Archives of real estate blog entries for March 31, 2011

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Holy Crap! I Think I Broke Twitter! - 08:37 AM
Holy Crap! I Think I Broke Twitter!
This morning, as I do every day, I posted a few local Raleigh/ Cary/ Apex area events on Twitter. But this is what came up on the screen when I refreshed to see my posts....

 

By the way, if you're not using Twitter to promote your business, you're nuts! Check out these numbers I put together in a blog some time back. Bear in mind that I wrote this blog last year and the numbers are even better now. Oh, and if you want to follow me on Twitter, … (181 comments)

My I Have A Dream Moment - 10:55 PM
My I have a dream momentA post by David Ames made me think about how much we all rely on the Internet as we move through the day. Recently my wife and I bought bikes and so we needed a bike rack to haul the bikes around with the car (Riding in city traffic is not her thing...nor mine). First of all we needed a trailer hitch for the car, and I found a video with step by step instructions on how to install it. But we passed and let the hitch guys do it. Then she studied the three different … (53 comments)

Unaccompanied vs. Accompanied Showings - What is best for Buyers may be Best for Sellers - 10:35 PM
Unaccompanied vs. Accompanied Showings - What is best for Buyers may be Best for Sellers
Quite often in Canton MA and Milton MA, many real estate showings are accompanied, meaning that the listing agent is there.  While we do have our share of lockbox showings, more often than not buyers and their buyer's agents accompanied by the listing agent.
The good part about having this listing agent there is that she or he is available to answer questions on the spot, without having to ask later or email.  Or if there is difficulty in finding something or opening a door, the … (47 comments)

Stop Thief! That's my content you're passing off as your own. - 10:33 PM
Ripped Off! Robbed! Plagiarized!


Here's one solution.
If that seems too extreme here's a couple of nifty tools you can use to catch crooks who lift your confent, whether it be your photos or words, and then try to pass them off as their own.
I just discovered Tineye recently to catch photo crooks. I've been a long time user of CopyScape to track down plagiarizers.
Tin Eye works like this:
 

"TinEye is a reverse image search engine. You can submit an image to TinEye to find out where it came from, how it is being used, … (45 comments)

11 Short Notes about Short Sales - 07:45 AM
1 Reason Short Sales are Difficult Because the payback of the loan will be ‘shorted’ by a significant amount and the lender will have to take a loss, your lender must approve the Short Sale before the house can close. 2 Reasons to Consider a Short Sale Helps you avoid foreclosure. Allows you to sell an upside-down house without incurring insurmountable debt. 3 Requirements to Get a Short Sale Approved You owe more on your loan than your house is worth. You can’t keep up with loan payments due to unemployment, relocation, divorce, medical expenses, or other financial hardship. You have … (59 comments)

5 Common Mistakes the Central Coast FSBO Seller Can Avoid - 03:54 AM
5 Common Mistakes the Central Coast FSBO Seller Can Avoid
 
As a former FSBO seller turned real estate agent, I feel a certain affinity for FSBO sellers.  I bought my first piece of property from a FSBO seller and two years later, I sold that same condo the same way I bought it:  FSBO.   I then sold my next two properties without listing on the MLS, by offering a broker co-op to buyer's agents.  I learned a lot from those experiences, and also my subsequent experience as a real estate broker.  I am not anti-FSBO, and feel that I can … (41 comments)

PRE APPROVAL LETTERS - 07:04 AM
I was just reading an excellent blog by Tni LeBlanc about issues that FSBOs face trying to sell their homes.  I suggested to Tni that another issue is how do they qualify potential buyers?  My dog, Gabby could get an Internet pre approval letter.
I am from the old school when we use to qualify the buyers.  Lots of questions asked at the inital meetings but there were three that were worked into the conversation.  How much do you earn, how much do you owe and how much are you putting down to buy this home?  Using ratios of 28-36 you … (53 comments)

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About PhotoBlogging But Were Afraid To Ask - 09:02 PM
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About PhotoBlogging But Were Afraid To Ask

About a year and a half ago, I wrote a post about the ABC's of Photoblogging and it contained a couple useful videos about photo placement in a blog post . There are many tutorials in the ActiveRain library but if you are unsure exactly what you are looking for you you could easily miss them. So I have included them here once again for anyone not familiar with them. So assuming you know how to place a photo in a blog, what else do you need … (118 comments)

