Archives of real estate blog entries for July 10, 2010

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Regardless of how well you play the game, sometimes the cards just aren’t there! - 08:15 AM
 
I enjoy diversions that require logical thought and good cognitive skills. For over twenty years, I have played cards once a month with the same group of close friends.
And although I consider myself to be a very good card player, there are some nights when the cards just aren’t there, and my best efforts fall flat and I lose.
We often use the expression that you must “play the cards that you are dealt.” And while that is essentially true, it doesn’t always lead to a successful conclusion.
And despite our high level of skill and expertise, there are … (80 comments)

The First Active Rain Wedding Starring Bob Stewart and Christa Caulk - 09:49 AM
The First Active Rain Wedding Starring Bob Stewart and Christa Caulk
So I jump on Active Rain the other day and what do I find?  Active Brad has an invite to the whole Active Rain community.  We get to attend the very first AR wedding ever!  And this particular wedding happens to be for our very own Mr. Bob Stewart and the lovely Christa Caulk.  How cool is that?!

Well, this was something I couldn't miss, so I made sure I was home at the designated time (5:30 Central).  Dialing in, hooking up, getting the feed or whatever you want … (92 comments)

If You Want Me to Work For You, You Have to Hire Me - 10:13 AM
You would think that all the stuff published by financial advice websites would have some consumers more educated about the role of real estate agents, especially in the case of a short sale. They don't. I have to educate many who reach out to me and set them straight on certain ideas in their head that they get from who knows where- most likely these asinine "what your agent hopes you never know" online columns that sow discord rather than educate. 
A few brief examples:
The Open Listing. The guy is essentially a FSBO but wants me to do the short sale once … (54 comments)

Boost Your Search Engine Rankings! - 01:26 PM

Recently I read that the majority of real estate agents are missing out on a key strategy that will yield them much higher rankings on Web search engines. Most practitioners are competing with each other over short-tailed keywords, which are just a few words strung together that Internet users type in for searching purposes. However, this is a misguided step on the part of real estate professionals, since as much as 80 percent of all search engine activity actually uses long-tailed keywords - phrases typically consisting of five to seven words. For property searches, many prospective buyers have very specific … (132 comments)

The Emotional Side of Real Estate - 10:17 AM
Our real estate course work should include classes in psychology. Oh, the emotional ride we take with our clients during nearly any real estate transaction. Less apparent with investors, I’ve noted below those I see the most. And as agents, when we’re so closely tied to our clients during these momentous times, we’re apt to feel some of them too.
Accomplishment – This can be experienced on all sides when a transaction comes to a close. The buyer has successfully completed their home buying journey and a seller begins a new chapter elsewhere. Agents on both sides see a job to … (78 comments)

Interesting twist in the market lately, and it seems like good news! - 11:31 PM
Interesting twist in the market lately, and it seems like good news! Up until a few weeks ago the market on the higher end homes was a bit on the stagnant side. Of course these homes are now priced more reasonably than we have seen them in years. And please know my area is really still in a declining market. But wait... I have two homes listed between $570,000 and $585,000. (Both of these homes at one time were commanding $700-800,000 price tags, but no more.) Since listing the homes a few weeks ago they have been shown a good bit, … (59 comments)

Close Call in the Woods - 06:12 AM
I had an experience this week that changed my thought process on walking vacant parcels forever. I listed an amazing hunting parcel sight unseen. A fellow Realtor from down state Michigan called and knew what he wanted to list for and I was excited. Around here land is usually listed for between $1,500 and $2,000 per acre so when I was told $1,000 per acre plus costs I signed him up.
Same day I decided to walk the parcel and take a few pics so off I wandered. Told my partner (my wife) I was going to walk a 40 and … (75 comments)

Saturday Afternoon Hike in the Desert: Monsoon Rainbow - 11:55 PM

Saturday Afternoon Hike in the Desert
Last Saturday, my Darlin and I had our toes in the Pacific Ocean.  This Saturday found me hiking in the desert near Ironwood National Monument in Red Rock, AZ.
The monsoon rains have just made their appearance, and today, the rain chased me back down off the hill where I was photographing petroglyphs, and back to my car.
As the wall of rain moved west, the afternoon sun created the most beautiful full rainbow!  I thought you might like to share it with me.
___________
I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson Mortgage Lender. … (53 comments)

