Tom Osterberg

As you’re probably aware, the list price you set for your property has an impact on how quickly it sells — and how much you earn on the sale. What you may not realize is just how significant an impact it has. Consider the following examples.

Example 1: You price your property well above its current market value. As a result, many buyers don’t bother to see it because it’s outside of their price range. Those who do see it are confused by the high price tag, (and may even be suspicious.) They may wonder, “What’s going on?” In this scenario, the home will likely languish on the market for weeks or even months. You might even have to lower the price dramatically to reignite interest.

Example 2: You price your property just a couple of percentage points lower than what is necessary to gain the interest of qualified buyers. That might not seem like much of a problem. How much can a couple of percentage points matter? Those points matter a lot. On a $400,000 property, pricing your home just 2% lower than necessary could cost you $8,000 on the sale. That’s a serious amount of money!

So, as you can see, pricing your home right is serious business. Fortunately, a good REALTOR® knows how to set the right price. Looking for a good REALTOR®? Call today.

More fires start in the kitchen than in any other room. Those fires can be expensive; since even a minor incident, with no injuries, can result in significant damage. That’s why it’s important to keep up with the latest in fire prevention.

The most recent research tells us: • Never leave cooking food unattended. Doing so is the number one cause of kitchen fires.

• Make sure cooking appliances, especially deep fryers, are safety certified by the appropriate government agency.

• When using oil in a frying pan, always heat slowly at no more than a medium heat setting.

• Always turn off stove burners and other cooking appliances immediately after cooking.

• Never attempt to put out a grease fire with water. Use baking soda or a fire extinguisher.

• Never remove or cover up a smoke detector due to nuisance alarms.

The one alarm that isn’t a nuisance may save your life. Finally, experts say that if you can’t put out a fire immediately, get everyone out of the home and call emergency services.