green home realty: Things You Should Know Regarding "BOM" Listing Status - 06/03/13 05:06 AM
Back on Market (BOM) is a frequent status I see these days and I'm not surprised. Most often its due to a condition of the home which the Seller is not willing to repair when discovered by an inspection. On ocassion its a result of the Buyer not qualifying.  Regardless of why the house goes BOM, there are some important things Sellers and Buyers should consider.
1.  Disclosure - All previous inspection reports should be disclosed. The first thing I always is is, why did the deal fall apart?  If it was the Buyer, fine. But if it was a repairs … (8 comments)

green home realty: Are Buyer's Greedy? - 05/20/13 08:00 AM
I tend to work with many first time home buyers and I'm finding that in most cases they're saying things like......
My Lender said the Seller pays for Closing Costs If they didn't want to give up that flat screen maybe they should have removed it before listing the house. You said, what is attached is included, didn't you? No, I won't pay for the Survey. If the Seller wants to sell the house they should pay for it...... Yadi yadi yadi
Because I represent both Sellers and Buyers, on different transactions, and am a Certified Negotiation Expert, I can safely … (9 comments)

green home realty: Energy Efficient Mortgages On the Rise - 05/07/13 10:35 PM
What do EEMs and Utility rates have in common? Everything!
As energy rates rise, so does the demand for Energy Efficient Mortgages. But while FHA and VA are offering these, there is still resistence in the markeplace by lender and real estate practitioners. Why? Most likey due to lack of knowledge and expertise. After all, if you could buy a $250,000 house with an electric bill of $250/mo (avg yearly) verses a $260,000 house with a $45/mo electric bill, which house would you buy?
 
It's a no brainer, but lets look at the math to explain
for those who are … (3 comments)

green home realty: Should There Be a REALTOR Rating System? - 05/07/13 08:48 PM
 
If you think about it, most anything of value has a rating system. These days Yelp and Zagat seem to be pretty popular resources to evaluate a restaurant or business before giving patronage. Angie's List is a pretty good option but I don't like the business model being based on paid membership because that in itself taints the feedback. I've been told some people pay for an annual membership on behalf of another with the requirement that they post a good rating for them. Now of course the old standard. BBB still exists which is probably still considered the best … (12 comments)

green home realty: Earth Day Celebrations in San Antonio, Texas - 04/23/13 12:38 AM

Living in San Antonio has been a joy and I especially love our traditions and hill country views. One of the reasons I am passionate about green is to sustain our living for future generations to enjoy as well.  While it takes a village, a village is one person times many.  So this blog is for you, the one person, who thinks they aren't making enough of a difference or can't. 
Consider signing up for PracticallyGreen.com to learn more about your personal capabilities. Its a self-test of current green and ideas for improvement.
Want to save a little gas?  Buyers should  use … (5 comments)

green home realty: What's the Deal With Fiesta Pins? - 04/22/13 11:40 AM
 

As I sit and watch the 2013 Texas Cavalier's Parade I think about how wonderful it is to live in such a cultural and exciting city.  Founded in 1891, the World Famous Fiesta was kicked off to honor the events at the Alamo.
In 1906 the Queen of the Order of the Alamo was created to celebrate the honor of those who fell to the cause of Texas' independence.
In 1914 the Battle of the Flowers organization was created and hosts what is my favorite parade, held Friday during the day.
In 1926 we had the formation of the … (5 comments)

green home realty: Buyer Agency Do's and Dont's - 03/18/13 03:47 AM
BUYER AGENCY is a concept that rolled out back in the 80's when many buyers felt that they were not getting a fair deal in real estate transactions.  Many states, such as Texas, adopted the policy of INTERMEDIARY (assignment of duty to avoid conflict if Buyer and Seller roles are by the same real estate agency) while some states decided on DUAL AGENCY. But for some unknown reason, there are still many real estate agents that just don't get that BUYERS NEED A CONSULTATION TO UNDERSTAND BUYER REPRESENTATION.
GREEN HOME REALTY policy mirrors the TEXAS REAL ESTATE COMMISSION rule that all … (4 comments)

