real estate: Turning Back Time Before the Real Estate Meltdown by Bob Boog
- 09/07/09 08:23 AM
What if I could turn back time and elect you as president of the United States. The date is now September 7, 2004, and you have been able to keep all your present day knowledge. Question: will you do something to stop the zero-down, no income verification real estate loans? Or will you just let things run their course? You know these loans are bad and you have the power to stop the practice of issuing them. Are you brave enough to use your power, knowing that by doing so, you will help avert the greatest fiscal crises in the history … (0 comments)
real estate: The US Health Care System Bubble
- 08/29/09 11:30 AM
The US Health Care System Bubble by Bob Boog I'm a real estate broker, and for the last four or five years people used to ask me when I thought the real estate market bubble would pop. When the bubble did pop, most experts looked back and attributed the red-hot demand to baby-boomers, (people born from 1940 - 1965). The demand for homes by baby-boomers, they said, helped caused prices to rise out of control- until the bubble popped. Similarly, another bubble is in the making in the health care system. Back in 2006, it was estimated that there were 67 million "baby-boomers." It was estimated that for every day for … (0 comments)
real estate: What happens in the pub, stays in the pub
- 07/31/09 06:13 AM
Dear Bob, I enjoy your sense of humor so I thought you might like this true story. I was in the pub yesterday when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to fart. The music was really, really loud, so I timed my farts with the beat. After a couple of songs, I started to feel better. I finished my pint and noticed that everybody was staring at me. Then I suddenly remembered: I was listening to my iPod. -Randal Sent to me via email. God i love that dry British humor! … (5 comments)
real estate: A Really Bad Day
- 07/17/09 11:11 AM
There was this guy at a bar, just looking at his drink. He stays like that for half of an hour. Then, this big trouble-making truck driver steps next to him, takes the drink from the guy, and just drinks it all down. The poor man starts crying. The truck driver says, "Come on man, I was just joking. Here, I'll buy you another drink. I just can't stand to see a man cry." "No, it's not that. This day is the worst day of my life! First, all night I can't sleep, and my alarm doesn't wake me. As a result, I arrive late … (0 comments)
real estate: Three Reasons why Loan Mods Cost So Much
- 06/10/09 09:08 AM
Many homeowners interested in reducing their monthly payments are turning to their trusted real estate agent, lawyer or mortgage broker to help them modify the terms of their mortgages and won't blink an eye when learning that the average loan mod fee is between $2,495 -$8,500. (Actually, the fee in California may be even higher - the maximum allowable fee is 10 percent of the loan balance.) Hold on a minute. If you stop to think about it, ten percent of the loan balance is a lot of money! If the loan balance is $500,000, for example, ten percent is $50,000! That's a lot of money! So … (0 comments)
real estate: A Cool Website for Crime Stats
- 05/16/09 06:30 AM
If you are thinking about purchasing a home in a neighborhood, or just plain nosey about the petty thefts, sexual assualts and shoplifting arrests in your neighborhood, check out this website: http://www.crimereports.com About seven in ten female rape or sexual assault victims stated the offender was an intimate, other relative, a friend or an acquaintance. Seventy-four percent of males and 48% of females stated the individual(s) who robbed them was a stranger. Intimates were identified by the victims of workplace violence as the perpetrator in about 1% of all workplace violent crime. About 40% of the victims of nonfatal violence in … (0 comments)
real estate: Do You Follow the Rule of Fair Exchange?
- 05/15/09 05:50 AM
One of the ways we get people to say "Yes" is by following the rule of fair exchange in both our business and personal lives. In business, give more value than expected. Give more value than money exchanged. Give more value in hand-outs, phone calls, and other marketing efforts. For example, in real estate it's more than just handing out a flyer that announces, "Jeanni Jones closed another short sale. If you need help with short sales, call Jeanni Jones at 555-5555." Not that it's bad... It's just that a better flyer might be: "Jeanni Jones closed another short sale. If … (0 comments)
real estate: Do You Bring Up Objections Before they Surface?
