Monday, December 26, 2011

A Guide for Families Seeking Quality Day Care in Cumming, GA

I would like to introduce guest writer Dan Gilbert, of Primrose Schools. Dan has written an excellent article designed to assist families currently living in Cumming, GA, as well as those searching for a new home in this area, in their search for premium child care services. Primrose schools, whose innovative day care centers are committed to making a difference in children’s lives, is an education partner our family has used, personally, and one that I know to be extremely popular with discriminating parents in this area. Dan has written a number of articles on topics varying from bilingual learning to teaching the importance of volunteering.


Primrose School logo Forysth Couunty day careThe most important part of a child’s life often occurs during the infant years, and on through the age of five. During this time, a child’s brain is undergoing development, and research tells us these formative years are very crucial to future success. To properly nurture a child during this period, there must be constructive experiences that engage the child on a consistent basis. Most would agree that researching, and deciding upon the most apt form of child care to encourage child development, is the most important decision that can be made.

The best place to start, is to find out what’s available to you in your area. Check with people around you to find out what they know. Chances are they will have done a lot of the work for you. See what your peers think of institutions in your area. Inquire directly at local educational facilities, and visit them online for further information. Be sure to get a first-hand look and schedule a tour with facilities that might meet your standards.

Upon visiting, don’t simply pay attention to what you are being told; there are many other factors that you should be able to sense indirectly. How is your child greeted? How does it feel? Your senses will tell you many things, but what it all amounts to, is does the facility have the right feel for you and your family. Remember that these initial impressions may continue to plague you if you choose to ignore them.
While at the facility, get to know the staff that will be looking after your child. Try and get a sense if they truly want to aid your child in their development, as these people will be your partners in providing solid cognitive experiences in your child’s life.

After you’ve established what your instincts tell you about the institution, it’s time burrow in further and inquire about crucial topics like teacher accreditation, institutional policy and their approach to education in general. To help you ascertain if it’s a good match, here are some guidelines for you to follow.

1. Principles and educational instruction: What principles does the school employ to guide its educational instruction, choice of materials, and methodology? Do the school’s principles mirror those you have for your child? Will your child be prepared for elevation to elementary school, and has the school researched this thoroughly?

2. Teacher and institutional qualifications: What kinds of qualifications has the facility achieved, and are there measurable standards in place to ensure these qualifications are met? If the school has proper accreditation, not only will the governing body have a system in place to make sure their standards are met, these standards will also ensure the school evolves along with the growing research of the governing body.

Likewise, do the instructors also have adequate certifications? How about CPR and First Aid? Are they undergoing continual education to keep up with the times?

3. Educational atmosphere: Upon your visit, make sure to observe what’s going on around you. What is the learning environment like? Is it positive, with teachers interacting with, and engaging children? Are the children being spoken to, or spoken at? Get a copy of the schedule before you leave, and check and see where this schedule is posted around the classroom.

4. Policies of the facility: Be sure to inquire about some basic policies, such as those related to the safety of your child, how they communicate with you, the parent, if they comply with state regulations, and lastly what payment options are available.

The bottom line is that these years are integral to your child’s developmental success. Take the time to do the proper research, examine all your options, and make an educated choice that’s best for you and your family.

A guide to finding the best daycare in Cumming, GA






Please feel free to call (866-413-1781) or drop me an email if I can provide you with more information about this blog post or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Cumming GA real estate

This South Forsyth Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of ERA - The Real Estate Connection. 

Cell: (706) 455-0180  ~  Office (678) 456-8066   ~   Email:  gaylebarton@inbox.com  

Disclaimer: Information contained in this post is deemed reliable on the date of publication, but it is not guaranteed and it is subject to change without notice.  All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Gayle Barton and may not be used without the expressed written permission.


If you found this post to be helpful or entertaining, please click the +1 button below to score it!

Friday, December 9, 2011

I Just Know My Real Estate Agent Under Priced My House

Do you believe that your Cumming GA real estate agent under priced your home?

A recent survey by RISMEDIA showed that 76% of home sellers believed that their property was worth more than the listing price recommended by their real estate agent.

Interestingly enough, 68% of the buyers involved in the survey were certain that those same agents had overpriced the listings by as much as 10%.


Who’s right?  Everyone!
Why? Because they all determine “value” in very different ways.


Virtually every seller I’ve worked with in the last two years has honestly believed, deep in their heart, that their home was worth much more than the price at which I (CMA in hand), the multiple real estate agents they interviewed before me, the buyers and the bank appraiser ultimately valued it.  And, to a point, I understand.  These sellers loved their homes and love is blind.

