Jude's Real Estate Blog

Mortgage Tip

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:41:15 -0500

We get asked many questions about loan conditions. Here's a brief overview of the different types of conditions and a few examples of each:

-- Prior to docs conditions. These are things that must be reviewed by the underwriter before a final approval (clear-to-close) is issued. Examples: pay stubs, bank statements, loan application, credit report, appraisal.

-- At closing conditions. These conditions must be satisfied at the closing. The list of "at closing" conditions is usually included in the lender's closing instructions to title, however, underwriters occasionally forget to include some. It is the mortgage broker's job to know what the "at closing" conditions are so there won't be any problems after the closing. Examples: correct seller concessions, maximum allowable monthly payment, loan application must be signed again, flood cert.

-- Prior to purchase conditions. For loans that are not directly funded by the investor, these are the conditions that must be satisfied before the investor will buy the loan from the mortgage banker. Examples: telephone verification of employment, closing protection letter, state-specific disclosures.

-- Prior to funding conditions. These are things that have to be verified before the loan can fund. Some lenders will not allow a loan to be funded, even though it has closed, unless they see various documents. Examples: copy of the signed HUD, signed Deed of Trust, signed loan application, proof of the wire from a down payment assistance program.

Existing-home sales edged up in May

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:39:53 -0500

An article from MSNBC.com, reports that according to the National Association of Realtors, sales of existing single-family homes and condominiums rose by 2% to an annual rate of 4.99 million units last month. The median price of existing homes sold in May dropped to $208,600, a fall of 6.3% from a year ago. The strength in sales reflected gains in several parts of the country. Sales were up 5.5% in the Midwest, 4.6% in the Northeast and 2% in the West. Senior economist for the Realtors, Paul Bishop, said that for the past few months sales have been rebounding in parts of the country that had been hardest-hit by the housing bust, while sales have weakened in some areas that formerly had been immune from the overall downturn.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25389849/

Retail real estate expected to remain strong

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:38:54 -0500

An article from the Denver Business Journal, reports that according to a report released by Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services Inc., metro Denver's retail real estate market should remain "fairly healthy," with absorption of vacant space and higher rents, for the rest of 2008. The report credits the forecast to strong metro-area demographic trends and weakening supply-side pressure. Also, employers project an increase of 13,000 jobs, or a 1% gain, for the entire year. Adam Christofferson, regional manager for Marcus & Millichap's Denver office said in a statement, "Investors with long-term strategies may find properties in the expanding northeast submarket, as well as new developments along planned FasTracks lines." In regards to retail real estate, Marcus & Millichap expect asking rents to increase 1.6% to $17.44 per square foot on average and a 2% jump in the inventory of retail space, with the addition of 2.5 million square feet.
http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/06/23/daily28.html?b=1214193600^1659568

Investor Report: Anti-Flipping Rules

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:37:57 -0500

An article from RealtyTimes.com, reports that the Federal Housing Administration is temporarily waiving its "anti-flipping" rules and will now insure mortgages on properties that have been owned by the current seller for less than 90 days. According to FHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery, the idea is to help get rid of the "glut of foreclosed and abandoned homes" now burdening large numbers of neighborhoods around the country. The temporary waiver is set to expire in June of 2009. Under the revised policy, FHA will require purchasers to be financially capable of handling the mortgage, and underwriters will look hard at appraisals. The agency will no longer rule out insuring a mortgage simply because title to the property had changed hands within the previous three months.
http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20080627_investorreport.htm

Architecture study ranks Denver No. 8

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:37:01 -0500

An article from the Denver Business Journal, reports that according to a study by the RMJM Hillier architecture firm, Denver ranked No. 8 on a list of top 10 U.S. cities for architecture and design based on citizen polls. RMJM Hillier design director, Peter Schubert said in a statement, "Good design makes better communities by boosting the economy, creating jobs and, particularly today, sponsoring environmental strategies. We conducted the study to see which cities are the most forward-thinking in their planning and development strategies, and to applaud those that are doing it right." In recent years, metro Denver's architectural highlights include the expansion of the Colorado Convention Center, architect Daniel Liebeskind's addition to the Denver Art Museum, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's LEED Gold regional headquarters in downtown Denver, and one of Colorado's first LEED Platinum buildings, the Signature Center office building in Golden.
http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/06/23/daily37.html?surround=lfn

Mortgage Tip

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:35:54 -0500

Fannie Mae underwriting guidelines are changing for people who own a primary residence and are buying a new primary residence while retaining their current primary residence as an investment property. Current guidelines allow the buyer to count 75% of the rental income from their current house to qualify, as long as they have a lease.

