Dan Cummings - The Running Realtor: January 2008

Welcome to Tee'd Off Tuesday... This week I noticed a new junk mailer making their way into my inbox and they are using my email address. Most of us become accustom to seeing trash but this is the first time my email as been associated with the junk. How do I combat this theft of my address?

The first message showed up last Thursday and then four more hit on Friday.  Hoped if I ignored the jackass they would move on fast so my domain name is left untarnished as a mass emailer of junk. 

Reviewing the full headers associated with each email reveals they are filtered through two separate foreign accounts each using a different IP address and two return paths. Neither makes sense to me because if a person hits reply the email comes to me : Dan@CummingsTeam.com

If this continues I'd like to know who to contact so my name is not linked with junk mail.  Any Suggestions?

The last few weeks have been a little hectic for me so I haven't had much time to poke around Active Rain.  In addition to my normal real estate routine I have joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team to raise money for blood cancer research while training for my first Marathon.

Being a blogging enthusiast my first thought was to post about my affiliation with the Team in Training since it was the easiest way to provide a site that I could point people towards as I began my fund raising campaign.

During the week I sent a few emails to friends and family as I crafted my thoughts and outlined a plan to raise $5000 in the next few months.  Sunday morning it was time to put phase one into action so I stopped into my office to do a little printing and envelope stuffing.

Well... When I got into the office my mailbox had a generous check from Andrew Lenza.

We often hear negative aspects of the internet but from my experience it has always been positive. Andrew's contribution confirms the great community that exists here on Active Rain where like mined professionals share business ideas and personal thoughts.

If you are considering a move to New Jersey and looking in Monmouth County be sure to contact the Colts Neck broker Andrew Lenza.

On January 1st when I sat in my office waiting to run the Frosty 5k in Guilford my thoughts of a running goal for the year was not well defined.  At the end of my first year running I did a 5 miles, my second year's goal was completion of a half marathon and at the beginning of my third year a full 26.2 mile marathon seemed huge. Initially my idea was to call it a plateau year and just stick to my 5k events and try another half hoping to improve my time.

One of the first pieces of mail I received in 2008 was from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society inviting me to learn more about their Team in Training and I noticed the Fairfield Half Marathon that I thought I would run for the second time was an event in which they were involved so I attended the meeting.

Learning that Team in Training provides the largest fundraising for the society and this is their 20th Anniversary with an event scheduled shortly after my 50th Birthday I decided 2008 was the year of my marathon fate.  This spring I will build my endurance to complete the 26.2 mile Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in San Diego. 

In additon to many many training miles before the event I need to raise a bit of cash. The Team in Training along with help from Active.com povides any easy and secure method of making CONTRIBUTIONS.

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance the Society's mission.  Your contribution regardless of size provides me the encouragement needed to reach the finish line and gives researchers the financial backing to find a cure.

Contact Dan Cummings - The Running Realtor via email to Dan@CummingsTeam.com if you would prefer to send a check for your tax deductible contribution to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

In our expanding world economy Real Estate is still primarily a local business. Many people remain tied to the same geographic area where their friends or family reside and typically limit their search territory for a new home to a handful of towns. When people need to relocate they normally don't think of their local agent as a resource in the new destination.

As part of my ongoing effort to deliver service above and beyond the average agent I have been expanding my network of Realtors around the country. Unlike many agents that offer to toss your name into a Relocation companies hands for placement I have chosen Real Estate Agents that I know are reliable and meet my high expectation.

Before leaving New Haven County and venturing out on your own into a new territory contact me and hopefully I will know a great Realtor to help you. You'll save time searching for the perfect home and agents working together in both areas will be able to better coordinate your closings to minimize the stress of relocation.

Whatever your Real Estate needs remember Dan - The Running Realtor will Go the Extra Mile for You throughout New Haven County and can point you in the right direction whether you are Retiring to Raleigh or Transferring to Tucson.

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This year has started out great for Running and Real Estate.  New Year's Day I spent an hour or so in my office on the Guilford Green waiting for the start of the Frosty 5k. Last year I opted not to run this event in the cold pouring rain but the morning showers paused just in time for the run.  It turned out to be a personal record for me, my fastest 5k.

Real Estate is also looking very good after only two weeks of the new year.  Mortgage rates are near the historic lows and both buyers and sellers are accelerating their plans.  Before I become busy with the Spring market I always try to put together a tentative race schedule for the first half of the year. 

Feb 3, 2008  :  Winter Wonderland 5 Miler  :  9:30 am  Platt Tech 600 Orange Ave. Milford, CT  06460

Mar 2, 2008  :  WPLR Shamrock & Roll 5k   :  9:00 am  Toad's Place  300 York St. New Haven, CT 06511

Apr 6, 2008  :  North Haven High PSTA 5k   : 10:00 am  NHHS  221 Elm Street North Haven, CT  06473

May 4, 2008 :  MITOS Run for Hope 5k  :  10:00 am  Montowese School 145 Fitch St North Haven, CT  06473

May 18,2008 : Guilford Savings Bank 4M :  9:15 am  Jacob's Beach - Seaside Ave Guilford, CT 06473

Jun 22, 2008 : Fairfield Half Marathon :  8:30 am Jennings Beach - 992 s. Benson Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824

4th of July  :   Friends on the 4th 5k  :  8:00 am   Norcross Point - Bowdoin Street Winthrop, ME  04364

If you are thinking of selling and curious about the value of your home click the house on the right to request a Free No Obligation Market Analysis of the property.  With today's on-line databases I can give you a fairly good idea of the market price without even touring the house.

