The Polly Blog

ThePollyBlog has moved

2009-02-18T08:36:00.003-06:00

The Polly Blog has moved to a new platform. If you have saved this site through blogger or just ventured here that way and like what you see, please visit ThePollyBlog at our new hosting location.

I have enjoyed Blogger for years, but now I need a more expressive platform.

See you there.

Polly Briley

Interest Free Home Loans From City

2009-02-09T07:04:00.002-06:00

The city of Oshkosh is once again offering interest free loans for qualifed residents in Oshkosh. The loans are available to homeowners whose annual imcome is below $36,050 for individuals. The loans increase with family size, but are capped at $41,200 for couples.

These funds are used to help homeowners who are in need of serious repairs and not for renovation. Covered are repairs for heating, plumbing, electrical or significant structural issues.

Pick up your application at the city's planning department on the second floor of city hall.

UFO's in Oshkosh

2009-02-09T06:58:00.003-06:00

Last Monday night a UFO visited our community, according to The Examiner website. What looks to me as some fuzz on a lens, is actually a UFO, says the nimble photographer.

How disappointing to have missed this spectacular sight and have to rely on someones photographic evidence. See here

Never let it be said there aren't new buyers looking to move into our beautiful homes in Oshkosh.

Longer than we thought

2009-02-09T06:54:00.003-06:00

The new website and blog roll out has been delayed for another day. Putting all the pieces together, design, framing, links, is slow but will be well worth it.

Word is tonight will be the big reveal. The urls will not change, so just hit your normal bookmark and rss feed and you will visit these dynamic and information rich sites.

New The Polly Blog Coming Soon

2009-01-09T11:14:00.002-06:00

This blog has felt a little left out from all the new OshkoshNeighborhoods.com changes. So, very soon it will have a completely new look and a regular bi-weekly (if not more) posting.

Blogger has been a bit limiting so we are moving to a dynamic and creative location. Check back early next week to see this roll out.

Thanks for all the visit during this year period with blogger.

Polly

Social Marketing

2008-11-09T13:37:00.002-06:00

How do we develop relationships today? Since Bowling Alone began the discussion, we appear to have become even more isolated from each other in person. Yet, we also appear to be more connected than ever.

I go to a conference in Orlando while sitting on my couch, throwing questions up on the screen to the moderator, while comments fly from others doing the same thing around the country. Then I click over to my tweetdeck to get 140 character live blogging synopsis of the presentations.

While watching the Packer game, I check on my FaceBook page and learn an old classmate of mine just got engaged. When I write on their wall another old friend pops up asking for friend status. I look away from the game for a minute and miss a really ugly injury to a Vikings player. The commentators say it is so bad they won't show the video. I turn again to my tweetdeck and send out a request for an answer. Within a minute comes a response from a guy in Fond du Lac that I have chatted with a couple of times with an answer.

Are any of these relationships? If not, why not?

I write blog posts in several places. People comment, sometimes LOUDLY, and I feel I know every one of them. Even if I haven't broken bread or had a beer with them, I still have a connection. I would like some time to meet everyone I chat with on line, but for now, knowing I am talking with folks and sharing stories, to me is a relationship.

Pictures and more pictures

2008-10-30T18:59:00.009-05:00

In case you are curious about 1249 Merritt, here are some pictures for you.

My first listing

2008-10-30T18:30:00.004-05:00

I have my first listing, okay it is my house, but I think it counts (my broker said yes). As it is my first listing, I have been experimenting with many ways to market it. I have no preconceptions of what is good or bad when it comes to home marketing so I will try pretty much anything.

Of course I went with the few musts: Realtor.com, Balloonhomes.com, my site and the MLS. To not do these would be malpractice. But what after that?

The first Sunday after I listed it, we held an open house. To drive folks to the listing I mailed out 160 invitations to the neighbors, friends and folks I thought would be great advocates. I also put an open house ad in The Oshkosh Northwestern's Sunday homes addition. During the two hour open house 33 separate "buyers" attended. This does not include identifiable neighbors and friends. I think this was a pretty good attendance.

The next week I expanded my reach and added a Facebook page for the house. I also scheduled another open house for that Sunday, but no invitations. On the Facebook page I sent out invitations to all my Oshkosh friends alerting to the open house event. Another ad ran in the Northwestern. A dear friend and colleague of mine, Kris Villars, hosted the open house this time. She reported 15 additional buyers came through, including one who saw the house on Facebook.

I also purchased a domain for the house and gave it its own website: http://www.1249MerrittAve.com. I added more pictures to Realtor.com and twittered about the house. I sent out fliers to other real estate agents who had buyers looking for houses like mine. I got slapped for doing that. Apparently an agent in Oshkosh took offense and requested the MLS board make me stop mailing new listing fliers. Don't understand that one.

So, how is it going? There is a lot of interest, phone calls, emails, showings, but no offers, yet. I am open to all ideas for further marketing options. I am going to post to Craigslist and will continue to mail out fliers to targeted parties.

When your first listing is your own house, you can learn a lot and try anything, your client won't mind.

Near East on Council Agenda Tonight

2008-10-28T15:22:00.002-05:00

It may come down to tonight! Will the promises made to the residents of the Near East Neighborhoods be kept or will the council again let down another neighborhood, another home owner, another family?
Two years ago the Common Council told the residents of this wonderful inner core community that if they invested in their properties, took care of each other and worked with city officials to help stabilize this neighborhood, the city in turn would crack down on crime, vacant landlords and others who degrade the area with neglect and disrespect. Now the council is threatening to take away these protections and turn it into a political football, subject to the whims of each council member, none of which actually live in the neighborhood.
At the last meeting it was obvious who was leaning on the council and bending their ear. It was not the home owners who have poured their life savings into their homes and properties, no it was landlords. One council member even parroted the landlord association talking points when explaining support for all the poor people who can't afford to live in a well kept up and safe neighborhood. I would like an explanation of how a "poor" person who puts $50,000 of their extremely hard earned money into buying a home is less worthy than the owners of a $500,000 home.
If you care about this issue, if you care about our neighborhoods, if you care about your own neighborhood, if you are tired of absentee folks having more say about your neighborhood than you do, then PLEASE attend this meeting and say so.
It also never hurts to call each council member ahead of the meeting. It is amazing how the last person/group to whisper in their ear gets their vote.

