Real Estate Network

Posts Tagged ‘Sales’

Elgin, IL (PRWEB) November 12, 2011

The chances of turning a home sales contract into a completed sale increase substantially when the real estate agents successfully overcome obstacles that can block the path to the closing table, according to a RE/MAX analysis of trends in the northern Illinois real estate market.

RE/MAX agents say there is no question that more contracts fall through these days than in the past due to challenges in todays real estate marketplace.

Traditionally it was the rare contract that didnt close, usually not more than 1or 2 out of 100,” reported Tim McCaslin, broker/owner of RE/MAX Sauk Valley in Sterling, Ill. He estimates that this year the failure rate is closer to 5 percent in his market area, while at the same time many more contracts end up requiring extensions but do close eventually.

We see the same trend in our area, agreed Pam Jacobs, an agent with RE/MAX of Barrington in Barrington, Ill. She said no single issue is primarily responsible for making it more challenging to close contracts. Rather, she cited a combination of factors that include regulatory changes, increased scrutiny by lenders, greater anxiety on the part of many buyers and added complications that can come with buying a foreclosure or short sale.

According to Paul Fasold of RE/MAX Signature in Chicago, the keys to closing a contract are for both the buyer and the building to be qualified. A real estate agents job, he said, is to make sure both are true.

First, it needs to be established that the buyer is financially qualified to undertake the purchase being contemplated. That means making sure buyers are working with a lender and have been pre-approved for a loan that will allow them to purchase the property on which they are making an offer, Fasold said. Lenders today are extremely cautious, and each has its own set of loan criteria. Thats why I like to be sure buyers are working with a good mortgage broker who has access to a range of financing sources and can match each buyer with a suitable lender.

Cindy Banks, broker/owner of RE/MAX Cornerstone in West Chicago, Ill., works extensively with banks, helping them sell foreclosed homes. She said the financing of real estate transactions has become more complicated in recent years.

Lenders have more detailed requirements, higher standards and less tolerance for any deviation, noted Banks. Even though we typically represent the seller in these transactions, I view it as part of our job to be proactive in making sure each buyers lender has the information it needs. Otherwise, the transaction is at risk.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is one major lender with specific contractual requirements that are clearly spelled out on its website, according to Kathy Dames, broker/owner of RE/MAX Ultimate Professionals in Shorewood, Ill.

Homes that HUD resells and finances after foreclosure often are great values, but to get that value HUD insists buyers adhere to its rules. So, when buying a HUD home, the buyer and the buyers agent need to go over every line of the contract and abide by the letter of the requirements or the

transaction may not close, Dames said.

As for being sure each building also is properly qualified, Fasold said the most common issue these days is when the appraisal required by the lender comes back with a value below the agreed sales price. That usually happens either because the price is too high relative to recent sales in the area or the appraiser lacks the information needed to develop an accurate value estimate.

It has always been part of my job as an agent to make sure a property goes under contract at a price supported by other recent nearby sales, but today that is more important than ever. And its equally vital to give the appraiser the information needed to understand the full value of the property, said Fasold.

Its also a good idea, contends Cindy Banks, for the listing agent to meet the appraiser at the property so they can walk through it together.

An agent isnt supposed to talk to the appraiser, but you can be present, and you can provide data on comparable properties, she said. My goal in those situations is to make it as easy for the appraiser as we can.

A related issue involves home inspections because even the most perfect home will have minor flaws, said Pam Jacobs. For that reason, both buyers and sellers need to have realistic expectations when it comes to home inspections, she said. Buyers shouldnt treat every cosmetic imperfection as an opportunity to renegotiate the price. At the same time, finding a serious problem, such as one that would cost $ 1,000 to address, certainly is an appropriate subject for discussion. Agents must educate their clients about the entire purchase process, including the inspection.

Perhaps the most common stumbling blocks in todays real estate market are short sales, where the sellers outstanding mortgage debt exceeds the market value of the home. In some cases, there may be several lenders involved, and all lenders must sign off on the purchase price if the seller is to be released from further financial obligations.

Ten years ago, I doubt I did one short sale a year, said Tim McCaslin. Now, banks have entire departments that do nothing but work on this type of transaction, and our office handles dozens of them annually.

With such a large volume of transactions and with multiple lenders frequently involved, short sales can take months to complete. As a result, some buyers lose patience and walk away. In other instances, the lenders will decide not to grant the short sale.

To minimize that risk, noted McCaslin, its crucial to know upfront what documentation the lender requires, what the lenders criteria are for approval, and how the documentation should be delivered. Most of all, he noted, agents have to follow up to make sure that lenders come to a decision as promptly as possible.

When pursuing a short sale, Kathy Dames advises buyers to put together an experienced team, including a real estate agent and an attorney who are both familiar with the short sale process.

If you do that and are dealing with just one lender and can get the seller to immediately provide a complete package of documentation, it actually is possible to close a short sale in as little as 30 days, she said.

RE/MAX has been the leader in the northern Illinois real estate market since 1989. The RE/MAX Northern Illinois network consists of 2,200 sales associates and 105 individually owned and operated RE/MAX offices that provide a full range of brokerage services throughout the northern one-third of Illinois. Its http://www.illinoisproperty.com and http://www.remax.com websites are leaders in consumer visits among real estate franchise brands. Its mobile search, m.illinoisproperty.com, allows users to conduct real estate searches on any mobile device with Internet access. The northern Illinois network is part of RE/MAX LLC, a global real estate organization with 89,000 sales associates in 85 nations.