The new guidelines require the buyer to have 30% equity in their current primary residence, a fully executed lease, and proof that the tenant's security deposit has been deposited into the buyer's bank account. If the buyer does not have 30% equity in their current primary residence, then they cannot count any rental income from the new property to qualify for the new loan.

These new guidelines become effective on August 1, 2008.

Old Town Littleton a magnet in any market

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:34:52 -0500

An article from The Denver Post, reports that Old Littleton or Old Town Littleton is described as Littleton's downtown shopping district and the antique homes around it. The area has been well-preserved and new developers must jump through a hoops before they can change the appearance of the downtown facade. Bill Hopping, chairman of Littleton's Historic Preservation Board, said the neighborhood's culture evolved from one based on agriculture to its current state, but it took decades to get there. Hopping added, "There are still people today who were here prior to that period of time. That's represented well by Main Street and the historic areas. It's one unifying factor for all of Littleton, that historic area. . . It's one of the best-preserved original Western main streets." According to Brian Lee Burke, a broker from Kenna and Co., the older homes near Main Street are highly sought after by homebuyers, even in the current marketplace. David Simonson, a broker associate with Re/Max's Simonson Team in Highlands Ranch, said Old Littleton represents a housing pocket immune to current market woes.
http://www.denverpost.com/economy/ci_9725599

Getting Back to the Basics when the Basics have Changed

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:33:33 -0500

An article from RealtyTimes.com, reports that it is true that real estate works in cycles, the housing market will come back as will business, but it will be a very different type of business. The Real Estate Consulting model is built on a the principle of elevating the role of the real estate professional to one of a true fiduciary, enabling real estate professionals to provide what consumers need today in a world of laptops, cell phones, digital cameras and the Internet. Today’s consumer is demanding quality choices in the real estate services they receive and how they can pay for them. Being prepared means developing the tools to provide today's consumer with what they need, and, more importantly, what they are willing to pay for.
http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20080630_basics.htm

Old Town Littleton a magnet in any market

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:28:34 -0500

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6 Ways to Achieve Better Balance in Your Life, Career

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:19:22 -0500

An article from RISMedia.com, reports that most people today are juggling the demands of two-income households while trying to keep current with all the chores, tasks, and information necessary to make informed and wise decisions, not to mention time for family, hobbies, volunteer activities, exercise, socializing and self-improvement. The purpose of balance is to live a well-rounded life, and to renew and refresh your productive and creative energies on a regular basis so you can contribute to the best of your potential. One way to achieve a realistic balance is to get mindless. "Mindless" time should include activities that rejuvenate you, whether that’s a simple hot bath, sports, meditation, taking a walk or sitting in your yard and watching the birds in the trees or the clouds in the sky. Another way is to reduce family performance stress. Quality time with your family doesn't need to be complex or difficult to arrange. Unstructured time and spontaneous activities are often more fun and are remembered longer. Finally, make it yours. Spend time doing the things you really love to do. This is what will truly re-energize and gratify you.
http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-06-30/6-ways-to-achieve-better-balance-in-your-life-career/

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Aurora Colorado's turn to be smug

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:16:13 -0500

Aan article from The Denver Post, reports that in a new survey comparing salaries and living costs in 69 cities, Aurora ranks second only to Plano, Texas. In the survey conducted by Salary.com, Denver landed No. 22 and Colorado Springs was No. 11. According to Bill Coleman, chief compensation officer at Salary.com, it is better to live far away from the big-money people. "They drive real estate prices up so the average person, which most of us are, see their costs of real estate go through the roof," he said. Aurora is near the top of Coleman's list because it's affordable, and many people who live there earn an above-average wage. Wendy Mitchell, Aurora's economic development director said, "This is validation that we are going in the right direction. We're recruiting the right companies and the right people."
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_9748146

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Real estate agents court Gen Y

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:06:45 -0500

An article from USA Today, reports that the current real estate slump has convinced many real estate agents to start marketing a group not known for its home-buying habits: Twentysomethings. In order to connect with them, agents are unleashing a new breed of marketing tactics, from posting homes for sale on YouTube to building Facebook pages. Jacky Teplitzky, from New York-based real estate firm, Prudential Douglas Elliman said, "This younger generation is so technology-savvy, and because of that, they are changing the way real estate is being marketed and how brokers must use technology to successfully get to this group. This demographic is so important." Leslie Tyler, vice president of marketing at ZipRealty added, "In the market today, first-time home buyers don't have as much money to spend (on luxury homes), but they don't have a home to sell. If they're ready to buy and have good credit and a down payment, they're valuable to have. They're more of a sure thing. They're the customer of the future."
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2008-06-16-youtube-facebook-generation-y-buyers_N.htm

