Lansing Area Real Estate Blog

Ten Reasons to Sell Your Home in the Winter, Plus Some in the Greater Lansing Real Estate Market

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:25:36 -0600

I received this list below in my email today, Titled: Ten Reasons to Sell Your Home in the Winter. This list has been floating around for several years on why to buy and sell real estate in the winter month's or holiday season. I made a few alterations because this year 2009/2010 is an unusual time for real estate in the Greater Lansing Real Estate Market and could be the best time ever to buy or the worst time ever to sell, depending on your circumstances. I also added a few remarks at the end of the list for your information.

Ten Reasons to Sell Your Home in the Winter.

1. Fewer Showings, less buyers, but those buyers that are left are usually very serious about making a purchase, plus the home buyer tax credit has been extended until May 1, 2010.

2. Less Competition- Most people wait until spring and summer to list their home, which means during the winter you will have far less competition than at any other time of the year.

3. Homes Show Better During the Holidays- Buyers love homes that can tell a story. The holidays are a great time to show homes because the home is usually dressed up for holiday celebrations.

4. January is the Biggest Transfer Month- Did you know that more corporate moves happen during the month of January than at any other time of year? This may be a great reason to list your home during the winter!

5. Timing- By putting the home on the market during the winter you may be able to more easily hit your moving goals!

6. More Time to Get Top Dollar- By starting to market your home early you may be able to secure a higher price, with less competition.

7. Great Time to Shop- If your home sells quickly you will be able to shop for your next home during the winter, this is a great time to move up with the Home Buyer Tax Credit that includes Move up buyers. (provided you have lived in your home for 5 years or longer)

8. More Marketing- Because most agents and offices have less inventory during the winter your home may be marketed on more websites and more often than during the spring months.

9. More Attention- Most agents will be able to devote more specialized attention to your needs during the winter because they have less clients to manage. This means better syndication of your listings to more websites, search engines, and portals.

10. The Market- Today's interest rates are at historical lows. This gives buyers more spending power, and will be even more important when you begin shopping for your next home!

As mentioned above, this could be the best time ever to buy or sell real estate or the worst time ever. That's why it is important to make sure In today's market, you hire someone who knows what they're doing and will work hard to get the job done. My knowledge of the real estate market, technology, negotiating skills, and ability to listen to my client's needs and wants that keep me ahead of the competition.

Buying or selling a home in today's greater Lansing, Michigan real estate market can be complicated without having the proper expertise and guidance throughout the process. Plan ahead to reach your real estate goals by contacting "Your Best Choice" and obtaining additional information on buying and selling at my website.

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
Search Listings

Newspaper Ads vs. Internet Marketing -Who's Really the Boss

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:23:55 -0600

It's Thanksgiving night and I am finally getting around to look at this humongous newspaper that was hanging out of my paper-box this morning. Maybe you experienced the same reaction I did, by saying what a waste of paper. In doing some quick investigating, I came across this report by MORI Research, that has some interesting stats.

According to a new report from the MORI Research nearly two thirds (69%) of Americans make shopping plans based on newspaper ads.

Here are some stats from the research:

• 82% of consumers clip coupons, buy a product, visit a website or try a product based on newspaper ads

• 73% of consumers at least 'occasionally' read newspaper inserts

• 82% of consumers are pushed to act based on a newspaper ad

My question would be, how many of these people surveyed also shop online? Also, what age bracket are they? and lastly, Do the same advertisers even use the Internet to advertise?

My 3rd question was answered when I searched Menard's, J.C.Penny, and Kmart on Google. All three had exactly the same ad that was in my newspaper, with capabilities to turn pages and shop green.

In the real estate business brokerages advertised homes for sale in the newspaper for three reasons. #1 to pacify the home seller #2 to pacify the agent.#3 because their competition did it. (All the wrong reasons). Over the past 4-5 years most real estate companies have realized that nearly 90% of home buyers shop the Internet prior to ever contacting a real estate agent, and have dropped newspaper ads entirely.

Will retail do this? or are they advertising because their competition is doing it? Based on the size of my newspaper, I'd say it's about competition. I guess time will tell, however, in the mean time my big stack of ads goes right in the trash. I'll Google what I'm looking for. What's your thoughts?

"Expect the Best" Mike

Twitter for Real Estate Drives Traffic

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:43:42 -0600

A Little spoof on Twitter may give you an idea on how popular it is around the country right now. I might suggest you watch this to get your chuckle out of it, and then go join, set up a easy name to have your contacts, friends, clients and customers remember. Twitter will drive traffic to your Blog, Website and listings, if done properly. It Works. "Expect the Best" Mike

Taking a Brutally Honest Look at Your Real Estate Organization

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:30:21 -0600

Here’s a small yet important quiz for Realtor/Broker/Owners to take a brutally honest look at your organization to see how it weighs out with the real estate company of the next wave of
change in our real estate industry.

True or False: Our Company website has been brought up to date to Web2-3 functions that allow our consumers to have a better user experience, get all of the information they need from us, like searching for homes, community information, calculators, demographics, customer testimonials, real estate news, ancillary services, and instant communication, to name a few.

True or False: Our Company is teaching, coaching, motivating our agents about electronic forms, smart phone technology, text messaging, search engine marketing, social media, and open transparency with the e-consumer.

