Nine Attributes of an Exceptional Real Estate Agent

Hey! This sounds like ME. What a great blog post. It takes all of these to be a successful agent and to have happy clients in the end! 

Via Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul (Sell with Soul):

Before Christmas I posted a blog about a show we did in the SWS Virtual Studio called "Are You the Best Real Estate Agent You Know?" In that blog, I described three reasons you might WANT to BE the best agent you know, and promised to continue the conversation with some concrete attributes or characteristics that someone who IS the best agent they know might possess.

So, 'cause I usually keep my promises, below are nine attributes (skills, services and masteries) of what an agent I'd be excited to hire to represent me should bring to the table:

1. Market Mastery - the agent understands the nuances of the local real estate market - at least the segmentNeighborhood of it that affects ME!


2. MLS Mastery
- the agent is intimately familiar with the MLS and therefore makes pricing recommendations based on data that is complete, relevant and accurate.


contract3. Contract (and Disclosure) Mastery
- the agent understands and can explain each and every provision in the contracts and disclosures I'll be asked to sign, and ensures that I understand how each provision affects me.


4. Pricing Expertise
- related to #1, the agent understands the nuances of the specific market area(s) that I'm buying or selling in, and how various features and amenities (or lack thereof) affect the market value of the properties there.


5. Photography Skills
(or willingness to hire a photographer) - the agent understands the importance of having great photos online and is willing to invest the time and money to either take great photos him or herself, or hire someone to do it.

handyman
6. Basic Understanding of Home Construction, Repair and Local Architecture
- while I don't expect my agent to be a licensed contractor, I do expect them to understand basic issues of home construction and repair so they can speak intelligently to me about issues that may arise during our transaction. This knowledge will enhance their credibility with me tremendously.


7. Good Problem-Solving and Negotiating Skills
- the agent doesn't fall apart and go all drama-queen (or king) on me when the going gets a little rocky. They stay calm and focused, and tackle the problem head-on. They are skilled, confident negotiators.


8. A Great Team -
the agent has a great team. If I need a referral to the best lender, inspector, handyman, house-cleaner, structural contractor, roofer or painter in town, my agent knows who that is and will set me up.


9. Great Systems in Place to Track Transactions 
- the agent has detailed checklists and follow-ups in place so that things don't slip through the cracks or get forgotten when they get busy or distracted.

So, whatcha' think? Do these sound like the characteristics of an agent you'd hire to take care of your real estate transaction? Any others you'd like to add... or any of these you don't think belong on the list?

If you'd like to participate in a survey I'm doing on the matter, just go here: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e5ghv78kgwdi99ia/start and tell us what YOU think!

 

 

The Exceptional Agent 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!

 

Lessons Learned From 2011. By Dan Polimino.

You have to just LOVE Dan for posting this. I couldn't agree with #4 and #5 even MORE! How I have learned those lessons every year, over and over again. Oh, and LOVE number 6 and wish it happened more often! I call that a "freebie".

Via Daniel Polimino (Fuller Towne and Country Properties):

Here we are at the end of the year. It’s always a good time to sit back and reflect on the past year. I also like to make a quick list of the lessons I have learned over the last year in Real Estate. Here are a few of the most notable. 

1. I learned that the days are long, but the years are short. I spent a fair amount of time wishing days away in 2011. Then I look back and it seems that the years have just flown by. I am trying not to make that same mistake in 2012.

2. I learned at 43 to listen more and speak less. This one lesson has served me better than anything else.

3. I learned that there is no harm in asking. Just when you think there is no way a buyer or seller will move one more penny…they do. So I tell my clients, ”What is the harm in asking since all they can say is ’no’?”

4. I learned that you could have the best data in the world and most convincing argument, and at the end of the day the real estate transaction boils down to one thing. What is a seller willing to sell for and what is a buyer willing to pay?

5. I learned that just when you think you have encountered the most difficult buyer or seller, you are wrong. There is one more difficult just around the corner.

6. I learned that every once in a while, you are given a gift. Like a buyer that calls you up, looks at one property, makes an offer and closes with no conflicts or difficulty. Cherish these transactions.

