How to price to sell and still make a profit The asking price you set for your home significantly affects whether you will profit in the sale, how much you will profit and how long your home will sit on the market. Your real estate agent's knowledge of the overall market and what's selling - or not selling - will be invaluable in helping you determine the price. The objective is to find a price that the market will bear but won't leave money on the table. Here are some points to consider: Time. Time is not on your side when it comes to real estate. Although many factors influence the outcome, perhaps time is the biggest determinant in whether or not you see a profit and how much you profit. Studies show that the longer a house stays on the market, the less likely it is to sell for the o... 03/03/2010

Falling Behind In Your Mortgage Payments?I Can Help! Click on the link below:images.kw.com/docs/1/3/3/133035/1267458632199_report_288_f.pdfA short sale in real estate occurs when the outstanding obligations (loans) against a property are greater than what the property can be sold for. Short sales are a way for homeowners to avoid foreclosure on their homes and still be able to pay off their loan by settling with the lender.I specialize in short sales!  03/02/2010

Pat McQuaid | Keller WIlliams Realty | 508-365-3852 33 Wilder Road, Sterling, MA Newer Colonial on Beautiful Wilder Road. 4 levels of Living Area! Gourmet Kitchen Opens To Spacious Living Room. Great for Entertaining! 40 ft. Master 4BR/4BA Single Family House offered at $739,000 Year Built 2003 Sq Footage 5,420 Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 4 full, 0 partial Floors 4 Parking 3 Car garage Lot Size 150,718 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Newer Colonial on Beautiful Wilder Road. 4 levels of Living Area! Gourmet Kitchen Opens To Spacious Living Room. Great for Entertaining! 40 ft. Master Suite w/ Cathedral Ceiling and Steam Shower. 4 Full Baths, 3 Fireplaces, State of the Art Pellet Insert Heats Entire 1st Floor! Beautifully Finished Walk Out Basement with Full Bath. 2 Large Trex Decks for ... 02/27/2010

Falling Behind In Your Mortgage Payments? I Can Help! A short sale in real estate occurs when the outstanding obligations (loans) against a property are greater than what the property can be sold for. Short sales are a way for homeowners to avoid foreclosure on their homes and still be able to pay off their loan by settling with the lender. I specialize in short sales! LOCAL REALTOR® COMPLETES PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE COURSE Pat McQuaid of Keller Williams Realty Greater Worcester has successfully completed the Loss Mitigation Certification Course (LMC) of the Massachusetts Association of Realtors® held recently in Sterling, MA. Due to the challenges facing many Realtors® today in representing a buyer or seller who is working in a transaction involving foreclosure, short sales, propertie... 02/26/2010

Understanding the buyer As the seller, you can control three factors that will affect the sale of your home: * The home's condition * Asking price * Marketing strategy However, it's important to note that there are numerous other factors that influence a buyer, and you need to understand these consumer trends when you enter the sellers' market. The more your home matches these qualifications, the more competitive it will be in the marketplace. Your real estate agent can advise you on how to best position and market your home to overcome any perceived downsides. Location Unfortunately, the most influential factor in determining your home's appeal to buyers is something you can't control: its location. According to the National Association of REALTORS(r), neighborhood quality is the No. 1... 02/25/2010

     I'm heading out to the city of New Orleans this morning for the annual Keller Williams Family Reunion.  I'm so looking forward to the great experience of meeting KW associates from around the country and Canada.  I can't wait to learn new ideas to help you even more with your real estate opportunities!      I'm most looking forward to Tuesday's ( invitation only ) Masterminds session with Gary Keller.  Only the top 100 or so agents in the company get this opportunity to sit with Gary Keller and brainstorm ideas to grow our businesses!  I'm very grateful to Seth Campbell for this opportunity!  Thank you Seth.   02/18/2010

Facts About Expired Listings Facts About Expired Listings Nearly 15% to 25% of all listings do not sell. The market rejects them. In other words, the market did not accept the Marketing Effort, the Price, the Condition, the Location, or a combination of these areas-perhaps all four of them! The good thing is that you control two of these areas: Price and Condition. We control one: Marketing Efforts. Marketing Effort Staging and Pricing Strategies For Sale Signs, Rider Signs, Directional Signs Tube or Box with Flyers and Distribution of Flyers in Neighborhood Flyers in House/Comment Cards Multiple Listing Service Web Listings with Virtual Tour Open House Program Track Showings/Collect Feedback Weekly Seller Updates Property Caravans And more! Condition A hundred dollar bill is a great me... 02/18/2010

