teardowns: New construction and teardowns...the most profitable and easiest sales in the business...right? - 10/09/13 01:01 AM
Let's be honest, marketing and selling homes in the middle of the market is tough business*. 
Buyers always have a "push-back"; too small, too big, too much work etc. etc....you know, it's always something.  Then comes the inspection and now it's time to renegotiate the whole deal all over again...fun, fun, fun...
So, IMO, with out a doubt the easiest and most profitable sales are teardowns and the resulting new construction.  Why?  Well, new construction is new.  It is what it is, comes with warranty's, the buyer either likes it or they don't (assuming a "spec")..and the push-back is much more limited … (0 comments)

teardowns: Teardowns........ - 02/27/13 02:12 AM
Like them, hate them, buying 'em, selling 'em, or just watching the movement, it appears that many communities are once again replacing their older, mostly obsolete housing stock with new construction and "like-new" renovations.
We're not talking new developments out in green space here, this is the nice stuff in the best and most established locations. 
We track the trend closely and are seeing news on the resurgence from most of the large metro markets - both urban and suburban.
So, are you seeing new projects in the markets where you live or do business....if so, where's the activity?  Are builders building on … (0 comments)

teardowns: Do brands matter in Real Estate? - 02/04/13 12:35 AM
For over 12 years we have done business using a strong, one-word descriptive brand that gets our phone to ring and creates a call-to-action for agents, buyers and sellers interested in using our consumer-centric products and services.
Well, in an effort to broaden the scope of the business and offer our customers (agents, brokers, buyers and sellers) alternative products we've launched a softer and more gentle brand for our clients to use via a simple licensing agreement.
What do you think? 
http://www.valueinland.com/
 
Thanks,
 
Brian
… (0 comments)

teardowns: Doing big ticket real estate? - 11/27/12 01:20 AM
It seems fair to say that new construction is at the top of the high-end residential real estate pyramid. If that's true, then at the "point" is infill new construction.It's really pretty easy to verify.  Just pick a market from one of the "super zips" and drive around.  As you can see (certainly there are exceptions), on the whole, the highest-end homes within these markets are either new or "new-like" (meaning the structure has been significantly renovated).So, what's the most effective means for an agent or brokerage to capture business from consumers interested in buying within this exclusive and highly profitable … (0 comments)

teardowns: Sell your teardown or "rehab" yourself (or ask your agent for help) - 09/11/12 12:29 AM
If you have a "land-valued" property to sell - you know the type, a teardown or home destined for significant renovation, and you want to sell it yourself directly to the most likely buyers (local builders, investors and individuals) go to http://teardowns.com/.
Individual property sellers or pro's can get their property in front of the right local buyers for low cost.  Depending on what community you live in - the local buyer network at teardowns.com may be populated with hundreds of buyers (over a thousand in some markets).
When you begin the process of posting your property listing - you'll see the … (0 comments)

teardowns: Is deconstruction the "Green Solution" for teardowns? - 08/23/12 01:40 AM
We are seeing a growing trend and it’s happening on both the low-end and upper-end of the market.  Now, many of the older homes within established communities that are being replaced with new are getting taken apart piece-by-piece.
No longer is the bulldozer bringing down a home, putting the rubble into a dump truck that heads off to the closest landfill.  What’s happening instead - “deconstruction”.  These are not just demo-sales where the prime left-over features of the home are auctioned off (i.e. windows, doors, mantles or fencing etc.) - it’s about re-using/recycling everything, sometimes even down to the nuts and … (0 comments)

teardowns: Is the Value of your real estate in the Land? - 08/02/12 02:23 AM
If the value of your real estate is in the land and you live in a community that is vibrant and the demand for new construction strong - when it's time to sell check out teardowns.com and see if there is a populated database of buyers in your specific community that are looking for exactly what you're selling - then either sell it yourself or ask your agent to help.
Chances are good you'll save yourself a few bucks and a lot of hassle and inconvienience.
Thanks,
teardowns.com
The Marketplace for teardowns and rehabs
When the Value is in the Land
… (0 comments)