True or False: Our Company is offering professional training, education and coaching, that caters to each person’s strengths and weaknesses, and are we willing to coach an agent to improved performance for retention.

True or False: The Leadership of the company has bought into Social Media, participates in it; understands the dos and don’ts, and has expanded it into Tweetups, Meetup’s, REBarcamp’s and other community gatherings to build relationships and trust within the community.

True or False: Our Company is attracting the experienced agent that will expect multiple experiences created by the company that keep them abreast to the latest trends, technology, and Internet marketing tools as a result of showing them, not telling them.

True or False: Our Company is promoting a culture of the Connected Consumer or e-consumer through Internet marketing, Blogging, websites, and search engine optimization with the idea of being part of the next generation brokerage?

True or False: Our Company is teaching our agents to build BRAND for their business with a value proposition that makes them unique, makes them stand out from the crowd and not just a logo.

The beauty of this paradigm shift we are experiencing is that the cost is small compared to what the cost will be if change is ignored.

Agents, do your Broker a favor. Print this off and hand it to him/her and ask them how you can help take them move the company into the 21st century. It’s your future, wouldn’t you agree?

“Expect the Best” Mike

Things to Do In Grand Ledge, Waverly, Delta Township & Lansing for The Entire Family

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:26:47 -0600

There are plenty of events and activities coming up over the next 6 weeks in Grand Ledge, Waverly, Delta Township and Lansing, Michigan for the entire family to enjoy. The Greater Lansing area is a great place to live, work, and play. Check these out and note that we also have Broadway talent at Waverly and Grand Ledge High School. I Hope you enjoy.

November 19th-22nd Grand Ledge High School presents the Christmas Carol

The 25th Annual Silver Bells in the City will take place on Friday, November 20, 2009 from 5-9 p.m. in downtown Lansing.

Nov 21, 2009 Waverly High School Musical - Fiddler on the Roof

December 4th is the Grand Ledge Annual Christmas Parade. Family fun to kick off the Holiday Season including a Lighted Float Parade through town ending with Santa at the Sun Theater. For more information call (517) 627-2383.

Delta Township is sponsoring Santa Claus who will be making personal phone calls to area children this December! Calls will be made Wednesday, December 2, 5:45-7:15 p.m. For more information

Breakfast and Lunch with Santa is also in Delta Township on Saturday, December 12, 8:30-10 a.m. – Breakfast Saturday, December 12, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Lunch

Buying or selling a home in today’s greater Lansing, Michigan real estate market can be complicated without having the proper expertise and guidance throughout the process. Community information - about service - restaurants, services, parks, things to do, local government and development projects, are only a few of the many services you should expect from your Realtor. Visit My Website for tips that will assist you.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Lansing Michigan Area Homeowners Using House Logic & Reports

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:57:39 -0600

Lansing Michigan area homeowners have an opportunity to take part a brand new site called House Logic as a free source of information and tools—from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®—that can help you make smart and timely decisions about your home.

What can HouseLogic do for me?

With content covering home improvement, maintenance, taxes, finance, insurance, and even ways you can get involved in and enrich your community, HouseLogic can help you increase and protect the value of your home by helping you make confident decisions.

Thinking of a Move in the Near Future?

Start with the resources I’ve provided on MikeBowler.com. There is no charge for this information. These free reports will help get you started in terms of assessing your real estate situation and planning for a stress-free and successful sale of your house.

The real estate market in the Greater Lansing area is volatile, especially lately, and it takes an experienced professional to move your house quickly, professionally, and profitably.

When you’ve decided to sell, I will be your advocate, your guide, and your fierce negotiator. I will work hard to make yours a great sale. I look forward to it.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
Search Listings

Home Buyers & Sellers in Greater Lansing Area Get More Positive News on Housing

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:51:27 -0600

Congress Votes for Home Buyer Tax Credit Expansion. The National Association of Realtors today commended the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives for passing a bill that includes an extension and expansion of the current home buyer tax credit as an important step in ensuring a real estate and economic recovery.
This is great news for home buyers and sellers in the Greater Lansing area and more positive news for the housing market throughout the nation. Below, you will find a chart that gives detailed guidelines on amounts and dates. One major addition this Buyer Tax Credit includes is a $6500.00 credit to buyers moving up from an existing house, provided they have lived in the home for at least five years. The six months should provide a stronger market because of the deadline extended through May 1st, 2010. It's not to soon to get started with your moving plans and making arrangements for marketing your current home. Feel free to visit my website for additional updates or contact me anytime.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
One of 25 Most Connected Professionals in Real Estate
1020 S Creyts Rd. Lansing, MI 48917
517-492-3400 mike@mikebowler.com
Search Listings: www.mikebowler.com
Website for Agents: www.mikebowler.net

Rules of Engagement

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:22:31 -0600

Swanepoel’s Report takes the whole enchilada of social media and puts it in plain English for the real estate agent who wants to get started in the right direction. Social media is transforming our industry and many others, as well. Below you will find some rules of engagement that are worth sharing with your peers on social media that Stefan Swanepoel posted in October. Hope you enjoy:

Via Stefan Swanepoel (Author, Speaker & Trends Guru):

Just as it’s important to know the rules of the road and driving etiquette before driving on the open highways, so it is equally important that you have an understanding of the customs of Social Media. Although no hard legal rules exist, there are many good manners to follow if you want the vast crowds of the Social Media world to follow you.