10 Questions to Ask Your Realtor about Selling a House 10 Questions to Ask Your Realtor about Selling a House Are you a full-time professional real estate agent? How long have you worked full time in real estate? How long have you been representing buyers? What professional designations do you have? Knowing whether or not your agent practices full time can help you determine potential scheduling conflicts and his or her commitment to your transaction. As with any profession, the number of years a person has been in the business does not necessarily reflect the level of service you can expect, but it is a good starting point for your discussion. The same issue can apply to professional designations. Do you have a personal assistant, team or staff to handle different parts of the purchase... 02/13/2010

Location, location, location Where you buy not only affects the home's current and future value, but it also affects your lifestyle. Your agent will be able to conduct a more targeted home search if you outline your preferences in neighborhoods and nearby amenities. Here's a checklist of items you should consider and communicate to your chosen real estate agent. * Urban, suburban or rural * Commute time * School districts * Desirable neighborhoods * Proximity to the airport * Proximity to restaurants and retail * Access to major highways and thoroughfares * Access to public transportation * Health care facilities * Parks and recreation * Length of time you plan to live in the home (Your agent should be knowledgeable about growth trends and projections that could affect your investment.) 02/13/2010

Why use a Real Estate Agent? Before you decide to become a FSBO ( for sale by owner), consider the extra time and money involved. Remember, Real Estate Agents perform many tasks, the scope of which you may not realize and all of which you would have to complete solo if you sold on your own. Some you actually do not have the ability to do at all. Tasks that real estate agents may do for sellers include: •Creating a comparative market analysis of homes in your area to determine the correct pricing for your home compared with the competition. •Uploading your home’s information into the Multiple Listing Service, a database of homes on the market that can only be accessed by licensed real estate professionals. •Coordinating all the necessary paperwork for your home at each step of the transa... 02/11/2010

Opting for new home construction Whether to buy an existing home or have one built is yet another decision to make during the home-buying process. If you decide to go with new construction, a real estate agent can be a powerful advocate in your corner as you negotiate upgrades, a move-in date and other terms with the home builder. Below are some basic pointers to prepare you for the journey ahead. Selecting a builder Shopping for a large production or custom home builder can be a daunting task. Start by defining what architectural styles appeal to you and then seek out the builders in your area who offer those styles. Due diligence is essential. Ask friends for referrals to get firsthand accounts; verify the builder's state license status, if applicable; and check whether they're certif... 02/09/2010

Facts About Expired Listings Nearly 15% to 25% of all listings do not sell. The market rejects them. In other words, the market did not accept the Marketing Effort, the Price, the Condition, the Location, or a combination of these areas-perhaps all four of them! The good thing is that you control two of these areas: Price and Condition. We control one: Marketing Efforts. Marketing Effort Staging and Pricing Strategies For Sale Signs, Rider Signs, Directional Signs Tube or Box with Flyers and Distribution of Flyers in Neighborhood Flyers in House/Comment Cards Multiple Listing Service Web Listings with Virtual Tour Open House Program Track Showings/Collect Feedback Weekly Seller Updates Property Caravans And more! Condition A hundred dollar bill is a great metaphor: they all look good, b... 02/05/2010

Deciding how much house you can afford Your lender decides what you can borrow but you decide what you can afford. Lenders are careful, but they make qualification decisions based on averages and formulas. They won’t understand the nuances of your lifestyle and spending patterns quite as well as you do. So, leave a little room for the unexpected – for all the new opportunities your home will give you to spend money, from furnishings, to landscaping, to repairs. Historically, banks use a ratio called 28/36 to decide how much borrowers could borrow. An approved housing payment couldn’t be more than 28 percent of the buyer’s gross monthly income, and his or her total debt load, including car payments, student loans, and credit card payments, couldn’t be more than 36 percent. (In Canada len... 01/31/2010

