Sorry I haven't posted for awhile. Hectic holiday activities, as I am sure everyone can relate to! I wanted to take a minute to write about something very important to me.
I have noticed a few houses in our neighborhood popping up for sale. Some have been on the market for quite awhile and others are newbies. At first I wondered why someone would try to sell in this economy- what a dumb idea with the way things are right now. But it is not for me to judge, as you never really know what the situation is just by living down the street from someone. I thought how aweful it would be if I HAD to sell right now, either a job transfer, family emergency or loss of job and money. That is happening to many people I know! Is there something I can do to help, you ask??? Of course!
If we want to protect our little slice of the pie, and by that I mean, OUR neighborhood, we are going to have to work together. Sounds corny, right? But it is so true! We want these houses to fetch a great price so that our houses retain their value. If a potential buyer drives through the neighborhood and sees ten cars parked on the curb with missing hubcaps or a giant pile of debris in the front yard, they will most likely pass on by to the next house. There are so many to choose from so why waste time? Out of frustration, the seller drops the price to lure in more buyers. Bad news people!! The 4 bedroom 2 bath house around the corner from you sells for $165K- what do you think will be your comp when you want to sell??
So here is the action plan...keep up your exterior. Get those kids away from the TV and hand them a rake. Turn the thermostat down so low that the kids think outside is warm and have them do a yard makeover. No kids? Borrow one from your neighbor. I have two available. There are 6 across the street and 2 nextdoor to me. Maybe someone would be willing to organize a neighborhood-wide yard day where everyone gets out there and rakes, cleans, bags leaves, etc. I would love to know if there are any elderly or disabled neighbors who simply cannot participate but have a yard that needs some TLC. There was an overwhelming response to the yard cleanup on the little neighborhood poll a couple months ago. Maybe after the holidays? What do y'all think?
