Archives of real estate blog entries for November 2, 2011

Featured blog posts


We are all visual creatures and like our eye candy - 07:16 AM
We are all visual creatures and like our eye candy 
 
It’s who we are as human beings.  This even applies when doing something as mundane as searching for a Vallejo rental home.  Honest.  Don’t believe me?  Take a look at the following photo of a world famous hunk.  He’s a real beefcake with women drooling over him and magazines putting his face on the cover and on and on.  Look close…. (but no cheating and trying to read ahead)
 
Ladies, are you ready to swoon yet?  Are you weak in the knees and ready to buy a new … (36 comments)

My Six Month Review, Market Leader Makes Further Investment in ActiveRain - 02:25 PM
Everyone,
It has been six months since I became CEO of ActiveRain, and as many of you know, it has been an eventful six months.   I started as CEO of ActiveRain on April 11, 2011 with a commitment to invest in the underlying technology of ActiveRain, continue to foster a vibrant ActiveRain community, and make training investments to see greater success with our RainMaker premium blogging subscribers. 
We have made good progress towards those goals.  We have invested significantly in the ActiveRain technology, thanks to our technology lead Chris Paredes, Chris Beahm and Patrick Lesher from Market Leader and a team … (146 comments)

Remembering My Brother Jamie, My Best Friend - 01:56 PM
 
I remember the day that James Lindsay was born.  It was March 4th 1984;  I was 6 years old.  My brother Matthew and I had been staying with a friend from church while mom and dad went to the hospital. We finally received the call...
"The baby is here!" we screamed and danced around in circles hugging each other continuously.
When we arrived at the hospital my mom answered the door grinning from ear to ear. We immediately asked her...
"What did you name him?" to which she responded so proudly "James Lindsay and we will call him Jamie".
Now … (82 comments)

Crawl Spaces - What I learned this month..... - 09:20 AM

Disclaimer - This picture is not any crawl space I visited or own....
This month has been my month to learn about crawl spaces...As a real estate agent and the owner of 5 homes I know they are important.  I always did the cursory look with a flashlight (or at least my phone) but this month I have I have taken crawl space 101......Until this month I had only went into a couple of them...That was a job for the inspector...
Lesson 1)  First sometimes water gets into the crawl space....A water leak is so much better then water intrusion....A … (23 comments)

Not Returning My Call Almost Cost Me A Client! - 12:43 PM
We have all heard the wonderful stories about agents who have seen success simply because they happened to answer their phone at the right time (when other agents wouldn't) or because they were prompt in returning that missed call.
THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE STORIES!
Instead, this is a story about a potential client that almost got away because my calls to HIM were going unanswered.
On Sunday, I received an internet lead through our office website about a rental property listed with our office.  After a quick e-mail responding to the initial inquiry (no phone number was provided on … (70 comments)

VA Appraisal Deadlines - 09:03 AM
A recent question about VA loans came in from a seller who wanted to know about standard procedures for VA appraisals.
“A VA appraisal was requested 3 weeks ago. This past Friday, our realtor spoke to the lender. The lender said that the original appraiser was “unresponsive” and made a second request.  He told our realtor that another VA appraiser ‘accepted this assignment’ on Friday, and that this individual has 10 business days to come to our home. Is this standard?  Is there anything that can be done to speed this process along?”
The VA appraisal process includes a set of … (23 comments)

Hello, Is This Mrs. Rainmaker? - 10:47 AM
Hello, is this Mrs. Rainmaker? I actually had a lady call me on Friday evening and ask me if I was Mrs. Rainmaker!  (I was driving back from Orange County, with my husband and took the call at around 8:00 p.m). I said with a chuckle, "Yes it is"! After talking a bit she finally said, "What is your first name again?"
I said, "If you look right under the "RainMaker", label you'll see it, it's "Jane".  This lady went on to say that she told her husband that Rainmaker was such an unusual name, and that I must be Indian!!! … (87 comments)

Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder, Except When You Are Selling Your Home - 06:58 PM
Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder, Except When You Are Selling Your Home It is sad but true, Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder, Except When You Are Selling Your Home. Here is why; there are some universal truths when you are trying to appeal to a large number of people and you must be mindful of this if you want to sell your home and pocket some serious cash. In no particular order here are some pitfalls to avoid: 1) While you may love your porcelain dog collection, your target buyer may not. 2) That yard … (74 comments)

