Welcome, Berit Kvilhaug!

Olde Dartmouth Sotheby's International Realty welcomes veteran Realtor, Berit Kvilhaug to its team of real estate professionals. Berit has been helping buyers and sellers with real estate transactions for almost 12 years and has always been associated with a Padanaram Village office.

A world traveler, Berit speaks Norwegian, Danish and Swedish, in addition to English. She enjoys golf, tennis, jogging, swimming and of course, being with her beautiful grandchildren. Berit currently lives, with husband Malvin, in the mansion, built by Colonel Greene, at Round Hill. Berit is a member of the Wamsutta Club and the New Bedford Yacht Club. We look forward to servicing more international customers who might find it pleasant to work with Berit and speak their native tongue. She can be reached in the Padanaram office at 508 996 6562 or by email at Berit.Kvilhaug@SothebysRealty.com.

It Must Be Spring Already!

February showers bring March flowers. The real estate market on the South Coast is now awake and the spring market is already upon us. Weather has a huge impact on real estate sales. Although the abundance of rain drops is a little depressing, it's much easier than snow to move about and home owners are already putting their properties on the market and buyers are actually coming out. Many home owners wait until summer when their yards and gardens are all blooming to list their homes for sale, but actually there are more than twice as many real estate closings in April and May, each year, than in the other months. That means that these sales are going under agreement in February and March, to close in April and May. Why is that? Well, nothing much happens during the holidays and many buyers are caught- up in errands and football until after the Superbowl game. But, from early February to April, buyers and home owners are planning their moves for the summer, as well as their vacations. Those with school aged children want to be settled in their new home before the beginning of the school year. Those seeking second, vacation homes want to have enough time to fix up their get-aways so that they can relax during the summer months. Also, since inventory is a little less than in the summer months, many sellers having taken their properties off the market during the holidays, sellers have a better chance at selling in the very early, Spring. The market is in full swing by St. Patrick's Day, when the threat of large snowstorms is usually over. But, on those years with mild winters, as this year, the spring market starts after the Superbowl.

So what are the variables that affect pricing? The first is not "location" like one always hears. The most significant factor affecting pricing is the health of the local, real estate market---inventory, financing options available, number of foreclosures, job opportunities in area and other economic factors. The second most important factor is "location." Waterfront and homes in premium neighborhoods will always command higher prices than homes that are not waterfront or in premium areas. The third factor, which the seller has control over, is the condition of the property. In a buyer's market, when inventory is high, homes, not in good condition, are passed over. The fourth factor is the choice of real estate professional chosen to market the home. Luxury homes, because of their price, have fewer qualified buyers and these homes need to be marketed to larger audiences in order to secure buyers. Small, independent brokerages just do not have the reach that international brokerages have in positioning luxury homes so that they can sell for their highest price. We, in the Sotheby's International Realty network, take pride in the strength of our corporate Web site, Sothebysrealty.com, our opportunities to participate in high-end print media, our international, 475 member, office network, as well as the opportunity to display our listings in the Sotheby's Auction Houses.

The local and National real estate markets have been less than robust, but some buyers need to buy and some sellers need to sell. With the recent increase in the jumbo loan limits and the low interest rates, now, this spring, is really the time to buy. Let us help you maneuver the market. Contact one of our real estate professionals.

What a Great Time to Buy!

Every morning while I'm dressing, I listen to the news programs and the many financial "experts" who decry the losses in the stock market, due in large part, to fears of how the depressed housing market and credit crunch are impacting on investors. Several of these "experts" advise the American public to not buy homes today, but rather rent until the housing market stops being such a "risk." Looking at these experts, I see older, urban nesters who probably believe that the rest of us Americans are content to live in high-rise apartments, without any trees nearby, except for those in Central Park, and don't need to worry about the play areas for our children or the happiness of our dogs and pets. Personally, I've owned 6 homes, now, in 3 states and did have to rent for a short period in between houses, while my husband changed jobs. At first, the rental seemed like a good thing. We could store our furniture and take our time finding just the "right" house in the "right" community. As the days and weeks went on though, little things began to "bother" us about the house we were renting. The oven in the stove in the kitchen stopped working, the electrical outlets only had 2-prongs, the basement filled with water after each rain-storm and all the paint needed to be refurbished. But, this was not our house, and the landlord did not care about improving it to our satisfaction. We were very happy to move when we finally found our next house, a house that needed redecorating and new appliances, but which we knew we could improve, because it was ours to fix.