Here are a few “Rules of Engagement” that will help you navigate more efficiently:

Give More Than You Take

The more you contribute to conversations and discussions, the more people will recognize your name and what you stand for. Over time you will establish credibility and build value. Remember the well-known adage; the more you care, the more you share.

Respect

Be respectful of the community, the members, the group’s overall goals, etc. Social Media is a participatory sport and that means that you are one of many. People can chose to communicate with you or they can chose to ignore you. Treat others as you want to be treated.

Listen

Listening and receiving comments and feedback are two of the greatest strengths of Social Media. They represent first-hand interaction with your customer. By listening to them you gain unfiltered feedback about your products and market.

Respond

When people comment or leave messages for you it’s only polite to respond in a timely fashion. By responding you are validating to the online community that you are an individual that values and acknowledges others. This adds to your credibility as an individual.

Build Relationships

It’s called social networking for a reason. Make sure you build relationships with everyone that communicates with you; establish conversations, ask questions, respond to questions, etc. Discussions and relationships encourage people to return to your page, thereby building a meaningful community.

Be Authentic and Transparent

Be sincere and honest; be yourself. With Social Media displaying your profile, message and comments it is critical to your success that you are genuine and dependable.

Do Not Become a Nuisance

It’s generally agreed that spamming is bad, but it’s also important to avoid becoming a Keyboard Gangster, Envelope Pusher or a Social Saboteur. More about these different type in my new Social Media Report.

Collaborate

Social Media is a collective medium. This means that it uses the knowledge or wisdom of the whole group; not just a single individual. For that reason, information obtained in Social Media on Wikis or reviews is seldom entirely wrong. On the other hand, it’s often not 100% right. As a result, there is a strong need to work together, updating and constantly adding value to improve the quality of the content.

Add Value

Every member of a community must contribute his or her fair share. What is your contribution? Remember that contributions come in many different shapes and actions: providing information, being a resource, answering questions and redistributing information.

Consider Opportunities in the Long Tail

In Social Media, every service offering has some degree of value. It’s not always wise to just focus on the few services that command a high frequency of interest among a few niche groups and the requisite competition that introduces other service providers. As technology continues to erode communication barriers, value will also come from the many niche groups in “the tail” that demonstrate interest in services that conventional (competing) service providers would otherwise consider having little value.
These are extracts from the new Swanepoel SOCIAL MEDIA Report 2010 written by Stefan Swanepoel (author of 15 books including the annual Swanepoel TRENDS Report) and Mel Aclaro founder of MindBridj.com, a company servicing web video solutions for speakers, trainers and coaches. This Report is due for publication on October 12th and can be ordered at the RealSure Online Bookstore.

Hot Real Estate News for the Greater Lansing, Michigan Real Estate market on the Proposed New Home Buyer Tax Credit

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:25:23 -0500

Here's some hot real estate news for the Greater Lansing, Michigan Real Estate market on the proposed new Home buyer Tax Credit. According to an article written by Bloomberg the U.S. Senate leaders moved closer to an agreement replacing an expiring $8,000 tax credit for first- time home buyers with a smaller one that would expand access to so-called step-up purchasers.

The Senate deal would reduce the size of the tax credit to 10 percent of the sale’s price, capped at $7,290. The credit would be available on home purchases that are under contract by April 30, 2010 and borrowers would have 60 days more to close the sale. The existing credit is due to end Nov. 30.

UPDATE: Move up buyers capped at $6500.00 Deal Sealed

The new agreement, which is still being negotiated and may change, would grant the credit to borrowers who have lived in their current home for at least five years. Lawmakers want to keep home sales from slipping as the economy struggles to recover from the worst drop in home prices since the Great Depression. Economists say a recovery in housing is a key to rebuilding the confidence and finances of American consumers, whose spending makes up 70 percent of the world’s largest economy.

The demand for new homes and condominiums may increase by “more than two times because you’re allowing step-up buyers into the equation,” said Andrew Parmentier, a managing partner at Height Analytics, a research firm in Washington. “ You just opened up a whole new pool of people who can buy into those empty homes and empty condos that were built out.”

The Bloomberg article went on to say:

The income eligibility for first-time home buyers would remain the same at $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples. The income criteria for step-up buyers would be $125,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.

This is an opportunity for those sellers who have been sitting on the sidelines in the Greater Lansing real estate market to take advantage of selling their home, and moving up to more space for the growing family. Regardless of values coming down over the past 3 years, sellers who are moving up, should be able to pick up the loss on the new purchase, in addition to a tax credit if qualified. Keep in mind that if you have considered moving, now is the time to plan ahead.

Buying or selling a home in today's real estate market can be complicated without having the proper expertise and guidance throughout the process. Visit MikeBowler .com for additional tips to assist you.

“Expect the Best” Mike

DropBox: Wonderful Advancement for the Real Estate Industry

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:01:39 -0500

Dropbox, a cross-platform file-syncing tool, has now made it’s way to the iPhone and iPod touch, complete with offline file viewing for professionals who need access to files on the run. This will be a wonderful advancement for the real estate industry to use for documents and listing information.

Once installed on your device, Dropbox for iPhone provides access to all your Dropbox files, allows you to view any file supported by your iPhone (including documents, photos, music, and video), uploads any photo or video you’ve taken on your device to your Dropbox account, and lets you save any file as a favorite for offline viewing. If you want to share a file in your Dropbox with someone else, the application can generate an email with a link directly to the file.

