The Future is bright and I already have some nice shades!!! (purchased from our wonderful Pier Park)

With all the negative talk in the news and in the local rags you would not know that there are many bright spots in our horizon. Northwest Florida is poised and ready to blossom and flourish.  Many renowned and respected groups such as CNNmoney.com, American Express, Fortune Magazine and others are encouraged about our Real Estate market here.

American Express says that Northwest Florida is one of its Top Ten vacation destinations in the country. Northwest Florida is second behind the Orlando area in Florida tourism. Northwest Florida beaches are world-class, drawing over seven million tourists each year — more than any other East Coast beach area.

Real Estate professionals will tell you that their phones are ringing and people are taking advantage of the dropping prices and loving the new home buyers tax credit. . As inventory is depleted prices will stabilize and even climb up a little.  Many residences are priced below the cost to build. “If you are looking for an investment to hold on to for the next five years, the time to purchase is now. We are still very undervalued compared to other regions of Florida.”

The St. Joe Company (NYSE:JOE), whose corporate headquarters are in Jacksonville, FL, (will not be for long) is the largest landowner in Northwest Florida, owning over 718,000 acres of prime development land — half of it less than ten miles of the coast. St. Joe has been a large player in the Florida panhandle for a long time.  And according to St. Joe’s Investor Relations Department the long-range prospect for Florida panhandle real estate is particularly upbeat which is evidenced by St. Joe moving their headquarters to our area. What a genuine vote of confidence that is!!!!

There is also great reason to believe that our diverse economy is going to bring us more prosperity in the future:

Long-term financial and demographic trends continue to favor Florida, whose economy is fundamentally strong and diversified. The state’s population is expected to increase by three-fourths (to 28.6 million) by 2030. Its demographic growth rate regularly outperforms that of the rest of the country: over the past forty years, its annual rate of growth has outpaced the national average by 100%. By 2010 Florida will pass New York to become the country’s third most populous state.

Florida’s strong, diverse economy routinely outperforms the U.S. average, with a vibrant tourism industry, lots of high-tech jobs and a strong high-tech manufacturing sector. A big military presence with a number of busy and growing bases provides stability to the area’s economy. Within Northwest Florida, Walton County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Florida and the United States.

Florida is the strategic and economic center of the Americas. Geographic location, as well as financial and political stability, puts the State at the heart of trade and business throughout the region. Vacation property sales to retiring Baby Boomers are robust, and the State is a favorite spot for retirement relocation.

And if all that is not enough, we still have the most beautiful beaches in the world.

The Florida panhandle’s beaches are Florida’s second favorite tourist destination, trailing Orlando. The Florida Panhandle’s beaches attract more than seven million tourists yearly, more than any other stretch of beach on the East Coast.

Beaches in Northwest Florida rate as some of the most spectacular in the U.S. and the world. Beaches in Walton, Bay and Gulf Counties have been chosen for the number one ranking by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, an expert on beach quality and author of America’s Best Beaches.

The news just keeps getting better and better and with the arrival of our new Airport people can actually get to us so they can enjoy us even more!!!!  I can hardly wait to use our new Airport and am so thankful for all the community leaders that made it possible and thanks to St. Joe for knowing that this is the most fabulous place to live. I know I really do not need to remind you but I will anyway…. please remember, “The only people we need to get even with are those that have helped up.”  Now go get even!!!!

I am so excited that the tax buyer credit has not only extended but has expanded. Now move-up/repeat-home buyers can jump on board and reap the benefits of the program. I think most people are aware of the provisions and rules applied to the old bill but thought it would be fun to look at some of the new things available for those that are NOT first time home buyers. The Worker, Home ownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 has established a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified move-up/repeat-home buyers (existing home owners) purchasing a principal residence after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010 (or purchased by June 30, 2010 with a binding sales contract signed by April 30, 2010).

