Archives of real estate blog entries for October 24, 2009

Featured blog posts


Pre-Approval, Approval, Conditional, Cleared - What the ____?! - 01:49 PM
Ancient Mortgage Proverb: No deal is ever 100% certain until the loan is completely paid off.
There exists a chasm in communication, familiarity and point of view between agents and loan officers. Sometimes we try to act like it does not exist and we really wish it was not so. I know this chasm exists, just as you do for many reasons, because I have had real estate agents - very good agents - try to convert to loan officer at my companies and I have seen this chasm immediately appear. Sales are fairly and generally black and white, go or … (67 comments)

A Sale NOT Celebrated - 09:21 PM
I closed a sale yesterday.
There were no celebrations, no high fives. The sellers said good bye to a dream, which for them had started about three years past; before everything went crazy and when anything seemed possible. 
 I worked hard on this short sale,  harder than I have since the early 90’s when appraisals were coming in low and you didn’t have to look far to find a difficult transaction.
Little did I know….
I think the buyer is happy with the purchase, although that process wasn’t an easy one either. It had all of us wondering “if?” and … (81 comments)

The Road to 300,000 Points: 5 Benefits to Playing in the Rain - 04:30 PM
This week I hit a milestone: 300,000+ points on ActiveRain. Woo hoo!
I've been blogging here since July 2007, but I had kind of a slow start. I did what many new ActiveRainers do: logged in, filled out my profile, read a few posts, then forgot about ActiveRain for a while. I had just started my own brokerage firm in June 2007. so that was a busy summer for me. When I re-discovered this site, it was because I was looking for answers to a question and I remembered the folks at AR and thought someone could help me.
 

… (129 comments)

Our country is broke (in more ways than one), so how do we fix it? - 02:01 PM
I'm Big Ten college educated middleclass with 16 years working professional experience.  8 years in lending, 8 years in real estate, and 2 years in employment. My experience in all these industries and in my personal life has provided me with the following viewpoints and ideas regarding our current state as a nation:
 
I'm seeing a lot of ideas regarding fixing our current economical problems come from different industries with some solutions sounding better than others, but most are in some way, shape, or form; self serving leaning towards the educated and extremely wealthy demographic groups.
Here are some of … (84 comments)

How to Get A Buyer's Agreement Signed - 10:44 AM
I am always amused when agents declare that buyers won't sign a buyer's agreement. The ones I work with do. What I've learned is that it's all in the way you approach it.
There is a particular way to approach the intial counseling interview with a  buyer to set the stage for the contract. There are 5 distinct steps to take.
Step 1: Tell Me What You Want The buyer came in with a real life situation in search of a real estate solution. Find out what that is. This is so much more than the "3-2-1" approach. The buyer says he … (70 comments)

Short Sales And Modification Improvements - 04:54 AM
It could be possible that things are starting to change for the better in short sales and modifications for distressed homeonwers. Yesterday I received a couple of phone calls that indicated promise on the horizon for borrowers from Bank of America.
The first call was from a past client that lives in California and has an investment property in Ocala, FLorida. He had his home on the market as a short sale, but Bank of America just offered him a modification that cut his payment in half. PERMANTLY.  His rental home in Ocala now positve cash flows and it is one … (34 comments)

How To Get Your Blog Posts "Viral" Exposure on Twitter and Facebook - 10:29 AM
How To Get Your Blog Posts Viral Exposure on Twitter and Facebook
As important as Location, Location, Location is to Real Estate, so is the importance of Exposure, Exposure, Exposure to Bloggers.  Some Bloggers offer their subscribers, readers, and visitors the ability to "share" their content with others via Twitter or Facebook.  ActiveRain has the ReBlog Option, just like Wordpress and Blogger are doing now, but that only works for other AR members.  Here's a way to help get your "Voice Heard" and your "Posts Seen" on two of the other Largest Social Networks in the World, and here's how others … (125 comments)

"Jennifer, What Do You Think of Client Appreciation Parties?" - 06:19 AM
Earlier this week, I spoke on the subject of Selling to Your Sphere of Influence - No Sales Pitch Required! at the Colorado REALTOR Convention.
As I usually do, I did my best to debunk many of the sacred cows of the SOI- business model training industry, such as how important it is to ask for referrals, why it's a great idea to categorize your friends based on their history of referring to you - stuff like that.
The crowd seemed to accept my protestations that this behavior is not only obnoxious, but that it's not terribly effective. Cool.
I closed my presentation by encouraging the … (83 comments)

