Archives of real estate blog entries for August 31, 2007

Featured blog posts


Here It Is... The New FHA Loan Program - FHASecure - Mortgage Lates and 100%+ CLTV Allowed - 07:54 PM
Earlier today, I wrote about the President's new game plan on the mortgage crisis. George W Comes to the Aid of The Mortgage Mess - Are The Tides Finally Turning??
By day's end, FHA announced their new plan to help nearly 250,000 people save their home from adjustable rate mortgages that reset too high.
Here are the highlights of the FHASecure Initiative:
1. The mortgage being refinanced must be a non-FHA ARM that has reset.   Your loan must have adjusted already to be eligible.
2. The mortgagor's payment history on the non-FHA ARM must show that, prior to the reset of the mortgage, the mortgagor … (63 comments)

It's a Small World and We're All Connected - Virally - 09:47 PM

What do Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, Viral Marketing and John Gerard all have in common?  A lot in my book.  The Kevin Bacon game is based on the concept that it's a small world, and we're all connected.  What you try to do is link any actor to Kevin Bacon in as little links as possible.  For example, Jack Nicholson was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon. Michelle Pfeiffer was in The Witches of Eastwick with Jack Nicholson, who was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon. So Kevin is linked to Jack in only two degrees.  Viral … (22 comments)

Buy NOW ~~ The EXPERTS Have Said So!! - 07:20 PM
FINALLY!!!  After all this time, I finally heard it on one of the MAJOR network news shows yesterday morning!!
BUY NOW - if you're a buyer in the real estate market, 'the time to buy is NOW'!!! 
 
Yes, I heard this pronouncement yesterday morning on "Good Morning America", and their financial contributor, Mellody Hobson, stated this emphatically yesterday.  They were discussing the current 'mortgage crisis', and how to survive it, when the questioning turned to what advantages there may be in this market.  
Be sure to click on the video in the link above to watch the actual interview - "Can You Profit … (68 comments)

Free Tools That Allow You To Spy On Your Competition - 11:48 AM
Before I jump into this post, let me first give you a little backstory of how this post came about…
It all started when I added a comment to a post about the amount of website traffic a site receives. The comment stream had a very good discussion on how to gage someone else’s website traffic. I threw out Alexa as one resource to compare websites. Admittedly, I have not done much reconnaissance on my competition but I have used Alexa in the past to compare sites. And while I would never trust the numbers (because even I know ways to … (103 comments)

Real Estate Is Local Right? - 10:24 PM
Real Estate as we all know, is LOCAL.  As a Real Estate Professional we try to stay in touch with what is going on locally and chime in our opinion when something is going to affect the future of our area.
I have seen many Members posting about Environmental Petitions for their area and beyond.  Some have received attention, some have not.  Regardless, Active Rain is a FANTASTIC way to get the word out. 
ECO-Minded agents, hop in and Join the Conversations going on.  You could learn A LOT!  Everyone in Between, Listen Up!  I think you will agree that some of … (31 comments)

Deed Restrictions and Covenants in Sanford NC - 10:34 PM
Look for an article in the near future with more specific details about HOAs (homeowners' associations) and POAs (property owners' associations) in the Sanford area.
Look at what real estate professionals in other areas are saying about this subject:
Home Owner Association Rules that can come back to bite you by Joanne HansonSunriver Rules and The Condo Rules - They May Make A Difference in Where You Buy! by Thesa ChambersThe HOA will have it's way by Paula HenryHome Owner Assocations are love hate relationships by Missy CaulkHomeowner Associations in Camarillo, Are they for You? By Mana TulbergNo Pay No Stay … (36 comments)

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH WHEN MAKING REFERRALS? - 07:52 PM
I received mail from an agent in South Florida today looking for a referral agent for Lovettsville.  Mmmmm. 
Hello Lenn,I am a realtor in S. Florida.  I have clients who are looking to buy 10+ acres with a 4/2 in Lovettesville.   Please contact me with your referral information if you would like to consider working with me and my clients.Thank you,
Guess who has a home right in Lovettsville???  Guess who knows just about every home in Lovettsville?  Guess who knows every Lovettsville statistic for homes sold for the past 2 years?  Guess who would represent home buyers as a true fiduciary?Guess … (83 comments)

Top Posts of the Month - August 2007 - 02:12 PM
… (33 comments)

