Ben Roberts and EXIT Real Estate 540

Advanced Home Marketing Stategies - A Primer | Day 1: How a Good Real Estate Pro Uses Social Networking to Help Sell Homes

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:30:23 -0500

A good real estate professional has a plan for just about everything. They should have a business plan with goals and mile markers. They should have a prospecting plan, a presentation plan for listings, and above all, they should have a plan to market your property. Welcome to the first in a 7 part series of posts about proper Home Marketing Strategies where I'll be giving a fairly comprehensive overview (Primer, if you will) of the different facets of marketing as it pertains to agents and the marketing of their listings. Let's start by talking about the newest plan that Realtors should have firmly planted in their "plan arsenal," a Social Networking Plan.

This plan should be split into two sections: the personal plan for the agent and the plan for their listings. Today, let's talk about how a good real estate professional uses social networking to help them sell homes...while we're at it, let's tell real estate professional how to create their plans for success.

Social Networking as part of the Digitial Home Exposure Strategy

Remember that the Social Networking Exposure Plan and all that encompases is only part of the overall Digital Home Exposure Strategy which itself is part of an agent's Home Marketing Strategy. Let's look at that real quick. So, we have to keep our "master plans" in mind when concocting our specific plans whether it be a Social Networking Plan or a plan for exposing the property in Print Media. Let's focus on how agents should construct the Social Networking aspect of a Home Marketing Strategy.

Planning a Social Networking Exposure Plan

Your Blog is Home Base

Blogging works. No, it doesn't work for 99% of real estate agents but that's because they don't have a clue what they are doing or why they are doing it. If you don't blog don't sweat it. This entire strategy can be implemented without blogging... it's just a lot more effective if you have a good blog. But a decent template website will work for many of the things you need to be doing with your Digital Home Exposure Strategy. How's it home base?

You can funnel all of your social networking, organic, paid, and referral traffic to your blog, landing and your contact pages
You can send people your blog address and they should be able to contact you through multiple fronts if you have links to all of your networking profiles
Your blog is where you talk about what really matters... you may add snippets in facebook, twitter, linkedin, or somewhere else, but your blog should have all of your "big deal" content
Your blog is your brand... if you don't have your blog branded it can inhibit the real and percieved value of your services by the online community

Branch Out and Seek Ye Business

I'll put out a disclaimer here. Yes, you are networking for business. Yes, you can even solicit people for business from time to time. But what is Social Networking really about? If you don't "get it" then maybe you should do some additional homework and then come back...

You'd take a great leap in understanding if you read the Cluetrain Manifesto.
Check out some additional reading
I would suggest this great, easy to read book from Sitepoint "Online Marketing Inside Out." It's kind of a cliff's notes for online marketing.

You'll have to contact me if you want any more suggestions.

Get a Facebook account. Completely fill out your profile, upload a picture then learn how to interact and use facebook for business.
Get a Twitter account. Then learn how to use and interact on Twitter. A great resource for this is the Twitter for Real Estate Twits E-Book by @Nik_Nik
Definitely get a tweetlister account and use it to promote listings (sparingly please)
Get a Linkedin Account and add your profiles and links to it. Make sure to import your contacts and get started building your contact list.

I could name a dozen others but the law of diminishing returns definitely applies to beloning to too many networks. Go with a few. Go with what your prospects and clients USE. Facebook has over 200,000,000 accounts with half of them logging on to do something everyday. Start there. That's all that's needed to start with. I've got lots of tips and tricks and applications to help you use these tools more efficiently and effectively but you'll have to see the related posts or browse through my site to find them.

Plan your work and Work your plan

Everyone knows social media can be an endless time sink, a black hole of tireless updates, uploads, replies and direct messages. Here's what I suggest to keep your social networking time meaningful and efficient

Set aside a SPECIFIC time and SPECIFIC amount of time every day to network socially.
- Depending on your goals, 15-30 minutes should cut it
- Aim for a certain number of updates, links, pictures, and videos to share and send to friends
- Try to make one new meaningful contact each session
Pick up the phone - talk to people using other means
Schedule a face-to-face - coffee, lunch, make it short, fun, and public

When you've accomplished your goals for the day... stop. If you have to share something crazy important right now, do it... in moderation.

TIP: Vary the times of day you network socially. Many people are beginning to use this "time managed" technique of networking and spend too much time talking to just a few core people. That's not networking, that's hanging out with your friends.

What kinds of things are you sharing and talking about?

On Facebook - use a 4:1 ratio of personal updates to professional updates on your profile page. Business pages can obviously be more centered around, well, business.
Talk about what makes you you. Your interests any hobbies, your family, your life.
Share useful information - that could be market data, a new listing that is grossly underpriced, news about a town or neighborhood that you deal with.
Share things that keep people interested in you - share crazy news, ask questions that get people involved
Be genuine - there's not much more obvious that someone going through the motions for business purposes. If you are sharing, helping, and offering insight to those who need it, blessings will be returned upon you in many ways.

So HOW does all this help Sell Listings?

Dividends from Social Networking are inherently difficult to quantify. One thing is for sure. When you are doing it with success, you know it

Listings get more showings and views online
The agent gets more calls, more inquiries, more referrals, and more deals
Sales can result directly from the use of social networks

Social Networking helps sell homes by creating more buzz and exposure for the listing online. I don't think it's been measured yet but I would say somewhere it generates around 2-4 times as much exposure for the property than if you did not use social networking as part of your marketing plan. I'd like to point out that the social networking craze is really just the beginning of a shift in the way people meet and interact. If you (or your agent) aren't getting the ball rolling by learning and becoming part of it all, you (they) may never catch up if they try to jump on in a few years time. Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for the next six installments of Home Marketing Strategies. PS - This is an evolving work and may be changed at any time. Comments and suggestions are quite welcome...

Would love your comments on the original article as well at EXITrealestate540.com:

Advanced Home Marketing Stategies - A Primer | Day 1: How a Good Real Estate Pro Uses Social Networking to Help Sell Homes

Top 10 Ways NOT to Promote Your Real Estate Career and Listings on Twitter

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:37:31 -0500

There are A LOT of real estate professionals using Twitter. There are some great people I've met on Twitter that always give more than they receive and some not-so-great people that broadcast and whine like it's going out of style. Trust me... it's out of style. Below are 10 Ways Not to Promote Your Real Estate Career or Your Listings on Twitter... paired with some alternative approaches.

1. Tweet Your Lisitings More Than Once a Week

Your followers want something useful out of you. Your a real estate professional, tweeting your listings using Tweetlister or doing it manually is fine... in moderation. Tweeting each of your 5-50 listings more than once a week is just plain broadcasting and plain wrong.

You CAN mention your listing and link to it's property tour, video, or website if you are showing it, working on it, etc. When you link to something that is related to what you are talking about it adds value.

2. Send the tweet, "I'm in Real Estate! Do any of you have a home I can sell?"

Really? That's the best you got? You know, I occasionally ask my close followers or people that I am having a conversation with..."Hey, who do you know right now that's looking to buy or sell a home?" That's as forward as I ever get... and I never send that message where the general tweeting population can see it. If you do, you are likely to alienate 1/2 your followers in one foul tweet.

3. Ask followers for their address.

I've got a better idea... why don't you just triangulate their twitter signal and stalk them? I know people talk about 'stalking' others on twitter, but I'm talking "actual" stalking. Don't do it. If they want to give you their address to list their home... they will.

4. Tell followers what you are 'getting ready for...'

Example Tweet..."Just preparing some great market data to go list 123 Main Street in Pleasantville..."

My response to that tweet would be... "So? Isn't that what you're supposed to be doing? You're a Realtor right?"

Give me some VALUE. Like this, "Cross Creek in Pleasantville is ripe for a buyer looking for a deal, check out the market data http://tinyurl.com/example." That tells me something useful and what you're doing at the same time.

5. Auto-DM new followers with Shameless Self Promotion.

"Thanks for the follow...I'm the best real estate agent around. Are you ready to list?" Bzzzzzzz. Thanks for playing. You officially suck at twittering.

6. Don't display a picture on your profile.

I love to work with people that I have no idea how they look. I think it's the excitement and mystery... the thrill and the danger of the unknown. What? I'm the only one like that? Put up a picture that shows your a professional, trustworthy individual. If you can find one that makes you look intelligent too, that's a bonus.

