Each year we give out fresh baked pumpkin pies to our top clients and supporters. This year we asked what they were thankful and put a short video together. We are grateful and blessed to have great clients, friends and family.
Happy Thanksgiving From The Haviland Group!
Getting a Home Ready to Sell…
Here’s a quick note to let you know how I can help you—or anyone you feel comfortable introducing me to.
A key factor in attracting (or repelling) home buyers is the cleanliness and orderliness of a home. While buyers are sympathetic toward sellers
who must live in a home while selling it, most buyers can’t see past the normal clutter of a lived-in home.
Buyers view dozens of homes in a row. When they walk into a home, they’re instantly comparing it to sparkling clean, well-staged homes they’ve just seen. If a home is even slightly cluttered with toys, books, furniture and refrigerator magnets, buyers can be turned off, simply by comparison. The solution? Work with me to spot the areas of potential problem. I’ll help you figure out where to put your energy for the highest impact. Then start packing. Move 70% of your stuff out to a storage unit, and clean, clean, clean.
If you or someone you care about wants to get advice about preparing their house to sell, please contact me at 609-338-3773 or matt@sjhouses.com. Ask for a copy of my report, Five Deadly Mistakes Home Sellers Make.
Matthew Haviland
Your Real Estate Consultant For Life Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore 609-484-9890 ext 132
P.S. Who do you know who’s thinking about selling their home? Please introduce us so that I can make suggestions for how to get their house ready.
Cut Holiday Costs without Cutting Value
Click here to view download or print our November Newsletter: November Newsletter – Matt
November is a good time to talk about money. Why? Because during November and December, people spend on travel, gifts, and food at a rate of three to four times their ordinary rate of spending. The result is that many people end the holiday season in January with a profound sense of loss—in the pocketbook.
So I thought it would add value to your life to discuss some approaches to spending wisely over this holiday season. Here are some of my suggestions for cutting costs without cutting the fun.
1. Instead of cooking everything for your holiday parties yourself, invite guests to bring a dish, dessert, or drink they can share with others. Coordinate so that you don’t get too many cookie plates and too few main dishes.
2. Think of high-value gifts that don’t cost a lot. A gift basket filled with low-cost, but fun items is a big hit.
3. When someone in your life has expensive tastes, see if you can get relatives to share the cost, and that can be their gift. A 14 year old boy would probably prefer to get one new Xbox from four relatives than get four separate gifts of clothes and books.
4. Make your own decorations instead of buying them. Google DIY Christmas (or whatever holiday you prefer) Decorations, and you’ll get tons of ideas!
If you put your mind to it before you start spending, you can probably come up with even more ways to save this holiday season. Let me know what you find.
Sincerely,
Matt Haviland
Your Real Estate Consultant For Life
P.S. Another way to save is to use e-cards instead of mailed cards this Christmas season. If you want to send me an e-card, send it to: matt@sjhouses.com – I’d also love to hear from you in person at 609-338-3773. That’s free!
Relax and Smell the Roses
Do you ever find yourself rushing around in a frenzy of productivity, and when you finally have a moment to yourself, you only then realize how tense and stressed you’ve been?
Here’s how that moment happened recently to me. I had just gone through a fast food drive- through line, and was sitting in my car in the parking lot, too busy to go inside to eat. The morning had been a dash to finish errands, and the afternoon looked busier still. My mind was clouded with thoughts.
I was planning to snatch a moment to gulp down my food before continuing my errands.
As I was taking a bite, I noticed a little bird hopping around the parking lot looking for crumbs. It was so small and intent on searching for food. I tore off a piece of bread and tossed it to the bird. It hopped over, grabbed it and flew away.
At that moment I felt myself relax a notch. I tossed another piece of bread out the window and another bird flew down and snatched it up. I breathed deeply and sighed.
I drove away with a little smile, feeling more attentive to my surroundings instead of being so inwardly focused. Just that little bit of sharing in the moment had brought me back to the present.
I encourage you—as I remind myself—to stop and smell the roses, as the old saying goes. When trying to get a lot done in a short amount of time, a brief moment of getting present can give you energy to push on.
Sincerely,
Matt Haviland
Your Real Estate Consultant For Life
P.S. If you’ve got a story to tell, you can reach me at matt@sjhouses.com or by calling me at 609-338-3773
P.P.S. Click Here To Download and View My October Newsletter: October Newsletter – Matt Haviland
How to Sell Without Reducing Your Price
Dear Friend,
Here’s a quick note to let you know how I can help you—or anyone you feel comfortable introducing me to.
