real estate: Zachary 2009 Home Sales On Pace With 2008
- 08/16/09 10:20 AM
I reported in the first quarter of this year that home sales had out paced sales during the same period in 2008. Well, after getting off to a fast start, homes sales slowed a little, and are now on pace with sales in the first half of 2008. Through July 2009, a total of 176 homes were sold as compared to 173 during the same period in 2008. However, these numbers still do not compare to the 253 homes sold during the same period in 2007. Because the 2009 and 2008 sales are almost the same, it maybe an indication that … (2 comments)
real estate: Is There Any Value In A Home Inspection?
- 08/16/09 10:06 AM
Some of my clients ask the question, "Robert, should I have this house inspected prior to the purchase?" And nearly 99% of the time, I answer "yes". During the home purchasing process, the buyer is given an option to have the house inspected by a professional inspector. In most cases, the buyer is given 10 days from the signing of the purchase agreement to inspect a home. Many times the prospective buyer will forgo the inspection to save the approximately $300 fee charged by most inspectors. Moreover, the owner reserves a right to not correct the items found in an inspection, … (50 comments)
real estate: Conference Networking: An Excellent Marketing Strategy
- 12/07/08 02:26 PM
Recently, my church, the New Pilgrim Baptist Church in Zachary, Louisiana held its annual Brotherhood Conference. As the conference date approached, it dawned on me that this would be a great opportunity to empower the men by discussing how the current real estate market is impacting the economy and vice-versa. So, I got excited and had my name placed on the list of presenters for the conference. I was given 20 minutes to address an audience of about 50 men from various churches and organizations in the community. The Presentation My 20-minute slide presentation included the following topics: the local … (3 comments)
real estate: The Obamas New Home:"Awesome"
- 11/19/08 05:10 AM
As I sat and watched a 60 Minutes interview with President-elect, Barack Obama and his lovely wife, first lady-elect Michelle, the discussion moved to their first visit to the White House. Michelle said that the 130 room plus mansion is "beautiful and awe inspiring". She went on to say, it is a gift and honor to uphold the beauty of the house. Well, this is a perfect example of what Realtors want to hear when showing a home; "Awesome" as a potential buyer enters the door. However, this type of response is only garnered through the efforts of the seller; its' … (0 comments)
real estate: Has This Business Gone to the "Dogs"?
- 10/17/08 05:09 PM
While showing a ten acre tract of land to clients, we were nearly attacked by neighboring dogs; not just any dogs, but a Pitbull and a Doberman. The dogs were behind a flimsy fence, left unattended and unleashed. We were walking along the fence line, when out of nowhere, came these two dogs charging at us while viciously barking. The pitbull was more aggressive, and tried launching himself through the fence. We turned and started to run, but noticed that he was only able to get half of his body through the fence. Thank God he was only able to get half his body through … (5 comments)
real estate: Zachary Home Sales Decrease:Less Than Pre-Katrina Sales
- 10/03/08 06:32 PM
Here in Zachary, sales of new and existing homes through the third quarter of this year, decreased nearly 38 percent as compared to the same period of time last year. Check out the numbers for Zachary: 205 homes were sold through September 2008 vs 328 homes sold through September 2007 The 2008 sales are a dramatic drop from 2007. However, these sales are somewhat on par with pre-Katrina sales. Prior to August 2005, a total of 231 homes were sold in Zachary, 11 percent more than the same period in 2008. Lets look at some other interesting numbers, such as days on the market (DOM) and average sales price. … (0 comments)
real estate: How Old is Too Old To Build That "Dream Home"
- 09/21/08 03:15 PM
Recently, I received a call from a close friend and client who wanted to know if the advice he received from a financial consultant was valid. The financial consultant advised him not to build a house at this point in his life (My friend is approaching 50 years of age). The advisor told my friend that it is not expedient to carry a mortgage well into retirement age; since my friend is fifty, a thirty-year mortgage of course, would carry over until he is eighty. Well, before I say what I offered as advice, here are a few facts about my friend. … (0 comments)
I reported in the first quarter of this year that home sales had out paced sales during the same period in 2008. Well, after getting off to a fast start, homes sales slowed a little, and are now on pace with sales in the first half of 2008. Through July 2009, a total of 176 homes were sold as compared to 173 during the same period in 2008. However, these numbers still do not compare to the 253 homes sold during the same period in 2007. Because the 2009 and 2008 sales are almost the same, it maybe an indication that … (2 comments)
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