7. Make sure your profile links to http://yourdomain.com

This is one that lots of people get wrong. It's a shame too because I love a good landing page that is tailor made for me. If you blog it's as simple as writing a post about your use of twitter and linking to it. Not that I have the best twitter landing page in the world, but at least you'll get the idea. This same concept goes for everything from facebook and linkedin, to buyers, sellers, and investors.

8. Only talk about real estate.

You ever notice how boring real estate really is? Market data, Days on Market, Absorption Rates, contracts, inspections, appraisals, I could go on. Now, many of us in real estate find most of this stuff at least a little bit interesting or else we don't last long but the general population you are tweeting to could probably care less. Don't be a robotic twit and only talk about the mundane details of real estate. Talk about your kids, the news, things you like and do... people will be much less likely to tune out your "boring real estate tweets" if you have something interesting to talk about at other times.

9. Only follow other real estate agents

While it's certainly possible to follow no one but real estate agents and follow thousands (if not 10's of 1000's) of people. While you might get something out of your interactions on twitter there's one thing you aren't going to get...business.

10. Only follow locals who might be prospects

Following people on twitter is kind of like having a balanced portfolio. For big dividends and a safety net, you need to have the right mix of locals and non-locals, Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, other industry professionals, and prospects and clients. When you need a little lift you can lean on your fellow agents for support. When the market is good, your followers that have a real estate need will be contacting you in droves.

I hope you liked these 10 things/ways not to do for real estate agents on twitter. If you need more twitter tips for real estate there are lots of resources but check out:

@Nik_nik from MyTechOpinion.com
Darren Rowse's Twitip.com
and a good article called Twittering Adds Up to Home Sales

I'm Ben Roberts and you can find me on Twitter @berober or Friend me on Facebook. Shoot me a tweet and let me know if you liked this article or make a comment below. Thanks for reading.

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Original post at exitrealestate540.com

24 Easy Staging Tips that will Help Sell Your Home in a Tough Market

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:04:25 -0500

There are a lot of homes on the market in Northwest Arkansas and around the country. Depending on the area and price of your home, you may be competing with ten, fifty, even hundreds of other properties. Here are easy staging tips to help you differentiate your property and make it stand out in a buyer's mind.

You never get a second chance...at a first impression

The view of your home from the road should be as stunning as possible. Make sure...

Lawn is mowed, edged, and free from debris.
If your door and shutters are different colors, repaint the door to match or paint to the one that is more neutral in color.
Make sure gutters are clear and free of debris.
Power wash windows and siding or brick. This makes your home sparkle .
Clean up and put fresh mulch in flower beds. This makes the house seem brand new.
Put potted plants outside in strategic areas to provide color and embellishment.
Decking should be freshly sealed or painted with any unsightly or misshapen boards replaced.
Buy a new welcome mat.

Kitchens and Living Rooms - Deal makers and deal breakers

Your kitchen and living room are the two most important rooms in the house to prospective buyers. Make sure they look their best by...

Making them warm and inviting with good use of space, light, and decor.
Clear the rooms of family portraits and anything that makes the home seem like the buyers don't live there.
Sparse is better than cluttered...too much furniture is usually a turn-off to buyers
Don't overload mantles, shelves, or counter tops with personal things.
Replace dim 60 or 75 watt bulbs with 100 watt bulbs (or CFL's) to brighten up the room
Open blinds...let the house be seen!
Clean...clean...clean! It's cheap and it makes quite an impression. No one likes dust bunnies.

Bathrooms and Bedrooms...the icing on the proverbial cake

Think about comfort in everything you do. Nothing sells a home like comfort.
Use neutral color and paint schemes. Earth tones are safe...pastels are not. Never have I seen a buyer LOVE a purple bedroom.
Limit the furniture in bedrooms and bathrooms to make the space appear larger and feel roomier.
Clean out your closets! Buyers hate to see their own cluttered closets...they certainly don't want to see yours.
If you have nice matching bedding great...if not...get it. It will more than pay for itself in the sell of your home.
Remember to remove personal pictures. Leave art, landscape and building photography, sculptures, etc. in the home as part of the decor.

Your home will sell because of what you do or don't do just before it shows

Strong fragrances are a complete no-no when showing any home. If you have to cover up a smell...bake some cookies or use some febreze one hour before the home shows. Here's a good example of polishing your home before a showing...the right way.
If you have pets...do something with them. Whether the buyers love dogs or not, no home was ever bettered by Fido following buyers around the house or barking the whole time.
Keep the house 'show ready'...shoes in the hallway, towels in the bathroom, paperwork on the kitchen counter...all these things are like personal pictures...it reminds the buyers that this is not their house and distracts them from the showing.

While home staging can be a lot of work, it benefits far out weigh the costs in most situations. If you need justification to spend the time and effort here you go:

Staging helps you organize and de-clutter your home, in other words, it helps you get ready to move.
Staging helps you justify the price you are asking. The better staged the house, the less concessions buyers will ask for.
Staging helps reduce the homes days on market...effecting a quicker sell.
Staging differentiates you from your home's competition...creating demand for your home, increasing showings, increasing offers, and creating a home that sells for a higher price.

If you would like additional staging tips by email or a list of reputable staging companies in Northwest Arkansas please contact me for more information. Are there some off-the-wall staging tips that you would like to share? Please leave a comment below.

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http://exitrealestate540.com/2009/02/23/24-easy-staging-tips-that-will-help-sell-your-home-in-a-tough-market/

Northwest Arkansas Home Prices and Market Report - January 2009

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:25:53 -0600

Much happened in January, a presidential inauguration, a tough economy, a slow realization by the American public that we’re not quite out of the woods yet. As the coldest of winter slides behind us so to does the worst of housing crisis, or so we hope. Foreclosures made up a fair percentage of property sales in January as evidenced by the numbers. Below is the January 2009 Northwest Arkansas home prices and market report from EXITrealestate540.com, Bon Appetito.

Northwest Arkansas Home Prices

There are currently some 5500 homes listed for sale in northwest Arkansas with an average Days on Market of 176. It looks like 208 properties sold in the month of January and 277 went pending. The fact that the number of homes pending is higher by a third than the number of homes sold is a good sign that there is some additional buying activity going on. The average sale price for all of Washington and Benton Counties combined was $162,050 at an average sale price per foot of $84.40. That’s a far cry from the list price of $109.98 of the properties currently for sale. This may mean that many of the home sales have been lower end properties and foreclosed or distressed homes.

Here are the January numbers broken down by major city:

Please notice the Avg SP (Average Sale Price) of each town in Northwest Arkansas. For January, Fayetteville is the winner with an average sale price of $222,538 out of it’s 27 sold properties. Springdale is on the low end this month with it’s average sale price of $140,938 on it’s 43 sold properties.

Notice the average DOM for current properties is lowest in Springdale at 153 days and highest in Rogers at 181 days. It looks like a saleable listing will take, on average, some where on the order of six months to sell in today’s market.

Compare these numbers with those of other months in 2008 and 2009 in our market conditions category.

If you are curious what your Northwest Arkansas property is worth, contact me for a complete neighborhood analysis and accurate home evaluation.

Northwest Arkansas Home Prices and Market Report - January 2009

Virginia's Grove Subdivision in Bentonville is a Hot Spot for Home Building and Buying

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:34:37 -0600

Who says Northwest Arkansas real estate isn’t hopping? Virginia’s Grove Subdivision is one busy, bustling place.

A great little subdivision in Bentonville

With room for less than 25 homes, Virginia’s Grove is already half-way built out with 13 houses on the ground. Located just south of highway 72 (central) in Bentonville, Virginia’s Grove is close to Wal-mart Home Office, Interstate 540, and many of Bentonville and Rogers’ restaurants and shopping areas. Check out the map below.

Virginia’s Grove offers quality new construction homes at near foreclosure prices without the hassle!

Homes in Virginia’s Grove range in price from $185,900 for a 3 bed 2 bath with 1850 square feet up to $219,900 for a 4 bed 2 bath home at 2200 square feet. There are also floorplans with 3 beds 2 baths and a bonus room with 2367 square feet. These homes are price at between around $93/foot up to $104/foot, great deals with land prices in the middle of Bentonville being what they are.

The lots are low-maintenance, perfect for the busy homeowner that doesn’t have time to mow a large yard.

The neighborhood does have covenants that limit the size of storage building and does not allow for permanent placement of pools on the properties. A POA will be formed if the residents decide to create one.