Keller Williams Realty has great training & great people as many companies do. As a business decision you have to put Keller Williams at the top of the list. Many agents earn over 100%. This is a fact. The economic model developed by their agents is the best in the industry. If you put aside your emotions and think... of your business as a business you need to consider Keller Williams Realty. Contact me if you have any doubts, I chair the Finance Commitee for KW Greater Worcester and I approved this message. lol 01/28/2010

Understanding the buyer As the seller, you can control three factors that will affect the sale of your home: * The home's condition * Asking price * Marketing strategy However, it's important to note that there are numerous other factors that influence a buyer, and you need to understand these consumer trends when you enter the sellers' market. The more your home matches these qualifications, the more competitive it will be in the marketplace. Your real estate agent can advise you on how to best position and market your home to overcome any perceived downsides. Location Unfortunately, the most influential factor in determining your home's appeal to buyers is something you can't control: its location. According to the National Association of REALTORS(r), neighborhood quality is the No. 1... 01/27/2010

The Keller Williams Greater Worcester office announced its new 2010 Agent Leadership Council, which acts as the board of directors for the local office. The ALC is composed of agents whose sales are in the top 20 percent. For 2010, the ALC is: Patrick McQuaid: WorcesterCountyRealty.com, Kelly Pough, Jason Piedrasanta, Jeffrey Hall, and David Hill. Hill was also chosen as a member of the Keller Williams Realty International ALC. 01/24/2010

Six Selling Myths Uncovered Myth #1: You should always price your home high and negotiate down. Truth: Pricing too high can be as bad as pricing too low. If you list too high, you'll miss out on buyers looking in the price range where your home should be. Offers may not even come in, because buyers who are interested in your home are scared off by the price and won't even take the time to look at it. By the time you correct the price and list your home at its fair market value, you will have lost that window of opportunity when your home draws the most attention from the public and real estate agents; i.e. the first 30 days that it is on the market. A well-trained real estate agent who looks out for your best interests will consult with you on your home's fair market value and different... 01/24/2010

Facts About Expired Listings Nearly 15% to 25% of all listings do not sell. The market rejects them. In other words, the market did not accept the Marketing Effort, the Price, the Condition, the Location, or a combination of these areas-perhaps all four of them! The good thing is that you control two of these areas: Price and Condition. We control one: Marketing Efforts. Marketing Effort Staging and Pricing Strategies For Sale Signs, Rider Signs, Directional Signs Tube or Box with Flyers and Distribution of Flyers in Neighborhood Flyers in House/Comment Cards Multiple Listing Service Web Listings with Virtual Tour Open House Program Track Showings/Collect Feedback Weekly Seller Updates Property Caravans And more! Condition A hundred dollar bill is a great metaphor: they all look good, b... 01/21/2010

Facts About Expired Listings Nearly 15% to 25% of all listings do not sell. The market rejects them. In other words, the market did not accept the Marketing Effort, the Price, the Condition, the Location, or a combination of these areas-perhaps all four of them! The good thing is that you control two of these areas: Price and Condition. We control one: Marketing Efforts. Marketing Effort Staging and Pricing Strategies For Sale Signs, Rider Signs, Directional Signs Tube or Box with Flyers and Distribution of Flyers in Neighborhood Flyers in House/Comment Cards Multiple Listing Service Web Listings with Virtual Tour Open House Program Track Showings/Collect Feedback Weekly Seller Updates Property Caravans And more! Condition A hundred dollar bill is a great metaphor: they all look good, b... 01/15/2010

Creating your home wish list Before the home search begins, your real estate agent will want to know as much as possible about the features and amenities you desire. To help your agent better serve you, analyze what you want and what you need in a home’s features and amenities. Features: •Age: Do you prefer historic properties, or newer ones? •Style: Do you have a special preference for ranches, bungalows, or another style of construction? •Bedrooms: How many? •Bathrooms: How many? Are they updated? •Living and Dining Areas: A traditional, formal layout, or a more open, contemporary plan? •Stories: How many? •Square feet: How much space? •Ceilings: How high? •Kitchen: How big? Recently updated? Open to other living areas? •Storage: Big closets, a shed, an extra-large garage? •Parking: A... 01/15/2010