FHA Guidelines are making it hard to keep deals together - 08:23 AM
There have been a lot of changes in the FHA guidelines, and I just came across another one.  Recently a listing of mine went under deposit, with the buyer going FHA.
Everything was going smoothly... maybe that should have been a signal right there.  The appraisal was done, and the good news is that the property appraised.  That didn't surprise me I knew it would.  What did surprise me is that in order for the loan to go through, the property which has well water, needs to be connected to the city water on the street.
The buyer does NOT want … (157 comments)

Can You Even Buy a Box of Cracker Jack? - 12:29 AM
One of the self-imposed rules my teammate and I use when working with buyers is a common one in the world of real estate. We require our buyers to have a pre-approval from a lender before we go out to view homes more than once.
Ideally we'll have an in-office consultation to start the relationship with a new buyer. At that meeting we'll talk about the buyer's goals, motivation, timetable and their needs and wants in a new home. And we'll explain to them how we work and how we get paid.
We'll also talk about why they need a pre-approval … (54 comments)

Pressure - 09:02 AM
We all have been under pressure. Stressed to the limit, deadlines looming, the tension building, about to explode. Having had another career before home inspections, it was no different, if not worse working a "real job". While that kind of pressure is common in the working world, as a home inspector the word pressure has different, but potentially just as apprehensive connotation.
Several components in a home work under pressure. No, someone is not screaming at them to work. Two of the most common examples are water heaters and boilers. When water is heated it expands increasing the pressure inside theses … (32 comments)

Shut Your Mouth! 10 Things a Buyer Should Never Say to a Seller - 06:19 PM
You like the house.  Scratch that.  You absolutely love the house.
You've looked at all the homes in your price range.  You started with an online home search.  Many of the homes you wanted to see and that you were tracking online sold before you even got a chance to see them in person.  You walked through the doors of this one and instantly you were in love.  Yes, love at first sight does exist especially when it comes to homes.
Desperately you look around the house trying to find something wrong but you cannot.  You even love the color they … (38 comments)

MoPros Eat No Mo!!! New Amendment to Reg Z goes into affect April 1st. - 08:09 AM

Hi folks, As you may know, in an effort to protect consumers in the mortgage market from unfair practices involving the compensation of loan originators, a new Rule amending Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) issued by the Federal Reserve goes into affect tomorrow, April 1st.  Amongst other things, this new Rule prohibits Lenders from compensating Mortgage Brokers or other Loan Originators based on a mortgage transaction’s terms and conditions, such as its interest rate, annual-percentage rate and loan-to-value ratio. It also prohibits Mortgage Brokers from collecting compensation from both the borrower (Origination fees) and the lender (YSP) in the same … (55 comments)

FEBRUARY PENDING HOME SALE RISE. . . . JUST WHAT DOES "PENDING" MEAN TODAY???? - 07:06 AM
BREAKING NEWS!!  "February Pending Home Sales Rise"
Oh, it wasn't much, an anemic 2.1% rise over a previously anemic trend which, over the past year, turned out to be a hefty LOSS  of about 8.2%.   
WHEN YOU CAN'T TRUST THE STATISTICS, SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG.  Numbers don't lie but the old saying, "GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT" is more true today than ever.
In their zeal to paint a rosy scenario of the economy, the government and the NAR are presenting to the public some very misleading numbers (GARBAGE) in their economic trends reports. 
FROM THE NAR. . .The Pending Home Sales Index,* … (76 comments)

If Only I Could Get My Client To Listen To Me... - 10:07 AM

~ Listen to Me! ~
"If only I could get my customer to listen to me..." 
The complaint is common with new agents.  Fresh from Real Estate School, and with the Examination under their belt and the framed license on the wall, they venture out into the world of commission-only sales.
(Oh, I know you're not a salesperson.  You partner.  You "come alongside to create a win-win."  You're a consultant.  Whatever...)
The Problem
The problem with anything that's a new skill is that we desperately want to prove our mastery of the subject, and the only way (it seems) … (52 comments)

6 Reasons the Home Staging Profession Will Never be Regulated - 03:24 AM
I'm not trying to offend, so please for those that are, go easy on the hate mail if you would. What I do want to do is put forward a logic based opinion on the subject of home staging regulation.
By the way, when I say ‘regulated' I don't mean certification or accreditation. The pros and cons of pursuing that, is a discussion I'll leave for another day.
Let's be clear about the difference between the terms. Certification (aka accreditation) in the context of a professional home stager, is similar to being endorsed in this case by one's training provider. Each … (44 comments)