green home realty: Intentional Happiness Activities - 01/31/13 11:09 PM

Welcome Back! Okay well I'm assuming that you read part 1 that I wrote yesterday: 
The Happiness Formula - What Can You Control? Understanding how much control we have over our happiness, regardless of life circumstances, is an integral part of being happy.  I mentioned that although what we do is the smallest component of happiness, its the only component we can control therefore make it count.  The formula being: It's a simple mathematical equation - (SP + IA + C) = Happiness.  To be happy I must first understand my Set Point, know how my Circumstances are effecting me … (4 comments)

green home realty: The Happiness Formula - What Can You Control? - 01/31/13 10:27 PM
I'm reading "Successful Women Think Differently" by Ms. Valorie Burton, a Certified Personal & Executive Coach.  I find she writes well and is well researched; she;s backed by other material that I have read by others.
Valorie shares the Happiness formula, in the diagram (right), starting with the "Set Point." Nobody has any control over Set Point, which is where we start in life, it's genetic. You were born either an Optimist or a Pessimist and unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do to change that natural gravitation. However, Intentional Activity, which are the purposeful daily actions done intentionally to be … (10 comments)

green home realty: Year of the Snake - Asian New Year Festival 2013 - 01/28/13 09:16 PM
Being a military Brat I love exploring cultures. One of my favorite places to do that is right here in sunny, beautiful San Antonio, Texas - just another reason why to retire here!  If you too are military and are thinking about moving here, ask me about my "Military" promotion.
The UTSA Institure of Texan Cultures celebrates Asian New Year annually at its wide open indoor/outdoor facilty.  Bonus, while you are there you can explore the center itself, showcasing the many cultures that have settled in our great state of Texas. 
ASIAN NEW YEAR CELEBRATION
Saturday, February 16, 2013
UTSA Institute … (8 comments)

green home realty: Are You Stuck in a Box? - 01/28/13 08:28 PM
We've all heard that all-too-familiar saying, "Think Outside the Box," but what does that really mean?
Real Estate Coaches and Brokers say it, so Realtors buy into it - "Don't re-invent the wheel."  We farm by neighborhood, type - condo, multi-family, etc., we may even have a good SEO program with our website or blog, but do we ever really "Think Outside the Box? Shift our paradigm? If our Coach, Broker, and colleagues believe we should think one way, how can we actually explore something unique? 
I could share my shift but then I'd just be giving you a new  box. … (10 comments)

green home realty: The Tree to Paper Calculator - How Much Paper Does a Tree Produce? - 01/19/13 05:41 AM
I started an action plan to post a daily Green tip. One of my colleagues has suggested that I blog some that have heavier content so, for day 19 of 2013, How many trees do you save by recycling paper? Not much but when you consider everything helps, see below.
Green Tip Day 19 - When printing, save wasted or un-needed print outs for non-client based or inter-office communication printing. Factoid below! It is probably hard to get an exact number, but here is how I would start answer to this question: First, we have to define what a "tree" is. … (10 comments)

green home realty: Romeo & Juliet - May 1, 2013 - 01/15/13 05:54 AM
Wed, May 1, 2013
7:30pm
Majestic Theatre
(Courtesy of www.artsa.com)  
Mejia Ballet International’s program, “Romeo and Juliet,” will feature Mejia’s most popular works “Jeux” set to music by Claude Debussy, Webern Pieces set to music by Anton Webern, “Café Victoria” set to the Tango “Contrabajisimo” by Astor Piazzolla and “Romeo and Juliet” set to Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet fantasy overture.
Russian prima ballerina Olga Pavlova graduated from the famed Bolshoi Ballet Academy and has toured in more than 30 countries and danced principal roles in 54 ballets. Pavlova’s lyricism and warmth are wonderfully suited to the ill-fated Juliet. … (6 comments)

