In Wisconsin, our standard contract has the choice for the buyer writing the offer to say, if defects are found during the inspection, does the seller have the right to cure the defect or not. SELLER HAS THE RIGHT TO CURE: seller can notify buyer that they will "fix" the defect.  Replace, or Repair, the seller will have it done before closing in a "good and workmanlike" manor.  (sellers like this, so if the buyer finds a legitimate defect, but it is a low cost item, the buyer can't just walk away) SELLER DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO CURE:  Buyer has the right to walk away if a true defect is found.   This puts the control in the buyers court to have some say in who, what and how the defect will be cured. It almost never fails, if I write in the seller DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO CURE, the ... 01/04/2011

Shorewest, Realtors® and its family of companies donated over $23,000 in 2010 through its monthly Casual for a Day days. Each month one of Shorewest's offices, departments or companies choose a charity or family in need to receive monies collected through its Casual Day. Employees and sales associates pay $2 to dress casual on the designated day with the proceeds going to the selected charity. Shorewest matches the employees donation up to $1,000. The 2010 Charities included: Harold Johnson Food Pantry, Twin Oaks Shelter, Haiti Earthquake Relief, Special Olympics of Greater Milwaukee, Love Inc. Community Center, The Gathering, Chix 4 a Cause, Children's Hospital Playroom of Hope, Shorewest's Christmas is for Kids and several families in need.  Shorewest also holds food drives throughout... 01/04/2011

PHOTO CREDIT PAT TASKER DECEMBER 26,2010 covering the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Milwaukee Counties Looking for a Realtor in the Milwaukee Metro Area?  Call Pat Tasker at 414-588-4907   Pat Tasker is your Milwaukee area Real Estate specialist.  Her knowledge of the Milwaukee area and surrounding communities allows her to thoroughly assist you in meeting all of your real estate needs and goals.Contact Pat if you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area.  Visit Pat's website - please consider it as your online source for local real estate information, and return often for the latest property listing updates 01/02/2011

PHOTO CREDIT PAT TASKER DECEMBER 26,2010 covering the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Milwaukee Counties Looking for a Realtor in the Milwaukee Metro Area?  Call Pat Tasker at 414-588-4907   Pat Tasker is your Milwaukee area Real Estate specialist.  Her knowledge of the Milwaukee area and surrounding communities allows her to thoroughly assist you in meeting all of your real estate needs and goals.Contact Pat if you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area.  Visit Pat's website - please consider it as your online source for local real estate information, and return often for the latest property listing updates 01/02/2011

         PHOTO CREDIT:  PAT TASKER DECEMBER 27TH, 2010 covering the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Milwaukee Counties Looking for a Realtor in the Milwaukee Metro Area?  Call Pat Tasker at 414-588-4907   Pat Tasker is your Milwaukee area Real Estate specialist.  Her knowledge of the Milwaukee area and surrounding communities allows her to thoroughly assist you in meeting all of your real estate needs and goals.Contact Pat if you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area.  Visit Pat's website - please consider it as your online source for local real estate information, and return often for the latest property listing updates   12/31/2010

Anyone familiar with college sports knows that Badger   Nation has a fierce following across the country.  Fromcurrent students to alumni, Badger fans are in a groupthat fully embraces a chance to travel and cheer on theirteam, especially when it comes to great locations, such asHawaii, Las Vegas and the grand daddy game of them all-The Rose Bowl in Pasadena   PHOTO CREDIT JSONLINE Following the last win of the season that clinched the Rose Bowl appearance, travel agents went to work the next day (a Sunday-normally an off day) and quickly sold out every plane heading to Pasadena for this weekend.  Promoters and Bowl Game officials LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it when the Badgers make it to a bowl game, as that means a sea of red will be heading to that town and make cash registers ring!  Jean Trou... 12/30/2010

PHOTO CREDIT PAT TASKER  12-26-2010 covering the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Milwaukee Counties Looking for a Realtor in the Milwaukee Metro Area?  Call Pat Tasker at 414-588-4907   Pat Tasker is your Milwaukee area Real Estate specialist.  Her knowledge of the Milwaukee area and surrounding communities allows her to thoroughly assist you in meeting all of your real estate needs and goals.Contact Pat if you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area.  Visit Pat's website - please consider it as your online source for local real estate information, and return often for the latest property listing updates   12/30/2010