I tested this on my iPhone last night with a sellers price change form and it worked fantastic. I can see how this will really be a benefit to Realtors who are already taking advantage to forms online. You can use it for sharing photos, forwarding a disclosure form, or line side to a prospective purchaser, and many, many other ways to go green and paperless.

Dropbox is revolutionizing the way that people think about and access their files. In particular, they make it easy to securely share files with other people, sync them across multiple computers, access them from anywhere, and keep them safe.

Drop Box has been featured in publications like the New York Times and TechCrunch, and have won awards from places like PC Magazine.

As you discover new ways for Realtors, and real estate ancillary businesses to use this program, send me your thoughts to share with others. I can see Dropbox for the iPhone being a great collaboration here for title companies, mortgage, and home inspectors, as well as appraisers and Realtors.

Worried about security? Dropbox uses secure servers. Put your files into your Dropbox on one computer, and they’ll be instantly available on any of your other computers that you’ve installed Dropbox on (Windows, Mac, and Linux too!) Because a copy of your files are stored on Dropbox’s secure servers, you can also access them from any computer or mobile device using the Dropbox website.

Well, I need to go organize my fies on my desktop, so I can start using this great new program on my iPhone today, while on the run.

“Expect the Best” Mike

Greater Lansing Real Estate Market Can Be Complex However Pending Home Sales Are Up

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:23:31 -0500

The Greater Lansing Michigan real estate market showed a substantial increase in pending and closed sales for weekending October 13, 2009 over last year the same week according to GLAR.

Pending home sales have increased for seven straight months, the longest in the series of the index which began in 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

It's nice to see positive news for buyers, sellers and Realtors. The 3rd quarter real estate market report does not exactly illustrate much good news with the exception of lower inventories and additional units sold. Pricing in the greater Lansing area is still coming down to reality and should begin to stabilize over the next few months. You can obtain the entire 14 page Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood Quarterly report on my site at the 3rd Quarter Report Link.

I am prepared to employ the latest techniques and services for your benefit, just like you've grown to expect from a professional. Real estate transactions are complex, involve large assets and demand competent representation. Marketing properties, home selection and financing are just a few of the skills today's consumer looks for when they select a real estate professional. I am prepared to offer my clients the knowledge and expertise to counsel them in relocating, buying, investing or selling the family home.

In today's market, you need someone who knows what they're doing and will work hard to get the job done. My knowledge of the real estate market, negotiating skills, and ability to listen to clients' needs and desires keep me ahead of my competition.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Greater Lansing Real Estate Real Estate Market Statistics Can Better Set Client Expectations

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:06:50 -0500

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood released the 3rd Quarter 2009 Market Report today that showed some positive statistics and comparisons that will aid sellers in the greater Lansing real estate market with sound pricing decisions when it comes to marketing their home. This report also breaks down areas by school district to assist buyers and sellers. Here are some highlights of the 14-page report.

Units Sold increased 8% compared to 2009 3rd Quarter

• This has been the 6th consecutive quarter that Units Sold have increased since April 1, 2008

Sold Values

• The 4.16% decrease has been the slowest paced decrease since October 1 2005 when values decreased 2.9%

• Values began to fall in July 2005 with the market decrease was first reported in October 2005 at a minus 4.5% and the highest decrease reported in October 2006 at a minus 23.47%

Available Listings

• Listings have continuously decreased in availability since April 2008
Market Surplus

• The Market Surplus of 7 months has not been this low since October 2005 when there was a 6 month surplus. The highest peak since October 2005 was a 16 months surplus in April 2008

If the market shift continues, particularly with the increase of units sold and the decrease of available listings the Buyer’s Market may soon be over. You can get the complete report at here by selecting the 3rd Quarter Market Report Navigation Button on MikeBowler.com

More Good News for Michigan

The Michigan Association of Realtors reported today: In Michigan, the home buyer tax credit has brought in an additional 20,000 buyers into the market and 75,400 first-time buyers will be able to take advantage of the tax credit. Detailed, state-by-state information is not available on first-time buyers, but using national information from the 2009 Home Buyer and Seller Survey available in preliminary format, we can estimate the impact in a state.

According to NAR, Michigan existing home sales in the second half of 2008 were 151,200 at a seasonally adjusted annual rate. In the first half of 2009 they were 163,200. If sales continue this trajectory, as they are expected to do nationally, they could reach 173,600 for the year in Michigan in 2009. If the share of first time home buyers in the market is similar to the national share, first time buyers will have purchased 60,480 homes at a seasonally adjusted annual rate in the second half of 2008 and will purchase 76,704 for the year 2009. Because the tax credit is only in effect for 11 months out of the year, the estimated impact of the credit is an increase of 20,000 first-time buyers. 75,400 first-time buyers in the state of Michigan are expected to be able to take advantage of the credit.

Real estate transactions are complex, involve large assets and demand competent representation. Marketing properties, home selection and financing are just a few of the skills today's consumer looks for when they select a real estate professional. I am prepared to offer my clients the knowledge and expertise to counsel them in relocating, buying, investing or selling the family home.

