Should Realtors be Professional on Facebook? - 04/28/08 03:31 PM
In today's Washington Post there is a front page article ("When Young Teachers go Wild on the Web") on some area public school teachers showing a slightly different side of themselves on their Facebook page.
It got me to thinking about how I come across on Facebook and how other Realtors comes across on Facebook.  I, personally, try to keep it as "professional" as possibly without seeming like a stuffed shirt.  On the other hand, I've seen other Realtors (who I've been "friended" by) that are really out there.  Some a little on the raunchy side and some just silly. Some send … (15 comments)

Is Down Payment Assistance Going Away? - 04/26/08 11:05 AM
I was watching the Nightly Business Report last night and there was one segment in particular that caught my attention -- FHA's No Money Down Loan Program
Here is how the program currently works: Let's say you qualify to make the monthly mortgage payment on a $350,000 house based on your credit score, debt-to-income ration and some other factors. However, you don't really have enough money saved up to meet the down payment and closing costs requirements of an FHA loan (3% or, in this case, $10,500). Currently, there are a number of non-profit, down payment assistance programs like the Nehemiah … (7 comments)

Homes that Qualify for FHA Financing - 04/25/08 12:14 PM
All of these homes are in great shape and move-in condition. The best part is that they all qualify for FHA financing which has very attractive rates, low down payment and flexible credit score requirements. There are a number of ways to work with the Sellers of these homes to assure that any qualified Buyer will obtain financing and closing costs assistance that can be very, very attractive.

… (0 comments)

I tried but I couldn't get it done. - 04/21/08 09:30 PM
Here's my big confession.  Not every house I list gets sold.  I try and try.  I do print. I do Internet.  I do Open Houses.  I do mailings. I beg for price reductions from the Seller (and get small incremental ones). I try to have the home show in the most positive light.  Yet, sometimes they just don't sell.
This just happened to me.  The Seller was someone I knew from my church community and had moved out to the Eastern Shore of MD. I had sold an investment property of his several years ago when people were buying pretty much anything. … (7 comments)

A Good Value may not be the Price. - 04/20/08 01:16 PM
A lot of the time Realtors tend to harp on price.  "At the right price everything will sell", goes the saying.  The lesson here is that if your home isn't selling or if you are currently contemplating putting you home on the market that it would behoove you to set a low price.
Let's look at price from a different angle - value.
Value is really not as connected to price as one might think. A million dollar home in the right location in the right condition may be a very good value.
Value and what people perceive as a good … (2 comments)

Please Let Them In! - Showing Your House - 04/19/08 09:21 AM
When you put your home on the market one of the most important things you can do is allow people - potential buyers - to come into your house and look around.  It is the rare buyer who, because of circumstances beyond their control, might buy a house sight unseen.
I have actually had a couple of clients in my career buy a house without stepping inside but it was due to them being overseas.  I took plenty of photos of the inside and made a full report of what I found.  Luckily they trusted my judgment and they got … (15 comments)

Jury is In! Realtors are NOT Responsible for Falling Prices - 04/16/08 12:55 PM
A story that has been getting some National media attention has come to a resolution.
In this story from the North County Times, Mike Little of RE/MAX Associates has been completely vindicated in a lawsuit that was launched against him by past clients seeking redress from the falling home prices in California.
So, the courts have spoken. Realtors are not responsible for falling home prices.
I personally find it amazing that this even went to court but.....
Here is one of many posts on AR that give a little background.
… (8 comments)

Realtors as Trainers - 04/14/08 07:21 AM
Lately, I've been getting lots of unsolicited e-mail (i.e., spam) from Realtors who have evidently stopped selling real estate in order to train others.  Now, this "training' is not about how to write a contract or how to market your clients' listings.  It's about how to make tons of money with short sales and foreclosures.  Most of it is really not about helping out clients who might also be investors.  It's about me spending my money to learn how to spend more of my money to invest in foreclosures and short sales so I can, in turn, make tons of money.
Are … (9 comments)

Expecting the Unexpected - 04/13/08 09:47 AM
Part of the deal with owning your own home is that you sometimes get a little surprise that is, well, a surprise.
A couple of nights ago a fairly big windstorm/thunderstorm came up in the middle of the night. In fact, it was so windy that it woke me up (I'm kind of a light sleeper anyway). I looked outside but didn't see anything unusual so I went back to bed.
The next morning, I went out the front door of my house to get the Sunday paper. I made a cup of coffee and sat down to start a nice, … (1 comments)

Do You Have Enough For A Down Payment? - 04/11/08 08:39 PM
I attended a meeting at my office yesterday and listened while a highly experienced loan officer gave us an update on the current mortgage situation.  It was a mixed bag, really, and the bottom line message was that being able to obtain a mortgage to buy a house isn't that easy anymore.
Because of the downturn in the housing market mortgage insurers are no longer insuring 100% mortgages which means that lenders will no longer offer them. This means that home buyers will need a minimum of 5% down and, more likely, 10% down in order to qualify for a mortgage. … (0 comments)

Open House Theft - 04/09/08 07:10 AM
I'm not a real big fan of Open Houses.  One of two things usually occur:
Nobody shows up regardless of the advertising or,The neighbors show up to see how your house compares to their home and to get decorating tips.There are other things as well:
Monitoring an Open House alone can be dangerous for the Realtor, especially if they're aloneYour things can get STOLEN! Here is an article in today's Washington Post about a woman in Loudoun County, VA who went around to Open Houses and took prescription drugs, credit cards, electronics and anything else she could get her hands on.  She also … (13 comments)

Multiple Offers? Really? - 04/07/08 06:25 AM
Recently, I was asked by Realtor colleague from the Houston area if I would assist with the sale of the family home in College Park.  She had a sister in the area who was the Personal Representative for the Estate who would handle all the details with her husband, my colleague's brother-in-law.
After taking a look at the interior of the house, it was obvious that it needed a lot of repair.  Most of the repair was cosmetic in nature.  The hardwood floors needed to be refinished, the unfinished basement has some issues, the roof was old, it needed painting.
… (9 comments)

Craigslist Scams - 04/06/08 10:59 PM
I was floating around the blogosphere this evening and happened to see this post on Sellsius about people using information on Craigslist to scam unsuspecting consumers.  The scammers might also use Craigslist to hijack a potential client that might otherwise come to the listing agent (be sure to read the comments to the post).  I guess Craigslist has it's downside.  Whaddya want for free, huh?
It's too bad, really. What could be a great way to find buyers for a client's home is fast turning into a true "let the buyer beware" environment.
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College Park, MD: 3519 Marlbrough, College Park Woods, PRICE REDUCED! - 04/04/08 08:55 AM
If you've been looking for a gorgeous home with plenty of bedrooms, a large family room and spacious back yard then you can stop looking!!  This 4-level Split has plenty of room and is located in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in College Park, MD.  It's near METRO, the University of MD, USDA, NASA and more.
… (0 comments)