Four years ago, I opened the very first Assist-2-Sell office in the entire state of Arkansas. As of today, I am still the only Assist-2-Sell office in the entire state of Arkansas. 

Over the last four years, I have heard all sorts of "comments" regarding my franchise.  But, today, I would like to "set the record" straight!

First, I do not charge ANY UPFRONT FEES!  Secondly, I do all the work for my clients! I AM A FULL SERVICE AGENT! I schedule appointments, I put Signs up in my clients yards, I handle their sale ALL THE WAY TO CLOSING. 

Finally, I am a member in the local MLS.  The ONLY difference between my office and any other Real Estate office is that I have a Discounted Commission Fee (FLAT FEE). Any Broker/Agent that shows and sells an Assist-2-Sell Listing will be compensated the same as selling any other MLS Listing!

So, in a nut-shell, the only agent that takes a "cut" in commission...... is me!

Assist-2-Sell is "America's Leading Discount Brokerage Company"... Our Motto?  FULL SERVICE WITH SAVINGS!  There you have it!  Thanks for listening! 

Over the last few months, I have been given hope that the housing market will SURVIVE!

Buyer's are back out in the marketplace looking and BUYING! Thank Goodness!

But, quick turnovers are still slow! Seller's need to understand that the housing market has taken a BIG HIT and it will not be able to recover overnight! Seller's are ANXIOUS to sell. Seller's need to take a step back and TRULY LOOK at their property. Does there property STAND OUT amongst the 10 homes FOR SALE in their neighborhood? If not, they need to contact a "Home Stager" and get some PROFESSIONAL ADVICE to assist them in making their home SPARKLE and OUT SHINE the competition!  If you want your home to SELL QUICKLY... Get to CLEANING! Make your home STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD!

REALTORS IN BAXTER/MARION COUNTY, ARKANSAS WERE GIVEN A "RAY OF HOPE" THIS WEEK. A FRONT PAGE ARTICLE STATED THAT BUYER'S WERE BACK INTO THE HOUSING MARKET! YEAH! WITH THE "DOOM/GLOOM" THAT THE NEWS MEDIA REPORTS NIGHTLY, IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR SOME GOOD NEWS FOR ONCE.

I AM SURPRISED THAT MORE BUYER'S ARE NOT OUT LOOKING FOR THE "REAL DEALS". MY FIRST HOME PURCHASE WAS IN 1981! OUR INTEREST RATE WAS 18 1/2%!!! ALL WE COULD DO WAS PAY THE MONTHLY INTEREST. AS SOON AS INTEREST RATES STARTED COMING DOWN... WE "HIGH-TAILED" IT TO THE BANK AND REFINANCED AND OVER THE FOLLOWING 3 YEARS... WE CONTINUED UNTIL WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR RATE TO WHICH WE COULD LIVE WITH. I KNOW THAT I'M NOT ALONE WHEN I TELL OF THAT "INFLATIONARY" PERIOD BACK IN THE EIGHTIES! IT WAS SCARY!

I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO THINK POSITIVE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT WILL NOT LET INTEREST RATES GET  TO THAT "STAGGERING" HEIGHT AGAIN!

IF INDIVIDUALS ARE RENTING NOW, HAVE GOOD CREDIT AND SOME SORT OF DOWNPAYMENT SAVED UP, NOW IS THE TIME TO GET SOMETHING BOUGHT!!!! BEFORE INTEREST RATES START CREEPING UPWARD AGAIN. SOME HOMEBUYER'S ARE DESPARATE TO SELL THEIR HOMES RIGHT NOW... HOME VALUES HAVE DECLINED AND I FEEL THAT HOME VALUES HAVE BOTTOMED OUT. WHAT CONTINUES TO SURPRISE ME IS THE NUMBER OF HOMEOWNER'S THAT FEEL THEY CAN STILL MAKE A SIZEABLE PROFIT BY SELLING THEIR HOME DURING THIS RECESSION PERIOD. SOME HOMEOWNER'S WILL BE LUCKY TO RE-COOP WHAT THEY PAID FOR THEIR HOME... SAVEY BUYER'S ARE LOOKING INTO PUBLIC RECORDS AT THE COURT HOUSE TO SEE WHAT A HOMEBUYER PAID FOR A HOME BEFORE MAKING THAT "OFFER"!

