Saturday, October 11, 2008





For more information on activities in and around Lake Mills, Wisconsin, visit:
For more information on activities in and around the South-Central Wisconsin Area, including Jefferson County, Wisconsin, visit:

(This and more local information is available at or through the above sites.)




Lake Mills Homes, Properties and Special Feature Real Estate


Lake Mills, Wisconsin real estate includes a wide variety of homes for sale, condos for sale, water access properties (waterfront or scenic view), active adult communities, hobby farms and executive properties. Regardless of your present home or property concerns - whether you are buying or selling a home, condo, land or other property – Amber Castonguay has the expertise to guide you through the process painlessly and profitably. Sellers who have been in the area for a while know my reputation for knowledgeable advice, enthusiastic service, creative marketing and professional networking. My associates and I will mine every source for suitable properties so you can feel at ease that your search will produce the right kind of solution for you.

For buyers new to the area, you can rest assured that I will provide the specialized services you deserve: a strong work ethic, personal real estate expertise to help define your needs, help with selecting and securing standard financing for your purchase, special technology, constant communication throughout the transaction, and more. Amber Castonguay is an acknowledged real estate leader in your new community. I know that YOU know that it pays for home buyers – especially those new to an area – to find and hire an innovative and service-oriented real estate leader to inform their home search - from existing homes for sale, properties for sale, lots, vacant land, new construction, 55-plus and retirement communities, investment properties, waterfront, golf and recreational properties, golf course lots - all the way to luxury villas, estates and executive homes.

So when you're ready to buy or sell real estate in or around Lake Mills, Wisconsin, please let Amber Castonguay help you find the home or property of your dreams. Click Here to Contact Amber!

Other nearby communities have similar real estate characteristics as Lake Mills and may also be of interest to you in your home search. Please feel free to ask Amber Castonguay about homes for sale, lakeside/riverside properties and other real estate listings for nearby communities, such as Johnson Creek, Jefferson County, Jefferson, Dodge County, Beaver Dam, Watertown, Jefferson, Lake Mills, Rock Lake, Fort Atkinson (Ft. Atkinson), Waterloo, Koshkonong (Lake Koshkonong), Oconomowoc, Delafield, Pewaukee, Hartland, Dousman, Cambridge, Lake Ripley, Columbus, Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove, Deerfield, Waukesha County and much more.

You may also be interested to note that other site visitors who have indicated an interest in properties, homes, and real estate in and around Lake Mills, WI have been successful using some or all of the following key words to identify and gather information on Johnson Creek, Jefferson County, Jefferson, Dodge County, Beaver Dam, Watertown, Jefferson, Lake Mills, Rock Lake, Fort Atkinson (Ft. Atkinson), Waterloo, Koshkonong (Lake Koshkonong), Oconomowoc, Delafield, Pewaukee, Hartland, Dousman, Cambridge, Lake Ripley, Columbus, Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove, Deerfield, Waukesha County real estate.

Successful key word combinations include:
  • Lake Mills WI real estate
  • Lake Mills, WI real estate
  • Lake Mills (WI) real estate OR "homes for sale"
  • Lake Mills AND WI AND "real estate"
  • Lake Mills AND WI AND home
  • Lake Mills, WI Area properties AND "for sale"
  • Lake Mills OR “Jefferson County” AND WI AND "real estate"
  • Lake Mills OR Jefferson AND WI AND "real estate"
  • ”Jefferson County” (WI) real estate
  • ”Jefferson County, WI area” AND WI AND "real estate"
  • Lake Mills WI AND "properties for sale"
  • Lake Mills WI AND condominium OR condo
  • Lake Mills WI AND "new construction"
  • Lake Mills WI AND lake OR waterfront OR river OR lakeside
  • Lake Mills WI AND farm OR farmette OR “hobby farm”
  • Lake Mills WI AND home AND luxury OR executive OR high-end OR estate
  • Lake Mills WI AND lot OR property AND recreation OR hunt OR fish
  • Lake Mills WI AND home AND 55-plus OR retire OR "active adult"
  • Lake Mills WI AND first-time OR first AND time AND buyer

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Watertown Wi Home Selling, Watertown WI Real Estate

MOVING ON: POWERFUL TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME



Maybe you're moving to a larger home to accommodate a growing family, relocating for a new career opportunity, or purchasing a townhouse for retirement. Whatever the reason for the move, you'll need to take the necessary steps to sell your home for the best possible price, within a reasonable amount of time. Where do you begin?



If you're like most people, you'll start by seeking assistance from a professional. A local real estate sales associate, who knows your neighborhood, can help you determine a fair market price. The sales associate should also recommend the extent to which you should make repairs or improvements to your house.