- 05/11/09 11:28 AM
A psychological technique that helps to motivate people to take action is this one: Answer Objections Before they Surface. When a salesperson does this properly, it lowers resistance and makes it easier for someone to purchase. Why does it work? Because a lot of salespeople think that if they don't bring up an objection, a prospect won't be thinking about it. WRONG! Whenever you are trying to sell a product or service, there is usually a flaw in it. After all, most things are not perfect. Sometimes the flaw is obvious, like a property that needs carpet and paint. But sometime's it's not so obvious, … (0 comments)
real estate: Inspiration for You from the Kentucky Derby
- 05/04/09 10:08 AM
Inspiration for You from the Kentucky Derby by Bob Boog People often find inspiration from sporting events, and this weekend there were several such events to choose from. The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Detroit Red Wings in triple overtime. In the sporting world, hockey's triple overtime has to rank with the sporting worlds most exhilarating and intense minutes ever. In Los Angeles, the Dodgers posted their tenth home victory breaking a record that had stood for over 60 years. Sixty years, that's quite a long time! In Las Vegas, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao knocked out British fighter … (1 comments)
real estate: How to Be a Millionaire
- 05/02/09 11:40 AM
I received this email, and wanted to share it with you. It's pretty long, so here are just 6 of his tips. If you like it, I might post the rest! Here goes: Dear Bob,
I am a millionaire and own a company that I created that is currently worth at least $7 million. I earn an income of over a half a million dollars a year, and started 22 years ago with a degree in Philosophy and a borrowed pencil. I have been exploring prosperity ideas as well as learning and teaching them for the past 20 years. … (0 comments)
real estate: You know you're really broke when..
- 04/16/09 12:45 PM
Everybody could use a smile, right? Okay, well you know you're really broke when... At communion you go back for seconds. American Express calls and says, "Sorry, but you're gonna hafta leave home without it!" Sally Struthers sends you food. You rob Peter...and then you rob Paul.You say that you're gonna clean your house, but really you're just looking for spare change. You can't afford hot water for Top Ramen noodles.You decide to invest in a do-it-yourself dentistry kit. You're thinking of removing the metal plate in your head to bring it to the recycling center. Your idea of a delicious family meal is … (1 comments)
real estate: Is Renting a Cheap Apartment Better than Buying a Home?
- 03/13/09 12:34 PM
Recently, an article on Yahoo.com listed five reasons why renting beats buying a home. In his article, writer Jack Hough argued that renting a cheap apartment makes more financial sense for most people. As a realtor I don't completely disagree because homeownership may not be for everyone; however, I find that most people value homeownership for quality-of-life reasons. So here are my five reasons why buying a place might still be worth the price. 1. Less Crowded. Most of the cheaper apartment buildings in my area are also the most crowded in town. Some of them resemble giant, modern, beehives. Yes, … (2 comments)
real estate: Five Benefits of the Obama Housing Fix-It Plan
- 03/01/09 08:03 AM
Examining the Obama Housing Recovery Plan is like watching a foreign film. You may not understand it at first, but upon second glance, it starts to make sense. Here are the five main advantages: 1. The goal and main benefit is that it provides assistance to homeowners who wish to stay in their homes. The sour economy has made it tough for many homeowners to refinance because for most, their equity has dried up and they are unable to do so. This plan also helps those who want to do a loan modification but may have lost income due to the current recession … (0 comments)
real estate: My Predictions for 2009
- 01/22/09 08:13 AM
Past clients, current customers and others often ask me "How's the market doing?" or "Bob, what do you think is gonna happen this year?" It's popular water-cooler talk. So rather than repeat myself a thousand different times, I've decided to just post my predictions and let the chips fall where they may. Drum roll please... Unlike most real estate practitioners, I see the real estate market and the economy in general having a really good rally starting in May and extending from June- mid August. So expect the phone to ring by the end of February and throughout the month of March. The reason I say this has … (2 comments)
What if I could turn back time and elect you as president of the United States. The date is now September 7, 2004, and you have been able to keep all your present day knowledge.;)
;)
