Oct
21
Understanding the Real Estate Market in 2011
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under Ask a REALTOR, Credit Score, For Buyers, General Information, Regional News
The Real Estate market in 2011 is one that is confusing and confounding to say the least. Presented with up and down monthly market statistics by those who you would consider to be “in the know” that are conflicting with others of that same profession is confusing as all get out!
So what do I do about that you might say? Get with a Real Estate professional, better yet, go see one in personat their office so you can pick his/her brain and get on the computer with them and understand your “immediate” market area. It does no good for me to tell you the market is great, when in fact my market in Austin, Texas is great is up 3% but your market may be down 3% – 10% still… Be wary of media that is constantly giving real estate advice, it’s their job to get you to watch their station. They will deliver news that will make people talk won’t they? Interesting enough, the more you and your friends talk about something the more it can become true then before you know it people stop buying homes because they’ve scared the heck out of themselves…
The market is turning around, yet don’t let that fool you into being complacent about your house and possibly selling it. Remember the foreclosures that were stopped abruptly in 2010 in the 4th quarter? Well, where do you think they are? They’re still there and they have to come out sooner or later. My insiders tell me to be watchful for the year 2012 when they start releasing them quicker! I said it and it’s true so if you are thinking about selling, don’t get in a competition, get ‘er done now as Larry the Cable Guy would say.
Finally, know certain areas within a city will also be different in regards to sales ~ I see a lot of communities that are struggling while ones a few miles away are up in sales. With that being said, it is vitally important to understand the community prior to purchasing in a particular neighborhood. If you don’t feel confident you have a proactive HomeOwner’s Association, don’t buy there, period! You are looking for the home of your dreams, but if you don’t look at resale value of the dream home you may end up losing in the end… Visit my site to find your next home, and while your at it email me for more information on any particular area you are looking at, I’m always glad to help!
Jun
6
How to Use Facebook and LinkedIn for Business
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
Many people who are used to the old ways of doing business are slowly finding themselves tired of waiting to lead in the market. It™ll not be unusual to get some companies that are still spending 80% of their marketing budget posting newspaper ads; still indifferent on the power of the new online vehicles. The opposite should be the norm because 80% of all potential customers are found online. The remaining 20% forms a number of sources which includes the print media. The bottom line is visibility. All marketers want it and without it you almost seem non existent. The million dollar question is; how do you position yourself, products, service, and property or brand so as to be eyeballed, recognized and trusted.
In real estate, visibility plays a key role in marketing and in agency success. It™s actually everything because people need to view the properties, hear comments from people around, compare different houses and prices and much more without having to drive to the actual site. The internet offers the best advertising platform for any agent, realtor or even individuals looking to connect with agents or buyers.
Though the internet had many avenues for advertising, the best place to target is social media. In this case, LinkedIn and Facebook is where all the eyeballs are and the best place to advertise your service. LinkedIn is a business oriented site where people meet to connect. It has over 50 million decision makers worldwide. Start off by creating a profile and publishing your resume. Invite people to join your network, answer some questions on LinkedIn answers and there you have a database of quality decision makers that could end up connection you to the customers you so much need.
Facebook is more widely used but mainly for social connections. There are over 128 million users in the US alone as per July 2010. Focus on posting quality interactive material and building a large friendship base. You can then market to friends. Use pages and forums to reach out to your real estate niche which may also be divided into small sub segments like, first “time buyers, foreclosures, selling a home or state specific information
The author is an experienced realtor with over 12 years in exclusive real estate business. She handles over 50 house buys/sells per year. Visit her site at www.michelleallen.us
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May
30
Finding The Right Home Builder
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
Finding the right home builder is the question that rings in the mind of anyone who decides to build a new home. One has to get the details right concerning the interiors and exteriors of the already set picture in mind; this makes it easier to the owner when presenting the particulars to the party concerned.
A good home builder must possess the right qualifications that pertains to his title, in such a situation the owner should take time while assessing his list of potential qualifiers, this is because a home, in particular a house can be a risky area if not handled with caution and in an professional manner .It is an obligation to the owner to demand for all the documents that he prefers important from the builder of his choice, this enhances the element of reliability to the owner before the commencement of the job.
The experience that a particular home builder has is a vivid indicator of the quality of work that he may deliver; having repeated the same assignment for a handful number of times draws the home builder closer to the kind of home that the owner expects. This is therefore a sensitive area that needs to be considered though not in a much greater magnitude because the job in a great extent depends on the creativity of individuals and the zeal that they develops towards the job.
The geography of a particular area is a key factor that no keen home builder will omit, this involves various elements such as; type of soil, the nature of the topography and so on, a good home builder should have diverse knowledge concerning the few mentioned and other factors to enable him stand a good ground of coming up with the right home that will be safe from catastrophes .The owner should ensure that the builder is conversant with the area to get a good end result.
The factors to consider in this case are endless; it all depends on who owns the home and also on his demands. However, the above mentioned are the main ones which every owner should consider if in any case they look forward to building a good home.
