Archives of real estate blog entries for August 6, 2010

Featured blog posts


There's a label on my food! Should there be a label on my Realtor? - 08:03 AM
When you go to the grocery store all the food (under FDA Regulations) is labeled with the nutritional contents on them. Obviously, this is for our protection as a consumer. We may want to know exactly what we are about to eat before putting in our mouths. I think it's great. Maybe it not 100% disclosure, but at least (as a consumer) I have a chance to make a smart decision.
When I was looking for a car online. I see that you can check the CarFax Record to find out the history of the car. Not knowing a lot about … (51 comments)

“At the end of the day, the property has to stand on its own!” - 08:24 AM
 
When I do a listing presentation, I tell potential clients about all of the marketing methods that I will employ to get their real estate in front of as many buyers as possible.
Using all of my Internet savvy combined with conventional strategies does indeed present the property to a plethora of possible purchasers.
But I NEVER guarantee that I will sell the house. Because at the end of the day, the property has to stand on its own!
There is a multitude of reasons that people buy houses, and an even larger number of reasons that cause a purchaser … (45 comments)

The Product is Flawed - 12:13 PM
The Product is FlawedRecently Adams County tax payers got together with Adams County Commissioners to discuss the recent property tax reassessment that was Conducted by Century 21 Appraisals.  The above statement was made by one of the tax payers during his statement, and you kmow what, he is exactly correct.
 I have been listening to and reading all of the information that is coming out regarding the process and it's outcome and two things seem very clear to me. First, Century 21 used the wrong appraisal approach. Under USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) one of the first things addresses … (25 comments)

Thank Goodness I Googled This "Buyer/Investor"!! - 06:24 PM
Thank Goodness I Googled This "Buyer/Investor"!!
This blog will show you the importance of doing a Google Search of potential buyer/seller clients in the Arizona pre foreclosure market.
The other day, an AR Blog of mine was featured.  The title of the blog is "Attn Distressed Homeowners & Listing Agents-BEWARE OF THE NEGOTIATOR/INVESTOR!!"
In the blog, I discuss the importance of staying away from shady negotiator/investors who demand to negotiate on behalf of your clients to get a ridiculously low price, in order to flip the home for a handsome profit.
In the blog, I stress the dangers of "handing off" … (72 comments)

Small Town Real Estate Sales Make You The Chief Cook And Bottle Washer. - 06:01 AM
Are you built to be a specialist in real estate and listing, marketing, selling just one type of property? And at the same time do you live in such a large market with your job one slice of the process in the wonderful, never dull or boring world of real estate?
 Like you do just commercial office space rental and your job in that selective niche is just to acquire the listing, shoot images, write copy and someone else uploads it to the mls, does the promotion, showing for the most part?
If you enjoy, really shine at one particular aspect … (12 comments)

THE COMPANY'S IMPORTANT BUT...IT'S ALL ABOUT THE REALTOR! - 12:11 AM
You have decided that it is the right time to put your home on the market...there has been a job change, there is a new little one joining the family, the kids have left the nest, etc.  By far and away, no doubt about it, the most important first step is bringing the right Realtor into the fray.
First, and most importantly, notice I said "REALTOR".  The term means that the agent is a member of the National Association of REALTORS, a member of the state association and the local association of REALTORS.  They are held to a higher standard of … (38 comments)

Success in the Rain - 04:02 PM
Lets talk about Success!!!  I am a little off today as I've just flown in from RainCamp San Diego early this morning.  What a group!!!  We had quite a few RainCamp groupies show up which is always a treat.  We extended the AR Family even further and the whole place was abuzz with excitement.  This group is going to take success to the next level, I can feel it!
I've highlighted a few stories below and hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
If you have yet to write your own success story, I urge you to do so. … (46 comments)

OPERATION YMCA BACKPACK! - 12:30 PM
 
OPERATION YMCA BACKPACK!  All of the Houston area YMCA's are having their annual backpack drive! As the new school year approaches, the need for school supplies is very great!  This is a fantastic program that provides thousands of children with much needed supplies to help them get a great start with the new school year.
Visit the YMCA Operation Backpack website for information on how you can donate and where to drop off backpacks.
Here are some easy guidelines if you would like to donate or to volunteer:
Purchase a new backpack. Go to your local retail store and purchase a new … (19 comments)

