August
17
2010
If you are looking for a great deal on a home in the Pearl River County area, take a look at the properties that are currently listed. There are 116 Residential Properties, listed under $100,000, on the market at this time. 89 of those listings are Houses. Check out this list of houses for sale in Pearl River County, MS:
Homes For Sale in Pearl River County –
(PDF file is 8 MB, so it might take a minute to load)
When you’re ready to find a great deal in the Picayune and Pearl River County Mississippi area, call Michelle Fradella at Pinnacle Real Estate Services at 601-569-0075.
August
16
2010
Picayune, located 50 miles North of New Orleans, may be a quiet little community but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t know what good food is. Today I’d like to highlight one of our eating holes that might have been off your radar, but you might want to check out. Crescent Cafe, tucked at the end of West Canal Street, in the heart of Picayune (right across the street from the Cornerstone Gym), is a great place to satisfy your appetite. And not only will you find great food, but you will love the ladies that serve you there. Better go before the lunch crowd hits, however, because seating is limited and there’s always a crowd!
Check out this week’s menu:
Specials for the week of August 16th through August 20th:
MONDAY
- Creole Red Beans & Rice with Fried Catfish $7.95
- Bow Tie Pasta with Garlic Grilled Chicken $6.95
- Grilled Pork Roast, Veggie & Cajun Potato Salad $7.95
TUESDAY
- Grilled Hamburger Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Veggie $7.95
- Cajun Crawfish Pasta $7.95
- Grilled Shrimp Fajita Salad $8.95
WEDNESDAY
- Grilled Double-Shot Half Chicken, Veggie, Hot Patots $8.95
- Seafood Potato Augratin $8.95
- Chopped Salad $7.95
- (Romaine, Broccoli, Carrots, Bacon, Eggs, Cheese)
THURSDAY
- “Rajun Cajun” Burger & Cajun Potato Salad $8.95
- (Grilled Blackened Burger, Fried Crawfish Tails, Fried Green Tomatoes, Remoulade)
- Blackened Catfish, Summer Squash Casserole $8.95
- Shrimp Salad Salad $7.95
FRIDAY
- Shrimp Boat $9.95(Fried Shrimp in Bread Boat, Yellow Rice , Crawfish Ettouffee’)
- Crab Patties over Pasta topped with Seafood Cream Sauce $8.95
- Grilled Glazed Rock Cornish Hen, Cornbread Dressing, Veggie $10.95
- “So-Co” Salad $9.95 (Shrimp Cake & Blackened Shrimp over Romaine, Dressing)
Crescent Café - 728 W. Canal St., Picayune, MS 601-749-4181
August
2
2010
Much to the dismay of most students (and probably teachers), the 2010-2011 school year in Pearl River County, Mississippi, is about to roll. Here are the links to the School Systems in Pearl River County:
Picayune School District – School starts for students on August 9th.
Pearl River Central School District (PRC) – School for students starts August 4th.
While the school year is in full swing, you may have children working on projects. Here is a great FREE resource for clipart and templates for everything from chores to reports: Back to School with Office Clipart and Media.
July
23
2010
- Cultivate curb charisma. Some of the best buyers are the most impatient because they need to make a decision fast. If the view of your house from the street turns them off, they might not even stop. Shape up your front yard.
- Take a critical look at your house’s front. If it’s weathered looking, if anything needs repair, or if anything needs to be hauled to the dump – eliminate these problems. Don’t turn your buyers off outside before the inside can turn them on.
- Never stay in your house with house hunters. Let the agent handle it, and remove yourself if you possibly can. Remember, the agent has worked for many hours with these potential buyers, know what they’re looking for, and how to work with them. Let him or her do the job without interference. You may think the agent isn’t showing the important features of your house, but the agents knows buyers aren’t sold by details until they’ve become emotionally involved with the big picture of your house. The presence of any member of the seller’s family can’t help, always unnerves possible buyers, and often prevents a sale. Don’t put this obstacle in your path. Leave when buyers are coming.
- Give your dogs and cats a vacation. They need it and so does your pocketbook. Having pets around (especially aggressive dogs) when you’re selling your home can be incredibly expensive. Many people are acutely uncomfortable around some animals, and simply can’t think “buy” when their minds are on “bye”.
- A few cans of paint and putty to brighten up your home’s interior are the best investment you can make when you’re selling your house.
- Drips do more than run up your water bill. They focus the attention of possible buyers on your house’s entire plumbing system, and cause them to worry. Fix these little problems before they cost you a sale.
- Squeaking doors and creaking floors, torn or missing screens, cracked glass, and anything in need of repair dampens the house hunter’s enthusiasm. Many buyers believe there will always be ten problems they haven’t noticed for every one that they see.
- Hide (or neatly arrange) everything connected with work: lawnmowers, garden hoses, vacuum cleaners, and all the gear you used to fix up the house. Accent everything connected with play and relaxation: sound systems, skis, toys in the kid’s rooms.
- De-clutter. Repack compactly, dispose of unneeded items, or rent storage space and move out as much material as you can. Your home’s storage space can’t look adequate to a buyer if you’ve got it jam-packed.
- Turn up the shelter. If it’s hot, cool it; if it’s cold, light a crackling fire.
- Harmonize the elements. Turn the music on softly and the TV off. Turn on all lights, day or night. Open the drapes in the daytime.
- You can sell pride of ownership faster and for more money. It’s called cleanliness, and fresh cleanliness has more buyers than used dirt. Put sparkle in your bathrooms and kitchen, and you’ll take lots more silver out.