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Vancouver, Canada (PRWEB) November 08, 2011

Lasso Data Systems, the leader in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software for the home building industry, is pleased to announce that their client, Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach, Hawaii has surpassed current real estate market expectations with 20 residences closed since opening in late 2010. These closings represent approximately $ 28 million in volume with at least another three closings scheduled to be completed before the end of the year, bringing the projected closing volume to an estimated $ 32 million.

Donna Apisa, Broker at Oceanfront Realty International Inc., accredits much of Koloa Landings success to their use of Lassos CRM Software. Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach has used Lasso since our project launch in 2007. Lasso has assisted us with managing our database which is composed of potential buyers, purchasers, and realtors. Their program is set-up to assist us from the very beginning of the sales process through closing, and even beyond as we continue to communicate with our homeowners. Lasso is versatile in that we have ability to track all communication history, add notes, and make appointments for prospects which is a foundation for sales process. In addition, we take advantage of the e-marketing component that Lasso offers with specialized templates and mass e-mails.

We congratulate the Koala Landing team on their sales success and it reinforces that now more than ever, CRM software is a core pillar for successful new home sales and marketing, stated Dave Clements, Lasso Data Systems CEO. Koloa Landing has leveraged our software extensively to manage their leads, prospect and purchasers, added Clements.

Since the official opening of Koloa Landing Wyndham Grand, the resort has exceeded its occupancy projections by approximately 20% during late summer and early fall and is anticipating very strong occupancy numbers in the fourth quarter, as well as early 2012.

The developer, Poipu Beach Villas, LLC, completed Phase One last year with five residential buildings. Work will begin on Phase Two of the project in mid-November with new construction of Building One East by the General Contractor, Layton Construction. With this undertaking comes more resort amenities to enhance the guest experience even more.

About Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach:

Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach is an exclusive ocean-side resort community located in one of the most coveted locations in the Hawaiian Islands. Nestled next to legendary Poipu Beach and the new Kukuiula Shopping Village, its setting ideally positions one to share in the abundance of natural and cultural treasures of Kauai. Koloa Landing offers ownership through Oceanfront Realty and resort rentals through the Wyndham Grand Collection operated by Azul Hawaii Resorts.

About Lasso Data Systems:

Lasso Data Systems is the leading developer of on-demand CRM real estate software for new home builders and developers. Lasso, deployed on thousands of projects globally, equips home builders and sales agencies to convert prospects to purchasers and to sell their developments faster and easier. The companys software manages potential homebuyers online from interest list to occupancy including marketing, sales, inventory and contract management. Lasso works equally well for diverse developments from urban high-rise to suburban townhomes, single and master planned communities, and destination resorts. Lasso is designed for ease of use, rapid deployment and pay by usage to maximize each clients ROI and reduce their technology and financial risk. http://www.lassodatasystems.com.

Contact:

Angela McKay, Marketing Director

Lasso Data Systems Inc.

amckay(at)lassodatasystems(dot)com

1.866.526.9955 Ext 8557

Jennifer Cole-Conner, RA

Koloa Landing at Poipu Beach

jcoleconner(at)koloalanding(dot)com

808-240-6633

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San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) November 09, 2011

San Francisco’s property sales general brokerage, Climb Real Estate Group, is gearing up for Mission Bay’s most anticipated new development community, Nat Bosas Madrone, a 329-unit high-end condo development on the waterfront.

Bosa Development has topped off the 16-story Madrone, which industry observers say is the biggest urban condo project currently under construction in the U.S. The project, which will open in a little less than a year, is counting on a combination of aggressive pricing and historically low interest rates to drive sales. Rates for 30-year fixed mortgages remain below 4.5 percent.

The finishes and amenities at Madrone are very high quality, says Dirk Kinley, Senior Broker Associate who has been actively showing his buyers this new development. With a premier Mission Bay location, excellent pre-construction prices, and historically low rates, Madrone is going to be a great community.” With the office’s close proximity to Mission Bay, Climb Real Estate Group is eagerly anticipating Madrones opening in the summer of 2012.

For more information on Climb Real Estate Group, call (415) 431-8888 or visit them online at http://www.climbsf.com. Climb Real Estate Group is located at 251 Rhode Island #105 San Francisco, CA 94103.

About Climb Real Estate Group

Climb Real Estate Group is a San Francisco-based real estate company specializing on luxury homes. They focus on urban-style properties, specializing on new construction, historic loft conversions, live/work spaces, Victorian flats, modern condominiums, and stylish single-family home sales.

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San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) November 09, 2011

San Francisco’s homes sales general brokerage, Climb Real Estate Group, is expanding with new agent associates creating real estate jobs and success in the South of Market areas. Three seasoned real estate agents, Edie Narrido, Ray Poole and Ana Rubke, have joined Climb’s roster of new agents.

Edie Narrido is a real estate professional who has a pulse on the Bay Area real estate market. She has sold multitude of homes in several of San Franciscos premier residential communities including SOMA Grand, Heritage on Fillmore, Odeon, Symphony Towers, and The Ellington.

Ray Poole arrived in San Francisco after a successful real estate career in Atlanta. He was prominent during the escalating construction boom of that city. After successfully marketing and selling five new construction communities throughout San Francisco, his sales record totals more than 500 homes including Shipley Square, Park Terrace, and Symphony Towers.

With over 25 years of selling new communities in the Bay Area, Ana Rubke has a deep knowledge of the neighborhoods in and around South Beach and Mission Bay. She is an experienced negotiator who thoroughly researches homes so that she can give her clients realistic assessments of their homes value.

“We’re extremely excited to have some very senior agent talent which adds depth and experience to our team,” says Tiffany Comb, Managing Broker at Climb Real Estate Group.