“Expect the Best” Mike

REALTORS: What's Wrong With This Picture, Who's Responsible for YOUR Education

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:01:15 -0500

As I look at this chart from a recent survey taken by NAR that was sent to 47,000 Realtors, and received 1,189 completed surveys back, I am shocked, yet not surprised. This number is large enough for overall responses to be considered statistically valid. I see some odd responses that tell me things could be out of whack when it comes to where we learn about Technology for real estate. Look it over and tell me your thoughts. I have made 6 observations below the chart.

1. First and foremost is it disappointing that only 1189 Realtors responded, however apathy and lack of getting with the program could be a topic for another day. I might just add that it shows how sick our industry is right now.

2. The purpose and responsibility of NAR and local Associations is not to educate our membership when it comes to sales skills, marketing, and tools of the trade, however, it is a welcomed service that has been provided for many years through designation courses and other means. It is really each real estate agents responsibilityy to continue their education and each brokers responsibility to make sure they do so. Franchises have looked to training and education as a profit center over the past 20+ years as they have continued to offer less value for the franchise fees being charged to companies affiliated.

3. Notice that 57% depend on colleagues and 38% Friends to educate them on technology. The true reason these numbers are there is that agents are light years ahead of brokers when it comes to changes in the tech world, however, in most cases, it's the blind leading the blind. Anyone who really has their head in the business would not be depending on the agent sitting next to them to teach them technology. They would be going to seminars, workshops, and Association sponsored events that would provide them the correct tools and education. However, since when is it the Associations responsibility to train agents? (Not saying it's wrong, just asking, who's really responsible?

4. Note that 59% get most of their information from real estate related websites. I am guessing that RISMedia, Inman News, Mashable, Real Trends, Trulia, BloodhoundBlog, and many other great resources make up the majority of this information. I wonder how many agents are getting to these sites as a result of Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook? I think most of them.

5. Real estate training has become big business and plenty of great resources are available. Note that Trade shows and State Associations rank toward the bottom of the chart. This tells me that as we begin to consolidate MLS systems throughout the states and local boards, more responsibility will depend on State Associations to offer more affordable state conventions, services, and affordable trade shows in the future. By getting rid of the fluff and entertainment and offering statewide MLS services with IDX they would be able to provide professional training at the 3-4 regions in each state. (Topic for another day) In other words reduce the 40+ local associations to 3-4 strong regional boards covering each state.

6. The fact is, agents are more independent, expect higher commission splits from their broker, and no longer can depend on the broker for services due to economic cuts and lack of expertise; would support Statewide Associations taking on the duty of providing top notch education for a profit, with the services of professional training companies that will attract additional revenue.

OK, I am thinking outside of the box here, however, that's my motive. To get you thinking. The world is getting smaller. We have what we need at our fingertips, we have webinars (web conferencing), Blog talk radio, Blogs, YouTube, Wikis, and many other resources. State Associations could offer larger group education with better attendance in regional locations. This is my opinion only, and not the conclusion of the report. It is only my conclusion, based on reading the report. You can read the NAR survey on the Realtor.org site. What's your thoughts?

"Expect the Best" Mike

Buying a Home Can be an Emotional, Time-Consuming, and Complex Process

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:56:58 -0500

Buying a home can be an emotional, time-consuming, and complex process. There are a few things that you can do to help make the process go as smooth as possible:

1. Check your credit.
Before you apply for a home loan, regardless of your credit, it’s a smart idea to obtain a copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus and review the information. If there are errors or things that need to be addressed, it’s easier to address them before you have found a house, than after you have found a house and are trying to close your loan.

If you know that there are a few blemishes on your credit, let your lender know what they are, why they are there, and why you are a still good credit risk. Lenders look at your credit to determine how likely you will pay back the loan. If you had extenuating circumstances - like a loss of a job or medical bills - let them know so that they understand that it is not likely to happen again in the future.

2. Get approved before you buy.
An approval means that a lender has reviewed your credit history, verified your assets and employment, and has approved your loan before you have found a home to purchase. As long as the home appraises for at least the purchase price, the loan should close.

Getting approved also gives you an advantage over other buyers. Your firm approval makes it easier for you to negotiate on the price of a home, than a person who is not approved or is pre-qualified.

While getting pre-qualified may sound official, it is really just getting an idea of what you can afford. Its having a person plug in a few numbers that you give them - your monthly income and your monthly debt - and getting an approximate payment calculated. From the payment, the calculator can approximate the house price range that you can afford. No information is verified. Because your assets, income or credit is not verified, a pre-qualification has little value when purchasing a home.

3. Find a great buyer’s agent.
Traditionally real estate agents represent the sellers in a transaction. When you are not working with a buyer’s agent, they are less likely to negotiate the best price or contingencies for you.

A buyer’s agent’s job and fiduciary responsibility (meaning legal duty) is to you, the buyer. Before working with an agent, establish if they are a buyer’s agent or a seller’s agent. After spending a lot of time with a Realtor, it’s natural to feel like you’re a team. But if they are not negotiating for you, then they are not on your team.

For the remaining 3 steps, simply download the full report and they will be emailed to you !

“Expect the Best” Mike

Greater Lansing Renters BEWARE of Scams from Craigslist Con Artists

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:31:10 -0500

There seems to be a surge of cons invading the Greater Lansing area lately with properties that are listed for sale by Realtors on Craigslist, being snatched up and re-advertised for rent by people overseas.

