Main Line Homes Blog

When buying a home or an automobile your credit rating is very important. So protecting your identity is one of those things you should make an issue about in your daily plans. There are several common ways that ID theft is carried out, these include Dumpster Diving; Skimming, Phishing, Change your address and old fashioned stealing.

Dumpster diving is self explanatory. Skimming is where a special storage device steals your credit card number when you use it. Phishing is where you are encouraged through emails or pop up software to reveal your personal information. Changing your address causes your bills to be diverted to another address. Stealing is simply what it says, wallets and purses, mail that includes bank and credit card details, pre-approved credit offers, new checks and tax information, these can be obtained through bribery and theft from large corporations that hold your information as well.

Protect your information, shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before throwing them away. Don't carry your social security number in your wallet or write it on a check. Ask if you can give another identifier. Do not give out personal information on the phone, through the Internet or mail unless you know who you are dealing with. Never click on links in unsolicited emails, always go to the website of banks, etc. Use firewalls, spy ware and anti virus software to protect your home computer and keep them up to date. You can go to OnguardOnline.govfor information. Don't use obvious passwords like birth-dates, mother's maiden name or the last 4 digits of your social security number. also keep your personal information somewhere safe and secure, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help or are having work done in your home.

 You also want to be alert to signs that require immediate attention, for example bills not arriving that you are expecting, unexpected credit cards or account statements, a denial of credit for no known reason and calls or letters about purchases you have not made. Make sure you get copies of and inspect your credit report. You can do this by going to AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228 to order free credit reports each year, this is organized and run by the three credit reporting agencies Equifax, TransUnion and Experian who are required by law to give you a free copy of your credit report each year if you ask for it. Also look over financial statements carefully and look for charges you have not made.

 If you suspect ID theft take action at once, a strong defense may be your best weapon.  Call the police and file a report as creditors may want proof of the crime.

Place a "Fraud Alert" on your credit reports and review the reports carefully. You can call any of the three credit reporting companies and place an initial 90-day fraud alert, a call to one company is sufficient.

• Equifax 1-800-525-6285
• Experian 1-888-397-3742
• TransUnion 1-800-680-7289

Placing a fraud alert entitles you to a free copy of your credit report. Look for inquiries from companies you have not contacted, accounts you did not open, and any debts on your accounts you cannot explain.

Close any accounts that have been tampered with or established fraudulently, or that you have not used in a long time.

• Call the security or fraud departments of each company where an account has been opened or changed without your authority. Follow up in writing with copies of supporting documents.
• Use the ID Theft affidavit at ftc.gov/idtheft to support your written statement.
• Ask for verification that the disputed account has been closed and the fraudulent debts discharged.
• Keep copies of documents and records of your conversations about the theft.

Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission. This report helps law enforcement agencies in their investigations across the country. You can do this in one of three ways:

• Online ftc.gov/idtheft
• By phone 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or TTY 1-866-653-4261
• By mail Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade commission, Washington DC20580

So take action today to protect your information and to keep it safe from prying eyes and fingers.

This is a great home for someone looking for a home which has new windows and hardwood floors but is willing to do a spot of painting and some other decorative fixes and upgrades. Because this home is an end unit it is bright and airy, with a great wrap around deck. It is directly opposite the Picket Post Swim and Tennis Club and has 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms, a great finished basement plus plenty of storage. A second floor laundry makes life simple to enjoy. this home awaits your touches to make it your own, some new carpeting and upgrades to the bathrooms and kitchen over time will give you a home that is one of the best in Chesterbrook.

Location is good with proximity to trails, and the shops of Chesterbrook, Wilson Farm Park, Valley Forge Park, Jenkins Arboretum, King of Prussia Mall, Gateway shops and restaurants as well as being just a few minutes drive from the Route 30 corridor of Wayne, Devon, Berwyn and Paoli giving access to the R5 Septa line for travel to downtown Philadelphia.

Home will be Open from 1-3 PM. From Chesterbrook Blvd turn on Chase at the end of Chase turn right on Heyward to Liberte Ln.

When your home goes on the market is an important issue, and I don't mean Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter. Presuming you are not selling your home your self, choosing the right broker to list your home is also important not only for when the home will be listed but for several other reasons as well.

More and more people are looking for homes on the Internet before finding an agent to work with. Buyers are doing a lot more leg work for themselves without pressure from a buyers agent who they perceive, rightly or wrongly, is interested only in making the sale. Because of this you want to make sure your home is seen by the most people on the Internet. So what day to list your home is important.