For more information on Climb Real Estate Group, call (415) 431-8888 or visit them online at http://www.climbsf.com. Climb Real Estate Group is located at 251 Rhode Island #105 San Francisco, CA 94103.

About Climb Real Estate Group

Climb Real Estate Group is a San Francisco-based real estate company specializing on luxury homes. They focus on urban-style properties, specializing on new construction, historic loft conversions, live/work spaces, Victorian flats, modern condominiums, and stylish single-family home sales.

Since January 2007, Climb Real Estate has been a leading property sales group. Buyers and sellers enjoy access to the strengths of one of San Francisco’s most prominent brokers providing: unparalleled marketing services, access to developer specials and new development projects, and experienced broker support.

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Troy, MI (PRWEB) November 15, 2011

MiRealSource, the largest broker-owned multi-listing service (MLS) serving Michigans real estate agents and brokers, announced theyve signed with Front Street PR of Farmington to re-brand their website (http://www.MiRealSource.com), as well as their Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube sites.

Were launching this strategic, social media marketing campaign focused at Michigan REALTORS to let them know we have the latest and largest collection of Michigan MLS information available in one location, as well as up-to-date real estate software and online educational materials and classes, said David DeRees, CEO at MiRealSource. We want Michigan REALTORS to know that MiRealSource.com is their single-source, go-to website.

Were expanding our social media efforts because the way REALTORS do business today has changed dramatically from the way we did it yesterday. For example, 71% of homebuyers use the internet to search for listings and services, 85% of real estate transactions start online, 77% of internet homebuyers use a real estate agent, and we all know to save time and money, we search for just about everything on the internet.including our future home or office space, added DeRees.

In these economically challenging times, its essential to provide our agents and brokers with the necessary training and tools they need to list and sell houses as quickly as possible, said DeRees.

MiRealSource recently joined with other Michigan multi-listing services from nine counties to establish The Great Lakes Repository, which shares the most current MLS data. By sharing our information with other MLS, we can reduce costs, save time, generate better data, increase competition, and standardize and secure the material while maintaining autonomy. We hope to eventually collect and make available all MLS data from throughout the state, added DeRees.

In addition to its MLS listings, our website will also provide REALTORS with important software tools and necessary hands-on training classes and webinar tutorials for Paragon. Paragon is a new state-of-the art REALTOR software that can sometime be confusing, so well provide both webinars and classroom education and tutoring, said DeRees.

The new MiRealSource website will also feature a calendar with important dates, real estate statistics, documents, forms, Listing Hub, zipForm Online, Homes Magazine, and even provide email access.

I chose Front Street PR to help us with this important rebranding transition because they specialize in website design and development focused specifically at the REALTOR, said DeRees.

The real estate websites weve designed are not only attractive, but also very effective. Well work closely with MiRealSource to combine graphic website design and the power of our proprietary technology, with strategic marketing, to produce a powerful web presence for them, said Cheryl Heppard, CEO, Front Street PR.

Front Street PR, a visibility, marketing and branding firm located in downtown Farmington, MI, provides consulting, design, and development projects for small and medium-sized companies and organizations. For more information about Front Street PR and a partial client list, go to http://www.FrontStreetPR.com

For more information contact

Cheryl Heppard, Front Street PR at

248-592-0869 or

Cheryl(at)FrontStreetPR(dot)com

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Irvine, CA (PRWEB) November 14, 2011

As one of the most sought-after real estate trainers in the world, Craig Proctor sat down with the Accredited Income Property Investment Specialist (AIPIS) podcast for a strategy session for up-and-coming real estate agents and investors. Proctors Quantum Leap System shows real estate agents and investors how to create balance while accelerating income as a real estate professional.

One of the problems in this industry is that we get rewarded for bad behavior, said Proctor at the outset of the show. We engage in activities quite often that dont work that well. But every once in a while they do, so we continue to engage in those activities, and it really comes down to not knowing a better way to do it.

Proctors mentions the old practices of cold call prospecting, knocking on doors and spending a fortune on self-image advertising. The host of the AIPIS show asked if there was an ah-ha moment that caused Proctor to search for a better way. Proctor responded that he got tired of rejection, cold-calling and chasing down prospects. I had to figure out a way to get clients to come to me, Proctor said. He said that self-image advertising didnt work, citing failure after much expense and hard work.

Proctor cites the solution as direct response marketing. Instead of talking about me and my designations and how much I wanted a buyer or sellers business, I tried to offer them something that they really wanted. Proctor said that changing his tactics changed his business completely. He had so many people wanting to do business with him that he was able to choose his clients.

He began by running ads in the newspaper offering, for example, trust salesan offer that buyers were probably already looking forwith a phone number that led to a hotline voicemail.

Proctor continued the interview by going into deeper aspects of sales technique. He worked on the theory that anyone will buy a property in any market if its priced correctly. Proctor said the best way to deliver news about new properties is through email, which eliminates the delay that often occurs with television shows or the newspaper. Giving buyers proprietary information and priority accesscreating the sense that buyers are receiving special deals sent especially to themis a key component to his sales process.

Craig Proctor was among the top ten RE/MAX agents worldwide for a decade straight and before age 30 was named the number one RE/MAX agent in the world. He is Founder and CEO of Craig Proctor Productions, an international real estate success coaching organization which has shaped the lives of over 30,000 real estate agents across the globe via Proctors Quantum Leap Real Estate Success System.

About Accredited Income Property Investment Specialist (AIPIS)

The mission of Accredited Income Property Investment Specialist (AIPIS) is to properly educate real estate specialists and investors in the proven methods of income property investments as a road to building wealth. This certification program is for those who are serious about taking their career to the next level; creating personal success and wealth while assisting clients with their financial goals.

