Happy 4th Of July!
Category Archives: Uncategorized
How To Buy A Home During Covid 19 Pandemic
Join us for episode 4 of our HOME Show. This week we discussed buying a home during Covid 19 and interviewed clients who successfully found their home and purchased during Covid 19.
We discussed the differences in the home buying process, how offers and contracts are different, and discuss safety while viewing homes.
Join us for our next episode at https://www.facebook.com/havilandgroup/
How To Sell Your Home Without Letting Anyone In. HOME Show Episode 2.
COVID 19 has changed the way homes are selling. Join us as we discuss safe home selling during a COVID 19.
Here is a replay of this weeks show. We talk about how to sell your home in today’s crisis. We also provide a real estate market update and mortgage update.
Watch our next episode live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/havilandgroup/
How To Survive And Thrive Financially In A Crisis
In light of the current crisis, we want to help people survive and thrive financially during this time. Our new live video show will go over things like what bills to pay when you are limited on income. We’ll also talk about how to make money and look at employers that are hiring now. And we will highlight local people and businesses making a difference.
Watch our next episode live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/havilandgroup/
Here is a replay of the show:
Lego Building Competition Quarantine Edition
Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card
The contest theme is What is your favorite scene from quarantine. Build a model of your favorite quarantine activity. Have fun, be creative. Our panel of judges (my kids) will pick a winner on Facebook Live at 5 PM on April 3rd. Extra points will be given if you provide a video telling us about your creation. Also extra points given based on the number of likes for your post.
Here are the contest rules:
- Take a picture and video explaining your Lego creation and post them on our Facebook Page. Include age and first name of the builder.
- Like our Facebook Page
- Get friends to like your post. This will help increase your chance of winning.
- Join us on Facebook Live 5 PM April 3rd and see if you win. If you win we will need an email address to send you your $25 Amazon Gift Card.
Thanks for playing and have fun!
Contest is open to children of all ages.
How will COVID 19 Affect Real Estate In South Jersey?
First of all we want to extend our sympathy to those who have been personally affected by the COVID 19 virus. We also would like to express our support to those who have lost jobs at this difficult time.
As of today Governor Murphy announced that all non essential businesses should close and work from home. At Keller Williams Realty we are honoring this request and have already made preparations to work remotely. Our staff and leadership team will continue to work remotely from home. Our affiliated title company is also prepared to work from home and handle closings remotely.
We anticipate our scheduled closings to close on time and are communicating with our clients on any potential delays.
For new seller clients we have initiated a Virtual Home Selling Service. We will take new listings including video tours without having to come to our client’s home and without any buyers having to come in their house. We have also implemented a virtual live open house strategy to further promote our listings on social media.
For our home buyer and seller clients we have implemented video conferencing for all meetings. We also have a Virtual Home Buying Service to help our buyer clients navigate through potential homes and neighborhoods without having to leave the comfort and safety of their home.
Is now a good time to buy or sell real estate in South Jersey? The answer is it depends on your circumstances. We are offering phone or video consultations to help you determine if this is the right time for you.
We are committed to help our clients with their real estate needs and add value to their lives. We pray that everyone would stay safe and well.
Richard, Matthew, Linda Haviland
P.S. Is there anything we can support you with? If we can help we will. If we can’t we’ll let you know or do our best to connect you to someone that can help.
Medicaid Eligibility And Planning Services
The Medicaid eligibility application process is often frustrating for applicants and their families. The risk of failure is real. The cost of failure can be financially devastating. Fortunately there is help available. Senior Planning Services is a resource available to help families navigate through medicaid eligibility and planning.
When a loved one is in need of long term care, it is likely that there are numerous challenges to contend with. The added stress synonymous with the Medicaid eligibility application process is an unwelcome burden further compounding existing difficulties.
Senior Planning Services is the solution for optimized Medicaid eligibility. Thousands of Medicaid applicants and their families have relied on the expertise of Senior Planning Services. With Senior Planning Services, the promise of a secure financial future becomes reality for qualified applicants.
Senior Planning Services holds three offices; including our New Jersey Medicaid corporate office, our New York and Connecticut offices. Senior Planning also serves Pennsylvania. To contact Senior Planning call 855-775-2664 or visit https://www.senior-planning.com/
5 Ways To Simplify Home Sales Prep
It’s often more challenging to get a home market-ready. If your not up to the physical and mental challenges of decluttering, packing up, and renovating your home, several new services and tools may make life a bit easier.
#1 – Innovative Decluttering Services
If you or your family doesn’t have the time, energy, or physical ability to sift through a lifetime
of accumulation, a professional decluttering and downsizing expert may be able to facilitate the process. Some specialize in helping seniors with downsizing or organizing a move. To learn more and identify potential resources, visit the National Association of Senior Move Managers (nasmm.org), Certified Relocation & Transition Specialists (crtscertification.com), and the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (napo.net).
Another option you may want to try is a virtual decluttering services. Some providers now meet with clients via live video chats, using apps like Skype, FaceTime, or Google Hangouts. As a bonus, virtual decluttering services usually cost less than on-site providers.