The Rent Scammers are attempting to get potential renters to make a deposit prior to even getting keys to see the property. Believe it or not, some people are falling for this con game. I recently had two of my listings that were being advertised, copied and offered for rent, including the pictures. Those who were suspicious of the London accent, poor email vocabulary, and idea of sending money were questionable enough to contact me directly after checking Google. The scumbag con artist is even using my name and setting up a fake email account to communicate with the potential victims.

Although Craigslist was very prompt in pulling the ads after we have reported, I must have received a dozen calls from people who were questioning the rent of $800.00, being so cheap for a home that was priced at $214,000.00. Craigslist also put warnings out to the public that have been displayed at the top of rental ads. What more could they do, you may ask? Craigslist is one of the most popular portals generating 20 billion page views per month by over 50 million people just in the USA. That's why Realtors like myself advertise and syndicate our listings to them.

The Craigslist Forum has also issued warnings for sometime on this old scam that has been taking place around the country for the past 2-3 years. Below you will find a list to think back on, if you plan to use Craigslist in the future, which I would highly recommend you do use, however, with the some caution as anything else on the Internet.

You can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense rules:

DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on craigslist.

NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.

FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.

CRAIGSLIST IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions; provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification"

NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)

AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION.

I know the people that I had an opportunity to talk with on the phone about this rental scam felt somewhat victimized and threatened by this incident as well as myself. It gives you a sick feeling to think that somebody is using your identity to con others and take advantage of people. I hope the Attorney general, FBI, and other agencies that have been notified and are well aware of these situations, figure out ways to capture them and do justice. Once they do, someone else will come along with another great deal, that's to good to be true. So, buyers beware and get professional help when needed.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Serving the Greater Lansing Real Estate Market for 31 Years

Buyers and Sellers Need Professional Consulting - Greater Lansing, Michigan Real Estate Market

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:59:25 -0500

Buyers and Sellers need professional consulting in a challenging real estate market like we have experienced the past few years in the greater Lansing area. Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. There are many negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings.

Buying a home can be an emotional, time-consuming, and complex process. There are a few things that you can do to help make the process go as smooth as possible. Number one is consulting with a Realtor to obtain all the tools and advice needed to make a smart purchase that will not have disappointing surprises prior to the closing. Attached here you will find four helpful reports on buying a home, which will give you some insight to get started.

Selling a home requires top notch marketing by qualified responsible professionals who understand syndication of properties, search engine optimization, and how to obtain additional exposure using social media, like Blogging, Twitter, and pinging.

In todays real estate market sellers should also expect a complete written report on recent market statistics, that include competiing properties, Solds, and those that did not sell. A Realtor can provide information on market current conditions ike mortgage interest rates, legal issues and year to date information on what is happening in the marketplace. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, a shorter amount of time, and with minimum hassle.

Recommend repairs or cosmetic work will enhance the salability of your property. First and lasting impressions will net more money for sellers who have shown pride of ownership in their home with clean, spacious rooms, basements, and garage's.

By precreening, providing a pre-approval for a morgage, and consulting potential purchasers with what's involved to buy a home in advance, a professional real estate agent can help prevent unqualified buyers from putting sellers through the emotional roller coaster of time delays and surprises of unworthy credit. A Realtor can objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing

Lastly it's important to have a real estate professional that has a positive attitude, has experienced tough times, knows the market, understands Internet technology, real estate law, has negotiation skills and someone who is not shy about being brutally honest with you about your real estate challenges. You can visit MikeBowler.com for additional ideas on selling your home or search all properties in the greater Lansing, Michigan area.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
Emailto:Mike@MikeBowler.com

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The Greater Lansing Area is a Great Place to Live, Work, and Play

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:01:07 -0500

The Greater Lansing area is a great place to live, work, and play. Here's some events taking place you and your family may be interested in attending in September and October. It's a great way to get involved in our community and your neighborhoods. The real estate market is showing signs of increased sales over the past 2 months and will bring new neighbors into our community. Be sure to welcome your new neighbors, they will appreciate your kindness. Have a great week.

Lansing Riverfest - Riverbanks near Impressions 5 9/19/2009 3:00 PM - 12:00 AM

Michigan State University vs. Notre Dame in Notre Dame 9/19/2009 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Willie Nelson and Family Live In Concert Wharton Center for Performing Arts-Cobb Great Hall 9/24/2009 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Abrams Planetarium- The Little Star That Could 9/27/2009 2:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Fall Adopt-A-River Clean Up Project - Impression 5 Science Center 10/11/2009 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

“Expect the Best” Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
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Realtors, and Home Renters Beware, of Rental Scams Lansing, Michigan Area

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:37:55 -0500

The scams and cons are out trying to rent out Realtors listings by running ads on CraigsList and who know where else. They tell the prospective tenant that they are out of the country right now and to fill out an application and send a deposit. I have one of my properties for sale right now that brought me a number of calls from people questioning the legitimacy of the ad. These frauds are dumb enough to only ask about half what the property would rent for, even if it was for lease. Here's an example of how they operate and what to do in the event you're interested.

To report fraud or a scam in the state of Michigan from Lansing to Detroit, contact the Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau or one of the Federal, state or local agencies listed.

Here's a list of safety precautions you can take from http://RentalScams.org who listed these in October of last year.