With a podcast aimed squarely at real estate and mortgage professionals, the AIPIS educational podcast goes hand in hand with the AIPIS accreditation. This ones for professionals who want to stay on the cutting edge of property investment education. For more information, visit Accredited Income Property Investment Specialist(AIPIS) online.

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Vero Beach, Florida (PRWEB) November 16, 2011

Johns Island Real Estate Company, the only on-site real estate company in the private community of Johns Island, kicks off their seasons opening weekend in November with $ 27 million in sales.

Since January 2011, Johns Island Real Estate Company has either sold or placed under contract 73 properties a 12% increase over last years total properties sold. Company Chairman, Bob Gibb, notes, We are exclusively Johns Island and the key to our success is our focus. It is encouraging to see strong results from Opening Weekend.

Since 1969, John’s Island Real Estate Company has specialized exclusively in John’s Island properties. As the only real estate company inside the gates with the entire sales team living on-site, year-round, John’s Island Real Estate Company offers an unparalleled level of expertise.

Named one of Americas Top 25 Golf Communities by Travel & Leisure Golf, Johns Island offers a family-oriented, ocean-to-river golf setting with three championship golf courses, 18 Har-tru tennis courts, professional croquet, health & fitness center, new Beach Club and over three miles of private beaches. Johns Island is located just north of Vero Beach, a quaint seaside town that still retains the charm of Old Florida and yet boasts a high caliber theatre, museum of art and big city culture. Call 772-231-0900 for a private Johns Island tour. Open 7 days a week.

List of Properties Under Contract & Last Asking Price:

606 Ocean Road: List price $ 12,750,000

40 Sago Palm Road: List price $ 3,975,000

150 Sago Palm Road: List price $ 3,500,000

100 Ocean Road #105: List price $ 1,450,000

131 Coquille Way: List price $ 2,800,000

241 Sandpiper Point: List price $ 2,500,000

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Myrtle Beach, SC (PRWEB) September 01, 2011

Anyone who has dealt with the housing market the last decade has witnessed quite an array of fluctuation. In Myrtle Beach,SC Homes For Sale, Short Sales, Foreclosures and the Condo market has all seen a wave of uncertainty sweep across the region since 2002. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Elliott Coastal Living has over 50 years of Real Estate expertise in the Grand Strand Region and knows the ins and outs of today’s ever-expanding home-buying process.

Today, in the wake of new government housing regulations, home buying across America has once again become viable. In a Bloomberg News article, a 30-year fixed mortgage rate is now one of the lowest it has ever been at 4.39%. Homes for sale in Myrtle Beach, SC has recently witnessed a wide array of options made available for perspective home-buyers. From foreclosures to short sales, it seems that the secret is out on how to buy a Myrtle or North Myrtle Beach Home for cheap.

Myrtle Beach,SC has always been one of the premier destinations for vacationers and retirees alike. Rated as one of the top ten hottest vacation real estate markets, Myrtle Beach continues to be an affordable community to live in. Contrary to other east coast beach destinations, Myrtle Beach remains a one day drive from many populated eastern cities.

Amongst recent economical hardships, many in search of Myrtle Beach Homes For Sale have inquired about Myrtle Beach short sales. In an AOL News article, short sales aren’t always exactly short. Many wait 3 to 6 months before all the necessary paperwork (and trust me it’s a lot) has cleared.

While Short Sales in Myrtle Beach may not be the timeliest way to puchase, others are looking at purchasing a foreclosure. Foreclosures in Myrtle Beach, SC may be the best option for buying a great home at a spectacular price. However, recent regulations set to pass this month indicate that many of these homes may qualify for refinancing.

Ultimately, the future of Myrtle Beach Real Estate seems pretty stable. While we all felt a crunch these last few years one thing remains the same: Myrtle Beach will continue to be a permanent retirement destination as well as a perfect family destination for years to come.

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Pittston, PA (PRWEB) November 21, 2011

Benco Dental is pleased to announce that Mike McElaney will assume the role of Vice President, Sales and Branch Operations effective January 1, 2012. McElaney has served as Benco Dentals Northeast Director of Sales since April 2011.

McElaney began his career at Healthco International and has more than 30 years of experience in the dental industry. During his career, McElaney has held responsibilities in a number of areas. He has served as a branch manager, regional manager, and Vice President of Sales for HPSC, Inc.; Vice President of Sales and Operations for Reeve Dental supply and, more recently, as the Executive Director of Merchandise and Equipment for Burkhart Dental.

I am very happy to be a part of the extremely successful Benco Dental team, says McElaney. The level of talent our associates possess is unmatched and I look forward to the opportunities this new role presents as the company continues to grow and expand its outreach nationwide.

For more information about Benco Dental visit benco.com.

About Benco Dental

Benco Dental, headquartered in Pittston, Pennsylvania, is the largest privately owned, full-service distributor of dental supplies, dental equipment, dental consulting & equipment services in the United States. Founded in 1930 by Benjamin Cohen, the company has remained family owned and focused on the unique mission of delivering success smile after smile. During Benco Dentals 81 year history, the company has grown from a single storefront location in Wilkes-Barre, PA into the nations fastest-growing dental distributor with over 50 regional showroom locations and five distribution centers servicing over 30,000 dental professionals in 40 states.