Developers expected to build more Denver-area apartments

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:05:55 -0500

An article from the Denver Business Journal, reports that according to a report released by Hendricks & Partners, construction of apartments in the Denver area is expected to increase this year as developers move away from a softening condominium market. The company's research states that developers built 2,262 units in 2007, and expects that number to reach between 2,500 and 3,000 units in both 2008 and 2009. Also noted in the report is 217 new units were completed in the first quarter of 2008. According to Hendricks & Partners, the rise in foreclosures in the Denver area is increasing demand for apartments. The average rent rose 2.3% from a year ago, and is the strongest year-over-year increase since mid-2004. By the end of 2009, the company predicts the average apartment rent will pass $900, setting a new record high.
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/06/16/daily14.html?b=1213588800^1651592

Senate Is Set to Weigh Housing Initiatives

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:03:55 -0500

An article from the Wall Street Journal Online, reports that as early as this week, the Senate is set to vote on a package of housing initiatives that would mark lawmakers' most comprehensive effort yet to deal with record numbers of foreclosures and a housing slump that is weighing on the economy. Included in the legislation is a regulatory overhaul for government-sponsored mortgage investors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, a $300 billion program to refinance struggling borrowers and a combination of government grants and tax credits to help homeowners. The Senate bill would expand the size of single-family mortgage loans that can be acquired or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to $625,000 from the $550,000 set in an earlier bill approved by the banking committee. Currently the limit on such loans is about $730,000, which represents a temporary increase enacted by Congress earlier this year. Unless Congress takes action, the loan limit is due to revert to $417,000 at the end of this year.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121375208357082983.html?mod=RealEstateMain_1

Cherry Creek II brings big block to suburbs

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:02:41 -0500

An article from the Colorado Real Estate Journal, reports that in November, the biggest block of office space in metro Denver will come on line and head straight into a $1 million makeover. According to Paul Luber of Ascent Capital Partners, which is redeveloping the property, Cherry Creek Place II is being vacated by longtime tenant Dex and will be turned into a Class A building in the Aurora submarket. The six-story building totals 199,892 square feet. Luber said, “What we have is the largest contiguous block of existing space in the suburban metro Denver.”

http://www.crej.com/news_category.php?category_id=1

Real Estate Outlook: Buyers Off the Sidelines

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:58:03 -0500

An article from RealtyTimes.com, reports that there is evidence that buyers who'd been sitting on the sidelines are now making their way into the housing market. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association of America's national survey last week, applications for new, conventional loans to buy houses jumped by 11% and applications for FHA insured mortgages were up by 17%. With home prices sharply discounted in many of the former boom markets, and down slightly in many other areas, smart buyers are recognizing that it's time to make their move. Something to consider is to keep an eye on the mortgage rates. Last week, the MBA reported a sudden jump in rates. Also, the Fed is signaling that it may not cut rates again for some time. If buyers are thinking about picking up steeply-discounted real estate and financing it with cut-rate mortgage money, they might want to lock in their deals sooner, rather than later.
http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20080619_realestateoutlook.htm

Conoco shooting for 7,000 workers

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:56:54 -0500

An article from The Denver Post, reports that when ConocoPhillips builds out the 432-acre Louisville campus it purchased earlier this year, it could bring more than 7,000 jobs to the area. Mary Manning, general manager for global real estate and facilities services for ConocoPhillips, said while the company doesn't know exactly how many people will work on the campus, it plans to seek approval from Louisville to accommodate at least 7,000 over the next 20 years. According to Manning, she expects the first phase of the project to be completed in 2011, rather than in June 2012 as previously announced. Louisville Mayor Chuck Sisk said he doesn't expect the community will have a shortage of housing as the campus grows. He added, "We just approved 700 (housing) units in Louisville in the last year, and 350 more are coming downtown."
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_9628637

Mortgage Tip

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:55:44 -0500

Most deals these days involve some amount of seller concessions. For FHA loans (which are increasing dramatically in volume because of the low interest rates and relaxed underwriting guidelines), the seller has two choices - they can either pay for the closing costs, or they can pay for the buyer's 3% down payment. Only FHA loans allow the seller to pay for the down payment by contributing the money to a down payment assistance program.

If you are only going to ask for 3% seller concessions when submitting an offer, we recommend that you ask that the 3% go towards paying the closing costs rather than towards the down payment. It has been our observation that sellers are much more likely to agree to pay for closing costs than the down payment, even though the 3% they have agreed to pay is the same amount of money no matter what it pays for.

