It’s a tough market to be a seller in…let’s face it. There are many obstacles to overcome. Everyone knows that price is generally one of the main factors in why a listing sits on the market for weeks…sometimes months on end without getting an offer. However, price is not the only issue. Sometimes it is the solution to other issues that may be wrong with your home though.

A couple days ago I came across one of the best written articles that I have ever seen giving advice to sellers on why their home may not be selling. It does a great job of walking through the main problems. I couldn’t wait to have a couple of minutes to spare where I could sit down and share this article with you while adding my own comments. Read the actual article here. …more

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Today’s post isn’t going to be as much about real estate but more a reflection on a recent success I had. I have always been a huge fan of marketing techniques, especially when it comes to creating the right message for the right audience. I think this is the thing that attracted me to real estate the most a while ago…I have the opportunity to market and brand not only myself but also my clients homes. Each one is unique and I have complete freedom to do with them what I want. In the past, corporate always seemed to have the control. Yes, I still have lots to learn but what better way to learn than here in real estate.

One of my favorite parts of marketing is the branding aspect. This is a reason I chose Take Us Home…I found their unique marketing with the caricatures and “team concept” incredible. It really set them and me apart giving me an advantage as I got my career started. I also love branding clients homes…each home has unique selling points and a unique potential buyer. My job is to reach and attract that audience and point out why they should be interested in this home. …more

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Skyrocketing gas prices have affected many areas of our everyday lives. Consumers have been used to prices going up for years but not any where close to recent rates. I was excited over the weekend to fill up at the Safeway in the Kirkland/Kingsgate area for $4.26. Wow, talk about a change of thinking from just a few months ago! Yesterday, I filled my small Element’s tank of gas and it still cost me almost $50…for a little tiny Element!

People always wondered at what point people would say “enough is enough” and now we know…$4. People are finally starting to change the way they live their everyday lives. This is not necessarily a bad thing…just quite a difference from how things were over the past several years. One area that we don’t always think about gas prices really affecting is the housing market. However, recent surveys indicate that gas prices actually help some areas while severely hurting others. …more

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Let’s not beat around the bush…I’m a relatively young Realtor. Generally, if I am at a meeting or training session with lots of Realtors, I am one of the youngest in the group. It is up to me to either let this become a hindrance in my career or use it as an advantage. I choose the latter. One of the primary ways that I feel that being young has helped me be successful is that I tend to be on top of new technologies and embrace new trends. I am quick to check out a new website or online resource.

The biggest problem with this is that I sign up for multiple things weekly…most of which I use for a couple of days…decide it will not help me in my business and then ignore it. In the meantime, some of these sites after 6 months or a year begin to grow and I try to revisit them…only to realize that I have no idea what log-in or password I used. I now can either create a second account or work hard to figure out how to get into my original account. I was reading something yesterday and realized that I am not the only one who has this problem. …more

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The press has seemed to really pick up surrounding FHA loans in the past couple of weeks. Professionals in the housing and mortgage industry have been talking about this solution for months. For many potential buyers, it was and still is the only valid option out there. Lower down-payments and more flexible credit requirements are beginning to make homeownership an affordable option again.

Also, in the past few weeks the Economic Stimulus packet has really begun to positively affect our local market with the better lending standards on what were traditionally “jumbo loan” limits. Between this and another article in the Seattle PI last Friday…word and excitement seems to be spreading. …more

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With inventory at extreme highs being a seller in today’s market is more difficult than in many recent years. Some places still are seeing multiple offers while some continue to sit…without even being shown. Sometimes it obvious as to why a home is not selling…other times it is not so clear cute. However, the key to the successful homes always seems to center around two things: 1) correct and aggressive pricing and 2) unique and strong marketing techniques.

As the internet really begins to change the way that real estate works around the country it is interesting to see what Realtors are doing to embrace new technologies in marketing their homes. I recently saw one of the best examples of video marketing that I have seen to this point. I plan on utilizing many of the techniques that this Realtor from New York uses in his video marketing on an upcoming listing. It will be interesting to see what kind of response it gets. …more

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This week marks my one year anniversary of the biggest career change I will likely ever make. The past year has been riddled with changes that have taught me so many things. I figured with it being the end of my first year in real estate…it would be a good time to reflect back on what I have learned this year. And, why not share it with you…my fellow blog readers. It will hopefully give you an opportunity to see into my daily life and the life of a new real estate agent.

First, a brief background on me: I had been planning on getting into real estate at some point in my life. I had been exploring the possibility a few times before but never thought that I could make it financially through the starting costs involved. I was warned that the first two years would be difficult. Well, last spring my life really began to change and I knew that it was time for a major career change. I left a high paying, fairly stable sales job and finally made the jump into real estate…much earlier than I planned. The timing was perfect though. I was told by many people that I was “too young” and “not ready.” I had many skeptics including friends who respected me who didn’t think I could make it through the difficult first year involved in real estate. …more

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