Overpriced Homes-Sell Slower and For Less - 12:36 AM
Overpriced Homes-Sell Slower and For Less If there’s anything we can take away from the plethora of Bank Owned Foreclosures is they certainly know how to price a home to move!
I maintain that you almost always shoot yourself in the foot by overpricing your home. Your home will almost always sale at or above market value by pricing at or below market value.
So why is that? Well think back at when YOU were buying a home. Remember when a “great deal” came on the market and everybody and their agents were “swarming” to the open house? You placed your … (154 comments)

Wow -- That Got My Attention - 12:12 AM
I had a moment today where I got quite a start. I had just popped open an attic hatch, then I turned my head. At first, what I saw looked like a woman's hat. It did not take me long to get my head on straight however.
My first impression was wrong. No hat -- Bee looking creatures, or more specifically yellowjackets.

Ths was way bigger than a basketball and it got me pretty excited, I admit it. Good news is that the yellowjackets did not seem to be active today but I was not going to go up there … (107 comments)

Breaking Up is Hard to do...Well, Not Really! - 01:22 PM
I used to love the song, "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" when I was a kid.  Remember those great lyrics that Neil Sadaka and Karen Carpenter sang so beautifully?
They say that breaking up is hard to doNow I know, I know that it's trueDon't say that this is the endInstead of breaking up I wish that we were making up again
I can still hear the Doobie, Doobie, Doo-Wah's in that song even as I read those great lyrics.  And that is comforting because I'm getting ready to break up with someone.  The heartbreak is going to happen for … (51 comments)

Make it a Win-Win Situation - 11:19 PM
Negotiate,     negotiate,    That's all I do.
So thankful for that.  Thankful for the business.  I negotiated three contracts today.  We have 6 wins out of 3 contracts.
I learned a valuable lesson many years ago.  It must be a win-win situation for everyone involved in a transaction.  When you approach your business with this mindset, you will be more successful.
Some agents may be too aggressive.  Some may be too interested in the money that will be coming to them.  Looking out for your clients best interest is what you were hired to do.  This does not mean to bully the … (55 comments)

Don't Text Me!!! - 07:51 PM
"Don't Text Me!"
That's how I was greeted this morning when I answered my phone. Now had it been my accoutant or doctor, no problem.
But this call came from a Listing Agent! (You know, the one's trying to sell a property)
Now before we open up a HUGE debate about texting, let's back this up a little bit. I called on Wednesday to schedule an appointment for SATURDAY. {How's that for being prepared}But when I called, the agent's mailbox was FULL. Again, Listing Agent... Property... Voicemail Full... Nice.
Since the only number listed in the MLS was her cell phone … (77 comments)

TOP 5 C'S TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL ACTIVERAIN BLOGGER AND TO OBTAIN MORE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS - 01:36 PM
TOP 5 C'S TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL ACTIVERAIN BLOGGER AND TO OBTAIN MORE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS
They say every journey starts with the first step. However, my blogging journey started with the first key stroke on my computer. I have been blogging since April of 2009. I thought of every excuse in my mind not to blog such has no time, topics to blog about, and no time to learn a new form of media. Now, I have been doing radio for for years. Did I know everything about radio? No, I decided I will learn as I do it. So, … (81 comments)

What Is This Active Rain All About Exactly? - 08:09 PM
What Is This Active Rain All About Exactly? For us, at first it was mostly all about learning; new techniques, new sites, getting the sought after 'google juice'. There are so many wonders of Active Rain, so much to take in, so many wonders of the internet world. We began meeting a lot of people on active rain virtually and thought "wouldn't it be nice if you could meet some of these people personally." To actually get to know the people behind the comments and the posts. Hence the true wonder of Active Rain is, the people. They say there are … (36 comments)

Bill H.R. 5981 passes - FHA Mortgages to increase it's annual mortgage insurance premium - 10:43 AM
 

