Carolyn Capalbo - Articles

Realtor Safety Online: Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and More

Be aware of who your ‘friends’ on Twitter, Facebook, etc. are. It’s a good idea to have two separate accounts – one for work and one for your personal life. Make sure the personal profiles are private. It may be a little extra online hassle for you to have two profiles for everything, but it’s much safer.  Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 27/10/2009 | Real Estate

Is Your Agent Pressuring You?

For first-time buyers, getting preapproved for a mortgage is an exciting time. The possibilities of owning your own home are now a reality instead of pipe dreams. Your real estate agent also will share your enthusiasm for this time. However, if your real estate agent is pressuring you, home hunting can become really uncomfortable. Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 27/10/2009 | Real Estate

How to Sell That Haunted House

It’s a well-known fact that haunted houses are dark, nasty places with spiders the size of Shetland ponies cavorting across the carpets and rats frolicking on the banisters. Start your pest-control procedures at once! Whether it’s KillEmDead Rat Traps or Pete the Pest Pestilence Guy, get rid of your unwanted animal residents.  Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 27/10/2009 | Real Estate

Finding an Awesome Buyer’s Agent

Another issue is communication. A good agent will be clear about how and when they will contact you. You want to know how the agent prefers to communicate and when they will get back to you with answers to your questions. You should also inquire when the best time to contact the agent is; many agents have ‘working hours’ when they are available for a phone call.  Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 27/10/2009 | Real Estate

Should you sell your home on Craigslist?

Will Craigslist supplant the MLS? It’s not likely. Craigslist has only a limited search capability – number of beds & baths and specific keyword searches. The keywords aren’t that useful for finding one’s dream home, either. Also, one has to wade through incorrectly classified ads and ads that are purposefully placed in the “real estate” category to get leads for buyers. Craigslist’s search parameters are not to be compared to the MLS’ more comprehensive searches and filters. Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 15/10/2009 | Real Estate

Common Writing Mistakes Realtors® Make

If you recognize any of these errors, chances are you’ve been perusing real estate listings or websites. There are many common mistakes that Realtors® make with those slippery English words. (Well, the first one isn’t that common, but it is funny.) Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 02/10/2009 | Copywriting

Unraveling the mystery of LEED Certification

The LEED for Homes (LEED-H) rating system, officially launched in February 2008, promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes. These homes use less energy, water and natural resources, create less waste, and are more durable and comfortable for occupants. Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 22/09/2009 | Real Estate

Home Solar Power for Savings and Profit

The price of paneling can run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars if you were looking to cover 100% of your electricity needs, so it’s more economical to use solar panels as a way of augmenting your electrical bills instead of completely replacing them. If you really desire to be completely off the grid, wind and water power may supply your needs when solar power is reduced or not available. In damp and/or humid climates, care must be taken to waterproof or buy waterproofed solar panels. Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 15/09/2009 | Home Improvement

The First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit Boosts Sales, Not Economy

Normally improved home sales would be cause for rejoicing. “Sales are up! The economy’s turning around! Yay!” Indeed, we all hope that we will soon see some relief from the recession. However, it would be unwise to use this particular instance as “evidence” of a financial turnaround for the U.S. This brief burst of prosperity may subside once the first-time home buyer’s tax credit expires at the end of November.  Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 01/09/2009 | Real Estate

Help your Clients De-Clutter with a Garage Sale

You certainly don’t have to organize a sale for your clients if you don’t want to, but it’s a great way to bond with them and show them that you care about their situation and their home. Also, money from the garage sale is a good incentive for your clients to get their home staged quickly. Read

By: Carolyn Capalbo | 25/08/2009 | Real Estate