green home realty: Can Women Have It All? - 01/14/13 11:31 PM
An all too common discussion with women is the choice to work in the work place full-time, part-time, or to be a full-time mom. I came across an interesting blog post by Robert Kiyosaki, "Rich Dad Poor Dad" and truly appreciated that their writing team took the time to research from various perspectives. It made me think about my choices and the impact being in real estate has had on my own life. I'm writing this blog to share my story but mainly to hear about yours.  I find these types of posts inspirational. Please keep that in mind as I … (9 comments)

green home realty: Realtor Property Resource - The Listing Agent's Resource - 01/14/13 11:08 PM
I always try to share new stuff that I learn at seminars and workshops. I sat in a workshop during the Texas Realtor Convention and boy oh boy were there loads of etoys! I think my favorite take away is......
RPR! A Freebie on that!
https://www.narrpr.com/
What is it? Here's what NAR says:
Exclusively for REALTORS® RPR is an NAR member benefit that will be available to all REALTORS®. RPR is 100% owned by you, directed by you, and operated for the benefit of NAR and its members. Only REALTORS® can access the information available in RPR—there is no consumer access.
(6 comments)

green home realty: Should a Realtor Give Financial Advice? - 01/13/13 11:12 PM
Edited 04/29/2021
 
As Realtors we wear many hats, including but not limited to helping buyers prepare for the process of home buying, financially and emotionally. Buying a house is a big deal!   That means we pre-qualify them but to what extent do we go?
My Lady (Buyer Story)
I have been working with a highly intelligent but slightly scatter brained Buyer who emailed to me after an exhausting day of home touring:  "Thank you for all your hard work and time to show me homes today. I am sorry but I was offended and felt judged by your financial advice today.  I don't … (97 comments)

green home realty: 365 Green Tips for 2013 - 01/13/13 09:30 PM
Since I'm committed to using Facebook for PR, I decided on January 9th to post a daily GREEN Tip. To play catch up from Jan 1 to Jan 9, I posted 9 things you can do to green up your life. My good friend Scott Godzyk suggested I blog it because he really enjoyed how simple it is to make a few choices that will improve energy, air, and earth.  So, just for you Scott, here it is!
I'm going to start posting things to do to improve energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and eco friendly living. Since we are in … (2 comments)

green home realty: 2013 Housing Market Report - San Antonio, Texas - 01/08/13 11:17 PM
SAN ANTONIO'S HOUSING MARKET LOOKS BRIGHT!
The nation looks to San Antonio because we are one of the strongest markets in the country.  We seem to be buffered because we don't have bubbles, we don't inflate quickly or deflate quickly, rather we have a strong military and government presence that keeps us stable.
In recent years, however, our city and county government are actively recruiting corporations from other states so we are now seeing job growth in areas that we've not been associated. In fact, it's a myth that San Antonio's largest employment sector is travel; it's bio-medical.  Let's look at … (11 comments)

green home realty: What's a Bill Miller? - 12/18/12 11:08 PM

I moved to San Antonio, Texas in 1998 & began to notice Bill Miller BBQ signs on what seemed like every street corner. It has a pig, chicken, and cow on it. After taking the plunge and buying the family meal deal, I came to appreciate the value Bill Miller Bar-B-Que offers our city.
Every time I work with an out-of-town client they always ask the same thing, "What's a Bill Miller?" or "What's up with this Biller Miller restaurant?" as if its some type of cult restaurant (with 67 locations I used to have the same weird thought, and … (24 comments)

green home realty: "A Christmas Story" Live @ Woodlawn Theater - Review - 12/18/12 10:43 PM
If you are looking to start a new holiday tradition with your family or just looking for something fun to do, then check out A Christmas Story at Woodlawn Theatre.
I blogged "A Christmas Story" Live - Woodlawn Theatre, San Antonio Texas recently that I would come back and write a review since I purchased family tickets.
The cast starred Cutter Grant as Ralphie Parker, who stole the show with his unexpected sneezing causing some of the children in the show to laugh.   The actors are local, many of which trained by the Magik Children's Theatre. The show was cute, entertaining, and … (2 comments)