Archives of real estate blog entries for August 6, 2006 (Page 3)

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Thoughts on Personal Safety Part 3 - 02:48 PM
For those of you who missed "Thoughts on Personal Safety Part 1, and Part 2," I'm posting the third and final installment for your viewing pleasure.  The idea is to help folks become more security saavy when they're out there on the streets showing houses.  Here are some more ideas:
Take self-defense:  And then use it to ESCAPE!  Get in a cheap shot on your attacker and get away.  I love J-Lo as much as the next guy, but the chances of a small woman beating up a big guy are "nillage in the village" if you know what I mean.  Better … (6 comments)

The Architecture 2030 Challenge - 07:08 PM
As you know if you have read my blog before, I am a certified EcoBroker and part of my Real Estate business is to educate people about energy efficient green housing and promote the reuse of existing housing stock. I am posting here the 2030 Challenge begun by Ed Mazria, Santa Fe architech and author. 
The following is a summary of the "2030 °Challenge" asking the global architecture and building community to adopt these standards:
That all new buildings and developments be designed to use 1/2 the fossil fuel energy they would typically consume (1/2 the country average for that building type).That … (0 comments)

MOVE 'EM OUT - 07:29 AM
Our local newspaper, The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, is running a great series on "Moving Houses." The first one ran Friday, and it is a continuing series about different strategies Realtors can use to move homes.  
If you'd like to read the first one and follow the others, here's the link:   http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060804/PHOTOS02/60804011   The first article was on staging homes. I think you may enjoy it if it is not in your local paper.  
Roxanne
… (1 comments)

Investing - 01:46 PM
I just purchased a home for investment in Port Charlotte, FL. It was built in 1960 and needs a little updating (cabinets, flooring, A/C, etc). It has three bedrooms and one bathroom and is in a nice neighborhood. I just closed last month and paid $90,000 for it.
I figure when all said and done I'll have another $15,000 into it for a total of $105,000. I plan to rent it out for a year or so and see how it goes.
Right now North Port/Port Charlotte is the least expensive area from Tampa to Naples (which is SW Florida). We … (6 comments)

Throwing Penguins... - 02:06 PM
OK, I have friends (some of them agents) that spend hours on these two sites. I must admit, they are fun! On the first one you click on the bear to see how far you can hit the penguin across the snow. The second one you see how far the bear can swing the penguin up in the air.
http://www.funny-games.biz/pingu3.html
http://n.ethz.ch/student/mkos/pinguin.swf
Now these agents, playing games, are the same agents I have sent to Active Rain link 2-3 times and they said they were signing up. Maybe throwing a penguin is more addictive than Active Rain.
… (2 comments)

The Rate Buydown................................... - 11:32 PM
In lending there is a tremendous amount of competition. Lenders will often promise clients the world but dont explain anything. Clients that i would come in contact with or would contact me telling me that certain lenders were very aggressive and offering them extremley low rates. These rates that were offered were almost 1 to 1.5 % lower than the days current par rates. I told these clients to send me their good faith estimates, actually some these lenders outright refused to disclose them to their own clients!!!!!!!!!!!. On the gfe`s nothing was disclosed in reagrds to loan discount points. A … (1 comments)

What benefit do you get by being a REALTOR®? - 05:15 PM
A fair question please......
Can you tell me what you have gained by being a REALTOR®? Please be as specific as you want.....I am talking about leads gained, clients earned, closings made, etc.... not a fuzzy emotional feeling that does NOT translate into dollars earned.... beside the small amount of ads I have heard on the radio I have seen nothing that is beneftting me.....10% off class designation costs is nothing to write home about....
I have not earned ONE client by telling them I am a REALTOR®..... my marketing skill, business savvy, negotiating ability, real estate wisdom and insight do that for me … (11 comments)

How far do you drive to list a home or property? - 05:20 PM
We at "The Knights Team" serve  a number of counties. How far away should an agent drive to secure a listing? Should the maximum distance be 10 miles away, 20, 30, 50 miles? And what should the listing commission net to make the drive worthwhile?
Last year the mileage tax deduction was 48.5 cents per mile.... what do you think?
… (14 comments)

How much do you spend on lunch, dinner with clients every month? - 05:27 PM
We as I-9 tax filers get to deduct 50% of our business food expenses every year.
How much do you spend and what justifies the expense..... is a high end buyer/seller worth a trip to a most expensive lunch/dinner after the close, during home showings, inspections, contract signings, and the like; or do you spend a modest amount on the food you purchase with ALL clients, giving an eye to moderation?
What do you say?
… (12 comments)

Mandarin Chinese - 11:41 AM
Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida, announced that it will be teaching Mandarin Chinese at all grade levels, beginning this year 2006-2007.  Spanish has been very useful in Florida for international business. The academy will continue teaching Spanish and French, but may drop German for lack of interest. Obviously they feel Mandarin Chinese will be critical for business in the coming years.
Eckerd College has also taken a leading role with their international business curriculum. The head of that program is Hal Serrie, an anthropologist. The curriculum includes foreign language, studies abroad and cultural training, as well as business topics.  Eckerd … (0 comments)

