Most Sellers assume that spring is the best time to sell their homes. I get asked the question every time I go on a listing appointed. The REAL answer to that question is that the best time to sell your home is WHEN YOU ARE READY. Every season has its advantages. Statistically most homes come on the market during the second quarter (about 40%) followed by the fourth quarter (about 25%).

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This blog is NOT about my personal trials and tribulations but about the opening of a great new eatery in downtown Danbury called POUR ME Coffee & Wine Bar. I was inspired to go there this week by a Woman to Woman networking event hosted by my friend, Patty Lennon. I have been to many of Patty’s workshops and events and just love the energy she brings into a room. Need to get inspired, hire Patty as your business coach or just hang around her for 5 minutes. Women’s’ Networking Events have a special dynamic. About 30 business women attended. I saw many local businesswomen who I know, reconnected with some I had lost touch with and met some new resources. For example I had just been asked by a close friend if I knew of anyone who does office arranging to maximize productivity. Sure enough, who did I meet for the first time, an impressive woman from Fairfield who does just that. I texted my friend as soon as I got home…social capitol points for me!! All in all an enjoyable evening and time VERY well spent.Continue Reading

There is a growing tendency in business and especially in Real Estate to work from home. I believe (and have zero statistics to back me up on this) that this stifles creativity and reduces productivity. I do not work from home. I will write my blogs, listen to a podcast or prepare a training session in the evening but during the daytime I keep regular “office hours”. Business and success is about connection and you cannot do that working from home behind a computer screen.Continue Reading

I had written about my Real Estate Team and how they make me better by challenging the status quo and keeping me accountable. I also have a SECOND Team that is equally responsible for my success. Notice I did not say Second String Team. My Second Team are all A+ Members of my team. They are the people who I learn from, get advice from and who help me to solve problems.

My Second Team are my resource partners. They are my Attorneys, Mortgage Professionals, my Tradespeople, Building Inspectors, Social Media Consultants, Computer Technicians, CPAs, Financial Planner, and Credit Counsellors. And the list goes on and on. They back me up and make me look good. It has literally taken YEARS to establish these relationships and is one of the major things that sets me apart from my competition. If I have a problem or question, I know who to call to get answers.Continue Reading

Did you know that after married couple (65%), the next largest buying group is SINGLE WOMEN?? Even though, statistically, women have lower incomes than men, they buy homes at three times the rate of single men (18% for women 7% for men). My opinion is that many of these single men are still living in their parents’ basements!!!Continue Reading

Good service is no longer enough to ensure a steady stream of business and referrals. Good service is the expectation that your client has when they hire you. The focus now needs to be on providing a memorable experience. When you prospect it is no longer FIND ME-SELL ME but rather KNOW ME-HELP ME. The ongoing loyalty isn’t built through exchanging plastic cards but through creating these amazing experiences. It will be what differentiates you, sets you apart and builds loyalty and raving fans.Continue Reading

When I had my own company and then later, when I merged with Coldwell Banker, it has always been my business model to create a TEAM to work with. Whether a small company or a giant, like Coldwell Banker, I feel that if you work with a TEAM it maximizes your efficiency and productivity. Our team, the McCaffrey Professionals of Coldwell Banker, is comprised on 12 individuals. They are as diverse as they could be. Some have been in the business for 15+ years and some are brand new. I have team members who have corporate experience, medical backgrounds, past teachers, a psychologist (I tease the group that he is just there to evaluate the rest of us) and they range in age from 22 to 70+. Each team member brings a different perspective to each and every situation.Continue Reading

My advice…get your home inspected, even if you are not planning on selling.  Think of it as a wellness exam. You will get a good understanding of how your home works and what maintenance it needs going forward. Think of it as a checkup for the health of your home. EVERY home has issues of which the owner is not even aware. A complete “checkup” including septic ($400) will run you about $1200. The other alternative is, if you think you might have a specific issue (like I did with my electrical system)is to  get it evaluated by a tradesperson. You should PLAN on spending $3000+ each and every year on your home. This year it is repointing the chimneys for my home AND doing some tree work. Ignoring and postponing maintenance projects will only allow the home to deteriorate further and cost you more in the long run.

Since I do NOT like surprises, I always advise my clients to at least get a thorough septic inspection. I get pushback from Seller who say, but I have it cleaned every 3 years. It is NOT the same thing. The items that come up the most during building inspections are septic issues, electrical issues, decks, water quality and mold. In the past year, I had an electrician do a complete evaluation of my own electrical system. Every outlet had reverse polarity, mice had had a field day with some of my wiring and my house wasn’t even grounded. Many of my clients have found mold in their attics. This is not as scary as it sound but wouldn’t you like to know if your family is being exposed? Well contamination is an issue about 50% of the time. You should be testing your wells annually, but who does??

Pre Inspections is a question that agent have been debating for several years. I get asked this question by Home Owners occasionally myself. Most Sellers have a mental budget of how much they will spend getting the home ready for market. It is generally between $5000-$10,000. Just as you wouldn’t take your car to be sold without a good detailing, you shouldn’t think about marketing a home that hasn’t been well prepared. The Realtor will advise you on paint choices, getting the windows washed and things like that. Your REALTOR can not advise you on hidden and structural defects. These WILL come up in an inspection. While your Realtor will help you to “DETAIL” your home, the inspector is the “MECHANIC” who will make sure it is in top structural/mechanical shape.

For recommendation for who should inspect your home and your septic call me at 203 994-3666.

Maybe you are one of those business owners who have yet to discover the importance of networking. A recent study of over 26,000 businesses reported that 91% of those polled thought networking played a significant part in their success while a staggering 41.4 % reported that networking accounted for 80% or more of their sales. I fall in to that second category. Do I have your attention yet as to how important learning to network affectively is to your bottom line??

Networking is a learned skill. You need to observe others, get advice from those who are successful at it, read, go to seminars and most importantly practice. You need to commit time, energy and money into networking, Many have the perception that networking means going to a big meeting, handing out business cards and asking for business. If that is what you have been doing it is no wonder you are not getting the results you would like.Continue Reading

One of my newest team members said something very profound at a listing presentation that I took him on this evening. I had joked with the owner that he should go into real estate. He said he could never be a salesperson. My new agent responded with, “Realtors do not sell homes. They allow Buyers to Buy.”

I had always said that we actually are Counsellors and that is what we call ourselves on the McCaffrey Team. I believe that we give buyers and sellers the information they need to make good housing choices. I believe that we are problem solvers and transaction managers. We help our clients manage the stress involved in the transaction. We believe that we sell lifestyles not houses.
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