Blogging
If you are a Real Estate professional you already know that it is highly competitive profession, especially in the large markets such as The Valley of The Sun. Everyone is looking for an edge, something that will make them stand out from the rest. What if there was a way that could make you stand out and also bring you clients, build your brand, and become the expert that people will come to when they need your service? Well, there is such a thing and it’s called a web log or Blog.
A blog can give you the opportunity to get your properties and services out to a huge number of potential clients. Imagine having people on the edge of you their seats waiting for you to post your next property and then getting questions and requests to see that property immediately after posting it to your blog. Granted this type of exposure won’t come overnight but, it is not any means a stretch down the line if you run your blog right.
Where most bloggers go wrong is they just post their properties and services and expect for people to go to the blog to read their ads. I don’t know about you but I believe ads are annoying and I don’t enjoy reading them. To get people to trust you and even think about getting in to your properties you must give them content that they want.
What do they want, you ask? Information is king in this department you want to show that you are very knowledgeable in the area you are working. If you have statistics of sales over the last month or quarter you can write about that. Do you get asked a specific question over and over? That would be a perfect place to start a blog post.
Once you have gained the readers trust you can begin lightly putting in a property here and there. When you are first starting your blog you just try to just post informational posts. Then, after a couple weeks start introducing your properties onto the blog by writing an informational post then posting a property, this will make it more likely for the reader to read about your property. Finally once your readers are comfortable with the listing you can start just put up a property without an informational post, this does not mean you can stop doing informational posts. If you do this you will begin to lose readers and will have to start all over again.
This is a basic overview of what a blog can do for Real Estate business if you would like to set up a blog for yourself or company check back tomorrow for the next installment of this series How to Set up a Blog.
Matt Kennedy
Internet Marketing
RAUKOV LLC.
Pulling the plug on some home appliances can save energy and reduce your risk of an unexpected home emergency.
When does it make sense to unplug? According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), home appliances can pose a risk to health and safety if they are not used properly. You may not give the coffee maker a second thought once you’re through the door, but Consumer Reports, in a February 2008 issue, suggests that may be a risky practice. Recalls of toasters and toaster ovens during the last decade have become a regular occurrence. In fact, almost half a million Hamilton Beach and Proctor-Silex toasters were recalled last year because of their propensity to continue heating even after the toast has been removed.
Coffee makers have had a similar history. In fact, last year, the Signature Gourmet and Kitchen Gourmet coffee makers, sold at popular pharmacy chain store, were recalled because of their potential for creating a fire hazard, While no injuries were reported, the CPSC reported 23 fires caused by the coffee makers.
The whole point of crock pot cooking is the crock’s ability to stew while you’re away.
But is this a safe practice? Opinions vary, but most people believe them to be safe, as long as the units are in good working order, with no frayed cords. To insure their operational safety, some users suggest placing a crock pot atop a large cooling rack while it is cooking, to keep it separated from the counter top.
Space heaters are one of the leading sources of home fires every year, according to the CPSC, causing an estimated 21,000 fires per year. To prevent property loss and serious injury, heaters should be used properly, including turning heaters off when a room is unoccupied, and always unplugging a heater when no one is at home.
It’s nice to think your appliances are working while you are away, but one appliance that should be resting while you’re away is the clothes dryer. Dryer lint filters need to be cleaned regularly, and there are now small vacuum hoses that can snake inside the filter pocket to remove hard-to-reach lint. An unattended dryer with a full lint screen can spell real trouble. According to the CPSC, about 15,500 fires are associated with clothes dryer fires each year. As a result, dryers should never be left running when a home is unoccupied. They should also not be used to dry plastic, rubber or foam, which retain heat and are quite combustible. Consumer Reports suggests people use common sense when considering what appliances should be unplugged. A clock radio is probably less dangerous to leave plugged in than a curling iron. As a general rule, it makes sense to unplug any heating appliance after their use.
As an added bonus, you’ll save energy and kilowatt hours by unplugging those appliances as well. Many electronic devices in use in our homes draw electricity all the time, whether they are being used or not. This happens with appliances including most coffee makers and microwaves, to name a few. This energy use is known as standby power or vampire power (so named because the appliances suck power even in the middle of the night). To defeat vampire power, unplugging the appliance or turning off a smart power strip can eliminate the extra electrical load.
