Sat - April 9, 2005
Code of Ethics
A good reminder to consumers (and other
REALTORS) is that we are subject to a Code of Ethics or you can download a PDF
version.
A good reminder to consumers (and other
REALTORS) is that we are subject to a Code of Ethics or you can download a PDF version.
Posted at 01:03 PM |
Title Insurance
In fact, your lender will insist on it -- and
you'll have to pay. The policy protects the lender (but not you) should there
be any claim on the land from former owners -- say a divorced woman whose
ex-husband forged her signature on a quit-claim deed, a mechanic's lien from an
unpaid subcontractor or a long-lost heir.
Educate yourself at the Realestatejournal.
...you do need title insurance. In fact, your lender will insist on it -- and you'll have to pay. The policy protects the lender (but not you) should there be any claim on the land from former owners -- say a divorced woman whose ex-husband forged her signature on a quit-claim deed, a mechanic's lien from an unpaid subcontractor or a long-lost heir.
...you do need title insurance. In fact, your lender will insist on it -- and you'll have to pay. The policy protects the lender (but not you) should there be any claim on the land from former owners -- say a divorced woman whose ex-husband forged her signature on a quit-claim deed, a mechanic's lien from an unpaid subcontractor or a long-lost heir.
Posted at 12:50 PM |
Tue - April 5, 2005
Mass transit rebuttal
Humorist P.J. O'Rourke once stated, "Very
little is known of the Canadian country since it is rarely visited by anyone but
the Queen and illiterate sport fishermen."... Similarly, in his "Mass Transit
Hysteria," on your March 16 editorial page, Mr. O'Rourke again exaggerates with
genuinely amusing writing -- but with an underlying intent of serious
criticism.
So, for the purpose of making an alternative point, let's treat Mr. O'Rourke's statements seriously: He says, for instance, that it would be cheaper to lease BMW SUVs for all of the folks who travel on Minneapolis's new light-rail system than it cost to build and operate the system.... According to the Federal Highway Administration, highways cost an average $20.6 million per mile, while major urban interchanges cost $100 million per interchange. To replace the 12-mile light-rail system, Minneapolis taxpayers would need to build (conservatively) 12 miles of highway and one major interchange for both the airport and the Mall of Americas. Hmm, that comes out to $440 million -- before highway maintenance costs set in. Then where will all of these 15,500 BMWs park?... If built totally on the cheap, these single-level lots will cost taxpayers at least $31 million. Now, let's not forget that whereas a square foot of commercial space will bring in at least $50 in taxes per square foot, a parking lot at best brings in $3. Since our 15,500 BMWs will require almost two million square feet of parking, that equates to a loss of $91 million in tax revenue to the city of Minneapolis every year.
The rail line, which actually cost roughly $700 million, has a life expectancy of 50 years. Its operating costs are $13 million per year and farebox revenues are so far offsetting close to $10 million of that.
...Choosing the light rail's 50-year capital lifespan for both the light-rail and BMW options, and amortizing these capital costs over those 50 years, adding annual operating costs and subtracting annual tax revenue losses, and removing any effects of inflation, in present dollars light rail costs the Minneapolis taxpayers just over $17 million per year. But to get the same benefit courtesy of BMW and more highways, taxpayers would have to dish out $166 million per year.
...The Federal Highway Administration , the American Automobile Association, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, etc. When talking transportation matters, I think it best that humorists stick to bumper cars.
So, for the purpose of making an alternative point, let's treat Mr. O'Rourke's statements seriously: He says, for instance, that it would be cheaper to lease BMW SUVs for all of the folks who travel on Minneapolis's new light-rail system than it cost to build and operate the system.... According to the Federal Highway Administration, highways cost an average $20.6 million per mile, while major urban interchanges cost $100 million per interchange. To replace the 12-mile light-rail system, Minneapolis taxpayers would need to build (conservatively) 12 miles of highway and one major interchange for both the airport and the Mall of Americas. Hmm, that comes out to $440 million -- before highway maintenance costs set in. Then where will all of these 15,500 BMWs park?... If built totally on the cheap, these single-level lots will cost taxpayers at least $31 million. Now, let's not forget that whereas a square foot of commercial space will bring in at least $50 in taxes per square foot, a parking lot at best brings in $3. Since our 15,500 BMWs will require almost two million square feet of parking, that equates to a loss of $91 million in tax revenue to the city of Minneapolis every year.