Law of Attraction: What do you really, really want? - 08:33 AM
Your desire is what sets the universe in motion.  So, it is important that you are absolutely clear about what you really, really want.  Most people don't create the kind of life they want because they haven't clearly determined what they want to be, do, or have.
If you were driving from Florida to California one of your first steps would be to take a map and determine which highways you were going to take.  You wouldn't just get in your car and start driving or else you might end up in New York. Your desire is to get to California.  Once … (40 comments)

Launching The Queen of Cheap! - 10:28 PM
 
 In the 1920's, hand-me-downs were a given.  In the 1970's, hand-me-downs were an embarassment.  Ironically, in some of the most affluent areas of today's cash-choked society, hand-me-downs are in vogue, but for different reasons.  Low impact living is all the rage.
I come from thrifty German and English "people", as my grandmother used to say.  Really thrifty.  During my childhood my parents were always well off, but never did shed their practical, frugal ways.  I grew up, finished college, started working, and got married.  A few years later we quit our lucrative jobs, sold our house in Northwest DC for twice … (67 comments)

Are You a Paycheck to Paycheck Realtor? - 02:07 PM
You've heard the old saying of "living paycheck to paycheck."  Unfortunately there are too many people in our great country who are currently stuck with this fate.  
You should not be a paycheck to paycheck Realtor! 
However, there are many of them out there.
Of course, we are in a commission based business, so we must always be hustling trying to get the next deal and trying to ensure that the ones we have do not fall through.  Most of us at sometime in our careers have experienced the ups and downs of the market and the peaks and valleys of income in … (121 comments)

The Internet is a waste of time....and so is being a REALTOR® - 11:43 AM
Our buyers don't come from the Internet!  Yard signs, and the White Sheet (throw away paper).....that's where the buyers are......
When I opened up our Branch office about 10 months ago this is what I heard from the established Companies in the area.  They said it then, and they say it now.  "A waste of time.........."
What do you say to someone when you have invested a large percentage of your time and resources getting an Internet presence?  What do you say when they have made a decent living for more than 15 years without the Internet, a Board, or even state sanctioned … (82 comments)

Rediscovering FHA - Conversation Starters With Customer - 08:32 AM
Wondering how to get started explaining the benefits of FHA financing to your customers? Give these conversation starters a try!
1. Start with an opener like:
When thinking about financing options you may want to consider the variety of products available under the Federal Housing Administration umbrella. FHA offers everything from 15 and 30 year fixed rate mortgages to 1 year, 3/1 and 5/1 hybrid ARMs allowing you tochoose the loan that best fits your needs. FHA financing is great for borrowers who want to keep their down payment and closing costs to a minimum. The program provides safe financing options for many … (14 comments)


Blog posts


Advertising Specialties that fit the Brand - 05:44 PM
Ardell DellaLoggia, the new Brio Realty broker, was moving into her new office with, among other things, a Ziploc brand bag full of Zillow.com pens in assorted colors. Generous by nature, she passed some of them out. We started to joke about what was so special about a Zillow pen. This inspired me to think about brand-appropriate advertising specialties (also known as "trinkets and trash" by the ad specialty trade).
The Zillow.com Pen - writes all over the place
The Help-You-Sell Clock (Slogan: For Sale with Owner) - you provide the hands
The Redfin Calculator - subtract whatever you think is wrong from all … (2 comments)

Millionaires Prefer North Texas - 04:05 PM
The highest end of the real estate market seems to be well beyond the woes of the rest of the world. Claims of a downturn in the real estate market have had little effect on the luxury market in North Texas – in fact, sales of Dallas area mansions are up 25 per cent at a time when the lower-end of the market is dropping. Financing conditions that may prohibit those in a lower income bracket are less of an issue to the multi millionaire crowd. Tougher conditions may make the market trickier to break into for first time buyers, but … (0 comments)

Dallas Builders Stepping up in the Downturn - 04:06 PM
Though the surplus in housing inventory has been bad news for builders this year, the smart ones in Dallas are turning it into good news for new home buyers.
The 2007 Fitch report, released August 29, confirmed what the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) have been reporting for months - new housing starts are down, the sub prime mortgage market has gone bust and the market is flooded with new homes for sale.
But what looks like bad news is actually a boom for those looking to buy a new home … (0 comments)

Home Search from Your Desktop! - 05:20 PM
Soon home buyers will be able to view home search listings right on their computer desktop. John L. Scott Real Estate is launching a Desktop Delivery tool that’ll enable home buyers access to the most up-to-date home search results. Users who download the gadget will receive new listings that meet their home search criteria on their desktop. The tool updates every two hours and works only with Vista.
According to Lennox Scott, John L. Scott’s CEO, “Visitors can download a gadget for any (and every) saved search, enabling them to have the most current, relevant home search information right on their … (3 comments)

Nick the Appraiser...I Have a Secret....I Love Shaved Heads! - 06:22 AM
I have to say when I read Nick the Appraiser's post about Hugs for Kids I had a huge smile on my face.  I think it's because I had the opportunity to meet Nick live and in person. 

 
If you think he is a character on-line...well I can tell you he is just as vibrant in person, someone you want to talk to, someone you want to get to know.  
I have to admit one of the things I remember clearly about Nick is his hair and I can tell you he has a beautiful head of hair.  Now with women, … (43 comments)

Thinking of selling your home? Request a seller payoff from your lender. - 06:55 PM
Thinking of selling your home?Request a seller payoff from your lender.I am surprised at the number of seller's that do not request a payoff statement prior to listing their home for sale. This can make financial decisions much easier, especially when you are considering selling your home when there is little equity.Many seller's will look at their monthly statement (principal balance) to determine how much they owe.  Many of the recent loans may have a very high prepayment penalties, thus making the net proceeds available to the seller thousands lower.We have personally represented buyers who have entered into a contract with … (1 comments)

Labor Day Weekend: To work or NOT to work - That is the question - 11:00 AM
Labor Day weekend is upon us (bummer, that means Summer's almost over). Are you working or are you taking the weekend off? I asked this question in our last team meeting and over 1/2 of the office was taking the entire weekend off.
I'm doing an open house on Sunday, but I am taking Saturday off. How about you?
… (0 comments)

How much time do you spend prospecting? - 12:05 PM
I spend 3 hours a day either making phone calls or knocking on doors, bu I don't do it regularly enough, so I've gotten a partner.  Together we'll practice scripts, role play and prospect for 3 hours every day.
So how much time do you spend prospecting?
… (27 comments)

Forest Park Centennial Street Fest - 10:23 AM
The weather is perfect for this weekend's Centennial Street Fest in Forest Park, IL.  The festival starts today and runs through Sunday and will be located at the south grove on Van Buren south of Madison St.  The CTA Blue Line's stop is very close and the Green Line will get you into Forest Park, too.  
There will be carnival rides, food and musical talent.  My husband's band, The New Invaders, will be playing tonight and will be opening for American English.  The Ides of March will also be playing this weekend.  It is suggested that you bring a chair or blanket.  … (0 comments)

Foreclosures and Fraud – Two Peas in a Pod - 11:22 AM
Foreclosures and Fraud - Two Peas in a Pod   by John Occhi, Hemet REALTOR®   Preforeclosure Consultant   
We all know two things about this market - both foreclosure and fraud are on the rise and the two go together like a hand and a glove.  Where you find one, the other will be.
                                                                               I was reading my industry news ezines this morning, when I opened up an interesting article published by RISMedia and found an article that caught my attention, "As Foreclosures Rates Rise, so Does Fraud".
The short article details how scammers take advantage of buying undervalued homes and then using them … (7 comments)

Back to the Basics: Listing Appointment Questions - 07:28 PM
Back to the Basics:  Listing Appointment Questions   by John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR®  
                                                        FOR MORE ARTICLES FROM THE "BACK TO THE BASICS" SERIES, CLICK HERE
                                                                                                         
As a REALTOR® with Mission Grove Realty, serving my local market, the Hemet San Jacinto Valley, I seem to accumulate an awful lot of training information about how to do my job, of helping people buy and sell homes in Hemet, CA, better.Often times, as an experienced REALTOR®, I imagine it is common to take a quick look at the information that is provided in a class we attend somewhere and say … (27 comments)

Things Austin Home Buyers Need To Know - 11:05 AM
People moving to Austin need our help, fellow agents.  They need a dose of reality.  What everybody reads in the press makes many out of town buyers think that real estate market in Austin are the same as markets the press writes about.  In other words, they think home sales are soft and that everything is overpriced.  The result?  Lowball offers that insult sellers.  This isn't true everywhere, but it is in many areas and is especially true on areas west of downtown.  So what we need to do is let people know that Austin is still appreciating.  They need to … (2 comments)

SOLD! 655 Irving Park, Park Place Towers, Chicago, IL 60613 - 07:12 PM

MOST SOUGHT AFTER CORNER UNIT ON PRIVATE UPPER 52ND FLOOR WITH BEST VIEWS IN THE BUILDING!                                                      
JUST LOOK AT THESE VIEWS: 
                    
