st tammany homes for sale: Home Inspections - 07/06/07 12:51 PM
There I was sitting in a little cottage in Covington louisiana.  The home inspector was going thru the house like there was no tomorrow.  The rain was coming down like there was no tomorrow.  I wonder why this guy didn't go on the roof.  Hmmm maybe to slippery.  Anyway this house was only three years old.  Nothing other than cosmetics thing found wrong with the house.  I knew that from the start.  Better to have someone who knows wwhat they are looking for.  I am sure the next house I buy will also get an inspection done. … (5 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Good Old Summertime - 07/05/07 10:28 AM
Are you kidding me?  116 in Phoenix Arizona today.  Man oh man.  I have a ex-neighbor who moved to Suprise Arizona four years ago.  She said she was done with grass-cutting and humidity.  She never told me she was jumping into an oven.  I sure hope it cools down by November for the convention.  I don't know 116 or hurricanes.  Neither sounds like fun.  Oh well you guys out there stay cool and turn the thermostat down a little. … (4 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Round II When Agents don't call Back - 07/04/07 11:49 PM
Ok here I go again on a rant I guess.  Some of you responded with approval of my opinion, others said meetings and closings can take up to three hours.  Well the two agents I am talking about were e-mailed Monday, no response.  I left voice messages on their cell phones Tuesday no response.  I gave them a break yesterday.  I figured maybe they were busy catching up on paperwork on the holiday.  Yeas right.  I guess I will have to start with them all over again today.  Couldn't you answer your e-mail and let me know you got the message?  … (7 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Whats the secret - 07/02/07 12:08 PM
I wish I knew.  I was speaking to my colleague and we were wondering why I had more comments on my blog than he did.  I know it isn't my writing ability.  I graduated from college but English was rather weak subject of mine.  We finally decided that short to the point and simple terms were probably more effective that a big drawn out scenario.  That is exactly how I like to do my real estate transactions.  The simpler the better for everyone especially me. … (0 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Pearl River Four Plex - 07/02/07 01:30 AM
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st tammany homes for sale: fax versus scanner - 07/01/07 02:25 PM
I have been preaching about everyone buying a fax machine.  Well I must eat some crow.  Buy a scanner instead.  The document will not shrink every time you send it.  It will still be a legal document thirty scans later unlike a fax.  I hate to admit it but this is the real way to go.  I invite your reply. … (10 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Remaining Positive - 07/01/07 12:33 AM
The real estate company I am an agent with decided to have a meeting Saturday.  The broker brought with her a recent article from our local newspaper.  The headlines showed how real estate sales were in the tank.  Well upon further reading into the statistics the truth could be had.  True there were more houses for sale, but guess what, the houses sold at current pace would more than double last years.  Furthermore the sales price are trending up not down.  I guess it's the old glass half empty, glass half full scenario.  Bottom line is keeping a good can do … (6 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Finding the right agent - 06/30/07 12:20 AM
As I ride around my home town of Slidell I am still amazed at the number of for sale signs I see.  When I go to the listing agents website half the time there are zero pictures or references about the house I am looking for.  You work hard enough to get a listing and you just ignore one of the easiest marketing tools available.  Which brings me to my, it the houses just selling themselves or the agents.  I think most agents need to take a step back and re-evaluate how they are trying to sell properties.
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st tammany homes for sale: Fax Machines - 06/29/07 02:34 PM
I read a blog on fax machines a while back.  I submitted an contract to the listing agent who actually lives about 5 miles away from my house.  The house is in Covington Louisiana and his office is in Mandeville Louisiana.  Both of us live in Slidell Louisiana.  Because he doesn't have a fax machine at his house he had to drive to the Mandeville office about 35 miles away.  He told me I would get the contract by nine o'clock today.  I called him and of course got the voice mail.  So I called his office and he called right … (7 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Seller Closing costs - 06/26/07 06:49 AM
I would like some info from you more experienced agents and brokers around the country.  I recently lost a buyer because the selling agent insisted that the seller pay no more than 200 in closing costs at the closing.  She said this was very common.  I have never seen this before.  It definitely helped kill the deal.  This house was in Covington Louisiana.  She said she had two sellers get charged high rates at closing.  Please tell me your experiences. … (9 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: New versus almost new - 06/25/07 01:26 AM
My clients recently put in an offer on an 7 year old property.  I thought they made a pretty good offer.  The owner didn't want to come down to their price.  I spoke to the listing agent and I think it was her more than the owner.  She had priced this property based on the market comps.  I also told her the house was not in excellent shape as she described on the listing.  I also told her there were 34 properties in the clients price range in the this particular area.  She seemed unfazed.  I believe it was her ego … (5 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Condomania - 06/21/07 02:27 PM
Has anyone seen the web site www.condoflip.com?  I wonder if we have all lost our mind.  I am even to go out and venture and convert a fourplex I am buying to condos.  I wonder how long the trend will last.  I have no idea.  Seems it is a good way for people to afford a place of their own with maintenance etc covered.  I figure there will always be renters and their will always be someone to buy condos. … (1 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Houston Home Market - 06/20/07 02:00 AM
After hurricane Katrina flooded our home here In Slidell Louisiana I lived in Houston for a few weeks.  My cousin recently sold his home to take another job in Ohio.  I was surprised to hear what he got for it.  This home was bought new by him in 1993 for about 95000.  He sold it for 130000 14 years later.  This was a nice house in a great neighborhood with good schools etc.  He told me it seems the builders just keep building new neighborhoods and the old homes don't go up in value much. … (1 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: THE NUTS - 06/20/07 12:17 AM
My very first listing and they came out of the woodwork for me.  I listed a house of a friend I had worked with years ago.  She had tried to sell this house for over a year by herself with no luck.  So I gladly took the listing and put up a sign.
First nut.  This lady calls me about the price and proceeds to tell me she isn't stupid and she doesn't need to hear what I just told her.  I politely say thank you and hang up.
Second Nut.  Someone who had wanted to buy the house when it was a … (3 comments)

st tammany homes for sale: Permits Etc - 06/18/07 01:30 PM
Realtors in St. Tammany Parish and outside the city limits of Slidell and Covington have to call the engineering department for changes to driveways etc.  I think I was transferred 10 times before I got the right person on the phone.  I now have an idea who to talk to now.  The client wanted to widen a driveway and you have to add the same size culvert to the original pipe.  You can even cover your whole front yard you just need to add drains etc.
 
Hope this helps any local realtors if they have any question similar to mine.
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st tammany homes for sale: Is it hot enough for you - 06/12/07 05:27 AM
I recently upgraded my air conditioning from a three ton to a four ton with a bigger air handler.  WOW what a difference.  My old AC was good enough until huricane Katrina blew my shade trees down.  After that it would never cool down.  Which brings me to my point how many square feet per ton in air conditioning is normal.  I hear one ton per four hundred and one ton per five hundred square feet.  I also believe they have increased the rating on the duct work up to an eight.  Mine is 5.8.  I think I will upgrade that … (0 comments)

 
John Walters, Licensed in Louisiana (Frank Rubi Real Estate)

John Walters

Licensed in Louisiana

Slidell, LA

More about me…

Frank Rubi Real Estate

Address: Pearl River, La, 70452

Office: (504) 470-3199

Mobile: (985) 640-1817



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