Fantastic high-end finishing at a rock bottom price

2×6 Rafters
No crown seams
Sod in front and back
Weed barrier under flower beds
Minimum 8 options brick color
Architectural shingles (30 year, not 20)
30lb. felt on roof (again, not 15)
Standard granite, slate, or wood entry
Satin nickel or oil bronze fixtures
All granite countertops
Stainless undermount sinks
Stainless appliances…Frigidaire
Ceiling fans in Bedrooms
Will install can light if 1/2 through build
Multiple color packages
Flat paint for easy touch ups
Dense pad under carpet
Double pained tip out windows for energy efficiency and easy cleaning
HVAC minimum 3 1/2 ton
Furnace in attic for noise reduction and efficiency
50 gal water heater
Closets have braced shelving and metal or wooden rods
Attic pull down ladder with plywood sheets in attic for storage
All plates are sealed for energy efficiency and insect prevention
Batting and Fiber walls with 13R-Factor
Fiberglass ceiling insulation with 38R-Factor
Provides a list of all subcontractors to buyer at closing

Options

Gutters - $1,000-$1,400
Blinds - $800-$1,000
Fencing - $15 per linear foot
Custom Room Coloring - $400/room for non-standard colors

This is just a short list of the quality techniques and materials that Roth Custom Homes uses in the construction of homes in Virginia’s Grove. Below is a sample floorplan and pictures of just some of what you can expect in Virginia’s Grove.

That’s just a little taste of what is available in Viriginia’s Grove in Bentonville right now. Contact me to get the latest information on listings in Virginia’s grove or schedule a showing. The subdivision has an agent on duty to answer your questions every weekend so stop by and see what the great subdivision in Bentonville has to offer.

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Virginia’s Grove Subdivision in Bentonville is a Hot Spot for Home Building and Buying

Differentiate Yourself! Get Your Home SOLD with EXIT Realty's 50-G Program

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:47:37 -0600

Homes need a little extra push these days to sell. EXIT Realty’s 50-G Program gives homeowners the ability to offer a $50,000 selling bonus to any buyer’s agent that sells the property!

EXIT Realty’s 50-G Program gives you leverage to sell in a buyer’s market

When there are hundreds of homes on the market just like your, you and your real estate agent have to do something to make it stand out from the crowd. There are a number of things you can do but most of them require either a lot of effort or a lot of money. What if you could offer a possible $50,000 selling bonus to the Agent that sells your home? How much would that be worth? The easy answer is $50,000. Unfortunately, on a $200,000 home, that comes out to a 25% selling bonus which most homeowners would not be excited to pay. How does $500 sound? Pretty good right? $500 (and only if your home sells) gives you the ability to offer a chance for a Realtor to make $50,000 plus commission off the sell of one property.

How does it work?

When you attach the 50-G Marketing Campaign to your home this is what happens:

You sign an agreement stating that you wish to offer the 50-G Program to help sell your property.
Your home is designated a 50-G property in the MLS and in all correspondence that goes to the media and the general Realtor base.
Area Realtors know that your property is offering them a chance to make an additional $50,000 bonus if they show and sell it.
More Realtors show your property than those you are in competition with because, like the rest of humanity, Realtors like money.
Your home has more showings and the possibility of getting sold at a higher price because there is competition where was was none before.
You get an offer for your home of 1-2% more than you would have gotten without offering the 50-G Program.
You accept the offer and sell your home, now paying the $500 you agreed to pay at closing when you signed up for the 50-G Program.

This sounds too good to be true…how does it really work?

No gimmicks here. Just a great idea that allows many homeowners to pool their resources and offer an outstanding marketing tool. The $500 you put in goes into an escrow account where it stays until 100 homes that are in the 50-G Program sell. After the 100th home sells, EXIT Real has an event where one of the Realtors that sold a home in the 50-G Marketing Program wins $50,000! It’s actually ridiculously simple. Most great ideas always are. Does the Realtor that sells your home necessarily get the $50,000, no. But they get the chance to win it. If they sell more than one 50-G home they get their name put in once for each home that sells.

If you live in a neighborhood where there are 5, 10, 20, even 50 homes for sale, differentiate yourself. Many homeowners selling their homes will never participate in this program for the simple reason that they don’t ‘get it.’ My suggestion to you, because you are a smart, savvy homeowner if you are reading this article, is to ‘get it’ and sign up for it to get your home sold. It’s as simple as that.

Contact me for more information on the 50-G Home Marketing Program or call my office, EXIT Pro Realty at (479) 636-7777 to find out more.

click here:

Differentiate Yourself - Get Your Home SOLD with EXIT Realty’s 50-G Program

Best Posts for the Month of January '09

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:28:56 -0600

OH, where to begin? Either because of the cold weather or something in the water, January was a pretty good month for posts on EXITrealestate540.com. There were the usual smattering of gems, quality content, and an uninspired post or two. January saw some major changes as a new president was sworn in, we watched the recession deepen, and home prices gave us some pleasant surprises. Check out the best posts of Jan. 2009.

Your One-Stop-Shop for Great Real Estate Posts

I hosted the Carnival of Real Estate in January, so if you haven’t already, check out all the great posts from around the country at EXIT Real Estate 540 Presents CoRE #126 “Change” where I thought a goofy butterfly based change theme was appropriate for the week. Congratulations to all the winners! Now check out some of the other posts that I actually wrote in the month of January.

Entertaining, yet informative:

White Elephants Tough to Sell in Northwest Arkansas This post shed some light on how many high-end homes are for sale in Northwest Arkansas and how long they have been on the market. It kind of made you feel like you knew something others didn’t.

Why Subscribing to My Blog will Help You Lose 5 Pounds is a poignant look at how a good local real estate blogger is worth his (or her) weight in gold…All joking aside, I point out some great things about local content that will keep you from wasting your time on the ‘big’ real estate sites and see what’s really going on in your neighborhood.

Curious Facts to Celebrate the 56th Presidential Inauguration was another entertaining, yet informative post that had little if anything to do with real estate. Sometimes you just have to branch out.

5 Proactive Steps to Take When Your Home Won’t Sell speaks to our market and how sellers that are having difficulty can still get our of their current home in one piece.

Just Entertaining, but with a lesson:

26 Things that will Make you Move When you Least Expect It was a big hit (for me anyway) on reddit and stumbleupon. It had that perfect mix of entertainment, wit, and pointless banter that made it interesting. I’ll probably do a top 100 list one day.

Snoozeville, but super-duper informative:

Northwest Arkansas Housing Market Report for 2008 where I use my actual formal education in finance to make some sense of last year’s crazy market. It’s definitely worth the read if you have cup of coffee in hand.

I do hope you enjoyed January. It looks like EXITrealestate540.com is picking up some steam going into 2009 so be on the lookout for ever more informative, more in-depth, more real estatey posts mixed in with some flavorful morsels to keep the boredom at bay.

Please give me a call at (479)586-1525, email me through my contact page, or connect with me on twitter or one of the other social networks I use. I’m always looking for interesting and up-to-date content to bring my readers so if you have some development news, a great story, or you just want me to give a shout out to some event you’re organizing….let me know.

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Best Posts for the Month of January ‘09

February 7th has been Declared a Clean-Up Day in Rogers After Last Week’s Ice Storm

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:11:44 -0600

Rogers Mayor Womack has declared Saturday February 7th a city-wide clean-up and “help your neighbor” day. Any civic groups or other volunteers that would be willing to help clean up brush and start the process to recovery are invited to participate. You are welcome to contact me for details on the clean-up effort. Let’s all pitch in and get Rogers and Northwest Arkansas back to their natural beauty.

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February 7th has been Declared a Clean-Up Day in Rogers After Last Week’s Ice Storm

D'Monaco | Branson's Luxury Destination on Table Rock Lake

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:23:32 -0600

There is a new name for luxury in Branson Missouri…D’Monaco. Featuring unique Villas in an exclusive Mediterranean style, the resort at D’Monaco offers panoramic lake views from every two or three bedroom Villa. Branson’s luxury destination on Table Rock Lake offers the accommodations and amenities to offer you the finest vacation anywhere

Below is a short video tour of the Villas at D’Monaco and all it has to offer.

Follow link to original post on EXIT Real Estate 540

Whether you are in Branson for a romantic getaway, a weekend with friends, or a wedding…D’Monaco offers guests high-end luxury accommodations, dining, and activities that will leave you rejuvenated and stress free. Below is a pricing breakdown for Villa Rentals:

For additional information on D’Monaco’s Luxury Resort and Villas on Table Rock Lake go to www.D’Monaco.com or call (888) 336-6622 for sales and reservation information. If you are considering purchasing this type of property in Branson please contact me so I can arrange a complementary stay in one of D’Monaco’s luxury Villas for you.