Investor Report: Multiple-use "Flex" Space Properties

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:54:56 -0500

An article from RealtyTimes.com, reports that according to Mike Cannon, executive director of Integra Realty Resources of Miami, small to moderate-scale investors should be looking hard at central-city properties that currently have traditional, relatively inefficient uses that can be transformed into creative combinations of residential, retail, even office and light industrial. He said, "The move is back to the urban core. All the economic and demographic forces are pushing in that direction." Many of the high-potential properties Cannon recommends are the "live-work" modern equivalents of traditional American urban combinations, such as the retail store on the first floor, and residential units on the one or two floors above. Cannon said some of the most attractive real estate returns in the coming decade will go to investors who can identify and acquire urban-core land or buildings that are currently underperforming, but that have multiple, adaptive-use potentials going forward.
http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20080620_investorreport.htm

Daily Rate Lock Advisory

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:44:39 -0500

Monday's bond market has opened in positive territory following a negative open for stocks. The stock markets are starting the week off with losses with the Dow down 10 points and the Nasdaq down 15 points. The bond market is currently up 6/32, but we will likely still see an increase in this morning's mortgage rates of approximately .125 of a discount point due to weakness late Friday.

There is no relevant economic news being released today. The rest of the week will likely prove to be very active in terms of mortgage rate movement due to the economic data and other events that are scheduled. There are six economic reports scheduled for release between tomorrow and Friday, in addition to another Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. Together, we have the makings of a potentially volatile week in the financial and mortgage markets.

Tomorrow brings us the first important report of the week with the release of June's Consumer Confidence Index (CCI). The CCI is very important to the financial markets because it measures consumer willingness to spend, which is important because consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the U.S. economy. If it shows an increase in confidence from last month, we can expect to see the bond market falter and mortgage rates rise slightly. Current forecasts are calling for a reading 56.0, down from last month's 57.2 reading.

The FOMC meeting begins tomorrow and will adjourn Wednesday afternoon. It is widely expected that Mr. Bernanke and company will not change key short-term interest rates at this meeting. But, as we have seen so many times in the past, it is the post meeting statement that often creates the most volatility in the markets. They could give an opinion of the overall economy, hinting at a possible future move or lack of one. Statements like these could cause a knee-jerk reaction in the markets and possibly mortgage pricing Wednesday afternoon. I suspect we will hear concerns about inflation that will lead to selling in bonds.

Overall, today will likely be the quietest day of the week. The most active should be tomorrow or Wednesday to the importance of the data and FOMC meeting. Wednesday's Durable Goods Orders could also help make it a busy day. Friday's news may also affect mortgage rates, but likely not as much as earlier days. This would definitely be a good week to maintain constant contact with your mortgage professional.

If I were considering financing/refinancing a home, I would.... Lock if my closing was taking place within 7 days... Lock if my closing was taking place between 8 and 20 days... Lock if my closing was taking place between 21 and 60 days... Lock if my closing was taking place over 60 days from now... This is only my opinion of what I would do if I were financing a home. It is only an opinion and cannot be guaranteed to be in the best interest of all/any other borrowers.

Over the Horizon, a Housing Recovery

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:43:17 -0500

Aan article from CNNMoney.com, reports that according to a new study from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, "The State of the Nation's Housing 2008," the country is poised to see an increase in housing demand over the next decade. Nicolas Retsinas, director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies and on of the study's authors said, "The good news is that we still have a growing population. As long as you have more households, more people are going to need places to live." The Harvard study also found in early 2008, the nation had an 11-month supply of unsold new homes and a 10.7-month supply of existing single-family homes. A 6-month supply of existing homes is considered a buyers' market. In order to reduce the current supply, the market will require price declines, a decrease in interest rates, employment growth, a return of consumer confidence and the revival of accessible mortgage credit.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/23/news/economy/harvard_housing_study/index.htm?postversion=2008062303

Brookfield Properties to buy Seventeenth Street Plaza

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:41:14 -0500

An article from the Denver Business Journal, reports that according to real estate professionals familiar with the deal, Brookfield Properties Corp. has downtown Denver's Seventeenth Street Plaza high-rise office building under contract for roughly $225 million. The building, currently owned by JP Morgan Chase & Co., is one of Denver's largest office properties at 666,653 square feet in 33 stories and is located across from the Tabor Center. Brookfield already owns the 1.2 million-square-foot, 56-story Republic Plaza and hopes to develop an office building behind the Denver Pavilions mall. Denver investment brokers said JP Morgan put the Seventeenth Street Plaza up for sale earlier this year with an asking price of $385 per square foot, or roughly $250 million.

http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/06/23/story5.html?b=1214193600^1653162

Aurora, Colorado - National Civic League's 2008 All-America City Winner!