Although no likes more laws and big brother telling us what to do, this one acutally will do some good but may cause some slight issues when selling your home if you don't have one as the new law requires one detector on each level of your home. This year in  March of 2010, Governor Doyle signed into a law Senate Bill 415, legislation that will require all homes to have carbon monoxide detectors beginning on February 1, 2011. Carbon monoxide is a dangerous, poisonous gas, which cannot be detected by human senses. Dubbed the "silent killer," carbon monoxide claims more than 2,000 lives each year and sends more than 40,000 people to the emergency room in the U.S. alone. At high concentrations, carbon monoxide can be fatal within minutes. Twenty-three other states already have laws requiri... 12/29/2010

 Here is a holiday video message for you from Pat Tasker, Milwaukee Wisconsin!   http://on.fb.me/HolidayVideoMessageFB  While you are on my Facebook business page, please become a fan!  I try to keep my fans updated on real estate topics and area news, including my MONDAY MINUTE VIDEOS!   covering the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Milwaukee Counties Looking for a Realtor in the Milwaukee Metro Area?  Call Pat Tasker at 414-588-4907   Pat Tasker is your Milwaukee area Real Estate specialist.  Her knowledge of the Milwaukee area and surrounding communities allows her to thoroughly assist you in meeting all of your real estate needs and goals.Contact Pat if you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about... 12/24/2010

Merry Christmas from Germantown Wisconsin!  When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12/22/2010

We just celebrated the holidays at our office.  Actually it has been a few celebrations.  A festive dinner party at a nice restaurant, including a fun "white elephant" exchange. Last night I hosted a cookie exchange for 11 office mates.  It was a very fun evening and helped save us some time, sharing cookies.  And today we had a breakfast at our managers home instead of the usual Tuesday sales meeting.  The winners of a recent contest (my team-yeah!) were treated to delicious breakfast treats from the "loosing" team.  Both events were great celebrations. It was a nice gathering and time to socialize and not just talk about "work".  In 2009 my office was the #1 office of all Shorewest Offices....we are anxiously waiting to see how 2010 shakes out and if we are again at the top.  Happy Ho... 12/21/2010

If you have some last minute Christmas shopping to do, check out Sinter Klausen http://www.sinterklausen.com/  on Germantowns MainStreet!  Stocked with mainly German Christmas imports, there is a grand selection of ornaments and wood carvings.  Over 20 years old, this quaint shop is styled after the Christkindlemarkets in Germany. There, in most large towns, you will find the market located in the town square, during Advent-the 4 weeks before Christmas.  A temporary encampment of peddlers selling holiday related items, the market is a treat for all 5 senses!  Ornaments, smoking men(rauchen manner), nutcrackers, and delectable treats as well.  Each stall has a popular red and white canvas awning. I could go on about the markets, but that will be another post some day!  At Sinter Klausen,... 12/20/2010

Germantown Wisconsin, the home of the largest Irish Pub on the face of the planet. I don't know how anyone can make such a claim but they do. I was there tonight checking on the facility in preparation for the Annual Washington County Settler's Day Dinner in February and I have to tell you, this place is huge! BuBs Irish Pub! Located on Main Street in Germantown, Wisconsin, at over 15,000 sq. ft. BuBs might be "the world's largest Irish pub."  Google it, Go ahead and see for yourself. Bub's is a cross between a corner pub and a place that can hold over 1,000 people for any occasion.The building that BuBs is in has its own history and has been "the" meeting place since the 1890's. Thousands of weddings, anniversaries, reunions, bachelorette parties, showers and other celebrations have be... 12/16/2010