The author is an experienced realtor with over 12 years in exclusive real estate business. She handles over 50 house buys/sells per year. Visit her site at www.michelleallen.us
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May
30
The Tasks of a Real Estate Agent
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
Estate agent work is to help people in selling and buying of their properties. This may seem as a straight forward theory but what many do not know is that there are places of specialization that each estate agent specializes in. there are those whose main specialty is commercial properties, others deals with expensive properties and others with expensive properties. When looking for the real estate agent to deal with, one should not look for one based on where their offices are located but should be based as per their specialty.
A good estate agent must be able to communicate well as this is what will make a buyer to buy the property that you are selling or a seller to be able to sell their property. An estate agent should also be able to do large calculations as well as be able to think logically. Knowing the area where the property that is being sold or bought is a must for an agent as it helps the agent to be able to estimate how that property should cost.
The buyer wants an agent who is willing to find them a property that befits their needs and at the lowest price possible. Most buyers do not have the time to look for a property and what they usually do is to give the estate agent all the information about the property that they would like and the agent has to look for that property, negotiate about the prices as well as setting up viewings of the properties. The estate agent also offers services like insurance and conveyance services. Some agents handle the whole process from the start to the finish which includes finding the buyer, getting a survey report and even assisting the buyer on how to get funds for the property.
The estate agents can at times experience some hard times and especially if the viewing time is possible at certain times like weekends or in the evenings. This is the case if the clients are working and can only be available during such hours. This means that they will need to create time outside their working routine to satisfy their clients.
The author is an experienced realtor with over 12 years in exclusive real estate business. She handles over 50 house buys/sells per year. Visit her site at www.michelleallen.us
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May
19
Deciding Between Buying and Building a home
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
Choosing a place to live is a never a small task. It is about a place and a location where you want to spend the rest of your life or a good portion of it. In this respect, careful consideration should be taken when taking this most important decision. If you are buying a home for the first time, you may have many challenges especially if you don™t get advice from and expert. However, if you have bought a house in the past, it is not such a big problem. The crux of the matter is that you need to make sure you are getting the right house, the right place and at the right price.
But how do you go about ensuring you get the best deal? This is a question that bothers both new and experienced buyers. Every step is important and you should never overlook anything in the name of experience. Before purchasing a new home, your first task should be to perform the correct search. Get all information that relates to the property, its location, former ownership, conditions on property, future prospects of the locality and of course the price.
If your choice is to buy a home, you don™t need much professional input before you can move in. You need to first ensure that all paperwork is in place and properly transferred to your name or whoever you want to be legal owner. All you need is to contract the services of an interior designer to help you rearrange the house, redecorate and do the necessary decoration as per your taste. It is also important to check the condition of fixtures such as floorboards, ceiling, and the walls.
On the other hand, if you chose to build your own home, you got to have the services of an experienced real estate broker or realtor, legal advice, architectural guidance, technical cost analysis, landscaping, state or federal regulations and financing. A new house is advantageous because you get to decide everything from the design, building and finishing. You build it according to your desire and budget. It goes without saying that it will take more time to being to use a new house than would require if you were to buy an already built house.
The author is an experienced realtor with over 12 years in exclusive real estate business. She handles over 50 house buys/sells per year. Visit her site at www.michelleallen.us
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May
13
What To Look For In A Luxury Home
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under For Buyers, For Sellers, Listings, Spring
People with good careers and who have extra money to spend are always searching for luxurious homes to buy. There are certain things that are known to be unique to these luxury homes and when a person wants to buy one, he should look out for them.
Most of the features that are found in the luxury homes have been around for many years now and they are being referred to as classic features. Fire place is the best example of a classic feature as it creates a level of elegance. Older units of fireplace require the use of firewood while the new ones use electricity or natural gas. Swimming pool is another classic feature. Some other classic features include a hot tubs and this comes in handy for the nights when it is quiet outside.
While looking for a luxurious home, it is always advisable to consider the amount of entertaining that one does as this will determine the available space needed. For the people who do entertain regularly, they are going to need little more room in their living room. Electronic automation is one of the features that are found in luxury homes. A lot of people would like a luxury home that is controlled by electronic devices. Most of the luxury homes have a central unit that controls most of the electronic device.
Bathroom is another important room in a luxury home. People need to bathe and groom everyday and all of this is done in the bathroom. Because of this people always look for a house that has a big space in the bathroom. Architectural design of a house is another thing that one needs to consider when looking for a luxury home as a lot of people want the outside world to have a good impression of their investments as they pass by. Many designs that have been in the market for several decades help in striking a balance between classic and more design.
The author is an experienced realtor with over 12 years in exclusive real estate business. She handles over 50 house buys/sells per year. Visit her site at www.michelleallen.us
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May
13
What To Look For In A Luxury Home
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
People with good careers and who have extra money to spend are always searching for luxurious homes to buy. There are certain things that are known to be unique to these luxury homes and when a person wants to buy one, he should look out for them.
Most of the features that are found in the luxury homes have been around for many years now and they are being referred to as classic features. Fire place is the best example of a classic feature as it creates a level of elegance. Older units of fireplace require the use of firewood while the new ones use electricity or natural gas. Swimming pool is another classic feature. Some other classic features include a hot tubs and this comes in handy for the nights when it is quiet outside.