How does a smart power strip work? Because it may not be practical to constantly plug and unplug every appliance after each use, several companies have developed smart power strips that do the job for you. They monitor electricity use in each plug and shut off the ones that have been idle for a certain period of time. Until you purchase a smart strip, unplugging appliances will provide the same benefit. Unplugging the devices that have the highest standby power – such as TVs and computers — will help. Unplugging and powering down could help save some of the over four billion dollars spent on standby power in the United States every year.
Post courtesy of:
Advantage Inspection Service
Phone: (602) 864-8331
What is Home Stripping?
Home Stripping is when a Homeowner going through a Foreclosure removes fixtures from the home before or after they lose the home to Foreclosure. This includes (Light Fixtures, Stoves, A/C Units, Bath Fixtures, etc.). These fixtures wind up on places like CraigsList or at garage sales.
What is a Fixture?
A fixture can be classified as anything that is attached to Real Property (Home). If you can’t just pick it up or roll it out it could be considered a permanent fixture. If you need a screwdriver or wrench to remove an item then it is probably a fixture.
Is this Illegal?
It can often be difficult to prove, but it can be considered illegal and you could be prosecuted for it. There have been a handful of arrests in the Valley over the last month and these people are being charged with criminal damage and defrauding a secured creditor, both are Felony offenses.
Who is the Victim?
Not only are the Banks who secured these loans the victims, but so are the neighbors. What Stripping a home does is it devalues the home. Someone has to pay to put the fixtures back into the home, either the bank when they are Marketing these homes or the new buyer. Most likely scenario is the bank will be forced to discount the price of the home so that the new buyer can replace the fixtures. This can have an adverse effect on the values in the whole neighborhood. So your next door neighbor who may need to sell his home within the next 6 months may be forced to sell his home lower because of the devaluation caused by the removal of the fixtures in the neighbors house.
What if I am trying to Short Sale my house before a Foreclosure? And, I remove fixtures?
Officially, unless the Bank or Mortgage Company has taken ownership of the property there is no crime. But, I would contend that your neighbors are still being victimized by the devaluation of removing fixtures. Here is something else to consider – If you are trying to successfully Short Sale your house, don’t you want it to Sell? You can be greatly hurting your chances of Short Selling your house if you remove fixtures. The home still needs to be Marketed and would you rather Buy a home that has no light fixtures or bathroom sink or the one down the street that does??
All information I have written is based on my opinion and experience from my years working as a Real Estate Agent as well as a Wholesale Mortgage Account Executive.
Mike Jones
RAUKOV,LLC
Director of Sales
(480) 747-2835 – direct
Guardian Realty & Investment Group
Realtor
Considering a bathroom remodel? Estimating your costs up-front can help you choose between a painting update, a renovation or a remodeling job down to the studs.
And if you’re remodeling with a return on investment in mind, you may want an idea of how much of your investment you’ll recoup.
With a minor investment in paint and some sweat equity, painting a bathroom is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to update a bath. The cost may total a few hundred dollars, more if you hire someone to do your painting for you. But for under $400 (depending on the size of the bathroom), you will probably recover your financial investment.
As your project gets more complicated and more costly, the return may be less predictable. A renovation typically involves the removal of old plumbing fixtures and the installation of contemporary ones. Usually included are a new floor and new paint. ThiS level of work can cost approximately $10,000, according to UpscaleRemodeling.com.
For a total bathroom remodel, costs can range from $15,000 to as high as $30,000, depending on the level of fixtures and amenities. It will probably be necessary to hire a contractor to handle the various stages of the job, including electrical, plumbing, carpentry, tile and drywall. New materials could include a shower enclosure or bathtub spa, ceramic tile, new toilet, Sink and vanity, or perhaps a steam shower.
What return on investment can a homeowner expect? The rule of thumb has been that bathroom and kitchen upgrades do increase the value of a home, and may help its marketability. Homeowners often achieve a return of close to 85 percent when renovating a bathroom. But location, geography, market conditions and a buyer’s preferences will all have an impact on that figure.
An important consideration in proceeding with any construction project is who may eventually buy the home. Couples with children typically want a bathroom with a tub, while older people may prefer a shower enclosure that can be accessed without stepping over a barrier. Most couples also want to have two sinks in the master bathroom. It may be hard to determine in advance who may purchase the home, but your neighborhood may dictate its desirability for families or those ready to retire.