July
23
2010
House Hunting Tips when searching for a home in Picayune Mississippi. What you should know when you are wanting to buy a home in Pearl River County, MS.
July
22
2010
The dirt work is in progress on Picayune’s new Highland Community Hospital, that will be located off of Hwy 11 North in Picayune, MS. The 31 Acre parcel will house the new facility, which has been long awaited by residents of Pearl River County.
Click here to see the conceptual drawings and layout for the new Highland Community Hospital
July
20
2010
Home sellers have one goal—to sell their home as quickly as possible near or at the listing price. A home in move-in condition makes meeting this ideal easier.
Many of today’s prospective homebuyers have busy lifestyles and are looking for properties that don’t require a lot of work. Homeowners should be proactive by making needed repairs before putting their homes on the market.
Inspect both inside and outside the home. Take inventory of practical and aesthetic repairs. You may want to apply a fresh coat of paint on the walls, doors, and shutters. Clean the carpet and buff and polish wooden floors. Tighten and polish hardware. Repair cracks in sidewalks and driveways, and clean any stains on them. Replace missing or warped roofing. Clean or re-grout kitchen and bathrooms. Repair dripping faucets and drains or plumbing fixtures that aren’t operating.
Fix sticking doors and replace old locks and doorknobs. Replace burned-out bulbs and broken electrical sockets. Replace cracked windows and torn screens. Repair broken fencing and reseal the deck. Clean up stains on the tiles and countertops.
Some experts also recommend hiring a certified home inspector to thoroughly and impartially evaluate the property. (For a list of inspectors in your area, visit the American Society of Home Inspectors website, www.ashi.com, or ask your real estate professional for recommendations.) A standard report will review the condition of the home’s heating system, central air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, the foundation, basement and visible structure.
If the pre-inspection results in a checklist, have a real estate professional look over the report with you to help you prioritize the list of repairs.
Depending on your goals and budget, you may want to repair only items that could cause significant deterioration to the home, such as a leak. In addition, your local market conditions may dictate how extensive your repairs need to be. Let your budget and your real estate professional guide you.
However, be careful about fixing up too much. Sellers rarely recoup money on major remodeling projects, and you may want to save funds for your new home. Also, obtaining home improvement loans can adversely affect your ability to qualify for your next mortgage.
A home in good condition demonstrates pride of ownership. Taking the time to make small repairs to your home can go a long way in making sure that your home is presented to potential buyers in its best possible light. They also just might make the sale.
July
17
2010
Follow these tips for pricing your home correctly in a competitive market
Imagine you want to buy a gallon of milk. You eye the dairy case, shelves stocked with dozens of choices, but they are really all the same. Milk is milk, and which one you select is really insignificant because they are all identical, and they are all priced the same.
But what if each identical offering was priced differently? Odds are you have set aside ample time for your shopping trip, and you will carefully check the price labels and go for the best deal. Or maybe you are drawn to the more attractive packaging.
When selling your home, attractive pricing and packaging are arguably the two most basic essentials. In our current real estate market, the buyers have a lot of choices. In many areas, the shelves are simply overstocked. And since no two homes are the same, making that distinction between your home and the dozens of others is key.
Where pricing is concerned, establishing that all important asking price is part science and part art, and there are several things you should consider.
- Study past sales. This is the starting point for any thoughtful and successful pricing strategy; think of it as the “science” part. Take the time to study past sale statistics for homes in your area and areas similar to yours. None will be identical, of course, but having a clear understanding of true market value is the first step in establishing your list price.
- Do not confuse active listings with past sales. Active listings have not sold. They are just your competition. It is important to be aware of your competition’s pricing, but this is often just an indication of what your home won’t sell for.
- Do not overprice because you have “time.” If the market is appreciating, this strategy may work, but if prices in your area are declining, you may quickly find yourself chasing a market and costing yourself money. And if the market is stable? Your home will just sit. Buyers pay in today’s dollars, and time is rarely on your side.
- Leave some room for negotiation, but don’t overreach. No seller wants to feel he left money on the table, and no buyer wants to overpay. Your price should give both parties room to maneuver, but if it is too high, you risk being perceived as unrealistic, and buyers will pass over your home.
- Think like a buyer. What are the things that you value in a home? Is it a large yard, an updated kitchen or a view? These are likely the same things that your buyer values as well. Talk to your agent about current buyer trends. Yesterday’s avocado green shag carpeting is today’s granite countertop. The property facing the interstate is going to be a tougher sell than the one with a mountain view. Your price should reflect how your home compares to the others offered for sale. Buyers will find objections to any home, as none is perfect, but it is curious how quickly objections disappear when the price is compelling.
- React swiftly and decisively. If your home is on the market and is not being shown or if you receive feedback that you are priced too aggressively, don’t hesitate to adjust your price. Bad news, like spoiled milk, doesn’t get better with time.
First impressions are everything when selling your home. Studies have shown that the first two weeks on the market are the most crucial to your success. During these initial days, your home will be exposed to all active buyers. If your price is perceived as too high, you will quickly lose this initial audience and find yourself relying only on the trickle of new buyers entering the market each day. Markets are dynamic, and your price has an expiration date. You have one chance to grab attention. Make sure your pricing helps you stand out on the shelf — in a positive way.
Kris Berg is designated broker with San Diego Castles Realty in San Diego, Calif. Visit her Web site atwww.SanDiegoCastles.com and read her blog at www.SanDiegoHomeBlog.com.
July
3
2010
There are many scam artists out there, ready to pounce on you and take advantage of a bad situation. Watch this video to know what to watch for!