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:46:47 -0500

2008 All-America City Award Winners Announced!

Denver, Colorado-The National Civic League announced the winners of the prestigious All-America City award during a June 6 celebration at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel. The ten winners in 2008 (in alphabetical order by state) are:

Goodyear, Arizona
Cerritos, California
Aurora, Colorado
New Haven, Connecticut
Kissimmee-Osceola County, Florida
Gladstone, Missouri
St. Louis Region (Missouri-Illinois)
Lenoir, North Carolina
Reidsville, North Carolina
Akron, Ohio

In its 59th year, the awards program recognizes neighborhoods, villages, towns, cities, counties and metro regions for outstanding civic accomplishments. To win, communities have to demonstrate their ability to address serious challenges with innovative, grassroots strategies that promote civic engagement and cooperation between the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

"These communities really give us hope," said National Civic League President Gloria Rubio-Cortés, "because they show others what can happen when people roll up their sleeves and work together."

The All-America City Award is an honor achieved by more than 500 communities across the country. Some have won the award multiple times. This year's winners addressed such pressing and topical issues as healthcare for the uninsured, housing for seniors, immigration, education and economic development.

Founded in 1894, the National Civic League (NCL) is America's original advocate for good government and community democracy. Originally known as the National Municipal League, it is a non-profit, non-partisan, membership organization dedicated to strengthening citizen democracy. NCL fosters innovative community building, political reform, effective governance and collaborative problem-solving efforts through technical assistance, training, publishing, research and its awards programs.

This year's AAC Awards were sponsored in part by Jones Day, Prudential, Wachovia Corporation, ICMA Retirement Corporation, RBC Capital Markets, MWH, Southwest Airlines (The Official Airline of the AAC Awards), Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina (The Sole Official Headquarters Hotel of the AAC Awards), and Marriott International.

Hundreds of civic leaders and community activists from across the country met in Tampa for the three-day awards competition from June 4-6. To win, each community had to make a presentation to a jury of civic experts from the public, private and nonprofit sectors listing three outstanding examples of collaborative, community problem solving.

The benefits of the award include heightened national attention, civic pride, and a proven economic impact. The rigorous application process serves as a valuable civic self-assessment and can make communities stronger.

For more information contact Mike McGrath at the National Civic League at 303 571-4343 (or e-mail at mikem@ncl.org).

Listed below are select examples of some of the award winning community projects:

Aurora, Colorado
Facing major military base closures, Aurora created a redevelopment authority to find a new use for the former Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center was looking for a site in which to relocate. The convergence of these two events resulted in the redevelopment of Fitzsimons as a world-class hub of health care and research, anchored by a major research university and an affiliated bioscience and biotechnology research park.

Realty Viewpoint: More Good News - Asking Prices Flatten

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:32:45 -0500

An article from RealtyTimes.com, reports that according to the Altos 10-City Composite Price Index, real-time asking prices for homes declined just 0.3% in May. Prices of properties listed for-sale increased in 15 of 26 major markets according to the Real-Time Housing Market Report and Real IQ. Overall, prices increased by more than 1% in 11 of 26 markets. The Altos 10-City Composite showed the average days-on-market was 106, which is an improvement from 111 in April and 113 in March. The Real-Time Housing report and 10-city indexes are more positive than other indexes, such as the Case-Shiller, because the information is not based on sold data or same sales data, but tracks real-time listing prices.
http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20080612_realtyviewpoint.htm

15 Powerful Ways to Find Prospects and become a Stronger Agent

Jude Sandvall (Realty Executives of Aurora) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:28:22 -0500

An article from RISMedia.com, reports that you must constantly prospect in order to remain successful in real estate. But for some agents, picking up that telephone is a very difficult thing to do. One effective method for locating prospects is to hold a call-to-action seminar. For sellers, some examples might be: how to advertise a house; how to hold an open house; how to use today’s low interest rates to get your house sold. And for buyers: how to conduct a home search in half the time or financing strategies in today’s real estate market. Another effective method for locating prospects is to take the long way home. People tend to drive to the office the same way every day. By taking a different route, you’ll see things you never noticed before like a few FSBO signs. Finally, create a master list that includes plumbers, electricians, gardeners, contractors, divorce attorneys, etc. and include them in your promotion campaigns.
http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-06-12/15-powerful-ways-to-find-prospects-and-become-a-stronger-agent/

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