Here is today’s list of top real estate posts of the day.
1) Brokers: embrace difference, love the eccentric – Marc Davison of 1000watt Consulting talks about what he would do if he was a broker, right down to the restroom in his office. The key, being different.
2) What’s wrong with Private Transfer Fees? – While all the comments on this post agree with the author, I differ. Private transfer fees are annoying and should be done away with. Add the fee into the cost of the house and that is real disclosure.
3) The Art of Negotiating – Don’t let principle get in the way.
4) Higher Foreclosure Sales Expected By 2012 – Oh goodie-goodie, foreclosures will continue for another two years!
5) Revisit Your Circle of Influence and Revive Your Real Estate Business – Great advice for new agents and seasoned veterans, get to work on that sphere.
6) The Foreclosure Epidemic – A Discussion with Alex Charfen – Ok I am going to put aside my feelings on the CDPE program and Alex Charfen for a minute (and no John, there are better programs out there) but I love his look at foreclosures in this video. He explains why it appears foreclosures may be slowing down right now, but they are really not. 1-in-6 mortgages in this country are late. Just let that number sink in.
7) Do We Believe in the Millenials? – People currently between 18-30 are Millenials, how will they effect the future or real estate?
8) The Good Side of Loan Modification’s Failure, A Buoyant Foreclosure Market – Now here is someone reaching for a silver lining. Interesting take on the good side of loan mod failures.
9) Are Real Estate Stats Where It’s At? – Short term results, but interesting perspective on adding stats to your site.
10) Blog Carnival of Real Estate – My First Time to Host! Winners Announcement – The Canival is back in town.
1) Success Simplified – The FIX or Fire It Method – Not sure which part is my favorite, the great advice to real estate agents in the bottom half of this post or the fire your bank image at the top.
2) The Internet is Broken – This is the best response to social media does not work for real estate agents I have ever seen.
3) What kind of exposure should you expect for your listing? – Advice for home sellers, almost every agent will tell you your property is going to appear on the Internet, but how above and beyond does your agent go?
4) Sharing ideas in Real Estate – This is a subject we were recently discussing around here. Doesn’t it seem that the RE.net agents are always sharing ideas and talking to each other about what they are doing, while many other agents like to think of everyone as competition and not share?
5) Predatory Short Sale Negotiators – Sounds like someone needs to loose their license. Buyers and sellers of short sales need to be aware of this. It is one thing for an agent to charge a small fee for staff, it is another thing to completely gouge.
6) Should Realtors Get “Awards”? – I am an agent who believes almost all of those e-Pro, CDPE, Million Dollar Producer designations are a waste of time, space and money. There are very few that. I agree with the offer, but I would take it one or two steps further in my dislike for designations and rewards. What would I do different? Instead of having agents pay for the designations, why not teach them what they need to know in school BEFORE we give them a license.
7) Listings: How Photos Can Make or Break Your Sale! – I talk about the importance of good pictures often, in this video Josh does a great job explaining to agents and home sellers why pictures are vital.
8) Where Have All The Houses Gone? Can we Fix the Growing Shadow Inventory Problem? – I like this post because I see every day how fast the foreclosure properties are going in the Tempe and Phoenix area. I believe the market could handle most of the influx in homes the banks are hiding on their books. Let’s just rip that band-aide off quick.
9) I Have Some Bad News – Elizabeth is one of the best writers you are not reading. She brings you places in her blog that only full-time agents in the field all the time can relate to and does it often with comedy.
10) What is an Absorption Rate? – Basic real estate 101, what is absorption rate and how does it effect your home buying and selling?
1) The Ten Day Close: Why Other Lenders Whine About It – This one is getting annoying. We have 2 lenders here in Phoenix who can get loans closed (even in today’s market) in ten days or less. One of them even guarantees it. It is amazing to see other lenders, who work for shops that have a hard time getting a loan closed in 30-45 days, say it is bs. It is NOT bs as I have yet to see them not meet the 10-day close timeframe.
2) My Loan Officer Won’t Provide Me a Good Faith Estimate – When with the federal government stop over-regulating and making things worse. The have tried what, about 10 things in real estate over the last year to help consumers or to help the housing market? And pretty much everyone has been a disaster.
3) Cut foreclosures by slicing real estate fees – The foreclosure crisis is now the fault of the agent who charges too much commission. Al Lewis, excuse my French, but you are moron! The buyer deserves representation in the market and both the buyer and seller deserve full time professionals who can go to bat for them. Are you also out there also wanting to dictate how much a doctor can make for a procedure or how much a columnist receives for a poorly thought out article? There is nothing secret or hidden about our commissions, they are all in our contracts and on the HUD-1s.
4) Outdated Sales Tactics Remain the Norm – Some people (many that is) get caught up in what they have always done and hate change.
5) Don’t Hate Me ‘Cause I’m NAR – Good to see some members of NAR out there interacting with agents and listening to them.
6) Can I submit an offer on a short sale property while I keep looking? – This is a great question that all agents need to answer and one of the reasons on my short sale listings I require a deposit with the accepted offer.
7) Loan Originators: Stop Your Crying…Let’s Love the Good Faith Estimate – How good is Rhonda when it comes to the new GFE? She makes the top 10 list twice for the same subject in the same day. But she has a point here, we can all hate it, but it is here and we need to deal with it.
8) Don’t Get Short With Short Sales – Look Harder – Lesley and I must have been sharing the same brain wave yesterday as I did my blog post on which is a better day short sale or foreclosure. We both come to the same conclusion, if you have a time frame to be in your house then a short sale is not probably your best option, but if you have time to wait big deals can be had.
9) 35 Questions and Suggestions to help you sell your home faster – Some good advice for sellers on what can help their house sell quicker.
10) Knuckleheads beware: Real estate is changing – Is there anyone in the business that really makes you think more than the guys at 1000watt blog? Let me help you, no there is not.
