Top 10 real estate posts of the day for 2/4/2010

1) Real Estate 101: Representation – Jay makes a very strong case on why calling the listing agent on the sign may not be the best way to get the best deal on the house.

2) New Government Short-Sale Guidelines (HAFA) – Don’t Believe the Hype – I personally have vlogged about this on 4 separate occasions, and came to the same conclusion. The new short sale program is unlikely to change anything for the better.

3) “Highest and Best Offer” – How To Negotiate Real Estate – Often highest and best is just is just a negotiating tool.

4) I’ll Take The Blame, Will You Take Some With Me? – Sometimes you run across a writer on a blog and you think, yea that is how I feel, I could have never said it that well, but that is what I believe too. Lately Matt has been one of those bloggers for me. There is some great advice in here for new agents.

5) No Clue Or SPDS, No Consideration. Tough Love In The Phoenix Real Estate Market – I agree completely, there is no reason in the world a seller (not a bank) should be making disclosure. Why just because you are selling via short sale should you not have to disclose?

6) $8000′s to first time home buyers almost out of time! – Only a couple months left to take advantage of the first-time buyer tax credit.

7) Luxury Real Estate Branding: Canned Content = Canned Brands – Just having a blog is not enough, people have to actually read it.

8) How You Can Dominate Your Market Without Spending a Mint – I have been working with a new agent over the last month who wants the result, but does not want to do the work needed to get people to their blog. If you are not willing to work long and hard for the results, don’t expect the results are going to come quickly.

9) Network Products Guide Names DocuSign 2010 Hot Companies Finalist – Congrats to Docusign, glad to see others are seeing the value as much as I do.

10) Your Real Estate Listings on Your Facebook Profile with the REALTOR.com App – Still not sure about the Facebook app, how many people go to Facebook to see house adds? When someone tries to sell me on social media I usually unfollow pretty quick.

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Top 10 real estate posts of the day for 1/28/2010

1) Two Companies Launching WordPress IDX Plugins into the Wild – Diverse Solutions isn’t the only IDX provider releasing an indexable solution for home searches. HomeQuest is jumping into the game too. @JBern recently gave me a walkthrough of the product and I think many of it’s features such as geotagging are very interesting.

2) Freddie Mac CEO Responds to Barney Frank’s Plan to Abolish Fannie & Freddie – I am surprised there is not more buzz about this subject. I cannot say I am a big Fannie and Freddie fan, but the idea of Barney Frank and the government coming up with a “better system,” no thank.

3) Milk? Eggs? House? Re/Max rolling out real estate offices in Stop & Shop supermarkets – This is an interesting new trend. Locally in the Phoenix area they are putting Walk In real estate offices in Wal-Marts, now RE/MAX offices in supermarkets?

4) Proposed Short Sale Guidelines (HAFA) – Part 3 – I have read all three parts, this is a good summary and I recommend everyone real all three.

5) Degrees Of Separation Between You And Your Competition? – Good short video, what are you doing different from your competition to market?

6) Tax Credit Ticking Away? – It is hard to believe we are talking about the tax credit expiring again already. Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that the excitement over the tax credit with buyers is not what it was 6 months ago.

7) Reviewing The FOMC Statement And What It Means For Mortgage Rates (January 27, 2010) – Feds Fund Rate unchanged, what does it mean to the market.

8) Shadow Inventory or Not? What’s Important Is Getting to Work! – Great post, don’t worry about what is coming or what could have been, just get out there and do something.

9) The Coming ARM Storm – With many of the 5-year ARM’s hitting over the next few years the market is going to be interesting to watch. These houses may delay a full recovery.

10) So Much For Real, Real Estate Recovery: Enormous Drop In Homes Sales – The real estate market took a beating in December. Based on the activity increase I have seen in December I personally think it has more to do with with the holidays and burnout from all the home shoppers in the fall. But time will tell.

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New short sales program may bring dangers sellers want to avoid

Video 85: The new HAFA program to make short sales easier and quicker has issues where I do not see many lenders taking advantage of the program. But what if they do? Should sellers enroll in the system? There are some real dangers to the new short sale program that sellers need to be aware of which we will be covering over the next few days. Stay tuned, more to come and as always never do a short sale without talking to an attorney. Would love to hear your thoughts, you can leave a comment or e-mail me Dean Ouellette.

Previous video on why short sale program unlikely to succeed.

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