Referrals Not What they Seem- How do You Handle Them? - 06:07 AM
Referrals Not What they Seem- How do You Handle Them?            
                                                                                                                      I do have to ask and I would like some very straightforward and honest answers from ActiveRainers on referrals,please: 1) If you give a referral out do you or will you negotiate your referral fee if it's a lower end buyer and the geographic area is large? 2)How do you negotiate it? 3)Do you give referrals with contingencies...i.e. the buyer must use a 'preferred lender' the referral agent insists on even if you've never heard of them?  Is this ethical?
4) Do you pick up the phone to talk … (53 comments)

"Make me Move"...(have you seen this??) - 03:54 PM

"Make me Move"...(have you seen this??)
Maybe you have and i'm just late to the knowledge.
After reading another well written and informative post by Tni LeBlanc: 5 Common Mistakes the Central Coast FSBO Seller Can Avoid  I decided to check out how many FSBO's there might actually be in the City of San Francisco.  There are so few in our town, that curiosity grabbed me and I decided to Google 'For Sale by Owner San Francisco' and Zillow took the top spots.  Zillow is showing "6" FSBO's on their site.  On the other hand, there was a category:  Make … (48 comments)

Is That New Condo “Up To Code”? Not exactly... - 10:27 AM
I just inspected a “new” condo (completed in 2008).  A very funky, architecturally cool space created in a converted factory in a trend neighborhood in the city.
 
The condo is very attractive and hip, with floating stairs, loft spaces served by spiral stairs, a very open floor plan, and modern touches throughout.
 
The thing is: all of these cool architectural features amount to a bunch of very attractive code violations.  And, (of course) not a code inspection sticker in sight. 
 
I am certain that there is no way the condo could have passed a city building code … (34 comments)

Outrageous Realtor Behavior!! - 08:41 PM
I got a call today from referral client who wanted to look at a house as fast as I could show it....
I spoke with him a few minutes and got the pertinent information whether he was qualified or not and where the house was.
I needed to get the status of the house and how it was occupied so I told him I would call him back.  
I got the information and a bit of info he had given me popped into my head...."I have already missed out on 5 houses so I need to make this offer ASAP" 
Hmmmmm  … (118 comments)

Stay away from my man, you slut! - 11:36 AM
Or…don’t try to come between me and my sellers!


So he says he’s not getting what he wants at home?  He thinks the “fire” has gone from our relationship.
He says I was passionate about my work in the beginning but he hardly hears from me anymore.  There have been few showings recently and he wonders if I’ve lost interest.

So you think you can make him happier?  You don't think you'll ever fall short or let him down?
Can you change the market?  Can you afford to advertise wherever he wants you to and be available for … (138 comments)

I apologize for disappointing you....BUT I gave 200% - 07:27 PM
We do not always get to sell our listings.... I know I certainly tried. I can recall washing the front doorway, cleaning the baseboards, the doors and doorways, re-positioning the furniture prior to my professional photographer entering the home, and after he left the home - before each - sparse appointment... I can recall arriving earlier to the broker's open houses so I could remind you that there was one, and to try and wake your son who was sleeping and we 'could not disturb him." I can recall asking that we gain admittance to his room for appointments, that he 'clean' his … (81 comments)

So, You Want To Be A Real Estate Agent? Well...Give It Some Thought! - 12:04 PM
I recently read a comment from a lady who is taking real estate classes.  Her comment came after a "rant" from an agent.  This lady seemed a little offended at the rant and seemed to feel that the writer of the post should be more positive.  REALLY?   I truly understand the writer's need to vent and I'm sure you all do too!  We have our days that would drive anyone over the edge.   
I hate to be the one to dampen the spirit of any potential real estate agent, but, this job is challenging to say the least.  But, despite the daily highs … (85 comments)


Blog posts


Off I-75 in Central Florida - Hotel for Sale - FL Real Estate - Business for Sale - 08:37 AM
USA Hotel for Sale for $3,500,000 - Florida Hotel for Sale … (0 comments)

Six Ways to Ensure a Remodel Will Pay Off - 06:37 AM
Lets face it; home improvement projects can put a dent in you wallet and now adays most projects make you feel like you're throwin gmoney to the wind.  Just a few years back you coul dcount on getting the bulk of your money back for almost all home-improvement projects; today not so much.  In a study conducted by Remodeling magazine, the average return on value for aan upgrade declined from 87% in 2005 to 64% in 2009.  So it is important that when you do decide to remodel, you do it in the best way to maximize your return on the … (2 comments)

Obstacles to Success! - 05:36 PM
Lately in an area of my life that I am involved in I have come under a lot of criticism.  Some of it painful and the worst part is it came at me unseen.  Gossip and subtle innuendo. 
In this area of my life there has been a stagnant situations for years, with things being done as they have always been done.  Some of the people wonder why things are stagnant and try harder to do more of the same.  People are very focused on the process expecting to achieve better results with more process.
For me a really painful part … (7 comments)

