Off Topic -- Are you going to see Sicko this weekend? - 06/30/07 08:53 PM
From what I understand, Michael Moore makes a serious case for why we should be taking the profit out of the health care industry.  When you think about it, it is kind of disgusting that companies make money off people's illnesses.   Oh, some say that it is critical to have excessive profits as it fuels the research and development efforts.  Maybe we do need to have these exorbitant profits so that companies can fund their R&D, especially if the President is going to keep vetoing Stem Cell research that uses embryonic stem cells.   Seems to me, however, that since everyone needs health care, the costs should … (26 comments)

Raising a FICO score - and Credit Counseling - 06/30/07 10:28 AM
The first step for me was just acknowledging, whether I liked it or not, big brother was watching me and I would not be able to escape being under the lenses.  Let's face it, any one who lends money wants it back. 
I'm sure there are lots of other blogs here that speak to the particulars but for me, the very first step for raising my FICO score was finding a Credit Card that included a FICO score report on a monthly basis.  Watching it's movement and knowing I can have a direct effect on that score gave me a feeling … (8 comments)

There are town-homes, town-boxes, and even town-ruts ... Make sure yours is a "townhome"! - 06/24/07 06:23 PM
It's bad enough that the world is diluged with what my neighbor calls "snout houses", but now we have these townhome developments where all you see are garages as you drive into the development.  Do you want to get to the front door, on foot?  Well, you'll have to park some long distance away,  then walk all the way around to the back side of the building, which for some reason is where the developer and the city decided a "front" door ought to be.  D'oh!     
Not so bad most days, but did the local permit department forget that this home is located in Iowa -- where we have 30 mph … (0 comments)

A new "Service for Life" Group has been started. - 06/24/07 12:11 PM
And, we're looking for REALTORS who are subscribers to this service to join.  Check it out here!   
http://activerain.com/groups/service_for_life
 
… (4 comments)

Had enough? - 06/24/07 10:30 AM
I saw this message on a bumper sticker recently, and it reminds me how much I need to stay out of politics -- I just get a little too empassioned about things.  Then I want to volunteer for too many freebie activities.  I need to hold off on most of that until I retire.  
But I'm not talking about politics; I'm talking about the media.  There just seems to be this penchant to distort,  filter and spin -- it's really wearing me out. 
Therefore, I am a confirmed C-Span addict.  I just want to see the news as it's actually being made, instead of someone taking liberties to interpret or embellish it … (0 comments)

John Stossel's Report on Realtors on the 20/20 Program (ABC?) - 06/23/07 07:42 PM
A few nights back, John Stossel did a report on the state of Real Estate sales, and how some people seem to be having good luck selling their homes themselves. 
He gave an example of one women who had received a market analysis from an agent -- the agent said the home should sell for around $470,000.  The owner marketed it herself and supposedly received a few offers and then sold it for $495,000.  John Stossel was trying to make the point that if she had hired the Realtor, the owner would have left $25,000 on the table. 
I wonder if … (10 comments)

Why investing in one rental per year is the right pace for many... - 06/18/07 09:06 AM
From Chris Lengquist's blog - he makes the case that REALTORS can build a good investment portfolio by investing in one property per year.  All that follows basically supports this advice, so if you're in a hurry you can skip this blog entry.  :^)
In our Two Rivers REIA we spend a lot of time making sure investors know that running real estate investments is actually a business.  For some agents, they simply do not want the distraction nor can they do both jobs well, simultaneously.  This may actually be a wise choice, i.e. as a REALTOR investing your money in something other than your main product is not … (8 comments)

Appreciating, then using, our technology to build our businesses. - 06/16/07 08:49 AM
Approximately 1,000,000 year ago (in computer time) but a mere 24 years ago, in 1983, I had just completed my MBA program at Drake.  I had a choice -- get back into real estate sales, in the doldrums at the time, or get into this burgeoning new field of personal computers.  The whole industry seemed to be teaming with life while the RE industry was experiencing the ravages of double digit inflation, followed by near double digit unemployment.  I'll avoid the politics, but it was not a pretty time in our industry.      
I started out by selling some really small personal computers -- didn't sell many … (3 comments)

