William Raveis Raises Over $1.6 Million in the Fight Against Breast Cancer
January 31, 2012
William Raveis recently announced the results of its successful 2011 breast cancer campaign. The William Raveis Charitable Fund, an organization formed by William Raveis devoted to the fight against breast cancer, raised over $131,000 to support this important cause. This resulted in a grand total of over $1.6 million raised in just six years, when this program was first conceived. All proceeds go to The William Raveis American Cancer Society (ACS) Patient Navigator Program at the University of Connecticut and the ACS Patient Navigator Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.
William Raveis organized several creative events to spearhead fundraising in 2011. The highly anticipated Annual Breast Cancer Golf Tournament, held in the fall, broke all prior records, raising over $10,000. William Raveis also introduced new events this year, which contributed to the companys overall fundraising goal. They included a Pie in the Face Contest, Wear-Jeans-On-Friday, Zumba and The BREAST Night Ever, hosted by William Raveis staff.
In addition, William Raveis staff and associates sold a significant number of raffle tickets, contributing to overall efforts.
The collective efforts of our sales associates, staff and members of the community in the fight against breast cancer has been nothing short of outstanding, said William Raveis Chairman CEO, Bill Raveis. This year has been particularly successful because we worked very hard to introduce new, creative ways to help support this vital cause. That has resulted in over $1.6 million raised to help the ACS Patient Navigator Program and a positive impact on thousands of patients. I am proud to be a part of a company that is so dedicated to improving the well-being of breast cancer patients and their families.
Including funds raised in 2011, William Raveis will have donated $624,000 to the ACS William Raveis Patient Navigator Program at the UConn Health Center, $111,000 to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center ACS Patient Navigator Program in Boston, $125,000 to fund a research fellowship at Yale University and the remainder of the companys donations has gone to research fellows in conjunction with the Breast Cancer Alliance of Greenwich, UConn research programs and research support at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Massachusetts.
The William Raveis Charitable Fund is already mapping out new ideas to kickoff fundraising later this year. The company intends to keep the public notified of all support efforts via its social media channels-Facebook, Twitter and YouTube- as well as on the very blog you are reading right now.
To make a donation, please click here and for more information, visit our Charitable Fund Page.
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Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/31/william-raveis-raises-over-1-6-million-in-the-fight-against-breast-cancer/
Top Viewed Listings of the Week
January 28, 2012
Its Friday and that means its time to look back at the weeks most popular listings! This week, we are picking the most viewed listing from four states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. Take a look at the homes that made the cut and let us know why you think theyre getting all the clicks.
Connecticut
28 Strawberry Hill Avenue, Norwalk, CT
Most Viewed Home in CT
Listing Agent: Russ Bain, William Raveis Trumbull
Massachusetts
21 Pine Street, Falmouth, MA
Most Popular Home in MA
Listing Agent: Ralph Secino, William Raveis Osterville
New York
48 Haights Cross Road, Chappaqua, NY
Most Viewed Home in New York
Listing Agent: Stacy Levy, William Raveis Chappaqua
Rhode Island
27 Benefit Street, East Side of Providence, Rhode Island
Most Viewed Listing in Rhode Island
Listing Agent: Nelson Taylor, William Raveis Providence
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Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/28/top-viewed-listings-of-the-week/
Common Seller Mistakes to Avoid When Listing Your Home
January 27, 2012
Sellers face many challenges when placing their home on the market. However, given careful study of local market trends and the right guidance from a local realtor, sellers can achieve an fair price on their home and find the right buyer.
In order to make the home-selling process a little simpler, we thought it would be a good idea to post a compilation of some common seller pitfalls. William Tierney, a Raveis agent in the South Shore, Massachusetts, did just that! See his comprehensive list below and check out his phenomenal blog, here.
As a local South Shore REALTOR I have had the pleasure of working numerous sellers in getting their home prepared for the market. Somehow, in someway, there is a common trend where one, if not several, items from below enter the process. It is almost as if there is a poor how to book on selling a home that sellers have read. I thought I would write down some common seller mistakes in an effort to help my sellers avoid these same pitfalls.