7. I learned that there is no amount of convincing or sense that you can impart to Banks and Investors. Even when the data is all in your favor, Banks/Investors do not have to sell properties at fair market value because they are flush with cash and have lots of options.

8. I learned to take Sundays off (yes, even in the real estate business) so I can have some type of family life. I recommend this to all of my real estate brethren. I can honestly tell you that by taking Sundays off, my business did not decrease one penny. In fact, it got better.

9. I learned to smile more and laugh more in what is a pressure cooker of a business. If you don’t, you’ll soon find yourself on ulcer medication.

10. I learned that you have to give something to get something. 

Happy New Year 

Dan Polimino 

Dan Polimino is a Realtor with Fuller Sotheby’s International Realty. He can be reached at DPolimino@fullerproperties.com and www.coloradodreamhouse.com/denverpost 

Click here to Get started searching for YOUR Colorado Dream Home.

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Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!

 

2011 Lessons learned

This is a reblog from Dave Francis at Shannon Escrow. He really pointed out a lot of great things we should be thankful for and learn from, going into the New Year! Let's all LEARN some lessons and not get too stressed out!

Via Dave Francis (Shannon Escrow, Inc.):

2011 was not my favorite year to date, but I learned some valuable life lessons along the way. Thought I would share them with you:

REFLECTIONS

 

  • Always take care of your mental and physical health first. Without it, you cannot progress at all...
  • speak loudly and clearly in a group. This will help establish you as a leader, and show you have the authority to speak on your subject matter.
  • I need something, I cant find it. Case in point, I am trying a refinance right now, and had no clue where my 2009-2010 tax forms were, along with pay stubs, and just about everything else my broker asked for. It was awful.
  • Do not forget to laugh. A couple of months ago, business was bad, I was broke, thinking of a sick parent, etc, when I realized my jaw hurt so bad I could barely sleep anymore. It was from clenching my teeth. I pulled out a few funny films, and was soon laughing again, releasing all of the pressure I let build up inside.
  • Visit your doctor at least once a year, even if you feel fine. I wont go into details here, but both my wife and I are so very glad we did.
  • Life is short, say 77 or 80 useful years.....so get out and enjoy some of it.
  • Do not always believe blindly what you might see or hear.  It is always good to check your facts from at least three sources.
  • learn something new every single day (Sundays Included) This will keep your mind sharp, and allow you more opportunity to engage others in conversation
  • Try not to be prejudiced or judge others in any way. Those three fingers point right back to you.
  • Do not text or use the phone for any reason while driving. I had a few close calls this year, and it made me realize that I cannot possibly be a safe driver while texting under any circumstances.
  • Say I love you to the ones you really do love in your life. You never know when you will be stricken down, or lose a loved one....at any time.
  • Remember "curb appeal" is not only good in selling a home, but in keeping your entire neighborhood from getting sloppy and messed up. The best instant gratification I got this year was cleaning, and keeping up my front yard.
  • Try not to be afraid of things you cannot control. Earthquakes, windstorms, home invasion robbery are but just a few that pop into my head from time to time. I just learn that these are things I cannot control, even though I can minimize my exposure risks to these bad things.
  • Try to do a random act of kindness as often as you can. You might be surprised at how good it makes you feel, and how much better the world would be if we all did it.
  • Try to stay organized. I am the worst at this, and then when It brings your life into balance, refocuses attention on your wants and needs, and is an all around good thing to do.
  • Lastly, make a conscious effort to greet everyone you see. A smile, or a hello on the elevator might just bring you unheard of surprise. It makes others feel good too.....this was my most valuable life asset in 2011.
  • HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL! I REALLY WISH YOU ALL THE VERY BEST FOR 2012!

Dave Francis

General Manager

Shannon Escrow, Inc.

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Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!

 

Eye Candy - Top 20 Home Inspection Photos from 2011

It's really incredible what lengths some home owners will do to "patch" something up quickly. A lot of these are older homes. Don't let this happen to you! Hire a contractor!

Via Minneapolis Home Inspections - Reuben Saltzman (Structure Tech Home Inspections):

I post a new home inspection photo on the Structure Tech Facebook page six days a week, and this year I decided to put together a blog post showing my favorite photos from 2011.   I hope you enjoy these half as much as I do.  As with all of my blog posts, click on any of these photos for a larger version.

