Ask Margo

Spring is in the air and, especially after the weather of the last two weeks, it feels wonderful to be outdoors.  I did an open house yesterday in the Hyde Park area that is perfect for 1st time home buyers and they know it.  I had 12 different visitors and almost all of them were 1st timers.  Af...

Since my passion is working with 1st time home buyers, I just wanted to give you a little more advice.  After you have decided that it's time for you to start looking for a 1st home, get yourself pre-approved.  This way you know exactly what you can afford.  You won't be wasting your time, the ag...

So, you're a first time home buyer and don't know where to begin.  Your very best bet is to attend open houses, not just to see what is out there in what you think your price range is, but to meet and interview Realtors.  It only takes a few minutes to see if you click with her/him or not.  Plus,...

Today I have a brokers' open at my new listing at 17 Greenhouse Lane and then Sunday I have the public open house there from 1-4.  Many may think that open houses are just a waste of time.  As I've said in previous blogs, the key to your relationship with your sellers is communication.  If open h...

So, you've decided you either want to buy or sell residential real estate?  Where do you start and what is important to you?  I have found that the most important element to both buyers and sellers is the ability to communicate regularly with a "real human being."  No menus, no automated response...

Over the past year I have successfully worked with many first time home buyers.  What an exciting and rewarding experience each has been.  Maybe it's because I was a teacher for 20 years before going into real estate, but what I find to be the fun part of working with first timers is teaching the...

I joined Active Rain many months ago.  At first I was quite active and then I got involved with the other avenues out there and sort of left AR behind.  I'm back mainly because this is truly a real estate person's site.  Some of the other social networking sites are good and I understand why peop...

Now that 2008 is well behind us, it is time, despite what the press says, to start seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty.  If you are thinking about either buying or selling in the near future run, don't walk, to the Realtor that you have heard good things about.  Why is it that whe...

I made a change last week.  It took me a great deal of soul searching, but I was throwing ideas about why I was leaving my old agency and why I was considering the move with my brother.  He said, you know, Margo, there is paralysis in analysis.  I have always been the type that shoots from the hi...

I know it's the holidays and everyone's thoughts are on various things, whether their careers, their families, their friends or whatever they hold near and dear to them  This Christmas I am thankful for a wonderful family, many really good friends and a job that I am excited about starting. I hav...