1. Who is eligible to claim the $6,500 tax credit?
   Qualified move-up or repeat home buyers purchasing any kind of home are eligible to claim this credit.
2. What is the definition of a move-up or repeat-home buyer?
   The law defines a tax credit qualified move-up home buyer (“long-time resident”) as a home owner who has owned and resided in a home for at least five consecutive years of the eight years prior to the purchase date. For married taxpayers, the law tests the homeownership history of both the home buyer and his/her spouse. Repeat home buyers DO NOT HAVE to purchase a home that is more expensive than their previous home to qualify for the tax credit.
3. How is the amount of the tax credit determined?
   The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500. Purchases of homes priced above $800,000 are not eligible for the tax credit.
4. Are there any income limits for claiming the tax credit?
   Yes. The income limit for single taxpayers is $125,000; the limit is $225,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return. The tax credit amount is reduced for buyers with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above those limits. The phaseout range for the tax credit program is equal to $20,000. That is, the tax credit amount is reduced to zero for taxpayers with MAGI of more than $145,000 (single) or $245,000 (married) and is reduced proportionally for taxpayers with MAGIs between these amounts.
5. What is “modified adjusted gross income”?
   Modified adjusted gross income or MAGI is defined by the IRS. To find it, a taxpayer must first determine “adjusted gross income” or AGI. AGI is total income for a year minus certain deductions (known as “adjustments” or “above-the-line deductions”), but before itemized deductions from Schedule A or personal exemptions are subtracted. On Forms 1040 and 1040A, AGI is the last number on page 1 and the first number on page 2 of the form. For Form 1040-EZ, AGI appears on line 4 (as of 2007). Note that AGI includes all forms of income including wages, salaries, interest income, dividends and capital gains.
   To determine modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), add to AGI certain amounts of foreign-earned income. See IRS Form 5405 for more details.
6. If my modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is above the limit, do I qualify for any tax credit?
   Possibly. It depends on your income. Partial credits of less than $6,500 are available for some taxpayers whose MAGI exceeds the phaseout limits.

AS always I suggest to please contact your accountant or financial advisor to see what you may qualify for. Those great deals out there are getting even better when you consider the additional benefits of homeownership. However, I would still warn customers to discuss at length the decision to enter into a short sale agreement with their Realtor. WE are so fortunate living in Panama City Beach because we have countless exciting things happening in our area to draw home buyers and the good news just keeps getting better. Stay tuned next week and we will continue this subject and in the meantime Enjoy our beach and each other and remember, “The only people we have to get even with are those that have helped us” My list is long and I hope yours is too.

I have had a hard time focusing on what I want to discuss with you this week so I decided to share from one of my favorite Real Estate gurus, Barbara Corcoran who is a regular on The Today Show. I love her on so many levels but mostly because after making about straight D’s in high school and having over 20 jobs by age 23 she found her niche!!! I just love stories like that because it proves what I believe: that we all have a gift and how fun it is when we find it and share it. I guess I got a little side tracked with my happy talk so lets get to the Real Estate myths according to Barbara.

1. SELLERS TODAY ARE DESPERATE
This is not necessarily so and in fact only about 1 in 10 are in desperation. Buyers just naturally assume that if something has been on the market for 6 months or so then the seller is willing to take an even greater hit. It is her belief that a better question to be asking is what is the motivation? Are they being relocated and need to sell right away or do they just want to move up. So asking the question of why are they selling is more important than time on the market and other factors.

2. IT IS STUPID TO BUY BEFORE IT HITS THE BOTTOM
Barbara says,”That sounds really cool that you could time the market but the problem with that is as soon as the prices hit the very bottom they start going back up.” When it turns around most of the really good deals are picked over and people stampede the market and then prices go up quickly. Another factor right now that makes it a great time to buy is the interest rates are still great. However, they have inched up a little lately. I have noticed in our market in Panama City Beach the inventory for the lowest part of the market is more picked over than it was this time last year.

3. YOU CAN NOT BUY A HOME FOR LESS THAN 20% DOWN
That of course is absolutely not true, with FHA you only are required to put down 3.5% and in certain cases you can ask the seller to pay some closing cost especially if you add a little to the price to keep from coming so much out of pocket. Even if you have to buy mortgage insurance that is usually roughly 1 and 1/2 % and would still make your down payment around 5 %. I am excited that the tax credit has been extended and should help many people that have hesitated to go ahead and purchase their home while the inventory is good.

4. IT IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST TIME TO SELL
Of course that may be true depending on when you purchased your home and also where you are living. According to Barbara many areas are rebounding and already inching back up. Another very important thing to keep in mind is that if you are selling to move into another home you will more than make up for your loss over time with your new purchase at today’s pricing.

I really enjoy watching and reading Barbara Corcoran and glean some great stuff from her but I caution people to always take into account the area where you live. We have a different experience living on the coast and have something that many still find very appealing and valuable. It is impossible to make blanket statements about the Real Estate market so ask questions of your Realtor and trust their advise. It is a very exciting time in Real Estate and living in Panama City Beach gives us plenty to be thankful for whether prices are up or down. Thanks so very much for watching thebeachshow.com and know that we have so much fun bringing it to you.

