Jesse 's Blog

Has anyone utilized MYSPACE.com?

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:40:43 -0500

Have any of my fello active rainers made use of myspace? If so, have you seen any busines as a result? I am curious about what you are doing etc... I have set one up but it seems like everyone thinks it is a spam bot or some fake thing. If you get the chance, make friends with my spam bot! lol.

http://myspace.com/michianarealtor

Check it out - The Chad Realtor Video! This guy is HILARIOUS!!!!

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:08:27 -0500

The Chad: Real Estate Genius

Add to My Profile | More Videos

The Chad was created by a comedian of sorts. I saw this and thought it was a real-Realtor putting together his marketing package for an open house on video - but this guy is a little crazier than I am. Just a little.

At any rate, how much does yoru open house marketing differ? Seriously now, how much do you want to go out and do "THE CHAD"?

Heres the link:

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=8535353s

October is National Down Syndrome Awarenss Month!!!!! Read this!

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:39:29 -0500

This is a cause very important to me- Down Syndrome Awareness. If you know me, you know I have 3 fantastic sons, Elijah 6, Ashton 4 (almost), and Ian 2. Ian was born with Down Syndrome. It was scary at first, it shouldn't have been. Make yourself AWARE!!!!! Down Syndrome does not define my son, nor should it define those folks you come into contact with in society with disabilities. Have a conversation with a person with down syndrome - maybe you'll find enlightenment. :)

Here is a link to the NEW National Down Syndrome Video on YOUTUBE.com called Dreams.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-_-P4t2jR1g

My boy Ian - The musician! :-D

Humorous Newscast - spoof of Real Estate Agents!

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:23:45 -0500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oivendV9OKk

Good times more real estate humor! This is pretty funny stuff relating to how silly newscasters can be relative to Realty news. Smarmy Realtors, cheesy reporters, sounds like national news potential to me!

I'd really like to put together a funny, informative real estate video that I can email to consumers each month but it seems like its hard enough just sending out my monthly eNewsletter!

YOUR local Real Estate Market

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 21:18:27 -0500

Is it me or does it seem like things are sloooooowly starting to pick back up? Buyers seem to be slowly reintroducing themselves into the marketplace but my goodness is it glacial!

My current marketplace has seen several very tragic factors:

the mortgage industry's crumbling, Notre Dame's terrible season, over-optimistic sellers, and under informed buyers.

How is YOUR LOCAL market?

Raccoons in DA House!

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:43:14 -0500

Do you like your Raccoon in the Chimney/Roof/Siding/Porch...during home inspections?

I recently had a listing sell and the home inspector peed their pants screaming out of the house after finding a ferocious Racoon nestled in the chimney.

He called me on my cell phone to bawl me out over the incident, I couldn't stop laughing - I think a little pee came out - which caused the inspector to laugh agrily at me (don't ask about pee- he went when the little turd racoon tried to eat him)!

MY TRIBUTE TO RACOONS!

Bring it on Home Inspector PUNK! -Raccoon Monster

Raccoon Greeting Home Inspector Thumbnail of Raccoon Assailants

Then came the jack of all crimes:

The Raccoon Violated My Dog!

What exactly is an agent 24/7????

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 22:17:08 -0500

Much debate has been stirring among both Prudential Real Estate Professionals as well as non Prudential Professionals about the true meaning of an "AGENT 24/7" as a result of the National firm's media blitz/frenzy/campaign/wumpusing/etc.

It is important to note that no agent in their right friggin' mind will cater to the never-ending needs of their beloved clients 24/7, but with that being said, it is/should be important to note that many of the tools that our (by our I mean Prudential's) fine firm is providing, both paid subscription (reasonable of course) and freebies (from our beloved frachise fees), tend to lead us in the direction/capability of providing services/communications to our clients when most agents are sleeping or returning from the pub.

Theses (Golem) services my precious givesies the client the (back to me) impression that we are really, truly working around the clock for the betterment of selling their home - and to me that is EXACTLY why I pay a franchise fee which seems to pay for some fairly awesome national exposure and Hollywood style commercials.

Are you an agent 24/7 (regardless of firm) and if so how do you provide services when you're sleeping/pubbing/conversing/churching/etc.???

Thanks ;)

Jesse

To Craigslist or not to Craiglist?

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 22:02:19 -0500

I know that more and more of us have been hearing about Craigslist.com, if we haven't already. The site has fast become a nationwide classifieds phenomenon.

I was directed to start adding my listings some time ago but found the task to be soooo daunting it seemed that the time associated with posting all your listings over and over again, if need be (in my market - need be), was time consuming, tiring, boring, blah blah WAH WAH....I can keep going... I'll stop, for your sake. ;)

It seems there are still many valuable uses of Craigslist by Realtors, and fellow Real Estate crazies, but I'm curious as to what YOU find to be the best use of CL (Craigslist) as it has been dubbed by obsessive CL'ers (Craigslisters) (another term created by CL users as a result of the wildfire it has spawned). Of course if you have any time in the CL game, you already knew of these commonly utilized terminologies, etc.