City codes are also an issue and electrical and plumbing systems may need to be brought up to code. And keep in mind, all outlets within a few feet from a water source, such as faucets or a tub, should have a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI outlet).
While weighing a variety of factors, don’t leave out your own considerations. Are you creating a master bath, children’s bath or guest bath? Do you want to create a separate shower and bathing area? What range of activities will take place in the bathroom such as make-up and hair care, showering, bathing, dressing, relaxing? How many outlets will you need and for what appliances? While you may not want to over-spend on your project, it pays to create a room the entire family can enjoy.
Post courtesy of:
Advantage Inspection Service
Phone: (602) 864-8331
One of the most difficult concepts to grasp in the Credit/FICO world is “What is the difference on my Credit Report if I choose to do a Short Sale compared to a Foreclosure”. Well I am here to give you my interpretation.
In Short it Depends
If you are currently going through a Foreclosure or a Notice of Trustee Sale, then you must be at least somewhere between 90-120 Days Late on your Mortgage currently. That means you have already done the same amount of damage to you Credit as that of a Short Sale. Even if you have had perfect Credit your entire life, the day that Credit Report shows that you are 30 Days past due on your Mortgage your FICO score probably dropped between 50 – 100 points. As you go 60 and then 90 Days past due it continues to drop. This is going to take about 2 years to work its way out of your credit score, regardless of what you do from this day on. A Short Sale will have the same effect on your Credit as the aforementioned scenario time and score wise. Even if you have some big Windfall (Lottery, Inheritance, etc.) and you pay off all your debt; your Credit will still remain the same as it is today because you were past due on your mortgage within the last 2 years.
What If I Just Let The Bank Foreclose?
If your Home goes to Foreclosure, meaning the Bank Auctions off the property, your actual FICO score should be effected about the same as would a Short Sale. It is however, the “How Long it Will be affected” that you have to worry about. There are 2 sections of your Credit Report:
#1 – your Trade Lines (Your Mortgage, Car Loan, Credit Cards, etc.)
#2 – your Public Records, where a Foreclosure reports. This would also be where Bankruptcies, Tax Liens, Judgments and Collections report. From my experience a Foreclosure on your Public Records will stay there from anywhere between 7 and 10 years. Meaning, this could be a burden on your Credit Score and your for close to a decade.
Keep this in mind as well, if you are applying for a job and they want to do a background check on you, many companies may pull your credit report. Do you think they care that you had a Late Payment on something or do they care about what is in your public records? My guess is that they would be looking at your Public Records.
The long lasting effects of a Foreclosure on you Credit Report can not only influence whether you will get a Mortgage sometime in the near future it can also affect your Credit Card Rates, your Car Insurance Rates and whether you get that new job that you are vying for. A Short Sale can be a very good solution for someone in this day and age. 2 years compared to at least 7 years is a big difference. Make sure you weigh all your options and make the decision that is going to be right for you and your family.
All information I have written is based on my opinion and experience from my years working as a Real Estate Agent as well as a Wholesale Mortgage Account Executive with companies such as Bear Stearns and Fremont Investment & Loan.
Mike Jones
RAUKOV,LLC
Director of Sales
(480) 747-2835 – direct
Guardian Realty & Investment Group
Realtor
No, could that be true? I thought we were in this recession – heck, I thought we were headed to the next Great Depression just a few months ago. Well folks not yet, not now. We are experiencing a serious frenzy here in the Valley. From first time homeowners to savvy investors we are seeing it all, however nobody expected to see prices go up! We saw lender owned property price per sq.ft rise by 2.2% after hitting a bottom in April. All of the buyers I am working with will find a property they like, and by the time we decide to put an offer in it is gone in a matter of days. Is this the end of this long housing slump? Most likely not, well not even close. We have a ton of pent up demand, but the inventory has dried up (for now). Word on the street is the banks will be seeping the inventory back in to the market, in the coming weeks and months. I have found some great leads on properties that haven’t hit the MLS where you can still get a good margin, and some cases a great margin.
So How Do I Find A Great Deal?
Luckily there are a few ways you can do this. 1st, call me, and I can walk you through the details.
At the end of the day, it all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Are you a first time homeowner trying to jump in, a small time investor looking to get some cash flow going or are you a whale looking to move the market? Let me know, because I have an answer for you and a dedicated team willing to help you reach your investment goals.
Alexi T. Mavrellis
Guardian Realty & Investment Group
mobile: 480.245.0184