Brain Sucking Aliens! - 06:25 PM
I work out of my home which can be a mixed blessing.  My kids are always dropping by the office to show me something, or to read to me, or some other reason.  This can be a blessing and a curse.
Lately my 6 year old, who is home schooled, has decided to make comic books.  Everyday he brings a new one in to share with me.  He staples them together on the wrong side, but it is funny.  Yesterday's comic was about Brain Sucking Aliens.  He had his mother help him to make a poster announcing his new Comic.
Lets … (5 comments)

Compare and Contrast - With Johnny Cash! - 09:03 PM
I am a big fan of Johnny Cash.  He is my favorite artist; my most Listened to Pandora Station is Johnny Cash Radio.
Towards the end of his life Johnny Cash did some of his best work in the American Series; if you think you know Johnny Cash you need to listen to these albums.  Rick Rubin's American Records (Which used to be Def Records) was primarily a Rap and Heavy Metal company.
One song on one of the Albums is a Song Called Hurt.  The video is below.  My point is that this was a song originally done by a … (3 comments)

Stanislaus County Short Sales - Or Anywhere Else in the Country! - 07:59 PM
Stanislaus County Short Sales - Or Anywhere Else in the Country!
You may be thinking, "Jim Patton - Stanislaus County Short Sale Specialist sounds like a great agent but I live in Washington."  "He can't help me."  Actually I probably can.
I am a member of a couple of organizations with members all over the country that can help you out.  So no matter where you are, from Turlock to Tampa or Modesto to Maine I can probably help.
The first organization is Century 21 M&M and Associates.  Century 21 M&M and Associates is the #1 Century 21 in … (0 comments)

AWESOME Apps For The iPad - 10:25 PM
AWESOME Apps For The iPad Hey all!  As I've been using my iPad more for business and pleasure I decided to share my updated list of AWESOME iPad apps for you to check out.  These are in no specific order and please feel free to share your favorite apps as well.  Hope you enjoy!!! * ABC Player - Watch any ABC tv episodes free! * Dropbox - Online storage of files, picture & more that you can find on multiple computers.  * Pandora - Internet Radio * BeejiveIM - Facebook Chat & Google Talk on your iPad.  * Evernote - Note … (8 comments)

Eager to do Good? - 06:24 PM
Titus 2:11-14  11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
 
We cannot save ourselves by being good. We are … (3 comments)

Jesus Throughout the Bible - 10:17 PM
WOW!!!!   This young person is  fantastic!!!!!!
Jesus throughout the Bible   http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=OhVrcV6WmfQ    HE IS THE GREAT I AM Local Scott AFB | Metro East IL Real Estate Guide Metro East & Scott AFB Illinois Homes StoreBe The First To Find Your New Home Local Homes For Sale. Scott AFB - Metro East - St. Clair County, Illinois real estate website to search for all homes for sale surrounding Scott Air Force Base and military family housing. So if you are considering selling your home or buying a new home, please use this website to find all homes for sale and the information … (4 comments)

What is a 'Safe' Mortgage? - 03:14 PM
Later this month, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will consider new rules that define what a safe or "qualified" residential mortgage is as part of the Dodd-Frank financial overhaul law. Experts say the classification will likely have broad sweeping effects on the mortgage market..The Dodd-Frank financial overhaul law, which was passed last summer, contains a risk-retention requirement that requires issuers of securities backed by mortgages and other assets to maintain 5 percent of the risk of a loan, if it is packaged into a security and sold to investors, Dow Jones reports. The idea is that lenders would be more careful … (0 comments)

REALTOR Survival Initiative - March 13 Town Hall Meeting - 09:35 PM

Dear Realtor,
 
On April 13, 2011 from 1:00pm-3:00pm (Central), the NAR Leadership Team will be hosting a Town Hall session to discuss our proposed new and exciting REALTOR® Party Political Survival Initiative that the NAR Board of Directors will discuss and vote on at the upcoming Midyear meeting in Washington, DC.  This initiative represents a historic and game-changing opportunity for all three levels of our organization to enhance our advocacy effectiveness.
 
Because of the far-reaching nature of this initiative, as well as its financial implications, the NAR Leadership Team decided to convene a special session of our Executive … (1 comments)

There Are No Emergencies in Real Estate! - 12:05 AM
  I wrote in my book  Real Estate the Rome Way   "There are no emergencies in real estate."
  However, there was an emergency this evening.
                                  