September Oshkosh Housing Report - A Little Late

2008-10-26T20:59:00.002-05:00

The average sold price for a home in the city of Oshkosh in September was $140,613. It sold for 94.8% of its listed price and spent 179 days on the market. This was an increase of 47 days on the market from 132 days in August. In 2007 a house sold in Oshkosh for an average price of $144,551, sold for 93.9 of its list price and spent 165 days on the market.

The total number of residential sales in the city for September was 88, a drop of 12 houses sold from September of 2007. A monthly change from 117 homes sold in August.

Homes selling under $100,000 made up 34% of the homes sold in September, with homes selling between $100,000 and $200,000 making up 50%. Homes selling over $200,000 made up 16% of all residential sold.

Of the 114 homes sold in September 42% had 3 bedrooms and 48% had 2 bathrooms.

Into October, the city of Oshkosh had 1125 homes currently for sale. That number is down from the 1197 homes in inventory at the beginning of September and an inventory of 1227 homes listed at the beginning of October 2007.

Analysis:

Year over end Oshkosh is holding its own. Our home prices are only down .9% on average from September 2007, $140,613 vs. $144,551. Days on market increased by 14 but the home sold for a higher percentage listing price.

Our inventory of homes for sale continues to drop significantly. The 102 fewer homes on the market from last year is making the options for home buyers smaller. A home seller might see this drop as a great opportunity to take advantage of less competition.

Still, the tight credit market is a primary concern for both sellers and buyers. There are great mortgage programs available for all price ranges. Down payments still run the gamut as well. First time buyers can qualify for a 3.5% down programs, but you need pretty good credit to get a low interest rate.

F.I.C.O. scores of 750 are now the norm for the best rates. This DOES NOT mean you can't get a loan, it just may cost a little more. When things get better, and frankly they have to sometime, you can refinance into a lower rate.

Life goes on and changes continue. If you need to buy a house because you need more space or less space is now better, don't try to game the housing market. If now is your time, go for it.

Long Silence

2008-10-26T18:30:00.004-05:00

The last few weeks have been just about the longest of my life.

Many know we have been working to put our house on the market. November 15th the Bishop in Green Bay will make a decision as to whether we can buy St. John's on South Park. We put in an offer the middle of August and have been waiting for an answer ever since. As the magic moment gets closer, it seemed a good time to actually try to sell our house.

The last month we have been making great progress at getting all those little things finished, the ones you told yourself you would get to a few years ago. The progress was slow, but most everything was getting done on schedule. Roofers arrived and began their very messy work, trim painting was finally finished and porch floor refinished.

Then two weeks ago, while at a company meeting in Milwaukee, my mom called to tell me her doctor had just diagnosed her with ovarian cancer. Shock. She had been feeling pretty lousy since March with different medical direction from heart to lung. However her abdomen and stomach were grossly distended.

That day the invitations to our first open house went out. Two hours before the diagnosis. There was no way we could cancel. Open House day was set for Sunday, Oct. 19th.

On the 17th, Thursday my mom was put in the hospital after two very bad days. No medical professional seemed to have an answer as to what was going on. In the afternoon her primary physician sounded worse than grim. There was talk of her not leaving the hospital. The next 72 hours are a sleep deprivation blur.

I know we finished several projects. I know we cleaned the house top to bottom. I know I showed five houses Friday afternoon and I know I spent time at the hospital. Sleep was limited to a few hours a night.

Sunday morning began at 5 a.m. with last minute cleaning, sanding, painting and general readying for the open. I also had a consult with the three physicians over seeing mom's care. By 10:30 a.m. they had decided a eureka moment, she would live and get out of the hospital in a few days. The cancer, not so much of a bother, just a little out patient surgery in a couple weeks.

At noon we opened our doors to all. Two hours later 33 different buyers had come and gone. Whew. It wasn't a disaster.

For all you home sellers out there, I have great empathy. It is hard and scary work.

Mom did return home on Tuesday. She is not well, but we are getting there.

So blogging with more regularity will return and I will start with a market update.

My Open House Sunday 10/19 12-2

2008-10-16T08:23:00.002-05:00

Blog posting and pretty much everything else in my life has been on hold as I prepare for the listing of my own home this week. If you have ever sold a home you know what I am going through. All those little things you promised yourself you would get to eventually, now have a deadline.
The sign is now in the front yard and the listing paperwork is heading to my office. At some point today I will have an multiple listing service (mls) number so every one will know it is For Sale.

This Sunday will be the big reveal. Everyone is invited to stop by and see the final product. We will be open this sunday, 10/19, from 12 to 2. Stick your head in and say hello. Our address is 1249 Merritt Ave., right across from the tennis courts in Menominee Park.

The Day of Dragons

2008-09-20T21:25:00.006-05:00

A perfect day for dragons.
These are a few photos I took this afternoon. More will be posted tomorrow.

Who won? I have no idea.

Oshkosh Housing Market for August 2008

2008-09-19T15:27:00.003-05:00

The average sold price for a home in the city of Oshkosh in August was $133,098. It sold for 95.8% of its listed price and spent 135 days on the market. This was a reduction of 25 days on the market from 160 days in July. The total number of residential sales in the city for August was 114 a drop of 56 houses sold from August of 2007.

