Archives of real estate blog entries for August 14, 2007 (Page 8)

Blog posts


Mortgage Loan Fees Are Real. (really!!) - 09:28 PM
I can't tell you how many Good Faith Estimates(GFEs) that I have reviewed. But it is a lot!! And I am always amazed at how different people and different companies arrange their fees. Some are pretty generic and basic, like mine. Others are elaborate in their descriptions like the Loan Officer is a walking thesaurus. Some even have some extra special EXTRA fees that I don't agree with. But the fact that they are so different just tells me that one cannot really compare a GFE line by line. The borrower must go to the bottom of the closing cost summary … (5 comments)

Hello - 07:42 AM
Thanks for the invite. … (2 comments)

LADIES START YOUR ENGINES - 11:50 AM
IT'S TIME TO SHOPOne of the bonus's about living in Shell Knob, MO,  or around Table Rock Lake, is the close proximity to the fun in nearby Branson, MO.  Here in 'fly-over' country, this popular town brings people from all over the country to enjoy it's shows, restaurants, and shopping and even REALTORS need an occasional 'Girls Day Out'. 
HOWEVER..............the last two weeks of August many schools start and people's minds go towards getting back into the post-summer routines.
 Savvy locals know this is one of the best times to enjoy a day in Branson minus the tourists and traffic.
There will … (7 comments)

SHELL KNOB, MISSOURI'S GARAGE SALE SEASON - 02:41 PM
  Getting your home ready to put on the market requires some planning - thoughtful planning. 
Is the living room crowded - that overstuffed chair pushing the space?  Maybe all those knick-knacks are getting stale?  You will be amazed at how big your living area can look , minus a couple of chairs and end tables.
Labor Day is not only the last week end of summer, it also kicks off Shell Knob's Garage Sale Season.GARAGE SALE TIME! 
No better time than now, when you are preparing to sell your home.  As most of the Home Stagers will tell you, declutter, depersonalize, open … (3 comments)

This Market is Bringing Interest Advertising - 05:23 AM
 
  
The downtown in the real estate market here in Westchester County has brought some interesting advertising.
The first full page ad that I saw in one of the local newspapers is an ad with pictures of all the agents and the heading that this agency has 41% market share in one particular area.  In the past I have done blogs about when you hire an agent you are hiring the agent and not the company and this ad supports this contention.  This ad has an asterik with this statement "market share is based on sales of our agents for the year when … (5 comments)

Get Involved.... - 09:20 AM
While we were sleeping the forces of the world were trying to set up a trap for us. While we were bringing in record revenue to the local municipalities through the payment of mortgage tax, they were plotting for the end of the refinance days by trying to get new transfer taxes past on the sale of your property. That's right. They have soaked the buyer to the nth degree. No it will be the sellers turn.
Many of these taxes are under the guise of creating a fund for parks or free space. They already have this money. Don't get caught. … (2 comments)

Choosing Your Tax Plan Just Got Easier - 08:12 AM
With all the talk about the proposed "Super Exemption" being placed in front of Florida voters in January, there are a lot of misconceptions, and a down-right lack of understanding. I have been writing about the proposed plan for a while now, but for some of you, it just got a lot easier with property appraiser websites.
Click here to read the full story.
… (0 comments)

Finding The Lowest Gas Prices - 08:17 AM
We've all seen the gas prices falling lately, finally!  To keep an eye out for where you can fill up for less, simply go to my Official Blog.  In the top right corner is a tool for finding the cheapest gas in your area.  Enter your zip code and click "Search".  You will then see a list of the 15 cheapest gas prices near you and where those stations are.
Give it a try here!
… (5 comments)

Hey, STAGERS!! Give Rich Jacobson Something to Think About!!!! - 07:23 PM
Most of you should already know that Rich Jacobson has posted a contest for the stagers of Active Rain.
The Carnival of Content - Staging Professionals is underway and so far we have a very poor showing.  Rich's original post on the subject (see the rules and perameters here) has gotten response from people chomping at the bit to see what we could come up with - they want to see what we can do.  As of today, we only have 4 entries and with 3 opportunities to place, it's not much of a challenge so far. 
Come one, everybody!  This is an … (8 comments)

20 Tips For Selling Your House - 12:08 AM
20 Tips for Selling Your House
As a homeowner, you can play an important part in the timely sale of your property. When you take the following steps, you'll help your RE/MAX Sales Associate sell your home faster, at the best possible price.
The easiest and most reliable way to improve the appeal of your home is to enlist a quality home service professional. The right professional can help you get everything in order - from repainting the kitchen to providing a thorough cleaning - so you can stay focused on more important things.
Make the Most of that First ImpressionA … (0 comments)