While looking for a luxurious home, it is always advisable to consider the amount of entertaining that one does as this will determine the available space needed. For the people who do entertain regularly, they are going to need little more room in their living room. Electronic automation is one of the features that are found in luxury homes. A lot of people would like a luxury home that is controlled by electronic devices. Most of the luxury homes have a central unit that controls most of the electronic device.
Bathroom is another important room in a luxury home. People need to bathe and groom everyday and all of this is done in the bathroom. Because of this people always look for a house that has a big space in the bathroom. Architectural design of a house is another thing that one needs to consider when looking for a luxury home as a lot of people want the outside world to have a good impression of their investments as they pass by. Many designs that have been in the market for several decades help in striking a balance between classic and more design.
The author is an experienced realtor with over 12 years in exclusive real estate business. She handles over 50 house buys/sells per year. Visit her site at www.michelleallen.us
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May
5
How Inflation Affects Real Estate
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under For Buyers, For Sellers, Listings, Spring
Inflation is the increase in the cost of goods and services which is measure in an annual percentage and it shows a person how much the dollar is worth. There are two theories about the cause of inflation; the first one is demand inflation. This happens when there is a lot of money and less products and services that can be bought by the money. The other type of inflation is cost push inflation. This happens when the companies cost goes up and are not able to keep their level of the profit making them to increase the prices of their products and services. This also affects the real estate business. When inflation gets to the point that the general public can no longer afford to buy a house or anything else they need to survive, then the housing prices start to come down.
Buying a house when there is inflation can be a good move because most of the houses will be going for a cheaper price. The reason is because not many buyers are able to afford to buy a house during the inflation period and this will make the real estate business to slow down. For those who want to buy a house at such a time, it is advisable to get a fixed rate mortgage as this will prevent you from higher interest rates.
When the inflation increases, most investors are always reluctant to invest and the reason is because it takes a long time to be able to sell the houses. For the investors who have money that they can hold on an investment for a whole year, then this is the best time to buy as the prices are low and when things start to get better, the prices are definitely going to hike and this will give you a profit.
The author is an experienced realtor with over 12 years in exclusive real estate business. She handles over 50 house buys/sells per year. Visit her site at www.michelleallen.us
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Apr
29
Common Mistakes Home Buyers Should Avoid
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under For Buyers, For Sellers, General Information
While a person makes the decision to buy a home, he/she should make sure that they are not guided by their heart but rather by their logics because being guided by their heart can cause many problems which should have been avoided earlier. Buying a home is one of the most important and expensive decision that one can make, it needs one to make a smart and thorough decision. The common mistakes that most homebuyers make can be avoided by planning and following some simple steps.
One of the common mistakes that a home buyer can make is failing to get pre approved or pre qualified for a mortgage loan before he can start looking for a home to buy. If a pre approved buyer and the one who has not been pre approved gets to put an offer on a home, the pre approved one has an advantaged over the one that has not been pre approved and the seller is going to consider them because their financial arrangements are in order.
The author is an experienced realtor with over 12 years in exclusive real estate business. She handles over 50 house buys/sells per year. Visit her site at www.michelleallen.usAnother mistake that most home buyers make is to do impulse buying. Most of them will get over exited and get to buy the first house that they come across without realizing that there are many houses available. Buying a home is an exiting experience which involves a lot of money and if one is not careful, you will use a lot of money on a home that is not worthy it.
Another mistake that home buyers make and which should be avoided is getting an agent who is not committed to meeting your needs. Real estate agent serves as the mediator between you the buyer and the seller and should always have your interest at heart. You should be able to communicate well with your agent because a small misunderstanding or disagreement in the process can make the whole transaction to go sour. The real estate agent has the access to listing and should be able to make some quick connection the very moment the listing of the home that you have in mind hits the market before any other buyer can get to know about such a property.
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Apr
19
Finding A Reliable Real Estate Management Company
Posted by MichelleAllenRealtor under For Buyers, For Sellers, Listings, Spring
Real estate business is turning out to be one of the most competitive businesses that you can get in the market today. All that a person needs is to be able to identify the right opportunities and the right property to invest into. There are many processes that are involved in the real estate business and this means that a person should have enough knowledge about real estate business. Building lasting relationship with investors, tenants and financial institutions is also of importance as they are the ones that you will be dealing with. A person is not able to handle all this alone and that is why it is necessary to hire a reliable real estate company to help you in managing your real estate business.
One can find a reliable real estate management through the internet. In this way, you will get a list and get to choose the ones that you like. After short listing them, you can visit their website and get to see the services that they are offering and in this way, you will be in a position to get the one that is offering the services that you are looking for. In this way, you will also be able to get to know whether it is a new company or it has some experience as it is good to deal with a company that has experience. One can also ask for references from family, friends and neighbors as they might be having a company in mind that they know offers good services at a reasonable price.
Once you have decided on the company that you are going to be dealing with, it is necessary to contact them so that you are able to know more about them. Get to meet them personally as in this way, you will be able to get all your questions answered. If you are not satisfied with them, you can always look for another company that you are sure will be able to do the work that you want to be done and in the right way.
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