Is This a One Night Stand or a Relationship - 07:25 PM
Most of us would agree that we prefer doing business with people we know and  with who we have established a relationship.  And, the strength of the relationship is built upon trust and mutual respect.  It also usually involves some degree of commitment.  We also know that in the course of time "a little rain must fall".  Some relationships will weather any storm, others fall apart at the gathering is the first storm clouds.
For many years I tried valiantly to protect my clients and agents from any hiccup or obstacles throughout the entire financing process.  In a very real sense, … (84 comments)

Why do I Participate So Actively on ActiveRain?--It really depends on when you ask me, because it is an ever-changing story - 06:34 PM
I got involved in ActiveRain in February, 2009. I had just started my very own Wordpress blog, and i was disappointed that people from all over the world were not commenting on my posts and asking me questions and, in a word, making my new blog something special.
The plain fact was that my blog, while neat and focused, was not much different from thousands of others, and it was not catching on. So, I guess you could say that I joined AR out of desperation. I didn't know what to expect; I really didn't know who I was writing for.
… (60 comments)

Does Blogging THAT MUCH really pay off? - 06:58 PM
I'm wondering only because I've noticed some bloggers that seem to blog everywhere and I wonder "when are they actually doing real estate?" Now I know you might say "but they are doing real estate - by blogging."  Really? I mean really, really? I think if those bloggers think all of their business is going to come to them by sitting behind a computer - they might want to think again. Sure, we all get business from blogging from internet presence but I think some are missing the boat by NOT actually GETTING UP and getting out there and marketing yourself … (79 comments)

The Long & Short of It: No Contract... No Sale - 03:23 PM
Home buyers are really confused about all the varieties of distressed properties on the market these days. Many of my clients think that if they're not buying a short sale or forclosure property then they're not getting the best deal. Even worse, people's price expectations are often completely unrealistic because so many of these properties are put on the market at ridiculously low prices and the final sales price (which is almost always much higher,) is rarely known by consumers.
Can you say market havoc... well it doesn't end there.
I can't tell you how many times I've submitted an offer to short-sale agents and been told 'we'll send your … (32 comments)

A Little PERSPECTIVE CAN Go A LONG WAY - 06:16 PM
A recent post by Andrew Mooers in Maine, titled Look Back Over Your Real Estate Blog Posts On Active Rain, And Tell Me The Tone, Slant, Perspective.  really got me thinking this afternoon.  And, I am not ashamed to admit, maybe a little "defensive". 
The general idea of Mr. Mooers post was that real estate is local...I agree with that...and that perhaps the attitude of those of us trying to make our way in a struggling market was bringing down the "tone" of positivity that should be prevalent in other, less hard hit areas...I somewhat agree with that but, A little … (24 comments)

HOW I TICKED MY SELLERS OFF BY TELLING THE TRUTH - 11:47 PM
Fifty-three days on the market and only one showing by another realtor.  Today, I hosted my third open house for a couple that REALLY wants to sell their home, but on their terms (ie not really). 

The last two open houses have provided a lot of feedback and even some offers. Unfortunately, those offers were 45K-50K below the asking price of 195000.  Early this evening, I called my clients and gave them the feedback from those who came through.  Two people offer.ed to buy the home if the sellers would be willing to lower their price
I said, "I think … (51 comments)


Blog posts


4BR each w/private patio - sea view villa on prestigious resort - Portugal - 11:23 AM
Single Family Home for sale in Carvoeiro, NC … (1 comments)

Lots & Land in NC Gated Community Adjoining Great Smokey Mountain National Park - 12:41 PM
5.65 private - gated - wooded acres … (1 comments)

Granny Lamps - 04:47 PM
I like reading posts about home staging.  It is something that fascinates me even though it doesn't show up much in my neck of the woods.  I help my clients de-clutter and maybe move things around a bit and I give them suggestions on what improvements should or should not be made.  So I eagerly read Angela Voss's post Beware! The Top 20 Tacky Staging Techniques.
My heart raced a little when I read #13 - "Cheesy old lamps (Get the granny lamps out.)"
I immediately looked up to my beloved floor lamp that originally belonged to an ex-beau's grandfather, and … (9 comments)

The Diet Continues - Week 43 - Swim Suit Picture - 11:42 PM
Sorry this is not me today, this is me about 21 years ago.  I have lost .2 pounds this week.  When I was younger I did a lot of back packing and I love the High Sierra.  This is from a 10 day solo trip I did in the Summer of 89 on or about my 29th birthday. This is in the Emmigrant Wilderness just north of Yosemite.  I do not know which lake.

I thought I was fat at the time, although my wife thinks I look pretty good here.  I miss the hiking and the high mountains and … (9 comments)

Short sales made easy...well, easier for some - 12:00 PM

Finally there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel In 2009, the Treasury Department introduced the HAFA program to provide a possible option for homeowners who do not qualify to keep their homes through the existing Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). The HAFA program took effect on April 5, 2010 and sunsets on December 31, 2012. At this time there is no indication whether or not the program will be extended.  Insiders hope that by the time December 31, 2012 rolls around the housing market will have stabilized.  The jury is still out on that optimistic view. The … (5 comments)

Boost Your Search Engine Rankings! - 09:20 PM
Great post to help you work on what your key words should look like to rank in the search engines.  Thanks Michael!
Via Michael Caruso Real Estate Group:
Recently I read that the majority of real estate agents are missing out on a key strategy that will yield them much higher rankings on Web search engines. Most practitioners are competing with each other over short-tailed keywords, which are just a few words strung together that Internet users type in for searching purposes. However, this is a misguided step on the part of real estate professionals, since as much as 80 percent of … (3 comments)

Budget your Money before you buy a Home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama - 12:20 AM
If you are going to buy a new home Tuscaloosa, Alabama there are so many details that you will have to sew on your end before you can even get started. One of the most important is your budget. If you do not have any clue as to how much money you have or how much you can afford, you are going to get yourself into a bad situation. The fact of the matter is that your budget has a lot to do with the type of home that you can afford, and also with how you will move forward in … (1 comments)

Do you want to know what the appropriate price to offer is - 12:31 AM
Figure out the best price to offer for a house in Tusscaloosa? Learn from Experienced Real Estate Expert Now that you have found a home that you would like to buy you need to present an offer. How can you decide upon the correct price for a house in Tuscaloosa, Alabama? The purpose of this article is to advise you how to settle upon an offer.Tip 1 - Understand the Tuscaloosa market. The first step is to consider what the market conditions are. The current state of the real estate market in this locale of Tuscaloosa. Has had some upswings and … (2 comments)

Close Call in the Woods - 12:35 PM
Just in case anyone missed this article on the first go round, I think it's too important not to send out there again.  We sometimes don't realize how vulnerable we can be to the elements.  If you're going to be out there in the intense heat anytime this summer, remember to let people know where you are, stay hydrated, have cell phone access and dress for the weather.  Randy's experience is a reminder of just how quickly we can lose control.  Take care of yourself and stay safe.
Via Randy Ostrander-Real Estate Broker, Serving Big Rapids and West Central MI (Lake and … (6 comments)

Anatomy of a Short Sale - 03:05 PM
Recently I did a short sale and kept a chronological blog post going about how the process was going and what step we were at. This was posted on my flagship blog, KnoxvilleTennesseeRealEstateBlog but I thought it might be beneficial and interesting to some to reblog it here to see how an actual short that closed went. Posted by Jim Lee, REALTOR® @ 7:01 am, June 9th, 2010    Over this past weekend,  I wrote an offer on one of my listings which is going to be a short sale. I thought it would be interesting to keep an online journal … (3 comments)

"I'm not Making Enough Money as a Landlord...I want to do a Short Sale..." - 07:56 AM
   We got a call from a landlord/homeowner who was in the mood to start over in life....no more rental properties, sell the primary residence, re-marry and begin life over again....sounds like fun. The conversation began,
"I want to sell all my properties, I don't care if I don't make any money, I just want to pay off the bank."
While we were talking I began to pull up the tax records on mls...the would be seller ticked off approximate mortgage balances and continued talking about how this landlording thing was a drain on time and energy.  I asked if property … (22 comments)

1253 Dogwood Dr. Jamison PA 18929 Hampton Chase - 10:16 AM
… (0 comments)

Home Sale Stats for Dennis Township, Middle Township and Upper Township - 01:22 PM
 
Home Sales Information
Information gathered from Cape May County Board of Realtors MLS and
deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
 
Geraldine "Gerri" Rescigno
Sales Associate, CRS, e-PRO, RSPS
RE/MAX BEACH HOME REALTY
4200 Landis Avenue
Sea Isle City NJ  08243
609.263.3600
 
Would you like a personal Market Snapshot?  Visit my website at
www.SeaIsleShoreHomes.com
 
 
 
… (2 comments)

Sabbath Gleanings......... are you a person of your word?? - 03:06 PM
Hello there everyone!!
After having the home I live in get sideswiped by a tornado, I am back. God was good to me in that even though our internet connection got interuppted, the home was not touched and we were all safe. We have such a wonderful Creator in and though our Messiah Yeshua (Jesus)!!
This weeks Sabbath Gleanings is about backing up your promises with actions.
Yeshua (Jesus) said we are to love one another. He then describes what that love is. According to Yeshua (Jesus), to love your neighbor means that you walk in His holy (set apart) commandments … (7 comments)

Glendale Commercial Lot for Sale 51st Ave & South of Glendale - 10:39 AM
Corner Commercial Lot near the Wonderful Old Towne Glendale. Old Towne Glendale is full of shops to browse, restaurants to eat in, and plenty of things to do and look at. Major traffic count on 51st Ave will give you the exposure you need to build yourbusiness. Great Commercial Lot on the corner of 51st Ave and Lamar, just south of Glendale. All utilities to the site. Zoned for Commercial Office, Build to suit your needs. View Larger Map … (0 comments)

Lakefront Home For Sale in Wind Drift, Gilbert - 10:54 AM
This is one of the most GORGEOUS homes for sale in Gilbert. It is not a short sale or REO. This lakefront home is right on the water! The Basement in this waterfront home gives you over 3000 square feet to play with. And Basements are cool during those hot Arizona summers. This Lakefront home is located in the Southern Shores segment of the Wind Drift subdivision, in Gilbert, Maricopa County, AZ. Four Bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a den with built in's, Living Room, Family Room and Media Room downstairs in the Basement with a Full Bar. Two Bedrooms are upstairs, … (2 comments)

Ranch Land For Sale near Arizona City / Eloy - 11:32 AM
INCREDIBLE $19,600 / Acre. Unbeatable price. How many acres do you want? 10 Acres? 20 Acres? 30 Acres? How about 40, 50, or 60 Acres? Ask me how! Incredible Ranch / Horse property. Large homes nearby. Amazing Views of the Sawtooth Mtns. Right next to BLM Land. This Ranch is Halfway between Phoenix and Tuscon. Electric is 300' away. Water is 125' deep. Good ABC road. Dedicated Easements. Flood Zone A - the best to build on. Open area to build or sub-divide. Large Forested Section. One Mile Equestrian Trail, a river runs through the southern end. Owner would consider Seller Financing … (1 comments)

Gilbert Home For Sale in Trilogy - 12:03 PM
Great Trilogy at Power Ranch Home For Sale. Trilogy at Power Ranch has everything an Active Adult could need in a 55+ community. Trilogy at Power Ranch is an award winning community with very few homes for sale due to its popularity. If you are looking for a great home in Trilogy, go no further this is your new home. Amenities in the resort community include a warm and friendly clubhouse, two swimming pools and a spa, four tennis courts, a fully equipped fitness center, a cyber café, a computer lab and a multitude of arts, crafts and activities that are … (0 comments)

Gilbert Home For Rent in Trilogy at Power Ranch - 12:47 PM
Great Unfurnished home for rent in Trilogy at Power Ranch. Great Furnished home for rent in Trilogy at Power Ranch. There are only a couple unfurnished homes for rent in Trilogy at Power Ranch. Trilogy at Power Ranch includes a warm and friendly clubhouse. Trilogy at Power Ranch has two swimming pools and a spa. Trilogy at Power Ranch has four tennis courts. Trilogy at Power Ranch has a fully equipped fitness center. Trilogy at Power Ranch has its own cyber café. Trilogy at Power Ranch has a computer lab. Trilogy at Power Ranch has a multitude of arts, crafts and activities … (0 comments)

3/3 Chandler Townhome For Sale in Pueblo Santa Fe - 03:01 PM
This Great Townhome is For Sale in Chandler, Maricopa County, Arizona. This Chandler Townhome for Sale has three bedrooms and three full bathrooms. There are two master bedrooms in this townhome, one upstairs and one downstairs. The third bedroom is also upstairs. The one car garage has storage for the new homeowner as well.  The front patio is great for enjoying the other 9 months out of the year, and the community pool is for the hot summer months. Better hurry, this Townhome will not last. For Investors looking to buy bulk reo's, go to www.turnstonesw.com. View Larger Map … (1 comments)

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