It seems that more and more people are getting excited about being on the winning end of the foreclosure crisis. Even though they are great deals customers sometimes are frustrated with the amount of red tape we have to go through and the fact that we have to do it the banks way. The game has changed in Real estate and navigating short sales and foreclosures requires a little study so I thought I would share a few foreclosure cliff notes with you.

1. If the listing is relatively new to the market, it is very possible that the bank will not deviate much from its asking price. You will have greater negotiating power if you make offers on homes that have been on the market for longer than 30 days. Typically the bank will only go down slightly if it is new on the market. Another thing that I have noticed is that MOST banks are very aggressive in pricing their REO properties. On many occasions they end up selling for more than the asking price.
2. Be prepared to pay all of your closing cost for most banks are moving away from paying typical seller closing cost for the buyer. Some fees such as transfer taxes, county and state fees, are borne by the buyer and not the bank. In addition banks will not usually pay for pest reports and home warranty plans as a typical seller. If you do want to ask for closing cost of any kind it would need to be a set amount and keep in mind that this may be just the term that keeps you from being the highest and best offer.
3. Many times when you make your offer on a foreclosure the seller’s agent will come back to your agent and ask that all parties make their highest and best offer. This is a great time to listen to your agent’s advise on this matter. She will have great knowledge of what the property is worth and what others like it are selling for.
4. Most times the negotiations are verbal and contracts are done by filling in blanks on an electronic system until an agreement has been decided between the parties. I have often described the contract that the buyer gives as a contract to enter into a contract. So as a buyer expect the bank to draw its own purchase contract or addendum to your standard purchase contract. The paper work is sometimes quite exhaustive but a small price to pay for a big discount.
5. Foreclosures are AS IS contracts and any repairs are the responsibility of the buyer. The bank typically guarantees NOTHING. You will however in most cases be given an inspection period and if it is not a satisfactory one you may in most cases have an out of the contract and get your earnest money returned.
6. The bank requires that you have either proof of funds or a pre-qualification letter from your bank to even put in your offer.
7. Some banks even require you to be pre-qualified by their institution before submitting a contract. You may or may not use that bank for the final loan.
8. If you cannot close by the predetermined closing date, the bank may charge you a penalty for each day you pass that date. It is important that you make sure all your finances are in order so that you do not end up paying an additional fee for your good deal.

Foreclosures really are a great way of getting a good deal but they are not the only way. The inventory is huge and the incentives to buy are astounding. I cannot remember a better time in history to be a buyer so rev up that computer and do some searching and call your favorite Realtor to join in your shopping adventure so you can hit the road and find that DEAL.

There have been more questions than answers this week. Among other, people have asked: What do those zeroed out items mean in a contract and are you sure you can not take multiple offers on a short sale??? Since we do not have time enough to answer the first one lets talk about some more questions that I continue to get about Short sales. All of my customers and myself agree that the short sale is certainly not a short process and there continues to be so much confusion on how to handle them between the buyer and the seller.

I consulted our handy National Association of Realtors to get some valuable answers to some confusing questions so see if any of these help you out. In addition I talk on a weekly basis to my other Realtor buddies who are successfully handling short sales while following our rules and guidelines.

The question of multiple offers and how to handle them is probably my most asked question about short sales so I go right by what NAR tells us Realtors to do. Banks are not Realtors but we are so here is the ruling on multiple offers. The FAR Short Sale addendum that the buyer and seller signs states that, “. . . the seller may “accept” other offers and submit them to the lender.” Does the MLS status stay as “active” until the lender approves the short sale?

NO. If a purchase contract is signed by both parties, then the contract is complete and is now CONTINGENT on bank approval. The FAR addendum, and ones like it are designed to alert buyers under contract that the seller may continue to solicit offers and hold them in a BACK UP position, and may share them with the lender. The contract is still considered contingent, even though a listing agent may solicit additional offers and share them with the lender.

So what exactly does NAR say that we do with offers that come in after the seller has submitted an executed contract to the lender for approval?