In 2009, Benco Dental reached a new milestone in the companys long history by unveiling a 272,000-square-foot corporate headquarters, distribution center and equipment showroom in Pittston, Pennsylvania. Benco Dental CenterPoint houses the largest dental equipment showroom in North America, featuring 25 fully functional operatories, 14 operational digital X-rays including 2D and 3D units, three sterilization centers, design & lab concept suites and a summit training center for continuing education courses. The company has additional distribution centers in Fort Wayne, IN, Jacksonville, FL, Dallas, TX, Reno, Nevada.

Benco Dental provides more supply and equipment options than any other full-service dental distributor, an offering enhanced by a comprehensive suite of services, including office design, equipment repair, practice coaching, financing and real estate planning, wealth management, and dental-specific technology solutions. These services are supported by over 420 professionally trained sales representatives and 290 factory-trained service technicians. Put it all together and Benco Dental offers all the tools to enable dental professionals to achieve their desired goals for success. For more information, visit benco.com or call 1.800.GO.BENCO.

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The Woodlands, TX (PRWEB) November 22, 2011

LUIS TAMBORREL, broker/owner of Tamborrel Properties, an Award-Winning Real Estate Agency located in The Woodlands, Texas that specializes in new home buyers and offers a unique system with modern marketing techniques to help homeowners sell fast and for top Dollar.

Tamborrel Properties was recently awarded #1 in New Home Sales for 2010 by The Woodlands Development Company.

Other awards and designations that Tamborrel Properties and Luis Tamborrel have earned, are:

2010 | Awarded Green Gold Medal by The Woodlands Development Company
2009 | Awarded Premiere Producer by The Woodlands Development Company
2009 | Awarded Houston’s BEST Realtor by The GHBA (Greater Houston Builders Association)
2008 | Awarded #1 in New Homes Sales by The Woodlands Development Company
Member of Luxury Home Institute
Member of the Houston Association of Realtors
Member of the National Association of Realtors
Million Dollar Guild
Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist

Tamborrel Properties has proven to bring the most foreign national buyers to The Woodlands and understands that a powerful marketing campaign must be implemented to sell your home. As a result The Woodlands Development Company awarded Tamborrel Properties #1 in New Homes Sales for several years.

According to a study conducted by NAR (National Association of Realtors) shows that 53% of all residential transactions were made by foreign buyers from March 2010 to March 2011 surging $ 16 Billion in the last year and Tamborrel Properties has a complete team of buyer agents specialized in bringing and servicing international home buyers.

Tamborrel Properties has invested and worked hard to promote globally and has helped hundreds of home buyers from different countries like: Mexico, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, England, Canada and India.

Tamborrel Properties website, Woodlands New Homes, offers the most complete list of homes for sale in The Woodlands helping home buyers shop for homes with the ability to request more information, save properties, obtain new listed properties, get email alerts when prices change and many more features plus request online help from any of the Realtors at Tamborrel Properties.

Visit Woodlands New Homes to learn more and search all homes for sale in The Woodlands.

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Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) November 21, 2011

Last May Rick Storlie happened to receive an email about a 2 day negotiation course. It came at the same time he needed to complete his annual continuing education credits so Storlie signed up for the course.

Looking back over his 20+ year career in new home and remodeling sales he realized that after hundreds of classroom hours in marketing strategies and sales techniques, he had never been formally trained in negotiation.

“I had this light bulb moment and suddenly realized that here we were negotiating multi-thousand dollar deals on a daily basis without any formal negotiation training, ” Storlie commented. “Today’s buyers have a built-in edge. They have market power. They understand the market is tipped in their favor and they use this power when they negotiate with home builders and remodelers.”

In the course Storlie learned there are 3 types of negotiators. Competitive, Collaborative and Compliant.

“Because market power gives buyers a built-in advantage, most of today’s buyers become Competitive negotiators. They propose a win-lose offer. That is, they win and the builder loses,” Storlie said.

Storlie claims a buyer’s market power turns unskilled builder negotiators into Compliant sellers (lose-win).

“If a remodeler or home builder isn’t trained in negotiation they lose thousands of dollars in profit by being compliant to the buyer’s demands. This is a lose-win situation and at its worst, will put companies out of business,” said Storlie.

According to Storlie the key is to create a Collaborative situation where a win-win negotiation is created. Each side works together to get what they want.

After the course ended Storlie approached John Wenner of the Real Estate Negotiation Institute and asked him if he would share his negotiation expertise. Wenner agreed and on Wednesday November 23rd Storlie and Wenner will offer a free webinar specifically for home builders and remodelers.

The details for registering are below.

12 Elements to Leveling the Negotiation Playing Field with Today’s New Home and Remodeling Buyers

Wednesday November 23rd 11 PST, 12 MST, 1 CST, 2 PST

Register here https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/933379858

Cost: $ 0 but limited to 100 attendees

About Rick Storlie: Rick Storlie of New Home Sales Coach has been helping home builders and remodelers reach their sales goals since 1992. Visit NHSalesCoach.com to download Rick’s free e-book “6 Secrets to Maximizing Your Sales in any Market Revealed.” Storlie can be reached at 952-895-5566 or Solutions(at)NHSalesCoach(dot)com.

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Article by Arthur Levine

Please feel free to use this article as long as credit is given to the resource box.© Copyright Arthur Levine 2008Words: 473Keywords: Fire Island, Real Estate Agent, Dream Home, Seller, Buyer

I wake up each morning prepared to do battle. I know that by the time I get to my real estate office on Fire Island I will have anxious calls from both buyers and sellers and renters wanting to know when I am going to have the perfect prospect or summer home for them. Sometimes they even call me at my home early in the morning or late at night demanding to know when I am going to have the house of their dreams or the buyer that just can’t live without their home at any price.