Ice Dams - Remember ice dams?  They were nasty last winter.  I'm enjoying winter in Minnesota much more this year; what have we received so far, two inches of snow?

Ice filled soffit

Ice Dam-age Control - This is the only photo we didn't take (thanks DKW3).  This was someone's solution to chronic water intrusion from ice dam leakage.

Ice Dam-age control

Hack Ice Dam Removal - We've said many times that pressure washers should never be used to remove ice dams, because they tear up shingles.

Hack Ice Dam Removal from pressure washer

Hot Roof?  Cold Roof?  Not Sure.  - Attics are supposed to be treated as warm spaces or cold spaces.  Someone obviously didn't understand the point.

Home Made Hot Roof

Hockey Puck Fascia Repair - Hole in your fascia?  No problem!  Just use a bunch of caulk and a hockey puck to fix it.

Hockey puck fascia repair

Rotted Roof Decking - The roof decking was in horrible condition at this house, but that didn't stop the roofers; they installed a new roof covering right over the top.  That black stuff is the ice & water shield.

Rotted roof decking

Bad Shingle Repair - No explanation needed.

Bad Shingle Repair

Bad Chimney Crown - We could tell this chimney crown needed repair just by looking at it from the ground, but we had no idea it would be this bad.  This chimney crown obviously needs to be completely replaced.

Bad Chimney

Chimney with Facade Falling Apart - Three sides of this chimney looked just fine from a distance.

Chimney with facade falling apart

One Angry Bird Away... - As I was typing up the insection report for this house, my wife saw this photo on the computer screen and said "Wow, that chimney looks like it's about one angry bird away from collapse."  Good call.

damaged chimney

Downspout Combustion Air Intake - That downspout connecting to the return air duct fed to the exterior of the home and was being used as the combustion air intake.  It's not conventional and it's probably a little small, but hey, it works.

Downspout in to return air

Central Air-ish - This was someone's attempt at cooling a room where the AC unit wasn't installed.

Central air-ish

Creative Heat Register - Interesting solution.

No heat register

Heat Register in Cabinet - While most people would have had to decide between a heat register and a cabinet here, this homeowner decided to have their cake and eat it too.  Can you guess what city this house was in?  

Hint: Look up "cake-eater" at urbandictionary.com.  

Register inside cabinet

Garbage Can Sump Basket - Sump baskets are reinforced on the sides to prevent them from collapsing.  Plastic refuse containers are not.

Garbage can sump basket

Mouse in Panel - Any unused openings in electric panels are supposed to be covered over, not only to contain any potential fire or sparking that could occur inside the panel, but also to prevent unwanted visitors from coming in.

Mouse in panel

Covered Outlet - No explanation needed.

Covered outlet

Missing Fuses - Apparently someone was tired of replacing those pesky fuses, so they replaced the fuses with a couple short lengths of copper tubing.  Can you say fire hazard?

Missing Fuses

Mirror Tile on Kitchen Floor - This might be the most interesting tiled floor we've come across.

Mirror Tile on kitchen floor

Useless Shower Fan - Someone went to a lot of effort to install this bath fan above the shower, but without a duct... what's the point?  I can only scratch my head.

Useless Shower Fan

Water Behind Escutcheon - My personal favorite.  I noticed water leaking out from behind the escutcheon, which is that decorative metal trim ring around the pipe sticking out of wall.  I turned the water off, pulled the escutcheon away, got my camera ready, turned the water back on... click.

Water Behind Escutcheon

Ok, that was twenty-one photos.  Close enough.  If you enjoy these kinds of photos, please click "Like" on our Facebook page.  Thanks!

Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech Home Inspections - Email - Minneapolis Home Inspector

        

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Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!

 

Are Real Estate Agents Going the Way of Borders?

Wow, This story really hit home because I have had this discussion with at least 4 close friends and family. How is all this online shopping going to affect my career in real estate and with buyers? So far, buyers and sellers are more Internet Savvy, but they still need help with the process of marketing their home, contract to close items, finding an attorney, and just having an unbiased, neutral party involved. 

