Dan Falco Assist 2 Sell Full Service Discount Broker's Blog

MARKET REPORT FOR LANGHORNE PA HOMES

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:13:07 -0700

If you have been considering selling your Langhorne PA home, now may be the right time. Prices have remained steady while home sales in Langhorne and Middletown Twp are up 15% the first 4 months of this year compared to the first 4 months of last year), with the average days on market dropping significantly from 112 days to 63 days for the same time period.

My name is Dan Falco and I am the Broker/Owner of Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage Real Estate. I welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your Real Estate needs. I will offer you my 11 years of experience selling homes and an unconditional 45 day listing agreement that you can cancel at any time with no fees to you. I get paid when you get paid. At closing.

Assist 2 Sell is America’s Leading Full Service Discount Real Estate Company. We often save homeowners thousands in commission with our “MLS FOR LESS” Marketing Program.

Call me at 267-347-4350. Also check out my website at www.BucksFlatFee.com.

Savings are based on a comparison to paying a 6% commission. 6% used for comparison purposes only. Commissions are negotiable and not set by law. Statistics obtained from TREND MLS.

MARKET REPORT FOR FALLS TWP. PA HOMES

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:05:01 -0700

If you have been considering selling your Falls Twp. PA home, now may be the right time. Homes in Falls Twp. are selling at a slightly faster rate than a year ago (81 pending transactions the first 4 months of this year compared to 76 pending transactions the first 4 months of last year), with the average days on market dropping from 83 days to 72 days for the same time period. Although prices have remained steady thruout all of Bucks County during this time, home prices in Falls Twp have actually increased nearly 8%.

Assist 2 Sell is America’s Leading Full Service Discount Real Estate Company. We often save homeowners thousands in commission with our “MLS FOR LESS” Marketing Program.

Call me at 267-347-4350. Also check out my website at www.BucksFlatFee.com.

Savings are based on a comparison to paying a 6% commission. 6% used for comparison purposes only. Commissions are negotiable and not set by law. Statistics obtained from TREND MLS.

MARKET REPORT FOR BENSALEM HOMES

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:28:38 -0700

If you have been considering selling your Bensalem home, now may be the right time. Homes in Bensalem are selling at a much faster rate than a year ago (up 17%) the first 4 months of this year compared to the first 4 months of last year, with the average days on market holding steady at 106 days.

Assist 2 Sell is America’s Leading Full Service Discount Real Estate Company. We often save homeowners thousands in commission with our “MLS FOR LESS” Marketing Program.

Call me at 267-347-4350. Also check out my website at www.BucksFlatFee.com.

Savings are based on a comparison to paying a 6% commission. 6% used for comparison purposes only. Commissions are negotiable and not set by law.

HOME SALE DATA FOR QUAKERTOWN PA

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:18:38 -0800

Assist-2-Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage, Full Service, Discount Real Estate provides you with the most up to date housing data for Quakertown PA and all of Bucks County.

The most significant trend we’ve seen regarding Home Sale Data for Quakertown PA is pended sales (those under agreement but not yet settled) as well as sold properties are both continuing to increase.

The last quarter of 2011 saw modest increases for both pended sales (up 7%) and sold properties (up 3%) from the same period the previous year and this trend is continuing. 25 homes went under agreement in the Quakertown School District in January 2012 compared to 17 in 2011.

For more information on Home Sale Data for Quakertown PA, visit my website “www.BucksFlatFee.com“. If your thinking of selling your home, please contact us to learn how Assist-2-Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage can potentially save you thousand in commission compared to paying 6% or more. Call Dan Falco at (267) 347-4350 or email me at DanFalco@assist2sell.com.

Data is from TREND MLS.

Savings based on comparison to paying a 6% commission. Commissions may be negotiable and are not established by law.

Bucks County Housing Statistics

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:16:41 -0700

Listed below are some relevant housing statistics for Bucks County residents:

AVG. SALE PRICE JANUARY - JUNE 2010: $325,173

AVG. SALE PRICE JANUARY - JUNE 2011: $316,157 (-3%)

PENDING HOME SALES JANUARY - JUNE 2010: 3,013

PENDING HOME SALES JANUARY - JUNE 2011: 2,575 (-17%)

AVG. DAYS ON MARKET JANUARY - JUNE 2010: 86

AVG. DAYS ON MARKET JANUARY - JUNE 2011: 105 (+22%)