There are commonalities with all rental scam emails. Below are some tips when dissecting a rental scam email.

Does the email start out with Sir / Madam?
Are there misspellings in the email?
Are there character mistakes in the email? i.e Hello,my nameis Susie.
Is there excessive capitalization?
Does the email reference God, UK, Cashiers Check, Doctor, Nigeria, Reverend, etc.
Is the email from a free email provider. i.e gmail, yahoo, aol, hotmail.
Does the email refer to another person or agent?
Does the email reference wanting to move in site unseen?

If the email has a majority of these commonalities, then the chances are very good it is a scammer. If you are unsure, it is best to not reply to the email.

Remember to do business with those who are local, have a good reputation and who you can meet personally.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
Search Listings

Housing Affordability is at Highest Level in 18 years, Good News for Greater Lansing

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:56:03 -0500

The National Association of Home Builders Organization released a new report recently that indicated housing affordability reaching an 18-year high due to low interest rates and pricing. Lansing - East Lansing Michigan was included as one of the most affordable areas topped by Indianapolis. That information comes with local good news that pending and closed sales are also up this week over last year at this time in the greater Lansing real estate market. (See Chart below)

The National Association of Realtors also had a press release last week indicating a strong gain in existing-home sales. These headlines and reports are very welcome and positive signs that there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. "A combination of first-time buyers taking advantage of the housing stimulus tax credit and greatly improved affordability conditions are contributing to higher sales," said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist.

The tax credit provides an outstanding opportunity for homebuyers. A tax credit of up to $8,000 is available for qualified first-time homebuyers purchasing a principal residence before December 1, 2009. Time is running out to meet the deadline for buyers on this program, which ends December 1, 2009, (unless extended.)

Buyers and sellers in the greater Lansing, Michigan real estate market have many new tools, programs and other options available to them, provided they seek the proper guidance before buying a home or marketing a home, and throughout the transaction. Real estate transactions are complex, involve large assets and demand competent representation. Marketing properties, home selection and financing are just a few of the skills today's consumer needs to expect when they select a real estate professional.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
Search Listings

Events for the Entire Family in the Greater Lansing, Michigan Area This September!

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 05:58:46 -0500

Wow, we are heading for the autumn season already here in the greater Lansing, Michigan area and have had some great events taking place in our towns and suburban communities all summer. Here's a run down on what's coming up in September for you and your family to take part in. Hope to see you there.

September 9-13 Frontier Days Charlotte
Pioneer-spirited guests will enjoy this annual event featuring one of mid-Michigan's largest parades, a championship rodeo, flea market, more than 250 arts and crafts exhibits, an old-fashioned saloon and more!

September 17-20 Down Home Days Mason
Check out fall colors and join Mason folks for an outdoor concert Thursday, family walk Friday, and Saturday's 150-vendor craft show on the historic Ingham County Courthouse Square and so much more!

September 18-19 Old Town BluesFest Old Town Lansing
Old Town BluesFest is a two-day free festival bringing regional and national blues acts to over 15,000 people. Located in Lansing's historic Old Town and offering galleries, boutiques and vendors of ethnic food, arts and crafts.

September 26 Capital City African American Parade and Heritage Festival
Lansing - The 10th annual parade will take place in downtown Lansing at 11 a.m., followed by a reunion picnic at Ferris Park. Enjoy ethnic foods, craft exhibits, games and more!

The greater Lansing area communities are a great place to live work, and play. I would encourage you to visit the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau throughout the year for additional updated information on our neighborhood events. If you are new to the area and need information on our communities or real estate, feel free to visit my website below.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
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Greater Lansing Michigan Home Sellers Have an Additional Tool Available

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:31:51 -0500

Greater Lansing home sellers have an additional tool available that helps expose their property to more buyers using the iPhone on the go for searching properties. Here's an example of how the application works. In addition to having a Realtor who understands real estate syndication, Internet marketing, and search engine optimization, this should be a requirement sellers should add to their list of expectations when listing their house with an agent.

A Real Estate Professional must meet the needs and expectations of the Connected Consumer. The rules of business are changing in our industry, with nearly 90% of all buyers searching the Internet prior to contacting an agent. It is imperative that practitioners of our business become savvy on what is available to them for marketing real estate.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
Search Listings

10 Reasons Real Estate Agents Need to Meet the Needs and Expectations of the Connected Consumer

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:21:33 -0500

I asked this question on LinkedIn a few weeks back: Do you think Real Estate Professionals are meeting the needs and expectations of the Connected Consumer.

Many comments that came back that set the tone for future educational goals and plans and are worth there weight in gold for real estate agents and all businesses to make a list, get on board, and begin your marketing plan when it comes to web2 marketing.

Here's the comments:
1. it is true that precious few real estate agents are embracing Web 2.0.

2. We need to match resources to consumer behavior in order to reach buyers and gain greater exposure for sellers.

3. I believe Brokers and Agents are definitely not doing enough to re-educated themselves and there is a large disconnect especially with First Time Buyers and older agents.

4. Clients want instant communication and functionality from their agents.

5. I don't think a Broker/Realtors challenge is as much to re-educate themselves as it is to KEEP UP with and provide the latest tools & technology to their team

6. I see a shake-out in this industry. The survivors will blend their traditional inter-person skills with the evolving technologies. Its a simple professional reality... one day at a time.