Raleigh, NC, Real Estate: Shelley Lake is a popular oasis in North Raleigh! - 11:43 PM
 Shelley Lake is part of the Raleigh, North Carolina Parks and Recreation System.  The park surrounds the 53 acre lake.  The main entrance is off Millbrook Road in North Raleigh, leading to picnic areas, play areas, a 2+ mile paved trail around the lake, the Sertoma Park and Arts Center, a boathouse with rental boats, and a fishing dock. 
The trail at Shelley Lake crosses the lake on this bridge.  The trail challenges runners, with steep sections on the rolling hills of North Raleigh, along with open flat areas.  Unpaved areas are popular with mountain bikers.
See the Shelley Lake Slideshow on … (8 comments)

IT MAKES YOU WONDER~~~A SMILIE - 12:25 PM
OK I'll admit it. There are just times when I feel silly.  When you are my age and you are single, not dating, don't get out much socially, and you're bored, there are few things you can do for amusement. 
The other day I had to run to the store on the spur of the moment.  Feeling silly like I did, I put on my beige Century 21 t-shirt with my jeans. I put on my Century 21 Realtor name badge, My Realtor's© pin, and grabbed my Centaury 21 Olde Tyme baseball cap and was on my way.
It was to be … (13 comments)

THIS IS MY RANT! - 05:15 PM
Ok I don't do this very often but I just have to speak my mind here.  This isn't brain surgery or rocket science.  We are supposed to be communicator's people.  Not just of the spoken word but written word as well.  Let's face it we read our weight in documents almost on a weekly basis. 
I have been a member of Active Rain now for nine months.  I read more than I comment.  If I don't have something to say I normally don't comment unless I think it really has educated me, tickled my funny bone or the prose are great.  … (130 comments)

Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County July 2007 Market Reports - 05:00 PM
Find Current Market Reports for Ann Arbor
Wow, for 2 straight months now, the amount of homes listed in Washtenaw County, including Ann Arbor, MI has declined. That is great news. The Pfizer homes that are listed are selling first. Why? As I have posted for months now, they had the benefit of a "loss on sale" clause. So those sellers could price their homes the lowest in the subdivision and those homes are selling the fastest.
Case in point, I closed on a home purchased my Pfizer employees for 512,000 in Sept 2006, and my buyers were able to get … (30 comments)

UNLV in the national spotlight - 08:24 PM
UNLV is used to making national headlines with some of its athletic programs and that's about it. Men's golf has been ranked well over the years and they even took home the NCAA championship not too long ago. Men's basketball has again got back on its feet after several years of so-so performances. Yes, and on the academic side, there is one bright star. Let's remember that. The Hotel College has been the only faculty considered high-class material ever since the good old Rat Pack days. And not only nationally, but internationally, too.
Now the university is making waves in an … (0 comments)

7 Secrets of A Hassle Free Closing! - 11:13 AM
 
In a real estate transaction, the cauldron of stress boiling just beneath the surface can create circumstances that can turn a memorable moment into a messy nightmare.  Every real estate agent who has done a number of transactions can recollect at least one horrendous closing. 
I recall one closing in which the seller was so stressed out about his daughter's wedding that he literally walked out of the closing office, declaring that he was not going to sign any paperwork!  He was later placated with a closing done just for him at his home in the company of a notary. 
Stressful closings, … (25 comments)

Learn Short Sales from the Master-Michael Masterson - 07:32 AM
"One who talks sweet does not have an enemy and is blessed with plentiful of wealth and good fortune."
- Rig Veda
Secrets of Short Selling Real Estate
By Dwan Bent-Twyford
As a real estate investor, you're almost sure to make the most money when dealing with motivated sellers.
Sometimes, they just want to get rid of the property and are willing to sell it to you at a price where you instantly pick up a lot of equity. Other times, they need to sell quickly, but have little or no equity at all in the property. In other words, the difference between what the … (0 comments)

At Least She Didn't Drop The F-Bomb - 09:18 AM
I kind of feel I need to comment on a small controversy between two Ohio AR members over the words used in a post a few days ago. The original post by my friend Maureen McCabe was titled ActiveRain-s-Point-Counterpoint and addressed the issue of Active Rain blogging versus "outside" blogs. Evidently, Mike Parks, a home inspector, objected to a phrase used in Maureen's post, then made a comment that Maureen deleted. Then Mike wrote about it on his blog as What Is Offensive . Mike's objection was basically to a phrase that had been used on Saturday Night Live 25 or more years ago.
I've … (16 comments)

Buyers taking advantage of low prices! - 03:19 PM
The buyers are finally realizing the benefits of this market. In the Fernandina Beach and Yulee area of Northeast Florida, homes have reached the "bottom" and prices are back on the increase. Buyers are starting to recognize this fact and they are looking seriously into taking advantage of the increased inventory and motivated sellers.
We would probably have even more closed transaction if our buyers could sell their homes in other areas of the nation. Meanwhile, they are searching the websites, visiting the area and previewing the "home of their dreams". So, regardless of the "doom & gloom" that the media … (0 comments)

I Wouldn't Let You Buy a Dog - 02:01 PM
… (3 comments)

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