Homes selling under $100,000 made up 33.08% of the homes sold in August, with homes selling between $100,000 and $200,000 making up 47..05%. Homes selling over $200,000 made up 18.01% of all residential sold.

Of the 114 homes sold in August 60% had 3 bedrooms and 55% had 1 bathroom.

Looking ahead into September, the city of Oshkosh had 1176 homes currently for sale. That number is down from the 1237 homes in inventory at the beginning of August and an inventory decrease of 72 homes listed in September of 2007.

Analysis:

The great news in this report is the large drop in the number of days homes are sitting on the market before selling. We carved off 25 days while holding on to 95.8% of list price. Our inventory is still down which might account for the drop in days on market, the fewer properties available the lower the days on market, maybe.

Each month we are seeing fewer homes being listed and a drop of 72 listings over last year is large. Perhaps many home owners are just holding on for the market to turn around and prices to increase again. The concern over this plan is just how fast or even if the market will rebound. We are lucky in Oshkosh to have not seen a real boom and are not now suffering from a bust, but we do seem to have been stricken with concern.

Our real concern should be credit constriction. The real worry on main street is loan denial. Many average credit buyers are not getting a loan than just a month ago would have been no problem. Until the credit squeeze is over the odds of a rise in inventory and sales are dim.

Why I left politics and became a Real Estate Agent

2008-09-11T10:54:00.004-05:00

Seven years ago today I left politics, a career that started when I was 18 years old in the summer of 1981 as the volunteer director for Jack Watson, a candidate for the Governor of Georgia.

For more than 20 years I served many candidates in many positions, from the state house to the White House. The one commonality among all the candidates I chose to support was their long term vision and plans. None of them was looking for the immediate gratification answers. They looked ahead ten, twenty, fifty years to grapple with how to best lay the ground work for where we as a nation needed to be then.

How would the 21st century economy be different, what would be required of our military, our intelligence, what would be the new vital industries, how would we be effecting our environment, our water, air, food supply, how could we become energy independent, what would the challenges be in the year 2000, what would be the threats?

Just by asking the questions, the candidates I worked for looked beyond the politics of that moment and the easy platitudes that accompanied the perpetual campaign. I was proud to be a "flack, an op" or the other pejoratives that now accompany my old profession. I am still proud of the candidates I worked for and their battles in office and out to persuade other elected officials to plan long term.

On September 11, 2001 a knot formed in my stomach and remains there today. I know the candidates I worked hard for and believed in could, did and would make a difference if they were in office. I know the candidates I did not work for could, did and would make a difference now they are in office. However, the saddest part to me and why I knew I could no longer participate in my chosen career is that I also know that candidates I didn't work for, but did support also could, did and would make a difference. I was angry and so disappointed in the careless way they had thrown away twenty years of opportunity that would have PREVENTED what happened that day.

In the following seven years I continue to be angry and disappointed at what has followed. I am glad of my decision to leave the profession but I still look back.

In the subsequent years I joined the the corporate side of politics working on NIMBY issues which drove my interest in returning to my home and my looking inward to my own life and community. As I became more involved in my neighborhood I noticed a troubling trend of denigration towards Oshkosh's downtown communities. Our homes, schools and businesses were/are treated as less than.

This was a natural progression to my becoming a Realtor, a promoter of our downtown, our neighborhoods and our beautiful older homes.

There is still a knot in my stomach and it has a name, Osama Bin Laden. I still ask where is he and why has he not be caught? There is no excuse.

Near East Showdown

2008-09-04T16:50:00.002-05:00

Thursday, September 11 appears to be a showdown day at the city council for the Near East Neighborhood revitalization program.

Council member Paul Esslinger has offered up three different ways to eliminate the program. Several organizations are lining up to weigh in and encourage those opposed to the program to tell the council just how awful they think it is and how unfair the the city inspectors are being when evaluating their properties.

I have heard it said more than once that folks on the east side would move to the west side if they had money.

My question to all of you is - what do you think?

When someone recently told me folks on the east side live there because they don't have the money to live on the west side, I got really annoyed. This is not just offensive, but truly stupid. Why would someone want to pit different parts of this community against each other?

As most readers know I live on the east side and I love it here. There is no better place to live in Oshkosh than the east side, but I would never denigrate someone who lives on the south, west or north side of town.

Now, as to the Near East Project. I think it is a great step towards helping the neighbors and neighborhoods in that community. There are a few property owners (yes many of them landlords) who do not take an active interest in maintaining their houses. Is the project perfect? What first step ever is perfect? Is it better than nothing - absolutely, and better than most of us who supported it in the beginning thought it could be at this stage.

There are rumors of mass intimidation, threats and reprisals by city staff of anyone who dares speak out against this program or their property citations. Rumors are easily propagated but difficult to believe without evidence. If people are being intimidated I hope they show up at the city council meeting next Thursday and testify.

I also hope those neighbors in the whole east side show up to stand up for our selves, our neighbors and our neighborhoods. Let's fill the council to show our support for the city's efforts towards making every street a neighborhood.

Preservation Pays

2008-08-26T11:29:00.002-05:00

In Sunday's Northwestern I was quoted as saying:

"I'd like to see some citywide preservation efforts," she said. "You can change a lot of things to make homes more comfortable, more modern, more efficient without changing the nature or soul of the house. You want to make sure what you put into it you will get out of it. And if your neighbor's not doing to the same thing, it's going to reflect on you, your property value and your resale value."

To expand on that quote, preserving our history, our neighborhoods and our older homes isn't just about real estate.