FHA first proposed the monthly mortgage insurance changes in the beginning of 2010. Bill H.R. 5981 was first passed by the House in the spring and was just passed by the Senate the other day.  What does this bill do for FHA mortgages? They have projected that it will yield approximately $300 million per month to the FHA insurance fund.
So what are the new FHA changes? - For terms greater than 15 years -
LTV's <= 95% will increase the monthly fee to 85 bps
LTV's >   95% will increase the monthly fee to 90 bps
And … (63 comments)

Short Sale - I'm so EMBARRASSED - HELP ME PLEASE - Susan Goulding - Tracy & Mountain House,CA - 02:25 AM
"I have to short sale my house. I am so embarrassed.  I don't want my neighbors to know. I don't want a sign.  Can you keep it out of the MLS?  Do you have to TELL people it's a short sale? I just don't know what to do anymore, Please help me.'
WOW _ the above SPILLED out of the mouth of the caller when I answered my phone today.  Not even a breath to ask who was calling, how they reached me, just an over whelmed seller who FINALLY decided to ask for help.
As reported by the National Association … (36 comments)

How Hard Can Being a Realtor Be? - 11:04 PM
There's been lots to write about these past few days. The past 6 months have been nuts in our office and I think I could easily write a blog a day (or two) just about what is going on in our office.
Since January we've brought on one great new agent. We have one new referral agent who has already sent in two clients. We moved our office (only a few hundred yards, across the highway) to an incredible location -- the best intersection in town. Our appraisal firm, Schuylkill Appraisal Services is busy.
 
Things are rolling along. But as … (54 comments)

Saying, "It's a Great Time to Buy a House" Doesn't Mean Squat! - 08:43 AM
Saying, "It's a Great Time to Buy a House" Doesn't Mean Squat!
You see it all the time in blogs and ads..."NOW is the time to buy a house!"
What we say are things like...
"It's a great time to buy a home!" "Rates are at the lowest they've been in years!"Now is the time to buy because prices are so low!"
And while we mean what we say, sometimes what we also really mean is, "PLEASE, SOMEBODY...ANYBODY...BUY A HOUSE AND BUY IT FROM ME!"
The problem is that the buying public is not in a house buying mood right now.  It is … (52 comments)

Reviewing the Real Estate Crash of 2006. I Should've Seen it Coming. - 04:40 PM

OK, so today, I want to analyze a post I wrote back in July of 2006. According to my reserach June of 2006 was the exact peak of the market in my area, Poinciana FL. In July 2006 property values started declining. Since then single family homes in Poinciana Florida have gone from a high value of $235,000 in June 2006 to $73,000 in August of 2010. That's a decline of 69%. That's actually good news since at one time we were down to $65,000. So values are on the upswing in Poinciana Florida. Here's my post from July 2006. … (51 comments)

Active Rain Will Make You The Yellow Pages For Your Area :) - 08:43 AM
Careful... Active Rain Will Make You The Yellow Pages For Your Area  :) Rita Fong prompted this post this morning. 
Rita and I were visiting on the phone a couple of days ago and chuckling a little bit about all of the phone calls that are generated from people across the nation, and sometimes beyond, looking for phone numbers, contact information, or whatever about anything and everything, in our areas due to blogging on Active Rain. 
We've both experienced being the Yellow Pages  in our areas and you probably have also because Active Rain does have you "out there" for … (44 comments)

Mile Markers and Celebrations - 08:48 AM
I am going through a Leadership Summit with Willow Creek Church in South Barrington IL these couple of days. Willow Creek church is the 2nd largest church in the world and its lead pastor is Bill Hybels - a well-known and highly respectable leader in the Church ministries.
Through this vision, Bill wanted to reunite the local churches to do more for its community. Hence, this Global Leadership Summit.
In his message, Bill Hybels shared about how he brought CHANGE to his church.
He talked about taking his congregation from "HERE" to "THERE". But constantly feels that there is "RESISTANCE" because … (42 comments)

Connected At The Hip - 12:44 PM
Connected At The Hip
 

UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO
All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you Active Rain. And a special thanks to two very warm and friendly Young ladies Lauren (I assume that's the correct spelling because that's how we spell our youngest Granddaughter's name) and Kerrie (also the name of our #2 of three daughters). These two very special young ladies helped make my first, but definitely not my last, AR event a very fun and fulling experience.
 