Via Karen Rittenhouse (All Property Solutions.com):

Dinosaur fossilI just finished reading "What do Realtors and Bookstore People Have in Common?" and it got me thinking..

The comparison was - basically -  a Realtor adds value compared to shopping for a home online the same way a brick and mortar bookstore adds value over buying from Amazon. (my apologies to the author for my very brief synopsis)

Borders Bookstore was a huge chain, in many countries, and they went under. In fact, how many bookstores do you remember? Barnes and Noble is about the only brick and mortar left - other than used bookstores.

Are real estate agents going the same way?

Yes, I love going into bookstores, sitting with a cup of coffee and browsing books and magazines. However, when I'm ready to buy, Amazon is my preferred online resource. Quick, convenient and usually less expensive.

And, like it or not, the cyber phenom is here to stay. New generations text while sitting in the same room rather than having a conversation. Really, conversation is what you have to offer them?

My son, of the cyber generation, found a condo in San Diego, while sitting here in North Carolina, on Craigslist. He and his wife later found an apartment in Wisconsin (while sitting here in North Carolina) on Craigslist. A year later, when they bought a home, do you think they sought out a real estate agent? That was a completely foreign concept. They went online, immediately pulled up properties in their areas of interest (no one needed to show them how), and ended up with a great deal on a great property from a for-sale-by-owner.

Are you online where searchers will find you - Facebook, Twitter, et al? If you're waiting for buyers to search for Realtors or Real Estate Agents, you're dead. That's not where they're looking and they have their own cars so they don't need you to drive them around.

Many agents are upset by it, many are offended, many try to justify that the way things have always been done are the way things should be done.

Well, things are not as they were and they continue to morph at lightening speed. Real estate agents must change or they are destined to go the way of the dinosaur - and Borders. What are you doing to survive?

 


Karen Rittenhouse | www.karensperspective.com | 336-834-0614 | karen@karensperspective.com

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Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!

 

Earn your commission. Don’t defend it.

I have come into this situation a few times in the last few years and I do totally agree that there are other solutions that have to do with the buyer and seller (the two parties to the contract) that have nothing to do with the commissions earned by any of the servicers.

Via Bryant Tutas-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc:

bb and tlwHow do you react when a Seller or Buyer asks you to give them a portion of your commission? Do you immediately get defensive? Do you start explaining how your commission is split and how many expenses you have as a licensed Real Estate agent?

I recently read an article on ActiveRain about a Seller asking their agent to make up the difference between the contract price and a low appraisal. The article had over 350 comments and all but a very small handful were blasting the Seller for having the nerve to ask such a thing. The comments went from just saying “No” to outlining exactly how we get paid and what we spend the money on.


 

Why not offer solutions to their problem instead? "Problem? What the heck are you talking about Broker Bryant? The only problem they have is that they are cheap and they expect me to work for nothing. They don’t value what I do!!"


Do you believe that? I don’t.

I believe they DO have a problem and they are looking to their agent for a solution.

The Seller, in the article I linked to, had a problem. Her problem was that the appraisal came in too low and she was getting ready to lose the sale over it. Her gut reaction was to use a portion of the commission to bridge the gap. Her agent, instead of offering her solutions, immediately became defensive. Fortunately she slept on it and didn’t send the nasty email she wrote to her client.


My suggestion was to offer the Seller solutions. There are actually several available when an appraisal comes in too low.

 

  • The Buyer can just move forward at the agreed upon price. Unless the contract is contingent upon a satisfactory appraisal the appraisal is really nothing more than an “FYI” event.

  • The appraisal can be disputed.

  • The Seller can come down on price.

  • The Buyer and Seller can split the difference.

  • The Seller can just place the property back on the market.

So....instead of getting defensive about your commission why not just let the Seller know of the possible solutions? My guess is that if you handled it this way the Seller would completely get off your commission and get on to solving the problem. Don’t you think?


Earn your commission. Don’t defend it.

Are you under water on your Florida mortgage?

 

Contact Bryant Tutas

Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close.

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Tutas Towne Realty has already successfully negotiated Short Sales with the following Lenders and Investors.

