Archives of real estate blog entries for February 01, 2011

Featured blog posts


By Neal Bloom, Realtor CRS-Weston FL Real Estate
(Brokered by eXp Realty LLC)
I'm sure that this post will have some controversy and I'm sure that there will be some that agree and some that don't. I still firmly believe that sometimes we have to be there for our clients. Whatever floats your boat and works for you is the most important thing. I know that some of you are going to say..." We have qualified people to go in our place" or "We're too busy to go" or "Our clients don't care if we're there or not" or "the property is a short sale and vacant and there is no need to be there"  I've heard all those reasons before. ..I've heard them all. There are always going to be a few exceptions but I can tell that one time a buyer was sitting at the table across from me and said they would remember me for their next transaction. I did not in any way steer them into say...
Comments 171
By Wendy Rulnick, "It's Wendy... It's Sold!"
(Rulnick Realty, Inc.)
   Sometimes, as a real estate agent, you don’t hear what consumers really say.  Well, I did the other day.  I was at a friend’s home and the neighbor across the street, “Marcy”, starting talking about her move.  Her Destin Florida home had been for sale for months, and it seems she wasn’t happy. Marcy said, “My real estate agent does nothing! She has never shown the home herself!  All she does is call me once a week and ask for a price reduction.”  What’s wrong with this picture?  I bet this real estate agent was probably working hard to sell her listing.  The problem was--  she failed to explain that to Marcy.  So what’s the first thing you, as a listing agent, might explain to a new seller?  You probably won’t personally bring the buyer for their home. Statistically, another real es...
Comments 76
By Lane Bailey, Realtor & Car Guy
(Century 21 Results Realty)
Image via Wikipedia For many sellers, there isn't a bottomless pit of money to get the house ready to go on the market.  Simply put, between pressure to get to market, the need to pay sales fees, buyers needing concessions like closing costs and even the cost of moving expenses, there isn't enough money to go in and make major renovations to the house before selling... In fact, it is seldom worthwhile to make major changes to the home prior to going on the market. But there are some inexpensive and relatively simple things that can increase the sales price of your home and decrease its time on the market. Tip #1...  FREE! Image by lane.bailey via Flickr Perhaps the VERY first thing a seller should do as they prepare to bring their home to market is get rid of stuff.  Not only can this ...
Comments 23
By Tammy Emineth, Content Marketer, SEO Teacher, Website Fixer
(Personal SEO - Website SEO and Real Estate Marketing)
SEO Tip: Don't Use the Term "CLICK HERE" For Anything! I always want to prefice my blogs by saying, yes, maybe you knew about this for years... but many don't. This blog is for you. I see it everywhere. On every type of website, blog, email, comment, script, etc... the phrase "click here" with either the here hyperlinked or the entire phrase linked to where ever the author wanted the user to go. The problem with this is, this brands that URL with the term "here" or "click here". This means nothing to your site or blog or whatever it is you are trying to optimize. If you Google the phrase "click here" you will notice the first result to come up is the Adobe Reader. Not because "click here" is one of Adobe's keywords but because it's been linked to that domain on more sites than any other...
Comments 78
By CA COASTAL ESTATES Lauren Selinsky Perez CRS, "Your Real Estate Broker" #oclauren
(California Coastal Estates)
FEBRUARY 1, 2011 11:33pm WOW! If you don't believe or know or think that Active Rain doesn't work!?!! Well, think again!!! If you write a blog about what you do, what bad day you had or even local organizations you are affiliated with and are members of. It's a good thing!!!! JUST DO IT!!! SO, THANK YOU DECEMBER AND JANUARY CHALLENGE GROUPS! (LOVE YOU ALL!!) I announced on a blog about how my last name was chopped up on a WCR (Woman's Council of Realtors) announcement and to also come join us for a WCR meeting and boutique shopping. Well, not only would I announce it because when I am part of an organization I like to help it grow as well, but I enjoy getting the word out! Not to mention help out with the board if I can or more importantly if they want me to ;) With that said..... I go...
