real estate: Land Contracts. A Good Deal or a Potential Disaster?
- 06/23/12 11:24 AM
Land Contracts. A Good Deal or a Potential Disaster? While buying a house on Land Contract sounds like a great idea, here are a few potential pitfalls to think about: There are a few things to consider before going after a land contract home. First, they usually require a 20% down payment or more. Most of the time, the lack of funds is the reason that you can't get a mortgage in the first place. The homeowner will require a credit check, references, W-2's, etc, just like a mortgage company would. So, if you've recently had a bankruptcy or foreclosure, it's … (16 comments)
real estate: I Can't Live Without My Mobile Device(s)
- 06/23/12 10:10 AM
I Can't Live Without My Mobile Device(s) The most important mobile device that I have has got to be my iPhone 4s. It’s amazing! I can check email, there are a ton of apps that I can use and I can hit all the regular social media stuff, making comments, uploading pictures, etc. The camera on it is awesome! I can actually use it for my listing photos. Haven’t had a complaint yet. Another cool thing about it is the video. It has some kind of hi-tech stabilization thing in it. Makes it less bouncy when you can’t quite hold still. … (8 comments)
real estate: Overrated and Underrated. June 17, 2012
- 06/17/12 07:39 AM
Overrated and Underrated. June 17, 2012 Overrated - Tony Romo. Dallas Cowboy quarterback and ex-Jessica Simpson girlfriend. He's decent when he's playing garbage teams but when it comes to the big game, he's out getting his nail done. Underrated - Sloppy Joe's. Made with turkey, of course, since I gave up red meat. They're easy to make, great as leftovers and just plain tasty. … (10 comments)
real estate: Who Do You Know...
- 06/14/12 10:16 AM
Who Do You Know... Cheesy. One thing I don't do is cheesy. This opening is cheesy. Of course everyone has their own opinion, and it might work awesome for you, but I have no interest in this. "Who do you know... who needs to buy or sell in the next 30 days?" "Who do you know... that could use my help in selling their house?" "Who do you know... at work that might be looking to purchase a house in the next few months?" I might not get as many referrals as the next agent, but I do alright. I'm not … (16 comments)
real estate: Overrated and Underrated. June 11, 2012
- 06/11/12 10:06 AM
Overrated and Underrated. June 11, 2012 Overrated - Changing your own oil. First off, I don't trust the $14.99 oil change guys. Every time I go to them, they tell me that somethings wrong. Every. Time. Doing it yourself might give you a good feeling, but I'd rather have that good feeling out on a golf course. What does changing your own oil save you? Maybe $5? But how much time does it take up? I know, I know. Some of you can do it in 15 minutes. Well, that's not me. I'll take mine to my mechanic and talk to … (19 comments)
real estate: Metro Detroit Home Buying FAQ: What Are the Steps to Buy a House?
- 06/09/12 08:28 AM
Metro Detroit Home Buying FAQ: What Are the Steps to Buy a House? Wow, that a pretty big question. I'll give you the "short" version. First, you meet with a Realtor®. That's me! Contact a Mortgage Professional. They'll ask a lot of questions and depending on the answers, they'll give you a pre-qualification, meaning based on what you told them, you'll be qualified for X amount mortgage. Tell them the truth. Always. The last thing any of us need is to go through the whole process and you not being able to actually get approved for a mortgage. I have a … (2 comments)
real estate: Where Can I Get a FREE Copy of my Credit Report?
- 06/09/12 07:29 AM
Here's a question I get a lot. "Where Can I Get a FREE Copy of my Credit Report?" If you do an online search, there are a lot of websites out there that say they'll give you a FREE credit report. Remember the commercials with the silly songs sung by a "band" in pirate outfits or whatever? Yeah, they're not "free." You have to give them your credit card information up front, then you get your "free" credit report, but if you don't cancel it within 30 days, they start billing you for some kind of credit monitoring. And they'll keep … (40 comments)
real estate: Is it a Buyers Market or a Sellers Market in Metro Detroit?
- 06/08/12 09:46 AM
Is it a Buyers Market or a Sellers Market in Metro Detroit? This is the question that’s on everyone’s mind. A lot of people still think it’s a Buyers Market in Metro Detroit. It’s not. Stop listening to the news. It’s been a changing market for a couple of years now, meaning it’s ended the Buyers Market part and has swung over to become a Sellers Market.
The biggest contributor of this is Supply & Demand. Inventory is very low, so the buyers have less to choose from. Because of this, it puts a premium on the homes that are … (11 comments)
This is a question that I got a couple of times recently. “Why didn’t you answer your phone?”
Well, there could be a few reasons:
Maybe I was in the middle of dinner with my family, friends or clients? It was 11:30 pm. Not many people should expect for me to answer my phone at that time. Matter of fact, 99% of the time, when I go to bed, I leave my phone in the kitchen. I could be on the golf course, taking a shower, … (13 comments)
Unless you mean like 97 or 98 pennies on the dollar. Even the days of “low-balling” are over. It’s just the way it is in this market. The best way to determine what to offer on a house is to have your Realtor do a market analysis and explain what other similar homes in the vicinity have sold for recently. You … (20 comments)
real estate: Metro Detroit First-Time Home Buyer – Step 3 Looking at Homes
- 06/03/12 08:52 AM
Metro Detroit First-Time Home Buyer – Step 3 Looking at Homes This is the fun part! We’ve already determined the areas you want to look, the “wants” and “needs” you want in a home and the approximate price range of the home you’re going to buy. Now what? We schedule a mutually convenient time to go out and walk through some homes that fit your criteria. Bring a pen and a notebook (or equivalent electronic gadget) to take notes! After viewing a few homes, some of the amenities run together. Did that first house have a covered porch or did … (4 comments)
real estate: Metro Detroit First-Time Home Buyer – Step 1 Meet with a Realtor®
- 06/03/12 08:16 AM
Metro Detroit First-Time Home Buyer – Step 1 Meet with a Realtor® The first step in starting the process of buying your first home is to sit down and talk with a Realtor®. This does a few things: You’ll have a lot of questions to ask, I’m sure. I can answer them for you. In the initial consultation, you’ll more than likely be overwhelmed at all the information in buying your first house. Don’t worry about that. I’ll explain everything in more detail as we move through each stage of the process.
