state-wide Maine Maple Sunday on March 27, the fourth Sunday in March every year. There are quite a number of Androscoggin County locations within a short driving distance of Lewiston-Auburn & Turner, so plan ahead to make a visit. Many offer free maple syrup samples, demonstrations on how they make pure Maine maple syrup and some places still offer maple taffy on snow. Some locations also serve up fabulous breakfasts, such as Jillson’s Sugarhouse in Sabattus. Boothby’s Sugarshack in Livermore will be open both Saturday and Sunday. And for a horse-drawn wagon ride, head over to the West Minot Sugarhouse. To see a map of other participating sugarhouses, click on this link: Maple Sunday Map.

Story via Maple Treats: Maine Maple Sunday: March 27, 2011 | Turner Maine Homes.

The temperature here in Maine is steadily on the rise. Every day there is a noticeable snow-melt and in some areas we are already experiencing Maine’s most famous and notorious SEASON, Mud Season. All this being said, Spring is just around the corner which means Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 a.m. on March 13, 2011. Don’t forget to change your clocks this Sunday!Daylight Saving Time starts the second Sunday in March and reverts to standard time on the first Sunday in November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.Want to know more about DST and where it is not observed? I found this site informative, visit http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/b2.htmlWant to know more about Mud Season? It happens every year when the frost starts to come out of the ground and affects everyone using dirt drives and pathways. Just pay us a visit and you’ll experience it first hand!

Photos via Its Time To Change Your Clocks! | New Gloucester Maine Homes For Sale.

A safe measure: Renter’s Insurance

If you rent, how can protect yourself against financial loss from damage caused by fire, pipe/water leak damage, theft or vandalism? Rental insurance!  It typically costs from $15 to $30 per month. Here are some tips on shopping for this important coverage:

Make a list of your items: include descriptions and values.

Compare rates and packages. You may save money by having car insurance with the same company.

Identify your maximum deductible. A policy with a higher deductible will have lower premiums.

Replacement cost policies may be more expensive now but, if you ever make a claim, you could end up saving a lot of money.

Find out what’s not covered.

Need more information or want to speak with a professional? We recommend The Patti Gagne Agency – Allstate in Lewiston Maine. Find them online at http://www.allstateagencies.com/PattiGagne/Welcome

via A Safe Measure: Renter’s Insurance ~ Advice for Maine Renters | Auburn Maine Homes For Sale.

Healthy eating, year-round

Check out the  on the second Thursday of each month. From 5 to 7:30 p.m. Held at the St. Mary’s Nutrition Center at 208 Bates St., it’s an easy way to pick up farm-fresh eggs, locally produced meats, fresh seafood, vegetables, cheese and bread, along with knitted items, teas and herbal products. An added benefit: It makes you feel really good to support local farmers and artisans. If you have time, stay for a quick bite in the café and meet fellow shoppers. Pretty soon, the market will go back to its summer location at Kennedy Park. The next market will be held March 10th.

via Healthy Eating, Year-Round From A Lewiston Maine Farmers Market | Lewiston Maine Homes For Sale.

Lead safety

There’s a high chance that houses built before 1976 were painted with a lead based paint. Lead poisoning can occur when exposed to an excessive amount of lead, and a person may suffer from anemia or experience nerve damage. Children are more easily susceptible, especially those under age 6. Because lead is a toxic, if absorbed or ingested, it will interfere with nerve and brain tissue development.

Because young children are likely to chew on painted items, they are more likely than other members of a family to absorb significant amounts of lead and suffer harm from lead paint in a home, especially if the paint is peeling and easily chipped. People who work with paint, especially paint removal, must also take proper precaution or hire a professional. Lead dust can be especially problematic. Information about lead paint can be found at Healthy Androscoggin. Call 795-5990, or go to www.healthyandroscoggin.org. They offer a one-day course, required for those who do renovation, repair and painting work in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities.

Moving can be stressful for everyone in the family, but don’t forget to talk about it in advance with your children. Make sure to answer all their questions as honestly as possible. One way to help them in advance is to show them their new room, and help them decide where their furniture and belongings will go. For young children, read books such as “The Berenstain Bears: Moving Day” or “Who Will be My Friends?” by Syd Hoff. Help them sort, pack and label their belongings, and celebrate afterwards with a fun meal. Put together a Moving Day Kit, with essential items they might need. If you are moving to a new town or school district, make sure to help them say goodbye to their friends, and help them stay in touch if possible.

via Tips For Helping Children Move | Turner Maine Homes.

