Archives of real estate blog entries for July 18, 2009

Featured blog posts


WOW! One of my ActiveRain posts garnered 7 of the top 10 spots on Google! - 05:36 PM
On July 3rd, my family and I were rescued by David Castilleja of Braswell A/C and Electric when our upstairs A/C unit stopped working.  I decided to blog about my great experience in an effort to get him more business.  He was quick, honest, inexpensive, and articulate. 
This morning, I received the following email:
Jason - Thanks to your recommendation, I called Dave at Braswell last night with my AC problem. He showed up first thing this morning (Saturday) and fixed the problem. I was amazed at his immediate attention and how inexpensive his service was.  Thanks for your Blog            --Mike
… (82 comments)

What Mortgage People Haven't Said About HVCC: That Monkey Is Off My Back (And I'm Glad) - 09:33 PM
Since HVCC reared its ugly head, I have one less job to do as a mortgage person. I don't need to CANNOT order appraisals.
You see, I am forbidden from talking to appraisers (obviously my amazing ability to brainwash appraisers coupled with my ruthless quest for a commission render me completely inappropriate for this job).
Realtors, congratulations. I guess now YOU have the job of talking to the appraiser.
  And since you didn't hire the guy (the bank did) you can't fire him if he doesn't give you the right value.
But you can still "INFLUENCE". Kind of like I … (182 comments)

Walter Cronkite--St Joseph native--Remembered--St Joseph MO - 09:49 PM
Walter Cronkite--St Joseph native--Remembered--St Joseph MO
 
As the nation mourns the passing of anchorman Walter Cronkite, local residents remember the St Joseph native.
Walter Cronkite was born in 1916, in St Joseph. His father Walter Cronkite Sr., and grandfather Frederick Cronkite were both dentists in St Joseph.  When Mr. Cronkite was about 6 months old his dentist father joined the military and the family temporarily relocated to Oklahoma.  At the time when Dr. Cronkite was sent overseas, young Walter and his mother moved to Kansas City where her parents lived.
Bob Slater, former managing editor of the News-Press and a retired … (34 comments)

Waterfront Homes in Oceanside California - 05:30 PM
Buyers interested in acquiring waterfront homes in Oceanside California, the most northerly San Diego Coastal community, have a number of options. What you buy, of course depends on budget, primarily, with a range of choices if you prefer a detached home or an oceanfront condominium.
The Oceanside real estate market is the least expensive, on average, of the coastal communities, but despite that waterfront homes in Oceanside are still fairly pricey but less so than comparable waterfront homes in the other beach towns of Carlsbad, Encinitas, and Cardiff just to the south. 
Waterfront home buyers can choose from both attached (condos) … (23 comments)

DETERMINING MARKET VALUE ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE. WHY TRY TO RE-INVENT THE WHEEL? - 07:12 AM
READ ON INMAN THIS MORNING, an article by Matt Carter about the recent complaints by real estate agents about appraisals needs some clarity from the perspective of a real estate industry representative, me.
Freddie Mac issues appraisal bulletin   Appraisers must have local expertise, choose 'appropriate' comps.
Requiring local expertise???? 
Choose 'appropriate' comps????
With few closed transactions in an area, an out of the area appraiser may select a comp for a home 2 miles away that would have a much higher or lower market value. 
.                    
The difference in market value for a subject home and a comp just 1 mile away could … (138 comments)

Annapolis Views..Free Summer Concerts at The Annapolis Towne Center - 09:16 AM
 
Out and About Loving Annapolis
 
Having being blessed with being an Annapolis native I have seen this special plot of land located on the  outskirts of Annapolis evolve from a dog track way back in the day, to an outdoor mall to it's current status as The Annapolis Towne Center. Offering beautiful condos with a roof top pool that allows you to see all the way to the Chesapeake Bay, fine restaurants, stores from Target to Whole Foods and private office space as well.
A few weeks ago The Annapolis Towne Center started their FREE Friday night Concert Series. How delightfully surprised we … (17 comments)


Blog posts


Mixing pain with pleasure for a good cause - 09:46 PM

 
It seems every year I charge ahead into something new. Well, this summer it is the “Team in Training” for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Team in Training has marathons and hiking also.
In November I will be riding my new bicycle for 100 miles in Tucson. Until three weeks ago I hadn’t ridden a bicycle in years (and never very well). I have now ridden 17 miles at one time—and am thoroughly enjoying this activity. With the “heat wave” Seattle has been having this summer I find the breeze that comes with biking helps to cool me off--something … (0 comments)

Day 7: 100 Days of Central Mass Features Cedar Street Restaurant - 09:05 AM
Located at 12 Cedar Street in Sturbridge, Cedar Street Restaurant is a gourmet delight.  If you're looking for some local fine dining, you've come to the right place.  My husband and I have celebrated many nice home closing celebrations at Cedar Street Restaurantand the food is absolutely delicious.  They have a nice outside dining area for those nice summer evenings and the service was good.  Worcester Magazine gave Cedar Street Restaurant 4 1/2 stars and described it best: "Cedar Street Restaurant serves some of the finest fare available in Central Massachusetts.  A glorious and far-reaching menu of carefully chosen, creative and varied … (1 comments)

Using FeedBurner to Create a Summary Only Feed - 12:58 PM
Do you need a feed that displays only post excerpts with a link back to the original post?  Maybe to give an un-used blog or web site something to do?
 