Polish your Home Before a Showing . . . The Right Way

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:12:20 -0600

I was recently showing some very upscale homes in the Pinnacle Hills area to a nice couple relocating to Northwest Arkansas from San Francisco. We looked at a heap of homes over Saturday and Sunday and finally found them the perfect house they could call home. One thing kept bugging me as we viewed home after home in Pinnacle Hills, Shadow Valley, and a number of other upscale neighborhoods in Rogers and Bentonville . . . how the homes showed! I hope no one takes offence, but someone needs to be taught how to stage a home prior to a showing. These are half million to million dollar homes in the nicest neighborhoods in Northwest Arkansas and most of them have major polish problems almost to the point of being ‘cliche’. Out of 18 homes we viewed over the two day home show marathon, only about a third of them were occupied. Most of the unoccupied homes were dusty, dirty, and generally unfit to show to a high end buyer.The occupied homes were definitely cleaner but they had some problems. I’m going to focus on the occupied homes here but just wait unoccupied homes, your time, it is a-comin’.

Here are the problems I saw and how they could easily be rectified . . .

Fragrant smells in the Home.

One home we viewed had 14 (I counted) fragrant candles burning when we arrived. The wall of perfumed air waifed over us like a crashing tsunami. We went ahead and looked at the home. It had a nice split floor plan with an updated kitchen and a rather strange office/study/library/dining room combination. It was tastefully decorated in a sort of New England fashion. It also had terribly dirty carpet. It looked like a cat had a fight with the carpet and won. The only reason I remember anything about it is because I wrote down some key features as we raced through the rooms on our quest to escape the pungent mix of aromas. Of course, I understand why they lit 14 candles. The cat (or some wild beast) probably urinated all over the carpet causing the unpleasant “Cat P*$&” odor. How about Febreeze? Stanley Steemer? Spot Shot? Anything ring a bell? Ultimately, the carpet is going to have to be replaced so why not get it out of the way so the home will show better? Strong smells are a complete no-no when polishing your home for a showing. Bake a batch of cookies. Spray a little air freshener. Make a pie. Don’t burn your house down with aromatic candles.

Pets can be a mixed bag.

I recently listed a property that was home to a small pet deer (one of the little baby ones with the spots). The owners generally let it roam free in the back yard. It’s not like the thing is dangerous or imposing. Actually, it’s adorable. Still, I have had a number of potential buyers list the pet deer as one of the ‘things’ they didn’t like about the house. They do know the deer doesn’t come with the house, right? Other buyers were so in love with the deer I think they forgot what the house even looked like.

Going back to my buyers from San Francisco, they have a dog. They love dogs. Unfortunately, not all dogs love strangers in their home. This happened to us exactly three times on the Saturday and Sunday we were looking at luxury homes. I can even name off the breeds: Bulldog, Yorkshire Terrier, and Bull Mastiff (yeah, I’m serious). These were three unfriendly encounters that made it very difficult to show and focus on the properties we were viewing. I know it’s a pain but put up your animals. It’s hard to focus on the beautiful granite counter-tops when fido is in the laundry room baying like a bloodhound on the scent of a coon(that’s raccoon, yeah, this is Arkansas).

Use common sense.

Polishing a home before a showing is not a grand mystery of real estate. Pick things up, keep the home uncluttered and a little less ‘personalized’, use brighter lights, vacuum and sweep regularly, these are all common sense things that everyone should do to make any home show better. If you’re home has an eyesore or problem area, consider fixing them before they are brought to your attention by today’s well informed and ‘out for blood’ buyers. We know it’s a buyer’s market. Don’t give them an excuse to give you a lowball offer or demand unreasonable concessions. Know what your home is worth and be proud to show off it’s strengths. Downplay any weaknesses without concealing them as that is quite illegal and against the Realtor Code of Ethics. Keep a look out for more ‘polishing tips’ in the future or contact me to get my complete Showing Checklist for Home Sellers. Your wallet will thank you.

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Polishing your Home Before a Showing . . . the Right Way

Pinnacle Subdivision and Country Club of Rogers is NWA Luxury Gated Golf Community

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:10:12 -0600

Whenever a resident of Northwest Arkansas thinks of a subdivision with the finest luxury homes and amenities, they think of Pinnacle Subdivision and Country Club in Rogers. Pinnacle is Northwest Arkansas’ premier gated golf community providing security, comfort, and entertainment for anyone that is willing to pay the upscale price.

Pinnacle Subdivision

Pinnacle is located just off interstate 540 on Exit 82. Head west through the roundabout and you will find yourself at the main gate of Pinnacle Country Club. The fountains, manicured grounds, and guardhouse should give you an idea of what you can expect inside. There are approximately 600 lots on 540 acres of rolling Arkansas countryside withing the gates at Pinnacle. There are a number of lots and homes available for sale in the subdivision with prices ranging from $102,500 up to $270,000 for lots around an acre in size. Home prices currently range from $233,000 for patio homes and condos up to several million for large estate homes. Prices per square foot range from the high $120’s/ft. up to over $300/ft.

Pinnacle Country Club Amenities

Full service championship golf coursedesigned by Don Sechrest with full time golf professional. Pinnacle Country Club hosts the P&G Beauty NWA LPGA Championship yearly.
Full service restaurant and club services including formal and casual dining, locker room, and spa facilities, and major club events.
Award-winning tennis facility with lighted clay and hard courts, certified teaching professionals, and programs for players of all ages and skill levels.
Swimming facility with certified lifeguards on duty at all times and a full snack bar. Swimming lessons are available as well.

Security and Membership

Membership is available to homeowner both inside and outside the Pinnacle gates in the form of Social, Tennis, and Golf membership. Contact me for details and prices regarding club membership.
Security and Property Owner Association fees add up to $1,096 per year with the POA fee coming to only $232 annually.
Security provides twenty-four hour monitoring and patrolling of the grounds, security and safety inspections for homeowners, alarm system monitoring, house watch services, as well as emergency and first aid service.

Pinnacle Country Club provides a destination for luxury lifestyle living that is hard to find anywhere else. The people, the events, the facilities, and amenities all combine to create a safe sanctuary. It’s a place you can call home. To find out more about Pinnacle, it’s amenities and home prices, contact me and keep an eye out for additional articles about Pinnacle and it’s residents.

Are you a resident of Pinnacle? Readers would love to hear what life is like for you and your family at Pinnacle. Please take the time to make a comment about your experience.

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Pinnacle Subdivision and Country Club of Rogers is NWA Luxury Gated Golf Community

Head to EXITrealestate540.com on Monday for an Inspiring CORE #126 and Don't Forget to Submit your Post!

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:45:28 -0600

So I emailed Drew Meyers over at the Carnival or Real Estate this morning to get on the waiting list to host a carnival. I get an email back about thirty minutes later that says something like, "Haha - great timing. Want to host this coming Monday?" The answer: Of course.

I want you to have your best chance to win...

I'm a researcher. Not an actual researcher - but a serious researcher of anything I get myself into. I research appliances I buy, computers I purchase, software I need, everything. So one of the things I like to know ahead of time with the CORE is how the host will judge the posts. I'm competitive in nature and frankly, I want to win every time (before you ask, no, I haven't won yet). I know that's not a possibility but the drive is there none-the-less. When I don't know what the criteria are, it simply drives me bonkers.

Wondering if you should submit something humorous? Something current and edgy? Something drab and serious? Something hyper-local?

Drum roll please...

In honor of yesterday's 56th Presidential Inauguration, the next focus/theme/topic/emphasis for the Carnival of Real Estate is...

So go here to submit your most change-worthy article. What constitutes change?

Anything different from the ordinary
Anything forward thinking or forward looking
Anything that rocks the pillars of conventional real estate thought

The most well-written, entertaining, appealing, and relevant articles will receive my praise and affection with awards fitting their ‘level' of change.

Don't forget to submit your posts before Sunday at 3pm EST (I might read still read them if they are late if I don't have a bazillion already). I look forward to reading every-one's posts so make sure and come back Monday to find out who the Monarchs (read winners) are. Happy blogging.

FYI - If you are submitting from your AR blog and it's a members-only post...it will not be considered for inclusion in the CORE.

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Come back on Monday for an Inspiring CORE #126 here at EXITrealestate540.com!