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Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!

 

Five Warning Signs Your Purchase Offer May Be Headed For Trouble

I had to reblog this because Liz is right on so many levels! I'm tired of poorly written offers (by broker owners no less!). I'm tired of getting the car saleman-like pitch about the market conditions before the offer is sent over, and I'm tired of the lack of pre-approval letters I am seeing. What is the world coming to?

Via Liz and Bill Spear RE/MAX Elite Warren County Ohio: Cincinnati to Dayton (513.265.3004 www.LizTour.com):

contract timeFive Warning Signs Your Purchase Offer May Be Headed For Trouble

Yeah!!!  We finally got that purchase offer on your home!  We've been working for this for months, BUT......

There may be some trouble getting these buyers all the way to an accepted agreement!  Why do we say that?  There are some warning signs right off the bat or early on during negotiations that are typical of trouble brewing.  Now we're not saying Last Rites on this offer, and we'll give it everything we've got to get this deal to the closing table for you, but here's some early warning signs of potential trouble:

  • The buyer's agent casually mentions that your offer is the FIFTH that the buyers have written.  We're sorry, but this is either code for "give us exactly what we want or we'll tell you where the sellers can stick it",  OR the buyers are VERY prone to cold feet, OR they don't care about the home, just getting a STEAL!  In any case, this doesn't create warm, fuzzy feelings does it?
  • The buyer's agent keeps saying "You know it's a buyer's market" when sending over an offer WELL below current market value AND asking for everything that's not nailed down.  Especially true when we've established that your neighborhood is heading up quickly.  If the agent doesn't recognize the market, chances are neither will the buyers.  They'll all be swearing you're grossly overpriced....and then see a few weeks later you got your price.
  • The contract is incomplete.  Sections aren't filled in, disclosures aren't included, no copy of the earnest money check.  Nothing against the buyers, but this is a bad sign that their agent might not be the most competent out there.  Negotiations can be tough enough without having to worry about whether or not the other side has a clue about how it's done.
  • Their response to your counter is almost identical to their first offer.  Now they may still come up to something that will work, but typically this indicates they're feeling good about their number and not likely to come up much.
  • Their preapproval letter, or the lack of one.  No preapproval letter at all?  Pot luck at this point.  Maybe they can qualify, maybe not.  Another hazardous sign?   None of us have ever heard of the bank granting the preapproval letter.  Again, it may be no big deal, but those preapproval letters that end in ".com" don't always bode well.  Always good to be able to stand in someone's office when there's a problem that needs resolved.

Now there are some factors here we can mitigate, others we can't.  You can trust if there's something that we COULD do, we'll do it.  And if this offer can't be saved?  You can bet we're marketing to the fullest to get you another offer!

Serving Warren County's residential real estate needs,

Liz and Bill aka BLiz

The Liz Spear Team
Elizabeth & William Spear
RE/MAX Elite:  Ask for us by name if you visit the office!
Two locations: Lebanon & Mason, OH
Office direct: 513-248-3660
  Liz direct:  513-265-3004
Bill direct: 513-520-5305 Fax: 866-302-8418
      EHO

MailTo: Liz@LizSpear.com  Visit: http://www.LizTour.com

 

 

 

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Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!

 

Three Lessons from the Housing Bubble

Even though buying a home is still inexpensive, I am seeing a trend in renting because of the lack of consumer confidence in the economy and talk about a "double-dip" in the market. I still feel as though we are on the way to recovery, but that it will be a long, slow, uphill battle to appreciation again. Check out these lessons and the cool rent vs. buy calculator!

Via Dave Roberts (Healdsburg Sotheby's International Realty):

Houses are great investments! They always go up in value!

Ever hear that before? Maybe in 2004 or 2005? Real estate agents may have been collectively insane, asleep at the wheel, or just oblivious to the reality of housing values, but the run-up in prices known as the housing bubble took almost everyone in the real estate industry by surprise. Plenty of my colleagues were busy upgrading to larger homes, taking out bigger mortgages, and betting on the inevitable rise in the market. Oops. 