Each contract is different. Unless instructed otherwise, the listing broker should present all offers to the seller for review. The seller can decide to hold the offer as a back up and present it to the lender. Of course the lender wants the highest possible price, however, once a purchase contract is signed by the seller and the buyer, that contract must be disposed of before another can be accepted and the lender approves it. The seller should refrain from signing more than one contract unless there is specific legal direction that the second offer is a back up offer.

It has been my experience especially in the last year that the back up offer serves a purpose and they many times end up being the customer who gets the deal. People get tired of waiting and sometimes their financial situation changes in the time that it takes to close the deal. So do not be discouraged if you are in a back up position you just may move to the front of the pack. Stay tuned next week for a few more confusing short sale issues. And as always thanks for visiting and listening. I would love to hear your experiences with short sales as a buyer, seller or Realtor.

Last week we addressed the Wind Mitigation inspection and how you could save some bucks on your home owners insurance. Since space would not allow I only gave a brief introduction to what was involved and how it resulted in savings for you. This week we are going to go a little deeper and answer some other questions you may have about the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection form. Again, please consult an expert that can help you as I have borrowed this information from an article written by John Staab a licensed inspector as well as the web site of Richard Pickle inspector in the Orlando Area.

Q. What does the inspector look for in a wind mitigation inspection?

A. 8 points on the inspection, 6 of which deal with the roof, also, construction type and opening protection

Q. How does a wind mitigation inspection benefit a homeowner?

A. It allows the insurance company to apply discounts to the windstorm portion of their homeowners insurance policy.

Q. What does the inspector look for in a 4 point inspection?

A. The 4 point inspection covers the HVAC (air conditioning), electrical, plumbing and roof components of the home.

Q. How does a 4 point inspection benefit a homeowner?

A. Many companies require a 4 point inspection on older homes for renewal on their existing insurance policies.

Q. What is the biggest problem found that can lower your insurance rate the most?

A. The biggest problem is usually when a homeowner has hurricane protection on all the windows but does not have a front door or garage door that meets the required code.

Q. Can this problem be easily corrected or improved?

A. Yes, impact resistant doors can be installed.

Q. What are the most affordable changes or upgrades homeowners can make to lower their insurance?

A. Opening protection such as hurricane shutters and impact resistant doors are one of the easiest steps and biggest cost savings. Gable end bracing secures roofs to the building structure. One way to accomplish this is adding more lumber and bolts in the attic to secure the roof better.

Q. What is the top rated roof type and building requirements to receive the lowest homeowners insurance rates?

A. Any roof that meets the 2001 building code receives the maximum discounts. A hip roof shape is the most resistant to wind and therefore qualifies for greater discounts.

Q. Is there anything a homeowner can check on themselves to help reduce homeowners insurance? Will the insurance companies go on the homeowner’s word or does an inspection report need to be submitted for insurance companies to give a discount?

A. The homeowner can check to see if their opening protection, including all doors, is up to the 2001 Florida Building code. The insurance companies require the inspection to verify the wind mitigation devices.

If your current Florida homeowners insurance does not reflect that your home meets the wind protection requirements an inspection can save you $100’s of dollars per year (20% to 50% on your policy.) Let us know if we can point you in the direction of some great local inspectors who can inspect your home so you can get those savings. As always I get to learn so much by bringing these tips to you and remember. . . “The only people we have to get even with are those that have helped us” I hope your get-even list is a long one.

Lucky for me real life gives me my subject matter every week and this week I have some great information about a friend on Facebook, and he had a GREAT article with FAQ on Wind Mitigation – so I get to borrow it for you. WE Floridians are blessed with incredible beaches, endless coastline and some pretty fabulous weather but along with that comes our exposure to tropical weather that can bring on those ill fated hurricanes. Because of this we tend to have some hefty insurance cost but now there are some things that you can do to mitigate that with the help of your FAVORITE home inspector.

Q. What is the purpose of the Uniform Mitigation Verification Form that can help reduce Florida Homeowners Insurance?

A. To identify construction features that reduce wind damage and loss

Q. How much can an inspection lower your homeowners insurance?

A. You can save anywhere from as much as 50% but in most cases 20% to 40% is typical. This depends on many factors along with the company that you are using for your insurance

Q. What is the average cost of the inspection?

A. The cost is anywhere from $100 to $150 but some inspectors include it with some of their inspection packages. (for a list of inspectors that do this just let us know and we will get you their names)

Q. How long is the inspection good for?

A. The verification form is valid up to five years provided no material changes have been made to the structure.

Q. What qualifications and licensing does an inspector need to have?

A. In order to take advantage of the discounts, most homeowners will need a licensed professional to inspect the home and legally verify improvements.

