Christina's Blog

This is just sad.  I'm really going to miss going out for dinner and a show.  There is also an article posted in the repository.

General public, past clients, current clients, for sale by owners, and others in the real estate business... I'd like to hear from you!  What do you expect from your REALTOR?  How can the process of selling or buying a home be improved upon?  Was there something that your REALTOR/loan officer/title company did that was outstanding??  Please feel free to leave comments and share your experiences.  Please, no name bashing.

I think we were pretty impressive- guitar, tambourines, and a lit-up sold sign!

There was an interesting article in yesterday's newspaper about the 4 different types of shoppers. 

The Primitive (or compulsive) Shopper

The compulsive shopper is driven by anxiety.  They aren't worried about what they're buying, as long as they are buying.  The compulsive shopper will go home after their shopping binge and hide the packages.  They also prefer to purchase a certain item, like shoes or clothing for women, or electronics for men.

The Neurotic Shopper

The neurotic shopper shops excessively, looking for the perfect item.  They will plan their shopping around something they need or want.  The neurotic shopper is looking for the "perfect" or "particular" type of something, like a particular style of sweater.  This shopper will buy several items, bring them home, try them on, then either return them all, or pick one.  They tend to return things. 

The Psychotic Shopper

The typical psychotic shopper is represented by a person who appears to be in "manic" phase who went on a shopping spree.  This type of shopper is commonly mistaken as a compulsive shopper. 

The Normal Shopper

The normal shopper saves their money and plans their purchases.  They understand the ideas of delayed gratification and saving money for big ticket items. 

So, what kind of shopper are you?  I am probably a neurotic shopper.  I will usually have an idea of what I want a certain clothing item to look like and then I will hunt and hunt until I find it.  During my hunt I will buy clothes along the way that would kind of work and then return them later.  I often find myself getting disappointed when I can't find exactly what I want, or if it doesn't fit right. 

I recently was shopping for a dress to wear to my company's holiday party.  This usually wouldn't be such an ordeal, except that I am about 3 months pregnant making it harder to find something that would fit and meet my expectations.  I wanted something that was holiday-ish with some sparkle to it.  I went to every store in town that I normally would buy from- Sears, Target, Kohls, JcPenneys, Macys, Burlington etc.  In my shopping process I purchased several items which I later returned.  I'd find a dress and think, well this isn't really what I want, but I guess it will work.  I finally went back to Sears to return something and took one more look at their dresses.  They must have got a new shipment in!!!  I found several new ones to try on and finally found one that satisfied me.  Sigh.  Ok, so it was still a little too big, but at least there is room for my belly to grow.  I won't even talk about maternity clothes- that might take another 5 paragraphs.  Who do they design those after????

Want to save some money???  Have you used ishopsummit yet??  If not, you definitely should check it out.  At the website you will find discounts and coupons for many local summit county businesses.  I frequently visit the website to print coupons for my favorite restaurants.  The best part is there usually isn't a limit to how many times a month you can use the coupon.  My husband and I frequently visit Mariachi Locos and we always print the coupon before going.  We love it!

Want to save some money???  Have you used ishopstark.comyet??  If not, you definitely should check it out.  At the website you will find discounts and coupons for many local stark county businesses.  I frequently visit the website to print coupons for my favorite restaurants.  The best part is there usually isn't a limit to how many times a month you can use the coupon.  My husband and I frequently visit Mariachi Locos and we always print the coupon before going.  We love it!

Homebuyers have you heard about the tax credit the government is giving you if you buy a house?  As part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, a first time home buyer credit is now available. 

Who is eligible?  First-time homebuyers who purchase a home between April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009 are eligible.  A first-time homebuyer is defined as a person who has not owned a home in the past 3 years.

How does the tax credit work?  The homebuyer tax credit will reduce the total amount of taxes you owe.  When you file your taxes for the year you purchased your home, you will be able to subtract the amount of the credit from your Federal Income Tax liability, increasing the size of your refund or reducing the amount you owe.

How big is the tax credit?  The tax credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of your home up to $7500. 

Does the money have to be paid back?  Yes.  The tax credit amount you receive will need to be paid back interest free over a period of 15 years.

For more information about the tax credit please visit http://www.ChrissyMoock.com and click on tax credit.  Or simply call me at 330-936-2519.