Viewing Property By Boat - 11:47 AM
When a client is looking for a home on the water, they will often want to check it out by boat as well. Some boaters want to check it out themselves, gauging access to the property, water depth, boating facilities, etc. We put a sign on the waterfront side as well as one the street side.
Some realtors also, whether they advertise it or not, will also show property by boat, or will take clients out in a boat to show them the proximity of the Gulf of Mexico, and surrounding areas.  Be sure to check and see if a) you need … (1 comments)

Availability on Weekends - 11:52 AM
It is certainly an agent's choice whether they want to be showing property on a weekend - some are always available, others don't work on Sundays, and yet others will work occasionally on the weekend, by appointment only. Those choices are certainly individual, but should be shared with potential sellers at the listing appointment.
It is really a disservice to sellers, though, if their agent cannot be reached for information between Friday and Monday. Is the property still available? Can it by shown while the buyers are in town only for the weekend? Perhaps a sellers property disclosure is needed, or there … (11 comments)

Wood Brothers Racing Museum - Patrick County VA - 07:00 PM
Martinsville Speedway, located in Henry County, plays host to 2 Nextel Cup Races annually.  Being part of the Racing Region, its only appropriate to mention that located just 30 minute away from the Speedway you will find the newly constructed Woods Brothers Racing Museum.  Woods Brothers Racing is one of the oldest and longest running race teams in Nascar history.  Currently, Ricky Rudd is driving for the Woods Brothers on the Nextel Cup Circuit. 
… (0 comments)

3 SIMPLE WAYS T AVOID BANKRUPTCY - 10:25 PM
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CREDIT CARDS AND YOU - 10:26 PM
Credit Cards and You
Check out an article of mine and let me know what you think. Practically everyone in the United States has credit cards. From teenagers to retirees, almost everyone has at least one credit card. Everywhere we go we see ads - in the television, radio, newspapers, billboard advertisements - on credit cards. Some credit cards are even mailed directly to our homes. But what are credit cards, why should you have one and what are some of the risks involved? Simply stated, a credit card is a financial arrangement between you, the consumer or the card … (3 comments)

Credit Card Abuse. THE AMERICAN HORROR STORY!!!! - 10:27 PM
Hello guys and girls! New article of mine. Let me know what you think. It is the modern American horror story, but one now being seen increasingly throughout the world... A successful middle class consumer, with a good income and excellent credit history, enters middle age knowing that it is time to start saving for retirement. Then something unexpected happens. It may be good news, such as the birth of a new baby, or it may be bad - an illness, a family emergency, a divorce... None of these events by themselves, are usually enough to destroy anyone's financial future. But, … (2 comments)

How much do we make and is it too much? - 12:52 PM
I want to clarify before I get too far into this that I was a mortgage broker for 7 years prior to coming to the lending side.  I didn't leave any of the reasons you may think, but because I wasn't seeing the commitment by my mortgage company or many other brokers to adapt to the new market changes the way I saw Wells Fargo doing it. 
Anyway....
I had a customer a few years ago who was very happy with his rate and fees and everything there was to do with the refinance transaction he and his wife were about to … (1 comments)

What will tomorrow bring ? - 04:44 PM
Ok kids,     Put ur thinking caps on.
#1.   What do u think about lumber yards, hardware stores or wally world getting into the banking Biz ?
#2    What do u think about banks getting into the biz of selling realestate ?
#3    What will be    THE BEST CHANGES coming our way ? 
#4    What will be    THE WORST CHANGES coming our way ?
#5    How do U see the internet changing from the way we know it today ?  
… (4 comments)

Health Savings Accounts II - 03:38 PM
Another thing you need to watch with health savings accounts. Friends have gone with a high deductable insurance policy because they could not afford traditional insurance. Everything was going fine until they developed an ulcer. Low and behold...they needed surgery...and the surgery was done on an out-patient basis (like most surgery now days) and their high deductable insurance only pays for in-patient surgery. So when you have a health savings account coupled with a high deductable insurance policy your insurance may not cover "any" out-patient procedures and your savings would never be enough to cover this...beware...check everything before you go this … (3 comments)

Resources from Sharie MacDougal - 12:49 PM
If you are moving soon, you will need to change your address. You can now do this quickly and easily online through the USPS website.  Visit http://moversguide.usps.com/?referral=USPS.  Also, you may be planning on some home improvements. Planning on doing it yourself? Check this site for assistance with all of your repairs adn improvements - http://www.doityourself.com/                   Don't forget that when you move  you will probably have a lot of clothes an dother items that you will be giving away. You can visit http://locator.goodwill.org to find your nearest Goodwill Donation Center.     If … (1 comments)

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