How To Add Six Figures To Your Bottom Line in Less Than an Hour a Day - 10:01 AM
That's right you can add six figures to your bottom line in less than an hour a day.  How?  By blogging of course.  Not just any blogging but targeted blogging aka "hyper-local" blogging.  Some interpret hyper-local as specific to a geographic area.  Personally everyone and their mother is the "neighborhood expert" so why go there?
I use hyper local blogging tied to a specific market segment and use it to target information that is relevant  to them. Those posts include information on neighborhoods, schools, shopping, transportation and more but always aimed towards what is important for my niche market.  Your niche could … (162 comments)

There is No Substitute for Personal Contact - 11:37 AM
I read a blog post today by a Realtor who had found a great service.  A time saver.  A website where you could have font made of your own handwriting, pick out a card, type in a message, and the card was computer generated to look like your handwriting.  This way, the personal outreach of a certain number of "handwritten" cards would be a snap to make.
DO WE REALLY THINK THAT A COMPUTER GENERATED CARD IS PERSONAL?
One of the reasons that personally, handwritten cards are so special is the TIME that went in to writing it.  I don't think for … (96 comments)

Short Sales For Estates - Do You Have To Inherit A Negative Equity Property? - 06:15 AM
We need the ActiveRain Community input on this situation! As most of you know, we do alot of short sales and have run across alot of differences. No short sale is the same as the next. They tend to take on a life of their own. That being said, we have run across a new situation and after review, think we are going to be running across alot more of these:
Situation: The homeowner dies and leaves a mortgaged property that is now (in today's market) worth half of what it was purchased in 2006. They are upside down on the … (39 comments)

greenville home foreclosure auction - 04:15 AM
Selling your own home might sound like a good idea at first, but many Gainesville FL FSBO home sellers quickly realize they've gotten in over their heads or may have sold their home for much less than they would have had they worked with a Realtor®. 
The 2008 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found that two-thirds of "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) sellers found some aspect of the home sale to be difficult. 
Twelve percent of sellers who knew the buyer thought that getting the price right was the hardest task. Among FSBO sellers who didn't know the buyer, 16 … (3 comments)

21 Ways to Use Your Blog To Generate Business - 11:15 AM
I have put together 21 ways to use your blog to generate business. 
This is by no means an exhaustive list so if you have others, please write a blog post and add a link to it in the comments of this one. 
Almost all of these I am already doing.  I have linked the posts from my own blog to illustrate the point. 
I invite you to connect with me on Facebook and see how I use that social media to promote my blog.  Look me up and add me as a friend.
Please check out the links and see … (69 comments)


Blog posts


Mountain Perserve in Ahwatukee Arizona - 02:20 PM
Beautiful home in this sought after Ahwatukee community shows Pride of ownership both inside and out. Back yard is on a mountain perserve for privacy and a beautiful view.Large master bedroom features a private balcony overlooking the resort style backyard and pool with mountain views. One bedroom downstairs has built in bookcases and can serve as a den/office. Seperate living room, dining room and family plus a large island kitchen make this a perfect family home. Award winnig Kyrene school district. Home is close to Sky Harbor Airport, ASU, I-10 freeway and lots of good shopping
… (0 comments)

Residential Real Estate by the Numbers - 09:38 PM
Here is an interesting ad that on of my fellow REALTORS found in a magazine promoting the NAR conference in San Diego next month (I am planning on attending).
I am particularily impressed withthe design of the poster and how much interesting data it contains.
What do you think? . . .
 
Via Megan Izdebska & Hanna Manoufar Phoenix Real Estate (Prudential Arizona Properties):
Residential Real Estate by the Numbers
Today I came across this typography poster published in "Fast Company Magazine" November Issue.I thougt it's very interesting from my point of view as a graphic designer and a real estate agent.The … (0 comments)

The Diet Continues - Week Seven- Thinks are Picking Up! - 01:56 PM
The Diet Continues - Week Seven- Thinks are Picking Up!
But not my weight, I am down 4.2 pounds this week.
Some of you think I have been a little hard on myself for only loosing 1 to 2 pounds a week for a while.  You may have been right.  However, I want to explain a little history for those of you dropping in on the middle of this.
I am on Atkins Diet and normally people drop 5 to 10 pounds a week on this diet, while in induction phase.  For seven weeks now I have been doing about 20 … (4 comments)