The rail line, which actually cost roughly $700 million, has a life expectancy of 50 years. Its operating costs are $13 million per year and farebox revenues are so far offsetting close to $10 million of that.
...Choosing the light rail's 50-year capital lifespan for both the light-rail and BMW options, and amortizing these capital costs over those 50 years, adding annual operating costs and subtracting annual tax revenue losses, and removing any effects of inflation, in present dollars light rail costs the Minneapolis taxpayers just over $17 million per year. But to get the same benefit courtesy of BMW and more highways, taxpayers would have to dish out $166 million per year.
...The Federal Highway Administration , the American Automobile Association, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, etc. When talking transportation matters, I think it best that humorists stick to bumper cars.
The words speak for themselves in response to a
P.J. O'Rourke article I wrote about a little while ago.
Humorist P.J. O'Rourke once stated, "Very little is known of the Canadian country since it is rarely visited by anyone but the Queen and illiterate sport fishermen." Most people reading such an outlandish statement would recognize that its purpose was to make a point with exaggerated humor. Similarly, in his "Mass Transit Hysteria," on your March 16 editorial page, Mr. O'Rourke again exaggerates with genuinely amusing writing -- but with an underlying intent of serious criticism.
So, for the purpose of making an alternative point, let's treat Mr. O'Rourke's statements seriously: He says, for instance, that it would be cheaper to lease BMW SUVs for all of the folks who travel on Minneapolis's new light-rail system than it cost to build and operate the system. Well, I priced such a lease. For the 15,500 average daily riders the tab would run taxpayers $44 million a year. Each car leaser would pay an additional $2,800 a year for operating costs out of pocket. But wait! How will these cars get downtown? According to the Federal Highway Administration, highways cost an average $20.6 million per mile, while major urban interchanges cost $100 million per interchange. To replace the 12-mile light-rail system, Minneapolis taxpayers would need to build (conservatively) 12 miles of highway and one major interchange for both the airport and the Mall of Americas. Hmm, that comes out to $440 million -- before highway maintenance costs set in. Then where will all of these 15,500 BMWs park? In the new city parking lots! If built totally on the cheap, these single-level lots will cost taxpayers at least $31 million. Now, let's not forget that whereas a square foot of commercial space will bring in at least $50 in taxes per square foot, a parking lot at best brings in $3. Since our 15,500 BMWs will require almost two million square feet of parking, that equates to a loss of $91 million in tax revenue to the city of Minneapolis every year.
The rail line, which actually cost roughly $700 million, has a life expectancy of 50 years. Its operating costs are $13 million per year and farebox revenues are so far offsetting close to $10 million of that.
So how do these two options compare? Choosing the light rail's 50-year capital lifespan for both the light-rail and BMW options, and amortizing these capital costs over those 50 years, adding annual operating costs and subtracting annual tax revenue losses, and removing any effects of inflation, in present dollars light rail costs the Minneapolis taxpayers just over $17 million per year. But to get the same benefit courtesy of BMW and more highways, taxpayers would have to dish out $166 million per year.
So where did Mr. O'Rourke get the information for his criticisms? From the Heritage Foundation, an anti-rail think tank. Where did my facts come from? The Federal Highway Administration , the American Automobile Association, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, etc. When talking transportation matters, I think it best that humorists stick to bumper cars.
Janek Kozlowski
Alexandria, Va.
(Mr. Kozlowski is an officer in the U.S. military and a trained engineer with an M.B.A. In Operation Iraqi Freedom he oversaw the engineering required for all logistics in support of ground operations in the theater of operations.)
Humorist P.J. O'Rourke once stated, "Very little is known of the Canadian country since it is rarely visited by anyone but the Queen and illiterate sport fishermen." Most people reading such an outlandish statement would recognize that its purpose was to make a point with exaggerated humor. Similarly, in his "Mass Transit Hysteria," on your March 16 editorial page, Mr. O'Rourke again exaggerates with genuinely amusing writing -- but with an underlying intent of serious criticism.
