Berkshires Real Estate Market Value Opinions can often reflect serious Conflicts of Interest

Sellers of real estate tend to seek the advice of one or more Realtors ® to provide a market value opinion upon which to base a listing price.  Home valuation advice from Realtors® can be fraught with conflict of interest. The Realtor® is strongly motivated to get the seller’s signature on the listing (collecting a fee when and if the property sells) and the seller can be easily convinced that their home is worth more than actual current market value of similar homes. 

One of the most common problems seen in the real estate trade is “buying the listing”. What this means is that the agent that suggests the highest list price to a seller typically walks away with the listing. Once the Realtor® has the contract signed, the Realtor® then begins to work the price down to the point at which the property will sell.

“Buying the listing” occurs so often that every agency and Broker has a story to tell.  Our agency recently had firsthand experience with such a story, which involved another local Realtor® and seller.  This particular seller had asked several agents to provide them with a market value estimate for the home.   After doing a comparative analysis of the local Berkshire Market and previously sold homes similar to the seller’s the Harsch Associates agent had suggested its selling price would be approximately $320,000.

 A competing agent priced it substantially higher and obtained the listing at a starting price of $495,000. This seller became another unwitting victim of “buying the listing”. Both agents are very active in the community.   The difference in this transaction was the vanity pricing which netted a new listing for the agent who gave the highest valuation to the seller.

Once listed there followed a series of price adjustments over the course of the next 10 months.  The starting price of $495,000 reduced to $439,000 and then dropped again to $399,000, and finally down then down to $349,000.  At which point a buyer was found and the home was sold after 11 months at $316,800. 

Was a conflict of interest readily evident?  Was harm done related to the conflict of interest?  Yes it was.   Placing a time value on money reveals that at 1.5% carrying cost monthly for an unsold home and the additional 10 months on the market cost the seller $47,520.  That is if we value the home at the sale value of $316,800.  In fact, in this seller’s case, time was important.  The seller wanted a rapid sale for undisclosed reasons.   It is reasonable to argue that the seller lost on this sale related to the vanity or “buying the listing” price given by the agent who obtained the seller’s listing. 

In a recent article by Prudential Real Estate, the author concluded that an unsold home costs 1.5% of its value, per month to own. This includes all costs such as debt service (or the value of money), upkeep, insurance, taxes, etc.  This seller lost an extra eight months opportunity to sell because his house was overpriced at the outset.  

Overpricing cost the seller time and money because when homebuyers search for a Berkshire home, they tend to search within a selected price range.  Whether it is in Williamstown or Stockbridge, Lenox or Great Barrington pricing your home above what it is actually worth in the current Berkshires market means that your home will never appear in a net search result unless the buyer is willing to spend above the market value.  In this buyer’s market, the willingness to spend above value is very unlikely. 

Beware of an agent who suggests a price that far exceeds what another agent has quoted to you. 

Get and use a Berkshire County bank approved licensed appraiser and appraisal to utilize as your definitive guide to the loan value of your property.   Look at the local tax assessor’s valuation of your property.  Consider seriously selecting the agent whose opinion is closest to that of the appraiser and within a reasonable dollar number of the assessor’s valuation.    That Realtor® is more attuned to the market and more likely to sell your home in the shortest time for the best price.  If a bank loan falls through because your property is overpriced, you have lost valuable time, opportunity and money.

If you do decide to list with the agent that suggests the highest price, oblige them to indicate the period within which they will sell at the higher price.  Hold the agent to that promise by limiting the listing term.  If the agent in our example above who listed at $495,000 would have been obliged to place a time limit on the contract, the Realtor® might have considered pricing the listing within true market value.   The only winner in this particular situation was the Realtor® who “bought the listing” by feeding the seller a price, which seemed to be a potentially wonderful windfall waiting to happen which then turned into a tornado that cost the seller an additional $47,000 in lost carrying costs and valuable time without offers on the market.   Price to sell not to hold.   Harsch Associates Berkshire Real Estate Agency offers the most complete comparative market analysis and encourages the seller to seek an approved Berkshire home appraiser and read the entire appraisal report before discussing it with several agents.  Having a list of questions such as “how will you as an agent and your agency market my home”  “how often will you report to me the activity that my listing has received”  “will you do a custom video of my home and make it available to all potential buyers” and finally “in this market how long will it take to get offers and possible close on the sale of my home at this price.”    Selling your property is serious business.  Know the facts before you sign on the dotted line and make a commitment with your money and time. 