Representing Multiple Clients at Once....Are You Prepared for the Conflicts? - 10:33 PM
Representing Multiple Clients at Once....Are You Prepared for the Conflicts?
We all work with multiple clients at the same time.....or at least I know I do & I hope you do too!  I have a variety of buyers I am working with.  Listing Agents have mutliple Sellers they are working with.  Other agents may have both buyers and sellers.  (And no, this is NOT a blog post about dual agency.) 
Prospective clients have asked me on more than one occasion what happens if I am working with two buyers who are interested in the same property.  It has not happened to … (44 comments)

Why First Time Homebuyers Often Lose Out! - 04:31 PM
… (55 comments)

If I could save an extra 3+ hours per week.... - 09:00 AM
If I could save an extra 3+ hours per week, I would….
Maybe head to the driving range and work on improving a very bad slice!  But then after thirty years of golf I have really perfected the slice and now know where this “heavy fade” will land.  Maybe I could finish writing "the book" that has been in the works now for about five years.  No, it is not a book about blogging or even selling real estate in Florida. It is a book about a first generation Asian-American who wants to be the next great country music songwriter.  It … (37 comments)

HUD Homes Available for Only $100 Down - 07:03 PM
HUD Homes Available for Only $100 Down
Yes, that’s right. From now until October 2012, HUD is allowing consumers to purchase specific HUD Homes in the state of Texas for only $100 down payment instead of the usual 3.5% down payment normally required by FHA loans.  Of course, there are restrictions and requirements that apply. The most common one is the fact that consumers must actually live in the home as their primary residence. It’s just another way to discourage many investors, who are house flippers. Consumers must qualify for the loan by the normal FHA guidelines for financing too. That … (61 comments)

Stop Negotiating Like A 5 Year Old - 08:24 AM
Stop Negotiating Like A 5 Year Old - Originally Posted at Cleveland Real Estate Blog

 
Bringing buyers and sellers together is more difficult today than ever before. Buyers want it all and sellers are sick and tired of seeing their equity disappear. Negotiating in this market can be especially challenging when one of the parties or even the other agent negotiates like a child.
Don't get me wrong, children can be great negotiators, especially when it comes to wanting an extra dessert or staying up past their bedtime. However, when adults start acting illogical and downright child-like, well, it's … (33 comments)

How Much is a Real Estate Lead Worth? Revisited! - 08:39 AM
How Much is a Real Estate Lead Worth? Revisited!
 18 months ago I asked:
How Much is a Real Estate Lead Worth?
A lot has changed since then including my viewpoint on leads.
Back then I looked at buyer leads this way:
Have you ever tried to put a value on what a lead is worth? A buyer lead? A seller lead? Do you pay for leads? If so how much? And have you ever calculated a payback?
Here in Ocala and Marion County my estimate is a lead is worth about $40 but I would not pay more than about … (37 comments)

Tips for Refinancing Your DC-Area Home - 08:37 PM
With 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages at their lowest level in nearly 60 years, it’s not only a great time to buy but also a great time to refinance your DC, Maryland or Virginia home. Even if you don’t have perfect credit or a great deal of equity in your home, there are still ways to refinance at these great low rates.   Do Your Homework – Rates from one lender to the next can fluctuate by 1 percent or more, which will determine how much less (or more) you’ll pay each month. Besides checking rates, review the fees and services a lender … (8 comments)

Advice to Buyers - 11:51 PM
So you are looking to buy a house. One thing to remember is that if you are looking for a place to live, you are buying a home not a bargain. If all you look for is the best deal you won’t be happy in your deal versus your home.
Now there are some things to think about. First off you can always fix the house but you can’t fix the neighborhood so choose wisely. If you have children or are planning on having children, make sure the school district is up to par. You can check Great Schools www.greatschools.org to … (24 comments)

What Is The Dollar Value of A First Impression? - 08:30 AM
Do you have any idea what the dollar value is of a buyer's first impression?
Home Stagers talk about first impressions all the time. We talk until we are blue in the face and sometimes we are still dismissed with "it's not that important, I have a great kitchen."
That may be true but the first gut reaction never goes away. I heard Real Estate Agent and Mogul Barbara Corcoran put an actual dollar value on first impressions and I sat up straight in my chair. I had never heard it expressed in actual $$$ before.