Yes, a historically intact home does have a higher resale value than one that has become a hodgepodge of renovation projects, but a historically intact home is a story of us as a community. Many people love going to the genealogy sites to learn about their families. An older/historic home is a physical manifestation of our family history. A church, a school, a downtown building tells us about our past as a community.

When we lose these our history goes with it. Think of all the wonderful buildings we have lost. How many of us look at the pictures of the Athearn Hotel and imagine it still standing in our grand downtown. How about that incredible William Waters designed building that occupied the 100 Block of N. Main and Otter? If the preservation efforts of our community hadn't been successful and The Grand had been lost, would we today feel a deep sadness and remorse?

We are in serious danger of losing our communities collective conscious.
The warehouse district on the south-side is disappearing. There was a request about 12 years ago by an investor to create residential space in one of the buildings on South Main. It was denied. Now gravel blights are littered throughout with more to come.
The light house is going, going, gone. A beacon for travelers and boaters to guide them safely to Oshkosh is turned off. The metaphor as reality.

Raze it and they will ignore it. An empty lot, so the myth goes, will attract a buyer. How many times does this painful line have to be proved wrong before we stop destroying what we have in hand? Retrofit and reuse are green and cost effective. If they don't build it who will come?

There are people in this community who are advocates and investors in our past as future.

The Waters lays out the planning guidelines for what we as the Oshkosh community must do to thrive. A grand example of how new meets history. This showcase will bring local and tourism monies to Oshkosh.

River Mill condominiums are a reuse project that proves a good investment in keeping our history. As manufacturing changes many older builds will be left vacant and some abandoned. As we consider plans for the space, our commissions must look to what has worked - River Mill and what hasn't.

There are small and grand examples of preservation throughout Oshkosh. Brooklyn Fire House, The Bent Building, Wagner Opera House and so many others show what can be done and will with a serious mindset change from our elected officials, city staff and most important, our business "leaders" in the Chamber, OCDC and BID.

As important as our historical commercial arena, our homes are the fibers that intertwine to keep Oshkosh history seamless. Each neighborhood - south, east, university, north - is important in telling the Oshkosh story. Who we are, where we came from, what we did is written in the wear of our of our homes.

Preserving our history isn't a death lock of regulation for homeowners. We are not and cannot be a covenant dictatorship. Our preservation must come from a collective will, a joint belief that this is important and good. The payoffs for our decisions can be enormous.

When we mention the Washington or Algoma neighborhoods, there is general agreement that these are desirable streets with beautiful homes. A place we would love to live. Why can't the same desire come from Parkway, Waugoo, Grand, South Park, Winchester, 18th, Idaho, etc.? Each of these streets have wonderful older homes that have been protected by generations of families. Each also have houses where the owners, usually landlords, have allowed the properties to lose their luster.

Why has Washington and Algoma maintained their grandeur while the others have not? There is a pressure, unspoken, when you live in a historic district. No one demands these homes are kept up, yet driving down the blocks shows the neighbors support each other and provide a communal spirit. The near east project is an attempt, with governmental prodding, to create that same sense. To get started is hard and sometimes irritating but for the homeowners and the neighborhood the results are tangible.

As a real estate agent specializing in older homes, I know a home in a preserved neighborhood brings in new owners excited to live here at a price to make all the neighbors very happy.

Preservation pays.

Agent as Client

2008-08-21T14:57:00.001-05:00

Today I am a client. I put in an offer on a 7800 SQ FT church in our town. After six months of waiting to hear from the diocese that the church would be sold, two months of investigation with contractors on the feasibility, and a month of wrestling with my husband on the price, I just faxed the offer. Now we wait ...

Tonight is the parish council finance committee meeting. Next week is the community meeting with the parish as a whole. Then we have all the city council meetings for use permits and plat changes.

Has any one out here ever worked on a project like this, taking a church or even a school and turning it into a single family residence?

Any advice?

Polly

Oshkosh Housing market for July 2008

2008-08-20T18:47:00.001-05:00

The average sold price for a home in the city of Oshkosh in August was $128,234. It sold for 95.5% of its listed price and spent 160 days on the market. This was a reduction of three days on the market from 163 days in June. The total number of residential sales in the city for July was 102 a drop of 17 houses sold from July of 2007.

Homes selling under $100,000 made up 35.28% of the homes sold in July, with homes selling between $100,000 and $200,000 making up 47.13%. Homes selling about $200,000 made up 14.7% of all residential sold.

Of the 102 homes sold in July 60% had 3 bedrooms and 59% had 1 bathroom.

Looking ahead into August, the city of Oshkosh had 1,186 homes currently for sale. that number is down from the 1,215 homes in inventory at the beginning of July. That is an inventory decrease of 61 homes in August of 2007.

Chuck Chvala Sells Real Estate?

2008-08-14T18:41:00.003-05:00

Did anyone know the Former Leader of the Wisconsin State Senate was a Real Estate Agent? Did you know he lost his license because he "forgot" to tell the licensing board he had been convicted in 2005 for FELONY misconduct in office? Ooops.

Well it seems all is well and good again because Mr. Chvala has gotten his license back after a six month suspension.

Do you think he has gotten his law license back?

Not a good day for the new ethics movement in real estate.

Newspaper article reports local real estate sales up in 2nd Quarter

2008-08-03T22:57:00.002-05:00

In the three county area (Winnebago, Outagamie and Calumet) real estate sales are up 14.1 percent in the second quarter of 2008 over 2007, according to a report on the WISINFO site.

Winnebago county sales are up 19.9 percent comparing 2008 with 2007. Outagamie sales were up 18.3 percent.

The report does not separate out commercial versus residential which can be wildly different. The report states the statistics are provided by the Realtor Association of Northeast Wisconsin. My attempts to find the report on our local board websites were unsuccessful. When the report is made available to the membership as opposed to the media, I will post the numbers.

