1.  Set a realistic price

2.  Advertise with snow-free pictures

3.  Maximize Curb Appeal

4.  ‘Stage’ the interior for winter

5.  Have good interior lighting.

If you would like to read the entire article, please click on the following link. 

http://realestate.msn.com/5-tips-to-ensure-your-home-sells-in-winter

Cobblestone recently received a very generous gift from the Brown family. Robert and Aline Brown were both Cobblestone Members for several years. Their family has donated this beautiful teak patio furniture in their memory and as a gift to the facility which “took such great care” of the couple over the years.  The patio furniture has granite stones in the center and an umbrella for protection from the sun.  The furniture will allow Members to enjoy outdoor/patio dining when the weather is mild. Cobblestone Members are thrilled and the furniture is already in use! A dedication ceremony will be held in October with the Brown family.

Many currently stuck at the “Waiting Place” are there waiting for their home to sell.  If that’s you, here are a few tips.

Is it priced right?   Homes that are priced right on the front end sell faster and often for more than those who chase the market.  A good appraisal is key and I highly recommend using a Realtor®.  Realtors® provide excellent insight into the market starting with a comparative market analysis (CMA) that assists in setting a price supported by providing a side-by-side comparison of similar homes for sale and recently sold homes in your neighborhood.  CMAs illustrate the range of homes in the marketplace and the features that make them unique, including age, location, number of bedrooms, baths, room sizes, updates, condition, etc.  As a seller, you should be able to see where your home fits – in the top or lower price range of similar homes in your area.

An appraisal uses a variety of sources to establish a homes value and is performed by a professional appraiser.  Appraisals are always performed after an offer is made as part of the loan application process.  Banks use the appraisal to weigh their risk.  If an appraisal does not support the list price banks won’t approve the loan.  By ordering an appraisal on the front end and using it to establish the list price you are best insured when an offer is made it’ll hold up to the banks scrutiny.

Is it move-in ready?  As competitive as today’s market is, your house needs to be move-in ready.  Move-in ready often means making sure that which is broken gets fixed but sometimes may include updating as well.   Don’t worry about needing a house make over but expect to spend a little money repairing settlement cracks or possibly replacing carpet.  In all likelihood you have also lived in your house for a number of years and while the wall paper in the foyer might be your preference it could turn off today’s buyer.  Don’t be offended if a Realtor® recommends painting.  In fact, I encourage you to consider a fresh coat of paint in a neutral color every where.  Not only will the walls look appealing to most but the smell of fresh paint plays on the senses leaving a new, clean impression.

Finding a Realtor®, pricing a house and preparing it to go to market takes time and if you have not sold a house in a while, you might not know where to turn.  At Park Springs we offer the Vintage Home Plan which assists prospective Members in preparing for and selling their house as well as in making the move to our community.  Our plan may also allow you to defer payment of your entry fee and cover some carry costs until your house has sold.  Please visit our Atlanta retirement community website in order to learn more.

Perhaps with these tips, as Dr. Suess wrote, “Somehow you’ll escape all the waiting and staying.  You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing.  With banners flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high!  [And at our premiere Atlanta retirement community], ready for anything under the sky.”

The Waiting Place… for people just waiting.

Waiting for a house to sell or the market to rise,

or a birthday to come or go or to win the lotto.

Or waiting for my kids to say yes or someone to say no,

or a health issue to arise or home health to arrive.

Or an elevator to come or the location to change,

or to maintain independence or perhaps become dependent.

Everyone is just waiting.

If you find yourself in the waiting place, check back here periodically or better yet contact one of our Residency Counselors for assistance with your retirement planning as they may just provide keys that will enable you to move on to great places.

A reason for this is that according to a recent Macro Markets Press Release dated June 22, 2011, most housing experts feel as if the housing market has stabilized, and that the “US residential real estate market is at a historic turning point.” However, the experts clarify that this is best described as a “forcast of price stability rather than a rebound.”

The report results are an indication of the overall US housing market. However, residential real estate varies significantly region by region, state by state, and neighborhood by neigborhood. If you are considering Park Springs retirement community, please inquire about our Vintage Home Plan. Our team will help evaluate your current home, and help you determine if now is a good time to sell your home, and begin to enjoy  Atlanta retirement community.

Andy Isakson (second from the left) along with Members of Park Springs.

The format is 2 net better ball match that paired one owner or director with four groups while the fifth was made up of only Members.  Guess who won?  In a scorecard playoff, the foursome of only Members won with a score of 14-under par.  Everyone gathered following the match at the Commons in order to congratulate the winners, enjoy a cold beer and tell a tale or two of birdies and arrant shots alike.

The winning foursome.

This year’s tournament was held on the Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed Stonemont Golf Course at Stone Mountain Park.  Park Springs, Atlanta’s only resort-style continuing care retirement community is fortunate to sit on 54-acres surrounded by Stone Mountain Park.  While many homes enjoy views of the park, all Members appreciate their own private access into the park.

What a view.

If you aren’t familiar with Stone Mountain Park, I encourage you to visit www.stonemountainpark.com.  The park offers numerous amenities not the least of which are two 18-hole championship golf courses.  These two courses – Stonemont and Lakemont – wind through a forest of Georgia pines and around Stone Mountain Lake. They offer breathtaking views and wonderful, natural rock formations that will make your round of golf truly a memorable one.

Today Park Springs Foundation Chairman Norman Harbaugh presented Park Springs Executive Director Michael Heselbarth with the keys to a brand new 17 passenger bus to be used for meeting personal transportation needs of our Park Springs family.  The Park Springs Foundation was able to purchase the new bus thanks to a special donation made by one anonymous Member.  The bus was built to the specifications of representatives of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and Park Springs Administration and drivers.  It features, for example, an up-graded suspension system for an ultra smooth ride, comfortable high back seats, a flat floor with no wheel wells so everybody gets a good seat, increased leg room, a back up camera, triple inner insulation to reduce interior noise, a wheel chair lift with accommodations for two-wheel chairs on board, a special audio-visual package including a television and DVD player , as well as other features added to ensure the comfort and safety of older passengers.

This 17 passenger bus will add substantially to Park Springs’ ability to provide Members with transportation to metro area amenities, cultural and social events as well as away trips.  The new bus will certainly be the preferred choice among Members but Park Springs also has a 16 and 24 passenger bus as well as multiple Lexus sedans available to support Member transportation needs.  We are truly grateful for this newest addition toward our continued efforts in making Park Springs an enjoyable living experience for all of our Members.

Park Springs Members welcome their new bus.