Without further ado, let's hear your thoughts...

How well does staging help to increase the Salability of a home?

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 12:21:33 -0500

I just read an article in our local paper regarding how well staging can help sell a home in an expedited manner. Is it really a function of the home at the end of the day regardless of wether the home was staged by a professional interior designer?

Have any of you used an interior design staging professional? If so what were your experiences with the staging of homes you have marketed in the past?

If you are a fan of staging what would you look for in an interior designer? What types of questions would you ask them? How much do they generally charge for staging a home?

Indiana Tax Debacle

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 11:09:40 -0500

Has anyone seen or heard about the ridiculous tax situation we have going on in Indiana, more specifically St. Joseph County where tax rate is upwards of 5.5 % and reassessments are going the way of market value. A home without tax exemptions with an assessed value of $50,000 would yield taxes of $2500 a year!

The local government is likely to raise the tax rate along with the current reASSessments! Since they started reassessing and raising the tax rate, South Bend has seen neighborhoods where the predominant ownership is non owner occupant go the way of 50% vacancy rates due to foreclosures and rent increases in order to make up for ungodly escrow payment increases for taxes.

These events are taking place and our leadership is making no real effort to squash the real estate pandemic they have caused. There was a bill passed by the Indiana Legislature to put a 2% rate cap on tax rates which was later raised to 3% due to many county protests. The problem is that this only solves part of the problem - if you cap the rate and leave the assessment criteria alone, our local government will do what they have the power to do- raise assessed values to compensate for the impending rate decrease. Either way, tax payers are screwed and paying out the reASSessment!

Anyone have an INVESTOR looking for up to 70 Single Family Homes for under $1.4million?

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 18:17:03 -0500

My buddy, another agent, just told me about an in investors package in Fort Wayne Indiana with 70 single family homes for sale for $1,320,000! The average price is $20,000. 14 of these homes are leased and most of the others need some rehab work. The appraisal value on them would be about $4.5 million once retailed off in the marketplace.

He is willing to do a 3-4 year land contract with $600,000 down.

Let me know!

Jesse Limon

Home priced at $104,900 - close to South Side Shopping - All new everything!

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:58:37 -0500

All New Everything

Virtual Tour

Presented by Jesse Limon

Address:	1415 Argyle Dr South Bend, IN 46614
MLS Number:	219713
Beds:	3
Baths:	1.5
Asking Price:	$104,900

Additional Information:
Everything here is new - ceramic floors, carpet, kitchen, bath. siding, roof, windows, landscaping. Who could ask for anything more of a three bedroom home on a cul-de-sac.

Presale Inspections can Give Seller an Advantage

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:55:42 -0500

A new trend going on in the real estate world is that sellers hiring inspectors to do a scrutinous walk through of the home before putting it on the market. These reports are made available to buyers prior to writing an offer on the home.

The benefits to sellers are twofold. This allows the seller to convey and disclose the state of the property through a 3rd parties eyes. Getting inspections done prior to the sale also eliminates those pesky post inspection negotiations that are extremely common in our local marketplace. On a national scope, it looks like a seller who has completed these pre-sale inspections sell their homes for more than those that do not.

Find out more from Jesse Limon!

Victorian Home in South Bend's Historic District!

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:53:46 -0500

Historic Victorian

929 West Washington - Virtual Tour

Presented by Jesse Limon

Address:	929 Washington St W South Bend, IN 46601
MLS Number:	219559
Beds:	3
Baths:	1.5
Asking Price:	$126,900

Additional Information:
This charming victorian, located in one of South Bend's historic districts, is close to downtown and offers much more. The newly updated kitchen is roomy with a butler's pantry. Foyer is large enough for entertaining and the living room could accomodate a billiard table. The 'music' room has a half bath and could be used as a first floor bedroom, if needed. The large master bedroom is spacious and very usable. There is even an upstairs laundry. Hardwood floors abound, along with abundant wood trim. The huge back yard is fenced. Even a new furnace in '06.

Tips To Help You Sell A Vacant House

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:39:02 -0500

The ad looks too good to be true - a home with all the prerequisites you want is on the market in a fabulous neighborhood. The community is near work, the schools are great, there are lots of activities nearby - and the asking price is competitive.When the prospective buyers approach the newly listed home, hopes plummet - the place is vacant. Unfortunately, a home which is merely "lived-in" when furnished and occupied may look bare and blemished when empty. But the good news is that selling a vacant home isn't an impossible task, especially if you follow these pointers:

CONTINUED>>

ARMs grasp may slip away?

