Burlington Township Homes And More

A Job Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Well

I am sure that you are looking at the picture of the pizza to the right and wondering.....huh???

Stick with me :)

My grandfather C.D. Pryor used to "preach" about a lot of things. As a child, I would get tired of hearing the same thing over and over again.  As an adult, I can appreciate the wisdom he was attempting to pass on to the next generation.  One of the pearls of wisdom that I heard countless times was...

A Job Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Well

So what does that have to do with pizza?  I will tell you.  Last night 2/25/2009 at 6:30 pm I wandered into the Oyster Point Dominos Pizza located at 994 J. Clyde Morris Blvd in Newport News, VA (599-3003).  I ordered a pacific veggie pizza and was told it would take about 15 minutes. 

As I waited for my pizza, I watched the crew at work.  Some were fixing pizzas, others were taking phone orders, some were heading out the door to deliver and others were manning the walk in customers.  The amazing thing about what they were doing was that each person was taking turns at doing each job.  If the phones were ringing off the hooks, the drivers answered the phones.  When one worker made a mistake and burned himself and dropped an order of cheesy bread, another worker immediately stepped up and made another one "on the fly". All the while, the workers were calling out the status of the delivery orders.  There were no upset faces in the place.  Each person seemed to be happy to have a job and were even happier to do their jobs well.

As I watched this well tuned performance, I thought about my grandfathers words. So my advice to anyone reading this.....If you don't want to give your all and your best in anything you do, step aside and let someone else do it.  The next time you see a pizza remember.....

A Job Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Well

Have a great day and

Make This YOUR Best Year Ever

 

Leander McClain, Burlington Township Realtor & Real Estate Consultant,

Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E, Suite 200, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003,  856-321-1212 Bus., 856-685-1677 Direct

This is an excellent tip shared by Chris. 

Have a great day and
Make This YOUR Best Year Ever

Leander

Recommended Reading:  Twitter Revolution by Deborah Micek & Warren Whitlock

If you are like me, you have heard of this thing called Twitter.  You may have even signed up for Twitter and then wondered....NOW What am I supposed to do???

Well help is on the way in the form of a book authored by Micek & Whitlock. 

I have no stake in this project, nor do I know the authors.  I happened upon this book when I was searching www.amazon.com for some help in understanding how to use Twitter for business purposes. 

I am halfway through the book and I must say that I have learned a lot.  My wife here's me say  "OH, OK....now I get it" as I read through the book. 

Some of the more interesting chapters in the book are titled

• Why Should You Care About Twitter
• What The Heck Is Twitter
• How To Get Started With Twitter
• Top 10 Reasons Companies Need To Tweet
• 101 Ways To Tweet
• Twitter Success In the " Real World"
• How Twitter Is Different from Traditional Marketing?
• Positioning & Branding Yourself On Twitter
• Marketing Yourself on Twitter & Connecting With Influencers
• The Seduction of Twitter
• Trend Spotting, Mobile Marketing & Smart Mobs

I am sure there are others books that are just as good, but this one seems to work for me.

once you figure it out, you can follow me @leemack912

Good luck and happy reading

 

Leander McClain, Burlington Township Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E, Suite 200, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, 856-321-1212 Bus., 856-685-1677 Direct

Do YOU Live Next To a NEGLECTED Foreclosed Home?

Are Foreclosed Homes In Your Neighborhood Driving Down Property Values?

What can you do about it?

A Murrieta homeowner Mark McKinzie was fed up with the the flood of neglected foreclosures in Southern California.  He lived next door to a foreclosed lawn that had a black lawn  that had been that way since April 2007.  So, he launched his own watchdog web site to hold lenders accountable.

Just go to www.lenderoffender.com

There you can post a picture of the offending property along with information about which bank owns the property. The website then ranks the worst lender offenders, with Fannie Mae topping the list so far.   Mark says it's working.   "I am putting these lenders on the spot in hopes that they will actually take notice of these properties."

Just days after launching www.lenderoffender.com, Wells Fargo contacted mark about this

property and suddenly

 

landscapers showed up to plant a new lawn.

Nothing Beats A Failure (But A Try).

Have A Great Day and

Make This YOUR Best Year Ever

 

Leander McClain, Burlington Township Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70 E, Suite 200, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003, 856-321-1212 Bus., 856-685-1677 Direct

President Obama has signed the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009" (i.e. the Economic Stimulus Bill).  This bill provides an $8,000 tax credit for first time home buyers.  A first time homebuyer is someone who has not owned a home in the last three years.  So that means a divorced person that used to own a home, but has been living in an apartment for the last three years, now qualifies for this tax credit.

