Tax Assessment--Fighting City Hall

It is that time when the city will be sending out the reassement notices. Guess what? Taxes are not going down! Even with this economy. So here is a great article on how to fight City Hall with your property taxes.
http://tinyurl.com/mdsxy9

Values are plummeting in the city and across Lake Country. Go prepared to make your case. See what you think of the Wall Street Journal article and if it applies to you. The municipalities need to take notice that the citizens are watching how their elected officials are spending the money and if the reassessments are fair. Check the blog I posted a few hours ago about the values in Oconomowoc.

Family Fun in Grandhaven

It looks impressive from the outside and inside it is equally impressive as well. Grandhaven in the Town of Delafield and is the setting of this fantastic property. Here is the really cool thing about this home. This past Tuesday I had a broker's open for the top agents in the area. We had a nice lunch catered for these professionals. These folks are in lots and lots of homes, some huge and rambling. The overall comment when they walked into this 9,000 plus square foot home with an indoor basketball court, was "This feels like a family home." WOW I was blown away. I knew the moment I walked in that this was a special home. It has 18 rooms, but each room is intimate, warm and inviting. So many of the larger homes have these cavernous rooms that leave you feeling less than invited. So when I heard that the other agents, competitors of mine, were saying how comfortable they felt and that this was a great "Family Home" I knew that this was a winner.
http://tinyurl.com/kj53ga. Click here to see the YOU TUBE video of this great home. If you know of someone who loves grandeur and comfort then this might be the place for them.

Feel free to call me at 1-888-HEYGLEN or shoot me an email for more info at ghanon@shorewest.com. This homes website can be seen at http://www.shorewest.com/1088908

Oconomowoc Housing Statistics

For those of you who like the crunchy stuff here are some stats as to the state of real estate in the greater Oconomowoc area. The numbers are averages, but they give you an idea of what is happening in our city. The data is from MLS (Multiple Listing Service) and is for the greater Oconomowoc area only. Currently we have 311 homes actively for sale in all price ranges. Of the 311 homes the low is $105,000, the average is $515,886 with the high of $3.1M.

The solds in this sampling were from January 1, 2009 through today, July 17, 2009. There were 112 sales in that time frame with the low of $85,000, the average of $253,923 and a high of $995,000.

With that many homes on the market it is a good time to purchase a home in the city! If you would like more data or have questions about this data, feel free to contact me at ghanon@shorewest.com or you can call me at 1-888-HEY GLEN, toll free.

Ahh the Lake Life...

Over the fourth of July we spent a little time at the lake and I have to say that this is one of the best times we have as a family. The boys can spend all day on the lake sailing and we can just relax and enjoy the warmth of Wisconsin in the summer. Probably the best part of being together as a family is after dinner playing dumb card games. Our only entertainment are silly games, but we are all together and I guess that is what makes those times at the lake the most special. No cares, at least for the moment, no telephone interruptions, just fun and family. Those breaks are essential, no matter what line of work one is engaged in. Those fun times are always highly anticipated and never seem to last long enough but I guess that is why they are the fondest memories. Ahhh the lake life....

The Condos at Pabst Farms

Oconomowoc WI--

Centrally located the condos at Pabst Farms are a perfect addition to the single family homes. Of the 10 units that are constructed only 3 remain for sale. This aerial view shows the proximity to Summit Elementary School (on Valley Road) which is located at the top right of the picture. The homes on the bottom right comprise the western edge of Eastlake Village--a single family development. The condos blend in very well to the neighborhood feel of Pabst Farms. Everyone who attended the open house on Saturday and Sunday were impressed with the quality of construction in the units. Pella windows, tiled showers, Kohler fixtures, granite counters, underground sprinklers are just a few of the "standard" features of these very upscale condominium homes. As a Realtor holding open homes it is always interesting to hear what people think and say off the cuff. The other comment that comprised most of the attendee's was that these condos "don't feel like condos they feel like a home" That is due to the fantastic floor plans that this developement offers. So if you are in the area and want to see some outstanding condo-homes you should stop by on Saturday or Sunday from 1-2:30 or give me a call and I can set up a time for you to see these units at your leisure. You can reach me at 262-567-4349 or the Toll Free number 1-888-HEY GLEN. www.heyglen.com

Is Time Running Out?