1) Setting The Asking Price Based on Need. This is a common mistake that even good REALTORS let their clients make. In todays age of technology and the internet, buyers quite often have done their homework. These buyers have an educated guess as to the value of a home. So if you price your home based on where you need to sell it, perhaps for economic reasons, and that figure is above the market, you are doing yourself a disservice. You will lose valuable foot traffic in showings as todays buyer will deem the home over priced. Remember, a sale happens where a willing buyer meets a willing seller. And todays willing buyer is after a fair market price, this buyer does not care what you need to sell the home. Need and market value can often be eons apart.
2) Excessive Upgrades Prior to Selling. Many sellers do some significant work to their homes prior to selling, thinking that they will recoup 100% of the costs of the upgrades in the sale. And study after study shows that this is simply not the case. There are some upgrades that make sense, and a good portion of the funds expended will get recouped, but often not all of the expense. Remember, many upgrades are personal choices, so what a seller may like (and have paid good money for), a buyer may see as an item to be addressed since it is not in sync with their personal taste.
3) Listing with the Wrong Agent. Many sellers pick an improper agent for many of the wrong reasons. Sometimes the listing agent is a friend. Or the listing agent is the big name in the market, the one with all the listings in town, or at least the one whose signs appear all over town. Or even worse, the listing agent that is chosen to market the home is the one that said they could sell the house for the highest price. This is a common mistake. Sellers should look for an agent with a well thought out marketing plan that they understand how that plan will sell their home. The proper listing agent will also understand the local market, the unique selling features of your home, and how to generate buyer traffic through your home. The agent should also have a good handle on value.
4) AggressiveAgents Sellers often list with an agent who is too aggressive, and this agent drives buyers away from the home. Over selling the home at a showing, or putting on the Hard Sell can turn off a buyer. Remember, buying a home is an emotional decision, and todays buyer will want to discover how the home fits their needs and lifestyle. A good REALTOR will highlight many of the selling features of a home, but only those that are important to their buyer. Otherwise the aggressive agent will highlight features the buyer many not deem necessary, and thus make a buyer feel like they could be paying for features that they dont desire.
5) Poor Home Presentation. A common seller mistake is a failure to not properly showcase the home. Sellers need to address all maintenance issues so that the home looks well maintained. If not, the home lends itself to appearing as if there are other hidden issues with the home. In the same line of thinking, the home needs to be showing ready 24/7. This means that the home needs to be neat and tidy with all the daily chores properly addressed. This makes the home appear well loved. Buyers who fear that a home suffers from a lack of love, or deferred maintenance, will cross the property off their list faster than any good REALTOR can generate interest in your home.
6) Failure to Give Proper Consideration to The First Offer. Anybody who has ever bought or sold a home knows the feeling of disappointment upon the receipt of the initial offer. Sellers often have done a lot of work reading their home for sale, putting in both physical and emotional effort into the sale. Then the first offer comes in below expectations. The common seller mistake here is that the offer gets rejected for being a low ball offer. There is an old adage that says, Your first offer is often your best offer. I will revert back to another old adage, You home is worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. If a sellerreceivesseveral offers all within a similar price range, then the price of the home has beendetermineddespite the best efforts of the listing agent to garner a higher price. Your first offer can be a good indication of market value, regardless of the prior market research.
What is Your Advice to Home Sellers?
Posted by William Tierney, Sales Associate, William Raveis South Shore in Maintaining Your Home, Market Trends, Relocation, Selling Your Home
Tags: home selling cost, home selling mistakes, home selling process, house sell tips, how to sell your house, Raveis, William Raveis
Comments
Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/26/common-seller-mistakes-to-avoid-when-listing-your-home/
Common Seller Mistakes to Avoid When Listing Your Home
January 27, 2012
Sellers face many challenges when placing their home on the market. However, given careful study of local market trends and the right guidance from a local realtor, sellers can achieve an fair price on their home and find the right buyer.
In order to make the home-selling process a little simpler, we thought it would be a good idea to post a compilation of some common seller pitfalls. William Tierney, a Raveis agent in the South Shore, Massachusetts, did just that! See his comprehensive list below and check out his phenomenal blog, here.
As a local South Shore REALTOR I have had the pleasure of working numerous sellers in getting their home prepared for the market. Somehow, in someway, there is a common trend where one, if not several, items from below enter the process. It is almost as if there is a poor how to book on selling a home that sellers have read. I thought I would write down some common seller mistakes in an effort to help my sellers avoid these same pitfalls.
1) Setting The Asking Price Based on Need. This is a common mistake that even good REALTORS let their clients make. In todays age of technology and the internet, buyers quite often have done their homework. These buyers have an educated guess as to the value of a home. So if you price your home based on where you need to sell it, perhaps for economic reasons, and that figure is above the market, you are doing yourself a disservice. You will lose valuable foot traffic in showings as todays buyer will deem the home over priced. Remember, a sale happens where a willing buyer meets a willing seller. And todays willing buyer is after a fair market price, this buyer does not care what you need to sell the home. Need and market value can often be eons apart.
2) Excessive Upgrades Prior to Selling. Many sellers do some significant work to their homes prior to selling, thinking that they will recoup 100% of the costs of the upgrades in the sale. And study after study shows that this is simply not the case. There are some upgrades that make sense, and a good portion of the funds expended will get recouped, but often not all of the expense. Remember, many upgrades are personal choices, so what a seller may like (and have paid good money for), a buyer may see as an item to be addressed since it is not in sync with their personal taste.
3) Listing with the Wrong Agent. Many sellers pick an improper agent for many of the wrong reasons. Sometimes the listing agent is a friend. Or the listing agent is the big name in the market, the one with all the listings in town, or at least the one whose signs appear all over town. Or even worse, the listing agent that is chosen to market the home is the one that said they could sell the house for the highest price. This is a common mistake. Sellers should look for an agent with a well thought out marketing plan that they understand how that plan will sell their home. The proper listing agent will also understand the local market, the unique selling features of your home, and how to generate buyer traffic through your home. The agent should also have a good handle on value.
4) AggressiveAgents Sellers often list with an agent who is too aggressive, and this agent drives buyers away from the home. Over selling the home at a showing, or putting on the Hard Sell can turn off a buyer. Remember, buying a home is an emotional decision, and todays buyer will want to discover how the home fits their needs and lifestyle. A good REALTOR will highlight many of the selling features of a home, but only those that are important to their buyer. Otherwise the aggressive agent will highlight features the buyer many not deem necessary, and thus make a buyer feel like they could be paying for features that they dont desire.
5) Poor Home Presentation. A common seller mistake is a failure to not properly showcase the home. Sellers need to address all maintenance issues so that the home looks well maintained. If not, the home lends itself to appearing as if there are other hidden issues with the home. In the same line of thinking, the home needs to be showing ready 24/7. This means that the home needs to be neat and tidy with all the daily chores properly addressed. This makes the home appear well loved. Buyers who fear that a home suffers from a lack of love, or deferred maintenance, will cross the property off their list faster than any good REALTOR can generate interest in your home.
6) Failure to Give Proper Consideration to The First Offer. Anybody who has ever bought or sold a home knows the feeling of disappointment upon the receipt of the initial offer. Sellers often have done a lot of work reading their home for sale, putting in both physical and emotional effort into the sale. Then the first offer comes in below expectations. The common seller mistake here is that the offer gets rejected for being a low ball offer. There is an old adage that says, Your first offer is often your best offer. I will revert back to another old adage, You home is worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. If a sellerreceivesseveral offers all within a similar price range, then the price of the home has beendetermineddespite the best efforts of the listing agent to garner a higher price. Your first offer can be a good indication of market value, regardless of the prior market research.
What is Your Advice to Home Sellers?