 
My daughter (who is fine now) had to be taken to  the Emergency Room. I was at her house in no time for the quick trip to  Sinai Hospital, where I was a former Head Nurse.
She was taken care of quickly and her treatment took  only a few hours. That part of the emergency was handled with ease. The doctor, nurse, and the entire staff were efficient and very professional.
 
… (24 comments)

MoPros Eat No Mo!!! New Amendment to Reg Z goes into affect April 1st. - 08:09 AM

Hi folks, As you may know, in an effort to protect consumers in the mortgage market from unfair practices involving the compensation of loan originators, a new Rule amending Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) issued by the Federal Reserve goes into affect tomorrow, April 1st.  Amongst other things, this new Rule prohibits Lenders from compensating Mortgage Brokers or other Loan Originators based on a mortgage transaction’s terms and conditions, such as its interest rate, annual-percentage rate and loan-to-value ratio. It also prohibits Mortgage Brokers from collecting compensation from both the borrower (Origination fees) and the lender (YSP) in the same … (55 comments)

Stop Thief! That's my content you're passing off as your own. - 10:33 PM
Ripped Off! Robbed! Plagiarized!


Here's one solution.
If that seems too extreme here's a couple of nifty tools you can use to catch crooks who lift your confent, whether it be your photos or words, and then try to pass them off as their own.
I just discovered Tineye recently to catch photo crooks. I've been a long time user of CopyScape to track down plagiarizers.
Tin Eye works like this:
 

"TinEye is a reverse image search engine. You can submit an image to TinEye to find out where it came from, how it is being used, … (45 comments)

Just say CHARGE....and Pay it Forward... - 07:32 AM
   Paying it Forward gets easier and easier as we become aware of the opportunities to help our communities, our neighbors...others in other parts of the world.  Corporate America is helping us do that....and it doesn't cost us anything....we can...as the folks at Nike have said: "Just Do It !"....
   Frequent Flyer miles can be used for vacations, for buying the things that you may not otherwise wish to spend "real money" to purchase....OR...go the website of the Visa or Master Card that you have and find the ways that you can use miles to donate to charitable causes.  It … (7 comments)

Short Sales .....Pay it Forward to Lessen Stress for Distressed Sellers - 07:51 AM
    Distressed Home owners  who are short sale sellers have lots of decisions and timetables and changes that make this a whirlwind time of confusion for them. The stress of moving, making hard choices about locations, sometimes up rooting children from schools, leaving behind items that are too expensive to move or that there will be no room to have in the new "start over location."  The emotional roller coaster is a ride that none of us would choose....and sometimes it is the best choice.
     We have had sellers who have had to move out of state quickly to take … (7 comments)

Apple Valley Lake Lot 161 Floral Valley for $4,500 - 10:08 AM
 
One of the most affordable Apple Valley Lake community lots we have for sale is lot 161 Floral Valley Subdivision at the Apple Valley Lake.

You can view all of our available lots for sale at the Apple Valley Lake with an extensive selection ranging from Apple Valley Lake waterfront lots, lake view lots, lots located around the Apple Valley golf course, wooded lots and from time to time we even have ultra cheap Apple Valley lots that are non buildable which are perfect for those who are looking for the most affordable way to gain access to the Apple Valley Lake amenities.
Offered … (1 comments)

Knox County Ohio Country Home With 10 Acres, Woods and Pond - 10:38 AM
You can view additional listing details and an extensive virtual tour photo slideshow at 12568 Carey Lane, Howard, Ohio 43028.  We have also created a listing link so that you can view all of our available Knox County Ohio Home with Acreage organized in price order.
Offered by Sam Miller of REMAX Stars Realty (740) 397-7800  Knox County Ohio Real Estate
… (3 comments)

$100,000 Fredericktown Ohio Ranch Home For Sale - 08:43 PM
You can view additional listing details and an extensive virtual tour photo slideshow by visiting 18 Summit Drive, Fredericktown, Ohio 43019.  You can also view all our available homes in the Fredericktown Ohio School District and organized in price order
Offered by Sam Miller of REMAX Stars Realty (740) 397-7800  Knox County Ohio Homes For Sale
… (4 comments)

More Snow to New England... - 06:35 AM
Boy we just can't shake this darn snow...the good news it should melt by Sunday...the point here folks is to keep your clients updated with a range of information...do not just send them links and data. Speak to them as a person and watch your relationships and referrals improve. Recently, I have received numerous referrals because in 2011 I put in my business plan to update my clients in three ways. Data about the market; Inspirational and motivational content; and the increasing concepts and belief of practicing appreciation marketing. By using my SOC tools and sending cards daily through my website: … (1 comments)

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