Wendy Bunch's Blog

Best Camera For Realtors

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:03:30 -0700

Realtors,

What's the best camera & Video Camera out there..

PODCASTING........

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:04:17 -0800

Is it working in your market?

HOMES 50% OFF IN THE ATLANTA MARKET

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:01:02 -0800

Now is such a great time to invest in homes. Rates are at a 50 year low, sellers are ready to deal. I have two homes that are now over 50% off fron the orgibal list price. www.690manorrdigedr.com & www.wendybunchsellshomes.com for more deals!

REAL ESTATE IS PICKING UP

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:06:30 -0800

I think NAR was correct in stating that Atlanta would be one of the top 10 cities to turn. Things seem to be heading in a better direction for 09. I can see a difference in sign calls and showing activity I hope you are too:) YEAH!!

Let's Say Thanks!!

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:51:02 -0800

So many of us have suffered a lot of loss and hardship this year and I pray for a better tomorrow.
In our busy schedules we sometimes forget about our Troops and their families and how their lives should be so precious to us all. This is an icredible thing that Xerox is doing. Visit http://www.letssaythanks.com/ to express your gratitude to our Troops. It only takes a minute to send a card to our Troops that are fighting for our freedom. Take a moment to visit the website and to send your THANKS!!

Happy Holidays!!

PODCASTING

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:34:57 -0800

How effective has pod-casting been in your business? Is it helping with your listings or are you having better luck with buyers?

Pending Home Sales Up Strongly

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:59:34 -0700

For more information, contact:
Walter Molony 202/383-1177 wmolony@realtors.org

Pending Home Sales up Strongly

WASHINGTON, October 08, 2008

Pending home sales activity surged as buyers took advantage of low home prices and affordable interest rates, according to the National Association of Realtors^®.

The Pending Home Sales Index,1 a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in August, jumped 7.4 percent to 93.4 from an upwardly revised reading of 87.0 in July, and is 8.8 percent higher than August 2007 when it stood at 85.8. The index is at the highest level since June 2007 when it stood at 101.4.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said home buyers were responding to improved affordability. "What we're seeing is the momentum of people taking advantage of low home prices, with pending home sales up strongly in California, Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Rhode Island and the Washington, D.C., region," he said. "It's unclear how much contract activity may be impacted by the credit disruptions on Wall Street, but we're hopeful most of the increase will translate into closed existing-home sales."

The PHSI in the West surged 18.4 percent to 109.5 in August and remains 37.8 percent above a year ago. In the Northeast the index jumped 8.4 percent to 79.8 and is 2.0 percent higher than August 2007. The index in the Midwest rose 3.6 percent to 84.5 in August and is 6.6 percent above a year ago. In the South, the index increased 2.3 percent to 96.0 but is 2.1 percent below August 2007.

Yun notes the unusual timing of contract activity in August. "Home buyers in July were hampered by overly stringent lending criteria in the months before the government takeover of Fannie and Freddie," he said. "August shows some unleashing of pent-up demand before the credit crisis accelerated in September."

He cautioned that the sampling size for pending home sales is smaller than the track on existing-home sales, so there is more volatility in the forward-looking series. "We need to see just how much of this gain holds up," Yun said.

NAR President Richard F. Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif., said despite all the turmoil in world financial markets, home mortgages are available. "Mortgages have been harder to find, and availability and terms vary depending on credit score and location, but Realtors^® can help buyers find reputable lenders while helping them navigate the transaction process," he said. "The recently enacted economic stimulus package should help housing by gradually freeing the flow of credit."

Yun now expects growth in the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) to contract for two consecutive quarters, in the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of 2009, before expanding in latter part of 2009 as the housing market begins a steady improvement.

Looking at middle-ground assumptions, existing-home sales are forecast at 5.04 million this year and 5.41 million in 2009. Following national declines of 5 to 8 percent in 2008, home prices are projected to increase 2 to 3 percent next year.

New-home sales should total around 503,000 this year and 471,000 in 2009. Housing starts, including multifamily units, are likely to fall 28.2 percent to 973,000 units this year, and come in around 843,000 in 2009 as builders continue to clear the accumulation in inventory.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage will probably average 6.1 percent in the fourth quarter and rise gradually to 6.6 percent by the end of 2009. NAR's housing affordability index is expected to average 18 percentage points higher this year than in 2007.