Working to develop network for distribution of RE TIC offerings (RE/MAX Agents in particular) - 06/15/07 01:04 PM
With the issuance of IRS Rev Proc 2002-22, Real Estate held for investment as a Tenant-in-Common was promulgaged as being eligible for a Tax-Deferred, 1031 exchange, subject to 15 provisions or restrictions.
Since that ruling 5 years ago, the total equity being invested in eligible TIC offerings has escalated at a phenomenal rate - from several hundred million to several billion.  And, there are a whole set of questions investors must resolve before jumping in (see To Buy into a TIC or Not -- That is the Question.  Searching the Internet will return literally 100's of references, particularly from the 1031 folks, but Rev Proc 2002-22 does open up the opportunity … (2 comments)

"The aim of education is not knowledge, but action..." Herbert Spencer - 06/14/07 12:09 PM
One thing I really like about having returned to RE sales, after 20+ years in the IT industry, is that "they" are not changing the rules all of the time. 
Oh, there is:
the slow and gradual march toward more and more documetation, to protect the consuming public.  This we know.  the less slow but just as gradual improvement in the technology for new construction -- both for homes and commercial.  the need to implement more technolgy for the Internet savvy industry professionals, and the ways in which we communicate with our clients.   (I love text messaging, and email, and gmail, and google talk.  I love our Settlement Room software system … (0 comments)

Should I be moving my Agent Office to an Internet accessible server? - 06/12/07 09:26 AM
Any Agent Office users out there?  I suppose I should look for a group...
The question is straightforward.   To really make my database sing, I'm starting to discover that I need to be able to access it any time with my browser.  I know this can be done fairly easily yet there is allows an overhead with which we must recon. 
Anyone have experiences they could share about moving Agent Office to a remotely accessible server?   Piece of cake, nightmare -- what words best describe the experience? 
… (3 comments)

Oppressive Management Styles - Is this really necessary? - 06/12/07 08:31 AM
When you've worked in company that calls on a lot of companies, you get exposed to lots of different management styles.  It is indeed unfortunate that the most successful companies often seem to have an oppressive leader at the helm.  Somehow, this just doesn't compute, yet it happens, and often.   
There are, however, some important differences between being a strong leader who gets things done by motivating their staff and those who gets things done through intimidation and oppression.   
In 20+ years of calling at people at the top, I concluded that the most successful enterprises nearly always have a driver personality running … (5 comments)

Want to increase the value of your home? Increase the value of your Neighborhood - through a block party! - 06/10/07 01:59 PM
Our uptown 41st Street block, in Des Monies, IA just held it's eighth annual block party.  I've been actively involved for a long time now, as one of the founders of the original organizing committee so I knew the value of a block party several years before I restarted my RE career.
We've typically had at least 50% participation from the 40 households that are on the block.   Because we've done it so long now, this year's preparation was pretty much on autopilot -- the leadership team knows what roll they have played in the past and each member took simply a "same thing, … (3 comments)

Are lenders particularly slow right now, or what? Holy Smokes! - 06/07/07 04:26 PM
I've got a couple of pending transactions that are small, buyer side deals on REO properties.  The appraisals are done, the TO is complete and we're just waiting on closing conditions and a final clear to close, so that we can produce a BUYER-side HUD-1. 
And it just seems like these Mortgage Originators/Mortgage Bankers are unable to push these companies any faster.  One is with Bank of America and I guess they are notoriously slow in the Underwriting department. 
Is this issue coming up for other agents now, too?  I know the industry has tightened up on sub-prime loans, but does … (6 comments)

What a great company!!! RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts - 06/07/07 02:12 PM
Can I take a brief moment and brag about the company with which I recently became affiliated?   Not that my old one was bad, it's just that this new one is soooo good!  They treat agents like we are the customer and that's like a breath of fresh air! 
I just learned that I don't need to run out and pick up checks, or deliver deeds, as long as the closing is during normal business hours.  If I'm willing to wait to the next day, I still don't even have to be a "runner" - most closing details are handled for the agent.  Though I probably don't mind having another … (1 comments)

 
Acl_800_x_1000

Andrew Lietzow, MBA-Exec Dir

Iowa Real Estate Investors Association

Des Moines, IA

More about me…

IaREIA | Iowa Landlord Association

Address: 4023 Urbandale Ave Unit 13246, Des Moines, IA, 50310-0246

Office Phone: (515) 255-0675

Cell Phone: (515) 710-1955

Email Me

Des Moines, Iowa -- There are a lot of positive things going on in Des Moines that make it a great place to invest in Real Estate, either as an owner-occupant, or an investor. Check us out!



Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog