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Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995.™
austin
Williamson County Assoc. of REALTORS®
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Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995
President’s Column By Gary Cocanougher • 2014 President
2014 a buyer’s market for haunted listings
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hile much of the US real estate market has recovered in 2014, it is still a buyer's market for these haunted homes. Also known as stigmatized properties, these legendary houses were all placed on market in 2014, but remain unsold. An online MLS ad for 1217 Marion St, Dunmore, PA reads: "Built in 1901, this Victorian home in the Hollywood section of Dunmore features 1850 sf of living space. Original hardwood floors. 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. Off-street parking. Freshly painted. Slightly haunted. Nothing serious, though. E.g. The sounds of phantom footsteps. A strange knocking sound followed by a very quiet (hardly noticeable, even) scream at 3:13 a.m., maybe once a week. Twice a week, tops. And the occasional ghastly visage lurking behind you in the bathroom mirror. Even still, this occurs very rarely and only in the second floor bathroom." 108 Ocean Avenue is a "pristine, charming 3-story waterfront Dutch colonial with commanding views of the Amityville River. Renovated boat house." Wait a second… did you say
www.myRealtyLine.com ALTORS is planning a full day of Halloween activities this Oct. 30. Agents are encouraged to dress up in their favorite costume, and join the WC for an exciting day of education, networking, food, and prizes. Robert Butler of Round Rockit Media will be here all day providing no tricks and all treats on marketing and how to take your business to the next level with free coaching sessions. Leslie VanBurkleo will help you navigate your way through the Matrix MLS service with two one-hour courses (10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) designed to give you the skills
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necessary to help even the scariest of clients. At 11:30 a.m., Laura Fowler will give her famous Lunch with Laura talk on Scary Legal Monsters: How to Sell Haunted Houses, Crime Scenes, and Homes Where Deaths Have Occurred! Treats and other snacks will be provided throughout the day, so make sure you stop by and enter into the costume contest. Please take a moment to register for this event to ensure we have enough lunch for everyone! RL
‘Amityville’? Yes, this house that has been the subject of 11 horror films since Ronald DeFeo, Jr. shot and killed six members of his family and it can be yours for just under $1 million. On 306 French St, Fall River, Massachusetts sits a fine 14-room Queen Anne Victorian home. The property features two sunrooms, seven fireplaces, original parquet floors, tin ceilings and mahogany moldings. The previous owner was a quiet librarian named Lizzie Borden. None of these houses were sold in 2014, and they have since been removed from the market, but there are some tips you should know when trying to sell a stigmatized property. Believe it or not, the NAR has done some research on the topic of haunted houses which can be found at: http://www.realtor.org/field-guides/fieldguide-to-dealing-with-stigmatized-properties. Forty-one percent of respondents said they would buy a home with reported ghost sightings, but only 15 percent would pay the full market value. The Williamson County Association of RE-
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