No home seller wants to reduce their price because their house isn’t selling. Here are 3 ways to prevent that from happening: First, price it well to begin with. Price it no more than properties are selling for in your area. You can place a premium for things like a view or a 
stunning yard, but not for things like a remodeled kitchen. On the other hand, not having a remodeled kitchen could cause the price to drop. Second, make it show like a model home. Clean every crevice. Fix every bit of deferred maintenance. Remove your personal possessions. Clean up the landscaping. Third, talk to me about how to minimize drawbacks and maximize advantages. As your real estate consultant, I can tell you a great deal about how to get more from the sale of your home, possibly putting thousands more in your pocket when you sell. As a certified Real Estate Staging Expert I can conduct a complimentary analysis of your home and provide you with a custom eight page report with staging recommendations.
If you or someone you care about wants to get more out of the sale of their home, please call me at 609-338-3773 or matt@sjhouses.com. Ask for a copy of my report, The 10 Dumbest Mistakes Smart People Make when Buying or Selling a Home.
Matthew Haviland, Your Real Estate Consultant For Life Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore 609-484-9890 ext 132
P.S. Who do you know who’s thinking about selling their home? Please introduce us so that I can make suggestions for how to sell for more
I want to take a moment to thank the many friends, family and co-workers who helped make our October 1st Golf event and dinner a success. This event is a big help to my Aunt Denise and we raised over $7,000 profit from the event to help her with her expenses as she battles stage 4 cancer. Thank you! Matt
I was proud to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Port Republic, NJ town hall. My home town of Port Republic is a small town with great historic past nestled along the Mullica River and Nacote Creek in Atlantic County NJ. Around three years ago the existing city hall had to be demolished because of soil contamination. Mayor Gary Giberson and town council chose to build a new building and found a way to build without any tax payer dollars! Resident Clarence Hanselmann discovered that the soil in town was valuable soil. When the parkway construction began they were able to lease vacant city owned land to a contractor who would use the soil to complete parkway construction. These funds paid for most of the cost of the new town hall. Please take a moment to watch the video with a few highlights and photos of the day.
Best wishes, Matt
P.S. Do you have any fond memories of Port Republic? What do you like best about Port Republic? Please share your thoughts in a comment or send me a message.
What Makes Me Different?
Here’s a quick note to let you know how I can help you—or anyone you feel comfortable introducing me to.
All real estate agents are not created equal. The best agents invest considerable time and expense before, during, and after the transaction. Suppose a buyer makes an offer on a house, but has not yet met with a lender. An inexperienced listing agent might encourage the seller to accept the offer, tying up the property, only to discover that the buyer is not qualified. By taking the home off the market, momentum is lost and the result might be a 1% to 3% drop in sales price. A more experienced listing agent would demand proof before recommending accepting the offer. This is not a legal requirement, but a protective action to minimize risk. There are literally dozens of small and large decisions like this that protect a client and increase the likelihood of the deal closing. The value of this expertise is shared with clients in the form of a successful and profitable transaction.
If you, your friends, or neighbors are planning to sell their home, contact me to get top representation: 609-338-3773 or matt@sjhouses.com. Ask for a copy of my report, How to Stop Spending Money on Rent and Own a Home Instead.
Matthew Haviland, Your Real Estate Consultant For Life Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Shore 609-484-9890 ext 132
P.S. Who do you know who’s thinking about selling their home? Please introduce us so I can discuss their situation and help them plan ahead.
Here is my September Newsletter: September Newsletter – Matt
| INSIDE THIS ISSUE |
This, Too, Will Pass
Fun Facts About Fall
September Quiz Question
Flexible Electronics Are Coming
Natural Cleaners You Have Around
The House
A Fit House Is Worth More
The Nautical Origins Of Rummage
Sales
Pancake Math
What Not To Do Everyday At Work Keep The Motor Running
Preventing Alzheimer’s
Epigrams
Don’t Look Where You Don’t Want To Go
Are you familiar with the idea that we tend to attract more of what we focus on? Here’s a great story that perfectly illustrates this concept.
A man who was afraid of heights decided to conquer his fear by rappelling down the side of a steep cliff. A guide was on hand to help him, but as he stood on the edge of the cliff, the sight of the long drop and the rocks waiting for him down below made him freeze.
The guide gave him some simple advice: “Don’t look where you don’t want to go.” By this simple twist on familiar goal-setting advice (“look where you want to go”), the man was able to complete his descent.
The following Monday at work, the man remembered his mountaineering advice. He had been stressing about all the stuff he didn’t like about his work: his boss, his effectiveness, his job duties, some of his co-workers. He had been trying to create goals for himself, but they just made him feel anxious and incomplete.
After his climbing trip, he realized that he was overly focused on what he didn’t like about his workplace. So he resolved to not look at the things he didn’t like. He chose instead only to focus the entire day on what he liked.
The result? He found himself relaxing more, getting along with his boss better, and getting more done.
After reading this story, I spent the entire day reciting things I like about my work and the people I work with. I refused to look at my problems or shortcomings. Within minutes I felt great. Give it a try and see for yourself, and let me know what you think!
Sincerely,
Matt Haviland
Your Real Estate Consultant For Life
P.S. If you’ve got a story to tell, you can reach me at matt@sjhouses.com or by calling me at 609-338-3773.
