Why Hiring the Right Realtor Makes All the Difference

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Why Hiring the Right Realtor Makes All the Difference

By George Bittner, Realtor – Realty Mark Advantage, Mays Landing, New Jersey

When it comes time to sell your home, choosing the right realtor isn’t just important—it’s essential. Your home is one of your biggest investments, and the person you trust to represent it can directly impact how fast it sells, how smoothly the process goes, and ultimately, how much money you walk away with.

But not all realtors work the same way. Some agents simply list your home, put a sign in the yard, and wait. Others—like myself—take a hands-on, full-service approach designed to get you top value while making the experience as stress-free as possible.

1. Marketing That Goes Beyond the Basics

In today’s world, selling a home requires more than a listing on MLS. It requires exposure—real exposure.
I invest in powerful marketing tools, including:

TV advertising: Showcasing your home to a wider audience boosts visibility and generates serious interest.

Social media promotion: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube allow your home to be seen by thousands of local buyers.

Open houses: A well-run open house brings in motivated buyers and creates competition, which can lead to higher offers.

These strategies help your home stand out in a crowded market and reach buyers wherever they are.

2. Protecting Your Home and Your Belongings

Your safety and peace of mind matter. When showing your home—whether privately or during an open house—I take clear steps to protect your property. I monitor visitors, secure sensitive areas, and ensure your belongings are treated with care and respect.
Selling your home should feel safe, not stressful.

3. Honest, Professional Guidance Every Step of the Way

You deserve a realtor who tells you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. I provide:

Solid advice on what to fix, update, or leave as-is

Tips to enhance curb appeal and interior presentation

Guidance on pricing and negotiating to ensure you get full value

I work for you—your goals, your timeline, and your bottom line.

4. Knowing the True Value of Your Home

Pricing a home correctly is key to attracting buyers quickly and maximizing your return. As a local Realtor with Realty Mark Advantage in Mays Landing, New Jersey, I understand the market trends, neighborhood values, and what today’s buyers are looking for.
My job is to make sure your home is priced right from the start—and to defend that value during negotiations.

5. A Realtor Who Truly Works for You

The right realtor should be your partner, your advocate, and your guide. I take pride in working hard for every client—showing up, being available, and doing whatever it takes to get your home sold fast and for top dollar.

When you hire me, you’re not just getting someone to list your property. You’re getting someone who works—on marketing, on communication, on protection, and on results.

How to Keep Your Belongings Safe During an Open House

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Keeping Your Belongings Safe

How to Keep Your Belongings Safe During an Open House

By George Bittner, Realtor – Realty Mark Advantage

When you’re preparing for an open house, your goal is to present your home in the best possible light. As your Realtor, I want to make sure you can do that with complete confidence — especially when it comes to keeping your personal belongings safe. While open houses are a powerful tool for attracting serious buyers, a few simple steps can help protect your valuables and your privacy.

1. Put Away Valuables Before Buyers Arrive

Anything small and easy to pocket should be stored or removed from the home. Jewelry, watches, cash, coins, collectibles, and small electronics should never be left out during a showing.

2. Protect Your Personal Information

Documents such as bills, bank statements, tax forms, or medical papers should be locked away or taken with you. Anything containing sensitive personal information should be out of sight.

3. Secure Digital Devices

Make sure computers are powered down or logged out, tablets are put away, and passwords aren’t visible. If you have a home office, I’ll keep a close eye on that area during the showing.

4. Remove Prescription Medications

Medicine cabinets are common targets during open houses. Take prescriptions with you or store them in a locked container.

5. Protect Sentimental Items

Family heirlooms, personal keepsakes, and irreplaceable items should be removed or stored securely. This not only protects them but also helps buyers focus on the home.

6. Restrict Access to Certain Areas

If you have rooms, closets, or storage spaces containing valuable or sensitive items, I can help limit access or monitor them closely.

7. Minimize Display of High-End Items

High-end electronics, rare art, expensive décor, and collectibles can draw unnecessary attention. Removing them helps both security and staging.

8. I’ll Help Monitor During the Open House

As your Realtor, I make sure visitors sign in, follow the flow of the home, and respect the space. I’m there to watch out for anything unusual.

9. Use Smart Security Options if They’re Available

Feel free to use any smart home features you already have — door sensors, alarms, and motion alerts can all add peace of mind.

10. Do a Quick Walkthrough Before and After

We’ll walk the home before the open house starts to make sure everything looks its best and again afterward to ensure everything is secure.

