In my quest to change the real estate industry for the better, I have started a company called Mungo List. It is a real estate listing service that utilizes local Realtors knowledge and pays them a fee for the services they provide to sellers as opposed to only paying a commission. This is a new age and the Internet has made the industry more competitive than ever. It is time for us Realtors to embrace these changes and find ways to diversify our strategies. As a broker, I have observed so many talented Realtors, but many are not able to fully maximize their potential. You work very hard each and everyday; some deals close while others fall apart due to a number of factors. It can be frustrating, especially when you have invested so much time but wont get paid.  My goal in creating Mungo List is to stop this from happening. It's time that we Realtors start getting paid for our time, effort and energy. My hope is that Mungo List is a breath of fresh air to real estate professionals throughout the country.

DNA Lofts at 944 Dorchester Ave., a truly unique conversion of an old
printing press into modern and creative live-in loft spaces.

The 3 story building consists of 60 residential units with 2 elevators,
garage parking, an impressive roof deck, a courtyard and an exterior
parking lot.

These loft style homes are available in a number of different floor
plans, they all have multiple oversized double-pane windows, bamboo or
polished concrete floors, high ceilings, some with mezzanines, exposed
beams, top of the line kitchens with black granite tops and stainless
steel appliances. Great views, proximity to public transportation, the
beach and area restaurants are just some of the amenities you'll find at
DNA Lofts.

Prices start in the mid $200Ks with parking.

I am currently working on a new construction project that is on the rougher side of town. The town houses are about 70% complete and have been listed for over 1 year by another broker, who did not sell a single unit. As I came on board I persuaded the developers to reduce the price by approximately 12%. Its been 50 days and I haven't gotten any legitimate offers. The strategies that have been tried, include giving away a free Toyota Yaris, marketing on multiple websites, including Realtor.com, craigslist, vflyer, zillow, trulia, etc...., print ads in all of the local papers, radio show 2 hours per week promoting the project, radio ads, a full page write up was done in one of the city wide news papers, and several other strategies. I have a website and virtual tour for the project as well. The developer says I need to be more creative. I haven't done Google ad words yet but the SEO is pretty good and it is relatively easy for buyers to find links to the project when they type in key words such as "new construction" and the area. How much more creative does it get than giving away a free car? Maybe we should try Celtics tickets? I am a little perplexed as to what else I can do. A part of me just wants to say we have tried enough "gimmicks" reduce the prices, but I am concerned that they will view this as a lack of effort on my part. Any words of wisdom from other Realtors who have been in this type of a predicament, would be greatly appreciated.  

I wanted to take a moment to let home buyers and sellers know that I am a Dorchester Real Estate Expert. I was born and Raised in Dorchester and know the neighborhood very well. In addition, I have been a licensed real estate professional since 2004. The type of understanding and knowledge one gains from living in a neighborhood for almost Thirty (30) years is priceless. I primarily work in residential real estate but I have also assisted in acquiring commercial real estate in the past. I look forward to working with Dorchester Buyers and Sellers by using both my neighborhood and real estate expertise to point buyers and sellers in the right direction to get them the best deal possible. My website is Bentley REGroup.com I look forward to helping you purchase or sell your home.

As I watch and observe the way the internet has changed our society it is clear that we as a people will eventually be unknowingly plugged into the " Network" at all times. It is almost like the movie The Matrix, where everyone in the world is oblivious to the fact that they are plugged into a computer generated reality. Day by day Google is taking steps towards making this Sci-Fi fantasy a reality. The only difference is that getting out may mean missing out.

Google built their brand on the strength of their internet search capabilities. They built their business by learning how to target market better than anyone else. By leveraging high quality search results and target marketing on an internet based platform, Google built a multi-billion machine. This was groundbreaking. To date, Google's platform provides the most efficient way to get your products in front of your target audience by letting them find you, and does so based on your budget.

Businesses are built on the ability of companies to get their products and services in front of the consumers who want and need them. Google truly exposed just how lucrative this ability is. It is clear that Google understands the dynamic between target marketing and making billions. The Google search engine was the product that grabbed the attention of the world. Now they are providing services that truly expand their reach into every aspect of our lives. If you examine many of the products that Google has released they incorporate two functions. The first is to provide a service to make people's lives easier. Google has released services such as Google docs, reader, photos, calendar and many other applications. It makes a lot of sense and is very convenient to have everything you need in one place.   The other function of these applications is this, when you use them you give Google insight into who you are. It makes it very easy for Google to know your habits, interests, how you think, where you live, where you are, and what you do. It is pretty obvious what this data will be used for: targeted ads based on who you are. Businesses will be willing to pay a premium for this type of enhanced target marketing. They may not violate your privacy but it is pretty clear that Google may at some point, know you better than you know yourself and make a fortune doing it.