In hindsight, there are plenty of clues to indicate we should have understood the nature of the bubble. In hindsight, we all see signs that we should have listened to. However, the understanding that we made serious mistakes will only be useful to us if we learn some fundamental lessons that we can share with buyers today. 

Housing Bubble Lessons for Today's Buyers

History of Home Values

There is a long term trend in housing value that can't be ignored.

The long term trend in housing value is one of the most important principles to understand about real estate. For well over a hundred years, the appreciation in the housing market has hovered around 1% above the rate of inflation. Individual markets have gone up and down, up and down again, but the long term trend is a steady, slow appreciation over decades. Any careful observer of the housing market in the mid 2000's who understood the long term trends should have been able to predict the bubble. It's very easy to see on this useful chart (data updated to early 2011. Click on the chart to go to the original site and larger graphic). 

Housing prices are not independent from the rental market.

Every potential home buyer has the option to rent. If buying a house is significantly more expensive than the cost of renting, more people will want to rent, driving up demand for rental housing. Investors want a return on their invested capital, so rents will reflect the cost of buying the house, paying property tax, carrying insurance, allowing for vacancies, etc. Historic ratios between rents and the cost of owning a house will find a new balance reflecting today's market. If you start to see a disconnect between housing values and rents, something is wrong. Check out this great Rent vs. Buy Calculator from the New York Times to check on whether renting or buying makes the most sense for you.

Sonoma County Home Affordability IndexHousing affordability matters.

In late 2006 and 2007, the California Affordability Index for Sonoma County was 9. That meant than 9% of households could afford to buy the median priced home. Today the index stands at 46. You could call it a healthy balance when nearly half of households can afford the median priced home.

Buyers sitting on the sidelines need to understand that giant mistakes in perception were made during the housing bubble by tens of thousand of professional real estate agents. We were caught up in the hype of a rising market and the easy (too easy) availability of credit. Wall Street threw so much money at the market with liar loans, no doc loans, zero down financing, and other crappy products that it's no wonder that the market was flooded with excess demand and rising prices. Still, if we had looked at the fundamentals we would have understood we were in a bubble. 

We may make mistakes in the future when we recommend a purchase or try to determine a trend, but the three lessons I outlined are going to help keep us in tune with the longer rhythms of the market. What I see now is a tentative housing market with pent up demand by buyers, an excess REO inventory held by the banks, and a still large group of underwater homeowners. Prices seem much more realistic, but as the chart at the top shows, it's possible there may still be some market corrections ahead of us. Use the rent vs. buy calculator to see if buying, even with declining or soft prices, makes sense for your situation.

In some respects it's a new world, but in the most fundamental sense, we are back to real estate as usual. 

 

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Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!

 

Home Owner Associations and Short Sales

What great advice! I have seen some HOA liens filed for foreclosure on properties in my area too. It's unbelievable that there aren't rules to keep this from happening. 

Via Steve Wilde (Wilde Law Firm, PLLC):

 

If you have not had to negotiate with a Home Owner Association (HOA) regarding past HOA dues in order to get a short sale closed, well you haven’t lived.  It is, seriously, one of the more frustrating tasks that we have to handle.  It seems that more than half of the HOAs have some hard and fast stance on not accepting anything but a full payoff of the past due amount.  I have had a situation where we were racing to get a short sale approved in time to beat the foreclosure sale.  We got it approved but had to deal with the HOA in order to close.  In that case the HOA would not budge on their $12,000 HOA past due amount…even when we offered them $9,000.  The property went to foreclosure and the HOA lien was wiped out so the HOA ended up with $0.

I have also seen a drastic increase in HOA’s filing foreclosure actions.  I scratched my head at first trying to figure that one out.  North Carolina is not a Super Lien State.  In a Super Lien State the HOA’s lien jumps ahead of the mortgage in a foreclosure so they are always paid in full.  In North Carolina the HOA lien falls in line behind the mortgages/deeds of trust and always gets extinguished in the foreclosure.  So why foreclosure?  As you may have noticed, the banks are not rushing to foreclosure for various reasons.  We are seeing banks taking a year or more to even begin the foreclosure process.  This means that the HOA can take title to the property, rent it and continue ignoring the mortgage(s).  When the bank finally forecloses and title is transferred to bank, the HOA may have pocketed enough rent to catch up on the HOA dues and then some.  This is either smart or fraud.