I am used to this by now, and to tell the truth I love it. That’s right, I love matching buyers with sellers and renters with leasers. To me it’s an art form. I love what I do, and I believe in my heart that I am good at it.

I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction out of putting the right people together, and helping them all achieve their dreams. It’s wonderful to see the smiles on their faces when we achieve a meeting of the minds. It’s great to be able to satisfy their wishes. But it doesn’t happen automatically.

We have to do a lot of research into what the buyer wants in a home on Fire Island, and what the seller’s objectives are before we can come up with the perfect match. What you don’t want to do is waste a lot of everyone’s time introducing people to each other that don’t have compatible goals and objectives and price points.

We are not interested in making House and Garden type tours of the neighborhood. We want to concentrate on finding the right home at the right price for the right buyer, and at the same time satisfying the seller’s goals and objectives.

What I have discovered is that there is almost always the right match for the right people if you keep in mind certain criteria that form the basis for making a happy transaction:

1. What are the buyer, seller, leaser, or renter’s price points?2. What type of community do they want to live in?3. How ready are they to consummate a transaction4. How closely does the prospective home meet their needs?5. How well does the proposed transaction meet the dreams and objectives of the buyer and seller?

If you can answer all these questions affirmatively, you are ready to make a real estate match on Fire Island.

Article by Real Estate Advisor

In many parts of the country, home prices doubled during the period from 2000 to 2005. During this same time, creative financing programs (e.g. zero down payment, adjustable rate loans, interest only loans, option ARMs loans, negative amortization loans, etc.) gained popularity and helped some people buy homes who would not normally qualify based on their income, debt level and credit history.

Most real estate markets are now cooling, and some are even experiencing declining prices. In times of dropping real estate prices, the amount owed on a loan by some homeowners may actually exceed the value of a property. If homeowners cannot make their monthly mortgage payment, there is a potential for default on the loan and foreclosure of the property by the lender.

The term “short sales” is used to describe a situation in which a homeowner is at risk of defaulting on their loan, and the lender agrees to sell the property below the original appraisal price in order to avoid foreclosure. Most lenders do not readily agree to short sales, although exceptional circumstances such as a homeowner losing his/her job or the death of a wage-earning spouse may make some of them more open to doing so.

If a property is sold as a short sale, the lender recoups at least a portion of the original loan amount, the homeowner avoids the stress and stigma of foreclosure, and the new homebuyer gets a property below its original appraisal price. If a short sale doesn’t work, then the property usually goes into foreclosure.

Short sales may be an emerging trend as the rate of foreclosure is rising dramatically across the nation. According to Business 2.0 Magazine, the top 10 foreclosures markets are:

1. Greeley, CO2. Detroit, MI3. Miami, FL4. Indianapolis, IN5. Fort Lauderdale, FL6. Denver, CO7.Dayton, OH8.Dallas, TX9.Fort Worth, TX10.Atlanta, GA

The credit of homeowners may be impacted after a short sale, but it all depends on how the lender reports the outcome. Some lenders report a partial loan repayment as full payment of the debt due, which does not adversely impact the credit of the borrowers. Other lenders report the sale as “settled,” which adversely and significantly impacts the borrower’s credit. The other problem is that the portion of the loan amount forgiven by the lender may actually count as taxable income by the IRS.

In summary, a successful short sale has some potential positive benefits (e.g., homeowners avoid foreclosure, lenders recoup at least a portion of the loan amount, new homebuyers gets a property at below the original appraisal price, etc), but there are also many negative consequences. Some of these potential negative consequences include: the negative impact on borrower’s credit, negative impact on the value of other similar homes in the neighborhood, and that the amount forgiven by the lender may be taxable event. Homeowners having difficulty making their monthly mortgage payment may benefit from talking to a real estate agent who is experienced in short sales.

Copyright (c) 2009 Wes Fernley

In recent years, more and more people have been moving away from using real estate agents for selling their homes. There are many reasons for why private real estate sales are increasing. Let’s start by looking at a few:

Get More Money from the Sale

Probably the biggest reason that sellers go to For Sale by Owner is that they want to save money on commission fees. Average real estate commissions go from 3% on the low end to 6 to 7% on the high end. When you’re talking about, say, a $ 500,000 house, that is no small chunk of change. FSBO eliminates real estate agent commissions.

The price of commission to you is even higher since the percentage is based on the total price of the house. When looking only at your equity in the home, you will find that the agent’s commission is usually a much higher percentage than 5 or 7%. That alone is enough to convince many people to go For Sale by Owner.

Speed Up Sales

If speed is more important to you than money, you can also do something else with that commission savings: lower the asking price for your house. If you know how much you wanted to ask for with a real estate agent, deduct the commission from that and ask for that amount. A lower price will result in a quicker sale.

For motivated private real estate sellers, lowering the price might not even be necessary to sell your home quickly. After all, you know the house better than any real estate agent does, and you are committed to selling it. FSBO sellers often can sell more quickly or as quickly as any real estate agent.

Sell Your House on Your Terms

When you are doing a private real estate sale, you are in complete control. You decide on the price. You decide where and how it will be advertised. You decide what and if preconditions are required for potential buyers. Who gets to see the house and when they get to see it are performed on your schedule and the buyers’, not on the real estate agent’s.

Many people find it important to keep this control over the sale of their home. After all, it is your home and not the real estate agent’s: you should get to be the one who makes the important decisions for what you think best needs to be done to sell your home.