Q. Do inspectors’ licenses qualify them for the entire state or specific counties?

A. These professionals are qualified for the entire state of Florida.

Q. Is there a Florida state law supporting this inspection? In other words, are insurance companies required to lower your insurance with certain findings?

A. Yes. In 2005, the Florida Legislature enacted a law requiring all residential property insurance companies to file with the Office of Insurance Regulation a range of premium discounts they propose to offer. Insurance companies issuing new homewoners’ insurance policies on or after October 1, 2005 or the first renewal of a homeowners’ insurance policy, must let policyholders know they can get discounts if they strengthen their homes against hurricane damage.

This information should get you started on your road to a cheaper insurance policy. In our business we have had the privilege of working with some great inspectors in our area so if you need some names of some highly qualified inspectors just give us a shout and we will get that information to you. As always thanks for tuning in to the beach show and letting us share our lives with yours. It is our great joy and to think I get paid for this. . . what a life!!!

Special thanks to Richard Pickle for the inspiration and information to share with you

WOW what a week for Real Estate for me with so many great things to write about. I could not decide if I needed to write an article or get some extensive therapy or maybe change jobs. Just when we thought we had this condo thing almost figured out we get thrown another Real Estate curve ball. Receivership has been a word that keeps cropping up in Real estate circles with many more questions than answers, so I thought I would get the scoop by reading and calling different groups whose complexes are already in Receivership.

First of all quite simply: Receivership happens for many reasons but for our purposes in really easy layman terms I will share what little I know. If a developer owns a property and is no longer able to pay, the developer oftentimes will sign over ownership, and in other cases the Receiver comes in and manages the complex and the developer retains ownership. Now keep it mind this is quite simplified, but the thing that potential condo buyers want to know is how does it impact them and is it always a bad thing????

I have had many questions about what this means for my potential buyers. This is an impossible question to answer with a blanket statement because it depends on the overall stability of the complex. The fear that many buyers have when looking to make a purchase is the ability of the HOA to fund itself and what happens when owners do not pay. Does the complex go down the tubes? Or better yet are the few owners that ARE paying stuck with a huge assessment? While these are valid concerns that is not always the case so it is best to check out each complex and see also if the bank is willing to fund them. In spite of the horror stories out there, many banks will loan money on a complex that is in Receivership so it is not an automatic death sentence for the condo. Do your homework before you cross a troubled condo off your list. Have confidence that is in the banks best interest that the complex remains stable. The new standards are very stringent and are designed to keep us from going down the same dark road again.

The other fears that buyers have when they find out a condo is in Receivership is the prospect of the remaining condos going to auction further driving the prices down. While that may happen the fact remains that until things sell then nothing is going to recover. The best thing to know about values in a complex is that they are a moving target. If you are buying in today’s market you are getting a DEAL. If all was perfect and the complex was completely solid then we would not be talking and you would be buying at yesterdays prices. Prices may jump around for a few more years but now is still a great time to get the most bang for your buck.

So this big bad thing called Receivership may not be the awful foe that is painted out to be. Please check with your bank and get their take on it and by all means check out the solvency of the Home Owners Association and you many just find out that you can get a really great deal. If you are a condo buyer, chances are you realize that you need to plan on enjoying it for many years to come and build the memories with your friends and family that no recession or threat of one can take away. There are many people (especially the news) that at times will paint an awful picture when that may not be the case. I assure you sitting on your beach front balcony may enhance your life and make you think about what really is important and you will find that they are all sitting on the balcony with you. Once again, thanks for the therapy and I think challenges and all. . . I will keep my job!!!! Besides I get to work a and live on the beach, what a country!!!!

All you sweet Beach show followers know that ALL of my articles come from Real life problems or challenges that happen during my week; I conduct a therapy session by bringing them before you. So thanks for listening. So many things have already come up this week with 2 short sales buyer back outs after 5 months, one going into foreclosure and lending and appraisal issues. . . where do we start? Although all that needs some reflection I had another issue that came up this week and I think many people are not aware of how some of the contingency issues work in Florida. So lets talk a little about common Purchase Contract Contingencies that a buyer may utilize.

