Deer are part of the North Fork, Long Island landscape.  The proliferation of this hooved species has provided all of us with more than a glimpse of nature at its finest.

As a community filled with woods, and dotted with green lawns, locating a deer is not challenging.  Maneuvering at dusk down windy roads can be compared to the dunk machine at the office picnic- waiting for that one "hit", while the senses are maxed anticipating it, and dreading it.

I don't like it.  Don't misunderstand- I enjoy nature.  But what I am observing on the North Fork is a bit unsettling- our deer, when we come into view, don't gracefully disappear into the underbrush.  While I'm certain that they used to, they don't now.  Rather, they remain still, looking, and waiting.  For a handout?

My neighbor, Gladys, doesn't put out lovely flowers anymore.  Not a one.  The deer, in their eagerness to get to know the neighbors, happily welcome themselves to all colorful edibles, with nary a thought that perhaps this isn't FOOD, this is decoration.  While we ourselves put the colorful decorations as close to the front door as possible, in order to discourage these visitors, the closer we put them, the closer the deer get.  I guess it's a simple equation, but I repeat:  I don't like it.

I would like to see the deer proliferate.  What I would like to NOT see are hand fed wild animals.  In addition to the tics, the nuisance that they present is a danger to themselves.  Not all people are the way that I am, or you might be.  There are sinister people who REALLY don't like them, and in their zeal to play the hunter, basically shoot these creatures in much the same way that the saying goes- fish in a barrel.

I look forward to the day where seeing a majestic herd of deer is accomplished with many "shhhhh" sounds, silencing the human element, so that they don't hear me, because if they do, they'll run away in a whoosh of grace.  For now, they just look at me, and I at them- mutual curiosity, but better left to nature.

You've found a new construction home that you love.  Do you buy it now, or wait until yours is sold?

With  numerous resale properties languishing on the market, the general assumption is that homes aren't selling.  Only the "lucky few" receive an acceptable offer, and THOSE homes are priced WAY below market.

Let's talk about this relationship between you, your present home, and the new home that gripped your heart the moment that you walked into the (decorated) model home door.  The location is right; the neighborhood is right; the schools are right, and the price is right.  In fact, the price is SO right, at $70,000. off, it's not easy to walk away.  Walk away, just for a moment.

Before deciding on the purchase of the new home, have your real estate professional pull comps.  Yes, pull comps- even though it's new, there is likely a track record of closed properties.  In your favor, many of the closed homes may well have been sold at a much higher price than the current offering of inventory that the builder is sitting on (with interest).  Regardless, knowledge of closed  pricing in the new community is as important as the same due diligence when viewing resales- it is imperitive that you see, on paper, the VALUE offered.  If, for example, price increases over the last six months have created a fluff of equity that really never existed, you need to be aware of that.  Unless homes closed with the increased pricing, your deal may not be the deal that you are expecting.  On the other hand, builders are MOTIVATED.

Once you've satisfied your senses that you are, indeed, purchasing a home that from a dollar standpoint is current with market condition pricing, review the new home one more time.  Return with a tape measure.  Sure, you have the floorplan, but humor me, and measure before purchasing.  Decorators of model homes are creating a feel that was designed to appeal to many; there are tricks to the trade.  For example, often, undersized furniture is used in a model home.  That couch and loveseat that look so wonderful are a bit...short.  Will furniture that you consider to be integral to relaxation fit?  Use care in planning the rooms that you'll spend the most time in.

Are you satisfied with the warranty?  Have you received a specifications list, detailing all of the base features that will be present in your home?  The "spec" list includes every item of interest, including trim material, bathroom fixtures, appliances, flooring, etc.- this will clarify for you what you may decide to upgrade, but at least you know what is represented before signing.  Additionally, request a copy of the plot plan before purchasing- while it is typically required upon signing the contract, it's imperitive information when making the decision TO purchase.

IF ALL IS WELL, AND YOU STILL LOVE THE HOUSE, ON TO NUMBER 2:  strategizing the sale of yours.

First, if your home is being built, plan on a double move, period.  A large majority of new home purchasers believe that odds are in their favor to make a single move.  In this market, that just isn't the case.  No longer is it wise to request that a buyer for your home wait out the construction of the new.  Price out storage, and look into areas where you'll be able to rent prior to closing.  If it is unneccessary, GREAT!  But please acknowledge that it is a distinct possibility, and budget for it.

VIEW THE SALE OF YOUR HOME WITH THE SAME SET OF EYES THAT FOUND THE FINANCIAL ADVANTAGES OF THE NEW HOME.  Price is the name of the game in this market.  Consider that because you've received a commensurate discount on the new home (in keeping with market conditions) that this powerful knowledge will provide you with an edge when selling your own.  What was the trigger that provided you with the desire for the new home?  10% lower?  15%?  Take a good look at your competition, and BE MORE FOR LESS.  Get a stager in to advise you on furniture placement and removal; clean it to the point of being move in ready, make sure that the entry into your treasure is immaculate, and finally, price it RIGHT. 

Have your real estate professional prepare a report showing homes that have sold in a 60 day window.  Seek out the common thread- my guess is that while variables exist, the price will provide the answer for the success. 

 Remember Jack Nicholson's fabulous line in "A Few Good Men"..."YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH"?

Be fully prepared to handle the truth, deal with the truth, and accept the truth.  The market has changed, but that's no reason that you should be kept from making a move to a home that you love.  Just approach the entire adventure with a good grip on the market, and a good grip on reality.  You've won big on two counts:  you've located a great new home at a bargain, and have the ability to get your home sold.  Do it right- don't expect something for nothing (the new home) and expect buyers to embrace something for...TOO MUCH MONEY!  GOOD LUCK!

When I briefly attended the U. of Arizona, there was this hamburger place that was amazing.  THEY DIDN'T ALLOW KETCHUP.  As a condiment freak- particularly ketchup- I was reluctant to go there (and meals in college are valuable).  Their claim to fame was that their burgers were so well seasoned, and so perfectly cooked, that condiments of all varieties were forbidden in the premises- they provided nothing but the burger.  Smart business people, those owners- you could bring your own (at the risk of insulting them).

I've noticed recently a number of posts looking for ways to survive in real estate on a dime.  These posts don't sound desperate to me; they don't sound tragic; they just sound SERIOUS.  I lose interest fast in posts that seek TOO MUCH, TOO FAST- it's easy to discern the individuals that want to make this career work, and are willing to work to accomplish it.

I can only suggest the following, in order to help clarify "the mission" of survival:  YOU NEED TO BE THE PERFECT BURGER.  You don't need the bun, the ketchup or any other condiments if you've figured out the central character:  YOU. 

Pick your farm area by learning how (AR has everything under the sun to read about; you don't need to spend a fortune or a dime).  VISIT the area personally.  Look polished, speak with sincerity, and look people in the eye- they deserve your service.  Tell them, one by one, who you are, what you hope to accomplish for the neighborhood, and LEAVE.  If what you can afford is a business card, then give them only that.  Seed packs on the internet are cheap- order some.

If you are the perfect burger without condiments, I'm going to be reluctant to part with ketchup.  If you work at the reputation, and behave with your potential clients in ONE WAY- presenting an honest, hardworking and likeable individual, there are going to be people like me that think, "Interesting- and worth a try." 

KNOW THIS:  if you can't produce what you offer, you're overcooked.  Less than your word is not acceptable, ever.  Someone like me, who is a ketchup fanatic, is going to take one bite, throw the rest out.  If, however, you prove to be everything and MORE than you verbally advertise, people will accept you with very little, with no real estate fancy stuff- and RAVE about you.  That "less is more" can often be quite true.  GOOD LUCK!

 Having had the distinct pleasure and (let’s be real) challenge of working with the “Active Adult” set, I’ve made many observations that make me dread 55, the AGE.

HERE’S WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS TO THIS POOR CONTINGENT OF MISPLACED 55 and better NEIGHBORS IN A NOW STRANGE NEIGHBORHOOD,full of tricycles and mini basketball hoops made of gray plastic, and a strange helmet clad contingent, complete with participating parents (OUR KIDS NEVER HAD HELMETS) riding safely down the previously less traveled-by- strangers cul-de-sac…the neighborhood looks oddly the same, but different. Friends have moved, citing reasons like an out of state child or “too much yard work”…some neighbors want to travel, now that the kids are grown.

After an unnerving accident running over the neighbor’s soccer ball (good thing the pads were on the kid) the 55 and better thinks, “THAT’S annoying.” While at the same time wondering when their first grandchild will rock their world…

They start “investigating.” This is the hardest time- the exploring. As in, unload the house with memories, and lock into a “lifestyle” change. The new house is secondary to the first dilemma, by a long shot. Neighborhood of kinship is first. The kind with the clubhouse, neighbors that are on the same page (especially during cocktail hour, when recounting their own reasons for change)…and, an indoor and outdoor pool, great for the grand kids and family…and NO YARD-WORK. And often enough, LESS MONEY. But also, LESS ROOM TO BRING ALL THE STUFF. The accumulated…stuff.

This is the difficulty, the BIGGIE. Contemplating all of the accumulated stuff. But that soccer ball has made the 55 and better consider that selling all of the stuff (or giving it away) is cheaper than the subsequent lawsuit over accidentally squirting the neighbors wild toddler with a garden hose…when did kids start eating flowers? And, since when is squirting one by mistake a crime?

Landscape free, in neighborhood clubhouse, parties, new friends, or…getting rid of a few dust collectors. The progress of freedom is a long one, when a person sells new construction. Let me just say, having enjoyed the last year and a half watching all of the heartbreaking decisions, whether you bought one of the homes or not…THANK YOU! I felt your pain!

One of the most difficult diseases for families to accept is Alzheimer’s Disease. It is also common enough to wreak havoc on the best of financial situations if denial is present.

Having experienced it first hand with my Grandmother, I’d like to share an exceptional book that will guide you through the maze. Additionally, some pointers learned the hard way. The book is titled, “The 36 Hour Day”, authored by Nancy L. Mace MA and Peter V. Rabins, MD.

Some pointers (learned the hard way, in my own experience):

If behavior becomes odd- repetitive communication, name confusion (in our case, Grandma would answer the phone, “hi, LyLauriSu”- a combination of all of our names) start paying attention. Alzheimer’s creates a “void” in the memory bank. Just imagine a space in your brain that is suddenly blank. Nothing there when called upon to remember. For an interesting view, please link to: http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_4719.asp

Purchase the book to have all aspects of the disease illustrated. The purpose of this blog is to assist you with the real estate end of this devastating disease. If you REMOTELY SUSPECT that your loved one is dealing with this affliction, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of making sure that you are in possession of a DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY . This document CANNOT be procured once the victim is unaware of the implications, so act early. What many people do not understand is that a simple power of attorney is void if the individual is deemed “incompetent” with respect to decisions being made on their behalf. A durable power of attorney permits you to assist them regardless of their mental capacity.

HERE IS WHAT OCCURRED WITH MY OUT OF STATE GRANDMOTHER:

Because of the insidious gradual nature of the disease, while things seemed odd, she was able to “fool” us for a time. Unaware of her day to day, the phone calls (while occasionally alarming) were often enough normal that we delayed action. Unbeknownst to us, the predators were in full swing in her daily life. Her “lawn guy” discovered that if he brought a full bag of leaves to the door, she’d pay him. He figured out that whatever afflicted her, he could bring the same bag to her door several times a day, and she would pay him again and again. Terminix, the pest control company, was employed by her to rid her of pests. The individual employed at the company (I’ll never forget his name on all of those checks- Robert Auvil) returned several times a week, and informed her that she still had “snakes in the crawl space”. At 400-800.00 a pop, he had the checks made out to himself, several times a month. Her banker became alarmed when she appeared at the bank to withdraw a large amount of money for new siding on her house- he was aware that just a few short years earlier, she’d had the house sided. Unable to stop her, it was re-sided.

All the while, the alarm increased as she repeated, over and over again, that it was sweltering hot, and that Readers Digest was going to be arriving any minute with the Grand Prize. Day after day.

The end result was to put her in an environment that created safety. For most families, this is the most difficult decision- after all, if her memory was leaving, pulling her out of her home would surely create further damage, wouldn’t it? We were absolutely shocked when she not only forgot all about “home”, but embraced the new living environment. Shocked.

WE DID NOT HAVE A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY. In order to provide her with the best care, her house needed to be sold, and the proceeds put into an account for her care. Without the durable power of attorney, control over the sale price, and the proceeds, fell to the state of Virginia.

While this in and of itself was not impossible to work with, what was enormously stressful for my mother was working with the time line. The government is not known for speed. Documentation, court appearances, the sale of personal items via auction (all proceeds recorded and reported) and the ultimate sale of the house went from simple to extraordinarily complicated. All the while, Grandma was safely ensconced in her new environment, but the bills were piling up.

For the families going through the difficulty of the disease, the hours spent dealing with the system in place adds enormous stress to an already heartbreaking situation. It’s not necessary to go through the legal aspects if you get a durable power of attorney early enough in the progress of the disease.
For anyone in this situation, my heart goes out to you. You’ll get through it, and have some surprises with your loved one that you never expected- I don’t recall ever laughing with Grandma as hard as I did during one of my last visits to her house. She was hilarious, despite the disease, and enjoyed roaring with laughter.

IF YOU SUSPECT THAT A FAMILY MEMBER IS IN THE EARLIEST STAGES OF THIS DISEASE, GET A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF WONDERING IF THIS MIGHT EVER AFFECT YOU, PROVIDE A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY TO A TRUSTED FAMILY MEMBER. Speak with your attorney to assist you with the decision. Some available resource links:

http://www.oag.state.ny.us/seniors/pwrat.html,

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dgps2bbf_45d4qfmp&hl=en_us

http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_legal_issues.asp

Real estate is often the source of funds for future care. Don’t find yourself at the mercy of a state entity to make decisions that you would be able to resolve with integrity yourself. Having the benefit of fast action, if necessary, is paramount for the safety of your family member.

****This is not to be construed as legal advice. This is a real life situation that became complicated due to ignorance of the disease, and available options. Talk with your family lawyer about preventative solutions.