Paul Harsch, President of Harsch Association Berkshire Real Estate Agency

Williamstown MA,  www.harschrealestate.com

Sizing up vacation destinations

courtesy of   http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/sizing-up-vacation-destinations–2

A roundup of how some of the biggest second-home markets around the region are faring

May 01, 2010 07:00AM

By Sarah Ryley

From left: Fire Island, Martha’s VineyardFrom the splashy beaches of the Hamptons to the rolling hills of the Berkshires, the vacation home markets popular with New Yorkers have been hit hard by the downturn.

But as the 2010 summer season gears up, reports indicate that things are turning around as the economy stabilizes and the threat of rising interest rates brings more buyers out of the woodwork.

This month, The Real Deal examined eight vacation home markets around the region. Of those, the South Fork of Long Island and Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., show the sharpest recent rebounds in sales.

Rental figures are harder to come by, but anecdotally brokers across the eight markets said early leasing is up this year, while prices in most places are still below peak. This means last year’s rock-bottom deals will be harder to come by in low-inventory places like Fire Island, which brokers said they expect to be fully booked. However, in other areas, like the Berkshires, there are more rentals available as for-sale listings languish on the market.

In general, the tea leaves indicate that this summer might be the last to make that unbelievable deal. Below is a rundown of the region.

Catskills

2009 median sales price: $209,000

Percent change from 2008: -13%

Percent change from 2007: -18%

Real estate prices continue to inch downward in Ulster County, one of four counties that make up the area known as the Catskills (pictured), known for its mountainous vistas and quaint towns like Woodstock and Kingston. In February, the median sales price was $207,000, compared to last year’s overall median of $209,000.

The lower prices, along with the Obama administration’s homebuyer tax credits, have brought more middle-class buyers from the city back into the market, said Tim Sweeney, a partner at Prudential Nutshell Realty. “For the first time in a year and a half, I am hearing people say, ‘I want to be close to a bus stop,’” he said. This has made homes in the center of towns more popular.

He said rentals aren’t as big in the Catskills, offering little help to struggling home-owners. “We had numerous sellers last year who wanted to rent to alleviate the hit of their mortgage payments. That didn’t work very well because we don’t have a lot of [seasonal] renters,” said Sweeney. “The bed-and-breakfasts do very well.”

Source: Median sales price for Ulster County from the NYS Association of Realtors

The Berkshires

2009 median sales price: $173,000

Percent change from 2008: -8%

Percent change from 2007: -18%

Once an exclusive summer colony for New York’s wealthiest, home prices have fallen in Massachusetts’ hilly Berkshire County in recent years. The median sales price in 2009 was exactly the same as in 2004 — $173,000 — yet the number of yearly purchases plummeted 39 percent during the same time. Sellers are willing to cut deals or rent out their homes while they sit on the market, said Paul Harsch of Harsch Associates. He has one sprawling estate just outside of Great Barrington listed for $2.25 million, 23 percent less than its original price four years ago (pictured). The owner is also willing to rent it during July and August for a total of $22,000.

On the other end of the spectrum, Harsch said less-wealthy New Yorkers have been attracted to vacation or even primary homes, like a 3,000-square-foot Victorian with servants’ quarters, built in Pittsfield for a distinguished Civil War general, and listed for only $195,000.

Source: Median sales price for Berkshire County from the Warren Group

Cape Cod

2009 median sales price: $315,000

Percent change from 2008: -6%

Percent change from 2007: -18%

Although housing prices on this sandy peninsula off Massachusetts had steadily dropped since at least 2005, brokers say the market freeze has started to thaw. In March, “sales were up 65 percent from February, and 26 percent from the previous March,” said Lynette Helms, president of the Cape Cod and Islands Association of Realtors.

Meanwhile, she said, the number of summer rental bookings was down roughly 5 percent during the first quarter of this year compared to last year, although activity increased in April. Helms noted that people are still looking for bargains. “Three years ago, people wanted the oceanfront, or a home with all the amenities. Today, they’re scaling back. The biggest trend is to the larger properties where several families can vacation together.”

In response, she said, the owners of more luxurious properties are lowering their prices. Last year her firm, Real Estate Associates on the Upper Cape, listed a five-bedroom mansion with 360 feet of private beach frontage for $6,500 a week. The home (pictured) didn’t rent. This year, the owners dropped the price to $5,500.

Source: Median sales price for Barnstable County from the Warren Group

Martha’s Vineyard

2009 median sales price: $592,500

Percent change from 2008: -9%

Percent change from 2007: -15%

Dukes County, consisting of Martha’s Vineyard and the tiny Elizabeth Islands, most of which are owned by the Forbes family, has seen one of the sharpest housing price rebounds in Massachusetts. According to the Warren Group, the median sales price in February was $688,000 — 64 percent higher than it was a year earlier.