3 Reasons a Good Home Inspector can Save Your Marriage

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:51:13 -0600

There are lots of reasons to get the home you are buying inspected. There are very few reasons not to get a home inspection. The issue of ‘We don't have the money' doesn't count because you shouldn't be buying the house if you don't have a few hundred extra dollars to spend on something important like a home inspection. Most other reasons are similarly flawed. Here's some reasons you'll be real happy you did...

Reason #1: Husband can save himself alot of work...

Why would you spend your hard earned money on an inspector that finds things wrong with your soon to be abode? Because it will save you a boatload of work and honey-dos. An inspector gives you a report on all their findings from the foundation to the roof and everything in between. Face it, your wife's probably going to find all these problems sooner or later anyway. Why not get an inspection and let the old owners go ahead and fix everything for you before you move in. That leaves Sundays open to your own devices - football, friends, family, golf, naps. Let your imagination run wild.

Reason #2: Wife can save the prodding and nagging and move into a fully functional home from the get-go.

Ladies. If your husband doesn't have any honey-dos on the list this weekend make him watch a girl movie, cook you dinner, or plan a game night with family and friends in your new house. You can't let him get soft without a bunch of housework to do. Plus, you don't have to worry about that drywall crack in the ceiling in the living room or the draft that used to come through the back door, because you had your home inspected before you bought it. Smart. Very Smart.

Reason #3: Husband and Wife get a house that they know is a solid home without hidden problems and dangers.

When you get a home inspection, you aren't just looking for cracks in the walls, doors that don't shut tightly, or other cosmetic problems. You are looking for leaks, mold, dry rot, foundation problems, radon gas, and a host of other things that only a professionally trained inspector can spot. When you get an inspection, you can be assured your home will be safe for you and your family from the day you move in.

Besides all the obvious reasons, how does this help your marriage? Home buying is somewhat stressful at the best of times. Anything that can help alleviate stress, fear, and confrontation is a great thing. So get a home inspection. Use a good buyer's agent. Stay informed. You'll be happy you did. Contact me if you want a short list of great inspectors in Northwest Arkansas.

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3 Reasons a Good Home Inspector will Help Your Marriage when Buying a House

Curious Facts to Celebrate the 56th Presidential Inauguration

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:50:06 -0600

I've seen a few presidential inaugurations over my 28 years. I even marched in President Clinton's Inaugural Parade in 1997. I haven't seen an inauguration or a presidency with so much hope and interest. Let's celebrate the day and the coming "New Birth of Freedom" with some curious facts about today and Presidential Inaugurations from the past. Feel free to share any amazing facts, stories, or words about this historic day.

Presidential Inaugurations and Presidential Facts of Old

Abraham Lincoln was the tallest U.S. President at 6′4″ and the first to include African-Americans in his parade in 1865.

Women were first included in the inaugural parade in 1917 at Woodrow Wilson's second inauguration.

The U.S. Marine Band has played at every presidential inauguration since 1801 when Thomas Jefferson was the first and only president to walk to and from his inauguration.

Bill Clinton attended 14 inauguration balls...that's what I call ‘ball-hopping.'

In 1949, Harry Truman's inauguration was the first to be televised.

The first ceremony on the Internet was Bill Clinton's second inauguration in 1997 (that's the parade I marched in).

FDR and Eleanor began the modern tradition of morning worship service by attending St. John's Church.

The 20th Amendment to the Constitution (1933) change the inaugural date from a day in March...to January 20th. Hey cool, 20th Amendment, January 20th! That's easy to remember.

The Inauguration of Barack Obama

Our 44th president, Barack Obama will be sworn in using the same Bible that President Lincoln used in his 1853 Inaugural swearing in. Check out the video.

Check out the list of ‘Prohibited Items' not allowed at this year's inauguration.

The security force for Obama's inauguration is greater than that which is currently deployed in Afghanistan. 30,000 National Guard troops, about 1,000 FBI agents, 8,000 police officers from as far away as Chicago, hundreds of TSA screeners, and a number of completely covert and undisclosed resources and agencies. 58 agencies are known to be involved.

Because millions of people will be expected in and around the inauguration activities, cell phone companies have set up additional temporary towers to help cover the massive data overload that is expected.

According to authorities, travel will be extremely difficult in Washington D.C. Expect ‘crush-level' crowds.

The platform used for the inauguration will hold more than 1,600 people. Including the President and Vice-President Elects and their families, cabinet members, members of congress, and hundreds more. Bleachers above the platform will hold another 1,000 including choirs and guests. I hope all that's sturdy.

Not able to attend the inauguration? Follow someone on Twitter that is or follow @Inauguration_DC.

The high on inauguration day 2009 is near 31 with a 30% chance of snow...bundle up.

I hope you enjoyed my inauguration facts. Come back tomorrow for fresh local and national real estate news and opinions! Please leave a comment to mark this historic day and become a part of history!

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Curious Facts to Celebrate the 56th Presidential Inauguration

Why Going to Closing is Easier than Babysitting

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 07:50:54 -0600

Closing escrow on a your new home is the final curve in a long and winding road to home ownership. By this point, most buyers are kind of like seniors in college - a little nervous about the last few days, kind of sick of the whole process, but basically just ready to get it over with and get on with life. Here are a few things that help everything go more smoothly and make closing escrow easier than babysitting. Heck, let's make it fun by putting closing tips together with babysitting tips. That way we'll change two babies with one diaper *snicker*.

Know what to expect going into it.

This applies for your home closing and babysitting. If you are about to babysit a two year old, it's much different than babysitting a twelve year old. You'll have to plan accordingly. The same goes for closing. If you are closing a primary residential property it's one thing. If you are doing a 1031 tax exchange on commercial property that is currently leased and has an assumable loan, that's something different entirely. Get your head prepared for the situation in front of you. Let's assume it's a pretty easy babysitting gig, a.k.a. a primary residence, residential closing.

Identify yourself!

Most babysitters are friends or family members but some come from a friend of a friend or a service. These sitters need some ID right? It's sort of the same with closing escrow. Bring two forms of ID - your driver's licence and something else like a social security card. If you want to really play it silly safe, bring three. Title companies and lenders need to know you are who you say you are when signing official documents.

You probably need some money.

Babysitters may get stuck with cheap parents that won't spring for pizza. Bring yourself some dough (cash, not pizza dough). With regard to closing your property, don't bring cash, they generally won't take it. Your Realtor should get a HUD-1 before closing. This explains all the expenses in detail so you know how much money is not covered by the seller or by your lender. You take that number and get a wire transfer the morning of your closing or bring a cashier's check. FYI, title companies don't take personal checks. Although, I have seen some take a check under $500.00 to cover unexpected costs that were agreed upon at the closing table.

Stretch ahead of time and keep some perspective.

Babysitting may be a little unnerving at times, but if you like kids, it can be a load of fun. Same thing with closing day. You and your family are starting a new life in a new home. Look at closing as the first day of a great adventure. Okay, so that's not just like babysitting but I drew as many parallels as I could. With babysitting, I'd stretch everything, with closing, I'd just stretch my signing hand. Happy closing/sitting!

Have questions about the home buying process? Check out the buying a home category of my site to learn much more about the whole process. Or just contact me and let me worry about most of it for you!

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Why Going to Closing is Easier than Babysitting

Bentonville Butcher Shop Daily Lunch Specials to Die For

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:14:18 -0600

This is a quick review of one of my absolute favorite places for lunch in Northwest Arkansas. Bentonville Butcher and Deli is a relatively new establishment that offers upscale grocery items and a nice selection of premium meats from beef and Italian sausage to stuffed chicken breast, fresh fish, and seafood. They also have daily lunch specials that I get delivered by email every morning so I can plan my lunch accordingly.

Mmmmm...

You can sign up for their daily lunch special notices by email at 360Bentonville.com. The lunch special consists of a hefty (I hope your hungry) portion of the main dish, 2 sides, and choice of a soda, water, or tea...all for under $7 bucks. Beat that. The main dishes I've personally had that I like are:

Chicken Spaghetti
Mexican Chicken Casserole
Lasagna
Meatloaf
Beef and Noodles

They have a bunch more that are escaping me at the moment. They have heaping hot and cold sides including:

Sweet potatoes
Broccoli, rice, and cheese casserole
Green beans
Mac ‘N Cheese
Potato Salad
Caprese Salad (tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh mozzarella)

along with a bunch more.