Google has not unleashed it s true capabilities yet but we can see of glimmer of what is to come based on the acquisitions by Google since 2001.  Google's reach has extended into radio, newspaper ads and more recently, TV ads as well. It appears that the next phase of their marketing will be ads sent directly to your mobile phone. But not just any ads, highly targeted ads based on where you are and your specific interests. For example, let's say you're in Times Square in New York, and you frequently shop at Macy's. You receive a notification on your mobile phone that you have an exclusive discount at Macy's in Time Square.  We're not there yet but based on Google's interest in mobile technology, it will only be a matter of time before this type of advertising takes place. Many consumers say they don't want cell phone ads but if it means saving a ton of money on products that you were likely to buy anyway, wouldn't you want them? As a result, opting out could mean missing out.

It is not far fetched to believe that at some point our cable and internet will flow through computers at some level. They may be personal computers or some type of central computer, but the system may filter ads to us based on our interests or requests, similar to an internet search. To take it a step even further, our internet and cable service provider may very well be, you guessed it, Google. They have already spent over $1 Billion dollars purchasing companies that provide broadband internet access in the US and Brazil. The best part about this is that the ads will be tailored specifically to your household's needs and interests.

Imagine a world where you only see the commercials of items that you actually need or have a use for. It may take some time but this is the world of tomorrow. In the George Orwell's Novel 1984, he depicts a future where Big Brother knows and watches your every move to control the masses. His depiction of the future is pretty accurate only in real life they're called GOOGLE and they merely want to sell ice to Eskimos while taking over the world.

On Wednesday, The Brockton Housing Partnership established a program that will enable buyers to receive 100% financing on the purchase of foreclosures and short sales. This move will also put protections in place that will make sure these consumers do not default on their loans. Mass Housing will be providing borrowers with Mortgage Insurance Plus. The Name of this program is called Buy Brockton. To read the full story Click Here.

Attention sellers, we are currently in a declining market. If you are serious about selling your home then it is critical that your Realtor understands the dynamic between the market trend and your home's value. Let me explain. The longer your home is on the market the lower the market value. In order to sell your home as quickly and profitably as possible, you must get ahead of the trend. For example, if the 6-month trend for Single Family homes is  trending down -7.79% in value, this gives us an average monthly decline is 1.3%.  If you are serious about selling your home then you should seriously consider reducing the price by 1.5% - 2% to get ahead of the negative trend. It may be painful to consider but it will save you money and time in the long run. Also, make sure that your home is accurately valued before your Realtor reduces the price. If you reduce the value by 2% and it wasn't priced appropriately, your home will not sell.

Another important fact to consider is the seasonality. There is a difference between listing your home in the Spring Market as opposed to the Winter Market. If you are considering listing your home for sale during the winter months. I would strongly encourage you to wait for the spring. If you opt for the spring market then I would advise that you take your home off MLS by the end of December and Re-list it at the beginning of March, and here is why. Many agents are reluctant to show properties that have been on the market for over 150 days. This is because they feel that if the home hasn't sold after 150 days of showings at the same listing price then it is unlikely that their clients will be any more impressed than the other prospective buyers who have already seen it. Unless there is a significant price decline, homes that linger on the market attract very little attention.

Other factors to consider when selling your home are the overall condition, paint colors, furniture arrangement and minor (do it your self) projects. Many sellers just list their homes and do not consider any repairs. A good question to ask yourself is "What can I do to enhance the appearance of my home?" You will be surprised at how many ideas you will come up with and many of the updates are easy enough for you to do them on your own.

Here are some tips for sprucing up your living space

1. Paint - Look for opportunities to brighten your homes appearance with paint. Lighter colors make a living space feel larger and more spacious
2. Furniture - Furniture placement is critical in selling your home. When it comes to furniture less is better. It is always best to arrange your furniture in a manner the opens the room up. Try to place the furniture against the walls or close to the walls. Cluttered rooms are unattractive and send potential buyers out the door faster than you can say HELLO.
3. Be sure to remove any family pictures from the walls and common areas. Pictures have a way of taking the buyers focus away from the home and focusing them on your photos. If the buyer has seen a lot of homes that day, they will remember the pictures and may forget which home was yours. The less they have to think about the Better
4. Make sure you are working with a real estate professional that understands the market and knows how to help you maximize your homes value in a declining market.
5. And lastly, any improvements are better than no improvements. Just do something, even if it is as simple as painting 1 or 2 rooms. Every little bit helps.

Who knows, you may reconsider staying in your home after all of the improvements and work you put into it!