Real estate prices on the island, accessible only by aircraft or ferry, have been somewhat buoyed by exclusivity and scarcity, with only 13 sales during February. “It’s quiet, and all the buyers are making low offers,” said Rob Kendall, owner of Kendall & Kendall Real Estate. But, he said, since many of the properties are inherited, their wealthy owners are in no hurry to sell. “We have about $10 million in offers out right now that are just not going anywhere.”

Landlords who depend on summer renters are dropping prices, however, said Patty Kendall, head of the firm’s rental division. Homes generally rent for between $5,000 and $40,000 a week, with prices 15 percent off from their peak. For example, she said, one Chilmark estate with a tennis court and pool (pictured) rented for $16,000 per week in the past, but this year the asking rent is around $13,000.

Source: Median sales price for Dukes County from the Warren Group

Long Beach Island

2009 average sales price: $851,000

Percent change from 2008: -13%

Percent change from 2007: -12%

Long Beach Island, a primarily family-oriented summer colony along the Jersey Shore, saw a significant rebound in average sales price last quarter, to $941,470 compared to $851,000 last year. (Median sales data wasn’t available for the 18-mile-long barrier island. Averages tend to be higher than medians, which might make this market look disproportionately costlier than others.)

David Cowles, an agent with Prudential Zack Shore Properties, represented a family that tracked an ocean-adjacent Beach Haven bungalow (pictured) for a year before finally buying it — after the seller dropped the price by $550,000, to $1.4 million.

“It was their perception that the price wasn’t going to get any lower, and that somebody else was going to buy it,” said Cowles.

Rental activity increased nominally this season, with more people interested in properties under $5,000 a week, said leasing agent Donna Diorio of Prudential. She said her clients “may look to spend a little less, but they can’t give up that vacation totally.”

Source: New Jersey MLS data compiled by Prudential Zack Shore Properties

Fire Island

2009 median sales price: $690,000

Percent change from 2008: -2%

Percent change from 2007: -11%

New York’s 31-mile-long Fire Island — inaccessible to cars during the summer and to the postal service year-round — weathered the housing crash better than the East End. Prices fell only 11 percent between 2007 and 2009, and prices appear to have inched upward recently (although with fewer than 5,000 homes on the island and few sales, trends are admittedly hard to pin down).

Carin Roth, head of Fire Island Real Estate, said renters are more confident this summer than last. “Last year, my old Wall Street clients were saying things like, ‘I think the world is going to end,’” which meant fewer expensive season-long rentals. “This year, people are looking for the full summer again.”

Since there are so few homes, Roth said sellers are generally slower to lower prices than in other markets. She has a newly constructed five-bedroom house in Ocean Beach (pictured) that’s been on the market for two years, asking $2.3 million. The seller will hold out until he gets his price, because “his house is the only oceanfront for sale for a couple of miles,” explained Roth.

Source: Median sales price from Long Island Real Estate Report

The Hamptons/Montauk

2009 median sales price: $810,000

Percent change from 2008: -7%

Percent change from 2007: -14%

The Hamptons and Montauk saw a stunning recovery in housing prices and activity last quarter. There were 466 sales recorded, at an average of $1.7 million during the first quarter of 2010, compared to 208 sales averaging $1.5 million during the first quarter of 2009, according to Corcoran.

But storm clouds are brewing. A shocking 6,396 home-owners on the South Fork are 30 to 90 days delinquent paying their mortgage, and 83 percent of those homeowners are in some stage of bankruptcy, said John Brady, a Prudential Douglas Elliman broker who specializes in short sales. Brady commissioned the data from the credit rating firm Equifax to help identify potential clients.

He has a newly constructed East Hampton mansion (pictured), originally listed in 2005 at $5.7 million, now listed for $3.9 million. He’s negotiating with four lien holders to accept an even lower price.

Source: Median sales price from StreetEasy

North Fork

2009 median sales price: $347,500

Percent change from 2008: -25%

Percent change from 2007: -26%

Housing prices on the North Fork — the less expensive and more rural version of its flashy Long Island neighbor the Hamptons — have fallen so much since the economic crash that they’re lower than they were in 2005. According to StreetEasy, the median sales price for a home there last quarter was $335,000, compared to $417,000 during the first quarter of 2005. Transactions have dwindled in comparison as well, from 229 to 30, although not all were recorded by press time.