I have a sell going on and we are waiting on an appraisal and holding our breaths to make sure it flies and the question was. . . What if it does not appraise? Does the buyer have to buy it? For the most part the answer is NO. Unless the buyer states that the offer is cash and does not put an appraisal contingency in the contract, then failure of property to appraise is an acceptable back out of a contract. The bank will require an appraisal by a third party that has no interest in the sale to determine the property value. There was a time in the distant past that a buyer would just come to the table with some extra cash to buy that dream hacienda. Not saying that NEVER happens but do not count on it. Many cash offers today include an appraisal clause in the contract.

Another common contingency is the inspection period which varies from state to state and can be explicitly stated in the contract. If the sale is an AS IS with right to inspect then the buyer can get an inspection and at his sole discretion get out of the contract if he does not like the findings of the inspection. If a buyer has a regular contact such as FAR 9 then the seller is required to fix any warranted or safety items. The seller and the buyer will discuss and come to terms with how that is handled. But for clarification sake it is the duty of the seller to have those items fixed by a licensed professional and may be required to have a re-inspection before close.

Federal law also gives a buyer 10 days to inspect for lead paint. Don’t run for the hills this will only apply to older homes but again ask your trusted Realtor. We will talk about Chinese Dry Wall another time!!!

Lender approval is another facet of contingencies embedded in the contract unless waved, and even though a customer has a pre-approval letter that does not mean that he has the loan locked in. Any number of things can happen and sometimes do so if a buyer can not attain a loan he has a suitable back out of a contract. A perfect example as happened in one of my deals today was a buyer who lost their job before the property went to close. She now no longer qualifies for her loan so was able to legitimately get out of her contract and have her earnest money returned.

I have heard in the past contingencies called weasel clauses because they allowed a person to weasel out of a contract. That does sound kind of slimy but the fact is contingencies are a necessary part of the Real Estate transaction, and your Realtor can explain all of these to you. Remember I am not a lawyer and I do not even play one on TV so this is meant to be a basic intro to contingencies as they relate to a typical sale in Florida. Thanks for being my therapist one more time.

I love my job and I think that is in part because of all the great people I get to work with. Active working Realtors are some of the hardest working most energetic people I have ever met. They love to share their knowledge of Real Estate with their customers and thankfully with each other. I enjoy working with my other Realtor buddies and so respect what they do so I wanted you to know what your Realtor can do for you.

Many people try to sell their homes themselves and that is certainly an option that all of us have, however when doing so you miss a valuable selling tool. According to the National Association of Realtors more than half of all home sales involve a listing agent and a buyers agent. The majority of those sales are made possible because of the all powerful MLS system that is blasted out to countless Realtors and people and reaches many web sites and locations across the United States. To add to that, many Realtors are a part of advertising campaigns through magazines and sites such and Homes and Land further putting your listing in front of even more people. Statistics show that nine out of 10 people use a real estate agent in their search for a home and adding to that, internet has risen as a mega tool from only 2% of buyers in 1995 to 79% in 2006 so you can imagine what the stats say now.

The MLS system is great but would be lacking without all the buzz that Realtors create when we are out and about sharing with each other. Realtors are really my best customers. One of my favorite sales happened when I was NOT WORKING. I went to Carrabbas and saw one of my favorite Realtors (you know who you are) waiting tables and I just happened to mention that I had a great listing with exceptional rental dollars generated. Ward had just the right buyer in mind!!! Needless to say that was an unexpected treat but that happens all the time. Listing with a Realtor is like the gift that keeps on giving. When you employ a Realtor to market your property you can get a lot of bang for your buck.

One of the most pertinent tangible things that your Realtor will do when listing your home is to give you up-to-date information on what is happening in your market and the price, financing and condition of competing homes. You need this information so you can sell your house at the best price and as quickly as possible. Your Realtor has vast knowledge of market values in your community and that is vital today in selling your home. Remember it does not matter what something is listed for what matters is what it is selling for.

Advertising your property is more than throwing a sign up and your Realtor will know how and where to advertise your property. There a is a misconception that you just have to advertise and that sells the Real Estate. The National Association of Realtors indicate that 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts.

Your Realtor has spent years of training and learning how to market and sell what may be your biggest investment ever. There is so much more to Real Estate than making a sale; there are procedures for closing the deal that your Realtor will know how to guide you through. Zig Ziglar always said you have to close the deal to be a salesman, so with that in mind call your favorite Realtor and close that deal. Thanks to all my sweet Realtor friends out there for all your knowledge and guidance. . . you really are some of the best customers ever. And again, you know who you are!