I could not find how to create an excerpt-only feed on FeedBurner until now.....
It's under the Optimize tab.  Down at the bottom of the left column .... See it?  Summary Burner... 

 
… (0 comments)

Use FeedBurner to offer email subscriptions - 02:22 PM
To use FeedBurner to offer email subscriptions
After creating the feed, click on the Publicize Tab, then in the left hand column, click Email Subscriptions and Activate....
 

… (0 comments)

Use GMail as default email application in Internet Explorer - 03:01 PM
Here's a handy little tool that sets up GMail as your default email application in Internet Explorer
GAttach  
And I just used these instructions http://mozillalinks.org/wp/2008/07/seamonkey-1110-update-available-now/ to set Gmail as my email client in Firefox. 
 
 
… (3 comments)

Wheatfield Real Estate News - 11:07 AM
Feeling like a Deer in the Headlights when it comes to Real Estate in Buffalo NY? Analysis Paralysis Set In On your Real Estate Plans? Are you over analyzing what is happening in the Western New York Real Estate Market? Are you listening to your Real Estate Professional's advice? Yes you the couple in Niagara Falls sitting on the fence about purchasing a new home! And You with the overpriced listing sitting in North Buffalo chasing the market down! Stop for a moment and think about your ultimate Real Estate goal.
Are you Paralyzed in making a Real Estate Decision?
Are … (0 comments)

Make the appointment! You can always cancel. - 07:03 PM
Hi folks. All the recent spam comments going around AR have given me the opportunity to revisit some of my older posts that I had completely forgotten about. This one included.
If you're not calling to hire me then quit wasting my time!!! Leslie Bloss wrote a post last year that stirred up quite the conversation. Here it is if you haven't read it yet.
In a nutshell, her post was about how to handle a home owner who phoned in asking for a price analysis and in the same breath mentioning she was NOT going to use a REALTOR®.
The … (28 comments)

Details on the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit - 04:21 AM
There is a provision in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 that allows first time home buyers the ability to receive a credit on their taxes of up to $7,500 for purchasing a home. There is also a provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that expands this tax credit for qualified first time home owners. The provision is called the first-time homebuyer credit.

The 2008 first-time homebuyer credit was created to infuse the slumping housing market, and is treated like an interest-free loan. Qualified participants were required to repay the loan interest-free over a … (6 comments)

Top Things To Do When Visiting Austin Texas - 04:27 AM
Austin, Texas, is widely known as the "Live Music Capitol of the World", and proudly so. But excellent live music isn't the only thing Austin has to offer. Here are just five of the many reasons to visit the coolest city in Texas.

1. Live Music
From dive bars and clubs to honky-tonks and Austin City Limits and South by Southwest (SXSW, to those in the know), this town has it all when it comes to music. Country, jazz, hip hop, rock, punk, emo, pop and everything else under the sun can be found here, and talented, up-and-coming bands are … (1 comments)

Mortgage Rates Continue to Fall - 04:47 AM
Mortgage rates continue to fall this week. The 30 year rate fell from 5.32 to 5.20. While this is not lower than the rates we saw a few months ago this is lower than any recorded rate before the start of 2009. The 15 year rate fell as well dropping from 4.69 to 4.63. In the last 5 weeks rates have fallen steadily each week going from 5.59 to 5.14. Below are rates from the last 5 weeks and rates from December 31, 2009 (6 months ago).

Jul 16, 2009
30-yr 5.14 15-yr 4.63 5-yr ARM 4.83 1-yr ARM … (7 comments)

Blanco, Texas: Gateway to the Hill Country - 05:10 AM
The small city of Blanco, Texas is frequently referred to as both the Gateway to the Hill Country and the Lavender Capital of Texas, and with such colorful descriptions, the town is sure to be a pleasant place to visit or settle down. Blanco is 45 miles west of Austin and about 45 miles northwest of San Antonio, so its rural charm is complimented by close proximity to a couple of the most populous and historic cities in Texas.