I usually get my lunch special to go but you can eat-in. Bentonville Butcher Shop and Deli is located just north of hwy 102 and 71-B in Bentonville. If you live in Rogers, Bella Vista, Centerton or further out...it's worth the drive. Happy lunching!

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Bentonville Butcher Shop Daily Lunch Specials to Die For

Fayetteville Bumping Up Impact Fees Starting March of 2009

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:55:33 -0600

Developers and home builders better cinch their belts because Fayetteville is raising impact fees for new construction projects starting March 31st, 2009. The impact fee is being raised from it's current $1,143 for water and sewer systems. A $700 increase will help offset costs for improvements to pipes and lift stations associated with the new waste water treatment plant. Of the $700 increase, $663 is going towards the water system and $37 is going towards the sewer system.

This decision to increase impact fees $700 this year was made after Duncan Associates completed a study to update the cities sewer and water impact fees. They found that the maximum water impact fee for a single family home in Fayetteville was $2,954 and $2,631 was the maximum waste water impact fee. This is significantly more than the current total impact fees of $1,143 so expect increases in impact fees in Fayetteville over the next few years to bring the fees up to par with the cost of maintaining Fayetteville's water and waste water infrastructure.

Please note that Fayetteville residents that are currently on a septic system will not be charged impact fees to switch over to the city's sewer service because Fayetteville is trying to encourage the use of their sewer system and decrease the use of septic systems.

While some may grumble at the additional fees as builders and developers pass on these fees to buyers, most should understand that this is a good thing that will help the city pay for much need infrastructure to keep Fayetteville clean and vibrant.

If you have any information on about Fayetteville's impact fees or any developments that need to be shared with the public...please leave a comment or shoot me an email (contact me) and I'll do my best to get the information out there.

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Fayetteville Bumping Up Impact Fees Starting March of 2009

Northwest Arkansas Housing Market Report for 2008

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:32:16 -0600

2008. What a year! Alot has happened in the housing market and around the world. While most areas continue to suffer, the Northwest Arkansas Housing Market has faired better than the rest in terms of home values, sales, and foreclosure rates. Whether you are buying a home, selling your home, or you just want to know what the market is doing - this is downright informative stuff.

A couple of things to keep in mind. The following market report is for Residential housing in Benton and Washington Counties. While MLS (multiple listing service) data is deemed reliable, it is not 100% accurate so this market snapshot comes with a disclaimer. It is here to assist you in making informed housing decisions based on the market data we have available.

As you can see by the average days on market and price per foot graph above...the previous 4 years have seen a gradual increase in average days on market as inventories increase and demand for housing decreases. There has also been a gradual drop (after 2005) of the average price per square foot. Please notice the difference between 2007 and 2008 - from $99.95 to $92.50 is a decrease of 7.45% in average price per square foot. This is only an average and is not necessarily and indicator that homes are worth this percentage less in your neighborhood.

Let's take a look at the actual number of sold listings in Benton and Washington Counties...

We know that 2006 is when home sales and pricing began to slow/drop. We can see that the average still went up between 2005 and 2006. The telling number is the drop from an average home price of $187,810 in 2007 to $179,832 in 2008. That is a drop of 4.25% from 2007 to 2008. Remember that this is the actual price that home sold for, not list price. It also does not include any incentives or concessions offered by the sellers (of which there were many more in 2008 than 2007. All in all, 4.25% is not a huge drop when you consider everything going on in 2008. It looks like Northwest Arkansas was a good place to buy after all.

Let's look at a graph of 2008's sale prices month by month...

This graph gives us a breakdown of the average home prices in Benton and Washington counties for each month of 2008. While prices fluctuate somewhat, a linear trendline shows that the average home price in Northwest Arkansas dropped significantly in 2008 from the 190's to the 170's and lower. This approximately equates to a 10% drop in the average value of homes in Northwest Arkansas. Before you run off thinking your home is worth 10% less today than it was a year ago there are some things you need to know:

Northwest Arkansas has highly localized markets - there are even pockets in NWA where homes have increased in value year over year.
Foreclosures currently make up a large percentage of sales - these home are generally priced to move and may even be sold significantly below normal market value...these sales drive average home prices down and skew results.

As I always say...keep this in perspective. Yes, average home prices are down and home sales are down. Some areas in Northwest Arkansas are up a little, some are down double digits. Our market is nothing like many major metropolitan areas when home prices are down 30-50% for the year. Please keep that in mind and have a big sign of relief. I believe the worst in the housing market is over but the next few months will tell the tale.

Just do it!

If you are considering buying a home....buy it. You won't find a better time with better rates in the next decade. If you are considering selling your home....sell it. If you've bought smart and built equity, you should have no problems coming out fine in the transaction. Will you make a boat load of money, probably not....will you mae it up on your next home....probably so. If you want to move or need to move, move. With more and more people realizing there's deals to be had, inventories are going down, and God willing, prices are stabilizing and beginning the climb back up.

If you would like to know exactly what you home is worth in this market to make informed decisions, please don't hesitate to contact me or another Realtor you trust to prepare a detailed market analysis for your home.

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Northwest Arkansas Housing Market Report for 2008

26 Things that Will Make You Move When You Least Expect It

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:02:51 -0600

I recently wrote a post entitled Why Subscribing to my Blog will Help You Lose 5 Pounds. I made my point by mentioning a few silly things that would make you move with little or no warning. I think I wrote ten but I had a bunch more ideas...so without further adieu - here they are.

Things that make you move because of finances:

You lose your job at the widget factory.

Gas goes above $5.00 a gallon.

Gas is only at $1.64 a gallon, but you buy an F-450 and now need 5 times more gas.

The stock market drops 34% in 4 months...oops, that one's real.

Your Alt-A or Option ARM loan resets at 9% and your once $700/month house payment turns into $2100 per month.

You have a major gambling problem and today ‘wasn't your day.'

You have to pay for grandma to get a new hip.

Two words, "Identity Theft."

Three words, "Pay for Braces."

Bigger three words, "Pay for College."

Things that make you move because of family:

You get married

You have a kid

You have another kid

You get divorced

You're in-laws move in with you (can you say guest house?)

You're in-laws move out (you move after the party..)

You're son is involved in a shady transaction that causes a midnight move before the press arrives the next morning.

Things that make you move because of nature:

The earth 1.4 miles directly under your house is the epicenter of a major earthquake.

Global warming has caused your home to become ‘reef-front property.'

An asteroid has fallen into your backyard at 22,000 miles per hour and the structural integrity of your home is now in serious question.

The great Mississippi river has overflowed it's banks and your home is headed towards Louisiana.

Things that make you move that are just plain unlikely:

An exploratory team from Shell has discovered massive gas and oil reserves in your backyard.

A rare but highly lethal, valuable, and illegal substance has been discovered in the natural spring running through your front yard.

A high-end, exotic 'dance' club has just opened across the street....this would either make you move to this home or out of it depending on your likes and dislikes.

Giant mutant cockroaches have set up camp in your basement.

A glowing sphere 300 meters in diameter lands in your city's local park and the army cordons off the area and evacuates your neighborhood/state. (Sound familiar?)

That's all for now...I'll try to do one or so fun list like this a month just to keep the rather heavy and dry topic of real estate light and fluffy...like froth on a cappuccino.

If you have a funny or crazy story about a sudden or unexpected move...please share with the group so we can all benefit from your experience.

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26 Things that will Make you Move when you Least Expect It

Announcing the Newest Northwest Arkansas Real Estate Office | EXIT Pro Realty of Rogers

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:28:03 -0600

EXIT Pro Realty in Rogers is Northwest Arkansas' newest real estate company and it's not business as usual. Started by husband and wife teams Larry and Jana Robison and Mark and Cindy Cady, EXIT Pro Realty is "doing real estate right" and has its collective eye set on toppling the local big dogs by professionalizing the real estate industry, providing state-of-the-art training and lead generation for agents to convert leads into sales, and offering premium service to each and every one of its clients.

I've recently moved to EXIT Pro Realty and am currently working hard as the Director of Internet Marketing to make EXIT Pro the number one real estate company in Northwest Arkansas both online and off. EPR will provide a number of online tools previously unavailable to Northwest Arkansas residents.

Easy to use map-based home searching for any property in Northwest Arkansas where home buyers and browsers can save searches, set up email alerts, and subscribe to new listings via RSS
Unparalleled exposure for home owners' properties online using listing syndication, single property websites, and proprietary techniques no one else in Northwest Arkansas is currently using.
Up-to-the-minute local real estate developments from foreclosures, mortgage news, property highlights, and much more
Home owner tips and news from neighborhood market reports to how to keep your home in top showing condition

A cohesive and dynamic team...

