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Real Estate Tip of the Week

2011-03-31T21:35:00.001-07:00

Spray paint is the tip of the week. Brass is out, period. If you need a quick, inexpensive fix......google "oil rubbed bronze spray paint" for instructions. If you can afford to update the light fixtures outright, that is my first recommendation but in a pinch, spray paint is an amazing tool. In the last couple of weeks, we have also used this technique on brass drapery rods and WOW! I would not recommend spray paint for knobs....it will not wear well. Real estate is amazing in the Sachse/Wylie area!

When did it become socially acceptable to wear pajamas in public?

2010-04-12T10:07:00.001-07:00

I am a product of the 80's so I get Madonna's revolution regarding underware as outerware but really. I was at Kroger this weekend and saw someone wearing their house slippers (fuzzy and pink), pajama pants and a t-shirt. This isn't the first time but a common occurance these days. I even met a buyer at a house this weekend and they were in PJ's (it was 1pm and it was a $200k house). I wonder what the seller would have thought had they seen them. This buyer is qualified for over $300k and ready to purchase so they are serious but the question is will they be taken seriously. Am I old fashioned? I am in my late 30's now and I guess that I am just out of touch with the trends but you will not catch me in public in my PJ's, I won't even run to the mailbox or chase the dog......it'll have to wait till I'm dressed.

Let it snow!!

2010-02-11T12:43:00.000-08:00

I have lived in Sachse for 12 years and I can't remember it ever snowing like this! We have several inches on the ground and it is still snowing. It is making for a quiet day in the office. The roads are still clear and I have to say, it just doesn't get any better than this. Finally after days of rainy, drippy weather.....it is just stunning! Sachse is truly a winter wonderland. I think I am going to run out with my camera and take some pictures of some of our community icons (ex, the caboose). Be safe, stay warm and just take a minute to gaze out your window.

Shortsales, nothing short about them!

2010-02-08T14:43:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks, we have really seen real estate activity pick up. Yippee!! Several people have asked me about shortsales; what are they, how do they work and are they quick. A very basic shortsale scenario will go something like this; when someone is in danger of foreclosure and gets an offer on their home for less than what they owe, they negotiate with the bank to accept the offer and basically have the bank eat the shortage. The sellers are saved from foreclosure, the bank gets back the majority of their money and most parties go about their happy but broke way. In some cases the banks will still try to come after the sellers for what they owe.

The term 'shortsale' comes from the bank making up the shortage so that the sale can go thru.

Are they quick? My experience with timing is across the board. I had one close in 30 days. If the seller used a VA (Veteran's Administration) program then things can move quickly (if you get the VA advocates involved...great people to have on your side.). Most of them have taken two to 6 months. One that I am currently working on with Bank of America has me running in circles or sitting on hold. Today I have been on with them or on hold for over an hour and a half. There is absolutely no doubt that Realtors working these shortsales are earning every last penny of the commission that they make on these deals, most of them aren't getting paid enough.

What is great customer service these days?

2010-01-27T08:18:00.000-08:00

For the last several days, I have been thinking about customer service. Obviously I have been affected by a couple of bad cases. I ordered a new fireplace mantle in early December with the assurance that it would ship in 2-3 days. They quickly charged my credit card but now it is the end of January and I still have no mantle. I waited a little over a week and then called to find out that the mantle was back-ordered till mid-January. Middle of last week I called again because I still haven't recieved anything to find that the back-order has been pushed to the end of January. Not one time has this company been pro-active in calling or emailing me to let me know there is a problem and quite frankly, I'm hacked. I really wanted to get this project done over the holidays but now it is looking like I might still be working on it during spring break.

So this leads me back to "What is great customer service?". I think it is a pro-active philosophy. As a Realtor, I try very hard to live by this. I want to call you before you ever feel the need to call me but with the understanding that that phone line flows both ways. At a minimum, do what you say you are going to do. They said they would ship in 2-3 days. When that didn't happen, they should have called. I imagine that this particular company doesn't anticipate repeat business because how many people buy multiple mantles, however their current customer service ensures that they won't get repeat business.

