Archives of real estate blog entries for August 10, 2010

Featured blog posts


Are Newsletters Old School? - 10:03 AM
Ten years ago when I owned and operated A-ha! Writing Services, newsletters were very popular. Many of my clients required that I create, write, and edit their monthly newsletters. I had a client in Alberta who had contracted my services three years in a row for his twice-monthly e-zine. He even went as far as to hire ghost-writers to work with me.
And then newsletters just didn't seem so important anymore. The public seemed to lose interest. The number of people who wanted to receive newsletters in hard copy or e-mail format started to decrease. Some were even offended, saying the newsletter was SPAM or a … (104 comments)

Please don’t ask me to help you beat the system. I’m in this business for the long haul! - 08:12 AM
It seems like lately I get more and more phone calls from frustrated prospective buyers that wish to capitalize on the low prices of houses in our area combined with some pretty amazing low interest rates.
The problem is, these would-be investors don’t qualify for an owner-occupant loan, but at the same time, do not wish to pay either the additional down-payment or the higher interest rates for loans on investment property.
So they ask me to come up with a workaround to help them beat the system. And I have an answer for them.
NO! Do they honestly think that … (81 comments)

Active Rain is nothing more than another costly marketing gimmick - 10:17 AM
Active Rain is nothing more than another costly marketing gimmick.  When Craig Rutman tried to share with me the magic of Active Rain I just knew it was going to be another costly marketing gimmick.  It took several months and a small nudge from Craig to get me to take it a little more seriously. Once I did I realized how wrong my pre conceived notions were. Today I will tell you that Active Rain is the most productive marketing tool I have ever had in my career.
 
If you want the public to notice you, here’s your chance.  … (208 comments)

July 2010 Real Estate Sales Report for Middlebury Ct - 09:10 PM
July 2010 Real Estate Sales Report for Middlebury Ct
Currently in Middlebury Ct there are 89 active residential listings for sale, with 18 new listings being added in July. The homes for sale in Middlebury Ct range from a 1,330 square ft, 2 bedroom cape listed at $197,500 to a 9,650 square ft, 6 bedroom, estate offered at $2,400,000.

The average list price of the homes currently available for sale in Middlebury Ct is $543,500. The median on market for these homes is 132 days.
In addition, there are currently 5 homes under contract in Middlebury Ct, two of which went … (22 comments)

Aren't All Lenders The Same? - 02:58 PM
Aren't All Lenders The Same?
A lot goes into your process when buying a home. It is a big event. Finding the right neighborhood, a great floor plan, the right number of bedrooms and of course, the right price! The purchase of a home will be one of the biggest investments you will make in your lifetime.
One of the primary details in any home buying process is how you plan to pay for the home. If you have all cash, great! No worries! The process will be a smooth one! However, most of us are not fortunate to have that kind of cash lying around the … (34 comments)

More options for the underwater homeowner: FHA Short Refinance to homeowners - 05:19 PM
More options for the underwater homeowner: FHA Short Refinance to homeowners
Owe more on your home than it's worth AND you're current on your existing mortgage?
If eligible, you now have additional refinancing options to help keep your home afloat.
It was announced this past Friday, August 6, that homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than the value of their home could qualify for Federal Housing Administration’s Short Refinance option.
“Starting September 7, 2010, FHA will offer certain ‘underwater’ non-FHA borrowers who are current on their existing mortgage and whose lenders agree to write off at least ten percent of … (74 comments)

Lets be honest...Do you really want to sell? - 11:56 AM
As a Listing Specialist I meet all kinds of awesome people everyday...Sellers come in a wide variety from the ";;lets start with the commission";; Uptight type         
 To the Care free here take my house at whatever price type
. 
 
Either way I have met them all, and no matter which one you are for me it all comes down to
"WHATS YOUR MOTIVATION???" 
you see no matter if your analytical type or the lets have fun but still sell the house fast type, I can still do my job without any worries. 
 But when it comes to being motivated; that has to … (35 comments)

DO NOT DOUBT THE POWER OF THE NEW COMMUNITY PAGES FEATURE IN ACTIVERAIN. Lenn has a new toy. - 06:11 PM
DO NOT DOUBT THE POWER OF THE NEW COMMUNITY PAGES FEATURE IN ACTIVERAIN
I posted about golf courses in Prince William County about an hour ago.  The post was crawled, indexed and produced in Google SERP in minutes. 
GOLF COURSES IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA
Aug 10, 2010 ... There are many golf courses in Prince William County, Virginia, private, country club and public courses. Below are just a few to help you ...activerain.com/blogsview/.../golf-courses-in-prince-william-county-virginia-
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1792159/golf-courses-in-prince-william-county-virginia-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I also posted about school registration in Loudoun County VA.  This post was also indexed in minutes.
LOUDOUN COUNTY VIRGINIA PUBLIC SCHOOL REGISTRATION INFORMATION FOR ...
Aug … (99 comments)

ActiveRain Community Pages - Frequently Asked Questions - 12:42 PM
Question: What constitutes a community? I live in a really small town, is that a community? Answer: As it relates to ActiveRain community pages, a community can be considered anything around which people commune (OK funny guy, what does that mean?) that is more specific than a city or town.
Some 'communities' will be actual geographical areas within a town or city. In Seattle for example, there are known areas and ways locals break down the city. Communities such as 'Queen Anne', 'Wallingford' and 'Ballard' are well known and obvious communities. However, people may choose to get more granular with how … (42 comments)

Surprised That The Rental Market Is Improving? I’m Not. - 09:56 PM
An article on MarketWatch, "Apartment Market Shows Signs of Improvement," seems to indicate some confusion on the part of the writer who can’t seem to grasp the reasons behind the recent increase in the number of renters, ". . . with the job market still struggling, it isn't easy to explain the growing demand." And some apartment owners, following reports of a significant increase in demand over last year seem equally baffled. According to one, “it’s hard to fully explain where the demand is coming from.”
 
Some in the apartment industry seem to be "hypothesizing," inferring that the appearance … (76 comments)

Why I decided THIS is the right time to get into Real Estate.... - 12:58 PM
    I have always been a nurturer.  I've always felt a need to help those around me....Even sometimes before I help myself.  So for my entire professional life, I've always been in the role of a Servant.  Whether it be service to a customer, or service to a co-worker...I've been one to serve.  So in the beginning of this year when I was ultimately downsized out of a Specialty Coffee House Management position(I had been in the Specialty Coffee Industry for the better part of 15 years. From Barista to Multi-unit Manager,Owner/Operator to consultant..and everything in between), I decided that NOW is … (77 comments)

SAW DISTURBING AGENT PICTURE....WHAT DO YOU DO? - 10:02 AM
It came rather unexpectedly. I was on ActiveRain searching out the blog rolls when on the very next page, there was a blog with a persons picture next to it. Okay, we know this...however.....by far this is the worse picture I have ever seen in my entire Real Estate career.
It was unflattering, negative, detracted from the blog, uncomplimentary, and I can go on and on....it completely turned me off. What would possess someone to post a picture of themselves like that? Furthermore, is everyone asleep in this person's world? Will no one speak up to this person?
I ACTUALLY HAD … (189 comments)

Three Strikes and you're Out - 03:26 PM
Today I had my second cancellation of a scheduled showing by an agent for the same buyers.  These buyers have yet to see the home but have certainly consumed my seller's time, my time, and the time of the agent who is attempting to work with them.
The "buyer's" agent happened to call her customer 45 minutes before the scheduled appointment time to confirm that they would be on time.  The buyer had apparently completely forgotten the appointment.  This was the 2nd cancellation with minimal notice.  My seller had already left from work to go and get the dog and had … (91 comments)

With Change Comes The Opportunity To Be Epic. Roar. - 03:38 PM
Unless you all really are troglodytes, then you've seen the changes going on around here. With these changes comes an opportunity for you to broaden your horizons. If you don't broaden your horizons, you're going to stagnate. What I'm going to do in this post is help you to push your Blog in new directions, with a few simple guidelines, that I hope you'll put to good use. I call these Guidelines E.P.I.C. It's been my experience that the easiest way to remember things, is to give them a catchy acronym: E   Engaging. P   Persuasive.I   Interesting.C  Compelling.As most of you are … (66 comments)

How To Add Captioning To Your Video - 03:08 PM
How To Add Captioning To Your Video after reading Brad's blog about the capabilities of You-Tube and Captioning I had to go in and try it for myself. See previous Blog for how it turned out -
I have to tell you it wasn't easy to figure out, but after a couple hours of trial and error I finally got it.  The benefit of Captioning is for the Video itself then becomes searchable by Google!
Step 1
Login to www.YouTube.com Click on the top right, My Videos and Edit Video of one you want to Optimize
Step 2
Click the … (15 comments)

Help.....From all the Rainmakers!! - 10:32 AM
I don't consider myself to be a crafty veteran when it comes to Activerain.  I've been here for a few years and have used it periodically (unfortunately not consistently until now).   As I come up with topics for blogs, I want them to be of value to someone, whether it be the consumer, my colleagues, or both for that matter.  My question is what is determined in writing a featured blog?  For those that are able to consistently develop strong featured posts, what do you attribute most to it?
This is by no means asking for a handout.  I find a … (32 comments)

Following Through on your word after the listing presentation! - 08:39 AM
Fellow Realtors: My specialty market is expired listings and it is very upsetting to hear how many of us do not deliever what we promise during our listing presentation. We are in a challenging market and super challenging second half of the year, and it is so important to follow through with what we promised.
 
1. OPEN AND HONEST COMMUNICATION: Ask the client up front how often they want you to check in and then do it. When the client calls return their phone call in a timely fashion and if your super busy then shoot them a text. Most … (30 comments)

Tactful Recruiting - 08:23 AM
                                                  
TACTFUL RECRUITING -
Over my tenure in Real Estate sales I have been approached by all but every major company out there in our Geographic service area.  Some of the recruiters are extremely aggressive where others have been meek and all but scared to ask the question.
As soon as someone catches wind of you being unhappy at your current company it is like have a target on you that word spreads fast through the industry that the Broker's are on a frenzy trying to get to you first.
Most of … (25 comments)


Blog posts


ActiveRain Community Pages - Frequently Asked Questions - 12:42 PM
Question: What constitutes a community? I live in a really small town, is that a community? Answer: As it relates to ActiveRain community pages, a community can be considered anything around which people commune (OK funny guy, what does that mean?) that is more specific than a city or town.
Some 'communities' will be actual geographical areas within a town or city. In Seattle for example, there are known areas and ways locals break down the city. Communities such as 'Queen Anne', 'Wallingford' and 'Ballard' are well known and obvious communities. However, people may choose to get more granular with how … (42 comments)

Day Trip to Wyoming Territorial Prison - 08:06 AM
Built in 1872, the Wyoming Territorial Prison was restored and renovated the 1990's by the efforts of the citizens of Laramie.  There were at least 12 woman housed there and more than 1,000 men; Butch Cassidy being the most famous guest.
What to See....
Prison Museum - Ran as a Territorial Prison until 1890 when Wyoming became a state.  In 1890, the facility was reorganized as the Wyoming State Penitentiary for 30 years and held notorious outlawas like Dan Parker, Clark "the Kid" Pelton and Ellijah Canary.  The prison became a stock farm for the University of Wyoming in 1903 when inmates were transferred … (1 comments)

4503 W. Avenue 40, Sagamore Park - 07:43 PM
4503 W. Avenue 40, Sagamore Park
 
4503 W. Avenue 40, Sagamore Park, offered for sale at: $479,900
This Grande Dame of Sagamore Park  is somewhat faded, but with a lot of cosmetic attention and landscaping could be ready for her close-up! The ocean wave roof is unique and gorgeous... makes the property look like a fairy tale house behind a Sleeping Beauty hedge. From the front door you step into a large living room with a coved ceiling and a wood burning fireplace. Turn left into the formal dining room, also with coved ceiling. Breakfast nook and laundry room are at either … (0 comments)

Austin Home Buyers - Why Buy Now? - 10:51 AM
Now just might be a great time to buy a home in Austin.  There are just under 12,000 single-family homes on the market in the Austin MLS at this time.  This number does not include condos, townhomes or mobile homes.  If it did, that number would be closer to 14,000.  That leaves buyers a lot to choose from.
So why buy now?  Home sales peaked prior to the end of the tax credit.  Many Austin real estate agents thought our area would see a slow-down in sales after the tax credit and that has happened.  We are also in the time … (1 comments)