I think of the financial experts who would have us all rent other people's houses, because they say the market is still "risky." What about life-style needs and the joy of putting your own personality into making a house a home? Growing up, my children benefited greatly from the responsibility of having a dog (our St. Bernards, Cylde and then Rhett)and our cats, Bonnie, Scarlett and Buttercup. We did not have to get permission from a landlord to have our pets. We were able to renovate the kitchen and the bathrooms to our liking and add air-conditioning to filter out all the allergens. We didn't have to ask permission of a landlord.

Today, interest rates are lower than they have been in 48 months. The selection among homes is great---in every price range. And, prices are lower by at least 5 percent in the most sought after neighborhoods and down as much as 20 % in other areas of our South Coast area. What a great time to buy for the family who needs to live a happy life! A few years ago, there was absolutely no inventory of homes and buyers would have 1 or 2 homes to choose from if they wanted a particular neighborhood or town. I saw many buyers settling for homes that needed tons of work in order to make them comfortable, and there were no other choices. Today, homes that need even paint jobs are passed over for move-in condition homes---and these "perfect" homes are being sold for less money than the homes that needed complete remodeling a few years ago.

So, I don't think that the financial "experts" really get it---or maybe I don't get what they want me to settle for. I believe that the quality of life is much more than just a financial index or cash reserve. Real estate is one of the few investments that one can actually enjoy while it grows in value. That value is and will remain solid if one stays for a while. Only for the "flippers" is it no longer a good investment. And if the stock market continues to erode, then guess what? The real estate market becomes a better investment. In fact, a large part of the financial problem today in the real estate market has been caused by the many investors, who didn't care a hoot about the tenants in their rental property, and therefore stopped paying on their sub-prime mortgages. Those are the real bargains today--bank- foreclosed rental properties and they are selling for 50% of what they sold for in 2004.

So, it is a great time to buy. Contact one of our professionals to help you navigate through the hurdles, and if you're willing to stay a while, your new real estate purchase will give you many happy returns. And, that's a guarantee that you can take to the bank when you re-sell.

Why Sotheby's?

Since the founding of the Sotheby's Auction House in 1744 in London, the Sotheby's name has earned renown as a marketer of the world's most valuable possessions. Sotheby's International Realty began in 1976, in part to serve clients desiring a complete package of estate disposition services, and soon became known for representing extraordinary estates throughout the world. Presently, Sotheby's has 14 auction locations worldwide, each with a real estate desk featuring the inventory of the Sotheby's International Realty network. This network, with 450 offices, in 35 countries, begain in Massachusetts in 2005 and now boasts 24 offices, including Greater Boston, Cape Cod, the South Shore, and the South Coast. Olde Dartmouth Sotheby's International Realty, with offices in South Dartmouth and Mattapoisett, was the first independent brokerage to affiliate with the Sotheby's network. The Sotheby's reputation is built as much upon exceptional service to clients as on the notable art, antiques, jewelry and luxury real estate that pass through Sotheby's offices around the world.

Through the Sotheby's network, Sotheby's International Realty, including Olde Dartmouth Sotheby's International Realty, is teamed with marketing leaders like the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Boston Globe, International Herald Tribune, Previews Magazine, Robb Report, Reside Magazine, Country Life, the Irish Times, and the Financial Times. Our on-line presence is second to none with sothebysrealty.com and locally, oldedartmouthSIR.com.
Olde Dartmouth Sotheby's International Realty listings are showcased on multiple web sites and search engine portals, including: Google, Yahoo, MSN, Ask.com, RealEstateJournal.com, Trulia.com, YahooRealEstate.com, NYTimes.com/RealEstate, GreatHomesandDestinations.com, IHT.com, FrontDoor.com, Openhouse.com, Cyberhomes.com and AOL.com.