New Housing Bill has something for everyone in Oshkosh

2008-08-03T22:31:00.000-05:00

Congress passed a new housing bill last week. This is a quick breakdown of how you might just get something out of it.

FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS - You will be eligible for an interest-free loan from the government in the way of a new $7,500 or 10 percent of the purchase price, which ever is smaller. This is a tax credit, which you will subtract from the money you would pay to the IRS. There are income qualifications, at $75,000 or $150,000 for married filing jointly it begins to phase out.

The tax credit must be paid back over the next 15 years in equal amounts on your federal taxes. That is what makes this more like a loan. The credit is also retroactive to homes purchased since April 9th and will continue through June 30, 2009.

MORTGAGE RENEGOTIATIONS - Loans that were originated on or before Jan. 1, 2008 are eligible for renegotiation to a new fixed-rate loan that will last for at least 30 years. The loan can not be for more than 90 percent of what the property is worth today. Your monthly housing payment, including mortgage, interest, taxes and insurance, must be at least 31 percent of your monthly household income.

The catch on this is, lender are not required to give you this new deal, even if you qualify. It is expected to only effect 400,000 households in the country out of the estimated more than 2 million currently facing foreclosure.

There are a couple other doozy of catches on this one.
1. For the next five years you can not take out take out a home equity loan
2. You have to pay a fee of 1.5 percent each year on the remaining balance of your mortgage
3. You must give to the government no less than 50 percent of any appreciation your home has when you sell.
4. If you sell in under five years you will have to give over all of the appreciation gained.

This program begins October 1 and ends September 30, 2111.

ADDITIONAL TAX DEDUCTION - If you own a home and don't currently itemize your deductions, you can now take an additional federal tax deduction of $500 or $1,000 if you are married and filing jointly. This is in addition to the standard deduction.

This will be great for those folks who pay little or no interest on their current mortgage. However, you must report how much property taxes you paid and if it is less than $500, the deduction will be limited only to the actual property taxes paid.

CHANGES IN REVERSE MORTGAGES - Origination fees for new reverse mortgages would be limited to 2 percent of any loan up to $200,000 and 1% for loans more than that. The entire fee is capped on $6,000.

Lenders are forbidden from requiring additional financing or insurance products as a condition of making the loan. Also the maximum amount people can borrow has been raised to $625,600.

WHAT IS A JUMBO LOAN - The definition of a jumbo loan has changed in the higher cost areas of the country. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can now purchase loans up to 115 percent of the local median home price.

VETERANS BREATHING ROOM - Foreclosure proceedings will now be held off for nine months instead of 90 days for veterans returning from the military. Also, lenders must wait for one year to raise interest rates on a mortgage held by someone returning from military service.

These are some of the good provisions of the bill which will have an effect on many of us in Oshkosh. There were some not so good provisions as well. Those will wait for another update.

Wall Street Journal Advice on Selling Now

2008-08-03T22:21:00.004-05:00

An article in last weeks Journal offered seven steps to selling your home in today's market. Most of it was sound if not a little alarmist. Here are their 7 steps:

1. Don't wait around
The advise here was basically it is going to be years for the home market to turn around. Sell now if you have to sell and on the bright side be glad your not a Hummer salesperson.

2. Fix it up and clean it up
The essential make a good impression.

3. Price it cheaply
Price the house BELOW current comparable nearby properties. Also price the house at the current home sales level, not what it was worth three years ago.

4. Hire a top real-estate agent
Interview agents about their marketing plans for your property. Make sure your home will be on all the leading real-estate web sites. "This is no time to quibble over a couple of percentage points of commission."

5. Promote, promote, promote
Don't rely on your agent to do all of the work. Pay for extras if you want more expensive or untraditional promotions. Get creative, advertise your property in unique places such as your companies newsletter and church bulletin. Make sure every one you know receives an e-flyer promoting your property.

6. Play the banker
If you have no mortgage to pay off consider financing some or all of the buyer's purchase. You might be able to charge a higher interest rate and command a higher sale price. Hire a real-estate lawyer to make sure everything is done to protect you. As the WSJ says, "Worst case? Your borrower defaults and you take the property back. And sell it again." Of course that year in foreclosure might be a little tougher on you and your house than the Journal lets on.

7. Take the offer
A buyer has a reasonable offer, take it. Find out the percentage difference between the asking and selling price today. It is a good way to determine an appropriate monetary offer. Your house is only worth what some one will pay for it and the Journal says, "that unfortunately will probably be a lot less than you think."

To sell or not to sell

2008-07-28T09:27:00.003-05:00

There is a debate in my house, whether to sell our house to retrofit it to accommodate new realities.

In 2006/07 we removed most of the walls on our first floor to created that much vaunted open concept. The house has a wonderful flow now and the kitchen is expansive, beautiful and very usable.

The problem now is that my mother, who lives with us, has developed health problems and her second floor bedroom is no longer functioning for her. She insists this is temporary, but five months later this no longer seems temporary. She is sleeping on the screened in porch and den couch, not exactly the best place to sleep in a busy household.

So, what to do? We have been looking at houses and other potential residences for a couples months now. Warehouses, old hotels, churches, school buildings and even houses have been studied to see how they would fit our lifestyle. We have all but ruled out houses because the change would not do any more than create essentially a trade.

We have always wanted to find a unique space without walls, high ceilings and preferably a reuse space. Needing a first floor bedroom has made our desires a little out of whack and made our decision much harder.

Our current home on Merritt Ave, in Oshkosh, across from Menominee Park is fantastic. We have done so much to make this house fit us from the double sized master with a new walk in closet, to the open concept first floor and a landscaped 370ft yard with waterfall, stream, pond and English garden. The neighborhood is the best and we are loath to leave the location.

So what to do?

