Cold Spring Hunt January 2010 Newsletter

January 2010 Newsletter Here’s What’s Happening in Our Neighborhood:

ACTIVE: 4211 Aly, 4 bdrm, 2 1/2 bath, hrdwds, corian countertops, trex deck, hot tub, 3 car garage. Asking $539,900 Reduced to $529,000 for 95 Days
4903 Mead, A Belmont, 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, hardwoods, granite, finished basement, deck, patio. Was Originally Asking $579,000 Reduced to $549,500. Re-listed at $537,900 Reduced to $509,000 for 225 days. total
SOLD 4983 Mead Drive, AND ANOTHER GUTNER TEAM LISTING! An Eaton, 4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bathrooms, Wide Width Hardwoods, 1st Floor Study with Closet and Access to Full Bathroom could be 5th Bedroom, New Granite Kitchen, Stainless Appliances, Nicely Finished Basement, EP Henry Patio. Asking $544,850 Sold in 7 Days! .for $524,000
4972 Davis Drive, ANOTHER GUTNER TEAM LISTING! Expanded Northampton, 4 bdrm, 2 1/2 Bath, Hardwoods, Kitchen w/Cherry Cabinets, Granite and Greenhouse, Master w/Sitting Room, no study Sold for $465,000.
4284 Michener, A Cornell, 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 baths, hardwoods, granite. Was $545,000 Reduced to $499,900 sold for $475,000
In 164 days another Keller Williams listing.
4225 Leslie Drive, A GUTNER TEAM LISTING, A Haverford, 4 Bedroom, 2 1/2 Bath, Hardwoods, New Granite and Tile Backsplash, Cherry Cabinets, Back of the House Study, Master with Sitting Room, Cedar Deck. See the Virtual Tour at www.gutner.com Sold for $500,000 in 71 Days.
Recap of 2009
There were 11 sales last year in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, many of them were on the market at the same time and the most “needy” of sellers reduced and reduced bringing other prices down. As the neighborhood ages we will lose some of the “relo” business—buyers who know they are in and then out and want newer. However, there’s not much “under 10 year old” housing in Buckingham. Buckingham Forest houses took a huge hit over the past year. People who bought in that neighborhood from 2004 and after and need to sell now, are losing anywhere from $30,000 to $120,000. Their prices (same builder, some similar models but generally bigger, some BAD lots) have gone from the 700’s to an average of $568,600 for 9 houses sold in 2009.
Here’s what happened here:
4940 Redfield, Northampton w/finished basement, no study. $460,000
4972 Davis, Northampton, no study, upstairs sitting room. $465,000.
4339 Michener, Belmont w/sunroom addition. $475,000
4284 Michener, Columbia w/finished basement, back staircase. $475,000.
5008 Grundy, Haverford, master sitting room $475,000.
5001 Mead, Haverford w/fin. Basement. $492,000.
5025 Davis, Eaton, Sunroom, Finished basement. $500,000
4973 Mead, Belmont, 3 car garage, screened porch. $504,000.
4983 Mead, Eaton w/finished basement. $524,000.
4809 Redfield, Northampton w/study and sitting room. $530,000 (before all the above went on the market)
5000 Grundy, Columbia, back staircase, 5 full bedrooms, conservatory addition, 3 full baths,
hardwoods first and second floor. $570,000.
Average Price: $497,273. Settled Price to Last Listed Price was 95.02%

So . . . What do you do if you have to sell? You call in a Professional Team who has been in the business for 15 years and sold over a THOUSAND homes! Now honestly, how many Realtors can say that? And ALL of ours got to the settlement table except for one buyer, (Henri edited the word I wanted to use), who bought the house without his wife and backed out on settlement day when she said she didn’t like it! The Relo company made the seller whole but we’re allowed 1 out of a thousand. No one we know can match that! Times are tough and it’s all about being aggressive with marketing and price. You control the price (along with the buyer and the appraiser) and your Realtor controls the marketing. Members of the Prestigious Cyber Stars, where entrance is determined on web sites, web presence and volume of business—there are only 200 of us in the whole country!!! Curious? Google us—either Jeri or Henri Gutner and see what you get. Then google someone else. Exposure? That’s what it’s all about! And that’s what we’re all about. Henri and I don’t have another spouse who brings home the bacon or carries the health insurance. We HAVE to sell the house or we pay out bunches of money in marketing and get nothing. 2 kids in college, the desire to retire before we’re in our 80’s . . . You get it!