FSBO Challenges

Of course not everything is easy in private real estate. Because you are taking on much of the responsibilities yourself, it will take more time and effort on your part than it would if selling through an agent. Advertising and other expenses will need to come directly out of pocket, since it will not be coming out of the real estate agent’s commission. You’ll also need a real estate attorney who knows the ins and outs of private real estate law so as to ensure that everything goes by the book. If you are willing to overcome the challenges, however, you can find putting up a home For Sale by Owner can be very rewarding.

Pricing in the Calgary Real Estate Market.

In the Calgary Real Estate Market pricing is one of the most importart factors to consider when selling your home. What price is the right price for your home and should you price it competatively or should you price it at a price higher than its value to leave room for negotiating? In the Calgary Real Estate market as in any real estate market there are a few things you need to consider when pricing your home.

The first is what is the current market value of your home. This is different in every market however you need to know what your market value is so that you can consider if the list price that you choose is higher or lower than its current market value. This will certainly be a factor in how quickly it sells as well if it even sells at all.

There are several different prices for your home. For example there is the price the bank says your home is worth or an appraised value. There is the price that a potential buyer says your house is worth and finally there is the price that you believe your house is worth. In each case the price is different.

How do you determine current market value in your current market. In the Calgary Real Estate market as well as most real estate markets your Realtor will help you determine current market value based on several factors. One of which is competition or active listings in your neighborhood. The second is the comparable sales of properties in your neighborhood. What other buyers have paid for similar properties is one of the most compelling factors in determining Market Value. The third is the condition of the home and what features in the home are old, in need of repair or in need of upgrading.

The second factor in determining a selling or listing price for your home is how quickly you want to sell your home. If you desire to sell your home quickly you will need to price your home very competatively with market value as well as competatively to your competition. When pricing your home if you provide the most value for the money. More features or better upgrades than what your competition is offering for the same price or less you will most likely be the next property to sell in your neighborhood. Features and upgrades are considered by buyers when they are looking for a new home. When given the opportunity especially in the Calgary Real Estate Market buyers want to get the most options and features for the best price.

Pricing is not the only factor to consider when selling your home but it certainly is one of the most important. When selling your home in the Calgary Real Estate market or any market for that matter be sure to consult your local Realtor. They are there to help you!

Real Estate world has always known for its return of successful investments. While many people have made substantial amounts of money in every aspect of real estate, commercial real estate is where the money is today. In the current real estate market, the people who are making the big money in real estate own commercial buildings. What does commercial real estate have to offer an investor?

Real Estate Sale Listings – Residential or Commercial

We can start by considerig the fact about the big difference between commercial buildings and homes. When you lease out a commercial building you can expect to get several thousand dollars per month in rent. When you lease out a home, you might get one or two thousand dollars at the most. This means that you will get a vastly higher amount of cash flow from a commercial property.Another advantage of commercial property is that the firm or company always maintain the property well, as they lease for long period of time.

Now chek if you want to sell your home. A couple of basic facts from this: First, make sure to factor in all costs of a transaction. Second, understand the difference between the aggregate home value and the equity you have invested in the home, which is what impacts your true economic return. Third, appreciate the impact sales-related costs can have on your return. While a $ 6,000 commission difference seems relatively insignificant in the context of a $ 650,000 home sale, it is very significant in relation to the equity investment in your home, which is the basis of determining your return on your home investment.

Find Cheap Real Estate for Sale Here – Residential or Commercial

Pricing in the Calgary Real Estate Market.

In the Calgary Real Estate Market pricing is one of the most importart factors to consider when selling your home. What price is the right price for your home and should you price it competatively or should you price it at a price higher than its value to leave room for negotiating? In the Calgary Real Estate market as in any real estate market there are a few things you need to consider when pricing your home.

The first is what is the current market value of your home. This is different in every market however you need to know what your market value is so that you can consider if the list price that you choose is higher or lower than its current market value. This will certainly be a factor in how quickly it sells as well if it even sells at all.

There are several different prices for your home. For example there is the price the bank says your home is worth or an appraised value. There is the price that a potential buyer says your house is worth and finally there is the price that you believe your house is worth. In each case the price is different.

How do you determine current market value in your current market. In the Calgary Real Estate market as well as most real estate markets your Realtor will help you determine current market value based on several factors. One of which is competition or active listings in your neighborhood. The second is the comparable sales of properties in your neighborhood. What other buyers have paid for similar properties is one of the most compelling factors in determining Market Value. The third is the condition of the home and what features in the home are old, in need of repair or in need of upgrading.

The second factor in determining a selling or listing price for your home is how quickly you want to sell your home. If you desire to sell your home quickly you will need to price your home very competatively with market value as well as competatively to your competition. When pricing your home if you provide the most value for the money. More features or better upgrades than what your competition is offering for the same price or less you will most likely be the next property to sell in your neighborhood. Features and upgrades are considered by buyers when they are looking for a new home. When given the opportunity especially in the Calgary Real Estate Market buyers want to get the most options and features for the best price.

Pricing is not the only factor to consider when selling your home but it certainly is one of the most important. When selling your home in the Calgary Real Estate market or any market for that matter be sure to consult your local Realtor. They are there to help you!

Some estimates say that more than 60% of people looking to buy or sell real estate go to the internet first when they begin their search for real estate information. And as agents and brokers become more net-savvy, and more and more people get online, that number will only increase.

That means that the hottest sources of real estate prospects, leads, listings and sales is online. Which obviously means that if you are a Real Estate Agent, or if you provide a real estate service, you need an online presence.

** Establishing an online presence

Most people have no idea how to create an online presence. But the truth is, it is fairly straightforward, once you understand how the internet works.

It’s all about getting traffic to your website, and then having a website attractive enough to attract the attention, and get the responses of your website visitors.