Design tips at your fingertips! Offering the “best of” from the HGTV network, this app allows you to look up real estate videos, photos, tips and review their advice. Watch clips from popular shows, “Curb Appeal” and “Designed to Sell.” Getting ready for an open house? Look up design tips, and tutorials for staging and designing your home for more buyer appeal. Also fun, you can see before and after photo slide shows of their room transformations. Especially great if you you’re like me and don’t have time to watch much TV!

Looking for more Real Estate app choices? Visit http://www.topappcharts.com/search.php?show=search&string=real+estate&start=0&price=free to review or download the top 16 free iphone / ipad apps for real estate. Choose from top names like Realtor.com, Zillow, Loopnet, Trulia, Redfin, Homes.com and more. View Photos of…

…read the whole story via Free App For Your iPhone: HGTV – Plus More Real Estate Apps! | Maine Waterfront Real Estate.

Do you need a quick reminder of spring, which is — hard to believe —right around the corner? Maybe it’s time to update your landscaping projects?Check out the 250-acre botanical garden in Boothbay. Free admission from now through March. They offer some great workshops about all things gardening, can suggest some wonderful-sounding “garden getaway” travel packages, and offer a yummy-sounding Kitchen Garden Series Dinners, prepared by visiting guest chefs from Maine. To check out their class schedule and to make reservations for the dinners, call 633-4333 or go to www.mainegardens.org.

via Boothbay Maine Region – A Taste of Spring: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens ~ Open year round! | Maine Waterfront Real Estate.

I recently read some statistics about what is important to new home buyers. Here in the Northeast, energy efficiency rates very high on the list. According to the 2010 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers by the National Association of Realtors, almost nine out of ten . How does this affect you? If you are thinking of selling in the next year or two, upgrading your heating system could pay off. A more efficient, modern system could put make your house more appealing than many others in the area. This is because energy efficiency translates into cost savings for buyers in all income brackets. And a second bonus? You yourself will spend less on monthly expenses between now and when you sell!

When it’s time to list your house on the market, I would like to offer you an alternative to hiring an appraiser to ascertain the value of your home. As a professional Keller Williams real estate agent, I will research recent home sales in your neighborhood and analyze other comparative information for you. I will write up a market analysis of your property. I provide this service at no charge. After you review my report, if you are still unsure of the value of your home, you may opt for the assistance of an appraisal. Start by giving me a call, It’s FREE!

Office number is 207-784-2525 or email Sue at sue@meservier.com

via What is the Value of my Maine Home? | Gray Maine Homes For Sale.

Some of the top interior projects for resale value noted in the report by the National Association of Realtors included an attic bedroom and a basement remodel. Both increase your living space without expanding the foundation of your home. An attic bedroom addition could recoup an estimated 72.2% nationally upon resale. A basement remodel is estimated to recoup 70% nationally. Improvement projects expected to return the least at resale are a mid-range home office remodel, a backup power generator, and a sunroom addition, recouping an estimated 45.8 to 48.6%of costs. If you wonder if a home improvement project could pay off when it comes to selling your home in Maine, give me a call to talk about it.

via More valuable Information from the recent Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report | Lewiston Maine Homes For Sale.

I know there are a lot of homes on the market, and it could be a bit overwhelming for you as you shop. As your real estate agent, I can help you narrow down your search and eliminate some stress. First off, we will look at financing options so we know what you can afford. I will not show you homes that are out of your budget. To refine your search and save you time, I will help you formulate a list of your most important features. To narrow it down even further, we will do a preliminary search using the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). I will know if “there is a better deal out there” and if so, will it meet your criteria? As your agent, I will try to keep you focused!

Are you new to the Maine home buying process? Visit our sister website at HowtoBuyAHomeInMaine.com to learn all about it!  Have questions? Give us a call at 207-784-2525 or email us at agent@meservier.com.

via Maine Homes: Is this the right one? How do you know? | Turner Maine Homes.