INVESTORS HAVE HEADED BACK TO THE STOCKMARKET... GAINS ARE BEING MADE, BUT I STILL FEEL THAT REAL ESTATE IS THE SAFEST INVESTMENT ONE CAN MAKE AT THIS TIME.

HERE IS WISHING ALL OF US A BUSY AND PROFITABLE FOURTH QUARTER!

It appears to me that we have "bottomed" out and Buyer's have begun to come back to the marketplace. In my opinion, Buyer's looking to buy need to do so NOW. Bank interest rates are beginning to creep back up and housing prices are probably as low as they will go. Now is the time to jump into the market and pick up some unbelieveable "buys" right now!

What I see as a problem right now is APPRAISALS. I cannot believe how far off center they are. For example, a brand new construction was appraised at $140,000 less than it cost to build. The comps used were not even close in style, type, square footage, age, etc. It cost us a sale because of it. Banks need to loosen up just a little so that more Buyer's will jump back in. 

Seller's... Seller's need to realize that our "Boom" market is over. The days are gone where large profits can be made on the sale of their homes. Some Seller's will be lucky if they can sell and walk away with exactly what they paid for the home. The Buyer's in the marketplace right now are looking for the BARGAINS and with the number of listings out there right now, the Buyer's have alot to choose from.

Greetings from North Central Arkansas. Most of us have survived the Ice Storm of 2009 but alot of us still are without power. During these times, I think about how "spoiled" most of us are. Gosh, no heat, no TV, no Internet, no Phone Service, no way to cook, on and on and on!  How in the world did our great-grandparents and our grandparents make it anyway! I'm spoiled and I know it... but, it still makes us all uneasy when we lose power! 

My husband and I have found more enjoyment the last few days, because we have been able to sit with nothing more than a candle for light and talk! We have even had the opportunity to "tune" out the world problems with the TV not working!  I hate to say it, but I have felt a little less stressed by not having the TV on and listening to all the world problems. We all have problems, but for a few evenings, there has been a quiet peace at our home. Maybe we need to turn off the power a few nights a week to calm us all down???

With the warmth of the sun, I feel that Spring is right around the corner and with a hope that our economy will soon turn around for all of us. Maybe it takes an Ice Storm for all of us to realize how much we have and how in a blink of an eye it can all be gone. Maybe we all can do with a little less and help our neighbors a little more.

God Bless you all!

I am seeing a definite change in the Housing Market. With the last Fed rate decrease, our phones have certainly "taken" off.

We have many homes that are priced to sell. Our website has doubled in the numbers of hits in the last 30 days. I am hoping that more and more Buyer's will look to Assist-2-Sell 1st Choice Realty Company as their Buying Agency!  Check us out at www.1stchoicerealtycompany.com.

Alot of people have had a very "TRAGIC" week along the White River in and around the Mountain Home area. Flooding has taken it's toll to many, many homeowners. Homes, docks, RVs have all been swept down river! The White Buffalo Resort took a HUGE BLOW from the waters. But, all rental cabins will be ready to go for the weekend! God Speed to John, Eileen and family.

Families down in Porterfield Estates were "cut off" from civilization when the road leading into the subdivision was washed out from the flooding. They are hopeful that the county will get the road repaired quickly.

But, individuals know what could happen to them if the river gets too much rain . We had approx 9" within 2 days. So, they clean up their property and start again.

Let us remember them in our prayers this sacred weekend.  HAPPY EASTER! REJOICE HE HAS RISEN!