The bottom line is:  Pay your HOA dues even if you have stopped paying the mortgage.  The bank seems to have wised up and decided that a homeowner living in the property, not paying the mortgage and keeping the lawn mowed and the AC on is better than an empty neglected house.  In that situation the homeowner is enjoying the use of the property so they should at least pay the HOA dues.  By not paying them their fellow neighbors are the ones getting hurt and not the bank.  Additionally, by not paying them you may be precluding a short sale if you don’t have the cash to catch the HOA dues up completely at closing.

 

Search Homes in Lake Norman NCLake Norman Home Search

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Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!

 

Homeowner’s Insurance – When Was the Last Time You Checked Your Coverage?

This is one of those items that most people don't shop for or remember what they have. It is a good idea to know what you have in case something does happen. Recently, people in flood ridden states realized that they did not have flood insurance and lost everything.

Via Barbara Altieri, REALTOR® Fairfield County CT Real Estate (RealtyQuest, CT Homes for Sale and Real Estate):


Homeowner’s Insurance – When Was the Last Time You Checked Your Coverage?

Back in August, many of us in CT got slammed by Hurricane Irene.  Houses floated away at the shore, others took serious hits from fallen trees, flooding was pervasive, and trees toppled like matchsticks.

My property was the victim of multiple fallen trees – down on the ground – on top of each other – resting precariously on power lines – across my driveway – and arranged like pick-up-sticks against each other.  My yard looked like a war zone.  People drove by, stopped in front of my house, and took pictures.

So, the cleanup began.  The insurance company was called.  All in all, our house did not sustain damage (which is just incredible).  However, it made us pay a little more attention to our homeowners insurance to be sure we were adequately covered for these random weather occurrences.

Many homeowners select a policy, pay each year, and don’t bother to check it frequently to make sure they have the right coverage.   I have found that some new home buyers just purchase the cheapest they can get to satisfy the lender requirement.

Having adequate homeowners insurance is an important part of home ownership and protecting your investment. 

Here are some things to look out for based on personal experience:

Dwelling/Structure – This covers the main building structure, roof, walls, windows, doors, etc.  Your house should be insured for the cost to rebuild/replace in case it is destroyed.  Don’t overinsure by insuring your home for market value.  Insure the house, garage, shed, etc. NOT the land.

Personal Property – Clothing, computers, furniture, etc.  Cover your contents for replacement cost not cash value, especially with electronics. You may need a special rider and will have to provide appraisals for items like expensive jewelry and artwork.

Liability and Lawsuit ProtectionHomeowners insurance typically covers you if someone gets injured on your property.  However, the standard coverage man not be enough. You may have to consider an umbrella policy to increase liability coverage if your net worth is higher than average.

What about deductibles?   This is the out-of-pocket cost you pay when a claim is made. The lower the deductible, the higher your insurance premium will be.

How about those hurricanes, forest fires, earthquakes, lightning strikes, floods and any other similar peril? Standard policies may not cover damage from these occurrences.

Be proactive.  Read your policy and talk to your insurance professional to make sure you are adequately protected against risk and potential financial disruptions.  

Make sure you have the right type of insurance in place and review it annually.  

Prepare yourself because once you have a loss and find you are underinsured, it is DEFINITELY too late.

Better safe than sorry!

 


Homeowner’s Insurance – When Was the Last Time You Checked Your Coverage?

 

  

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Search Homes in Lake Norman NCLake Norman Home Search

SEARCH LAKE NORMAN FORECLOSURES

Sandy McAlpine, GRI, ABR, CDPE, SFR Broker,REALTOR Licensed in NC and SC
McAlpine Properties 
(704) 746-7513
Lake Norman Homes
Copyright 2008-2011, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, by the Author - Sandy Aichner McAlpine

I can also assist buyers and sellers in Short Sales and Foreclosure sales and purchases.

Please call me If you have interest in purchasing or selling a home in Mooresville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Troutman, Denver, Sherrill's Ford, Catawba, Davidson, or Statesville, North Carolina!