teardowns: The cycle and teardowns - 06/19/12 02:12 AM
When the bubble burst a few years back, we at teardowns.com discussed “hibernating”.  Meaning, buckle down, cut expenses, have low expectations and wait for the market to improve.
Instead, we used the “down” time to improve the functionality of the website, change the business model to allow for all market participants to utilize the product, and prepare for the inevitable turn-around.
What we did not expect to see were new opportunities in terms of what was being torn down.  Now local governments are using the bulldozer to rid themselves of housing stock that has turned into nothing more than homes of … (0 comments)

teardowns: teardowns are selling...........fast! - 03/09/12 01:40 AM
I’m superstitious, so it somewhat pains me to even bring this up……..but, over the last 10 days our office in Hinsdale, IL has listed 4 properties.  Each of these properties sold in less than an hour with multiple offers - for cash.
Now, we like business, but we prefer stable over euphoric.   Is this suburban community an aberration or has there actually been some stabilization in the market?  We hear Warren Buffet and today Bill Ackman say that if they could find a way to manage a portfolio of homes they would buy hundreds of thousands of them - now.
Anyone in the … (2 comments)

teardowns: Are you (or your customers) a buyer of a teardown(s)? - 01/24/12 04:11 AM
If you're an individual, investor, builder or agent (that works with such buyers) and you want to be alerted of new local redevelopment opportunites, then please go to teardowns.com and become a buyer.Why?"Teardowns" are not easy to find. They are often hidden in the massive listing roll of homes and /or land.  teardowns.com specializes exclusively in this property type.When we get something new in your market of interest - we'll send you an email alert. FYI - many of the listings on teardowns.com are not found anywhere else.Sellers use the teardowns.com marketplace to sell property directly to the buyers most likely to buy - that's you!If … (2 comments)

teardowns: "Fight the Blight" with teardowns - 01/20/12 06:24 AM
We've been hearing and reading more and more about how urban communities are dealing with their housing problems.  "Fight the Blight" appears to becoming a movement of sorts with organizations like Habitat for Humanity working with municipalities and community leaders to teardown vacant blighted structures in hopes of stabilizing values, as well as an effort to make a better environment for living.
The goal in many cases will be replacement with new affordable housing stock that's built to last.  The number of these projects seems to be increasing with areas like the City of Cleveland looking to demolish over 20,000 homes … (0 comments)

teardowns: Teardowns are Everywhere - agents can profit. - 01/13/12 04:18 AM
As you know, virtually all buyers go to the Internet to search for real estate information. Here's a couple of unique ways you can benefit from that fact: ONE: "Own" the niche for redevelopment property transactions in your market by becoming a Marketing Partner with teardowns.com Why?
For lead generation - Google "teardowns and your community"  - the name owns the space, you can use it and make the brand traffic your own To create competitive advantage and differentiation for your business It's not free.
There are three Partnerships available in every zip code - $20 per partnership, per month - … (2 comments)

teardowns: Teardowns - good, bad or misunderstood? - 01/09/12 04:26 AM
Teardowns are not good - they destroy the character of a community, are monuments to the rich, should be saved and renovated for the less fortunate, are architecturally and historically significant, etc.
Teardowns are good - they rejuvenate older established communities, are a freedom of choice, are often environmentally and structurally unsafe, were likely built with poor materials and hold no significance except as an eye sore or drag on surrounding home values, do not have the amenities or technologies that today's buyer prefers, etc.
So which is it?  Both arguments appear to have merit.   
Misunderstood? A perfect example of how this topic can cause knee-jerk reactions … (5 comments)