Final Thoughts from George Bittner

Your home matters — and so do the belongings you’ve collected over the years. With a few simple steps, you can host an open house with confidence and peace of mind. As your Realtor with Realty Mark Advantage, I’m here to guide you through every step and ensure your home is both secure and showcased properly.

George Bittner Realtor
Realty Mark Advantage
856-425-8511
george@georgebittner.com

The Basics Of Rug And Carpet Care

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While most homeowners tend to rely on professional carpet cleaners to clean their carpeting, they fail to understand there are specific steps that can add durability to their carpets and rugs. Here’s a breakdown of how you can keep your carpeting and rugs in good shape.

  • Different treatments for different materials
    The care and cleaning of your carpeting and rugs will depend upon the materials from which they are made. Wool rugs require frequent vacuuming while avoiding the use of a rotary brush. Ammonia and highly alkaline cleaners should not be used because of the likelihood of damage to the wool. Synthetic carpets and rugs can be vacuumed using a beater brush to remove grit. A steam cleaner can be used to remove dirt and debris stuck in the fibers.
  • Vacuum High-Traffic Areas Frequently
    High-traffic areas are susceptible to stains. You may want to pay special attention to family rooms, door entries, halls leading to kitchens as well as pet areas. This essentially means vacuuming daily to keep persistent dirt at bay.
  • Air Them Out
    Dust collects in your carpets and rugs over time. This is unsanitary and can cause allergic reactions and other health problems. Airing out your carpets frequently is an important home maintenance task. Vacuuming will not be the best option as it tends to send dust into the air. Fresh air and sunlight will kill all the bacteria and remove the dust particles.
  • Use Pads Beneath Area Rugs
    Some people prefer to use accent area rugs over wall-to-wall carpeting. While beneficial in most cases, don’t forget to use rug pads underneath your carpets to avoid two main challenges: carpet-surface erosion and dye transfer.
  • Use a High-Quality Vacuum
    Using a high-quality vacuum plays an important role in keeping your rugs and carpets in shipshape. Not all vacuum cleaners are the same, and you may want to choose high-quality products to avoid frustrating breakdowns when you’re putting in extra effort in the care of your carpets. A quality vacuum cleaner will be highly durable, effective, and efficient.
  • Regularly Rearrange Furniture
    Furniture positioning significantly affects the rate of wear and tear in carpets and rugs. Chairs and sofas strategically placed in permanent positions naturally cause foot traffic and dirt patterns mainly characterized by pets and normal wear and tear. Furniture legs can also damage carpets if not shifted periodically.

You may want to take care of carpet divots by placing ice cubes in plastic bags and resting the specified bag in the divot. The subsequent cold from the ice will cause the carpet fibers to bulge and restore their resilience and the carpet’s smooth surface.

Fixer-Upper Financing

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Can you finance a Fixer-Upper ?

The FHA 203(k) is a mortgage and home improvement loan all in one.

You can replace a roof or replace the windows to conserve energy. Why not paint or put new siding on the home and give it a fresh new up to date look. You can put in your dream kitchen. Maybe new flooring, carpet or tile would be just the thing to make the home look amazing. Why not replace the electrical and plumbing in the home while you are at it.

What ever the case may be your needs can be addressed with this type of loan.

 

Low Down Payments

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Are you wondering how much you need to save for your new home? It may not be as much as you think.

0 DOWN

The VA and the USDA both offer a zero down loan program for individuals and/or properties that meet their criteria. Sometimes, loans require little or no cash out of pocket. Some HUD properties are available with as little as $100 down

3%

Some Fannie Mae Community and Home Path ® programs allow just 3% down. You may even be able to fund your down payment through gifts, grants, employers, government agencies, unsecured loans from family or even with loans against CDs or retirement accounts.

3.5%

The FHA loan program allows as little as 3.5% down, and it is more lenient than most other programs on minimum credit scores.

5%

Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac conventional loans are available with down payments as low as 5%. The minimum changes based on property type, credit score, occupancy, etc.

ARE YOU SURPRISED at how low you may be able to go? While many believe a 20% down payment is required, you can now see that it’s far from the only option.

Seller Financed Home Loan

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How does the seller determine the rate?

The interest rate on a Seller Financed Transaction is negotiable. A seller can check with lenders and mortgage brokers to determine current rates on mortgage loans. 
Normally sellers do not charge loan fees or points therefore seller financed costs are generally less than a conventional home loan. 
Interest rates are reflected by current Treasury bill and certificate of deposit rates. 
Most sellers will not want to provide a loan for a lower interest than the market is offering. Interest rates the seller charges may be higher than those on conventional loans. Five to 15 year loans are usually acceptable.