# OF LISTINGS TAKEN JANUARY - JUNE 2010: 5,978

# OF LISTINGS TAKEN JANUARY - JUNE 2011: 5,528 (-8%)

What these stats tell us is that we are still obviously in a strong Buyers market, but there are a few positive signs to take from this. The average sale price for the 1st half of 2011 compared to the 1st half of 2010 is down 3%. Although that's not good news it does appear that the days of double digit drops in home prices may be gone and we are hopefully around the bottom of the housing market. The Pending transactions are down quite a bit (17%), but I think last years tax credit which expired April 30th 2010 artificially inflated the market to cause some of this drop. Pending transactions reflect the date an agreement was reached between a seller and buyer as opposed to the sold date which is usually 45-60 days later. Pending transactions are actually up 24% May/June 2011 vs May/June 2010. The Days a home is on the market has also risen but this is largely a reflection of the need for sellers to recognize the importance of competitive pricing. As an exagerated example, if your home's market value is approximately $200,000 and you price it at $100,000, the days on market would probably be around 1, even in a tough sellers market. Conversely, if you price the same home at $300,000, the days on market would likely be several years. My point is that pricing affects days on market as much as anything. Finally, the # of listings taken are down 8% which is a good thing because this trend will eventually lead to a more balanced market resulting in higher prices in a shorter period of time.

If you live in Bucks County or surrounding areas and are interested in learning more about the market conditions in in your community, please contact Dan Falco with Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage or visit my website (BucksFlatFee.com). Assist 2 Sell is the largest full service discount Real Estate Company in North America.

Statistics were taken from TREND MLS.

Has the Real Estate business really changed over the years?

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:47:35 -0700

Lately I've been thinking about the changes in Real Estate during my 10 years in the business. Texting wasn't happening, contracts were not available online, heck, even our MLS wasn't online! Scan and email? Nope. The primary way to advertise property was in the paper or a monthly Real Estate Magazine. Technology and consumer access to information have significantly changed how we communicate, prospect and promote our business. However, when I look at the part of the process that brings buyers and sellers together, it is remarkably similar to the process 30 years ago. Back then, if a seller correctly employed these 5 strategies, their home would likely sell for full market value in a reasonable time. The 5 strategies are:

1- Correct pricing

2- Home placed in the MLS

3- Offer a competitive cooperative commission to all buyer agents

4- accommodate all showings

5- Keep the home in pristine condition for all showings

Fast forward to 2011 and these same 5 strategies, employed correctly, will likely produce the same results.

There are many choices for consumers and agents when it comes to selling a home, but like many things in life, if we focus on the basics, we can't go wrong.

Thinking of selling your home in Bucks County and surrounding areas? Contact Dan Falco with Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage Real Estate at 267-347-4350 or visit my website at www.QuakertownAreaHomes.com.

New Listing Springfield Twp. Bucks County PA

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 11:06:07 -0700

1395 Highpoint Rd, Springfield, PA

Send to Friend

charming ranch located in Springfield twp and award winning palisades school district. unbelievable view of the Lehigh Valley. This home sits on nearl

Share Listing

3BR/2+1BA Single Family House

offered at $233,000

Year Built	1979
Sq Footage	1,712
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	.8 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

Photo 1

click on thumbnail to enlarge

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central heat	Fireplace	Tile floor
Family room	Living room	Basement

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Garage parking

ADDITIONAL LINKS

Get Score

Local schools

Map

Satellite

Hybrid

Contact info:

Dan Falco

Assist 2 Sell Buyers & Sellers Advantage

(267) 347-4350

For sale by agent/broker

Contact:

email (required)

subject

confirm text >

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 9, 2011, 6:58am PDT

flag listing as inappropriate

Bucks County Schools Receive National Ranking

Sat, 09 Jul 2011 07:01:27 -0700

Bucks County High Schools Council Rock North, Council Rock South, Central Bucks East and Central Bucks West are among the Best in the nation, according to a ranking published recently by NEWSWEEK magazine. North Penn High School in Montgomery County also made the list.
The magazine ranked Council Rock North at 246, Central Bucks East at 255, Central Bucks West at 274, Council Rock South at 314 and North Penn at 425 out of 500 schools nationwide. The high schools are among 18 Pennsylvania schools to make the grade.
Each school was scored on six components: graduation rate (25%), college matriculation rate (25%), AP tests taken per graduate (25%), average SAT/ACT scores (10%), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10%), and AP courses offered (5%).

The average price of a home in in the Council Rock School District for 2010 was $442,492 and $396,166 for Central Bucks School District, compared to the average sale price for Bucks County which was $331,637.

If you are interested in more information on home sales or schools in Bucks County, please contact Dan Falco with Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage Real Estate at (267)347-4350 or visit my website at www.QuakertownAreaHomes.com.

The 5 things you need to know when selecting an Agent to Sell Your Home.

Tue, 24 May 2011 08:11:42 -0700

My office is in Quakertown and I often meet with homeowners thruout Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh and Northampton counties to discuss selling their home and they are usually interested in 2 things: Listing at the highest price and paying the lowest commission. What I've found is that what people are really looking for is to "maximize their net". The best way to do this is to interview more than one agent in order to compare services, expertise and fees. By learning the answers to the following 5 questions you will most likely have all the information you need in selecting an agent.