Tax Strategies – Real Estate Investing – Part 14C - The 1031 Exchange III - 03:31 PM
Tax Strategies – Real Estate Investing – Part 14C - The 1031 Exchange III
This is Part 14 of my Real Estate Investing Series. You can view the first 13 Parts here:
Are you planning for your Future? Real Estate Investing – Part 1
Starting at Home! Real Estate Investing – Part 2
Maintain Your Leverage! Real Estate Investing – Part 3
Picking Your Investment Property – Real Estate Investing – Part 4
Location * Location * Location – Real Estate Investing – Part 5
Cash Flow Analysis – Real Estate Investing – Part 6 A
Cash Flow Analysis – Real … (1 comments)

Just In Time For The Holidays... - 05:12 PM
… (3 comments)

Day 68: 100 Days of Central Mass Features Fall - 08:27 PM
 100 DAYS OF CENTRAL MASS FEATURES FALL
 
One of my favorite times of year in Central Mass is the Fall.  From apple picking to enjoying the many colors of the leaves as they change, there is much to like about this season.  We are currently enjoying a roller-coaster of weather this Autumn.  We've already had several days of snow and a few days later, 75 degree sunshine!
Plymouth Plantation and Salem, MA are great places to visit in the Fall, as well as Old Sturbridge Village.  Afterall, when you think of Thanksgiving, you think of Massachusetts where our state bird … (3 comments)

Halloween Mourning Tours at Heritage Square - 05:45 AM

 
Saturday and Sunday, October 24 and 2512 to 4 pm.
Enjoy creepy happenings at Heritage Square Museum at its Sixth Annual Halloween and Mourning Tours©. Learn all about death and mourning etiquette during the Victorian era and participate in a funeral inside one of our historic homes. Find out about Victorian Spiritualism - what it was, who followed it and why, and perhaps have your future foretold by a medium. See how other cultures celebrate and remember their loved ones as we look at the Mexican traditions and customs of El Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the … (2 comments)

How Buyers Can Save Money (and aggrevation) on their Home Purchase - 10:34 AM
How Buyers Can Save Money (and aggrevation) on their Home Purchase


 
 
 
The process of purchasing a home doesn't have to be diffcult!
Read the rest of this entry »
 
Thank you for visiting our Buffalo Real Estate website. If you enjoyed this Best Buffalo Homes post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed to get the latest Buffalo Real Estate News from your Buffalo Realtor, Colleen Kulikowski & the Best Buffalo Homes Team!
 
 
Some Homes that may interest you:
 
 
Need help right away? Call us at (716) 650-0051 to speak with … (10 comments)

Selling Florida Foreclosures Virtually. - 02:07 PM

Tutas Towne Realty specializes in the listing and selling of Short Sales and foreclosures (REOs) in the Central Florida area.Since most of these properties are sold over the Internet sight unseen we try to capture the essence of the properties by use of numerous pictures and video tours. Touring foreclosures in Central Florida is always an adventure. You just never know what you will find. Folks facing foreclosure have a tendency of taking out their frustrations on the property. I’ll never understand why.Anyway…..here’s a little tour I did today on a Poinciana Foreclosure. Enjoy.   Need help buying or selling … (28 comments)

Mortgage Rates Start to Rise : Is Inflation Next - 11:58 PM
The 30 year rate rose again this week rising from 4.92 to 5.00. Now in the last two weeks 30 year mortgage rates have risen from 4.87 to 5.00. Most of the other major mortgage products rose as well. The 15 year rate rose from 4.37 to 4.43. Both the 5 year arm rising from 4.38 to 4.40 and the 1 year arm was the only product to fall moving from 4.60 to 4.54.

While this is not a huge jump the question is are we seeing the tip of the iceberg with rising rates? The expectation has been that … (4 comments)

You Are NOT the Boss Of Me..... - 07:47 AM
 
  A number of events this week have reminded me of a child I used to baby sit.  Whatever the request…”Let’s go Play________, Come and Eat….Time For Bed …It was usually met with a very stubborn “You Are NOT the Boss of Me ! “ response….No I was not…exactly…..I was the person in charge for the moment…but ultimately I was just the caretaker of the moment.  We are always in charge of ourselves.  We get to choose everything from what time or if we get out of bed…to what we do or do not eat or drink…..and on to the … (10 comments)

