This is a snippet of a post over at Mike Cluett’s blog

I find myself fascintated with the whole issue, and am writing my own ‘letter to the editor’ to voice my support for what Mike has written

DEAR EDITOR:

I thought I was reading one of the Champion’s Time Capsule articles about a pay increase, but alas it was real and recent.

Milton councillors have now received three pay increases since taking office in 2006.

I understand completely that Town staff need to have salaries reviewed on a regular basis in order for them to be paid fairly for the work they do.

My only question is why does it have to include our town councillors?

When this council was elected in 2006, the base salary, not including the regional councillors’ portion, was roughly $21,000. From my calculations, they’re now being paid more than $26,000 — and that doesn’t include the council perk of having one-third of that salary tax free.

That’s a substantial increase in pay for a part-time position. Politics is perception, and I don’t think this will sit well with Milton taxpayers.

In the last three years, we have had three higher-than-normal increases in our mill rate — with what to show for it? We now have more Milton Transit buses that run empty throughout town, and for that they have spent more than $3 million in the last three years.

Milton taxpayers are now the proud owners of a Town Hall glass wall, albeit beautiful and majestic, that cost more than $1 million. They couldn’t have found something just as beautiful and majestic locally for much less?

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as there are many more examples of Milton council spending beyond its means.

Read the rest of the story here

46. Be Honest in Your Disclosure
When selling a property, you are required to disclose any potential flaws associated with the property. If you are not honest in your disclosure or if you try to hide things from the buyer, you could end up losing the sale, or worse, losing money in court after a sale goes through. If you are unsure about what needs to be disclosed, speak with a real estate lawyer who is familiar with the disclosure laws in your state.

47. Stage Your Home for the Appraisal
Buyers will be required to get an appraisal before they can be issued a home loan. You should stage your home for this appraisal just like you would for a showing. The more money the house is appraised for, the more likely the borrower will be to get approved for the loan and go through with the purchase.

48. Get More Exposure
If you have done everything you could to sell your home and you still haven’t achieved a sale, you might not be getting the kind of exposure you need. If people don’t know that your house is for sale, you have little chance of selling it in a timely fashion. If you have a real estate agent, make sure they are actively trying to sell the home. If you are working without an agent, advertise everywhere you can and then have an open house to attract potential buyers.

49. Use Feedback to Make Improvements
If you are getting potential buyers but no offers, you will need to find out what the problem is. It might be the price, it might be the layout of the home, and it might be the size of the yard. Whatever the common complaint is, you can use it to your advantage and make the desired improvements. The feedback you receive may turn out to be just what you need to sell on your terms.

50. Add a Fresh Coat of Paint
A fresh coat of paint can work wonders on everything from walls and ceilings to fences and shutters. Because painting is so inexpensive, it is one of the best ways to improve offers without spending a lot of money upfront. Just remember to keep things light and neutral. Some buyers shy away from bright, bold, or dark colors.

41. Be Willing to Negotiate with Buyers
The offers you receive from buyers may be well below the asking price of the home. Instead of responding to an insulting offer with a flat out refusal, negotiate. You don’t have to drop the price significantly, but you can come down by $1,000 and give the buyer another opportunity to evaluate the offer.

42. Pay Discount Points for the Buyer
If you don’t want to come down on the price, there are other things you can do to sweeten the deal for the buyer. One thing in particular involves paying discount points on the buyer’s home loan. A few thousand dollars out of your pocket can lower the buyer’s interest rate and make them eligible for a nice tax deduction. In this scenario, everyone wins because you get

your asking price and the buyer gets lower mortgage payments through the life of their loan.

43. Pay the Buyer’s Closing Costs
Homebuyers, especially those making a large down payment, often have a difficult time paying closing costs on their home loan. If you want to give the buyer an extra incentive to purchase your home, you could offer to pay the buyer’s closing costs. On average, it costs between $2,000 and $4,000 to close on a home loan. While this may mean an additional out of pocket expense from you, it could be all the incentive a buyer needs to choose your home over another.

44. Offer the Buyer Extra Incentives
Homebuilders who want to unload inventory quickly offer special incentives to attract and sway buyers. These incentives include everything from offers to pay condo fees to cash rebates paid out after purchase. You can use similar marketing gimmicks to get buyers excited about your home.

45. Compare Offers Carefully
If you get more than one offer on your home, you will want to compare these offers carefully before making a decision. Keep in mind that purchase price isn’t everything. Other items to consider include the buyers’ financial qualifications, contingencies within the purchase agreement, and clauses that favor the buyer.

What a Fine Specimen!, originally uploaded by Chris Newell Milton ON.

Taken at the Milton Optimist Club Sunday Cruise, every Sunday from 5 to 8 at the GO Station parking lot on Main Street.

Come on by and bring your appetite for burgers, dogs, fries etc and support Milton Hospital and local children.