Blanco, which is located on the Blanco River in an area of the Hill Country called the Devil's Backbone due … (2 comments)

Contact Management Software please help. - 08:13 AM
I have used agent 2000/ Re/max 2000 for 14 years and absolutely love it until my computer crashed 2 months ago and I cannot even get through to there sales department let alone their technical support. I have e-mailed them, called, had my assistant call and nothing.
In case they can read, my account is A035132. I don't want to blast anyone on line because I always believe there is two sided to every story or wrong and perfer to handle things face to face. But I am close to ending a 14 year relationship.
Does anyone have a recommendation, I … (6 comments)

What is your strategy for home buying in Pensacola Florida - 05:55 PM
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
Looking for a home to rent, sell or buy in Pensacola Florida, Pace Florida and Gulf Breeze Florida. E-mail charles@charlesstallions.com foreclosures, short sales homes for sale or rent.   Charles Stallions Real Estate Services located in Pensacola Florida, a 12 member team of local experts … (1 comments)

Join Me On The Real Estate Cyber Space...Discover The Greatest Tools and People To Net Work With! - 03:09 PM
 

THE SOCIAL NETWORK THAT MEANS BUSINESS! This is the social network for real estate pros who recognize and apply the power of the latest internet and technology tools to enhance their performance and stature. We hope that you will hop aboard and enjoy the Cyber Magic here at the tech networking center of the real estate world!
I have been a mentor in this group for years and I love it so please join us at
http://www.recybernetwork.com/
It is Totally FREE and FUN!
 

… (1 comments)

Two Anniversaries To Remember - 10:05 AM
 
This is my husband Clayton. He is also known to me as "Bub" and to the rest of the world as "The Shredder from The Blood Orange Project" (his band). His son gave him that name. He owns it.
Today, 10 years ago, we got 'legally' married by Ron DeCar, a well known Elvis impersonator at his Viva Las Vegas chapel. We didn't want a trad wedding because we are not trad types. :)

We had a Spock as a witness. He cost more than the ceremony. I dressed as Queen Amidala and he wore orange flame pants. Our families were … (17 comments)

30, 60, 90 Day Lates! Loan Modifications! Loan Mod Scams! Oh my! - 02:01 AM
California Attorney General Jerry Brown has cracked down on fraudulent loan modification scammers - the cold hearted con artists that prey on desperate homeowners who are in fear of losing their home to foreclosure. In these tough times many people are vulnerable. In doing our due diligence to continually bring increasing value to our clients, we have found a company - Loan Repair and Rescue, that will perform a free Forensic Home Loan Audit prior to doing a loan modification Apparently, since 2002 approximately 85% of all home loans created had some type of infractions or violations. I remember we used … (0 comments)

Santa Clarita - Short Sale Homeowners: Get Rich Now! - 07:30 PM
Get Rich Now
written by: Richard La Motte
 O.K. kids, here's the skinny on short sales.
 First, let me give you some inside dope on who I am.
 I'm a former Viet Nam era Marine - Hooowa!
 I'm retired from a 40 year career in the film industry where I spent a lot of time negotiating budgets with some of the most rude, powerful, self-interested, business savvy, adroit, two-faced, ruthless, egotistical, bottom-line, deal-makers in the world - which puts me right at home in working with banks on short sales - (that maybe why I enjoy the process in some perverse, … (0 comments)

Dublin homes for sale - 06:46 AM
Dublin homes for sale - this graph represents inventory of homes for sale in the Dublin School District at the end of June 2009. 

Dublin homes for sale - Market Report 643 homes for sale104 homes sold 6.2 months of inventory based on salesAverage active price $398,000  (list price) Average sale price $263, 00018.4% less inventory than a year ago
Dublin homes for sale - Neighborhoods
The Central Ohio homes for sale  represented in the graph here are in Franklin, Delware and Union Counties, the majority in Franklin.  Homes in neighborhoods in the City of Dublin, the City of Columbus, … (0 comments)

Columbus Billionaires - 06:55 AM
… (0 comments)

Dublin Ohio homes for sale - 07:50 AM
The Dublin Ohio homes for sale represented by this graph are in the City of Dublin (Dublin Corporation) according to the MLS.

City of Dublin homes for sale with 7.2 months of inventory is a buyers market, but seriously improved from February 2009 when there was 14.7 months of inventory.
Dublin Ohio homes for sale - Market Report  437 homes for sale61  homes sold 7.2 months of inventory based on salesAverage active price $426,000Average sale price $333,000 8.9% less inventory than a year ago (less Dublin Ohio homes for sale than June 2008)
Dublin Ohio homes for sale - neighborhoods
… (0 comments)

Related links

New Members for 2009-07-18

 Archives:

31 Jul
30 Jul
29 Jul
28 Jul
27 Jul
26 Jul
25 Jul
24 Jul
23 Jul
22 Jul
21 Jul
20 Jul
19 Jul
18 Jul
17 Jul
16 Jul
15 Jul
14 Jul
13 Jul
12 Jul
11 Jul
10 Jul
9 Jul
8 Jul
7 Jul
6 Jul
5 Jul
4 Jul
3 Jul
2 Jul
1 Jul
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006