If you are having difficulty making your monthly payments on your mortgage, contact your lender.  See if there are options for you...perhaps a new interest rate, or a modification of some sort on your loan.  If that doesn't seem like it will work, speak to a real estate professional who has successfully completed several short sales.  They can be a difficult transaction...and time consuming.  An important piece of adivce is to be clear who has their name on the deed (you will need everyone listed as an owner of the deed to approve the sale) and who has their name on the loan (that is who can negotiate a possible payoff of the loan for less than is owed).  Also, be sure there are no additional liens attached to the property.  There may be a home equity line or a second mortgage.  There may be bills from credit card companies or contractors who went unpaid who have attached liens to the property.  These will need to be dealt with.  Either they will have to be paid off before the sale of the house, or they must be negotiated for a payoff at the closing. 

"Colleen and a Cape House Realty has been extremely helpful in our search for our first home. We looked all over The Cape and off and she was happy to show us anything and everything. She goes above and beyond as a realtor. It seems like some realtors are in it for the money and even though are starting price range for a house was $100,000 and under she treated us as if it was $1,000,000. It's nice to know that there's someone out there that genuinly loves there job and loves helping people buy/sell a home."  Kristen and Kevin, Wareham, 2011

A Buyer Agent represents the Buyer.  They work for the Buyers best interests.  They have to adhere to a code of ethics that includes disclosing everything they know about the property to the Buyer.  They have to be accountable for paperwork and where the funds are.  The Buyer Agent works under contract - a signed agreement - and is paid out of the transaction.  When the seller lists the property with a realtor, they have agreed to pay a certain percentage to the agent who brings a Buyer (the Buyer Agent) and a certain percentage to the agent representing them (the Listing Agent).  Choose a Buyer Agent you like to work with, that you get along with and who you trust.  You will spend a lot of time with this person so you should be enjoying your time together.   Someone with experience and continuing education certifications will know how to advice you and what to look out for.  Check their website for testimonials. ask your friends for recommendations, see who is doing a lot of business in the areas you like.  Buying a home can be an amazing, great experience with a trusted Realtor by your side.

Declutter.  Clean.  Look inviting.  To elaborate a little:  declutter your house.  Have you ever gone into a staged model home or model condo?  You know how new and clean and neat it looked?  You probably even said "I'd buy it as is with all the furniture and everything!"  That is what you want to strive for.  Empty closets, garage, basements.  Remove pictures from walls.  Clean everything.  When the house is clean, it makes Buyers think "Here is a property that has been well cared for."  The idea is for Buyers to see themselves living there, not for them to see how you live there.  Finally, the front of the house that the public sees first should be inviting.  A new welcome mat, some flowers on a table by the front door, new shrubs.  Fresh mowed lawn.  Make them want to come inside.  Most buyers drive by a property before they make an appt to see it inside.  Make them really want to come in!

I've received some very nice testimonials over the years.  Love to share! 

"We first met Colleen at an open house in Gray Gables. We were impressed with her knowledge of the house and the Bourne area. When a house we liked came on the market, she called us right away. Colleen made the anxiety of buying in a falling market as painless as possible. She was always upbeat, professional and pleasant. We needed to rent this house while we were waiting for our house to sell. Colleen was very helpful finding us tenants. She was a phone call or e-mail away if problems came up. We would recommend using Colleen as a realtor for purchasing, selling or renting your home. " Dan and Lucille Nardini, Bourne, 2011

The train bridge extends across the Cape Cod Canal.  It is very cool to watch it lower to allow a train to pass across the canal. 

The bridge was constructed beginning in 1933 for the United States Army Corps of Engineers, which operates both the bridge and the canal. The bridge has a 544-foot (166 m) main span, with a 135-foot (41 m) clearance when raised^[1], uses 1,100-short-ton (1,000 t)^[3] counterweights on each end, and opened on December 29, 1935^[2].

At the time of its completion, it was the longest lift span in the world.^[4] It is now the second longest lift bridge in the United States, the longest being the Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge between New Jersey and Staten Island, New York. 

I've always enjoyed watching it.  Even now, when I am taking a walk along the Canal or if I am driving over the Bourne Bridge and can see it is lowering or rising, I am fascinated. 

Yesterday I was lucky to be the Buyer Agent for a wonderful couple moving to the Cape from out of state.  The Sellers were nice people who were selling in order to build a new Cape home.  The Sellers Agent was efficient and helpful and organized.  The Buyers looked at many homes and this one was just right for them.  It was a wonderful process for everyone involved and I am thankful for all parties involved.  And I am thrilled to welcome these people to the Cape!

One of the things we usually say about a reason people love the Cape is that even when we get snow, it is usually gone within a day or two.  My husband likes to say he can golf every month of the year.  Although golf in 30 degrees doesn's sound like much fun to me.  This winter the snow has stuck around though.  I will say, it is beautiful.  I took these today.  The first picture with the fence and birds is the Causeway to Mashnee Island.  The second is the parking lot to Gray Gables Beach. 

The footprints to the beach make me smile...someone checking the tide for a swim?

I have just finished running the numbers for 2010 for the Cape Cod Multiple Listing Service and where I fell in terms of the business I am doing.  The best part was all the folks I was able to help buy or sell a house.  I work with some of the best and nicest people and I really am grateful they allow me to participate in such a momentous part of their lives.  There are just over 2,000 realtors who are members of the Cape Cod MLS.  I was #33 in terms of the number of SOLD single family homes and condos.  I sold 6.4 million dollars of property.  In the town of Bourne, I was the #1 realtor for the number of homes sold.  As proud as I am of these numbers, I am even more proud of the kind comments from these clients...friends even...that I worked with.  Click on the testimonials page to read some of the comments.  I'll continue to work hard for you...it's easy when I love what I do so much!