Dear John, Diary of a Real Estate Professional
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Staging is an Art and Has Proven Results
First Impressions mean alot. Even changing the impression of the seller can have a dramatic impact on selling the listing. If you can get the seller excited about showing their home, that can generate some valuable word of mouth promotion. A staging consultant is a third party who adds validation to your instruction to your seller. [...]
Getting Paid, It Sounds Simple But Have You Been Left Out? Don?t Let It Happen to YOU!
We all know someone who got screwed out of a deal. Maybe it has even happened to you. Your Buyer gets ready to buy and uses another agent. I was taught early to make sure you don’t work for free. I only work with Buyers that agree to a Buyer Agency Agreement. Even then, some of [...]
Checking Your Credit Score Can Hurt Your Credit?
I know it sounds crazy, but actually checking your credit score can lower your credit score and cost you money! You can check your score for free without damaging your score. Find out how to check yours.
It seems the whole world is after you and you might be right!
I am a firm believer in technology. I use it to make my life earsier and improve my business. Recently I found some odd charges on my cell phone bill. I have it set up on autopay so i don’t review the bills each month. Twice in the last 3 months I found that I [...]
Spring is Here. What Projects Do You have Planned?
Getting out of the office or at least not working 10 -12 hours a day is hard to do. The nice weather is making it a little easier to enjoy the outdoors. Margie is itching to get her (and mine) hands dirty in the garden. I have to admit she is a little more motivated than [...]
Validation that Home Staging is Key Strategy in Selling a Home!
I always knew for myself but this article validates my thought. Selling a home is no different than selling anything. The Buyer has to like what they see. They want to be able to picture themselves “behind the wheel” or “take it out for a spin”. It’s hard to do that with a house so [...]
January Signals a Good Start for 2010
Personally, January was good for me. I had one closing and 2 listings. February is shaping up to be just as good. One closing scheduled and 2 listings already and the month isn’t even halfway over! I hope you are having just as good a start!
NACA Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America
Wow. I spent a good part of last Saturday in a large cold room learning about NACA. I was really impressed with what I heard. Generally, I don’t get too excited about these so called Neighborhood Organizers. Especially with all the bad press about ACORN recently. But this group has something truly valuable to offer. They offer [...]
Pending Home Sales Rise Again!
I know I have been busy and it seems like my collegues have been too. The expected expiration to the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit motivated buys to take action in October and November. Now that the Tax Credit has been extended and expanded, we should expect to see the trend continue into 2010. For [...]
House Passes Home Buyer Tax Credit Extension. Obama to Sign as Soon as Friday
It happened faster than I thought it would.
This Month in Real Estate October 2009
Watch the current edition of This Month in Real Estate
I have mixed feelings about extending the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
As a Real Estate Professional, I have a selfish interest in extending the credit but as a conservative American, I see problems with the plan. I believe the FTHB Tax Credit did prevent deeper negative economic impacts but at what costs? Did we simply buy future business and artificially impact the natural balance of the market? Did [...]
More Proof That Its a Perfect Time to Buy!
A lot of people like to sit on the fence when making major decisions. Most think the real estate market has not bottomed out yet and still want to wait to get the deal of their life!. What they don’t realize is that home prices are just one part of the equation. Interest rates are [...]
Social Media Laws: The New Wild Wild West
I consider myself to be somewhat tech saavy but it is hard to keep up with all the new stuff happening out there in cyberworld. Social networking has taken on a life of its own and I’m not really sure if there is any real business value in it. I guess everyone else is doing [...]
Foreclosure Sales Can be Difficult to Navigate but Payoff is Good.
Even a seasoned real estate professional can get bogged down with all the challenges in the market today. Foreclosure sales present a whole array of issues. Starting with finding the diamond in the rough. You can expect to spend more time and energy working a foreclosure sale but the payoff can be lucrative. If you?re considering [...]
The ?Experts? Were Wrong Again!! Home Sales UP Again in February!
The so called experts were wrong again. Home sales in February were up an unexpected 5.1%. They were wrong about the American economies ability to properly react to market conditions. Investors are driving the market right now. As existing home sales continue to rise, prices will stabilize and traditional buyers and sellers will enter the [...]
Keller Williams Realty West of St Charles MO Has a New Home
I am proud to announce that Keller Williams Realty West has found a new home in Cottleville, MO. We are a launching Market Center which means we are a new real estate sales office. We were fortunate to have been located in the St Charles Economic Development Center through most of last year. We look forward [...]
2010 Budget Likely Will Target Mortgage Fraud
2010 Budget Likely Will Target Mortgage Fraud President Barack Obama?s 2010 budget plan would boost resources for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to crack down on mortgage fraud. It would also increase funds for affordable housing…….more form Realtor.com
Good new about short sale commissions!
No Negotiation of Preforeclosure Sales Commission Servicing Guide, Part VII, Section 504.02: Contacting Selected Borrowers Effective March 1, 2009, closing of preforeclosure sales may not be conditioned upon a reduction of the total commission to be paid to real estate agents to a level below what was negotiated by the listing agent with the borrower, unless the [...]
What a Week! Many Miles and Many Faces
I started my week faced with a 4 day trip to Orlando FL to attend the Keller Williams Family Reunion. Honestly, I was not that excited at the prospect of spending 3 1/2 days sitting in uncomfortable seats listening to a bunch of RAH RAH! non sense. Nor was I excited about spending my own [...]