Sawdust Days

2008-07-13T09:43:00.010-05:00

The parade wasn't out only outing on the 4th of July in Oshkosh. Menominee Park hosts a wonderful free festival during a few days leading up to the fourth. We ventured over in the afternoon and enjoyed what we saw:

4th of July Parade

2008-07-06T12:52:00.008-05:00

For those of you who slept in Friday morning or are out of town, here are a few shots from our fabulously traditional parade:

Gas and the 4th of July

2008-07-06T06:57:00.002-05:00

I just read a fascinating article in the New York Times this morning about how we ended up in this energy mess, when for the last forty years we have known it is coming.

One quote particularly stood out to me, "Mr. (Newt) Gingrich says, 'Our culture favors driving long distances in powerful vehicles and the car as a social expression.'" There is no arguing the accuracy of the statement, nor the has been rationale behind it.

On Friday night as I sat in my front yard watching the crowd thin from Menominee Park after the fireworks, I saw an historical record of our past oil consumption love and the new (perhaps old) direction we should and will be taking.

The cars lined up in traffic were mostly big SUVs and trucks, idling one after another, for their chance to zoom back out to the former farm fields where 3 car garages now take up residence. A few vehicles were filled were excited revelers, but most had one or two bodies occupying a space befitting a family of 10.

The new direction that passed in front of my vantage point was one of bicycles, strollers, walkers and neighbors. It used to be like this and appears we are heading back to the future. I know this is a good place to go.

As I work to encourage folks to consider living in town, in our older neighborhoods, I often describe a scene as played out Friday night. Some one will definitely argue they must drive to the fireworks as they don't live in my neighborhood. Very true, but why are they not demanding the city provide public transportation to Sawdust Days and the fireworks?

We were a culture of "driving long distances in powerful vehicles." Today we are a neighborhood culture.

Buyer Frustration - try an agents

2008-06-27T16:31:00.002-05:00

I am on, and contribute to various social networking, real estate and professional sites. Some times its great to read the various comments people post on life, work and real estate. It amazes me how angry some people are at real estate agents. I wish I knew who these agents were that are ruining so many people's lives. The anger is real and very strong in some folks. It is sad.

I don't often read about the other side, the angry agent. I hear it a lot behind closed doors, seminars and quiet lunches. But we are not really supposed to talk about the buying/selling public with anything but great respect and patience.

The other day I read someone remarking on "the rich real estate agent." Do consumers not really know how little money real estate agents make and how great the expenses are for gas money, advertising, sprucing up a place for sale. This is not a complaint by any means, I love what I am doing. I get to help people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives. I use what I know and what I can learn to guide them through an avalanche of reports, data, inspections, applications, contingencies, etc.

What upsets agents is when things go wrong for their client. The angriest I ever see a fellow agent is when their client isn't being treated right, or a deal falls through. Does the public see that? Every time something goes wrong, the agent is the first one staying up at night dealing with it. The cell phone at the ear, the lap top open frantically searching for some document or miracle that will make things all right.

In the short time I have been an agent I have already been there, am there. Sometimes it is your client creating the havoc which actually makes things worse. You don't have access to the other party so all you can do offer abject apologies, try to solve the problem.

So from us agents who love what we do, for very little money, I want anyone to know that we get angry too.

Blogging the Flood

2008-06-24T21:00:00.002-05:00

A week later and now maybe it is time to talk about the flood. So many folks lost so much. Just a drive around town and the terraces display the devastation of the backed up storm drains, overflowing pipes and 10 inches of rain.

I spent Friday morning with worried and some times scared buyers. "Did my new house get water ... how much water?" What should come next? Do I proceed, do I cancel closing?

As I drove around all areas of town one thing struck me, no "side" of town was spared. This was a shared experience. People were trapped by the flooded streets in every neighborhood. Basements were overrun on Villa Park, 4th Ave and Washington. Foundations collapsed on 8th ave and Doemel.

We were lucky in my house, not a drop of water. Why? I have no idea. Three doors down they were talking feet of water in their basement and next door a few inches.

Real Estate ads on Sunday were already advertising homes that didn't flood. Is this our new marketing campaign, tomorrow's selling advantage?

Maybe a little more time should pass before we use this community tragedy as a new ad tag line.

When to buy

2008-06-11T19:36:00.002-05:00

Is there one special moment when you know it is time to commit? Not just when the pros out way the cons, but the moment when you realize the risk of homeownership is worth it?

Doubts can erode all the preparation and work you have put into finding the house. A buyer can talk themselves out of a decision pretty easily. Two words usually work: what if? I can guarantee you, buying a house will cost you money. It will cost you money the day you close, two weeks after you close, two months and two years. Some, if not most, will be because you decide to do something, but some will be a repair. It comes with homeownership, responsibility.

Are you ready?

I can't answer that question for you. Why did you start looking for a home? Why did you go on line and click through to learn more about a house? Why did you set your sights on that particular one? Why did you start arranging your furniture in your head when you saw it? Why did you fantasize about that sparkling new appliance on sale that will fit just perfectly?

Remember that feeling and let go of the what if.

You did your due diligence. Respect your decision and move in.

Peabodys Closing

2008-06-10T21:06:00.003-05:00

How sad. I have been at Peabody's almost every Friday night since it opened. Our group tested out many places before landing at Peabody's and now we have no idea where we will end up.

The great thing about Peabody's was the eclectic crowd. There was a great group of regulars and always some new folks would wander in for the music or just the fabulous beer.

The new owners are promising a different place with a new clientel. I guess they are right. We are looking for a new place. Any suggestions.

New Website

2008-05-29T23:43:00.002-05:00

After much nashing of teeth and tearing of garments, the improved OshkoshNeighborhoods.com is up. With that done maybe I will have more time for blogging. Wouldn't that be novel.