Make your Holiday Gifts "Fuzzier" with Autographs at Matty's Bar in New Berlin - 08:48 AM
  Come on over to Matty's Bar this Sunday, October 25th for the big game....Big Food...Lotsa TV's ....Sports Fans EVERYWHERE !
  Fuzzy was a big part of the Packers Offensive Line....and can be a part of your entertainment on Sunday at Matty's...with autographs and memorablia of the glory days of the Pack...
  You know how to find Matty's...it's where the best combination of food, fun, sports bar is in all of Waukesha County...just down the road a piece from the corner of either Sunny Slope and College West OR Moreland and College East...it's easy to find...lots of free parking...
… (2 comments)

Your Dream Home Is Now Available! - 04:30 PM
Absolutely stunning Virden custom home. This exquisite home offers all of the finest upgrades imaginable. Gorgeous formal living room, private dining room, a gourmet kicthen with sub zero refrigerator, large open great room, warm hardwood floors through out the main level, breathtaking master retreat with luxurious master bath, finished basement complete with movie theater room and large wet bar great for entertaining. Enjoy incredible outdoor living that has been professionally landscaped and offers a stamped concrete patio, gas grill, mountain views and backs to beautiful open space. This home has it all so don't miss out on this one, call Carl … (0 comments)

Castle Rock Beauty - 04:33 PM
Welcome to 1054 Night Wind Circle In Bell Mountain Ranch, One Of the most desirable communities in Historic Castle Rock. This Absolutely amazing home has nothing but the finest details and upgrades throughout . This Full finished walk out ranch features an upgraded gourmet kitchen with slab granite counter tops [s2] and hearth room with fireplace, [s2] Elegant tile foyer, main floor study with see through fireplace to the great room, formal dinning Room, warm hardwood floors in the kitchen, finished basement with four bedrooms and two full bathrooms complete with double sinks. Enjoy the large covered deck with breath taking … (0 comments)

My Facebook - 04:45 PM
EXIT REALTY DENVER TECH CENTER on Facebook … (1 comments)

1870 Hollyhurst Drive -- $199,000 -- SOLD! - 09:12 AM
… (0 comments)

Pensacola Homes for sale * Pace Homes for sale * Gulf Breeze homes for sale - 06:29 AM
 
THOUSANDS OF HOMES.... One Address www.charlesstallions.com
Pensacola, Pace and Gulf Breeze Homes for sale
 
Whether you are looking for a new home, pre existing home, foreclosure, short sale or REO property we have Pensacola homes for sale to fit any budget, taste or place. With four buyers agents, a mortgage broker on staff we will help from start to finish. Real Estate is not complicated, trying or even challenging when you have an experienced team of professionals on your side. Click or call today and put our experience to work for you.
 
Charles Stallions, CRS, CSP, CBR, … (2 comments)

Pensacola Homes for sale and buyers should always ask for....or - 08:46 AM
Charles Stallions, CRS, CSP, CBR, CDPS, SREE, EREI - 800-309-3414, a leader in real estate investing, buying and selling. Lead Real Estate negotiator for several investment clubs as well as investors throughout the US. Call Charles for a list of references before buying or selling you what some consider being their largest investment.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
THOUSANDS OF HOMES.... One Address www.charlesstallions.com
Pensacola, Pace and Gulf Breeze Homes for sale
Looking for a home to rent, sell or buy in Pensacola, Pace or Gulf Breeze Florida then this site was designed with you in mind.  E-mail charles@charlesstallions.com for a complete list of foreclosures, short sales, homes for sale or for rent in … (1 comments)

Montgomery Homes For Sale: 3603 Sir Michael Drive - 09:14 AM
Montgomery Homes For Sale:
3603 Sir Michael Drive, Montgomery AL 36109MLS# 268955

Picky about condition? Your heart's desire awaits you in this adorable Forest Hills home with a makeover straight out of HGTV! New roof and paint, new carpet in the bedrooms. Gleaming hardwood floors in the living and dining areas and kid-proof hard tile den and kitchen. And it's a kitchen you'll have to see to believe. Smart L-shaped continental bath provides privacy for the master and great access to other bedrooms. Exactly the kind of house everyone wants to own, so don't delay making this one your own!
… (0 comments)

Montgomery Real Estate for Sale: 2185 Woodley Road - 09:43 AM
Montgomery Real Estate for Sale:
2185 Woodley Road, Montgomery AL 36111MLS# 268951
Buy this lovely lot and get a house for free! While most of the value is in the land, your purchase will include a 3000 sq ft Cape Cod that could become a lovely home. Bring your architect, designer or contractor and see how you can make your dream come true! 
Learn more about 2185 Woodley Road and other Montgomery real estate by visiting HatTeam.com. 
Search all Montgomery Real Estate and homes for sale
… (0 comments)

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