Comments 56
By Cindy Jones, Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News
(Integrity Real Estate Group)
All across the country thousands of real estate agents are being paid by servicers and lenders to complete BPO’s.  Most BPO companies have a form that looks surprisingly similar to a CMA and in some cases even an appraisal. For BPO’s agents are paid to take at least an exterior photo and often interior photos of every room.  Some agents do these by the hundreds in the hope of getting a listing from a lender.  Each time the agent is paid for their work.  It may not be much, in fact when I used to do BPO’s I wondered if they were worth the effort.  But I was paid for work produced. Yet if you asked these same agents if they would ever consider charging to do a CMA for a seller and the answer would most likely be no.  Why? Who decided that a professional work product that takes access to t...
Comments 82
By Valerie Sagheddu, ~Home Staging Professional, Poconos, PA
(Apostle Art Home Staging & Design)
Active Rain Anonymous...are they coming for you next? OK...I think I had way too much fun with this contest. And why not? I am so completely addicted to Active Rain. The following movie is based on a true story...yes...the story of an addict. A story far too familiar in the households of my fellow friends in the rain. If you can relate to what you are about to see... ...Look OUT!!! They may be coming for you next!!!! (Click on image below to view movie)      
Comments 64
By Kristine Ginsberg, NJ Home Stager
(Elite Staging and Redesign, LLC)
The Do's and Don'ts When Preparing to Sell From a Morris County Stager                                                    First the Don'ts: 1. Think you'll have more negotiating room if you list your home above fair market value - big mistake!  There's a good it chance it will sit on the market and become stale. A good realtor will tell you this and you need to listen!    2. Put scented candles in every room or use air fresheners. Buyers aren't stupid and it's the equivalent to skipping a shower and putting on perfume or aftershave - you're not fooling anyone!  Clean, clean, clean  - it's the only "smell" everyone likes! 3. "Clean up" by stuffing everything into the closets. Buyers are nosey and open cabinets and closets to check out storage space. They want to know that their stuff wil...
Comments 144
By Clayton Bonjean, Broker | Owner | MBA
(Mainsail Realty Company)
    How Active Rain Made Me A Top Producer. I really cannot believe it, but I managed to finish my 2nd year as a full time broker/agent in the top 10% of all agents in the 2 counties that I service.  I bet that many AR members are in the top 5% but I am very happy and I honestly started from scratch.  I never had the opportunity to work for a big time real estate brokerage and I received my real estate license initially for personal deals.  I stayed very busy managing my families retail business and real estate was somewhat of a conflict.  I did not show properties or work with buyers and sellers.  Unfortunately when the market crashed, the retail business was not able to support my family, so I transitioned into Real Estate full time.  This was about 2 years ago and many people told me...
Comments 120
By Jorgen Hahn
We're (very) aware that ActiveRain has been unreliable over the past few weeks. It's incredibly frustrating when viewing a blog post, leaving a comment, catching up on your Social Blog, or perusing your favorite groups takes minutes, not seconds. It's also frustrating for us — like you, we spend countless hours on ActiveRain, and every instance of downtime means that we've failed to provide a reliable platform for you and your business. We're sorry. I'm posting this message from my personal blog because my responsibilities at ActiveRain include managing infrastructure and product development. Ultimately, the distribution of our technology resources (programmers, designers, administrators, etc.) falls to me, and it's clear that my efforts have not been focused properly. Starting today, w...
Comments 198

Blog posts


By Marco Amidei
(RE/MAX Suburban )
Cider Grove in Huntley Cider Grove is a subdivision of 290 single family homes built in the late 2010's by Town and Country Homes. Cider Grove features homes with floor plans ranging from 2,406 to 3,962 square feet of living space. Cider Grove is located in Huntley, Illinois north of Dundee Road and east of Route 47. Activity in Cider Grove for the past 6 months Homes Sold Lowest Price Highest Price Average Price 8 $50,000 $309,678 $255,511 8 homes sold in Cider Grove in Huntley from $50,000-$309,678 with an average price of $255,511 within the last 6 months. -Huntley- Address City Beds Baths Model List Price Status 11522 Beacon Ave Huntley 4 2.1 Jonathan $349,900 Active 10284 Hopkins St Huntley 4 3 Jonathan $339,995 Active 10264 Hopkins St Huntley 4 2.1 Granny Smi $375,995 Active 3480 ...