Tax Assessment Appeal
Thanks to those of you who let us know your savings on the recent Group Tax Appeal we did for you. It was great to put faces to names we see on our mailings! In certain “new” neighborhoods savings exceeded 20%. Of course, since we saved you so much money and cost the township so much money, they will no longer allow group appeals, but you can appeal on your own and we’d be happy to help you. Appeals must be filed by August 31, 2010. Call us in July and we’ll sit down and help you fill out the paperwork if you missed our appeal this year!

Granite Myths:
If you are hesitant to install granite countertops, let’s dispel these myths right now.
1. Granite is absorbent. Granite qualifies as impervious to water and is actually less absorbent than some solid surface (plastic) products.
2. Granite stains easily. Granite is resistant to stains. Generally any liquid spilled on a granite top, if wiped up within a few minutes, will not stain. Liquids that do not evaporate, such as oil, will cause stains only if left to soak into the stone.
3. Granite requires a lot of maintenance. Routine cleaning with a mile soap and water is all that is generally required. Once a year, a reapplication of a penetrating sealer should be performed. It takes only about 15 minutes. Never use abrasive cleaners.
4. Granite’s tiny pores harbor bacteria. Bacteria are found everywhere. If they are on a granite top, then they can also be found on a laminate or solid surface. Use an antibacterial soap to wash your countertop if you are concerned.
5. Granite and marble are essentially the same. Other than the fact that they are both natural stones and can be polished, granite and marble are otherwise very different. Marble is generally a calcareous stone, formed from oceanic deposits and then compressed under pressure. Granite, however, is an igneous rock, essentially molten magma, that is cooled and hardened below the earths surface.

Your natural stone counter top choice will add years of beauty, strength, durability and ease of maintenance to your home. Do it and enjoy it!

Now Could Be the Perfect Time To Buy a Second Home!
If you’re interested in buying a vacation home or investment property, now could be the ideal time. 2008 saw a 30.8% drop in sales of vacation homes and 17.2% decline in sales of investment homes compared with 2007. Less demand has made prices more affordable. By comparison, sales of primary residences dropped 13.2% in 2008 from 2007 (Nationally). In additions, second-home sales comprised just 30% of all home sales in 2008, down from 33% the previous year. Call us to find out how affordable a second home in today’s buyer’s market could be for you—or for a referral to a top-notch Real Estate Professional in the are that interests you.

Not so fun facts:
One Fourth of Borrowers are Underwater. More than 23% of people with mortgage owe more on their properties than they are worth, according to research firm First American CoreLogic.
Another 2.3 million homeowners are within 5% of being underwater, bringing the total of those who are upside down or close to about 28%.
Fun Fact: U.S. homeowners do have home equity and nearly 24 million owner-occupied homes don’t have any mortgage at all!
Need Help With “Stuff” around the House?
People I can’t live without:
My Painter, My HVAC guy,
My Second Husband (our handyman)
My Decorator
My Tree Guy
My Plumber and My Roofer
Need a referral? Call Us!
ZIPS Dry Cleaners—any garment $1.99 (Great for Winter coats and blankets). Men’s laundered shirts are just $1.19. Mention the Gunter's and receive one free garment. 618 York Road in Warminster (across from Arch Bishop Wood HS) 215-442-1471.
AND REMEMBER!!!
Mention the Gunter's at Sherwin Williams for a
very nice discount!
If you are planning to put your home on the market in the next 6 to 8 months,
it’s not too early to start talking to us!