#2 – New Staging Options
If your house is empty and you want to prep it for sale look online for other alternatives using search terms like “rentals to stage houses for sale.” This will likely return options like Cort (cort.com) and Brook Furniture Rental (bfr.com), which cater to short-term rentals.
If you’re on a budget, partial staging may be an economical option. Consider staging the entrance area for those all-important first impressions on house tours. Then focus on the main living areas of the home: the kitchen, living room, dining area, and master bedroom.
#3 – Virtual Staging Services
According to NAR Research, 93 percent of buyers use an online website to search for homes.3 If your home is vacant or you are unable to clear out some items before the property is put on the market, virtual staging may be a way to help improve first impressions online.
Services like BoxBrownie.com and VirtualStagingSolutions.com can remove clutter from photos, add virtual furniture, enhance lighting, and more.
Also, consider the potential downside of inflating buyers’ expectations of a property. If the online photos look substantially better than the real thing, buyers may experience disappointment and frustration when viewing the home firsthand. To avoid this potential problem, some agents opt to display two photos of each room—one empty and one staged—in their listing photos.
# 4 – Fresh Approaches to Storage
Although not available in all areas, companies like MakeSpace.com and Clutter.com will come and pack up belongings (boxes and packing materials are included in the price), move them into a storage unit, and deliver them back to you (or to the new home) when requested.
The contents are cataloged online or in a phone app, so owners can decide what comes back and when. Consider this option if you’re thinking about renting a storage unit.
#5 – New Renovation Options
If you have most of your assets tied up in your home, it can be challenging to finance renovations that could improve the selling price. A new company, Curbio (curbio.com), calls itself the “Pre-sale Renovation Experts.” It completes updates before a home is put on the market, but doesn’t collect payment until the house is sold.4
Curbio won the Pitch Battle at NAR’s second annual Innovation, Opportunity & Investment (iOi) Summit in Seattle last August, competing against 13 other finalists, all considered among the best new technology startups in the real estate industry. Curbio is growing but still serves a limited market. If Curbio isn’t in your area, be on the lookout for independent, local renovation companies that specialize in making smart upgrades that can maximize your sales price. Or ask for approved contractor list.
To learn more about preparing your home to be sold and home staging contact us and ask for our free Room By Room review home staging booklet. It’s a comprehensive check list for each room of the house.
Is An Accessory Dwelling Unit Right For You?
As a homeowner, you may be considering adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to your property: either inside your current home, as an addition to your existing home, or as a free-standing building. ADUs are also know as granny-flats, mother-in-law-apartments and so on. How can you determine if this is the right move for you?
RESEARCH ADU REGULATIONS
Determine if your area is ADU-friendly by visiting your city’s planning and zoning website, or by calling or visiting the local office. Some areas encourage ADUs and others don’t. Even if your city’s regulations seem to discourage ADU construction, you may be able to secure a waiver to build one. Ask.
DO A COST EVALUATION
If you want an ADU to bring in rental income, be sure to look at the total cost for permits, construction, and the increase in annual property taxes. Compare this to the monthly income you expect to receive to determine how long it will take for the ADU to pay for itself before you realize any income.
CONSIDER YOUR LIFESTYLE AND NEEDS
Important considerations include:
Privacy vs. Company – If you are a private person, having a renter on your property may present difficulties. However, if you are looking for more social interaction, finding the right renter may be just what you need.
Assistance – If you have special needs, consider trading maintenance, cleaning, or personal services for part or all of the rent on your ADU. It may be an economical way to retain your independence, even with physical limitations.
Aging in Place – If you want to age in place, an ADU built with universal design concepts may help you stay on your property, while simultaneously improving your financial situation. You could rent out the house that is too large or unsuitable for aging in place, while staying in the neighborhood you know and love.
Adult Children – If you have adult children who have returned home to live with you, an ADU may be an economical way to keep your children (and possibly grandchildren) close, while maintaining privacy for you and for them.
TALK TO YOUR REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST
An accessory dwelling unit may be exactly what you need. For additional perspectives, talk to me to help you determine if this is a good option for you!
Housing Challenges For Seniors
One crucial element of aging well is housing, and there’s much to criticize about what’s currently available.
For one, there aren’t enough properties that provide for the affordability, accessibility, and social well-being necessary for seniors’ quality of life.
Thus, developing housing that incorporates universal design features — no-step entries; bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens on the ground level; wide doorways and hallways; variable counter heights; and lever-style handles.
The Milken Institute report does point to several promising lifestyle trends that address seniors’ needs, including:
· Co-housing — People live in their own homes but have communal spaces like kitchens, living rooms, and dining areas where residents come together for meals and socializing.
· Student matches – Older homeowners rent rooms to students, providing affordable housing for students and easing seniors’ housing costs. In addition, homeowners can get help with household tasks and forge deeper social connections.
· Home sharing — Adults living together bring benefits similar to student matches – sharing household tasks and easing housing costs and social isolation.
· Multigenerational housing and granny units – Seniors living with family members or in an on-site granny flat or accessible dwelling unit (ADU) on the property can strengthen family relationships, keep seniors out of institutional settings, and lower the costs of caregiving.
If you need help with housing or need help for a loved one. Contact us. We can help you sort through available options and answer any questions you may have.