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:37:02 -0500

Consumers seem to be fleeing ARMs (Adjustable Rate Mortagages), according to a recent article by Realty Times writer Michele Dawson. According to Mrs. Dawson, with the rates increasing over the past 10 months consumers have been refinancing in droves. Is the time right for yo to refi your home?

Could be. According to the article, even a FRM (Fixed Rate Mortgage) with a higher fixed rate now could turn out to be a better deal in the long run, especially considering the likelihood of interest rates consistent travel upwards.

More here.

Notre Dame's Eddy Street Commons Project

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:30:30 -0500

The University of Notre Dame has plans for a 30 acre redevelopment project along Eddy St. south of Angela. The idea is to creat a "college town" of housing, retail, restaurants, offices and green space. The project will be in development over the course of the next few years.

The project will be called Eddy St. commons. The university will be holding symposiums this week, Thursday and Friday evening, to discuss the topic "Creating a 21st Century College Town". All events are free and open to the public. All the talks will be in Room 104 Bond Hall on campus.

For a complete schedule and list of speakers, see the Web site: http://architecture.nd.edu/news_and_events/symposium_college_towns.shtml.

Public parking is available in Lot D6, just off Dorr Road.
Source: South Bend Tribune

Riverfront Condos in Mishawaka and South Bend

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:11:53 -0500

South Bend's River Park will be the recipient of 30+ townhomes situated on the St. Joe river once Windsor Builders LLC follows through with their upcoming plans (pending further approval).

The townhomes will approximate 2000+ square feet and be price well below $300,000. This spells huge competition for the many many developers plunking down townhomes and condos that aren't even on the river.

They will be at a huge disadvantage for a few reasons, 1. Priced at nearly $400,000, 2. No river Access, 3. Some will feature awkward 3 story layouts.

The competition to break ground and begin disseminating info is on. Many of these developers have well planned their marketing strategies, and others are just getting started.

This will begin a very interesting phase of the Michiana Real Estate market: The Riverfront Condo.

Market Conditions for Michiana

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:09:12 -0500

To date, sales are still down from last year. Buyers have an edge in todays current market property sales are down from last year in terms of volume sold but up slightly in terms of average sales price.
January - May 2007 Residential Statistics

2006" --- "2007" --- % CHANGE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Sold Units: 1,809 --- 1,633 ---- (-10 %)
Total Dollar Volume:$207million--$192Million - (-8 %)
Average Sale Price: $114,558 -----$117,077 -- + 2 %
Median Sale Price: $92,000 ---- $94,500 -- + 3 %

More info at www.JesseLimon.com

Approximate Location Boundaries: Michiana

Location Characteristics: The Michiana marketplace is still very affordable relative to most marketplaces, as well as renting. South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger are areas that sees very consistent appreciation over time, but nothing unaffordable.

We have a fantastic array of seasons, sun in the summer, leaves in the fall, flowers in the spring, and yes- snow in the winter. Fun for all ages!

Villa style homes not just for folks looking to retire.

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:03:36 -0500

According to a recent article in the South Bend tribune, many villa buyers in the South Bend, Michiana market are deviating from the norm. More and more, it seems the median age of residents in the more popular villas are younger and younger. With a variety of villa options close proximity to the University of Notre Dame, it is no surprise that the demand for anything with limited maintenence is relatively high.

Looking for a condo or villa? Visit my search engine.

Jesse Limon in the Tribune for marketing expertise!

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:01:55 -0500

Jesse Limon was featured in this weeks edition of the South Bend Tribune's Business Weekly.

Here is an excerpt from the article: "For homebuyers and sellers, the three keys to real estate are location,

location and location. For Realtor Jesse Limon, the key location is cyberspace....

"This is something I developed. I decided I would create harmonization in marketing."

"Harmonization in marketing" means everything that aims at potential customers, including other

agents, at the Web site,http://www.jesselimon.com/.""

For more info on how Jesse can help to market your home, visit here

Prudential Hold the Highest Average Sales Price in the Nation-Again!

Jesse Limon (REALTOR) (Prudential One Realty (ST. Joseph County Indiana)) — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:00:21 -0500

The Prudential Real Estate Network, with an average selling price of nearly $338,000, has once again scored the highest average sale price for residential property across the nation. This price is based on transaction sides and sales volume data of the Top 500 independently owned brokers in the U.S. obtained from an analysis of the 2006 Real Trends -Real Facts Report completed in 2007."We've consistently achieved the highest average sales price among our competitors, which speaks volumes about the quality of our Network. In today's real estate market, this is a powerful competitive differentiator. We can tell consumers about the power of our brand, but this goes one step further and shows them," says Ray Gronowski, President -Northern Region of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.

Here's how we compare:

Prudential Real Estate............ $337,798
Re/Max.................................. $278,306
Century 21............................. $248,097
GMAC Affiliated....................... $238,278
Keller Williams......................... $218,703
Coldwell Banker....................... $211,601
ERA...................................... $184,359