If you are not aware … (49 comments)

My Niche in real estate - 02:34 PM
It can take some people a really long time to figure out what they are truly good at and can have the possibility of the most success. Some people never figure it out. While I thoroughly enjoy working with people to help them buy or sell their houses, I have found the niche that I think I could be most successful at.
New-Home Construction. Having my architecture background really comes in handy when reviewing plans and construction documents. I can envision the home before the first shovel ever breaks into the earth! I really enjoy working with contractors. I love it … (31 comments)

Who Is Really Your "Friend" on Facebook? Have You MET Them? - 11:20 AM
I, as do many others, use a variety of social networks.
I have a tendency to use them more for business purposes, such as promoting new listings, or sales, price changes, my most recent blog, items of that nature.
I do get chastised occasionally from actual friends who want to see more of my non-work life, however!
A recent incident, however, made me re-think some of what I have been publishing, per se, and what information is available about me on the web.
I had a prospect contact me via a social network last year, and inquired about real estate. … (39 comments)

Newsletters - It is all about You - 09:28 AM
One of the many tools in the marketing kit bag is the newsletter.  It seems that not many real estate people like them, including me.  They take a long time to write and, if printed, they cost a lot of money collectively.  However, when I see one I always read it and note who has prepared the newsletter.   Now, there are companies that will write generic newsletters for you that you can send out under your name and logo.  The danger with this is - IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU.  Why else would you send out a newsletter if not to get … (89 comments)

Have You Checked For Surprises In Your E and O Coverage? - 07:47 AM

I assume we all realize the value of E and O insurance even though the odds are that the majority of us will never need to call upon it. I do know I want to be in the "never" category
No responsible principal broker would ever consider letting an agent "fly his/her flag" without being covered by E and O insurance for the agent's activities.
In my case, I am billed annually for the coverage by my broker. In all likelihood, that is probably the manner in which the majority of licensees receive their insurance coverage. Have you ever had … (48 comments)


Blog posts


USA 68 Unit Franchise Hotel on 1.55 Acres - US-98 in Central Florida - FL Real Estate - 10:42 PM
Florida Franchise Hotel for Sale … (0 comments)

Open Houses that Pick Up Clients - 12:22 PM
I used to do a lot of open house but quit after never getting any business from them.  They I heard a colleague talk about how to hole an effective open house - the kind of open house that will actually get buyers into your car.  I did an open house the way my associate described it and what happened?  I got a lady into the car and showed her waterfront houses on Lake Travis.
So how does this work?  Read more about getting clients from open houses.
… (0 comments)

Finding Photos for Real Estate Websites and Blogs - 12:32 PM
I took this shot a few years ago when Lake Travis was looking particularly inviting.  I have this on my website and have used it in blog posts.  So is taking your own photos the only legal way to get good images for your website?  Absolutely not, but remember that I used the word legal.
After finding a number of my own photos on other real estate websites and asking the webmasters to remove them, I realized that there is a lot of theft on the web.  I wondered how I could get good photos when I was not in a … (0 comments)

Check out this amazing vodio about Texas - 12:39 PM
This is very interesting.
 
… (0 comments)

Stanislaus County Short Sales - Get A Fresh Start For The New Year - 05:19 PM
Stanislaus County Short Sales - Get A Fresh Start For The New Year
 
I have been asked a couple of times in the last month "If we list our home as a Stanislaus County short sale can we stay in it through the holidays?"  Fortunately this is one of the easier questions to answer.  Almost certainly you will be able to stay in your home through out the holidays if you list it now.  The one exception MAY be if your home has a Wachovia Mortgage because they move VERY fast on their short sale approvals.  
 
In October … (3 comments)

Another HomeRome Listing SOLD in Baltimore! - 10:37 PM
  This rowhouse within walking distance to Johns Hopkins Hospital, sold and settled last week.  Since Our Job is to Get Signatures, I enjoyed receiving one on a note like this from  happy sellers.                                     
 
 
      Another HomeRome listing was sold at 406 N Port St. Baltimore, MD 21224   
                                                      
 
                                                                                     
                     
 
 
               
This home is located at 406 North Port Street about 10 blocks from the … (13 comments)

Government Refinance Program is Revised - 01:25 PM
In order to try to stem the tide of foreclosures, the Obama administration put a program together called the Homes Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) in 2009.  The goal was to help Anchorage homeowners and others who were underwater on their home loans (ie, owed more than what their home was worth) and struggling to make their monthly mortgage payments due to a current financial hardship get through this rough time without losing their home in the process.  Unfortunately, with the restrictions that were in place with the original HARP guidelines, not as many homeowners were helped as was hoped for.  The … (0 comments)