Austin Real Estate Market States Update 8/10/2010 - 11:30 AM
Austin real estate market states courtesy of Alamo Title Co.:
Units for Sale: (compared to July 2009)
New listings are down 1.97%.
Pendings are down 20.30%.
Solds decreased by 25.80%
As for Average Prices:
The "New Listings" average list price is down 1.80% to $294,500.  In July 2009 the average list price was $299,883. 
Sold average sales prices increased 17.30% to $284,443.  For July 2009 it was $242,498.  
These numbers support what I posted earlier about now being a good time to buy an Austin home.  By the way, don't get too excited about the average sold price seeing such an increase.  … (0 comments)

But Will it Appraise? - 11:46 AM
There are many Austin home buyers in the market for a home, but there are a lot more sellers.  A lot of buyers are looking at a relatively low price point and that is where competition is strongest in the Austin real estate market.
Many of the homes listed for sale are homes that people bought in the last 5 years.  And many of these were financed with little or no money down.  As such, sellers will not have much room to come down in price.  As a result, offers need to be fairly strong.
I have seen buyers looking at … (2 comments)

The Heat is On and Showing Property is Uncomfortable - 01:52 PM
The Austin area was blessed early in the year with rain and this did several things.  It helped Lake Travis return to a normal level and it kept temperatures down.  But August has been a different story.  What I am hearing from several sources is that we may be heading back into a drought situation.

Last summer was one of the hottest on record.  We had 64 days on which the temperature topped 100 degrees.  That seems to be the pattern right now and for at least the short-term future.  The good news is that within around 30-45 days, it … (1 comments)

The Purple Sage is in Bloom - 02:02 PM
The heat has really been on lately in Central Texas and in many other parts of the country.   The forecast isn't calling for rain, but the purple sages are blooming.  They usually do this around 8-10 days before it rains.  So do they know something that we don't?

I did a post last year on my Austin real estate blog about this very subject when Hurricane Edward was headed in our direction.  We got little rain in Austin, but some of the surrounding area did see a few drops.
Might we see rain next week?  I look at an Austin … (2 comments)

Weather and Sage Update - 03:04 PM
I just caught the Austin weather on Channel 8 and saw the model for a tropical disturbance near Florida has changed.  It looks to be heading to Texas.  The sage has been blooming for several days, not sure how many.  So perhaps it has been predicting a little precipitation from this system.
I know we can use the rain.  We can use cooler temperatures too.  The grass in my Apache Shores home is looking pretty thirsty.
… (0 comments)

Most Expensive Homes For Sale in Austin - 05:09 PM
I was curious today about what the most expensive Austin homes are that are listed for sale at the moment.  So I got into the MLS and did a search for anything listed for over $10 million.  Five properties were returned, but one was near Fredericksburg so I left it out.

No, this isn't one of the homes, but it shows a huge home overlooking Lake Travis.  This place is probably over 20,000 square feet in size.
As one might expect, 3 of the 4 in and near Austin are lake properties.  They are all quite large and have all … (4 comments)

Pittsburg California Homes for Sale - 03:44 PM
Pittsburg California Homes for Sale
This market report looks at Pittsburg California Homes for Sale.  The focus is Single Family Homes for Sale.  The report compares current Pittsburg California Homes for sale to homes sold in June and July.
Right now there are 181 Pittsburg California Homes for Sale with an average price of $213,336.00 and a median price of $199,900.  The average price per SF is $123.00 and these homes have been on the market an average of 47 days.
In July 65 of the Pittsburg California Homes for Sale sold with an average price of $202,754.00 and a median … (0 comments)

Antioch California Homes for Sale - 04:06 PM
Antioch California Homes for Sale
This market report looks at Antioch California Homes for Sale. The focus is Single Family Homes for Sale. The report compares current Antioch California Homes for sale to homes sold in June and July.
Right now there are 318 Antioch California Homes for Sale with an average price of $147,365.00 and a median price of $159,250. The average price per SF is $112.00 and these homes have been on the market an average of 49 days.
In July 113 of the Antioch California Homes for Sale sold with an average price of $208,239.00 and a median … (0 comments)

