Wow! It's been slightly over a year since I posted last!!! It has been a busy year and I hope to start blogging again on a regular basis after a long hiatus. During the last year I moved and switched brokerages, so things have been busy! Sorry to those who enjoyed by blog, but I am back and plan to pick up where I left off! See ya!
You know that saying "Time flies when you're having fun"? Well, that also applies to when you're working like a madman. So, it's March now. And I am posting for the first time in about 2 months. So, sorry that I have been busy. I've been working my butt off. Anyway, enough of that already!
As a Realtor, one of the things I specialize in is relocating individuals, families, and others, from across the country to Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. I assist them with their transition from "there" to "here", ensuring that it go as smoothly as possible, with as little stress as possible. In addition to my client's real estate needs, I do my best to handle most, if not all, of the little details that my relo clients might forget or not think about during that stressful time that is known as relocating. From utilities to public transportation to school attendance zones, I make sure that no stone is left unturned.
But what is a Realtor to do when faced with the task of relocating himself or herself to an unfamiliar area? That is something I must determine, as I will be relocating from Dallas to Houston in August or September 2007. I know nothing about the area, so suggestions from other Realtors are greatly appreciated.
If ever I could relate to my client's concerns, reservations, and fears, it is now. So if anyone has some feedback or input, please let me know. Thanks!
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced a new Sales Incentive Program for Owner Occupants beginning December 8, 2006. Designed to increase opportunities for homeownership over the Holiday Season, the ''FHA Brings the Holidays Home'' campaign is designed to assist low- to moderate-income families by offering special incentives on the sale of HUD-owned single-family homes across the country.
During the December 8, 2006 – January 5, 2007 sales event, homebuyers who purchase a HUD-owned home and finance the purchase with an FHA-insured loan are entitled to new sales incentives. Homebuyers must sign an Owner Occupant Certification that they intend to occupy the property as their primary residence for at least 12 months and must not currently have an FHA-Insured Mortgage. The incentives are:
*$2,500 Holiday Home Improvement Allowance
*$500 Selling Broker Bonus
*Minimum Required Downpayment of Only $100
The incentives may not be combined with other HUD discount sales. In addition, certain exclusions may apply.
For more information about the new Sales Incentive Program for Owner Occupants, call 1-800-CALL-FHA or click here to view HUD’s information: "FHA BRINGS THE HOLIDAYS HOME WITH A SPECIAL HOMES SALES EVENT"
Provided by Bidselect.com, December 10, 2006
A new study by the Consumer Federation of America found that in 2005, about a third of women took out mortgages with interest rates over 7.66 percent (well above the average prime mortgage rate of 5.87 percent) compared with about a quarter of men.
The study, which examined 4.4 million mortgage originations throughout the country where borrowers identified by their gender, also found that women with high incomes were 46.4 percent more likely than men with comparable incomes to have the more expensive mortgages.
Although women earning below the area median income were 8 percent more likely to receive subprime loans than similarly earning men, women earning more than double the area median income were 50 more likely to receive subprime loans than men with similar earnings.
Critics say the research suggests that lenders are taking more than stated risk factors into consideration.
“The high levels of subprime lending among women compromise their ability to steadily accrue equity by paying off their mortgage – one of the easiest and most effective pathways to building wealth in America,” said Nancy Register, Associate Director of Consumer Federation of America and National Director of America Saves, a social marketing campaign to encourage lower- and moderate-income households to save and build wealth.
California Mortgage Bankers Association spokesman Dustin Hobbs defended the lending practices of the industry, stressing that Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data cannot explain everything. "It will show there is a disparity but not why there is a disparity," says Hobbs.
Source: Consumer Federation of America; Inside Bay Area, Eve Mitchell (12/08/06)
Did you know that the typical U.S. family spends more than $1,600 a year on home utility bills?
Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted. Electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars. And as for the road, transportation accounts for 66% of all U.S. oil consumption. The good news is that there is a lot you can do to save energy and money at home and in your car.
- Set your thermostat comfortably low in the winter and comfortably high in the summer.
- Install a programmable thermostat that is compatible with your heating and cooling system.
- Use compact fluorescent light bulbs.
- Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle.
- Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
- Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use, as TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power.
- Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120°F.
- Take short showers instead of baths.
- Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
- Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gasoline.
- Look for the ENERGY STAR® label on home appliances and products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Thanksgiving Day my husband, Chris, and I decided to drive to Houston to check out some area home builders and find out what, if any, incentives they were offering (both buyer and Realtor incentives). What we found were a few nice floor plans, a handful of knowledgeable and polite sales representatives, a handful of inept and/or unprofessional sales reps, miserly incentives, and inflated prices just about everywhere we went. Why do new homes cost so much more in the Houston area than they do in the Dallas Metroplex? And why are the builders so stingy with their buyer and Realtor incentives? And what is up with those detached and/or tandem garages?
I regularly visit Yahoo! Answers and there is always someone out there who asks how they go about getting an agent to cut commission. Why does he/she need to know? I understand that people like to save money, believe me . . . I do, too! But let me ask you this . . . do you work? You do? Well, you know that person that owns the company at which you work and who pays you? Not the Payroll Clerk--but the person who REALLY pays your salary or wages. Now answer this: Do you think that person has a burning desire to pay you the money that you think you'veearned?
NO! Your boss doesn't want to pay you, anymore than you want to pay your agent! So, why does your boss pay you? Because you earned the money . . . You showed up for work & did what you were hired to do (hopefully)! If your boss would've asked you to take a pay cut, would you have? Not likely! So why is it okay, in a seller's mind, to ask an agent to take a pay cut? Because you want to save money, right?! I'm sure your boss wants to save money, too, but he/she hasn't cut your pay (at least, not yet).
Real Estate is one of the few industries in which people work, and if they don't do what they were hired to do (sell homes), they do not get paid. Can you say the same for your job?
Before selecting an agent to list your home for sale, you should ask certain questions to ensure that the agent you do decide to choose will give you the best possible representation, place your interests above that of his/her own, have integrity and ethics, and work hard to market and sell your home. Here are 10 questions that you should ask before hiring a real estate agent.
1.) What sets you apart from other agents that will help sell my home?
2.) What's kind of reputation does your company have in this area (and others, if applicable)?
3.) How do you intend to market my home?
4.) Has your company ever sold homes in my area/city?
5.) Are you solely responsible for the advertising you do or does your company pay for and oversee all advertising?
6.) On average, how long do your listings remain on the market before finally selling?
7.) On average, what percentage of the list price do your listings actually sell fore, when your listings sell?
8.) Do you work with buyers and if so, how many are you currently working with?
9.) Do you have references?
10.) Can I terminate the listing early if I am unhappy with your performance? If so, what fees, if any, must I pay?
These questions, or any that are similar, will help you decide which agent will be suit your needs! Good luck!
I just created my real estate blog and this is my first post. I know very little about blogging, but a lot about real estate. Over the next few days, I hope to learn more about blogging, so that my blog is informative and not some snooze-fest, like this first post. This is a big step for me, so bear with me over the next few weeks!