This credit applies only to the purchase of your principal residence purchased anytime between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.    A tax credit is a dollar for dollar reduction in the amount of tax you owe.  If any credit amount remains unused, then the unused amount will be  returned when you file your 2009 income tax return. 

The income requirements are maximum $75,000 for a single buyer, and $150,000 for a married couple.

This credit does NOT have to be repaid as long as you stay in the home for a minimum of three years.

If you are looking to purchase your first home in Burlington or Camden County New Jersey and are looking for a Realtor and Real Estate Consultant who will work tirelessly to help you find your dream home.......text, email or call me today.  Let's get moving, we have a lot of work to do.

Have a Great Day

Make This YOUR Best Year Ever

Leander McClain, Burlington Township Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, EXIT Buyers Plus Realty, 15 E. Broad Street, Burlington,NJ 08016 609-505-6578

Leander McClain's Profile

Recent Posts

How To Buy A Home Part 1

Twitter Revolution

Always Have A Dream

How To Buy A House - Part 1

So now that the President has signed the Economic Stimulus bill and you as a first time home buyer are entitled to a $8,000 tax credit...what next?   

Just find a house and buy it right? 

WRONG! 

 There are many considerations and many more things to know when it comes to buying a house which you will make into your home.  As a Realtor and Real Estate Consultant, it is my job to guide you through the entire process.  I will always make sure that you understand the entire process and that you always know what comes next.  I decided to share my knowledge with new home buyers via this multi-part series.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions that are not answered by the series. 

  

The very first thing you should consider is LOCATION.

Let me say that again.

The very first thing you should consider is LOCATION.

One more time for those of you in the back.

The very first thing you should consider is LOCATION.

 

Your Realtor, your mother in law, you best friend,  your BFF, the people at work.......none of these people will live in your new home.  If you have a family, you will live there  along with your family.  The point is YOU must choose the location of your new home.  As a Realtor, I am not allowed to "steer" you towards or away from any neighborhood.  I cannot give you an opinion on the safety of a neighborhood or tell you how good the school system is.  There are websites that will give you this information.  I will gladly show you any home in any area you suggest.  As the buyer, you MUST do your homework.  I CAN however suggest some things that you may want to consider while you are searching for your new home.

  

• Think about WHERE you want to live.  Do you want to live in the city or the suburbs?  Do you want to want to close to public transportation?  Do you want to live near a major highway?  Do you want to live near shopping?  Do you want to live near your job? 

 

•  Once you figure out where you want to live, take a look at a map.  Yes a map.  You will be able to easily identify city's that meet your first criteria (location).  Now it's time to get in your car and drive.  Get out and visit.  Drive to the cities/neighborhoods that you are considering.  Drive down the streets. Stop in the stores where you will shop.  Talk to people.  Trust me, you will know almost immediately if you fit in the neighborhood or not.  Are there children in the neighborhood?  Is that good or bad for you?  Are the neighbors friendly?  Is that good or bad?  Do you feel safe in this neighborhood?  Do you feel comfortable in this neighborhood?  You will develop your own list of things to look for as you "interview" potential cities/neighborhoods.

  

• You will notice that I haven't yet mentioned price or number of bedrooms and bathrooms.  This is unimportant at this stage of the game. Remember, my number one job is Real Estate Consultant.  As a consultant, I will assist and guide you t o the home of your dreams.  If I sell you a three bedroom, 2.5 bath house in a neighborhood that you hate as soon as you move in, guess who gets the blame?  That's right ME!.

  

• Once YOU have identified several potential areas, your Mortgage Consultant will tell me the amount of mortgage you qualify for.  At this point, I know some of you are saying "why don't I figure out how much mortgage I qualify for first"?  I say why not dream.  Most people will not choose to view houses in a $600,000 neighborhood when they can only afford $100,000.  Why start out by limiting yourself.  Who knows what we will find.

  

• The final piece of advice I have about choosing your location is to VISIT, VISIT, and VISIT.  Visit the neighborhood during the middle of the day. Visit in the morning when kids are going to school. Visit at night, visit on the weekend, visit when it is raining and visit on a holiday (if possible).  Believe it or not, neighborhoods change depending on time of day and date.  I have seen a neighborhood that is peaceful and quiet during the day turn into a noisy playground once the school buses arrive.  I have also seen neighborhoods turn into flood plains with the smallest bit of rain.  These things are important to know. 

 

• We will talk about other important factors in buying a house in later parts of the series. If you are not currently working with a Realtor and you are ready to purchase in Burlington or Camden County, NJ and can't wait for the rest of the series, text, email or call me right away.  I will set an appointment to meet with you and give you the rest of my advice and assist you with your home search.