Mel Reed | Principal Broker

Mel is an industry veteran, broker, and dynamic trainer and coach. He has been brought on board as Principal Broker to head up agent training and coaching as well as be a solid foundation of growth and guidance the office can build on.

Larry and Jana Robison | Executive Broker/Owners

Larry is a full time professional Realtor and Executive Broker and Owner of EXIT Pro Realty. He is also very involved with commercial property sales in Northwest Arkansas. Jana heads up the general marketing efforts of the company and is a knowledgable and professional Realtor in her own right. Larry and Jana are approachable and trustworty. Together they are highly involved owners and a formidable sales team.

Mark and Cindy Cady | Realtors/Owners

Mark is a power seller, highly effective salesperson, a knowledgable Realtor, and leader. Cindy is a personable, detail-oriented, no-nonsense professional that will make sure every I is dotted and T is crossed. Together they also make effective Realtors and owners of EXIT Pro Realty in Rogers.

There's alot going on in the halls of EXIT Pro Realty. Whether you're an agent, home owner, buyer, or investor, EXIT Pro Realty may be the right fit for you. Expect more. I did. Here's a company that's "doing real estate right."

Agents: Looking for a place you fit in? Contact me to find out why EXIT is the right place to be or call our office at (479) 636-7777.

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Announcing the Newest Northwest Arkansas Real Estate Office | EXIT Pro Realty of Rogers

Why Subscribing to my Blog will Help you Lose 5 Pounds

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:55:23 -0600

Most people you run into on a daily basis would be happy to lose 5 pounds (or more). You can do it by subscribing to my blog. Impossible you say? Ridiculous? I think not. Allow me to explain.

If you live in Northwest Arkansas, are thinking of moving here, or selling your Northwest Arkansas home and moving to the south of France you need to be up to speed on everything going on with the local real estate market. Why?

Thousands of reasons...

Real estate is the largest and most life altering investment most people make. If you buy and sell homes like they're baseball cards and have a superyacht in the Mediterranean, good for you. For everyone else, purchasing and selling real estate is a big deal. Anytime something is a big deal it usually causes stress. Getting married, having children, passing the bar, interviewing for a new job - all these things induce stress (including buying and selling a home) which causes overeating, insomnia, and in increase in cortisol. I'm told cortisol makes you gain weight in your mid-section. The point is...more stress usually equals more weight.

It stands to reason that less stress allows you to be healthier and weigh less. How can I make your life less stressful?

Subscribing burns calories...

Okay, not really. But what it does do is keep you more informed and knowledgeable. To one degree or another, most people fear the unknown. If you need to sell your home and have no idea what it would bring in the current market wouldn't that create a little bit of anxiety? How about stress? See where I'm going with this? If you know what your home is worth or what the home you're looking at buying is worth, if you know what the market is like, if you know all the pitfalls, traps, and potential hazards of buying and selling, wouldn't that relieve some of the strain and stress of the process?

Being in the dark is bad...

Your next argument against subscribing to my blog is, "I'm not moving, I don't need to know what the market is doing." My response to you is, "Puhhhleeaasse." I'll give you 10 unexpected things that make you move (sounds like a future blog post) right now:

A level 4 sexual predator just moved in next door
You get a letter stating your home is being seized under eminent domain
A paper mill is being built in your backyard
You get transferred by your company
Your wife gets transferred or you get divorced
You have to move because the school system now 'sucks'
A level 3 sexual predator moves in across the street
Your housing preferences change
You win the lottery
There is radon gas seeping out of the front yard

Want me to keep going? I've got 101 more. The point is, you need to know what's going on at a local level. You can only find that out with a local blog. Sure, you can watch the news. They usually find out about things a month after it matters. Read the paper? Same thing. The only way you can really know what's going on in the real estate market is to be inside the brain of a real estate agent that knows that market (that's me). You still need convincing?

Know what others don't...

My brother-in-law reads the paper. He likes to talk about things going on in the community - developments, foreclosures, scandals, etc. Most of what he reads in the paper, he could have known sooner if he subscribed to my blog. As a citizen ‘in the know,' he could walk around snickering at all the woefully ignorant people around him. When some asks, "what are they building at the corner of main and first?" he could reply with a twinkle in his eye, "that's going to be a new Walgreens, I've know about it since before they broke ground." His coworkers would then praise him for his deep knowledge and understanding of the real estate market and then ask how the *bleep* he knew that. He would simply smile and say, "I've got some good contacts." Which he does.

The broader lesson...

If you want to know what's really going down on the real estate front in Northwest Arkansas, subscribe to my blog here either by email or RSS. You will be on your way to learning everything there is to know about NWA real estate as well as general market information for home buyers, and home owner tips.

If you want to learn about Sacramento California, you don't want to read my blog, you're wasting your time. Subscribe instead to Saramento Real Estate Views by my ever capable friend and colleague, Rob Saxe.

Interested in other places? Try these out:

Clarksville Tennessee - Last Train To Clarksville

St. Paul Minnesota - St. Paul Real Estate Blog

Alexandria Virginia - George Washington Slept Here

Dothan Alabama - Dothan Home Search

Get my drift. If you want local information you gotta go to the source.

Share your success...

So you've subscribed to this blog or your local blog in some city, county, or area of the world. You are receiving regular updates about the current state of affairs in your area. You are more informed about real estate. You are less stressed. You lose 5 pounds while making a stress free move. What could be better? Share the good news and tell your friends (maybe just your close ones) about this great place that you get all of your inside information. They'll lose 5 pounds too and send you a present to thank you!

Thanks for reading and I hope you do seriously consider subscribing to this blog either by email or use a feed reader and subscribe by RSS. Your tummy will thank you. Keep a look out for the latest and greatest news and events here on EXITrealestate540.com.

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Why Subscribing to my Blog Will Help you Lose 5 Pounds

Rural Development Newsflash from Jet Stream Lending of Northwest Arkansas

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:46:45 -0600

Bill Evans of Jet Stream Lending always keeps me up to date on the latest mortgage news. Below is an email he sent me this morning outlining some worrying information about the USDA Rural Development Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP). For any agents or buyers that currently have a Rural Development qualifying property under contract, this information is for you!

Rural Development Newsflash!

The Federal Government is operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) covering the period from October 1, 2008 through arch 6, 2009. For the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP), a guarantee level of $2.6 billion was allocated under the Continuing Resolution. Demand for the DFHGLP is at a historic high, and we anticipate this funding will be exhausted by January 9, 2009, if not sooner.

USDA Rural Development - the government - will continue to accept and process applications, and will issue Conditional Commitments "subject to receipt of Congressionally approriated funds." We expect congress to pass a Continuing Resolution allocating additional funds for Rural Development Loans.

Banks may continue closing loans under the SFHGLP, however, we expect the majority of banks will not fund these loans without the availability of government funds in today's environment.

What does this mean for you and your clients?

If you currently have a real estate transaction utilizing the USDA Rural Development Loan Program and it is set to close after January 9th, it may not fund for up to 3 months.

If your clients are in the process of obtaining a Rural Development loan anywhere other than Jet Stream Lending, check with that loan officer now. Ask if the bank intends t fund your clients' loans despite the lack of government money. If this is the case, Jet Stream Lending is ready and willing to close and fund your real estate transactions.

Jet Stream Lending has the resources to fund Rural Development loans despite the lack of government funds. We are committed to you and your clients with or without the funds and promise business as usual.

Thanks to Bill Evans with Jet Stream Lending for providing some really important information on Rural Development loans. As much of Northwest Arkansas property is designated as being able to get Rural Development loans, this is a great thing to know about and stay on top of.

Contact the Jet Stream Lending Team if you have a home loan need by calling them at (479) 254-9403 or visiting their website at JetStreamLending.com or contact me to find out more about the home buying process.

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Rural Development Newsflash from Jet Stream Lending of Northwest Arkansas

White Elephants Tough to Sell in Northwest Arkansas

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:07:17 -0600

The housing market in Northwest Arkansas is being affected across the board from small single family homes and apartments to sprawling luxury estates. Highly customized luxury homes - from Chuchhill Downs in Springdale to Pinnacle Subdivision in Rogers to Talamore in Bentonville - are sitting on the market, waiting for the right buyer and the right price. Find out why these high-end luxury homes are known throughout the real estate industry as ‘White Elephants.'