       
                                            MIT                     … (6 comments)

If your home is still on the market it’s probably priced too high - 12:37 AM
If your home has been for sale for more than 100 days you're probably tired of looking at the for-sale sign in your front yard. If you want to sell your property now and get on with your life, pay close attention: Your price is too high!
In good markets or bad, price is the key factor in selling a home. Regardless of location or condition, any home will sell at the right price.
Properties that sell fastest sell closest to list price.  Those that are on the market longer sell for much less than those which were priced realistically when … (27 comments)

Instant Success On Active Rain Post....Hyper Local School Information, Take Advantage Of This Time Of Year - 01:38 PM
I posted a couple of blogs this past hour about fall registration for our local high school and local middle school. The times of these registration periods and the procedures can be confusing. I carefully used long keywords and tags...and guess what? Less than an hour from the post on our high school, Capistrano Valley High School, I have a new lead.
I received an email from a new resident of Mission Viejo who needs to register her child in the high school and found my post. She and her family have been renting this past summer and are now ready to find … (100 comments)

Real Estate Agents Sell Ugly Houses, Too! - 12:54 PM
  So, you’ve decided you want to sell your house.  You know it qualifies as one of those “ugly houses,” but you don’t want to do any work to your home.  You especially don’t want to do major repairs or updates like replacing all the windows with broken seals.
You may think that means real estate agents will not want to list your home for sale.  Think again. Brooklyn real estate agents sell ugly houses, too!
Here’s what you should expect if you have an ugly house that you don’t want to make improvements to:
A lower price:  Maybe you don’t … (37 comments)

Why Capital Reserve Shortages Aren't the End of the World - 01:03 PM
Lately, I've read a bit of a hullabaloo about the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and how their capital reserves have dropped below the legal limit they are required to have. The articles have ranged from the rational to the rabid, some looking for reasons, others predicting the end of the world. Ultimately, there is very little that the majority of homeowners need to worry about, but there are some legitimate concerns.
As many of you who read our earlier post on FHA loans, you'll know that one of the things the FHA does is act as insurance on loans, allowing banks … (7 comments)

HyperLocal Marketing - Six Ways to Market a Local Community! - 11:54 AM
Hyper-Local Marketing - Six Ways to Market a Local Community--Hyper-Local marketing is a wonderful way to help people learn about the Communities in your area. When you think of how you want to market a community or any niche market really, you just have to imagine what it is like to live there. As Realtors, we often times do Open Houses at our listings and so we get to know what it feels like to be in the home. We hear the birds sing and the traffic if there is any. We notice if it is quiet. I always love to … (42 comments)

How are You Growing Your Facebook Fan Club? - 08:35 PM
Matt McGee of HyperlocalBlogger (among other things) has asked if I will contribute a guest post about how to grow your fan club on Facebook. I'd love to share some examples with him.
I've had reasonable luck getting folks to "like" our real estate page www.facebook.com/iciclecreekrealestate through the use of Facebook CPC ads.
What tools are you using in your business to increase the number of Facebook fans you have?
How many fans is "enough"? I feel like my FB page needed a jumpstart, but obviously at some point I'll just let it grow organically? Is 100 fans enough? How about … (23 comments)

Miss Bad Manners Guide to Agent Negotiating Etiquette - 05:05 PM
Hello again genteel readers, Miss Bad Manners back with another installment of her etiquette guides!  Today's topic should help you and your clients have the smoothest possible home sale transaction!Many factors influence a successful transaction, but Miss Bad Manners will address key attributes she has observed, but will exclude the special category of bank owned and short sale homes (perhaps another day)!
To start a successful negotiation, it is key that the Listing Agent NOT provide a direct phone number for the buyer's agent to call!  Only provide your main office phone number and only check during normal working hours.  The … (38 comments)

Hey Carla, What's Your Take On . . . - 04:43 PM
Earlier today I received a call from an in-state agent wanting to know my take on some advertising I'm doing.  The agent was approached by a sales rep who wanted to know if she'd be interested.  Checking out others who have already purchased the advertising, she noticed me, and called.
My ad hasn't been running for any length of time . . . only a month, so it's too fresh to know.  She mentioned talking to a few other agents who were advertising on the same site . . . they weren't seeing much activity.  Hmmm . . . I suggested it might be that … (52 comments)

As a Licensed Realtor/Agent, You Must Identify Yourself! - 11:24 AM
Aren't we always supposed to identify ourselves as a Realtor upon first introduction as to not mislead another Realtor?  You walk into an Open House and the agent thinks they've just captured another sucker, but you have to identify yourself as an agent immediately. Wouldn't this same rule apply online? There's a "buyer" in Chicago who I have been trying to get to respond to me for over a year. She entered my database in July '09.  This morning, I get an email from this "buyer" stating, "I am a remax agent in the Chicago area that ran a search awhile … (41 comments)

Once, I was Dumb as a Rock. An "If I Can do it Anybody Can Post" - 10:27 AM
 
Prior to last November, my wife and I did no Active Rain, No Twitter, and No Facebook... and we were doing fine thanks, had plenty of friends, ate food regularly etc..
 
We were connected  to prospects and clients in the standard agent way ...through our website, texting, and our email lifeblood...

For now. But we could see what was coming... actually what was already here, what we were not part of.
  Most of our clients are younger then we are. The 50 year old people in our sphere are not moving.
They are settled, have kids in … (31 comments)

I Like Comments - 03:50 AM
I post a lot; I'm over 950 now, and I'm
used to getting 20-40 comments on each post. I listened to
the gurus of marketeting and posted a "listing". The results?
One comment, which I suspect was a "mercy comment" from a follower
of my blog, and deletion from two groups because I didn't look at the
guidelines for that group. Is there a better way to do this and still
get comments? I don't want to lose my readership.
… (125 comments)


Blog posts


Greeley Park - 03:53 PM
 

Experience the beauty of Greeley Park
I really like to take some time out from the stress of the day and visit Greeley Park.  Greely park is an old-fashioned park located in the north part of  Nashua, New Hampshire.  This park Turly is  a hidden gem and it is the venue for many events during the year.
    Greeley Park was donated to Nashua by Thorton Greeley on June 3, 1896 and was dedicated on June 1, 1997.    
   The park has horse shoe pits, softball/baseball fields and tennis courts, a small pool and kids play area.   
      … (0 comments)

Nashua ~ SummerFun Series ~ Touch a Truck ~ Beauty & the Beast Jr. - 04:12 PM
 
    Nashua New Hampshsire SummerFun 2010 continues with 2 great events for kids of all ages. 
 
Touch-A-Truck       Children will be able to view, climb upon and touch many different types of trucks in a safe environment. 
   Personnel will be on hand to teach the children about the trucks and how each truck plays an important role in the greater Nashua community.
  When:  August 7, 2010   Where:  Nashua High School South Parking lot   Time:   10:00 am - 2:00 p.m.   Cost:  Suggested donation of $5 per car or van  Rumor has it that the that kids will be able to touch, climb upon and learn about all … (20 comments)

5 Reasons Why You Should NOT Try to Sell Your Home By Yourself - 01:59 PM
Great advice no matter where you are located!
Via Erica Ramus - Realty Executives / Pottsville PA Real Estate:
Are you thinking of selling your Schuylkill County Home FSBO -- by yourself?
Marketing a home in 2010 is NOT the same as marketing it 10 years ago. Even if you did this before, you have to do so much more than plant a sign on the yard and place a classified ad.
5. Advertising is more complicated. When is the last time you read the newspaper or searched the classifieds. Years ago you'd buy the paper to see what homes were for sale … (1 comments)

18 Via Burrone - Pelican Heights - Newport Coast CA - $3,495,000 - 08:15 PM

Unlimited MLS Access at: OC-CoastalProperties.com
"Your gateway to exceptional service"
This property marketed in association with Tim Carr.
© Copyright 2011, Allan E. Heller. All rights reserved.  DRE #00464662 … (2 comments)

The Active Rain Cencorship - 12:20 PM
The other day a member here sent me an e-mail via Active Rain to link to a blog post of theirs.  (Didn't know you could do this - might explain how some of these post get so much attention.)  I linked the post and you can link it here too:  Court Rules Proposition 8 Unconstitutional - Judge Overturns California's Ban on Same-Sex Marriage.
I will say right of the bat, I am against Gay Marriage.  I will not go into all the reasons here as that is not the reason for this post.  I will also state that if I had … (10 comments)

Why is Free Stuff always Costing Me Money! - 02:33 PM
I am always being bombarded with "Free Offers."  No doubt as real estate professionals you are too.  In fact we get hit with the stuff in all walks of life.  Well Free stuff is costing me a fortune!  In fact the surest way to turn me off is tell me you are offering something for FREE! 
What has set the curmudgeon off in me this time?  Well my 7 and 6 year old got free tickets for Six Flags Wild Kingdom and admittedly they sent two along for the parents.  But I got a family of 8, the two younger ones … (8 comments)

As a Licensed Realtor/Agent, You Must Identify Yourself! - 11:24 AM
Aren't we always supposed to identify ourselves as a Realtor upon first introduction as to not mislead another Realtor?  You walk into an Open House and the agent thinks they've just captured another sucker, but you have to identify yourself as an agent immediately. Wouldn't this same rule apply online? There's a "buyer" in Chicago who I have been trying to get to respond to me for over a year. She entered my database in July '09.  This morning, I get an email from this "buyer" stating, "I am a remax agent in the Chicago area that ran a search awhile … (41 comments)

Breaking News from FHA - Mortgage Insurance Premiums are Changing - 12:19 PM
Breaking News from FHA! Congress passed HR5981 which gives FHA the right and authority to change their monthly and annual mortgage insurance premiums, what's known as MIP, not PMI.  These changes are taking place starting with and new FHA case numbers pulled September 7. This is not a contract execution date, but the date the mortgage person gets the file turned in for a case number. What changes are planned? A decrease in the upfront Mortgage Insurance Premiums from 2.25% to 1%. This is called "upfront", but is typically rolled back into the mortgage and paid through your mortgage payments over … (9 comments)

Getting To The Top of Search Engines~ Using An ActiveRain Automatic Signature - 07:09 PM
Great post from Jeremy!  Thanks for sharing!
Via Jeremy Blanton (210 Consulting~ Social Media Advisors):
I wrote a blog a few months back here at ActiveRain that was very well received titled "3 Tips to Getting Your Website To The First Page Of Google" in which I shared three really basic principles to help move your website/blog to the first page of Google.  They were
Write good quality keyword rich content. Be consistent with writing. Link, Link, Link! The last point about linking seems to be an area of confusion to people, so I wanted to explain this point in a little more … (9 comments)

Sell your Home for What It's Worth - 12:58 AM
Looking to sell your home in today's real estate market?
It's a great time to move:)

 
Don't wait trying to get the most out of the real estate market for your home. Sell now, Get on with Life!
While you are waiting your are actually losing money!
… (6 comments)

http://fcinf.com/v/c0hf - 07:03 AM
http://fcinf.com/v/c0hf
… (0 comments)

Get Your Picture in the November Issue of Fast Company - 07:07 AM
Thanks to Wordy C, I found this post about Fast Company's Influence Project!
When you register, you are given a unique link.  You post that link in blogs/websites/facebook updates/where-ever.  Your "influence" is then determined by the number of people who click on your link.
Here's MY LINK (You know you want to click it).  :-)
Here's an article from Fast Company describing the Influence Project.
Josef Katz, Active Rain post below:  Thanks, Josef!

Via Josef Katz {Marketing Maestro} (Education Marketing and Direct Response Marketing):
Fast Company is doing something interesting with social media.  They have set up a site to determine who the … (3 comments)

Audio Books Via iTunes - 09:10 AM
Just recently it occurred to me to search for AudioBooks on iTunes.  (It hadn't occurred to me before). 
And I'm enjoying catching up on some "reading" over my iPhone while doing various chores.
But you don't need an iPhone, an i-Anything, or even a Mac to get books over iTunes.
Just go to http://www.apple.com/itunes/    Download and install iTunes on your computer.
Set up an account.
Look in the left column, click on iTunes Store.
Then Look up in the upper right corner for the search box.  Type in the name of a book you'd like to "read". 

