Archive for the 'Information - Other Areas' Category
Missing in Action - Buyers!
July 1st, 2008 categories: Information - Other Areas, Real Estate News
Are all the buyers on vacation? Did the buyers all move to Antigua? With it being a buyers market, there sure seems to be a shortage of them. Market conditions are showing that high end and resort buyers are out there, but the buyers of traditional family homes are lying in wait.
Here are some reasons why there should be a plenitude of buyers for traditional homes
- Currently interest rates are still low
- Prices on homes have fallen between 15 an 20 percent, some areas a little more or less
- Buyers have more tools and resources to work with
- Mortgage lenders are still issuing loans
- Real estate is still an equity builder
Some reasons buyers are still sitting on the fence:
- They are waiting for prices to fall further
- Some are waiting for the perfect foreclosure to come their way
- Too much inventory, making it difficult to make a decision
- Afraid they will not qualify under stricter standards
- Selling their current home will not bring them the market value they expect
Whatever the reasons are that you are encountering, we need to educate the buyers and encourage them to visit with a couple of lenders. Most will be pleasantly surprised at the rates they can still obtain, and what there monthly costs will be.
Once the market gets back on track, we will likely see the interest rates begin to climb back up. This indeed is the best time to buy a home, especially for the first time home buyers - since they do no have a home to sell.
Information for you to use in the Finger Lakes area of Real Estate, brought to you by Mary St.George
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Is Your Picture Really Worth A Thousand Words?
April 20th, 2008 categories: Information - Other Areas
As Real Estate Agents, we became used to everyone handing you a business card with their picture on it, but did we really need to see all of the faces on those cards? Well, maybe…just to remember who it was we networked with or worked on a deal with. But come on now, we see agents faces on “everything”. They are on sign riders, blogs and everything in between. Quite the overkill I would say. Could it just be the sign of the times, where we all just become so vain, that it is us, the individuals that want to see our face out there?
- Do our clients choose us because we supply a photo?
- Maybe they choose us because they like the way we look.
- Does it make us more important?
- Did we get the contract from the photo?
- Does it make us more knowledgeable ?
- Does it guarantee a sale or closing?
There are times when I am glad I have a photo to refer to, but it is less times than more.
What if everything we purchased came with a persons photo on it? A can of corn that included the machinist best photo or a sofa with the upholsterer’s best candid shot, where will it stop? Or how about the agents that use photos from twenty years ago and then you get to meet them in person? You look at them and think, you set the meeting up with the wrong person.
Yes, there is a place for our ugly mugs, but it does not include “everywhere”. How about a nice shot of your local area? or maybe an interesting graphic or logo to pique the interest of the viewer. This maybe just my personal preference, but I don’t feel comfortable with my photo on everything and I really get tired of seeing the same pictures over and over.
There are many Realtors out there that are quite successful, that do not use their personal pictures on all the media they create. Here in the Finger Lakes, lets promote the area views and not ourselves. I welcome all agents comments and I am posting this for that purpose since I see humor in the subject.
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Information and Links for Other Areas
March 12th, 2008 categories: Information - Other Areas
Luxury home and resort purchases can take you all over the country and even the world. I have added this post to address my friends in other areas interested in promoting their areas of interest and expertise.
When thinking about choosing a property in an area you like, you should always do your homework to check out pricing, evaluations, market conditions and trends. The best way to do this is to contact a specialist in the area of your choice. When looking for a broker to consult with, contact your local broker for a referral. Like myself, we are usually connected to networks within our own specialities. For instance I specialize in resort/second home properties and am in contact with other specialists all over the country and Internationally. Many of these great agents I know on a first name basis. Would I recommend most? Definitely…All of them? …No.
If you would like information about other areas to relocate to or purchase a vacation home, give me a call and I can set up an appointment with the perfect person for your needs. And of course if you need information in the Finger Lakes area, I am here to assist your buying and selling needs in this area.
Of course you can always visit any of the other Tomato Vine Nation Bloggers. Find out where and who they are by visiting the attached map.
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AreaMaps.org Destination Information and Lodging Directory
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You Blog, I Blog, We All Blog…
February 10th, 2008 categories: Information - Other Areas
Blogging, so what is it and why has it become so popular? Everyone seems to be blogging these days especially those that share the same affinity as myself, realtors. Through this medium realtors can update and inform potential and current clients.
When I first heard the term blog, I thought “Oh my gosh, what am I missing now?” Then I saw on a television show that some mountain climber was keeping a daily blog of his adventure. OK, so now I know - it is a form of electronic journal put on the Internet so interested parties can keep up with the person. Actually this is just one purpose of a blog. Blogs can also be used to update and offer information about various topics. Some sites offer their blogs as a type of personal newsletter.
We bloggers can even make the articles interesting by inserting hyperlinks, photos and even videos. The task is to make the presentations both eye catching and interesting, by offering the best of what the web has to offer. It can be in the form of gadgets and widgets, RSS feeds and youtube, or charts and graphics. These are packaged into small packets that can easily be downloaded into various items such as websites, IPods and cell phones.
Real estate agents can show live videos of neighborhoods in their blogs, including the restaurants and parks in the area of the homes they are selling. Just writing about a place can make the area more intriguing to the reader and potential buyer.
The next time you hear about someone blogging, check it out. It may be more interesting than what you originally thought. It may even induce you into buying a piece of real estate…
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