Leander McClain, Burlington Township Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, EXIT Buyers Plus Realty, 15 E. Broad Street, Burlington, NJ 08016 609-505-6578(cell)

 

I WILL NOT BE WORKING TOMORROW!

Tomorrow is a National Holiday (At least in my house).

Tomorrow @ 3:30pm Eastern time, in Daytona, Florida a green flag will drop and the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be underway.  And yes, I will be glued to the television watching the cars go around and around. 

Over the years, many people have asked me why I like auto racing.  And I say that it must be something in my male genes.  Now don't get me wrong.  There are plenty of women who are HUGE fans (In fact I work with one of the biggest Tony Stewart fans that ever lived).  But guys like the chase, the spirit of competition, burning rubber, flying dirt and gasoline fumes.  

Guys will race anything.  Don't believe me??  Take a look at the lawnmower and bar stool racers to the right.  

My favorite drivers are Matt Kenseth (#17) & Tony Stewart (#24).  But my all time favorite driver is the King Richard Petty.

So if you give me a call tomorrow afternoon, leave a message.....I will get back to you after the race.

Have a great day

 

Leander McClain, Burlington Township Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, EXIT Buyers Plus Realty, 15 E. Broad Street, Burlington, NJ 08016 609-505-6578(cell)

Rut Ro -  Did You Hear That Thunk?

Warning:  Graphic Content Ahead.  Animal lovers and squeamish look away now!

 

Friday afternoon, I was on my way home.  I was feeling pretty good about myself because I had just donated blood.  This was the first time that I have donated in at least five years. I used to donate all the time, but after all of the poking and prodding I was getting in the Navy, I decided to take a break. 

Anyway....back to the story at hand.  I drove under a bridge and I heard a thunk at the top of the car.  I looked in the rear view mirror and feathers were flying everywhere.  Mind you....I did not see a bird anywhere because it was dark under the bridge.  Oh well....things happen. 

As I continued to drive, I heard a flapping noise on the top of the car.  

OH NO!  

Tell me that this bird is not still on the top of my car!  I slide back the rear sunroof cover and what do I see..........blood and feathers....not a pretty sight.

I pull off to the side of the road and get out...totally unprepared for the scene which unfolded before me.

This is what I saw.

A pigeon had been decapitated on the first cross member of the roof rack and was stuck under the second cross member....YUCK!! 

Now I had to get this mess off my car.  Well I will spare you the details.

What's the life lesson?

Sometimes things happen. You can be going along minding your own business and something bad will happen to you.  Did I want to deal with the headless

bird on the top of my car?  NO!!   But I did.

 

When life throws you a curve ball, deal with the situation, learn from it and move on.

The bird is gone, the car has been washed and I am off to help my next client find a home of their dreams. 

Everyone Have a Great Day

Make This YOUR Best Year Ever

 

Leander McClain, Burlington Township Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, EXIT Buyers Plus Realty, 15 E. Broad Street, Burlington, NJ 08016 609-505-6578(cell)

  Evesham Township, Marlton NJ January 2009 Homes Sales, Prices & Analysis

Just about every other day, someone  will ask me...are homes selling in Evesham Towhsip, ?  I have them to tell them...absolutely yes. 

Is there a healthy supply of homes for sale?  Yes again. 

Is now a great time for me to buy a home?  That always depends on YOUR situation.  There is no standard one size fits all answer.

How about selling? Is now a great time to sell a house?  Depends.

The table below shows that in January 2009, Twenty Five (25) homes were sold in Evesham/Marlton.  Fifteen (15) were single family detached and the remaining ten (10) were town homes or condos.  Overall the single family market is stronger than the townhouse market. 9.4% of the single family homes available for sale sold in January.  This leaves a 15.9 month supply.  6.2% of the townhouses available for sale were sold leaving a supply of 15.9 months.

What does this all mean?

A balanced market is defined as a six (6) month supply of homes for sale.  If there is greater than 6 month supply, then we are in a buyer's market.  Less than a six months supply, we have a seller's market.  Right now, Evesham/Mount Laurel is a Buyer's Market. 

If you have any questions, or are looking to buy or sell a home in Evesham Township or the surrounding area.......text, call or email me Today.  I am a Realtor and a Real Estate Consultant.  My job is to help make YOUR dreams come true.  Let me show you how I can do that for YOU and YOUR family.