** How do you get traffic?

There are two well established ways to get traffic to your website. Both of them involve the major search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN.

The first method is to run advertisements that target the buyers or sellers you want to reach. There is no better way to advertise than by using paid search advertising — what is called “pay-per-click” advertising.

The second method is to promote your website so it comes up high in searches. Most people begin their search for real estate information by typing a search term into their favorite search engine. The list of possible sources that the search engine gives you is called “natural” or “free” results. You place high in these searches by impressing the search engines with the importance of your site. When you come up in the first few spots in “free” searches, you are virtually guaranteed to get “free” traffic — because people will click on your link and be taken to your site.

** Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Most real estate agents are used to traditional advertising methods such as running ads in real estate publications. And they think it is necessary to pay between $250-$750 for one insertion that may or may not bring them any responses. That is the major problem with traditional advertising — it is expensive, and it gives you no guarantee of response.

But pay-per-click advertising is different. On the one hand it can be targeted to reach the precise target segment you want to reach — for instance, people looking for real estate in your town or city.

On the other hand, you only pay for “clicks” when someone who is potentially interested in your service clicks on your ad and visits your website. This is the revolutionary advertising concept that has made Google the hottest and most dominant player on the web.

But pay-per-click advertising can also be expensive and difficult to manage. Fortunately there are ways of establishing an online presence without paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month.

** Search engine marketing – Search Engine Optimization

As mentioned earlier, the other way to generate online traffic is to promote your site so it comes up high in organic or free searches. This is called “search engine marketing” and involves two important components.

First, it involves creating a website that makes it very clear who your prospective visitors might be. This process is called “search engine optimization”. You “optimize” your site to include as many references as possible to the subject matter you want to focus on, and the target market you want to reach.

For instance, if you are trying to reach potential home buyers in Sarasota, Florida, then you must make it clear that your site is about “real estate in Sarasota.” You must build as much content into your site about Sarasota as you can.

Since most online business people do not know the “tricks of the trade” when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), they hire an expert who does. Unfortunately there are no guarantees when it comes to search engine optimization. Even with sites that have been highly optimized there is no guarantee that the search engines will reward you with a high ranking. Nevertheless, it is an important exercise to go through, and is one of the foundations on which to build your search engine marketing.

** Search engine marketing – Linking

The other component of search engine marketing is to get lots of “inbound links” pointing to your site from other sites. An inbound link is a link on someone else’s site that makes a reference to yours.

Links give you two important sources of traffic. First, visitors to the sites where your links are found may actually click on those links and visit your site. This is especially the case if your links are on high traffic pages that are highly relevant to your service.

Second, inbound links impress the search engines. When the search engines find lots of links to your site in various places around the web, they interpret this as an indicator of the importance of your website. And that in turn results in the search engines rewarding you with higher rankings in free or organic searches.

Inevitably that results in traffic. And if your website is written to get results, traffic should convert to sales.

If all of this sounds a bit overwhelming, it is best not to simply throw up your hands in despair and concede all of those potential online customers to your net savvy colleagues. The fact is there are very inexpensive ways to cash in on all that online gold. You just have to keep looking until you find the right people to work with.

In many parts of the country, home prices doubled during the period from 2000 to 2005. During this same time, creative financing programs (e.g. zero down payment, adjustable rate loans, interest only loans, option ARMs loans, negative amortization loans, etc.) gained popularity and helped some people buy homes who would not normally qualify based on their income, debt level and credit history.
Most real estate markets are now cooling, and some are even experiencing declining prices. In times of dropping real estate prices, the amount owed on a loan by some homeowners may actually exceed the value of a property. If homeowners cannot make their monthly mortgage payment, there is a potential for default on the loan and foreclosure of the property by the lender.
The term “short sales” is used to describe a situation in which a homeowner is at risk of defaulting on their loan, and the lender agrees to sell the property below the original appraisal price in order to avoid foreclosure. Most lenders do not readily agree to short sales, although exceptional circumstances such as a homeowner losing his/her job or the death of a wage-earning spouse may make some of them more open to doing so.
If a property is sold as a short sale, the lender recoups at least a portion of the original loan amount, the homeowner avoids the stress and stigma of foreclosure, and the new homebuyer gets a property below its original appraisal price. If a short sale doesn’t work, then the property usually goes into foreclosure.
Short sales may be an emerging trend as the rate of foreclosure is rising dramatically across the nation. According to Business 2.0 Magazine, the top 10 foreclosures markets are:
1. Greeley, CO
2. Detroit, MI
3. Miami, FL
4. Indianapolis, IN
5. Fort Lauderdale, FL
6. Denver, CO
7.Dayton, OH
8.Dallas, TX
9.Fort Worth, TX
10.Atlanta, GA
The credit of homeowners may be impacted after a short sale, but it all depends on how the lender reports the outcome. Some lenders report a partial loan repayment as full payment of the debt due, which does not adversely impact the credit of the borrowers. Other lenders report the sale as “settled,” which adversely and significantly impacts the borrower’s credit. The other problem is that the portion of the loan amount forgiven by the lender may actually count as taxable income by the IRS.
In summary, a successful short sale has some potential positive benefits (e.g., homeowners avoid foreclosure, lenders recoup at least a portion of the loan amount, new homebuyers gets a property at below the original appraisal price, etc), but there are also many negative consequences. Some of these potential negative consequences include: the negative impact on borrower’s credit, negative impact on the value of other similar homes in the neighborhood, and that the amount forgiven by the lender may be taxable event. Homeowners having difficulty making their monthly mortgage payment may benefit from talking to a real estate agent who is experienced in short sales.