Stowe Vermont - Halloween Ghost Walk and Decorations - 10:34 PM
Stowe Vermont - Halloween Ghost Walk and Decorations
Halloween in Stowe, Vermont is a time of tradition.  The businesses and homes are decorated with pumpkins, corn husks, ghosts and goblins.  There is still color from the end of the foliage season.  The Stowe Elementary School kids though, are the best part.  Every year, Stowe is home to The Ghost Walk.   At about 2:00 p.m., the kids, teachers, staff and many of the parents exit the school and parade through Stowe Village.
Many of the businesses, parents, and locals line the streets to watch the parade.  WDEV, a local radio station, plays … (0 comments)

Where Oh Where Has My Little Cell Gone..Oh Where oh Where Can it Be... - 07:52 AM
Where Oh Where Has My Little Cell Gone..Oh Where oh Where Can it Be...
  With it's Cute Purple Case and it's Battery Dead...Oh Bring Back my Cell Phone to me !
  If anyone knows a song we can chant....
  Or a place that we have yet to see....
  Please oh please let us know
   And bring back my Cell Phone to Me....
   The hiding place keeps me up at night
    Wondering where or where can it be
    Searching every pocket and purse...hoping that soon I will see...
    That it isn't really lost … (9 comments)

If You Are Contemplating Bankruptcy You Should Probably Consider A Short Sale - 01:22 PM

Today I wanted to talk to you about bankruptcy. I have met with homeowners in the past, who were struggling with their mortgage payments, and have considered filing for bankruptcy in order to avoid the foreclosure process. Even if this may be the best option for your current financial situation, I suggest that you meet with a bankruptcy lawyer before you do anything, in order for you to know for sure. But I also wanted you to think about this: If the biggest debt or the only large thing that you owe as of the present is your home, completing … (2 comments)

4622 Bullard Street -- $29,900 - 06:18 PM
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967 Rotonda Circle -- $184,900 - 06:19 PM
… (1 comments)

7 Mistakes a Home Buyer Needs to Avoid When Shopping for a New Home in Pensacola Florida - 11:35 PM
Home Buyer Needs to Avoid When Shopping for a New Home in Pensacola Florida. Here is a very good post on new home sales that I want to share with the pensacola new home buyer as well.
·                                 Buyers are taking advantage of our Smooth Move Program at closing, Choose between 1% Cash Back,  1 years taxes paid, 1 years insurance paid, Free Home Warranty and Use of our Moving Van or Free Survey with Free Termite. Lots of choices but the Realtor should be Contact Charles Stallions 850-478-8811 and make your move smooth. Renters are taking advantage of our Smooth Move … (3 comments)

Homeowners to Receive Payouts from Banks for Foreclosures? - 11:43 PM
·            If you or someone you know is upside down on you mortgage please contact me for your options. Let's talk and make sure you understand all your options.  Buyers are taking advantage of our Smooth Move Program at closing, Choose between 1% Cash Back,  1 years taxes paid, 1 years insurance paid, Free Home Warranty and Use of our Moving Van or Free Survey with Free Termite. Lots of choices but the Realtor should be Contact Charles Stallions 850-478-8811 and make your move smooth. Renters are taking advantage of our Smooth Move Program, Choose between Free use of our Moving Van or … (2 comments)

46513 Lynnhaven Square, Sterling, VA 20165 - 10:33 AM
Superb Brick Front Garage Townhome! … (2 comments)

21731 Ladbroke Grove Court, Sterling, VA 20165 - 10:37 AM
Yes You Can! Awesome Single Family at Townhouse Price! … (0 comments)

47433 Middle Bluff Place, Sterling, VA 20165 - 10:40 AM
Breathtaking Brick Front Home in Beautiful Rivercrest! … (0 comments)

20638 Muddy Harbour Sq #26281, Sterling, VA 20165 - 10:43 AM
Here is Your Pot of Gold! Fabulous Rental Available NOW! … (0 comments)

20362 Flushing Meadows Court, Ashburn, VA 20147 - 10:46 AM
Charming Colonial Brick Front Home! … (0 comments)

20414 Cliftons Point Street, Sterling, VA 20165 - 10:48 AM
Stunning 5 Bedroom with Basement and Wet Bar! … (0 comments)

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