What's a White Elephant?

According to Wikipedia, a white elephantis a valuable possession which its owner cannot dispose of and whose cost (and upkeep) exceeds its usefulness. The phase comes from Burma, Thailand, Laos and other southeast Asian countries' Monarchs who kept the sacred animals as a sign of peace and prosperity in their kingdoms. The animals were considered very sacred and local law protected them from being used for labor. This meant that receiving a white elephant as a gift was both a blessing and a curse: a blessing because it meant the receiver was in good standing with the monarch, and a curse because the animal could not be put to practical use (and had to be kept of course, it was a bad thing to sell a gift from a monarch) to offset the cost of maintaining the animal.

White Elephant Luxury Homes in Northwest Arkansas

We have some white elephants here in Northwest Arkansas. They are given this special title for a couple of reasons...

Very High end custom property - these properties start around a million dollars here in Northwest Arkansas and go up from there.
Custom is the keyword here - These homes are built specifically for their high-end owners. They may have specific amenities and features that very few other people want, making them inherently difficult to sell.

Now, I'm not saying that every home listed for a million or more dollars is a white elephant, I am saying that because of their custom nature - they are hard to find buyers for because buyers for high-end homes will just custom build their own white elephant with amenities to suit their taste and lifestyle.

We currently have 73 properties in Benton and Washington Counties that are listed for $1,000,000 or more. They average 5 bedrooms, 6 baths and over 7,000 square feet. The average list price for these 73 properties is $1,770,986 with an average price per square foot of just under $250.00 per foot. The average days on market for these properties is 202 days and growing.

60 of those are over 5,000 heated square feet.

19 of those are over 8,000 heated square feet.

4 of them are over 10,000 heated square feet.

What you need to take away from this is that there are amazing deals to be had in the luxury home market both in Benton and Washington Counties in Northwest Arkansas, and across the nation.

If you want to know more about great deals on Luxury homes in Northwest Arkansas, contact me or browse current listings to see what's available. Check out more information about Luxury homes and subdivisions in Benton and Washington Counties in the Luxury Homes category of this website.

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White Elephants Tough to Sell in Northwest Arkansas

One Goal Setting Technique that will Bring Success in the Coming Year

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 11:03:48 -0600

Another great guest post by Mel Reed. This one adresses the importance of proper goal setting and implementation using goal cards. This is a great lesson for business people, homemakers, teens, seniors, and anyone looking to follow through with their resolutions this year...

How will you measure your progress in 2009?

At the end of the year some people indulge in making New Year's resolutions. They promise themselves they're going to stop stuffing their faces with all sorts of snacks before bedtime, get to the gym more often, sleep more, increase their income, develop better relationships, and a bunch of other stuff. I know I am talking to someone here that has done this, and I want to ask a Dr. Phil question here, "How's that working for you?" Did you keep your resolutions or are you still stuck in the same rut? The difference between a rut and a grave is the rut at least has both ends kicked out!

Gonna, Wanna, Shoulda, Woulda?

A year later, most of us are still wishing we were in better shape, still working too hard, and not making as much as we think we should. Maybe you're the exception, but hardly anyone I know actually keeps New Year's resolutions and the rest don't make them. Why?

I think one of the reasons this happens is that most people set goals that are in the future. Goals that sound like:

"I am going to loose 14 pounds."
"I want to earn 50% more than I did last year."
"I will get more involved with church."

Get the picture? It all sounds very vague - too vague for your subconscious mind to get to work on actually achieving these goals. Listen. Gonna and Wanna are not a couple if brothers from some foreign county, but it is what many of us say when we address future objectives and goals. It sounds too much like tomorrow, and we know tomorrow never really comes!

A Process to Keep Your Promises to Yourself - Goal Cards

Here is a process that will actually help you reach your goals in 2009. Write them in the past tense, as if you'd already accomplished them.

Past Tense Goal: I have lost 14 lbs and look great!
Then Date it and use a date in the future: July 8, 2009
Then Sign it: Mel Reed (use your own name, OK?)

I would suggest you use a goal card. A 3X5 card so you can write it down (past tense), and commit to your goal (your signature). I have followed this process for years and it works!

This goal on a 3X5 card would look something like this:

State GOAL:
I have lost 14 pounds and look great.

Date: 7-8 -09 Signed: Mel Reed

SMART GOALS

Specific - State clearly what you accomplished

Measurable - Include a way to measure your goal

Attainable - Your capabilities - Your control (you can do this!)

Relevant - You will make it a priority (It must be important to you)

Time - Specific - Deadline (Future Date)

State your goals in the PAST TENSE:

"I have built my list of qualified prospects to over 500."

"I have increased my income by 50%."

"I am more involved with my family than I have ever been."

"I automated my business so I work only 5 days a week."

See the difference? When you list your goals as accomplishments, you tell your mind to believe you're already there. Instead of anticipating all the effort required and all the obstacles between you and your goals, visualize yourself already where you want to be. It gives you the mindset you need for success.

Take the Steps to Success:

List the personal and business goals you'll have reached by this time next year. Be specific. Instead of "I want to make more money" or "I want to work less", write down goals like, "I increased my take home pay last year by 50%."

GO AHEAD before you read any further! Make a list of your accomplishments for this coming year, write them down.

ACTION STEPS:

1. What do you need to do to reach each of your goals? (Resources)

2. What knowledge and skills are required? (Additional training)

3. What tasks will you need help with? (Outsource until you can hire)

4. What kind of advice do you need? (Experts in the field)

Most people do not plan to fail, they just fail to plan. If you want 2009 to be more successful than 2008, you need to think differently and plan differently. Fresh ideas and increased your skill set may be just what the doctor ordered to better ways to organize your business. You may want to even a coach to get the year off to a fresh start. Check out www.TrainTheBest.com . Create a mindset of success that will last all year long.

Here is to your success,

"Coach" Mel Reed

P.S. Here is the BAD NEWS! Only 10% of the entrepreneurs, business owners and people who read the above article will ever be truly successful. Most will sit on their hands, won't take action and won't follow through. They tell themselves, it's too much work, it's too risky, or that they don't have the time. You and I know that these are excuses and excuses are like armpits, most people have a couple and they normally stink!

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Do You Have A Question For Mel?
Drop him a line at: melreed@.trainthebest.com he'll do his best to include it in an upcoming article.

Want a process to follow to reach Success?

Want help from Mel to grow your business? Discover how to focus your time and efforts to work less and make more.

On occasion when coaching spots become available, Mel takes on clients that qualify on a first come first served basis. If you're interested, make sure to sign up ASAP. Find out more about getting one-on-one marketing guidance from Mel.

Need a keynote speaker, or training for your team? Check out "Speakers" at:

TrainTheBest.com

Helping People Reach Their Full Potential
©2009 TrainTheBest.com

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One Goal Setting Technique that will Bring Success in the Coming Year

Best Posts for the Month of December '08

Ben Roberts (EXIT Pro Realty) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 07:56:45 -0600

The holidays have come and gone, the tree is packed away (actually thrown away this year as we got a real tree - a post in itself), and my seven month old son's toys are somewhat organized in a corner of our living room designated the ‘play area.' During all this chaos, I wrote a few good posts...

If you missed it, check out the Market Report for November ‘08 I did on December 2nd. It will give you some background for this coming week's post about home sales in December. You can always find Market Reports in the Market Conditions category on the right sidebar.

Real Estate Trends to Watch for in 2009 was a lengthy yet highly researched article about the state of real estate in the coming year. Cool stuff if I do say so myself. It also got a nod in the Real Estate Carnival over at Northwest Indiana Mortgages during CORE #122.

In Train Wreck Real Estate: How are Kids Being Affected? I took a look at how the current housing market's abundance of foreclosures and distressed properties is affecting the children of the families involved. I may have written it, but I think it's an important topic to shed some light on.

If you are heading to a closing anytime soon or plan to buy a home this year then Why Going to Closing is Easier than Babysitting is a good article to read.

That's the last month of 2008! 2009 is going to be one busy year. I have recently moved real estate offices, had a baby, and changed the focal point of my business. Look for articles addressing all of the above topics along with social media in real estate, great home owner tips, development news, and more. Remember to subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe by email to stay up to date on the latest Northwest Arkansas housing information. Also, feel free to browse back through my archives or check out individual categories in the right-hand sidebar. Please contact me if you have any real estate need or question.

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Best Posts for the Month of December ‘08