The unemployment rate is projected to average 6.4 percent in the fourth quarter and then average 6.6 percent in 2009. Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, is estimated at 4.0 percent for 2008 and 2.0 percent next year. Inflation-adjusted disposable personal income is forecast to grow 1.7 percent this year and 1.0 percent in 2009.

# # #

¹The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.

The index is based on a large national sample, typically representing about 20 percent of transactions for existing-home sales. In developing the model for the index, it was demonstrated that the level of monthly sales-contract activity from 2001 through 2004 parallels the level of closed existing-home sales in the following two months. There is a closer relationship between annual index changes (from the same month a year earlier) and year-ago changes in sales performance than with month-to-month comparisons.

An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales.

²Market information is from unpublished snapshot data; please contact your local association of Realtors^® for more information.

Existing-home sales for September will be released October 24; the next Pending Home Sales Index / Forecast will be released at 11:30 a.m. EST on November 7 at NAR's annual convention in Orlando, Fla.

September 11..We will never forget, never forgive and always remeber....

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 23:27:06 -0700

God bless the 3,000+ Americans that lost their lives on that Septemeber day. May god bless their families and loved ones.

GOD BLESS THE USA!

rates

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:59:35 -0700

5.5% will it help?

This is the best "Real Estate" forecast that has been stated all Summer!

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:12:36 -0700

"The dust finally settles, the experts will look back on the time period between now and the presidential

election as the best time to have purchased a home." -Seth Weisman

Faith

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:55:37 -0700

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."
-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Marietta Country Club Event

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:13:51 -0700

NAR Operation Tip-Off

Wendy Bunch (RE/MAX Around Atlanta) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:27:26 -0800

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^Ò

The Voice For Real Estate®

500 New Jersey Avenue, NW

Washington DC 20001

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

800.874.6500

Fax 202.383.7563

OPERATION TIP-OFF

NAR Successful In Injecting Housing Components in

Federal Economic Stimulus Package

January 25, 2008-Good news for struggling homeowners and the housing market.

Yesterday the House of Representatives, along with Treasury Secretary Paulson, on behalf of the Bush Administration, announced a bipartisan economic stimulus package with provisions that can help jumpstart the housing market and protect some current homeowners.

An overhaul of the Federal Housing Administration's mortgage insurance program and an increase in the size of mortgage loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase are key housing components included in the economic stimulus package announced yesterday. As late as last week, there was uncertainty on whether housing finance was going to be part of the stimulus package. However, NAR and its members did not give up, focusing on continued education and communications with Members of Congress both in Washington, D.C. and in their home districts.

There is still some confusion on Capitol Hill regarding specific proposal elements, but it is clear that the House and the administration view strengthening the housing market as key to improving the national economy.

Here is what currently is being reported as included in the package:

· The FHA limit will increase permanently to as much as $729,750 in high cost areas (125% of local median home prices). The language is similar to the bill passed by the House before to the 2007 holiday break, including reducing downpayment requirements.

· The GSE limit is expected to be increased to up to $729,750 for one year. Currently Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are capped at $417,000. It appears that there will be a formula similar to that of FHA, with GSE loan limits increasing to 125% of the local median home price, but not to exceed $729,750.

Talking Points (Use these in talking to the media and/or your elected officials)

· FHA Reform will -

o Stimulate new-home sales and refinancing

o Reduce the number of families facing foreclosure

o Give families who want to purchase a home a safer alternative to many of the riskier mortgage products of the past

o Help more people refinance into less-expensive FHA-backed loans

o Allow more families to buy a home because of lower downpayment requirements

· Lifting GSE loan limits to $625,000 will -

o Reduce foreclosures by as much as 210,000

o Save consumers who get new "GSE Jumbo" loans $3000 to $5000 a year in interest payments

o Allow as many as 500,000 people with jumbo loans to refinance to lower interest rates

o Reduce housing inventories by one to 1½ months

o Result in 348,000 additional home sales

o Strengthen home prices by 2 to 3 percentage points

o Generate $44 billion increase in economic activity

o Increase liquidity (money flow) in the mortgage marketplace

This is an important first step. There is still much work to be done before this goes to the president for enactment, including that the Senate must present its version.

NOTE: It is important that NAR members keep the heat on Congress to get this economic stimulus quickly passed.