Still, Corcoran’s Sheri Winter Clarry said more buyers have been looking to close deals lately before interest rates rise. And, she said, the summer rental market is faring better this year, with the return of the season-long rental. Rental prices, meanwhile, are down from their peak by around 15 percent.

The North Fork continues to attract budget-conscious South Forkers. That has given rise to one notable trend — “More than half of my clients are asking for pools now,” Clarry said. The owner of a three-bedroom Cutchogue home (pictured), like others, installed a pool in response. The home was also listed for sale last summer; the price has since dropped by $100,000, to $1.175 million.

Source: Median sales price from StreetEasy

Here at Harsch Associates Real Estate we offer all brokerage services and look forward to serving your real estate needs in the Berkshires, Southern Vermont and New York State.  We have over 35 years of experience and over 400 million dollars in sales from over 3000 properties.  We can find your dream home, property or business.  Call us at 413-458-5000 or visit our website at www.harschrealestate.com

Adaptive Reuse is a process that adapts buildings for new uses while retaining their historic features.  The simplest example of architectural adaptive reuse is the antique barn resurrected as a unique and stunning new residential home.   Initially architects and structural engineers evaluate foundations, beams, columns and flooring to determine the stability of the building.  Once it is determined that the fundamental structure is sound the process of renovation begins.

The trend of adaptive reuse has caught on with a passion in larger metropolitan areas such as Boston, New York, Chicago and Atlanta. An outstanding example is   Chicago Soldier Field,   the Chicago Bears’ historic stadium.  The ability to reuse this site and adapt it to the requirements of a modern professional football stadium is impressive.    The Power House  is a fine example of adaptive reuse of a turn of the century steam plant located in Long Island City, New York.   Massachusetts boasts many adaptive reuse projects including Old City Hall,  The Apartments at Coolidge School in Watertown, MA, and The Atlas Lofts. 

The last two adaptive reuse projects are part of the Mitchell Properties LLC portfolio of adaptive reuse projects.  Their newest project coming online in 2010 is located in Williamstown MA.  Cable Mills Condominiums will be a community located in the Berkshires with stunning views of river, mountains and Williamstown.  A short two minute walk to the Taconic Golf Club, the Village center and Williams College are a few of the amenities that will make this development truly unique.  Berkshire Living Urban Style describes Cable Mills Condominiums.  The condominium residences comprise the style of the Boston Loft with the visual and sensual beauty of the Berkshires. 

Harsch Associates Real Estate a well know Berkshire Real Estate Brokerage firm is now taking reservations for Cable Mills Condominiums.  Whether a second home, a primary home, or an investment in the Berkshires you will appreciate the easy lifestyle that Cable Mills Condominiums offers. 

Harsch Associates Exclusive Broker for Cable Mills Condominiums

Renting out your Berkshire condominium is a great way to earn some extra money in this economy, but it is a big decision.  We want to prepare you to make the best decision possible with a few tips on finding and retaining the PERFECT tenants.

• Charge an application fee.  This will quickly weed out those who are just wasting your time by looking at every condominium for rent on the market.  If you want to encourage application fees offer to deduct the fee from the first month’s rent.
• Verify your potential tenant’s employment.  Ask to see last month’s pay stubs.  Also consider if the amount your potential tenant is making per month will actually cover the estimated costs  of paying the rent on the condominium.

• To ensure that your property will be cared for and bills will be paid on time set written rules.  You may have rules that say a person who is not included in the lease may not stay at the property more than a certain number of days. You may or may not allow pets, and remember whatever rules you set must be enforced because if one rule is ignored there is a good chance that the tenant will attempt to get away with violating more rules. 

Screening and qualifying tenants will make your life much easier on the back end of the lease.   Good lease rules make for good relationships and a well kept piece of property.

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Living the simple life the Stockbridge Real Estate way 

• Afternoon Garden
• Tree Peony Garden
• Rose Garden
• Evergreen Garden
• Chinese Garden

No Deal. Qualified Seller? Maybe Not. 

 The moments we remember fondly always involve wonderful times in life when everyone seems contented and things just hum along happily.  In real estate terms, good markets are when things are more or less “in balance.”  In the Berkshires, we remember this period as the all time great “seller’s market” and it occurred between 2002 and 2006.  Everyone was getting into real estate sales, investments and upgrading homes to flip.  The economy was sound (neither weak nor overheated) and unemployment was low.  An idyllic period we remember fondly.  Then came 2007 and unemployment rose as companies were sold, employment was shipped overseas and Berkshire property sales began a decline that continues even now in 2010.    

I write this at the end of April of 2010 and the economic pendulum has swung from a bustling economic boom so far, far downward in the direction of unemployment (Berkshire record numbers) and loss of portfolio values brought about the Wall Street debacles documented in the papers daily.  Jobs are as scarce as qualified buyers are.    Unfortunately, many of our Berkshire sellers are remembering, “the way we were.”

Selling a property in this buyers market requires a seller to focus on the “way we are” right now, right here, today.   Some sellers are not “qualified” to sell for one of several reasons. We typically think of qualifying buyers as buyers who can obtain a mortgage.   Brokers and Realtor® must often dig down into a seller’s unspoken words and feelings about the house sale to ascertain if a seller is qualified enough to sell their property.

To be fully “qualified”, a seller must meet several standards:

In sum, when times are challenging, simply putting property on the market does not begin to prove a seller’s qualifications. It takes skill and perception by both parties to determine the level of qualification of the seller. The highly “qualified sellers” are the ones who are walking away from the closing table this year, maybe not with glee, but with the comfort of knowing that they did well in an otherwise very challenging market and can now move on in their lives to the next phase.

What is equally important to recognize is that these sellers, rather than fight against the market, have been able to trade from one property to their next with relative ease since whatever they are purchasing will also be at a value relative to what they sold.  Experienced sailors say, “The tide raises and lowers ALL boats at the same time.”  The same is true of the housing market. 

Paul Harsch III is President of Harsch Associates Real Estate located in Williamstown MA, home of The Clark Art and Williams College.  Paul has been a Broker in the Berkshires for over 35 years and speaks from the experience of many real estate cycles.   Harsch Associates serves all of Berkshire County MA, Southern Vermont and New York State.  He can be reached at Paul@harschrealestate.com

Open the Floodgate- Lower the Price

A recent article in the New York Times carried the title “Dry Your Eyes and Lower the Price.”  That is timely advice if your home is on the market this season.   Lots of tissue will come in handy as your realtor provides you with a market analysis, which may indicate that homes are selling from 9% to 13% below assessed value depending on location, condition and number of homes on the market in your neighborhood. 

Brokers around the nation are going deeper into the analysis of their local markets because of the number of homes on the market and the limited number of buyers available in the market.   This analysis ability can help you price your home in a range where the floodgates will open and you will begin receiving offers.  Building in price reductions is a good tactic if you actually want to sell.  

Listing a home for sale in this kind of market is dicey at best.  If you want a large return and have years to wait for that magical return, it might be advisable to hold out and wait for several years before you decide to sell.  If you intend to stand firm on your price regardless of the market you might question yourself and your family to see if you really want to spend the time and effort to clean, stage, and leave your home every time a “looker” comes through.  If you have many lookers and no “takers”, it is time to consider dropping the asking price a little at a time until you hit the floodgate level.   

Something to help with the tears and tissues?  Remember that holding onto a house costs you 1.5% of the value of the home every MONTH.   If you home is valued at $300,000 that would be $4500 per month.  If you hold onto you are determined to stick it out compare it to the stock market.   Would you do the same if your stock investment were losing $4500 per month?

Then stand back and sort through those offers and smile on your way to the bank.  You sold it!

Lottery Anyone? Predicting the Berkshire Housing Market .  

 

Predicting the right time to invest in the stock market and predicting the right time to buy low in the housing market carries the same “trying to catch a falling knife” safety advice.  Don’t. 

Let’s play “timing the market.”  You will need a friend to help you with this game.  Get a blank sheet of paper and a pencil.  As you begin to draw a line down the length of the paper, ask your friend to stop your line when they believe the market has hit bottom and will begin to rise.

Keep in mind that you can begin drawing the line back up at any time you choose.  Most likely, your friend will stop you when you start to draw the line back up the page.  However, they will have missed the “bottom” of the market since they had no way to predict when you would change the direction of your line from down to up.

Predicting when to buy, sell or hold is difficult for the experts and even more so for amateurs.

Why then are most financial advisers encouraging home purchases now?  Do they believe the bottom has been reached and costs of a home will now rise along with interest rates?  Who knows?  That being said, Market Watch.com provides several reasons as to why buying now is a good bet. 

Marketwatch.com  gives  5 excellent reasons to buy a home this year. First Affordability is better than ever.  The inventory of homes is large and you can be choosy and ask for improvements before signing on the dotted line.  If you choose to buy a new home, you can get huge discounts from builders who want to clear out their inventory.  Historically mortgage rates are at record low.  You can call the shots because you don’t need to buy and sellers know pre-approved buyers are hard to come by in this economy.   Need one more reason?   The interest on your already low interest loan is tax deductible.  And what about the tax rebate?  Our Associates at Harsch Real Estate look forward to helping you find your dream home when you feel the time is right.   413-458-5000

Is it still a man’s world: Buying a home in the Berkshires and Trends in Female home ownership for 2010 and Beyond 

Nationally households headed by women have grown 400% since 1950.   The increased importance of women in real estate has produced both marketing by gender and paradoxically, marketing NOT by gender.  For example Home Depot had considered producing and makreting a line of “woman” tools, however gave up after women shared that they wanted quality tools as much a men and not smaller lighter and perceived less sturdy “woman” tools. 

Women are playing greater roles in the Berkshire Housing  market than ever before.  Social and economic trends such a delayed marriage, higher divorce rates, lower remarriage rates and increasing participation in the labor market have given single women a growing presence in the Berkshire housing market.  Fannie Mae estimates that this year there will be 31 million women-headed households in the U.S.  By 2050, women will outnumber men by 6.9 million per the U.S. Census. 

If you are woman looking to buy a home or condo in  the Berkshires these are few important options to investigate.

 Ask your Harsch Associates Berkshire Realtor® about finding sellers that will include “seller contributions” at closing such as paying settlement costs.

• Grant programs from community groups, private organizations and government tend to favor women.  Search online for woman homebuyer grant programs.
• Study your home buying options.  One of the most common barriers to women who want to purchase a home is “limited information about home buying”
• Your Harsch Associates Berkshire Realtor will work to  understand your financial situation, family needs and can work with local financing institutions to get you into your new home.
• Consider a condominium for your first home.  Recent studies suggest that single women currently make up approximately 47% of the condominium buyers in the United States. The reason is obvious if you think about it.  Condominiums are an increasingly popular choice for single women because of the various benefits such as convenience, security, and often virtually maintenance free living.  You will pay condominium association fees however you will receive many amenities that might not be possible to purchase when you begin making house payments.  These include such items as a pool, tennis court, common rooms, and off street parking facilities. 
• For more information about women and home buying trends investigate these key search words online _ female home ownership, single woman and home ownership, women and condominiums, housing trends and women and financing a home for women

Can Your Kitchen Pass the Food Safety Test?  Spring 2010

It’s that time of the year again when we think of spring cleaning the Berkshires and getting our home ready for the season to come.  Here in the Berkshires this time of year is known as the mud season and everything around us is an earthy brown.  Then the brown blooms into a kaleidoscope of pastels and rich greens.  Take a moment to read on to learn a few safety tips to make your kitchen safer as you pack a lunch to visit the Berkshires.

What comes to mind when you think of a clean kitchen? Shiny waxed floors? Gleaming stainless steel sinks? Spotless counters and neatly arranged cupboards?

They can help, but a truly “clean” kitchen–that is, one that ensures safe food–relies on more than just looks. It also depends on safe food practices.

In the home, food safety concerns revolve around three main functions: food storage, food handling, and cooking. To see how well you’re doing in each, take this quiz, and then read on to learn how you can make the meals and snacks from your kitchen the safest possible.

Quiz

Choose the answer that best describes the practice in your household, whether or not you are the primary food handler.

1. The temperature of the refrigerator in my home is:
a. 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius)
b. 41 F (5 C)
c. I don’t know; I’ve never measured it.
 

2. The last time we had leftover cooked stew or other food with meat, chicken or fish, the food was:
a. cooled to room temperature, then put in the refrigerator
b. put in the refrigerator immediately after the food was served
c. left at room temperature overnight or longer
 

3. The last time the kitchen sink drain, disposal and connecting pipe in my home were sanitized was:
a. last night
b. several weeks ago
c. can’t remember
 

4. If a cutting board is used in my home to cut raw meat, poultry or fish and it is going to be used to chop another food, the board is:
a. reused as is
b. wiped with a damp cloth
c. washed with soap and hot water
d. washed with soap and hot water and then sanitized
 

5. The last time we had hamburgers in my home, I ate mine:
a. rare
b. medium
c. well-done
 

6. The last time there was cookie dough in my home, the dough was:
a. made with raw eggs, and I sampled some of it
b. store-bought, and I sampled some of it
c. not sampled until baked
 

7. I clean my kitchen counters and other surfaces that come in contact with food with:
a. water
b. hot water and soap
c. hot water and soap, then bleach solution
d. hot water and soap, then commercial sanitizing agent
 

8. When dishes are washed in my home, they are:
a. cleaned by an automatic dishwasher and then air-dried
b. left to soak in the sink for several hours and then washed with soap in the same water
c. washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and then air-dried
d. washed right away with hot water and soap in the sink and immediately towel-dried
 

