Now more than ever, I know that we have to be watching our expenses and doing all that we can to make money! But I have a gripe! We are getting out of control with the exorbitant MLS fees some agents are charging! Banks are taking away our commission, we have to pay our brokerage company and now we are gouging each other.

If the agents don't look out for and try to help one another, who will? We are all working hard right now. Seller's representatives have the expenses of carrying a listing and probably dealing with a bank if it is a short sale or REO. But Buyer's representatives are working their tales off as well. Buyer's have so many options. I would venture to guess from my experience that we are showing buyers an average of 10-15 homes before they decide on one. Many times they want to see more of the vast inventory that is out there or wait to see if the prices come down further. When they do make an offer, it is typically a low one! I am not complaining about what the buyers are doing, it's understandable but as a representative of one, we work hard for our commission these days. For us to work that hard and then have to take a 2 or 2.5% commission because that is all the bank will allow and and on top of it to have the listing agent charge you a $395 MLS fee is absurd!

I stand in protest! My team and I will lead by example! We vow never to charge the MLS fee again. I hope some of you will follow our example! If I stand alone, that's okay too. I feel it's the right thing to do!

Okay, I'll come down now. Can someone lend me a hand?

The Homestars Team of Keller Williams Brandon is looking for a Bi-lingual Buyer's agent. 

We serve Plant City, Valrico, Brandon, Lakeland and all over Hillsborough county. Investment Specialists with experience in New Construction, Resale, Foreclosure, Short Sales and Single & Multi Units. The Homestars Team is able to provide to their clients great amount of experience in negotiations, management of the sales process, and customer service. Bob has over 18 years of proven success in sales and management. Nicole over 15 years in sales, marketing and graphics. She has specialzed in real estate for the past 10 years and holds a broker associate license. we are highly technically oriented.

Together, Bob and Nicole have a client database of over 2,000. This is a great opportunity for a new agent who would like to learn from our experience or an experienced agent. Either will be able to expand their ability to grow their client base and the ability to service their clients. We will train as needed.

The position is full commission although a temporary paid administrative position might be considered during a training period. As part of our team, you are eligible for a half cap through Keller Williams Realty of Brandon. Please contact us by phone or email at nicoleadams@kw.com or (813) 967-1943.

Paragon Homes, Building Excellence is what this builder's tag line says. But Paragon has proven that they mean what they say.

Back in November of last year (2007), my wife and I bought a Paragon Home. Initially when we looked at their inventory we were impressed with their quality construction. Their representatives were incredibly professional and helpful. Prior to closing, we had the home inspected. Our inspector is a former builder. He was very impressed with the construction of the home. His comment was something to the effect of, "I have never used that few stickers to tag problems in a home!"

We have now lived in the home for over 6 months, we are still thrilled with our home and it's excellent condition. We have built homes before and had problems. The small issues we have had were handled in a quick and friendly manner. Paragon's representatives have been very impressive. We are currently watching them build other homes in the neighborhood and have watched their construction process. We continue to be astounded with Paragon Homes.

I highly recommend that you look into their communities if you are purchasing a home. Check out their website to find their communities, www.paragonhomesfl.com. Tell them Bob & Nicole Adams sent you!

Many are saying that the worst is over! NAR Economist and the media finally seem to agree that now is the time to buy! The Wall Street Journal claims, "The housing market is bottoming right now!" (emphasis mine).

So, what are we waiting for? We need to get out there and tell ALL of our customers...especially those buyers that have been sitting on the fence! Someone is going to swoop up that house that they "just love" but decided to wait to see if the price would go down any further! If the seller's hear the news, they won't be as willing to negotiate! We need to take advantage of this positive media! We need to tell everyone we know and try to do our part to help get our businesses rolling again. Now is the time to pick up the phone! Get over your call reluctance now! Generate some business for yourselves and others! We have the power!

Just do it!

What an incredible deal! Lowest price/sq ft by far!

Beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home in the Summerfield subdivision of Riverview! Riverview is a growing community with lost of great ammenities nearby. Easy access to I-75 means a quick commute to Brandon, Tampa and vacinities! This great 2 story home was just built in 2005 and boasts almost 1,800 sq ft! ML #T2307142 listed at the awesome price of $159,900. Now reduced to $142,000.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Under $80/sq ft!