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By Gaye Granice, Associate Broker
(Robert Defalco Realty)
If you are in need of some home improvements, whether you are thinking of putting your home up for sale, or just needing some updates, here are some important tips in regard to hiring a contractor:   1.  Get at least three written estimates - Take the time to have the contractors come into the home to evaluate what needs to be done and get estimates.   2. Get recommendations and references - Talk to friends, family and coworkers who have used the contractor to see if they were satisfied with the job.   3. Make sure the contractor meets licensing and registration requirements - Your state or local consumer protection agency can help you find out what these requirements are.   4. Be sure your contractor is insured - they should have personal liability, property damage and workers' compens...
Comments 5
By Melissa Juarez
(Massachusetts Buyers Broker Agency, LLC)
Take a break from snow shoveling! Tomorrow evening, February 2, Sustainable Milton will host a free movie night at the Milton Public Library. Sustainable Milton is an organization that promotes the preservation of our ecosystem. The featured movie is entitled "Energy Crossroads" and focuses on our energy consumption.  Come learn about what we can do in Milton and beyond to better serve our environment. The movie starts at 7 p.m.  Popcorn and cider will be provided. 
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By Lou Ludwig, Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC
(Ludwig & Associates)
  Motivational Power Quote Trials and Tribulations "Trials, temptations disappointments - - all those are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses than rightly. They not only test the fiber of a character, but strengthen it. Every conquered temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before." James Buckham, author      As I see it. . . . . . . . Trials and tribulations    We will all face our share of trials and tribulations in our lives some far greater then others.    In the moments of our greatest challenges we need to call on all of our inner strength to successfully weather the conditions that we find ourselves in. As we take control of the conditions in our lives we take the pe...
Comments 7
By Chris McKenty & Bernadette Augello
(RE/MAX Connection)
Is your home in danger of foreclosure? If so, did you know there are ways to PREVENT foreclosure, as well as keep your credit intact?  Yes, you may be able to keep your home after all!   If you would like to avoid foreclosure and learn more about the many options available to you, call us at (856) 889-4455 or (609) 929-7500 or email us at Augsels@comcast.net or ChrisMcKenty@comcast.net  for more information.   We have worked with so many homeowners who are in distress.  We can help you! It can't hurt to talk to us!   Sincerely, Bernadette Augello & Christopher McKenty REALTOR Associates RE/MAX Connection 660 Woodbury Glassboro Rd. #26A Sewell, NJ 08080 Office (856) 415-1210  Our info can also be found at:  www.BernadetteAugello.com or www.YourSouthJerseyHome.com   Track the Value of You...
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By Wendy Richards, at "NCCharlotteHomes.com"- Charlotte NC Home & Rea
(ProStead Realty - Charlotte NC Home & Real Estate)
Featured Neighborhood: Ashe Croft Home & Real Estate For Sale Ashe Croft Home Search Indian Trail NC Home Search Charlotte NC Home Search When you are ready to look at homes (or have one to sell) in Ashe Croft of Indian Trail NC give me a call. I would love the opportunity to earn your business! Wendy at 704.604.6115. View Ashe Croft Neighborhood in Indian Trail NC in a larger map _________ Copyright 2011 by Wendy Richards, All Rights Reserved, "Indian Trail NC Home Update - Featured Neighborhood: Ashe Croft Home & Real Estate For Sale"_________
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By Frank Cawley Nebraska Home Inspector
(BrickKicker Inspection Services)
Today, a little levity...keep smiling! I know that there are people who do not love their fellow man, and I hate people like that! - Tom Lehrer It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand. - Mark Twain Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love. - Charlie Brown in Charles Schulz' Peanuts comic Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not. - Oscar Wilde Marriage is the chief cause of divorce. - Groucho Marx Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead. - Benjamin Franklin Forget love... I'd rather fall in chocolate. - Anonymous It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog. - Mark Twain Love is what makes two people sit...