A friend of mine emailed me today and suggested a new project to promote Oshkosh to other parts of the state, particularly those whose costs are much higher. The idea is to sell Oshkosh as a great, but less expensive place to live and potentially raise a family. Is it doable? Pennsylvania and Maryland are doing bang up jobs with their respected more expensive neighbors. Why couldn't we? Think about it.

So two items today:
1) new website - what do you think?
2) Live in Oshkosh - make sense?

Tell me.

Why Few Pictures?

2008-05-14T22:06:00.003-05:00

Can anyone explain to me why some real estate listings still have only one picture of the house? Are home buyers supposed to be clairvoyant or perhaps use their visual acuity and just imagine what it looks like inside?

To save my clients time we often will spend hours sharing web listings and commenting on what we like and don't. The more pictures, the increased likely hood my client will want to tour the home. I seriously recommend a minimum of 10 and please do not use the "panoramic" virtual tours. Not every house in the Oshkosh area has round walls, but judging from the virtual tours some agents are usin,g the perception is circular.

Pictures do not tell the whole story of a house and yes pictures can shade the truth a little bit. However, no pictures tell a lot more truth than the agent might mean to convey. So please, on behalf of my clients and every home buyer out there ... don't be shy, take a picture or twenty.

Our Council

2008-04-23T23:00:00.002-05:00

Last night after my last showing I rushed over to the Oshkosh Common Council meeting hoping to arrive before the council took a position on the water tower. This more than 100 year old historic building was scheduled to be demolished at Tuesday's vote despite the fact that no notice was given to the community. As is/has/and always will be, the staff and council refuse to notify the actual people who live in neighborhoods about anything.

Even though I missed the vote I did learn the council tabled the issue until after (yea right) a "hearing" on the issue.

The council at last nights meeting was also having a workshop on the Near East Project. This project has had great benefits while being a might bit dictatorial and sometimes random in its enforcement mechanism on homeowners. More money would solve many of the problems, but as we know, solving neighborhood issues anywhere but the west are not a priority.

The funny moment at the meeting was when Council member Palmeri was expressing his usual harrumphing this time about the lack of quality in our schools, East-side of course, he had to turn to the other council members to inquire, "which elementary school serves the near east?" The other clueless council members could not help with his perfect display of rhetoric over reality.

Blogging "Public Enemies" from Peabody's

2008-04-18T19:22:00.002-05:00

Okay, this is so cool.

Sitting with friends, hanging out at Peabody's, and the talk of the filming stories are rampant. A friend of mine owns Art Haus and he had a treat, coupled with a serious disappointment. At one point this afternoon, a production assistant stopped by to alert him, that being Jim Evans, that is shop might be in a long shot, and to please, refrain from looking out the window. So, as to right of any Oshkoshian, he and Gail immediately took their spots in the window to claim best view.

Pull away and there goes the camera, on crane, coming right along. "They are shooting my shop," said the seriously surprised Evans. His and Art Haus's moment in movie history. Gail, the Mrs. and of course Art prof extraordinaire, watched the moment and reveled that business may be non existent, but we are now "in the movies."

Another story made the rounds. Yesterday, standing on Main Street in front of the shop, there was directly Michael Mann and Johnny Depp having a conversation about, put in your imaginative conversation, right in front of the shop. Evans grabs his vintage, and quite cool camera, and attempted to celluloid the moment, damn, the mirror locked up.

So goes life in Oshkosh, in my hometown, today. We are the cinematographers dream.

Not all is good. Some business owners are annoyed about conflicting messages. Are they open or not? Yes, yes they are. Don't let the movie guys tell you otherwise.

Technology conspiracy

2008-04-11T11:38:00.002-05:00

Not to sound like Andy Rooney, but don't you just hate it when technology or some such related item conspires against your best efforts?

It seems I won't be able to update by website until tomorrow. So those of you dying with anticipation to read the rest of the March market report will have to be patient until the report can be uplinked to the website.

Sigh.

March Oshkosh Real Estate Reports

2008-04-11T10:54:00.003-05:00

The real estate reports are out for March in Oshkosh. As was expected Oshkosh's market keeps plodding a long. It is down a tiny bit, but when compared to many markets we are downright robust.

Compared with March of last year 81 residences were sold this march, while 97 sold a year ago, but the average sale price was UP almost $4000. The days on market (DOM) expanded by 11 extra days (160 to 171) but we are still getting almost 96% of our listing price on average. Not too darn bad for a "really down market."

And remember all the talk about how many houses are on the market? Just drive around town and it seems that every block has multiple houses for sale. Is this reality or just over over tuned imagination? Check the numbers. At the end of last March Oshkosh had 2000 homes on the market (1198). As of March 31, 2008 our inventory of residences is down more than 130 homes (1060).

As an agent showing a lot of homes this week I can assure you the number of homes available is down. We need more folks to gain confidence in our local market and take the plunge. Now is not only a great time to buy but it is a great time to sell.

I have more of the report and my analysis on the OshkoshNeighborhoods.com website. Venture over and have a look.

Women Home Buyers

2008-04-11T10:34:00.002-05:00

Single women are the fastest growing segment of home buyers today. That is the good news. The bad news is it is harder for them to buy a home than married women, married men or single men. Why?

Forty percent (40%) of single women make below $30,000 a year. Less than married people or single men. Single women make only .56 cents for every $1 dollar made by married men.

Ten million single-parent households are headed by single women out of the 12.2 million total.

Yet for all of the struggles single women are facing in buying a home, they are still managing to do it. As Realtors we should be prepared to help them achieve this goal by being knowledgeable about their struggles and options, their financing and available programs, their fears and dreams.