Short sale? What is that? I know you have heard the term but are you trying to figure out what it all means?

Are you a homeowner that needs to sell due to a hardship? Do you owe more on your home than you can sell it for? A short sale may be an alternative to foreclosure. There are many things that you and your Realtor have to do to make it work. The lender may require mush supportive paperwork including a hardship letter, financial statements, etc. It can be a long and time consuming process but in the end your credit is not impacted as it would be from a foreclosure. In most cases, you can start rebuilding your credit immediately!

As a seller, it is very important that you work with a Realtor who is trained and experienced in the short sale process. They may not have experience with your particular lender or lenders (this is applicable, if you have multiple loans) however they should have experience with some!

As a buyer, what does a short sale mean to you? It means you may be working on your patience. A short sale has to be approved by the seller's lender. The approval process can take as long as 8 to 12 weeks in a worst case scenario. Ask your Realtor to find out who the lender is and what their time frame typically is, so you can have your expectations set. If you get tired of waiting and want to move on to other properties, you can ask your agent to rescind the offer. The bank may not accept your offer and want to negotiate and sometimes they may just say no! In the end, if you can wait it out, you'll usually get a good deal.

If you need more information or would like help in finding short sales, please contact The Homestars Team at (813) 817-4829.

There are so many tools out there for Realtors to market themselves. There are millions of options for buying buyer and seller leads. How do we sift through it all? And, do we just focus on marketing that showcases us and our areas of expertise or do we focus on marketing our listings!

With marketing as with everthing else, I believe we must have balance. Though we know we may not generate leads from print media, our sellers expect to see their home in lights so to speak. Unless we have specifically spelled it out in our marketing agreement with them, right now we need to do what we can to make them feel like we are doing our jobs to get their home sold.

So how do we sift through it all? Use your resources! Don't reinvent the wheel! Talk to the agents around you and see what they are having success with! If there is no one in your office that is doing it, find other resources. There are plenty of ways to network with other professionals! Let's face it. There is plenty of business out there for all those that are willing to work for it. Let's not be afraid to share the things that are working for us for fear of another agent "stealing" all the business!

I believe it boils down to this...Budget your money, budget your time! Budget your money... by having one! Ask others what paid marketing works. Do the same with your time, don't spend a lot of it updating websites and registering for free networking, until you know it works!

Work smarter, not harder!

Beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home in the Summerfield subdivision of Riverview! Riverview is a growing community with lost of great ammenities nearby. Easy access to I-75 means a quick commute to Brandon, Tampa and  vacinities! This great 2 story home was just built in 2005 and boasts almost 1,800 sq ft! ML #T2307142 listed at the awesome price of $159,900.

Well maintained 3 bedroom, 2 bath manufactured home with over 1,500 sq ft on almost 5 acres! Home is located in Plant City north of Interstate 4. It's vacinity to I-4 makes it the ideal location for a quick and easy commute to Tampa, Brandon, Lakeland and Orlando. There is a two car gargage and workshop included with the property. Bring you horses because this property has been green-belted to help with tax savings! ML #T2288304 priced at $249,900! It is a must see!

Magnolia Green is one of the newest, most affordable neighborhoods in Plant City. This beautiful new community is being built exclusively by D.R. Horton, "America's Builder". The neighborhood offers one and two story southern style, single family homes. The versatile 3 and 4 bedroom floor plans range from approximately 1,600 to over 2,800 sq ft. The builder boasts a long list of standard features and all homes include a "Quality Assurance" guarantee. Magnolia Green is one of the few neighborhoods that feature a community pool and cabana. Prices start in the $180,000s.

Magnolia Green is in south Plant City and is convenient to Tampa, Lakeland and Brandon with easy access to I-75, I-4, and the LeeRoy Selmon Expressway. Just minutes off of Interstate 4, gives you easy access to Busch Gardens, Adventure Island Water Park, Sea World, Disney World, Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, Wet 'N Wild, Discovery Cove and so many other Orlando attractions! Not to mention some of the most beautiful beaches in the world!

Three beautifully appointed models are available for viewing! Contact Florida Homestars (813) 817-4829 for more information on Magnolia Green or Plant City, it's communities or any neighborhood in Hillsborough and western Polk county. Email us at BobAdams@kw.com. Visit our website at http://www.flhomestars.com/!