Our agent talks about a BPO … what is that? - 11/28/07 02:41 PM
A BPO is a Broker Opinion of Value.  A BPO is used by real estate agents to determine a competitive listing price on a property by showing Sellers what other similar homes have sold for in their neighborhood.  A BPO is similar to what agents call a CMA, Comparative Market Analysis.  The main difference we see is that BPO forms are usually provided by a lending institution and ask for more property and area detail than does a CMA.
A real estate agent can only perform a BPO for the purpose of listing and selling a property.  An agent that prepares a … (5 comments)

There Are So Many Things to be Thankful For This Year! - 11/21/07 03:46 PM
We are very thankful for many things including: the low interest rates; the elimination of subprime lending; the new laws protecting borrowers; the responsible lenders still in business that care about the customers and are ready to help them; the seasoned escrow officers ever ready to help Buyers and Sellers; the appraisers that approach their job with enthusiasm and a smile in these trying times; Sellers that understand the uniqueness of the times; Buyers that are boldly venturing forth and buying with confidence; our fellow real estate practitioners that are diligently helping Buyers and Sellers gain perspective to navigate in these … (2 comments)

We want to buy but we're waiting for the Buyer's market ... are we there yet? - 11/20/07 04:01 AM
The market has finally given the advantage to the Buyers, but only just recently and many won't admit it yet.  Following the strongest Seller's market we've ever seen in Carson Valley, many Sellers just wouldn't/won't let go of their unrealistic expectations.  On the other hand, many have recognized what is happening and have adjusted well.  The MLS statistics show the market off in the number of transactions by 39% over this time last year.  The number of homes for sale has soared, tripled and rising, over last year.  Sales prices in some market segments are slightly up from last year, but … (3 comments)

We just received an offer contingent on the sale of a home ... what should we do? - 11/15/07 09:30 AM
Offers contingent on the sale of a home were ignored by Sellers over the past couple of years because of the plethora of Buyers in our market.  In these times, however, a contingent offer is better than no offer, which is what many Sellers are experiencing.  The Contingent Sale in and of itself is not a problem, what can be a problem is poor communication and follow up on the part of the agents involved.  Good ground rules and good communication can bode well for your interests including the good possibility of getting a higher price for your home.
Contingency Buyers can … (3 comments)

We heard about an FHA program to help after our loan adjusted ... is it real? - 11/14/07 03:22 PM
Indeed, Congress approved a program aimed at helping some subprime or high-risk borrowers faced with increasing interest rates on adjustable-rate mortgages.  Named FHASecure,  the program offers homeowners the chance to refinance into better loans.  An estimated 2 to 2.5 million adjustable-rate loans are scheduled to "reset" in 2007 and 2008.  That means they will go from the low "teaser" rates that were offered for the first two years of the loan to much steeper rates.  It is estimated that the FHASecure program will help hundreds of thousands of borrowers obtain an FHA-insured loan in 2008 according to HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson.
Kim … (0 comments)

All this talk about Disclosures ... how do we know which to use and what they are for? - 11/09/07 09:16 AM
The Nevada State Legislature directed the Real Estate Division of the State of Nevada Department of Business and Industry to prepare a Residential Disclosure Guide that was ready for the public by July 1st of 2006. 
The Guide is fifteen pages in length and both Sellers and Buyers must sign an Acknowledgement of Receipt, although not the same one.  The Introduction states, "While it is impossible to outline which disclosures are needed in every situation (as each real estate transaction is unique), this booklet contains discussions on the most commonly-required state, federal and local disclosures."  A long yet comprehensive document, it … (0 comments)

We are ready to buy … how to we get a good deal? - 11/07/07 11:03 AM
You have asked the question that is stopping many from acting ... congratulations and thank you for doing so.  Good real estate deals are available, but it takes work and knowledge to find them or to satisfactorily negotiate one.  That might seem contradictory to what is the popular opinion of the market, that it's a Buyer's Market, but it simply reflects the price resistance of Seller's.  The art of buying "right" today is to determine which suitable property has ownership that is ready, willing and able to sell to you at a price you will pay.
Some good buying opportunities right now … (1 comments)

How do I know my information is safe in the Multiple Listing Service? - 11/07/07 05:40 AM
The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) has a lot of data that is not for public knowledge.  To gain access to the MLS information one must belong to the MLS, have an access identification number, and a password linked to that identification number.  That gave a great sense of security to the agents and property owners ... until recently. 
In this day and age of information harvesting and mass marketing, vendors have been going to great efforts to get information that they can profit from.  It was noted recently that carpet cleaning and moving companies were calling property owners when their home … (2 comments)

With all the new technology are agents still people offering a service? - 11/06/07 09:00 PM
There is an abundance of new technology that agents are now able to use to increase their efficiency.  There is a fine line that agents must walk to make sure that they don't get absorbed by the new systems and products available to them and lose their personal touch with their customers.  It is important for agents to maximize the use of their time, their most precious asset.  Most new products have enabled them to do just that with the cell phone being the best example. 
Before the cell phone there were awkward moments when a prospective Buyer asked to see … (1 comments)

The agent told me the Seller's were broke and had to sell...can they do that? - 11/01/07 06:45 AM
It depends on what the agent's relationship with the Seller is.  If it is the Listing Agent then they may not say, or imply, anything of the sort without your permission.  When a Seller signs a contract with an agent they form what is known as a fiduciary relationship.  Webster defines fiduciary as "a: held or founded in trust or confidence b: holding in trust c: depending on public confidence for value or currency".  Compromising the Seller's position by disclosing a negotiation weakness is a serious breach of trust or confidence, the fiduciary relationship, the essence of the contract relationship between … (7 comments)