Posted by William Tierney, Sales Associate, William Raveis South Shore in Maintaining Your Home, Market Trends, Relocation, Selling Your Home
Tags: home selling cost, home selling mistakes, home selling process, house sell tips, how to sell your house, Raveis, William Raveis
Comments
Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/26/common-seller-mistakes-to-avoid-when-listing-your-home/
Bill Raveis Profiles our Relocation Division
January 25, 2012
Posted by William Raveis Real Estate in Company News, Market Trends, Raveis.com, Relocation
Tags: corporate relocation, corporate relocation services, Raveis, relocation costs, William Raveis
Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/24/bill-raveis-profiles-our-relocation-division/
Top 10 Viewed Homes of the Week
January 20, 2012
Lets face it-everyone has their own taste when it comes to a home. Several factors can come into play: room for children, how much remodeling might be needed, number of garages and the list goes on and on. But, there are some homes on the market that seem to have mass appeal. Wed like to present you with a list of 10 such homes every week, starting today! Here are the top 10 viewed homes on raveis.com for this past week. What do YOU think makes them so appealing?
1. 209 Merwins Lane, Fairfield, CT
Listed by: David DAusilio
most viewed homes
2. 50 Lindbergh Street, Fairfield, CT
Listed by: Alan Melissa Hamilton
top viewed homes
3. 376 South Benson Road, Fairfield, CT
Listed by: Gigliotti Walsh Fine Properties
most viewed homes
4. 57 Tuller Road, Fairfield, CT
Listed by: Lois Lehman
most viewed homes
5. 1284 Fairfield Woods Road, Fairfield, CT
Listed by: Linda Raymond
most viewed homes
6. 1981 Mill Plain Rd, Fairfield, CT
Listed by: AlFilippone Associates
most viewed homes
7. 208 Nichols St, Fairfield, CT
Listed by: Gigliotti Walsh Fine Properties
most viewed homes
Listed by: Diane Millas
most viewed homes
9. 82 Erskine Rd, Stamford, CT
Listed by: Agent not named
most viewed homes
10. 14 Overbrook Rd, Norwalk, CT
Listed by: Ann Rosati
most viewed homes
Comments
Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/20/top-10-viewed-homes-of-the-week/
How Congress Stirred the Interest Rate Pot
January 19, 2012
Posted by Ryan Raveis, Senior Vice President, William Raveis Mortgage in First Time Home Buyers, Market Trends, Mortgage, housing affordability
Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/20/how-congress-stirred-the-interest-rate-pot/
Dealing with Asbestos
January 18, 2012
Buying or remodeling a home is a big undertaking. Though there is the excitement of calling something your own, you owe it to yourself and your family to make sure your new (or remodeled) home is conducive to healthy living. That will usually involve testing for asbestos. Asbestos is a health hazard in many homes, but can be dealt with effectively. But, what exactly is asbestos and how can it get into your home? Wendy Martinenas of William Raveis Fairfield/Southport, CT, defines this hazardous material and how you can get rid of it quickly. You can read more about home maintenance and safety on her blog, Snappy Green.
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was added to a variety of products to provide heat insulation and fire protection and was commonly used up until the 1970s. Unfortunately when it breaks apart it can release fibers into the air and become hazardous to your health.
Many types of building products and insulation contained asbestos.Common products in buildings that may contain asbestos (if manufactured before 1970) and may release fibers include:steam pipes, boilers, and furnace ducts; resilient floor tiles (vinyl asbestos, asphalt, and rubber); insulation around furnaces and wood burning stoves (cement sheet, millboard, and paper); soundproofing or decorative material; door gaskets in furnaces, wood and coal stoves; patching and joint compounds; cement roofing, shingles, and siding; and artificial ashes and embers sold for use in gas fireplaces. Here is a general guide of materials that may contain asbestos from the EPA. ww.epa.gov/Region06/6pd/asbestos/asbmatl.htm
Posted by Wendy Martinenas, Realtor, William Raveis Fairfield in First Time Home Buyers, Maintaining Your Home, Raveis Agents, Raveis.com
Tags: asbestos in homes, Raveis, Raveis.com, remove asbestos, what does asbestos look like, William Raveis
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Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/18/dealing-with-asbestos/
Fourth Quarter Market Update
January 12, 2012
Posted by William Raveis Real Estate in Local Housing Data, Market Trends, Raveis.com, housing affordability
Tags: homes sold, housing market update, Raveis.com, real estate market 2011, real estate news, William Raveis
Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/12/fourth-quarter-market-update/
10 Commandments to Follow Before Buying a Home
January 10, 2012
Buying a home can be alot like when you were learning to ride a bike as a kid (or an adult, if you happened to wait that long!)-pretty unsteady at first and tough to predict bumps in the road. However, the key is to have the right guidance to make sure the learning process is as smooth as possible. The same applies when making a home purchase. And you can start by reading the 10 must-follow-commandments below before buying a home! This post by Fairfield, CT agent, Veronica Iseppi, was written about one year ago, but the lessons are timeless. Take a look at her wonderful pre-home purchase advice. And check out her blog, where she talks all things real estate http://veronicaiseppi.raveisblog.com/.