For example, try … (2 comments)

Dover NH Real Estate - Building the Economy - 01:42 PM

… (0 comments)

Selling Your Bradenton Home Via Short Sale - 07:18 AM
Nothing is more frustrating and scary than facing the prospect of losing your Bradenton home. You have many questions but you don't really want to talk to anyone about it.
Ignoring the problem won't make it go away so you need to take action and find out what your options are. Start today by taking our 10 day email course about Selling your Bradenton home via Short Sale.
Get your questions answered and if you chose to, you can talk to one of our Bradenton Short Sale experts.
We promise not to judge and know you are not alone.
Click on … (0 comments)

Jersey City Tax Reassessment - Are my property taxes going to go sky high? - 06:17 AM
No.  Most people, when they hear the term "property revaluation", incorrectly believe that a reval raises all the taxes on all the properties in the city.A property revaluation is mandated by state law so that assessments of all properties in a municipality are brought up to, or as near as possible to, 100% of market value. This is the best way to insure that every property, based on its market value, pays its fair share of the municipal, school and county tax burden.While all property revaluations are different, the general "rule of thumb" for a property revaluation is that 1/3 of the municipal … (2 comments)

Oakland Beach Festival this Sunday! - 12:36 PM
I would like to take a moment to remind everyone that this Sunday, August 8th is the Annual Oakland Beach Festival!
I have heard a rumor that Mother Goose is going to make an appearance so you might want to make sure your children are there! 
Sponsored by the Oakland Beach Association and JONAH (Join our Neighborhood and Help), this festival has been a Rhode Island tradition now for 27 years!
Of course there will be Food and crafts for sale, and Warwick Beacon is saying that raffles, a disc jockey, with a performance by the Aldrich cheerleaders and a karate … (8 comments)

Reviewing the Real Estate Crash of 2006. I Should've Seen it Coming. - 04:40 PM

OK, so today, I want to analyze a post I wrote back in July of 2006. According to my reserach June of 2006 was the exact peak of the market in my area, Poinciana FL. In July 2006 property values started declining. Since then single family homes in Poinciana Florida have gone from a high value of $235,000 in June 2006 to $73,000 in August of 2010. That's a decline of 69%. That's actually good news since at one time we were down to $65,000. So values are on the upswing in Poinciana Florida. Here's my post from July 2006. … (51 comments)

Member Cards For What ? - 03:28 PM
I really, really do not like member cards for more than one reason. 
One of the reasons is that my wallet is getting bigger and bigger and my key chain could be heavier and heavier. I could be like a maintenance guy with a chain with a hundred little plastic member cards on it.
Few years ago I was shopping at one of the big pet stores and I had to make a card. I went to that same looking store ... oops it was a competitor. I had to sign up for another card, because the lady at the register … (3 comments)

The Town of Wimberley - 11:33 PM
Head west, between Austin and San Marcos, across the seemingly endless Texas Hill Country vistas dotted by quaint towns and you will find the old mill town of Wimberley. The town was first settled in the 1840s, after Texas became a state. Mills powered by Cypress Creek kept the town growing, and changing names, for decades. Each new mill owner gave the settlement a new name, until it officially became Wimberley in 1880 after then mill owner Pleasant Wimberley.

Perhaps the best known spot in Wimberley is Blue Hole. Shaded by Cypress trees, this spring-fed swimming hole is always inviting. … (1 comments)

Related links

New Members for 2010-08-06

 Archives:

31 Aug
30 Aug
29 Aug
28 Aug
27 Aug
26 Aug
25 Aug
24 Aug
23 Aug
22 Aug
21 Aug
20 Aug
19 Aug
18 Aug
17 Aug
16 Aug
15 Aug
14 Aug
13 Aug
12 Aug
11 Aug
10 Aug
9 Aug
8 Aug
7 Aug
6 Aug
5 Aug
4 Aug
3 Aug
2 Aug
1 Aug
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
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