City Girl Moves To The Coast

As a child I often thought how great it would be to grow up near the beach. Instead I spent my childhood in the country or the city. When I married, my husband and I decided to move to a home he had been using as a rental in South Kingstown. My first visit there brought mixed emotions. Yes, the beaches were beautiful. It was clean, peaceful, and you could actually SEE the stars at night! The other things I noticed were, where would I shop? Is there a Starbucks? What in the world do you do all winter long? Well I said "let's try it". Seven years later I have fallen in love with life here. Many people say it is God's country. It is so nice to walk into a store, coffee shop or market and people actually know who you are and seem glad to see you.

Morning commutes are made up of waterviews, trees and no traffic. Sometimes I like to listen to the traffic reports of jams on the Washington bridge in Providence. I used to be stuck in that mess day after day. South County has so much to offer. Since moving I had a son Brady. He is 2 1/2 and loves his home. Now he will grow up near the beach, enjoy all the beautiful parks and the wonderful people. Living here is truly like being on vacation all year. We don't miss the rushed life of living in the city and of course I have found some great shopping.

The Glamorous Life

It always makes me laugh when people say being a Realtor is easy, it is a glamorous job, or that we are paid too much for what we do. I say come and sit in our office for a few days. See all the happenings that go on behind the scenes. See if you think it is easy work. In the six years I have been selling real estate, I have had some moments that have truly been wonderful and some that have been a bit trying.

Let me give you a few examples. How about calls late at night (10pm or later) that are not even close to being an emergency, calls that wake a baby you have been trying to get to sleep for two hours. Or the BRISK walks on the beach in the middle of January in snow up to your knees with out of state clients. The homeowners you have to tell the many problems with their property that they just don't see. How about the many walks through vacant land? I seem to have a gift for rain, mud and briers. One time I almost had to be cut out of brush and briers that had wrapped themselves around me. My favorite story is just hours after giving birth to my son by c-section, I was trying to reach for my cell phone from the hospital bed to calm down angry sellers and buyers that were threatening to walk away from the closing on the property in just a few days. They did ask how I was feeling and if I had a girl or a boy!!

Anyway, my Dad always taught me to "see what is good, not what is bad" He was a wonderful man and always had a smile, kiss, song or joke to brighten my day. When things go wrong or I have a tough day, I think of what he was saying. I do love being a Realtor. And I love helping clients find their dream home or to help someone turn a page and sell their home. Take a look at our website for some truly wonderful homes, or call me if you are thinking of selling.

My motto as a Realtor has been professional, personalized service with a positive attitude.

Designer Showhouse Shines

Last week I had the opportunity to be a volunteer at the 2008 Newport Showhouse Guild Designer Showhouse. "Southwind" is the home of Judge Frank and Joyce Caprio and has been their residence for 36 years. The main house was recently connected to the carraige house creating over 10,000 square feet of living space which includes a roof deck overlooking the gardens, pool, tennis court and views of Rhode Island Sound.

What a treat to walk through this beautifully decorated home and gardens. Enjoy seeing the latest in design trends, colors and fabrics that are showcased throughout this home. Over thirty interior and exterior designers and artists have spent many months creating very special space. The items used to decorate this home can also be purchased. Each room has a list with prices and items. Also, you can visit the designer's gift shop with treasures old and new for sale. The best part is 25% of your purchase goes to the charities.

If you are enjoy HGTV, decorating, or landscape design, please stop in. Each room is unique and each decorator/artist has created an "Inspired Design".

The home is open daily until June 8th form 10am-4pm. The 2008 charities are the Washington County Coalition for Children and The NSG Education Fund in Memory of Ellen S. Murphy.
After viewing this amazing home you may decide you would like to live on Ocean Rd. or in Narragansett. Our office is located just down the street at 41 Ocean Rd. We have several special properties available to view.

How To Prepare for an Appraisal

For homeowners, a real estate appraisal is the linchpin to buying or selling their home. It allows the property transactions to occur among the buyer, seller, real estate agent and mortgage lender.

Before an Appraiser arrives, there are a few things you should know. By law, an appraiser must be state licensed to perform appraisals prepared for federally related transactions. Also by law, you are entitled to receive a copy of the completed appraisal report from your lender.

To facilitate the appraisal process, it's beneficial to have these documents ready for the appraiser:

*A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily available)
*Information on the latest purchase of the property in the last three years
*Written property agreements, such as a maintenance agreement for a shared driveway
*List of personal property to be sold with the home
*Title policy that describes encroachments or easements
*Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property
*Home inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, septic systems and wells
*Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and upgrades, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of central air conditioning or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available)
*A copy of the current listing agreement and broker's data sheet and Purchase Agreement if a sale is "pending".
*Information on "Homeowners Associations" or condominium covenants and fees.
*A list of "Proposed" improvements if the property is to be appraised "As Complete".

Once your appraiser has arrived, you do not need to accompany him or her along on the entire site inspection, but you should be available to answer questions about your property and be willing to point out any home improvements.

Here are some other suggestions:

*Accessibility: Make sure that all areas of the home are accessible, especially to the attic and crawl space
*Housekeeping: Appraisers see hundreds of homes a year and will look past most clutter, but they're human beings too! A good impression can translate into a higher home value
*Maintenance: Repair minor things like leaky faucets, missing door handles and trim
*FHA/VA Inspection Items: If your borrower is applying for an FHA/VA loan, be sure to ask your appraiser if there are specific things that should be done before they come. Some items they may recommend might be: Install smoke detectors on all levels (especially near bedrooms); install handrails on all stairways; remove peeling paint and repaint the effected area; provide inspection access to the attic and crawl spaces.

Curb Appeal

You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

In todays market it is important to get noticed. Spring is the perfect time to make some important changes that are sure to impress potential buyers. Most buyers select the homes they wish to see by exterior photos seen in ads or on the internet or from a drive by the property.

Let's face it, what buyer would want to see the inside of the house that has overgrown shrubs, peeling paint and a yard that is full of clutter ?

Here are some tips to clean things up and make your home shine like this one in Narragansett.

• Front door/entryway: a fresh coat of paint, new welcome mat and some potted plants will make this focal point shine.


• Mailbox: replace if needed, add a new set of house numbers and some plantings.


• Seal the driveway: this can be an easy do it yourself project that will give your driveway a clean look.


• Clean up clutter: put trash containers out of sight, clean up toys and keep in the backyard.


• Wash your windows


• Power wash the exterior: get rid of cobwebs, dirt and mildew.


• Wash exterior lights and change light bulbs


• Front porches/Patios: sweep, add hanging and potted plants and some great patio furniture.


• Exterior paint: touch up wherever needed, shutters should not be faded.


• Landscaping: keep grass mowed, clean up leaves and debris, add fresh mulch and trim all hedges and plantings.


• Walkway lighting: Many potential buyers will drive by several times if they like a property. Make your home look great at night too with walkway lighting and accent lighting in gardens.

Remember a buyer will assume there is a beautiful interior if the exterior looks great.