Have you ever looked at a friend’s husband and wondered just exactly what it is that she sees in him??   In your eyes, he’s too tall, too short, too chubby, too skinny, talks too much is or is just too quiet for your taste…  Yet, in her eyes he is the perfect man and the best husband on the planet.  It’s the same with houses!

When you have lived comfortably in a home, raised children in a home and made happy memories in a home, you feel that it is a warm, special place full of love that must be evident to all who enter (not so true!).  Sellers don’t always smell the litter box or see the tattered, outdated wallpaper or that notice the fact that virtually every surface in the house needs to be de-cluttered because they are looking at their home through the eyes of love. They’ve been happy there for years, why wouldn’t evreyone else love it too?

When you add to that the fact that the seller remembers EVERY PENNY that has been invested in the property (yep, even ugly carpet costs money…) they place a value on their home that reflects their “total investment” both financial and emotional.

Because of this, I never argue with a seller about the “worth” of their home.  I simply say:  “I’m not telling you that your home is not worth that amount. What I am saying is that the current market simply won’t support that price (black & white numbers of a CMA don’t lie) nor will it appraise for that amount. This is a function of the current market, not a statement about your home!

Like the end of any love affair it is a tough step to take, but if a seller can get past the emotional arguments and allow themselves to understand that the buyers who view their home will not be “in love” with their house, and will be seeing it as it truly is (warts and all), they are one step closer to getting their property sold and moving on.

Please feel free to call (866-413-1781) or drop me an email if I can provide you with more information about this blog post or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Cumming GA real estate

This South Forsyth Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of ERA - The Real Estate Connection. 

Cell: (706) 455-0180  ~  Office (678) 456-8066   ~   Email:  gaylebarton@inbox.com  



Disclaimer: Information contained in this post is deemed reliable on the date of publication, but it is not guaranteed and it is subject to change without notice.  All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Gayle Barton and may not be used without the expressed written permission.

If you found this post to be helpful or entertaining, please click the +1 button below to score it!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

BEWARE: All Home Improvement Projects Are NOT Created Equal

Not All Home Improvement Projects Will Benefit You in the Sale of Your Cumming GA Real Estate

If you are currently updating your Cumming GA home for sale, BEWARE… In today’s market many of the tried and true upgrades are failing to boost your property’s market value as they have in the past.
We’ve all heard it said that kitchens and baths sell homes, and that still holds true today.  In the past, quality updates to those rooms generally provided a very high rate of return on your investment however, in today’s topsy turvy South Forsyth County real estate market, that rule is no longer a certainty.

If you are planning to upgrade your Cumming GA real estate in the near future, you might be interested to know that the installation of steel entry doors may recoup as much as 102% of your investment vs only a 60% return on the installation of fiberglass replacement doors based on data provided by Remodeling magazine.

In a recent article, Forbes Magazine listed 10 of the worst home improvements for the money.  If you are planning a remodel you’ll certainly want to read the full article as it is a certainty that, in the current market climate, not all home improvement projects are created equal



Please feel free to call (866-413-1781) or drop me an email if I can provide you with more information about this blog post or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Cumming GA real estate

This South Forsyth Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of ERA - The Real Estate Connection. 

Cell: (706) 455-0180  ~  Office (678) 456-8066   ~   Email:  gaylebarton@inbox.com  

Disclaimer: Information contained in this post is deemed reliable on the date of publication, but it is not guaranteed and it is subject to change without notice.  All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Gayle Barton and may not be used without the expressed written permission.


If you found this post to be helpful or entertaining, please click the +1 button below to score it!

Friday, December 2, 2011

The Right Price is the Key to Getting Your Home Sold

In the current Forsyth County real estate market we are seeing agents, and homeowners, using many interesting and inventive ways of creating a “buzz” about a new home listing. And, while home-sale incentives can help, price is the key to getting you home sold!
A recent MSN real estate article explored just how far is too far when it comes to home sale incentives – Read the full story here>>

Please feel free to call (866-413-1781) or drop me an email if I can provide you with more information about this blog post or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Cumming GA real estate


Cell: (706) 455-0180  ~  Office (678) 456-8066   ~   Email:  gaylebarton@inbox.com


Disclaimer: Information contained in this post is deemed reliable on the date of publication, but it is not guaranteed and it is subject to change without notice.  All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Gayle Barton and may not be used without the expressed written permission.


 




If you found this post to be helpful or entertaining, please click the +1 button below to score it!