Next, we’ll talk about your “wants” … (7 comments)
real estate: 300,000 points. What does it all mean?
- 05/21/12 10:19 AM
300,000 points. What does it all mean? First, it means that my months cost to blog on ActiveRain will drop by $10 per month. Pretty cool Second, it means I'm being consistent. How many people join ActiveRain but never come close to hitting a number this big? Kudo's to everyone who has more points than me, especially the ones who've hit a Million! I now understand that work that needs to be put in. Next, I have to mention everything that I've learned here. There's a never-ending supply of blogs that can teach you everything from how to use Scribefire to … (34 comments)
real estate: Overrated and Underrated. April 18, 2012
- 04/18/12 09:12 AM
Overrated and Underrated. April 18, 2012 Overrated - Greek Yogurt. Don't get me wrong. I like them. They taste great. But... aren't they just like regular yogurt except they're more expensive and thicker? I still prefer them over the regular ones but with all the hype around Greek Yogurt, you'd think they were made from Unicorn milk. Or maybe they are? Underrated - Road Trips. I went to RETSO last week in Atlanta. I rented a car and drove alone. It was awesome! Got to meet a dozen or so online real estate friends and had a great time. The return … (13 comments)
real estate: Good Morning, Metro Detroit!
- 04/17/12 11:18 AM
Good Morning, Metro Detroit! Okay, I'll admit that it's a bit of a stretch to compare the Detroit area to the Vietnam war era of the movie, but hear me out. You see, the Metro Detroit area has been hit hard recently. Decimated by auto companies sending tons of jobs over seas and to Mexico, the incredible lay offs, massive unemployment in the area and the crashing of the real estate market. Maybe I should've called this the Perfect Storm? Nah, I'll go with my gut. It's taken a while, but Detroit is starting to get back on it's feet. General … (5 comments)
real estate: Thank You, Bowling Green police officer!
- 04/17/12 09:41 AM
Thank You, Bowling Green police officer! So, last Saturday I'm driving back from Atlanta after hanging with a bunch of awesome peeps (#625!) and going to RETSO (retso.com), and I stopped in Cincinnati to meet up with a Realtor® friend of mine, Bill Spear. We had Italian food and a lot of conversation. I'm very happy we had the opportunity to meet. Anyway, when I was leaving Cincy, it was already dark. During the daylight hours, I was driving just a little over the speed limit and now that it was dark, I had to slow down a little more. Driving … (9 comments)
real estate: There's No Way You'll Read This Blog!
- 03/30/12 09:42 AM
There's No Way You'll Read This Blog! There's been a LOT of conversation on AR lately about "What's the Best way to get a lot of "eyes" or comments on a blog. I think I know. It's all in the Title. First and foremost, that's what people see. If it's interesting, controversial or like an accident on the freeway, most people want to "click" on it and see what happened. Just like YOU did here. Talk to you later... Eric... … (16 comments)
real estate: You Wanted To Lowball The Sellers. Don't Be Upset That You Didn't Get The House.
- 03/21/12 08:39 AM
You Wanted To Low-ball The Sellers. Don't Be Upset That You Didn't Get The House. You've spent countless hours over many nights searching for properties on the Internet. Finally, you have your list together. 147 houses. And you want to look at them all. In 2 days. Tomorrow and the next day. What? In today's market, 106 of them will be pending, meaning they have other accepted offers. Another 28 will be "short sales," and you already told me you don't want to wait that long. Leaves us with 13 homes. My lucky number. I schedule them, but in the … (111 comments)
Click on the picture above for full details and more pictures of this incredible home Luxurious Northville Ridge 5 Bedroom Home with Tons of Builder Upgrades. Gourmet Kitchen w/ Large Island, 42” Cabinets and Granite Throughout House. Formal Dining Room. Large Master Suite w/ Sitting Area, Amazing Master Bath w/jet tub and Separate Shower. Huge Dual Walk-in Closet. Jack and Jill Suites. 2 Story Family Room. Upper Level Laundry. Professionally Finished Walk-Out Basement w/ Full 2nd Gourmet Kitchen. Perfect for In-Laws or Au-Pair. Community Pool-Playground-Club House w/ Extensive Walking … (7 comments)
real estate: Can the House I'm Renting Be Foreclosed On?
- 03/17/12 08:24 AM
Can the House I'm Renting Be Foreclosed On? Question: "I currently reside in a home and all kinds of letters from the city have been coming saying the taxes are delinquent and are now in forfeiture status as well as letters from attorneys saying it's scheduled for sheriff's sale next month." Answer: Yes, it can be foreclosed on.
These days, I would suggest that you make sure the mortgage is being paid by the owner or the home, along with the taxes. There are some "landlords" who are collecting the rent money but not paying on the mortgage and/or … (10 comments)
Land Contracts. A Good Deal or a Potential Disaster?
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