This is a copy of the update letter sent to our listed Sellers on a monthly basis.


Greetings!

There’s a chill in the air, there’s CHRISTMAS STUFF in all the stores, and there is a slight lessening in the ringing of our phones… I guess fall is here, and winter’s on its heels. However, real estate never stops. I’m here to reassure you that houses sell almost every day of the year, that buyers need to move in the winter as well as the summer, and that having your home on the market in the “slower” season can actually be a GOOD THING!

The attached article on Winter Month Sales is from Inman News, a source of real estate news and information, and while it’s written TO agents, the comments there are really FOR home sellers. I hope you’ll have a chance to read it!

I’d also like to share a few thoughts about having a home on the market in a VACANT state during the winter. We have learned over the years that a vacant home can actually cost more to heat than an occupied home, because there’s nothing to hold and radiate heat; it’s the same concept as an empty freezer costing more to run than one filled with frozen foods. Please keep this in mind before you see your first vacant-house utility bill.

It’s also worth mentioning that a few hundred dollars spent winterizing a home can be a HUGE savings in the long run, should we lose power and you have a freeze up! Winterizing doesn’t mean turning off the heat – it means having supply lines not only drained but blown out under pressure, antifreeze added in traps and toilets, and in the case of hot water systems, can mean the addition of glycol alcohol (with an added cost.) If this message applies to you, and you need help arranging for winterization, please contact Amy Woods, our now-full-time concierge, at 607-936-2844, ext 3060, for names and numbers of some good, reasonably priced plumbers who winterize.

Remember, this time of year can – it doesn’t always – slow down a bit for showings, but those buyers who are out there are serious about buying! We continue to have good economic news in our area – expansion by Corning Inc., additional hiring by MANY local companies, growth of retail and service sectors, and of course, amazingly low mortgage interest rates – STILL! Spread the news to YOUR friends, who may believe what they’re reading and seeing on the national news – Real Estate is LOCAL and OUR market is FINE!

As a reminder, Coldwell Banker Horizons Realty has joined the many businesses and groups who collect for the Food Pantry at this time of year; donations can be made at either of our offices and at any open house. Our company will deliver the goods along with a company cash donation, at the end of November. We were inspired by a Coldwell Banker speaker this past year who used our continual contact with the public as a way of facilitating donations to various charities, and the Food Pantry campaign is the beginning of our Coldwell Banker Cares program that will continue, year-round.
If you are in a position to share with others, we appreciate your consideration.
We wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!