10 Steps to Get Ready for Your Winter Open House Winter here in the Midwest is very different and can be very cold. With temps already below zero and with over a foot of snow there are some special considerations. 1) It's winter, make sure the walk ways and drive are shoveled and ice melt 2) When your potential buyer's come in is there a place for them to sit and remove their shows? 3) Welcome mat? is it large enough for several people at once? 4) Booties or shoe covers? Good idea and seller's love your thoughfulness. 5) Candles are excellent this time of year as they envoke warmth. Just make sure to blow them out when you're finished. 6) If you have a fireplace, turn it on, again, warmth and a place to gather. 7) Check the garge floor for salt and ask the seller to sweep and clean the ... 12/15/2010

     PHOTO CREDIT KELLY STEINBERG covering the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Milwaukee Counties Looking for a Realtor in the Milwaukee Metro Area?  Call Pat Tasker at 414-588-4907   Pat Tasker is your Milwaukee area Real Estate specialist.  Her knowledge of the Milwaukee area and surrounding communities allows her to thoroughly assist you in meeting all of your real estate needs and goals.Contact Pat if you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area.  Visit Pat's website - please consider it as your online source for local real estate information, and return often for the latest property listing updates 12/15/2010

We woke up to -5 degrees this morning and somewhere in the Metro Milwaukee area someone has plants that are getting ready to brave the outdoors and guess what,  they don't like winter weather. Like any living thing, plants require special attention. It is best for the plants, if you can transport them in the car.  Here are some suggestions for moving your plants: Preparing For The Move Now that you've decided which plants will accompany you to your new home, take precautions to help them survive the trip. Three weeks before moving day: Repot plants that are in clay pots into unbreakable plastic containers of the same size; changing pot sizes can be detrimental to some plants. Two weeks before moving day: Prune larger plants for better packing and to produce healthy, bushy, compact plant... 12/14/2010

Selling Wisconsin Real Estate is currently very difficult.    Here are 6 truths about Selling Homes in Wisconsin's Real Estate Market.    Truth #1: Buyers buy after "shopping around".  In their search for the best buy they are comparing our property to the other homes currently on the market.   Truth #2: Sellers control the pricing and saleability of their homes, but buyers control VALUE.  A property is worth what the market (buyers) will pay.   Truth #3: If a property sits on the market for more than a few weeks it gets shopped/worn (stale...like an old donut).  Price it right in the beginning while it is fresh and buyer interest is at its peak.   Truth #4: Most properties must be sold three (3) times... First...to the real estate agents who have the buyers.  If they don't see it as a ... 12/13/2010

Photo Credit: Pat Tasker January 2010 covering the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Milwaukee Counties Looking for a Realtor in the Milwaukee Metro Area?  Call Pat Tasker at 414-588-4907   Pat Tasker is your Milwaukee area Real Estate specialist.  Her knowledge of the Milwaukee area and surrounding communities allows her to thoroughly assist you in meeting all of your real estate needs and goals.Contact Pat if you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area.  Visit Pat's website - please consider it as your online source for local real estate information, and return often for the latest property listing updates 12/12/2010

Photo Credit: Pat Tasker October 2010 covering the suburbs of Greater Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington and Milwaukee Counties Looking for a Realtor in the Milwaukee Metro Area?  Call Pat Tasker at 414-588-4907   Pat Tasker is your Milwaukee area Real Estate specialist.  Her knowledge of the Milwaukee area and surrounding communities allows her to thoroughly assist you in meeting all of your real estate needs and goals.Contact Pat if you are considering buying or selling a home or would just like to have additional information about real estate in your area.  Visit Pat's website - please consider it as your online source for local real estate information, and return often for the latest property listing updates 12/12/2010

For over 20 years in real estate, I always wished for a crystal ball.  Steve Harney is the closest I will ever come to having one!  If you don't know of Steve, check him out on facebook!  Follow him and you will see what I mean. A former broker owner of a large firm,  Daily he reads all the reports and financial news and newspapers.  When I say ALL, I mean all the reports, and all of them.  From the first word to the last word, he reads it all, then digests and analyzes it, then blogs about it.  The sound bites you hear on the news or headlines are sometimes contradictory, and Steve can always explain it, because he read the entire article, or studied the entire situation, not just the first paragraph.  I use this excellent data to help my buyers and sellers see where the market is goin... 12/12/2010