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Henning Estates in Huntley Henning Estates is a single family home community located in Huntley, Illinois. Henning Estates consists of 103 ranch homes on 110 acres with each home backing to mature woods, scenic wetlands or tall grass prairie. Henning Estates was built by Rock Creek Homes. Henning Estates features homes with floor plans ranging from 1,800 to 2,260 square feet of living space. Activity in Henning Estates for the past 6 months Homes Sold Lowest Price Highest Price Average Price 0 $0 $0 $0 -Huntley- Address City Beds Baths Model List Price Status 10406 Oakdale Dr Huntley 2 2 South Have $396,900 Active 10402 Oakdale Dr Huntley 2 2 Newcastle $347,900 Active 10410 Oakdale Dr Huntley 3 2 Brunswick $389,900 Active
Comments 0
By Peter den Boer, MBA,GRI, Associate Broker, Realtor
(Atlanta Communities)
Comments 4
By Wendy Richards, at "NCCharlotteHomes.com"- Charlotte NC Home & Rea
(ProStead Realty - Charlotte NC Home & Real Estate)
Featured Neighborhood: Dilworth Home & Real Estate For Sale Dilworth Home Search Charlotte NC Home Search When you are ready to look at homes (or have one to sell) in Dilworth of Charlotte NC give me a call. I would love the opportunity to earn your business! Wendy at 704.604.6115. View Dilworth Neighborhood in Charlotte NC in a larger map _________ Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved, "Charlotte NC Home Update - Featured Neighborhood: Dilworth Home & Real Estate For Sale"_________
Comments 2
Charlottesville Real Estate Assessments   So the numbers have been released and the average is down slightly year over year. Certainly some homes have dropped considerably and there are some that have risen. I checked my own home and it moved only .5% down. The land stayed the same. The Daily Progress says "The latest assessed property values in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, released Monday, signal that the downward slope of the local economy might soon flatten" So is this signaling a bottom? Great question and there is no way to answer this with a yes or no. One thing to look at is the trend. Note the chart I posted and the fact that we are seeing a break in lower lows. At least for the moment it seems that the "total" sales trend over 7 years has been broken. I would like to s...
Comments 5
By Petra Norris, Realtor, Lakeland FL Homes for Sale
(Lakeland Real Estate Group, Inc.)
Lakeland Florida First Friday February 4, 2011 - "Motorcycle Mania" Folks that flock to downtown Lakeland to attend First Friday events are accustomed to the Classic Car show for the past seven years. This month the Downtown Lakeland Partnership wanted to include motorcycles so they extended the hours from 6-10 p.m. The sunshine state and Lakeland, FL for that matter is heaven for motorcycle enthusiasts where you can ride your motorcycle year around. Move over Daytona Bikefest, here comes Lakeland FL Motorcycle Mania. A fun filled event for the whole family to enjoy: Live music along the streets Bay and Kentucky Motorcycles on display Classic Car Show Shops and Restaurants stay open late.    You don't have to own a motorcycle to attend this event. There are so many vendors and motorcyc...
Comments 1
By Dave Halpern, Louisville Short Sale Expert
(Dave Halpern Real Estate Agent, Inc., Louisville, KY (502) 664-7827)
A buyer asked me a common sense question: “Why are so many short sale houses vacant? Why doesn’t the bank encourage the seller to stay so the house will stay maintained and protected?” He had just walked through a Louisville vacant house that the bank had neglected to winterize. He claimed the water pipes had burst and there were icicles inside the house. The banks usually don’t expect the sellers to make payments while they continue to occupy the house during the short sale. Sellers can stay in the house during their time of dire financial need. Sellers do not have to leave the house until closing, so why are so many short sale houses vacant? 1.      Sellers are spooked. When they get served foreclosure papers they don’t know the length of the process and they flee the house in fear. I...
Comments 7
By Chris McKenty & Bernadette Augello
(RE/MAX Connection)
                        www.Augello-McKenty.com Welcome! Here You Can Find Great Information on Sewell, Blackwood, Williamstown and Sicklerville, New Jersey Real Estate  Looking for homes? Search everything the web has to offer, right here! Don't miss our Feature Homes.  Need local real estate information? We've summarized much of what is important about the Sewell, Blackwood, Williamstown and Sicklerville real estate market in this site.  Need expert advice? No web site, large or small, can take the place of a real estate agent. Not even ours! This site is filled with ways that you can contact us for one-on-one expert help and advice. That's our job.  Contact us with confidence! We guarantee your privacy will be respected. And we offer the services on this site for free and without obl...