1. What is the market value of my home? The most important thing to know regarding market value is that the agent does not determine it, the market does. Think about it, if the agents determined the market value, than all the homes would sell since that is how we make money. So don't let an agent tell you they can get more money for your home than anyone else, because they can't. The market value needs to grounded in knowing what similar homes have recently sold for. This is what a Bank Appraiser looks at and you can be pretty certain a Bank Appraiser will be involved with the sale of your home. All agents you interview should be providing a similar "range of value".

2. About how long should it take to have my home under agreement? While there is no way to guarantee when a home will sell, it's pretty straight forward to estimate based on current stats such as the avg. days on market and the absorption rate. All agents should have these stats.

3. What is your Marketing Plan? Again, pretty straight forward but make sure you know what they will do, when they will do it and get it in writing.

4. Can you explain how your commission works? With my company it's pretty simple: The fee to Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage is $2,995 for our marketing and services, due at closing. If an MLS agent brings the Buyer, they receive an additional commission (typically around 3%), however, if the Buyer contacts our office directly and they are not using another agent, we do not take the additional 3%, the fee is only $2,995. Many agents charge a high percentage of the sale price (example: 6%) and you will pay that total amount even if the Buyer comes to their office and is not using an agent from another company.

5. Is the agent experienced and knowledgable? There is no easy way to best determine this. It's really a combination of their knowledge and the comfort level you have with them. They should be able to justify their market analysis as well as discuss what happens when an agreement comes in (escrow, inspections, purchase capabilities of the buyer, deadlines etc...).

Having the answers to these 5 questions should bring some clarity to selecting the right agent for you. You can visit my website at QuakertownAreaHomes.com.

* Commissions are negotiable and not set by law.

Why I opened a Discount Real Estate Company in Quakertown

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:54:57 -0700

People ask me all the time why I decided to open my own Real Estate Office? After all, I was a successful Sales Manager with the largest firm in the market and likely could have stayed there for many years if I chose to. It certainly would have been a safer bet, especially with 2 kids in college. I have to admit part of the reasoning was selfish on my part. I wanted the opportunity to run a business myself. I’m also very fortunate to have a supportive wife who happens to have a full time job as a Nurse (Thank you Trina). But I also got to see up close what works and what doesn’t in the Real Estate business. The traditional model of an office with many agents, some good, some not so good, but all charging the same high fees has created a need in the marketplace for an alternative business model. Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage provides the full service that consumers want but charge a low flat fee. Consumers benefit by often saving thousands in commissions and I benefit because more consumers are attracted to my brand. My goal is to have the most “consumer-centric” Real Estate Company in the area. Although I still have alot to learn, I’m starting to see the results of my efforts. I like the fact that consumers can go to my website (www.QuakertownAreaHomes.com), and with a few clicks of the mouse, learn about my programs, my basic marketing plan and the fees I charge. Sounds pretty basic but try finding that stuff on any of my competitors websites.

If you are interested in selling or buying a home in Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh or Northampton Counties or surrounding areas, please contact me to see how I can save you money.

$1,000 Buyer Rebate for home purchase in Bucks, Montgomery Counties.

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:34:54 -0700

Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage Real Estate, located in Quakertown, Bucks county, is currently offering a $1,000 Buyer Rebate.

Qualifying is easy.

Simply contact us and mention our $1,000 Buyer Rebate Program.

Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage shall retain a minimum Buyer Broker commission of $2,995 prior to any portion of the rebate being offered. Example: If Buyer Broker Commission is $3,500, then Buyer Rebate will be $505 ($3,500 commission less $2,995. If Buyer Broker Commission is $3,995 or higher, then Buyer Rebate will be the full amount of $1,000).

Rebate must be acceptable to the lender.

Rebate must be listed as a credit on the settlement sheet.

Thats all there is to it! While enjoying the benefit of up to a $1,000 Buyer Rebate, you still get the full service you expect from a traditional Buyer Agent. We schedule all appointments and show you all properties you are interested in, prepare and negotiate the agreement on your behalf, help guide you thru the entire process and attend closing.

Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers advantage helps consumers thruout Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh and Northampton Counties and surrounding areas.

Pennridge School District Housing Statistics

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 08:21:54 -0700

The average sales price for home sales in the Pennridge School District (Perkasie, Sellersville, Dublin, Silverdale, East Rockhill, West Rockhill, Bedminster and Hilltown) for 2010 was $290,077. This is nearly identical to the average sales price for 2009, which was $289,623. The number of homes that went under contract (pended sales) dropped from 433 in 2009 to 377 in 2010. A drop in pended sales like this would often cause at least some drop in the average sales price, however, the number of homes that were listed for sale also dropped between 2009 and 2010 from 989 to 930. This drop in inventory likely contributed to a leveling effect in both sale price and “Days on Market” which remained steady (95 days in 2009 to 98 days in 2010).

Assist 2 Sell Buyers and Sellers Advantage is the nations leading discount Real Estate company. Please visit our website “QuakertownAreaHomes.com” for more information on how we can save you thousands on the sale of your home.

All statistics were obtained from TREND MLS. Data deemed reliable but not guaranteed.