My Dad and Mom both sold real estate when I was young and lived at home. It was a very different business then. One page contracts, with short and to the point conditions written in agreements, such as; “John Brown agrees to purchase Mary Blue’s home at xxxx Elm Street for $ 100,000 on or before 01/01/64 for cash or a loan secured by a bank of his choice.”
Now there may have been a few more sentences, but the point is that the 2 parties had a simple agreement which was based on a certain amount of trust of both the purchaser and the seller that the agreement would occur with the help of the Realtor who was the advisor and professional. Today we have forms that almost make the contract a book. Everything is protecting everyone from everything that might possibly happen.
Is this good? Maybe a certain part of it, but what has been lost? I can tell you that I think that the basic trust of one person of another. My dad and mother did much of their business with a handshake, and I could see as my dad and mom got older and the real estate transactions became longer, and contained more elements of distrust than good will, that the business lost its soul for them.
I have no illusions that we will ever be in that place again. The world has changed too much. But, I do carry with me the belief that the most important aspect of a real estate transaction is for the buyer, seller, and the Realtor (s) to all work from the framework of TRUST and GOODWILL. If we work from this basis we can work out almost any problem or issue. When trust and goodwill are lost, or not even considered by the parties, it leads many unhappy transactions, and lost hopes and dreams.
I thank my Dad and Mom for showing me their path to be a professional, but more importantly, a trustworthy and trust-giving individual, which has served me well in my private and professional life.
Gardner Report Q1 2013 Here is Matthew Gardner’s most recent report on the state of real estate in our area. He is optimistic, and the report brings forward many reasons why he doesn’t think this is just a “housing bubble”. Any thoughts you have on the report are welcome. As for me I am seeing this information in real time, and I think it is pretty exciting for many buyers and sellers who have been stuck the last few years and not been able to buy or sell a home.
In my recent blog post about the Whidbey Island Farm Tour, I mentioned how important it is to support our local farmers. One way you can do that is to visit the new 3 Sisters Beef retail store located at the old Juan de Fuca fire station on Highway 20. They just opened in early April, and I finally had a chance to stop in yesterday. Not only do they have their own wonderful beef products, they are also selling other local products sourced from Whidbey Island. They are open 7 days a week from 10-6, so the next time you head up to Coupeville or Oak Harbor, be sure you stop in.
Mark your calendar now.
Eighth Annual FREE Whidbey Island Farm Tour September 21 and 22, 2013 10:00am to 4:00pm
So may years ago….. nine to be exact, Karen Krug of Spoiled Dog Winery and I had a discussion about how there were so many wonderful farms on Whidbey Island that people would love to know about. We said a Farm tour would be a great way to bring people to the island and give the island farms exposure. Well, my friend Karen being the dynamo that she is, did that and over the years the Whidbey Island Farm tour has grown and become a major event on the island.
If you haven’t been before this would be a great year to start. There are some outstanding farms on the tour that I will admit I didn’t even know about. Supporting our small farmers is a vitally important action we all need to take today. We would greatly miss this wonderful food supply if we didn’t have it.
Have you been to past Island Farm Tours? What was your favorite place to visit?
Langley, a beautiful village by the sea, is fortunate. Because the people of Langley are passionate about their town they have organized to work together to preserve the wonderful downtown area that we all enjoy . Langley Main Street is an organization dedicated to supporting all things that make Langley so special and to create a vital, inviting downtown that promotes quality business, cultural and community growth. If you want to know more or become part of this organization here is the contact information.
PO Box 1226 Langley, Wa 98260 360-929-9333
I was taking a drive down Honeymoon Bay enjoying the beautiful view . It is hard to think that I might have been driving down Dogfish Bay if Minnie and Freeman had not disliked the name so much that they had it changed. Minnie & Freeman Plumb on their Honeymoon 1909 on Honeymoon Bay.
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Whether you love Microsoft or not, there is no doubt that the mission that Bill and Melinda Gates are on is one to applaud. It is a mission of love and care about the bigger community. It is a sharing of wealth, and making a big difference. It makes me feel good that in some way I have contributed with my small purchases of Microsoft products. But more than that, leaders like the Gates inspire all of us to find ways to make this a better world. So I share this with you in the spirit of community.
Having already given away $28 billion, Bill Gates intends to eradicate polio, with the same drive he brought to Microsoft . Here is the Interview with Neil Tweedie in the The Telegraph in January: [click to continue…]
I am one of four lucky women on South Whidbey who over a year ago had an idea to start a Salon. I think the idea originated with Susie Barnett (co- owner of Whidbey Home Watch ) The other three of us just knew it was something worth doing.
Successful? Yes, beyond any of our imagining. We laid out the foundation and picked a topic. We each invited 3 women to attend who we thought would enjoy a discussion on the topic. We decided to have it on a Sunday afternoon from 3PM to 5 PM and stick to the time limit.
Then we did it, and we did it.. again and again and again. We are still doing it. Amazing women discussing and sharing incredible thoughts and experience!
Here is some of the structure we created. You are invited to this Salon but it doesn’t mean you will be invited to all salons. It is a one-time event. We encourage attendee host a salon. We send the topic ahead to everyone so they can prepare to discuss it. If you want to know more about how we make this work I am happy to share the structure . Write me at linda@lindacasale.com and ask for the details. [click to continue…]
On Jan. 1 both the Senate and House passed H.R. 8, legislation to avert the “fiscal cliff.” The bill will be signed shortly by President Barack Obama.
Below is a summary of real estate related provisions in the bill:
Real Estate Tax Extenders
• Mortgage Cancellation Relief is extended for one year to Jan. 1, 2014
• Deduction for Mortgage Insurance Premiums for filers making below $110,000 is extended through 2013 and made retroactive to cover 2012
• 15 year straight-line cost recovery for qualified leasehold improvements on commercial properties is extended through 2013 and made retroactive to cover 2012.
• The 10 percent tax credit (up to $500) for homeowners for energy improvements to existing homes is extended through 2013 and made retroactive to cover 2012.
Permanent Repeal of Pease Limitations for 99% of Taxpayers [click to continue…]
It’s no secret that finishing your basement will increase your home’s value. What you may not know is the money you spend on this type of so-called capital improvement could also help lower your tax bill when you sell your house.
Tax rules let you add capital improvement expenses to the cost basis of your home. Why is that a big deal? Because a higher cost basis lowers the total profit—capital gain, in IRS-speak—you’re required to pay taxes on.
The tax break doesn’t come into play for everyone. Most home owners are exempted from paying taxes on the first $250,000 of profit for single filers ($500,000 for joint filers). If you move frequently, maybe it’s not worth the effort to track capital improvement expenses. But if you plan to live in your house a long time or make lots of upgrades, saving receipts is a smart move.
What counts as a capital improvement? [click to continue…]