Savvy clientele have always understood that owning a portfolio of homes is an essential ingredient toward building strong financial wealth. Home values have on average doubled at least every 10 years and are a sound investment if purchased with the help of a Sotheby's International Realty professional. Contact us on-line at, first name of agent@oldedartmouthSIR.com or visit us in our new Padanaram Village office at 294 Elm Street, South Dartmouth or our Mattapoisett Office, at 8 Water Street. Our phone numbers are:
508.996.6562 Dartmouth or 508.758.6367 Mattapoisett.

Back to Home Page. www.oldedartmouthsir.com.

Welcome to our new Web site!

Hello Real Estate Fans. Welcome to our new Olde Dartmouth Web site and my first attempt at blogging. For those of you who know me, I've always had an opinion about mostly everything and I'm usually not timid in sharing. For some time now, I've thought it important to let customers, clients and associates know of the changes in the local real estate market here on the South Coast of Massachusetts. I will try to give you a daily tidbit about the market, what's happening here at Olde Dartmouth Sotheby's and what I think is in store for the future. I don't have a Crystal ball but usually I can tell from the number of phone calls or email what the market is doing and if the turn out will be large or small at our next open house.

First, let me bring you up to date on some exciting news at Olde Dartmouth Sotheby's. Our company is under new management and is now owned exclusively by me, Bette Hamilton.

The past year has been challenging, to say the least, but our closed sales are actually 20% above 2006 and among South Coast brokerages, we now lead in market share in sold properties above $700,000.

Hats off to our Top Producers of the past year! They are: Alice Petersen, Nancy Giusti, and Toni Rego. Alice Petersen, a real estate veteran of 17 years, continually out-performs the competition. Alice also is a straight-talker and helps to streamline the home-buying and selling process using her experience from numerous transactions and her thorough knowledge of the area. Nancy Giusti is our quiet, laid-back Realtor who, frankly, knows everybody. Nancy sold the most expensive residential property ever to sell in the Town of Fairhaven. Toni Rego, whom I have known most of my life, is so very organized and thorough. She keeps a list of things to do and she actually does them, each and every day. Toni had a great year in sold properties in this

"slow" market.

We also have a wonderful, new agent, Joyce Spooner, who has spent the past 35 years on Martha's Vineyard. She is the author of the "Black Dog" children books, a former Vineyard Gazette copy editor and advertising manager, Vineyard Realtor, and equestrian. Joyce is our Island's expert and is actively assisting numerous customers looking for vacation homes on the Islands as well as helping Island natives find South Coast properties. (After all, we are so much more affordable!)

We are thankful to welcome back Shawn Blagden who survived an horrific car crash last August and spent more than one month in a coma in a Boston Hospital. But, there's no holding Shawn down. She is active, listing and selling, even driving, and she looks as good as ever. It's very nice to have you back, Shawn.

We are very pleased to announce that veteran Realtor, Jeanne McGlone, has joined our team of professionals. Jeanne fits right- in and is a self-starter. Soon with 3 daughters in college, she must be diligent in her work to help pay those tuition bills. So, give her a call at our Dartmouth office.

That's our next big piece of news. After 5 years at Slocum Road, we are moving our Dartmouth Office to 294 Elm, Padanaram Villiage, South Dartmouth. We are currently working hard to make that spot sparkle and we hope to be open there, soon.

Our Mattapoisett Office will stay where it presently is---8 Water Street, next to the Town Wharf and Harbor Master.

All of us here at Olde Dartmouth Sotheby's are excited about the future of real estate on the South Coast. We are so very lucky to have the privilege of living and working near the ocean. Even in a down market, there is never enough waterfront. They just don't make any more of it, although it occasionally has a face lift, now and then.

Please drop in and see us at one of our locations. Remember our email is now (first name of agent) @ oldedartmouthSIR.com. The SIR stands for Sotheby's International Realty. It's a great name and a great honor to be associated with the Sotheby's tradition, which began in 1744 in London. More on Sotheby's tomorrow. Thanks for visiting my blog. Bette