A formal Call for Action will be forthcoming asking all REALTORS^Ò will be issued next week. Please encourage your members to answer the call for action and contact their Members of Congress and Senators encouraging quick action on the stimulus package.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

FOR DETAIL SPECIFIC INFORMATION CONTACT NAR POLICY EXPERTS:

Megan Booth (FHA) 202/383-1222, mbooth@realtors.org or Lynn King (GSE) 202/383-1156, lking@realtors.org

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Below is the stimulus package announced yesterday.

Summary of the Economic Growth Package Agreement in Principle

I. Tax Relief for American Families:

Rebate Checks: The economic growth package will include rebate checks in the sum of two separate calculations, with an overall phase-out for those with adjusted gross incomes above $75,000 for a single taxpayer and $150,000 for married couples. Rebate checks will include a base amount determined by the greater of two options: (a) Income tax paid in 2007, with a maximum of $600 for a single taxpayer and $1,200 for married couples; or (b) $300 for an individual and $600 for a married couple, provided the individual or couple earned income of at least $3,000 in 2007.

A children's bonus also will be included in the rebate check calculation. Anyone qualifying for the base amount also receives an additional $300 per child, with no cap on the number of children.

II. Tax Relief for Employers:

Bonus Depreciation: The economic growth package will provide for a 50 percent bonus deduction on new equipment in the year it is placed in service, with certain exceptions for equipment with a "long life." This temporary tax cut offers significant savings on new property with a depreciation period of 20 years or less. This will give employers - particularly small businesses - greater incentive to invest and create jobs for more Americans searching for work. The temporary bonus depreciation, coupled with expensing measures enacted in May 2003, resulted in a four percent increase in business spending in the first six months alone.

Section 179 Expensing This provision allows employers, including small businesses, to fully expense $250,000 in both new and used tangible property in the year it is purchased up to an overall investment limit of $750,000. This will provide a particularly strong incentive for small companies to invest in their businesses so they can continue to provide good-paying jobs for the American people.

Increase in Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSE)/Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Conforming Loan Limit: The conforming loan limits for both FHA and GSE (such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) loans would be increased from $362,000 to $725,000 and from $417,000 to $625,000 respectively.

III. No Extraneous Spending/Tax Hikes

The agreement in principle includes no extraneous spending on unemployment insurance, transportation infrastructure, food stamps, and Medicaid.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Below is an example of what the media is saying.

Loan-Limit Increases in U.S. Stimulus Change Housing Landscape

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Reporter Michael Crittenden quoted NAR president:

Dick Gaylord, president of the National Association of Realtors^Ò, said the package was a "positive first step."

"The increase in loan limits will provide immediate liquidity to the mortgage market in all parts of the country allowing qualified home buyers who have been on the sidelines to re-enter the market," Gaylord said.

To read the full story:

http://insight.vmsinfo.com/image_clipbook/show_article_specs.cfm?show=ocr&article_id=21646551&clip_site_id=2672&user_id=4751

Also in the news yesterday, national media reports continued sensationalizing existing-home sales data, with some reports characterizing 2007 as the "worst year in the housing market for 25 years" and suggesting "the first decline in prices since the Great Depression."

Talking Points (Use these in talking to the media and/or your elected officials)

· It's important to put the national median home price decline of 1.2% in 2007 in proper context.

· The price decline followed several years of very strong price appreciations (cumulatively better than 50%) during the housing boom years from 2001 to 2005.

· NAR has only been tracking this data since 1968; to characterize a drop in prices since the Great Depression is distorted and misleading.

· Housing is a good long-term investment. Owners who are in their homes over a longer period of time are doing quite well despite the 1.2% price decline in 2007.

· Every market's different. There are large local variations, and it's important to assess the conditions each of the local markets individually.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Operation TIP-OFF is a service to Realtor^Ò leaders from NAR Public Affairs. It is a cooperative exchange of intelligence and information on news media coverage of issues critical to Realtors^Ò. Operation TIP-OFF will provide Realtor^Ò leaders information on potentially news-making events. Feel free to share this information and document with your Realtor^Ò members. For internal use only.

For further information on this issue of Operation Tip-Off

Contact Lucien Salvant at lsalvant@realtors.org, 202-383-1176 or Mary Trupo at mtrupo@realtors.org, 202-383-1007.