Oakley California Homes for Sale - 04:15 PM
Oakley California Homes for Sale
This market report looks at Oakley California Homes for Sale. The focus is Single Family Homes for Sale. The report compares current Oakley California Homes for sale to homes sold in June and July.
Right now there are 158 Oakley California Homes for Sale with an average price of $270,792.00 and a median price of $246,855.00. The average price per SF is $131.00 and these homes have been on the market an average of 67 days.
In July 50 of the Oakley California Homes for Sale sold with an average price of $233,154.00 and a median … (0 comments)

Brentwood California Homes for Sale - 05:04 PM
Brentwood California Homes for Sale
This market report looks at Brentwood California Homes for Sale. The focus is Single Family Homes for Sale. The report compares current Brentwood California Homes for sale to homes sold in June and July.
Right now there are 220 Brentwood California Homes for Sale with an average price of $457,633.00 and a median price of $353,500.00. The average price per SF is $192.00 and these homes have been on the market an average of 63 days.  However, these numbers a skewed upwards by 8 homes priced over $1,000,000.00.  If you look at the other 212 Brentwood … (0 comments)

Discovery Bay Homes for Sale - 05:35 PM
Discovery Bay Homes for Sale
This market report looks at Discovery Bay Homes for Sale. The focus is Single Family Homes for Sale. The report compares current Discovery Bay Homes for sale to homes sold in June and July.
Right now there are 92 Discovery Bay Homes for Sale with an average price of $546,532.00 and a median price of $444,450.00. The average price per SF is $195.00 and these homes have been on the market an average of 72 days.
In July 20 of the Discovery Bay Homes for Sale sold with an average price of $355,610.00 and a median … (1 comments)

Please don’t ask me to help you beat the system. I’m in this business for the long haul! - 08:21 AM
 
I read many of the blogs posted on Active Rain. I am often surprised how often agents fail to follow the admonition...If you are a fool, keep your mouth closed rather than speaking (or blogging) and announcing the fact to the world. It is foolish to think that personal gain can be used as justification for breaking the law or skirting ethics.
Richard has shared what should be the view of EVERY agent. I say should be because there are so many willing to look the other way and cash a paycheck.
 
Via Richard Weisser Coweta Fayette Real Estate:
… (0 comments)

Lake Travis Library - Summer Book Sale - 12:24 PM
Lake Travis Community Library is holding their annual Friends of the Library summer book sale this Saturday, August 14, 2010 from 8am- 1 pm.  You can get an entire bag of books for only $10! They will provide the bags, and you just fill them up and cram as many as you can inside.  I'm so sick of reading the same books over and over again to Alyssa, that I'm going to be sure to be there! Instead of being at the actual library, the event is being held at the Jack Brown Cleaners down the street at 1508 RR 620 … (3 comments)

Short, Curly Haircut Suggestions? I'm Making a Drastic Change and Need Your Help! - 03:47 PM
For ten years, I've had long hair. Well, actually, I've had long hair most of my life, but there have been three times where I went short. The first time was in 1st grade when my mom went and chopped my hair off because I "wasn't taking care of it." Come on, Mom, I was 6. The next time I had short hair was a week before high school graduation. I wanted a grown-up look for college and off came the locks. I stood in my high school hallway for 10 minutes before anyone recognized me. Not sure if that was … (14 comments)

Heritage - Keller, Texas - 11:46 AM
Heritage is a wonderful masterplanned community developed by Hillwood Residential in the North Fort Worth / Keller, Texas area. Heritage has several thousand homes of differing sizes, features, and price points. Currently, The Bluffs at Heritage is in the final phase of development. Homes in this section of the neighborhood start in the $280's and go up into the $500's. These homes range from approximately 2,300 square feet to well over 5,000 square feet. Pre-owned homes are available as low as the $140's in different sections of Heritage. There is truly something for everyone!
Heritage attracts residents looking for a resort … (0 comments)

Why are you in real estate? - 11:21 AM
Find Your WhyBe honest and specific about what motivates you.
"He who has a why can endure any how."--Friedrich Nietzsche
Do you know why you are in real estate? It is important that we all have goals, and a specific reason for doing our profession.
We all know that a great goal is specific. It abhors the words "someday" and "try." A great goal says things like:
"By April 15th, 2011, I will be thrilled to report I have personally earned $180,000 in commissions.""By then end of 2012, I will have earned the money and time to spend the first … (2 comments)

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