The Olden Days Were Different

Posts from November 26, 2008:

Shak & Jill – Interview with a Veteran Agent:

Do you feel you will stay in real estate?

Yes, I will.  But I’ll do it on my terms.  I’ll just be very choosy about who I’ll take on as a client. I’ve done too much good in 18 years.  I’m honest and I’m good at what I do.  I don’t need the grief.  We’re supposed to be professionals, so I won’t be treated poorly.  I simply don’t need it.

Banks.com – Reasons I Am a Thankful Realtor

I am incredibly grateful to work with my fellow agents. We get into good-natured arguments over politics, who’s smarter, and silliness like that, but we can count on each other for advice in unique situations, for marketing ideas, for help with computers, and so much more. The people I work with are like family and it’s a great feeling to have that.

Perception is Reality

Posts for November 25, 2008:

Shak & Jill

Three of the four headlines are negative news, but there is one bright spot.  I just think that for consumer confidence to increase, perhaps reporters should focus on successes just as much as problem stories.  For example, instead of focusing on more people relying on food stamps, how about how lucky we are to have that safety net of food stamps being available?

Banks.com

As Monty Python says, “And now for something completely different.”  We’ve talked about the housing market and you can’t even go online to any news site without reading about the economy.  So to mute the noise coming from the constant buzz about the financial crisis, let’s pull up our bootstraps and do something about it!

Curious, but is there any real estate related items you’re interested in reading?

Taking Measure

Posts for November 24, 2008.

Size Does Matter

Through my own MLS, we have the choice of stating the source of the square footage when we list a home: agent measured, tax record, owner provided, appraisal.  I will always use the figures provided by an appraiser, however I’ve also used the square footage stated in the tax record as well as measuring for myself.

Homes Sales, New Starts Fall

While the “experts” are saying the decline is unexpectedly large, I view it as a necessary evil to level the market.  The number of houses available now far exceed the number of buyers.  This is one of the reasons home prices are dropping – ye olde supply v. demand economics are well into play.

Picture Perfect & Twilight

My posts for Friday, November 21st.

Red Convertibles, Twilight and Foreclosures at Banks.com:

Real estate offers so many opportunities for people willing to be involved in their community, stay connected, and be generous with your time.  I think that I volunteer so much helped me in my efforts to locate two red convertibles for the team within 10 minutes.

Photo Friday: Whatever Strikes My Fancy at Shak & Jill:

I *love* this beautiful photo. This house just looks spectacular to me. What a difference a little staging and cleaning up can make!

Have a beautiful weekend!!

Today’s Posts: Open House & FHA v. Conventional

From Banks.com, I discussed holding open houses:

If it’s an existing home, I’m not crazy about them.   People don’t come often enough to justify my intrusion into someone’s schedule, sitting in their private space.  I feel awkward if I sit on the couch and mess up their pillow arrangement.  And God help me if I have to use the restroom. 

And on Shak & Jill, I linked to a lender who clearly outlines the differences between an FHA loan and a conventional loan:

Nine times out of 10 – when a buyer is qualified – I find that lenders put them into more stringent FHA loans rather than Conventional.  Money saved through the interest rate is always always the factor, though conventional can sometimes be less strenuous to get.

Happy reading!

Logo Quandary

Now that I’ve dumped my old static web page in favor this one with regularly updated content, I lost my logo links for my company and fair housing. Therefore, I hereby announce how proud I am to work for Bob Parks Realty, LLC.

My own office last week raised over $10,000 for the Christmas for the Children charity.  We’ve done a lot of work also for the American Cancer Society, Make a Wish Foundation, and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.  In addition, agents in the office have supported the American Heart Association, United Way, Girls Scouts, Boys & Girls Club, and much much much more. 

Greed is Cornerstone of Foreclosure Market

I wrote on Banks.com about an experience I’m having with buying a foreclosed home. I am not a happy camper over the behavior of this lender.

I have a buyer who has written a cash offer on a home with NO contingencies:  no appraisal contingency, no inspection contingency, no financial contingency.  He will close in two weeks.  The offer is very very reasonable, especially since the home has been listed for almost four months.  But the seller is trying to get more more more money out of a home that’s just sitting in an almost crippled market for homes in that price range.

Greed truly is the cornerstone of the foreclosure market.  It caused our problems and it is ongoing.  Shame on them.

Where’s My Bailout?

My posts for November 18, 2008.

Shak & Jill

Where’s my bailout?

I mean, the financial industry is being rescued.  People who are behind on their mortgages are being given a hand.  Farmers get help through subsidies.  How about me?  The Feds can pay my membership dues and Errors & Omissions insurance for starts.  I’d like to take some designation classes for free!  And maybe they could co-sponsor some advertising about the availability of FHA loans.

Banks.com

I recall going to a listing appointment once for an average home.  A single man had hired someone to decorate, plus he added a privacy fence in his backyard which was next to a very busy road.  The problem was that his so-called decorator put up wallpaper - very unappealing to most buyers these days.  To make the problem even worse, the wallpaper was put on wrong, the stripes were placed horizontally rather than vertically. 

Tennessee #2 for Business

The Nashville Business Journal is reporting that “Tennessee is the nation’s second best state for business, according to Site Selection, a leading economic development industry magazine.”

Tennessee moves from number 6 to number 2, with North Carolina the only state ahead.  Although unemployment was up in October for Tennessee, this rating will hopefully keep the worst of the recession at bay. 

Not only is the state a great place to do business, but Tennesseans are really really nice!  At our fundraiser on Thursday where items were auctioned for the benefit of Christmas for the Children, over $10,000 was raised!

Smyrna Market Conditions

Who was #4 in October?  It’s me!  It’s me!  I was stunned to learn I was in the Top 10 Club this month at my office, sliding in at numero 4.  

As promised yesterday, here are the Smyrna housing numbers…

October 2008
Homes on the Market:  336
Home Under Contract:  44
Homes Sold:  27
Least Expensive Sold:  $96,000, 1565 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bath, Pioneer Dr.
Most Expensive Sold:  $355,000, 3031 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, Rocky Fork Almaville Rd.

Averages 
Price: $168,004
Price p/Square Foot: $96.50
Days on the market: 52

October 2007
Homes Sold:  39
Least Expensive Sold:  $107,900, 1022 square feet, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths
Most Expensive Sold:  $357,649, 2489 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, Hidden Hills Subdivision

Averages 
Price: $185,717
Price p/Square Foot: $99.63
Days on the market: 65

Year-to-Date 2008
Homes Sold:  477
Least Expensive Sold:  $18,000, 1161 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, Front Street
Most Expensive Sold:  $562,500, 5957 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, Rosemont
Number of Homes Sold Up to $150,000:  237
Number of Homes Sold Over $150,000: 240

Year-to-Date 2007
Homes Sold:  751
Least Expensive Sold:  $75,000, 1632 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, Fannie Jarrets
Most Expensive Sold:  $900,000, 5637 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 4 Full, 2 Half baths, Rock Springs Rd.
Number of Homes Sold Up to $150,000:  312
Number of Homes Sold Over $150,000: 439