Anyone ready to undertake the adventures of searching for property in New Haven County can contact Dan Cummings - The Running Realtor via email or call my 24 hour access line : 203-672-2455

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After hearing all the media hype during the past year concerning home sales consumers must be confused. One day you read how terrible the market is and a week later you may notice an article stating home prices have rising. The truth is Real Estate is local and data covering a broad geographic area can be misleading.

On the first day of the new year I gathered my facts based on sales recorded in our Multiply Listing Service and posted the results for my 5 primary towns. Many towns saw a decrease in sales price and volume but in Branford the median price was slightly higher although the total number of single-family homes sold was lower.

If you have been wondering about the selling price for homes in Branford that sold during 2007 the list below is sorted by the street name for your convenience. 

If you are thinking of selling and curious about the value of your home click the house on the right to request a Free No Obligation Market Analysis of the property.  With today's on-line databases I can give you a fairly good idea of the market price without even touring the house.

Anyone ready to undertake the adventures of searching for property in New Haven County can Contact Dan Cummings - The Running Realtor via email or call my 24 hour access line : 203-672-2455

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Do you ever wonder what those homes are worth when you're driving around town?  Below are a sampling from the roughly 230 single family properties that sold during 2007. To give you an indication of Madison's diverse housing stock I have chosen 30 homes from each end of the spectrum. 

Modest homes start in the low 200's and several million dollars can be spent in prime neighborhoods.  The median sales price in 2007 for the town of Madison was about $525,000.  Half the residential properties sold for less and half for more.  Madison remains one of the most affluent towns in New Haven County.

If you are thinking of selling and curious about the value of your home click the house on the right to request a Free No Obligation Market Analysis of the property.  With today's on-line databases I can give you a fairly good idea of the market price without even touring the house.

Anyone ready to undertake the adventures of searching for property in New Haven County can contact Contact Dan Cummings - The Running Realtor via email or call my 24 hour access line : 203-672-2455

Subscribe to Dan - The Running Man's Blog by Email

Welcome to the Prime Spring Market in Real Estate for 2008!

You may be thinking the frigid temps outside are better suited for winter hibernation but time truly flies and if you are considering a move this year now is a good time to get started with the groundwork.  Many homeowners in the early stages of considering a move are reluctant to seek the knowledge they need to make an informed decision.  There always seems to be one more repair or a bit more cleaning that should be done before talking to "The Realtor"  Now is the perfect time to request a free "on-line" Comparable Market Analysis ( CMA ) of  your homes value and if you decide to make a move there is still a few months to get the house ready for a spring sale. 

• Are you thinking of selling and wondering what your home is worth in todays market?
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• Is the media hype of gloom and doom swaying your decision not to market your home?
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• Are you searching for an easy way to get a realistic estimate of you home value?

If your answer is "YES" to any of the above questions just click the house on the right to fill out a very brief form to start the estimation process.  Without even the need to coordinate schedules  and tour the property a report detailing the value of your home will arrive in your email.

Don't be confused about the quality of my on-line CMA.  This is not some vague guesstimate that you might find from some web site offering instantaneous results.  With the vast amount of data on-line today I can research your property and base the pricing on similar homes currently on the market and recently sold in your area. 

Why Wait?  There are really no excuse to delay your investigation.  Do you want to stop guessing and find out the value of your home?  Click the house, provide your name, address and email.... It really is that EASY! 

If you do not currently own a home and are ready to undertake the adventures of searching for property in New Haven County  contact Dan Cummings - The Running Realtor or call my 24 hour access line : 203-672-2455

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Many buyers and sellers like to spend their time poking around on the internet long before they decide to seek the help of a Real Estate Agent.  Many sites will get you information about homes currently on the market but finding actual sales prices involves a little more work.  Below is a sampling of single family homes in Guilford, CT that closed during 2007 to give you an idea of prices based on the size and location of the home.

Many factors contribute to the sales price, if you are a homeowner within my market area and would like a no obligation estimate of your home's market value just Fill out the Form to begin the process. 

If you are ready to consider Buying or Selling a home in New Haven County  you can contact Dan@CummingsTeam.com or call my 24 hour access line : 203-672-2455

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Single family home sale prices show mixed results for 2007.  Although the real estate market has not seen the gloom and doom that was widely speculated during the boom years it has been adjusting and the number of homes sold during the year dropped in most areas.  The shift in sales has been towards lower priced homes so the demand for upper level properties has cooled and as supply exceeded demand the price drifted lower.

The most affordable towns in my primary market remain North Haven & North Branford where prices have been fairly stable in the low $300's for the last three years.  The median sales price in the Shoreline town of Branford continued to rise slightly in 2007 while the more expensive communities of Guilford and Madison saw a 5% decrease in the median price to the low $500's.   

If you are interested in Buying or Selling a home in New Haven County let me know and I will happily explain the real estate market so you can decide if current conditions make it the right time for you to make a move. You can contact Dan@CummingsTeam.com or call my 24 hour access line : 203-672-2455

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