In order to select a real estate professional who's right for you, ask family, friends and neighbors for referrals. Attend open houses and interview several sales associates to find out how professional or experienced they may be. Get a written outline of how they plan to market your property and the services they will offer you.



Once you've identified a qualified professional, the rest is chemistry. Is the sales associate someone with whom you would like to work closely? Do you feel comfortable with the sales associate as your partner, working with you to give you advice and acting as your representative? Does he or she practice a consultative selling approach, focusing on the long-term client relationship and on the importance of exceeding client needs and expectations or is he or she caught up in the proverbial 'hard sell?'



The brokerage firm that your agent is associated with is also important. Research the firm's success rate and commitment to quality service. Does it survey existing clients in order to ensure customer satisfaction? What are the results of those surveys? How in tune are they with consumer needs? Do they offer guidance with mortgages or any discounts for other home related or moving services?



Determining your home's fair market value is one of the most important decisions you'll make during the home-selling/buying process. Your sales associate can help you set a fair price based on local market conditions. For instance, she or he will provide sale prices and other statistics of homes similar to yours that have recently been sold. Prospective buyers will be comparing your home to others on the market. Therefore, setting a comprehensive price can determine if your property will or will not sell.



For the first offer made, it's rare that the prospective buyer matches the asking price. If the offer is reasonably close to the asking price, carefully consider the offer before you consider turning it down. Curiously, it's the first offer that can often be the best offer. If the first offer is unacceptable to you, it may in your best interest to have your sales associate respond with a counter offer. Whenever considering an offer, ask yourself if you would purchase the property for the amount being offered. Always be willing to negotiate, especially if the prospective buyer is pre-qualified for a mortgage.



Once you decide what terms are acceptable, let your sales associate negotiate with the prospective buyer to work out the best agreement for you. You'll need to be patient while the buyer arranges financing and as the real estate company compiles and prepares pertinent data.

Careful planning and sound advice from a real estate professional can make selling your home a very satisfying experience. For further information, please contact, Amber Castonguay, Century 21 Crossroads Realty. Amber@Century21Crossroads.com or 920.699.8124
www.AmbersHomeFinder.com

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Jefferson County Wisconsin Home Search, Jefferson County Wi Real Estate

WHAT’S YOUR STYLE?
A guide to America’s Most common Home Styles
By Amber Castonguay

Styles of houses vary across the country. From the New England Cape Cod to the Victorians of San Francisco, the choices are almost endless. Knowing which style you prefer is one of the basic elements in your hunt for the perfect home.
Following is a quick guide to help you recognize and use the professional terms for many of the most prevalent house styles:
Ranch: these long, low houses rank among the most popular types in the country. The ranch, which developed from early homes in the West and Southwest, is one-story with a low pitched room. The raised ranch, which is also common is the U.S.. has two levels, each accessible from the home’s entry foyer, which features staircases to both upper and lower levels.
Cape Cod: this compact story-and-a-half house is small and symmetrical with a central entrance and a step, gable roof. Brick, wood or aluminum siding are the materials most commonly seen.
Georgian: Popular in New England, the Georgian has a very formal appearance with tow or three stories and classic lines. Usually built of red brick, the rectangular house has thin columns alongside the entry, and multi-paned windows above the door and throughout the house. Two large chimneys rise high above the roof at each end.
Tudor: modeled after the English country cottage. Tudor styling features trademark dark-wood timbering set against light-colored stucco that highlights the top half of the house and frames the numerous windows. The bottom half of the house is often made of brick.
Queen Anne/Victorian: Developed from styles originated in Great Britain, these homes are usually two-story frame with large rooms, high ceilings and porches along the front and sometimes sides of the house. Peaked roofs and ornamental wood trim, many times referred to as “gingerbread,” decorate these elaborate homes.
Pueblo/Santa Fe Style – Popular in the Southwest, these homes are either frame or adobe brick with a stucco exterior. The flat rood has protruding, rounded beams called vigas. One or two story, the homes feature covered/enclosed patios and an abundance of tile.
Dutch Colonial – the Dutch Colonial has two or tow-and-one-half stories covered by a gambrel roof (having two lopes on each side, with the lower slope steeper than the upper, flatter slope) and eaves that flare outward. This style is traditionally make of brick or shingles.
New England Colonial – This two-and-one-half story early American style is box like with a gable roof. The traditional material is narrow clapboard siding and a shingle roof. The small-pane, double-hung windows usually have working wood shutters.
Southern Colonial –this large, two-to-three-story frame house is world famous for its large front columns and wide porches.
• Split-levels: Split-level houses have one living level about half a floor above the other living level. When this type of home is built on three different levels, it is called a tri-level.

These are just a few of the many styles of homes available across the country – some are more prominent in different areas than others. Knowing home style terms will help you zero in on the type of house that will fill your needs and suit your taste.