teardowns: 2012 - A "do-over" in housing? - 12/21/11 06:19 AM
Buyers around the world are replacing older, functionally obsolete housing (and commercial) stock with new structures.  Whether on the lower end i.e. inner-city Cleveland where 1,000 homes were torndown in 2011 and over 20,000 are on the demo deck for 2012, or the high-end i.e. million dollar teardowns in Naples, FL, Greenwich CT, Hinsdale, IL etc.
Be-it Canada, the UK, Australia or even in the “new” China the replacement of certain housing types with new construction continues in good markets and bad.  In professional circles this phenomenon is
Dictionary.com defines”infill”:
The planned conversion of empty lots, underused or rundown buildings … (0 comments)

teardowns: Teardowns in England! - 12/07/11 03:21 AM
Today, we saw an article in Echo, an Essex publication from the U.K.  It appears that a certain community is undergoing some significant redevelopment.
Like here in the U.S., tearing down and replacing older obsolete housing stock is most often designed to rejuvenate a community - the purpose of this redevelopment project in the U.K. is of similar mission - "the demolition of these maisonettes is a key moment in the regeneration of the Craylands Estate".
What we learned from this is something we continue to experience, year in and year out - good market or bad.  When given the choice, … (0 comments)

teardowns: New construction needed to bring back prosperity. - 10/20/11 08:15 AM
Say what? 
Take a look around at the housing in your community (a generalization), then drive closer to a city center (i.e. Chicago, LA, NYC, Denver, Dallas, Miami, etc.) – Do you see homes that are totally obsolete?
These home types appear to be everywhere, covering the entire economic scale.  Additionally, every day the supply of this class of real estate is increasing. 
So, what is the 800 pound gorilla in the room?  It’s the fact that in order to get these homes (properties) useable many have to come down completely and rebuilt with new (please, I beg you don’t think “McMansion”, just think … (0 comments)

teardowns: 21% of homes (for sale) in the U.S. are teardowns. - 10/06/11 08:58 AM
In preparation for a meeting with one of the Internet’s big real estate information portals yesterday our management wanted to have a current handle on just how big the market is for redevelopment property i.e. teardowns.  The industry uses the term “infill” to accurately describe this type of real estate.  Inside our Company we loosely define infill as “the redevelopment of established communities, usually as part of some kind of revitalization process”.
Coming as no surprise, with a name like teardowns.com we are often asked about the subject.  Many wonder “is it still going on”?  Are people and/or professionals still knocking down older … (0 comments)

teardowns: Does your brand drive new business activity? - 08/10/11 04:09 AM
We all want to drive new buyers and sellers to our local business, website, blog etc.  Over the years most agents have branded themselves, "Agent Jane Smith" and brokers have branded themselves, "HomeTown Realty".
On their own, do these brands make customers go crazy with interest and actively pursue an understanding of your business and step over other consumers to get to your business?
If we're really in an Internet world, these brands won’t create any viral and organic growth on the web (unless of course you spend a fortune on SEO).  Sure they will show up during a search for … (1 comments)

teardowns: What are the easiest transactions in the business? - 08/03/11 03:22 AM
Without question – buying and selling teardowns and new construction.  Buyers and sellers of teardowns are really just interested in location and the accompanying survey – not much work there.  As far as new construction - well, it’s new.  No hidden defects, no “to do” list etc. – buyers either like it or they don’t.
So, if these are the easiest deals in the business; why don’t certain brokers “own” the transaction volume for these property types in their community – why spread the business around when they can dominate the niche?
We’re brokers that at least get a shot at … (0 comments)

teardowns: What were once good homes are now teardowns - 07/26/11 07:08 AM
We’ve read a lot about this lately, but needed to see it for ourselves to further verify this trend.  As you may know, our brokerage arm is a licensed real estate agency (in IL) that markets and sells redevelopment property i.e. teardowns.  Some of our current listings were purchased by builders and/or investors during the height of the market some (many) years ago.  These homes were bought to teardown and replace with new construction.  Many of them perfectly good homes at the time of purchase (however, the value of the real estate was, and still is, in the land - therefore … (0 comments)