Type	City	Total Available	Sold Jan 2009	% Sold	Supply
Single Family	Evesham/Marlton	213	15	9.4%	14.2 months
Townhouse	Evesham/Marlton	159	10	6.2%	15.9 months

Type	City	Subdivision	Address	Beds	Baths	Listing Price	Selling Price	Seller Concession	Days On Market
Single Family	Marlton	n/a	90A E. Main Street	3	1.5	$244,900	$214,000	$0	111
Single Family	Evesham	Willow Ridge	21 Pelham Road	4	2.5	$ 315,000	$230,000	$0	454
Single Family	Marlton	Greenlane Farms	11 Bentley Court	3	2.5	$299,000	$272,950	$7,950	125
Single Family	Evesham	Willow Ridge	18 Verona Road	4	2.5	$ 289,900	$275,000	$9,626	108
Single Family	Marlton	Brush Hollow	45 Erindale Drive	4	2.5	$309,900	$285,000	$7,000	4,333
Single Family	Evesham	Pheasant Run	58 Longhurst Road	3	2	$300,000	$286,500	$0	400
Single Family	Evesham	Marlton Leas	5 Brighton Drive	4	2.5	$359,900	$298,000	$8,000	288
Single Family	Marlton	Kings Grant	24 Picadilly Circle	4	2.5	$369,900	$315,000	$0	191
Single Family	Marlton	Country Farms	12 Marni Court	4	2.5	$339,900	$327,000	$0	3
Single Family	Marlton	Brush Hollow	28 Erindale Drive	4	2.5	$399,900	$371,500	$6,500	41
Single Family	Marlton	n/a	129 Brick Road	4	3.5	$445,000	$400,000	$20,000	296
Single Family	Evesham	Ravenscliff	710 Tranquility Turn	4	2.5	$414,900	$401,000	$0	946
Single Family	Evesham	Briarwood	29 Old Republic Lane	4	2.5	$459,500	$430,000	$0	370
Single Family	Marlton	Sanctuary	11 John Singer Sargent Way	4	2.5	$598,362	$480,000	$0	358
Single Family	Marlton	n/a	551 N. Elmwood Road	4	3.5	$584,900	$596,400	$11,500	9
			Average	4	3	$382,064	$345,490	$4,705	536

 

 

Type	City	Subdivision	Address	Beds	Baths	Listing Price	Selling Price	Seller Concession	Days On Market
Townhouse	Marlton	Oak Hollow	69 Bridgewater Drive	2	1	$149,900	$144,500	$3,000	35
Townhouse	Evesham	Villa Royale	2 Five Crown Royal	3	2.5	$189,900	$170,000	$900	159
Townhouse	Marlton	Reynard Run	128 Crown Prince Drive	2	1.5	$185,000	$184,900	$0	245
Townhouse	Marlton	Kings Grant	22 Woodlake Drive	2	1.5	$259,900	$200,000	$0	281
Townhouse	Evesham	Kings Grant	406 Berkshire Way	3	2.5	$264,899	$205,000	$0	182
Townhouse	Marlton	Vineyards	46 Burgundy Drive	3	2.5	$247,900	$213,000	$6,500	203
Townhouse	Marlton	Orchards	101 Harvest Road	3	2	$250,000	$230,000	$0	164
Townhouse	Evesham	Williamsburg Village	1001 Mount Vernon Court	3	2.5	$254,900	$230,000	$0	125
Townhouse	Marlton	Ardsley Walk	805 Hazelwood Lane	2	2.5	$265,000	$255,000	$0	39
Townhouse	Marlton	Tanglewood	25 Carter Lane	3	2.5	$339,900	$333,000	$13,000	63
			Average	3	2	$240,730	$216,540	$2,340	150

 

 

Leander McClain, Burlington Township Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, Keller Williams Realty, 1814 Route 70E, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 609-505-6578(cell)

Who Wants A $15,000 Tax Credit To Buy A New Home?..........Sike$

Well we have all been waiting with baited breath on the Economic Stimulus package.  We have heard about the House version, the Senate version and now the new and improved approved version.  We were all excited that the Economic Stimulus Package would include a $15,000 for people who purchased a home within the next year.  Well it ain't so no mo.

A $15,000 tax credit for anybody buying a home over the next year was dropped; instead, first-time home buyers could claim an $8,000 credit for homes bought by the end of August.  You can read the full AP Story HERE

Sorry guys.  I guess we will have to stand in another line to collect our portion of the stimulus money :)

Have A Great Day

Make This YOUR Best Year Ever

Leander McClain, Burlington Township Realtor & Real Estate Consultant, EXIT Buyers Plus Realty, 15 E. Broad Street, Burlington, NJ 08016 609-505-6578(cell)