7. Change is constant in the housing industry, including in the mortgage arena, and if you embrace it with open arms good things will usually happen.

8. We are living in an era where we have at least five distinct generations in the workplace and in our customer base.

9. Those in the industry who learn to keep pace, to use technology as a tool to reach and serve some of the needs of our clientele, will be successful.

10. You must start understanding that E-consumers are your future, and necessary for your survival in such a volatile market. They are necessary for your business to be a success!

I could have listed several more comments here, but I'm sure you get the point or you would not be reading this. See the complete set of answers here on LinkedIn and forward this on to a few of your friends in the business, they will be grateful.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
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Good Reason for Sellers in the Greater Lansing Real Estate Market to Prepare Well

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:16:54 -0500

According to a recent article published by RISMedia; nearly half of brokers polled for a Coldwell Banker survey last year found that affordability was the No. 1 concern for first-time buyers, 81% said move-in conditions were very important to these buyers. Only 7% said first-time buyers were looking to purchase fixer-upper homes that they could buy on the cheap and renovate.

That's good reason for sellers in the greater Lansing real estate market to prepare wellto show your home off at it's best when selling. You can do that by making small cosmetic improvements, minor renovations, home staging, competitive pricing, ease of showings, and other small gestures that contribute to a more inviting home tour for potentially interested home buyers.

Fresh paint, chalking, clean fixtures, well landscaped yards and attractive odors go along way in selling a home in today's market. Your home is one of if not the biggest investment in a family's life and should not be taken lightly. Your motivation to sell usually drives everything in a good marketing plan. If you are motivated, then your cooperation increases, and as a result, your property can become much desired.

Home values in the greater Lansing real estate market are showing a lot of volatility in today's market, The key to success is to stand out from the competition. Being competitive includes staging your home to sell, pricing it better than the others, and offering the best value. Motivation usually drives everything.

Buying or selling a home in today's greater Lansing, Michigan real estate market can be complicated without having the proper expertise and guidance throughout the process. Community information - about services, restaurants, parks, things to do, tourist information, local government and issues, buildings, and development projects, are only a few of the many services you should expect from your Realtor. You can obtain additional information on buying and selling at my website.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Mike Bowler Sr. ePRO, CRB, GRI, SRES
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
1020 S. Creyts Road, Lansing, MI 48917
Phone: 517-492-3400 Fax: 888-832-6203
email: Mike@MikeBowler.com
Website for Clients: MikeBowler.com
Search Listings

Classic Music, Real Estate and Twitter - Say What?

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 09:25:22 -0500

Chopin, Nocturne, opus 27 #2, solo piano is a wonderful piece to listen to with my headphones on, as I write this post this morning. I like great music and this is very relaxing. You might be asking yourself, what all this has to do with real estate, Blogs, social networking for business, or anything else for that matter.

I would have never discovered this masterpiece without Twitter. You see, one of my tweets recommended listening to it, so I took a look and now, I have something I can bookmark to listen to again. (It's a small gift for someone I don't know for nothing in return. However, by thanking them for the link and recommendation, I have discovered that they were also interested in real estate investing, and their hometown happens to be East Lansing, Michigan (Home of the mighty MSU Spartans).

That's how Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and many other social networking sites work. I have sent a tweet back, thanking this party for the wonderful link of beautiful music, told them I noticed they were from East Lansing, and included a link on the current real estate market for their information. I also took the time to RT (retweet their post to share with my followers).

Within five minutes, I had someone tweeting me back with a mention that they thought this was a beautiful piece of music, and thanks for sharing. They also indicated that while reading my profile, they discovered, I sell real estate. (Now isn't that cool)

Last month, about 45 Lansing area Tweeters had a Tweetup at Biggby's in East Lansing at 9 a.m. in the morning. It was kind of neat to put a face and personality to what we have normally pickup in 140 character or less on Twitter. This was only the 3rd event that I have taken time to attend in the greater Lansing area, however, I have met some womderful people from all walks of life.

Is Twitter a fad? Some people think so. I happen to believe it's the next dial tone of communication and will continue to evolve the way we exchange ideas, network, and develop friendships. By the way, it's a great marketing tool for real estate also in addition to the other tools, portals, websites and social networking sites I use for marketing homes.

"Expect the Best Mike

How's the Real Estate Market in Greater Lansing, Michigan?

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:56:53 -0500

How's the Real Estate Market in Greater Lansing, Michigan?
I get asked that question almost everyday. It's unbelievable, I say. It is unbelievable. Now, you can take that either way, positive or negative. Being the eternal optimist that I am, I chose to be positive that things are getting better.

Homes are selling if priced correctly, prepared properly, and marketed throughout the Internet with plenty of syndication, active portals and websites, and promoted with plenty of photos.

Just look at what's happening in sales Year to Date compared to last year based on the latest GLAR stats:

Note: that Listings are down, and sales up, which means inventory will begin to drop as more and more buyers continue to take advantage of the lowest interest rates in years and attractive pricing.

Buying or selling a home in today's greater Lansing, Michigan real estate market can be complicated without having the proper expertise and guidance throughout the process. Community information - about service - restaurants, services, parks, things to do, tourist stuff, local government and issues, buildings, and development projects, are only a few of the many services you should expect from your Realtor. Visit http://mikebowler.com for tips that will assist you.

"Expect the Best" Mike