  Montrose Harbor & Marina  & Golf Course                       Nothing but water from your east windows
                                   The Lake is right across the street..all pictures were taken from this unit!
                                                   
                                                              Southern view you can see Downtown!
Not enough..OK..Take me out to the ball game....  4 blocks to Wrigley field!
                                                    
Award Winning Building Amenities Include:
Private Theater Room        Recreational Game Room
24 Hour Doorman                 Business Center
 Olympic Swimming Pool    State of -the-art Fitness Center
Outdoor Kids Pool                Sundeck BBQ area
Basketball court,   Pets are welcome,   Indoor parking valet
Outdoor … (10 comments)

Just caught President Bush's bail-out press conference - 10:22 AM
President Bush just finished a press conference dealing gov't efforts to help buyers having trouble with payments.. It included a statement about how many are approaching " ARM resets " and how vital homeownership is to the American Dream.   Reaction was positive but concerned that too few would qualify for the help.  This could have a positive impact on our business.  Hope the proposal gets broad coverage and helps our market regain sound footing. … (6 comments)

Direct From The White House - 08:33 PM
Just in case anyone was out of touch this morning and missed it ... "Today, President Bush Announced Steps At The Federal Level To Help Homeowners In Need Of Assistance Avoid Foreclosure. These steps will help homeowners having difficulty paying their mortgages and ensure that the problems now disrupting the housing industry do not happen again".
Here is a link to the text of the President's statement regarding "mortgage reform":
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/08/20070831-5.html
Here is a link to the White House Fact Sheet:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/08/20070831-4.html
Here is some reaction on the blog "Another F**ked Borrower"
http://housingbubblecasualty.com/government-says-no-to-personal-responsibility-we-will-do-everything-in-our-power-to-help-those-persons-who-didnt-read-the-fine-print/
Comments, anyone?  <s>
… (1 comments)

Pearland Town Center Adds Retailers to New Mall - 07:07 AM
Some of the stores listed to be in the new mall near Shadow Creek Ranch are as follows, Hot Topic, Torrid, The Walking Co., Hallmark, General Nutrition Center, Stride Rite, Paciugo Italian Gelato & Cafe and Jugo Juice.  The stores are due to open in the summer of 2008. The new stores will join Macy's Dillard's, and Barnes & Noble in the center, which is scheduled to open in summer 2008.
Pearland Town Center will also have a 110 room hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, and a 710,000 square foot  lifestyle center and residential and office space above retail area.  They also building walking … (2 comments)

The New Smyrna Vinings Community Website - 05:01 PM
Smyrna~Vinings Community Connection




© 2007 by Smyrna~Vinings~Community~Connection
… (0 comments)

Palmetto Town Center - 09:54 AM
A new plan for residential and commercial development has just been proposed for downtown Palmetto.  The full city block of  4th & 5th Streets and 10th & 9th Avenues is stated to be a project to happen over the next 5 years.
The project calls 6 phases with a combination of 28 store fronts and 88 one and two bedroom residential affordable housing units that will range in price of $160,000 to $200,000.
The residential units will be built on top of the commercial store fronts and will have a Key West/Florida style buildings with tin roofs, courtyards, benches and parking.
The plan is said … (3 comments)

Celebration Florida | Call Colleen Kulikowski at (407) 288-0017 - 10:09 AM
Location! Location! Location!  This unit has it!  Walk right onto the Celebration Golf Course in the morning, stroll downtown to Market Street for lunch and shopping.  Or have a date night in town without having to get into your car!   Celebration Florida is a wonderful place and you should not miss out on this opportunity!Call me today at (407) 288-0017 for more information regarding owning in Celebration Florida! … (0 comments)

Celebration Florida | You Too Can Afford to Own In Celebration! - 02:43 PM
 
Celebration Florida Townhomes:
Townhome 1 has 1449 sf with 2/2 was built in 2001with a list price of $ 239,900 and has been on the market for 142 CDOMTownhome 2 has 1264 sf with 2/2 was built in 2001with a list price of $ 284,900 and has been on the market for 337 CDOM Townhome 3 has 1214 sf with 2/2 was built in 2001with a list price of $289,000 and has been on the market for 122 CDOMTo see the remaining list of the 10 Least Expensive TownhomesCelebration Florida 1-bedroom Condos:
Condo 1 was built in 2001, has been on the market … (4 comments)

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