I was raised by a single parent and still remember the day we moved into the house my mother bought. I was 15 years old and even then I knew what it meant to my mom to own her own home, brought about by her own achievements. On moving day the truck pulled into our new driveway and the driver commented that he assumed we would be downsizing our home because my mom was single and obviously couldn't afford to move up. He stated he was really surprised to see we were actually moving to a bigger house in a better neighborhood.

My mom glowed with pride and chuckled at the drivers obviously wrong stereotype of women.

I love to work with first time buyers, but to be honest, my deep satisfaction is helping a single mom buy that very first home.

Share the joy.

What every one is talking about

2008-03-30T22:28:00.002-05:00

Mark your calendars for the third week in April. Just today as I was driving through downtown the facade was going up and crowds of gawkers were snapping shots of plywood mimicking a Wisconsin town of the 1930s. Store fronts are transforming into unknown ghosts of small town past.
This is an exciting time. Many are plotting how to get a glimpse of the stars, or more specifically Johnny Depp. I have my place all scoped out with the help of friends in the Main Street retail business. As much as I adore Johnny Depp, I am more excited about watching the stunt people do their work staging the crash scene at the corner of Main and Washington.
How does any of this relate to real estate? It doesn't really, anymore than the Georgia Bulldogs being National champs and watching student applications increase. It simply might cause our community to get more favorable attention and enlighten folks about all Oshkosh has to offer.
There are real tangible benefits as well. Columbus officials say they have seen an increase of $250,000 in movie related revenue. I would have thought the tab much higher. The production crew alone working right now in downtown have to be earning a good salary, add in the equipment, the building of sets, food, hotel, etc. of those already on site and the total has to be sizable. That doesn't include all the people snapping shots while sipping on their coffees from Blue Moon.
If you have any tips, rumors, speculation email me and I will post them.
Johnny Depp in Oshkosh ... does it get any better?

Almost a Month?

2008-03-26T20:13:00.001-05:00

It has been almost a month since I last added a post. It was a solemn oath that I would post a minimum of three times a week, and now ...

When we last met I was slightly complaining about the length of time it takes to build a new real estate practice: brick, mortar, brick, mortar. The plan was working slowly but steadily creating marketing opportunities, expanding the sphere of influence and getting loads of education. On paper I anticipated about six months of business construction before seeing a payoff. It was what Bryan Buffini in his "100 Days to Greatness" course calls farming.

Then buyers changed my well thought out plan, not that I am complaining. On Monday I got my first accepted offer, yea! Another buyer has already signed a Buyer's agreement and who knows where the others will lead. I have been "hunting" over the past month by accident.

But, all my seeds are in serious jeopardy. The Buffini 5-5-5-5-5 is looking more like 1-1-0-0-0. My long term projects are getting stretched and in danger of falling apart, but my education is going gangbusters. I have attended a WHEDA (Wisconsin Housing) seminar, my weekly Buffini lessons, a HUD conference, Legal Update, WRA Government Affairs, and I start my ABR classes in three weeks.

This is an exciting time. Spring may not have arrived yet in North East Wisconsin, but my season has begun, if only I can remember and plan on working the seeds, solidifying the mortar and any other silly metaphor that comes to mind.

As Buffini would have me say, "I am never too busy for your referrals."

The website has also taken a hit on updating but tonight and tomorrow I will be adding several pages and updating the news areas. Check it out!

Building A Business Brick by Brick

2008-03-03T10:31:00.001-06:00

One month ago I signed all the paperwork to become a Real Estate Agent.

Today is the first day in a month I can finally begin to see progress. I feel like a construction worker, lay a brick, slather with mortar, lay another brick, slather with mortar. The bricks are the solid foundations: a desk, business cards, education, advertising. The mortar are all the connections that firm up the foundation: announcement letters, referrals, social on-line sites, professional connections, website, blog.

The list of things that must be done is not only infinite but fascinating. Each thing you do shows you other connections, other foundations you can also build on. My previous career it was exclusively word of mouth, who you knew, who called you for what job. There was really no opportunity for self promotion except maybe around the bar at 4 a.m. on election night.

When I reach my two month anniversary I hope to be adding the roof of my new adventure. It will definitely be a green roof with lots of grass, trees and flowers so I can venture up and enjoy everything I have done from the top.

The Waiting Game

2008-02-22T17:08:00.003-06:00

For the past month and a half I have been waiting. Waiting to get this password, approval for membership, the okay on this idea, just waiting.

What do you do while waiting? You make work for yourself that three months from now will have you cursing words that even George Lucas couldn't event. The more I wait the more I create.

My website (OshkoshNeighborhoods.com) has 9 pages that are updated weekly, one page is updated every two days and one every day. This is not the cool automated way, no this is my going in, finding content, writing it and then dolling it up in Dream Weaver.

Yesterday my blog emerged from hibernation as a new extension of my inner most thoughts on this whole adventure. That ads a few hours a week to my future work load.

I designed my own business cards, ads, stationary. The only problem with doing any of that is now a design has been established, a branding if you will, so it has to carry on.

Perhaps I should have just read other blogs and kept my ideas as ideas.

Welcome

2008-02-21T15:51:00.003-06:00

The Polly Blog is a place to talk about Real Estate in general, Oshkosh Real Estate in particular, Oshkosh as a life style, UW-Oshkosh and of course the neighborhoods of the East-Side and University.
I will be posting at least three times a week, so I hope you venture back and comment at will, add suggestions, volunteer to post yourself or remind me about something going on in town or in real estate that I might have missed.
The Polly Blog is an extension of the website OshkoshNeighborhoods.com.
On the right hand side I will feature one of our great homes for sale every other day, a listing of events and news in the neighborhoods including reviews of local eateries, shops and drinking establishments by local residents and current tips/news in the real estate industry.
Please join us here often.