Comments 1
By Joe Kendall Broker, It's Always best to talk to "Broker Joe"
(Keller Williams Elite Realty )
Joe Kendall, Broker Associate with Sandals Realty of Fort Myers and Naples writes, A real estate short sale is when the your mortgage bank/servicer’s Lender /investor will agreed to take less than what is owed to settle debt owned by you to your mortgage company. A short sale can be the best alternative to selling when your home when you owe more than it’s worth! Today's real estate market in southwest could result, if you bought your home within the last 8 years this can be possible your home is under valued to what you owe on your property.  The good news is that banks have become more lenient in allowing people to short sale their homes because the alternative in which is foreclosure. The result in your home being foreclosed on by the courts  can be more costly to you and them. The ...
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By Joe Manausa - Tallahassee, FL, Tallahassee Real Estate
(Joe Manausa Real Estate)
  An interesting trend appears to be occurring in the reader questions that I receive at the Tallahassee Real Estate Blog. In the past, most questions were submitted by homebuyers, and the questions were usually relating to the purchase of a home. But now, home sellers are starting to spring up with questions of their own. They want to understand the different aspects of selling a home, and determining the asking price is near the top of the list. Recently, home seller “Shawn” dropped me a note asking: Joe, how much margin for negotiation should I include in my asking price? Now, this is a very common question, and in the past there were some defensible opinions on why a home seller should ask for more than they planned on receiving. But with 94% of homebuyers using the internet, there ...
Comments 10
By Phil Parisi, Specializing in Florida's Treasure Coast
(Sea Flag Homes)
7 Tips for Improving Your Credit Here’s how to clean up your credit so you get the least-expensive home loan possible. Read Improve Credit Score with These Home Finance Tips How you manage your home ownership finances affects your credit score—and your ability to refinance later. Read How FICO Credit Scores Work Buying a house, refinancing it, getting a loan, getting a job—they’re all dependent on your FICO credit score. It pays to learn how it’s calculated. Read How Foreclosure Affects Your Credit Score Foreclosures—and how you handle them—may have long-term credit score implications. Read Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this. Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
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By Michael J. Perry, Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist
(KW Elite )
This is a classic that I want in my blog !!! It will be a great training tool in my real estate classes to show exactly how far we've come ! I had heard about this rebroadcast but missed it yesterday on the TODAY Show. Hat tip to Drew Meyers.   Like what you're reading?  Then subscribe to my blog to receive updates.            
Comments 10
By Phil Parisi, Specializing in Florida's Treasure Coast
(Sea Flag Homes)
(New!) Schedule A Form: 6 Home Deduction Traps Get an “A” on your Schedule A Form: Dodge these tax deduction pitfalls to save time, money, and an IRS investigation. Read (New!) Get Your 2010 Energy Tax Credits: Filing Tips for Form 5695 Sidestep snares in the complex IRS Form 5695 to get all the 2010 energy tax credits you’ve got coming. Read (New!) 2011 Energy Tax Credits: What You Need to Know to Collect Washington is giving you less green for going green, as the feds reel back the 2011 energy tax credits from a lavish $1,500 to a paltry $500. Read (New!) 10 Common Errors Home Owners Make When Filing Taxes Don’t rouse the IRS or pay more taxes than necessary—know the score on each home tax deduction and credit. Read Tax Tips for Homeowners Looking Ahead to 2010 Returns From energy ta...
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By Patrick White, Driven to bring New Yorkers home
(Home Driven Realty, Inc)
Baldwin Harbor, New York Real Estate Trends-January 29, 2011 Baldwin Harbor, New York Real Estate Baldwin Harbor, New York 11510 The Baldwin Harbor, New York Real Estate Trends-January 29, 2011 report, prepared by Home Driven Realty, Inc, covers Baldwin Harbor New York homes for sale and Baldwin Harbor, New York real estate that have closed over the 12 month period ended January 29, 2011. The report includes analysis of Baldwin Harbor, New York Short Sales, Baldwin Harbor, New York Foreclosures, Baldwin Harbor, New York cooperatives and Baldwin Harbor, New York condominiums. A free search Baldwin Harbor NY Homes for Sale and free search Baldwin Harbor NY Real Estate option is also available. The hamlets of Baldwin and Baldwin Harbor are located in The Town of Hempstead on the south shor...
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