Yesterday while waiting for our respective clients at a closing, the other Realtor and I were discussing the market and the first time home buyers. We both could have pulled our hair out trying to convey the sense of urgency that is just around the corner. The hardest part of the job sometimes is informing people of what is really happening in the market. I guess it is a matter of trust and I can understand that. Here is what is happening with the first time home buyers who are applying for the credit. Most of those buyers are using FHA which is a government program that will allow you to have less down on the house and in some cases the interest rate will be better. (But not all cases) So with the lure of lower downpayment and a smaller interest rate buyers have flooded FHA with applications. Remember this is the government!! Have you ever waited in line for a drivers license at the DMV? Well that is what waiting for loan approval from FHA is like--a nightmare! Missed dates for loan commitment are the norm. What would normally take 30-45 days is now taking 60-75 days. So here we are in the middle of July and it appears as if you have half the year to make a decision. Hold that thought. You have about a month or two to find your home then you are going to be one of the scores who are trying at the last minute to get their loan approved, in an already swaped system. So time is running out and I am not kidding...if you are on the fence make a decision either way.

How to Keep Your House Show Ready

Jeff Opdyke, from the Wall Street Journal muses in his June 25th column, http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2009/06/25/mastering-the-faux-clean-dealing-with-the-stress-of-selling-a-house that it is not easy to keep the house ready especially for those of you who work from home. I agree and I know it must be tremendously difficult to keep the kitchen clean when the Realtor calls for that last minute showing. This is an area that most sellers fret over and the only advice I can offer to sellers like Jeff is this: The Real Estate Community is invasive during the selling process and it is essential to price your home correctly from the get go so this inconvenience does not drag on too long.

As the listing agent I can help with this by screening the potential buyers. This is a delicate balance because if the buyer feels as though they are being given the third degree they will simply move on to the next property.

Daily task lists are good ideas for families on the go. One tactic I have taken with homeowners who have younger children is to have the parents create a reward system for their kids. Making beds, cleaning bathrooms etc. For each job that is well done the child receives a star. Accumulate so many stars and Mom and Dad will do something special for that child. I know it's bribery, but many of my clients have used it and it works very well. Besides everyone is working towards a common goal and the team work is great for the family. If poor Jeff is left to do everything himself then resentment builds frustrations will start to run high.

FDIC Chair Yanks House From Market

As reported in the Wall Street Journal http://tinyurl.com/nwj6ca Shelia Blair, the Chairwoman of the FDIC removed her home from the market. The price reductions just did not work. Really? Well price reductions do work and they do help homes to sell. We have a lot of homes on the market, but as a collegue of mine says, "There maybe a lot of signs in front of homes but only a few sellers are willing to sell" What he means by that is that even in this market some sellers are still "trying" to see what they can get for their home. My advice--Pack it up and do like Shelia did and remove your home from the market. The last thing serious sellers need in this market are unmotivated sellers who are playing with the idea of selling.

I recently particiapted in a significant poll for the top agents in the Metro Milwaukee area and one of the questions that was asked was this: "How should a Seller price their home in this market?" The number one answer: Agressively. I have had the privilege of selling over 30 homes so far for the year and they all sold because the seller agreed to price the home agressively. That is the key even in a difficult market. In Real Estate right after location, location, location it is price, price, price.

Just my two cents!

Bravo, Bravo

Kudos to Mike Duncan, the Director of the Oconomowoc Arts Center, in Oconomowoc, WI for landing the Waukehsa Symphony here at the OAC this October. The venue is simply stunning and it will be fantastic to have the WSO perform here at our very own Arts Center! Several other venues were announced in the JSonline article, which you can read here, http://tinyurl.com/d5vecw . But the really outstanding news is that Mike is working to make the already impressive building display outstanding talent as well. The first big step is to have a first class facility and now we are getting first class entertainment. I would encourage you, if you have not been to the OAC, to make it a priority to visit the OAC for a local performance or a professional performance like the WSO. You will not be disappointed, I can assure you of that. We have lived here in Oconomowoc for almost 23 years and it is a real joy to have such fine amenities available to us. We are very fortunate. Bravo Mike, Bravo!

Viva La Chilli's

The other day the boys ( my two sons) and I had lunch at Chilli's and I have to say what keeps me coming back are those darn chips. Those are a meal in themselves. This Chilli's is nice and close to work so taking time off for lunch is easy. As we walked inside the restaurant, I noticed past clients, friends etc. so I started making the rounds saying hi. When we finally sat down, Robert said, "So is that what happens when you get old?" I guess what he meant was knowing more people, but I couldn't help to focus on the "old" comment. We have lived in Oconomowoc now for 22 years and it is fun to see new places like Chilli's pop up in our little community. Pabst Farms is just around the corner and the new Pick N Save is sure nice too. I love fresh fruit and great meats and personally I can't wait for the Brennans Market to open this fall. If you are thinking about a move to Oconomowoc give me a call and I can help you find the right place to call home. You can reach me via email at ghanon@shorewest.com or feel free to call me at the office, 262-567-4349, or maybe we will just bump into each other at Chilli's!