9. The last time I handled raw meat, poultry or fish, I cleaned my hands afterwards by:
a. wiping them on a towel
b. rinsing them under hot, cold or warm tap water
c. washing with soap and warm water
 

10. Meat, poultry and fish products are defrosted in my home by:
a. setting them on the counter
b. placing them in the refrigerator
c. microwaving
 

11. When I buy fresh seafood, I:
a. buy only fish that’s refrigerated or well iced
b. take it home immediately and put it in the refrigerator
c. sometimes buy it straight out of a local fisher’s creel
 

12. I realize people, including myself, should be especially careful about not eating raw seafood, if they have:
a. diabetes
b. HIV infection
c. cancer
d. liver disease
——————————————————————————–

Answers

1. Refrigerators should stay at 41 F (5 C) or less, so if you chose answer B, give yourself two points. If you didn’t, you’re not alone. Many people overlook the importance of maintaining an appropriate refrigerator temperature.

The refrigerator temperature in many households is above 50 degrees (10 C). Measure the temperature with a thermometer and, if needed, adjust the refrigerator’s temperature control dial. A temperature of 41 F (5 C) or less is important because it slows the growth of most bacteria. The temperature won’t kill the bacteria, but it will keep them from multiplying, and the fewer there are, the less likely you are to get sick from them. Freezing at zero F (minus 18 C) or less stops bacterial growth (although it won’t kill all bacteria already present).

2. Answer B is the best practice; give yourself two points if you picked it.

Hot foods should be refrigerated as soon as possible within two hours after cooking. But don’t keep the food if it’s been standing out for more than two hours. Don’t taste test it, either. Even a small amount of contaminated food can cause illness.

Date leftovers so they can be used within a safe time. Generally, they remain safe when refrigerated for three to five days. If in doubt, throw it out.

3. If answer A best describes your household’s practice, give yourself two points. Give yourself one point if you chose B.

The kitchen sink drain, disposal and connecting pipe are often overlooked, but they should be sanitized periodically by pouring down the sink a solution of 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) of chlorine bleach in 1 quart (about 1 liter) of water or a solution of commercial kitchen cleaning agent made according to product directions. Food particles get trapped in the drain and disposal and, along with the moistness, create an ideal environment for bacterial growth.

4. If answer D best describes your household’s practice, give yourself two points.

If you picked A, you’re violating an important food safety rule: Never allow raw meat, poultry and fish to come in contact with other foods. Answer B isn’t good, either. Improper washing, such as with a damp cloth, will not remove bacteria. And washing only with soap and water may not do the job, either.

5. Give yourself two points if you picked answer C.

If you don’t have a meat thermometer, there are other ways to determine whether seafood is done:

• For fish, slip the point of a sharp knife into the flesh and pull aside. The edges should be opaque and the center slightly translucent with flakes beginning to separate. Let the fish stand three to four minutes to finish cooking.
• For shrimp, lobster and scallops, check color. Shrimp and lobster and scallops, red and the flesh becomes pearly opaque. Scallops turn milky white or opaque and firm.
• For clams, mussels and oysters, watch for the point at which their shells open. Boil three to five minutes longer. Throw out those that stay closed.
• When using the microwave, rotate the dish several times to ensure even cooking. Follow recommended standing times. After the standing time is completed, check the seafood in several spots with a meat thermometer to be sure the product has reached the proper temperature.

6. If you answered A, you may be putting yourself at risk for infection with Salmonella enteritidis, a bacterium that can be in shell eggs. Cooking the egg or egg-containing food product to an internal temperature of at least 145 F (63 C) kills the bacteria. So answer C–eating the baked product–will earn you two points.

You’ll get two points for answer B, also. Foods containing raw eggs, such as homemade ice cream, cake batter, mayonnaise, and eggnog, carry a Salmonella risk, but their commercial counterparts don’t. Commercial products are made with pasteurized eggs; that is, eggs that have been heated sufficiently to kill bacteria, and also may contain an acidifying agent that kills the bacteria. Commercial preparations of cookie dough are not a food hazard.

If you want to sample homemade dough or batter or eat other foods with raw-egg-containing products, consider substituting pasteurized eggs for raw eggs. Pasteurized eggs are usually sold in the grocer’s refrigerated dairy case.

Some other tips to ensure egg safety:

• Buy only refrigerated eggs, and keep them refrigerated until you are ready to cook and serve them.
• Cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and white are firm, not runny, and scramble until there is no visible liquid egg.
• Cook pasta dishes and stuffings that contain eggs thoroughly.