This is not just about where your home is going to be marketed but what day you initially list it and how quickly the marketing is going to be rolled out. You want an agent who is going to quickly upload photographs, virtual tours and videos to get maximum exposure for you. Ask how many photos they are going to take and post for your listing, just because their MLS allows 6, 12 or whatever they should be taking 30-40 photos. I have ended up with 75 photos sometimes, do I use them all, no, but it allows me to choose the best shots.

What day of the week you list is also important because some brokerages insist that their office staff enter all the details for each listing, so if it comes on the market over a weekend you are missing several days of marketing before the description and photos are entered in to the MLS. These same brokers will tell you that they will let everyone in their offices know about your listing, but do you really want to limit the number of buyers who see your home? So, preferably use an agent who will enter all the details them-self, who understands Internet marketing and where your home is going to be seen and when.

Some sites, like Realtor.com take several days for new listings to upload into their system, so if you are hoping that buyers who are browsing the Internet looking for open houses for the weekend will see your home, it needs to be entered into the MLS no later than a Thursday and preferably Wednesday to allow for updating of descriptions and adding more photographs and videos.

There are also many sites that will syndicate your home and list it on multiple web sites. If your agent looks at you wide eyed when you ask where your home will be syndicated on the Internet, move on and call another agent.

Pricing! Everyone knows a well priced home sells more quickly, just as a well staged or presented home. But, when your Internet savvy agent suggests a price realize they know how buyers search and again you want as many qualified buyers as possible finding your home. To price just over a price break search option will make your home look good value to the homes in that price bracket only if it really deserves to be there, otherwise it will just get passed over and you will actually miss the correct buyers for your home who may be looking in a lower price bracket.

You also want your home to be the best value home in its price bracket, that does not mean it has to be the cheapest but it has to give the best value in upgrades, landscaping and features in the home compared to your competition. I would actually suggest you go out before you list your home and be realistic, look at the current competition, those homes that are for sale now. Most buyers do not see alll those sold comparables, they see what is for sale around the corner in your development. That is your competition, how do you compare? When you know that you are ready to talk about price for your home.

Old Forge Crossing market statistics for 2007

Compared to 2006 when there were over 50 units sold at Old Forge Crossing in Devon, PA, 2007 was a quiet year with just 24 homes sold resulting in raising demand for homes at Old Forge Crossing. The average days on market was 52, this was skewed a little by three homes that were on the market for over 100 days, one of which was on the market for 179 days. Without these three homes included the average days on market were 39. Two bedroom units were on the market slightly shorter at 50 days or longer if you take the lower number. On average prices at which homes settled was 98% of asking price; what I noticed is that the higher the asking price the lower the settled price, those units which had the highest asking prices settled at 96% of asking price. As Realtors we often advise clients to price correctly and prepare their homes for sale. This was reflected looking through the sales as those homes that sold quickly were priced sharply or also had been well maintained and prepared for sale. Using a stager also helps sell a home quickly.

From the 24 homes sold 18 were one bedroom homes; 2 of these had dens, and there were 6 two bedroom homes, two of which had two full baths and a powder room, these incidentally were the two highest priced units in the development and both settled for $220,000. Two bedroom units ranged in price at settlement between $196,500 and $221,000, although this highest priced unit also gave a $6,000 seller assist, so in reality it sold for $195,000. In the one bedroom homes the lowest priced unit was $163,900 and the highest asking price was $179,000 which settled at $169,000 and the highest settled price was $174,900, but again this is misleading because the seller also gave a $5,000 assist so the real price was $169,900. The highest settled price without any assist or concession was $172,500, 99% of the asking price of $174,900.

So what does all this mean for 2008? Well, we did not see any rise in prices within the development for 2007; whilst the interest rates are low there are plenty of buyers looking for homes. We have seen the year start with a bang, especially in the last two weeks. Will prices rise? This price range is the lowest in the township and the area, Old Forge Crossing homes in my opinion give some of the best value, the closest competition is Drummers lane, but those units do not have private entrances and you have to use a shared laundry room, as well as having a lot of road noise from the 422 and 202 intersection. At the moment the media has led buyers to believe that homes are not selling and therefore whilst prices may increase slightly, buyers will resist this by making lower offers.

To get the best price, sellers need to make sure their home is well presented, bathrooms, kitchens both need upgrading, consider updating the A/C and heater units and freshly paint the walls in neutral colors. As I mentioned above get help staging your home and realize that when you sell your home, it is not the same as when you live in it.

If you want help selling or if you are looking for a home in Old Forge Crossing contact me at 610-203-4543 or email me at Nick@VandekarTeam.com. I will be happy to help you buy or sell. We have a special offer for sellers of homes in Old Forge Crossing, please go to our website and click on Old Forge Crossing from the menu on the left for details.