One other thought, how many industries spend the time and money that Realtors do to find and sells homes with only the possibility of a paycheck? When we list a home or put a buyer in our car, we are investing up front. At the moment, I can't think of another industry that opperates with this "down-the-road profit motive".

Finally some GOOD NEWS!

2010-01-18T09:01:00.001-08:00

Finally, some good news out of the financing world. HUD is temporarily lifting it's 90-day anti-flipping rule. What does this mean in plain English? If you are a buyer using FHA finanincing, you can now consider properties that have been purchased by an investor, fixed up and put back on the market in less than 90 days. If you are an investor with a property ready to go in less than 90 days, your buyer pool just expanded enormously. Why is this good news? First, we have seen a huge shift to FHA financing in the last 18 months so this opens the doors for buyers and sellers with regards to fipped properties. Second, we have a lot of houses that any kind of traditional financing won't work because of their condition. My opinion is that alot more investors will be willing to get into the game if they know they don't have to carry the property for so long. There are rules that apply but ultimately this is great news!

Welcome to my first post!

2010-01-13T12:58:00.000-08:00

Hello Sachse and anyone interested in Sachse! I want this blog to be a resource for what's happening in Sachse....the good, the bad and the ugly. You will be able to post responses but there will be "comment management", so keep it clean, keep it civil and all is well. Obviously I am a Realtor so there's going to be some real estate talk. I'm very involved with the Sachse Chamber of Commerce to there will be some chamber talk and a business spotlight. I am involved with my local Realtor Association so watch out for some of that talk. And finally, I am a mom so there will be some kid bragging and bad parenting stories.....with me as the star of course. I also want to get something straight right from the beginning; I write like I talk.....so grammar is sometimes pushed to its limits and yes, I do make up words......just go with it. (Claudia will die laughing when she finds this cuz she is my grammar queen.) So let's hit it!

Since I grew up in New Mexico, also known as the orange barrel state (the orange barrel might be their state symbol), I am very comfortable with all the road construction in Sachse. Granted, it isn't the most convenient (takes forever to get anywhere on Highway 78) but it is nice to finally see progress. I am sure that it has lots of folks scrambling down the back roads and that this has alot of neighborhoods taking on more traffic then they are used too. Hopefully, everyone will take a deep breath and know that this will not last forever. I am worried about those Sachse businesses along Highway 78. All this construction has to negatively affect them. Please think about making a special effort to shop Sachse while this is going on. We need the tax revenue in our city anyway but especially to support those Sachse business.

With that being said, this is a perfect time to spotlight one of those businesses. Did you know that ATS Computers opened a postal unit!! It was so easy to ship all my Christmas gifts to New Mexico and didn't cost me the normal fortune or time torture. I took everything into Lindy and Hugh and was out in minutes (most of my stuff wasn't even packed completely and they helped get it all together). It was great!! Please think about them for stamps and shipping and keep it in Sachse!

Sachse Chamber had their monthly luncheon yesterday. The chair, Linda Gerstner of Mr. G's Tees, started the meeting off with "hot mike" and asked everyone to tell their resolution or a goal for the new year along with their introduction. At first, I thought we were dragging but ultimately this was great because it fed right into the speaker. I can't believe how many people make health related resolutions. I always seem to neglect my health goals so I don't even make it a resolution anymore. The speaker was from Anytime Fitness and I thought she did a great job. She kept it real without making me feel bad for my potato chip eating ways.

Let's talk about real estate for just a minute. I think that everyone has heard about the first time home buyer tax credit but congress also included another group in their latest revision. If you have owned a home for 5 of the last 8 years then you might qualify for a $6500 tax credit if you have another home under contract by April 30th and closed by June 30th. If you were already thinking about buying another home.........this is FREE money! You don't have to upsize or sell your current home. If you need help or more information, call me.