7. Answers C or D will earn you two points each; answer B, one point. According to FDA’s Guzewich, bleach and commercial kitchen cleaning agents are the best sanitizers–provided they’re diluted according to product directions. They’re the most effective at getting rid of bacteria. Hot water and soap does a good job, too, but may not kill all strains of bacteria. Water may get rid of visible dirt, but not bacteria.

Also, be sure to keep dishcloths and sponges clean because, when wet, these materials harbor bacteria and may promote their growth.

8. Answers A and C are worth two points each. There are potential problems with B and D. When you let dishes sit in water for a long time, it “creates a soup,” FDA’s Buchanan said. “The food left on the dish contributes nutrients for bacteria, so the bacteria will multiply.” When washing dishes by hand, he said, it’s best to wash them all within two hours. Also, it’s best to air-dry them so you don’t handle them while they’re wet.

9. The only correct practice is answer C. Give yourself two points if you picked it.

Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, especially raw meat, poultry and fish. If you have an infection or cut on your hands, wear rubber or plastic gloves. Wash gloved hands just as often as bare hands because the gloves can pick up bacteria. (However, when washing gloved hands, you don’t need to take off your gloves and wash your bare hands, too.)

10. Give yourself two points if you picked B or C. Food safety experts recommend thawing foods in the refrigerator or the microwave oven or putting the package in a water-tight plastic bag submerged in cold water and changing the water every 30 minutes. Gradual defrosting overnight is best because it helps maintain quality.

When microwaving, follow package directions. Leave about 2 inches (about 5 centimeters) between the food and the inside surface of the microwave to allow heat to circulate. Smaller items will defrost more evenly than larger pieces of food. Foods defrosted in the microwave oven should be cooked immediately after thawing.

Do not thaw meat, poultry and fish products on the counter or in the sink without cold water; bacteria can multiply rapidly at room temperature.

Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Discard the marinade after use because it contains raw juices, which may harbor bacteria. If you want to use the marinade as a dip or sauce, reserve a portion before adding raw food.

11. A and B are correct. Give yourself two points for either.

When buying fresh seafood, buy only from reputable dealers who keep their products refrigerated or properly iced. Be wary, for example, of vendors selling fish out of their creel (canvas bag) or out of the back of their truck.

Once you buy the seafood, immediately put it on ice, in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Some other tips for choosing safe seafood:

• Don’t buy cooked seafood, such as shrimp, crabs or smoked fish, if displayed in the same case as raw fish. Cross-contamination can occur. Or, at least, make sure the raw fish is on a level lower than the cooked fish so that the raw fish juices don’t flow onto the cooked items and contaminate them.
• Don’t buy frozen seafood if the packages are open, torn or crushed on the edges. Avoid packages that are above the frost line in the store’s freezer. If the package cover is transparent, look for signs of frost or ice crystals. This could mean that the fish has either been stored for a long time or thawed and refrozen.
• Recreational fishers who plan to eat their catch should follow local government advisories about fishing areas and eating fish from certain areas.
• As with meat and poultry, if seafood will be used within two days after purchase, store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator, usually under the freezer compartment or in a special “meat keeper.” Avoid packing it in tightly with other items; allow air to circulate freely around the package. Otherwise, wrap the food tightly in moisture-proof freezer paper or foil to protect it from air leaks and store in the freezer.
• Discard shellfish, such as lobsters, crabs, oysters, clams and mussels, if they die during storage or if their shells crack or break. Live shellfish close up whe the shell is tapped.

12. If you are under treatment for any of these diseases, as well as several others, you should avoid raw seafood. Give yourself two points for knowing one or more of the risky conditions.

People with certain diseases and conditions need to be especially careful because their diseases or the medicine they take may put them at risk for serious illness or death from contaminated seafood.

These conditions include:

• liver disease, either from excessive alcohol use, viral hepatitis, or other causes hemochromatosis, an iron disorder
• diabetes
• stomach problems, including previous stomach surgery and low stomach acid (for example, from antacid use)
• cancer
• immune disorders, including HIV infection
• long-term steroid use, as for asthma and arthritis
• Older adults also may be at increased risk because they more often have these conditions.

People with these diseases or conditions should never eat raw seafood — only seafood that has been thoroughly cooked.

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Rating Your Home’s Food Practices

24 points: Feel confident about the safety of foods served in your home.

12 to 23 points: Reexamine food safety practices in your home. Some key rules are being violated.

11 points or below: Take steps immediately to correct food handling, storage and cooking techniques used in your home. Current practices are putting you and other members of your household in danger of food-borne illness.