Youve decided its time to move and youre going to be buying a house. There are 10 things you shouldnt do, that would impact your qualifying for a loan. Abiding by these rules now can help you get a lower rate, into a better lending program; ultimately allowing you to purchase a larger home, or one thats in a much more desirable neighborhood.
1.Thou Shalt Notchange jobs, become self-employed or quit a job before applying for a home loan. Youll want to show your lender stability, which shows youll be less likely to default on the loan. Lenders are now also calling employers a day or so before your closing date to ensure youre still employed.
2. Thou Shalt Not change banks. Like your employment, you want your banking history to show stability.
3.Thou Shalt Not buy a car, truck or any mode of transportation that youll have to finance. This will increase your debt-to-income ratio and will decrease the loan amount youll qualify for.
4.Thou Shalt Not buy furniture or put an expensive vacation on credit before buying a house. Like financing a car, charging big-ticket items increases your debt-to-income ratio which means you may have to settle for a smaller and/or less improved home.
5. Thou Shalt Not be late on your credit card payments or charge excessively. You also dont want many large balances onaccounts. You need a track record of responsibility and show that you can manage your money. Your lender will run your credit again right before closing and if you show recent late payments or many new purchases, it can slow things down or even change the program that youve qualified for.
6.Thou Shalt Not make large deposits into your bank accounts. Lenders like the money that will be part or all of your down payment to be sitting in your account for at least two months, what they call seasoning. If youll be receiving a gift from a family member, make sure it is deposited plenty in advance.
7.Thou Shalt Not stretch the truth on your loan application. Leaving out anyaccounts or liabilities or fudging your income is flat out fraud.
8.Thou Shalt Not co-sign a loan for anyone. Even if youre not the one making the payments on that loan, again it increases your debt-to-income ratio.
9.Thou Shalt Not have many inquiries made into your credit. Looking for new credit translates into higher risk for lenders. If your inquiries are related to your mortgage search,it usually doesnt affect your credit score because the assumption is youre rate-shopping. But opening credit accounts withina short period of time represents some risk and your credit could take a hit. Its probably not a huge factor in your calculating your ability to repay a loan but why take a chance.
10.Thou Shalt Not wait too long to speak to the key players a Lender, Realtor and Attorney that will be assisting with your home purchase. You dont want to begin your home search without being pre-approved -know exactly what price range you can afford, and understand what and how much your closing costs will be. Hire a Realtor early on a professional who knows the market area and with whom you feel confident in representing your best interests. Hire an Attorney who handles residential real estate closings, with whom you are comfortable with, and whowould be in your corner if the sales transaction should get dicey.
Follow these 10 commandments and they should help ease the process ofpurchasing the home of your dreams.
What is the best piece of home-purchasing advice youve received?
Posted by Veronica Iseppi, Realtor, William Raveis Real Estate in First Time Home Buyers, Market Trends, housing affordability
Tags: buying a home, can i get a home loan, credit history check, Raveis.com, tips to buying a home, why use a real estate agent, William Raveis
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Article source: http://blog.raveis.com/2012/01/10/10-commandements-to-follow-before-buying-a-home/