So, for the purpose of making an alternative point, let's treat Mr. O'Rourke's statements seriously: He says, for instance, that it would be cheaper to lease BMW SUVs for all of the folks who travel on Minneapolis's new light-rail system than it cost to build and operate the system. Well, I priced such a lease. For the 15,500 average daily riders the tab would run taxpayers $44 million a year. Each car leaser would pay an additional $2,800 a year for operating costs out of pocket. But wait! How will these cars get downtown? According to the Federal Highway Administration, highways cost an average $20.6 million per mile, while major urban interchanges cost $100 million per interchange. To replace the 12-mile light-rail system, Minneapolis taxpayers would need to build (conservatively) 12 miles of highway and one major interchange for both the airport and the Mall of Americas. Hmm, that comes out to $440 million -- before highway maintenance costs set in. Then where will all of these 15,500 BMWs park? In the new city parking lots! If built totally on the cheap, these single-level lots will cost taxpayers at least $31 million. Now, let's not forget that whereas a square foot of commercial space will bring in at least $50 in taxes per square foot, a parking lot at best brings in $3. Since our 15,500 BMWs will require almost two million square feet of parking, that equates to a loss of $91 million in tax revenue to the city of Minneapolis every year.
The rail line, which actually cost roughly $700 million, has a life expectancy of 50 years. Its operating costs are $13 million per year and farebox revenues are so far offsetting close to $10 million of that.
So how do these two options compare? Choosing the light rail's 50-year capital lifespan for both the light-rail and BMW options, and amortizing these capital costs over those 50 years, adding annual operating costs and subtracting annual tax revenue losses, and removing any effects of inflation, in present dollars light rail costs the Minneapolis taxpayers just over $17 million per year. But to get the same benefit courtesy of BMW and more highways, taxpayers would have to dish out $166 million per year.
So where did Mr. O'Rourke get the information for his criticisms? From the Heritage Foundation, an anti-rail think tank. Where did my facts come from? The Federal Highway Administration , the American Automobile Association, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, etc. When talking transportation matters, I think it best that humorists stick to bumper cars.
Janek Kozlowski
Alexandria, Va.
(Mr. Kozlowski is an officer in the U.S. military and a trained engineer with an M.B.A. In Operation Iraqi Freedom he oversaw the engineering required for all logistics in support of ground operations in the theater of operations.)
Posted at 08:08 AM |
Google strikes again
The information that this company a) has and b)
distributes is incredible. You may have seen their maps site.... All you do is
go to the site, put in an address and then click the satellite button.... What
happens to the information when their "do not harm" leaders are no longer in
charge?
The information that this company a) has and b)
distributes is incredible. You may have seen their maps site. Now
they have added satellite imagery. Check out Crozet. All you do is go to the site, put in
an address and then click the satellite button. Wow. What happens to the
information when their "do not harm" leaders are no longer in
charge?
Posted at 07:47 AM |
Mon - April 4, 2005
Tougher licensing standards? If only.
North Carolina legislators are considering a bill
that would require additional training for all real estate salespersons and
brokers in charge of real estate offices, and would reclassify all newly
licensed agents as "provisional
brokers."
Officials with the North Carolina Association of Realtors and the North Carolina Real Estate Commission say they are pursuing these changes to improve the level of professionalism in the industry, and to better serve real estate consumers.
Provisional brokers, as defined by the law, must be supervised by a "broker-in-charge," and each physical real estate brokerage office must have a designated broker-in-charge. Provisional brokers cannot become a broker-in-charge, and they must complete a post-licensing education process consisting of 90 hours of classroom instruction or equivalent training or experience within two years of licensing in order to end the provisional status of their license.
Officials with the North Carolina Association of Realtors and the North Carolina Real Estate Commission say they are pursuing these changes to improve the level of professionalism in the industry, and to better serve real estate consumers.
Provisional brokers, as defined by the law, must be supervised by a "broker-in-charge," and each physical real estate brokerage office must have a designated broker-in-charge. Provisional brokers cannot become a broker-in-charge, and they must complete a post-licensing education process consisting of 90 hours of classroom instruction or equivalent training or experience within two years of licensing in order to end the provisional status of their license.
North Carolina legislators are considering
a bill that would require additional training for all real estate salespersons
and brokers in charge of real estate offices, and would reclassify all newly
licensed agents as "provisional
brokers."
Officials with the North Carolina Association of Realtors and the North Carolina Real Estate Commission say they are pursuing these changes to improve the level of professionalism in the industry, and to better serve real estate consumers.
Provisional brokers, as defined by the law, must be supervised by a "broker-in-charge," and each physical real estate brokerage office must have a designated broker-in-charge. Provisional brokers cannot become a broker-in-charge, and they must complete a post-licensing education process consisting of 90 hours of classroom instruction or equivalent training or experience within two years of licensing in order to end the provisional status of their license.
If they do not complete the training in this time, their license will be terminated, according to the proposed bill.
More strict licensing laws would benefit everybody, consumers and Realtors, in so many ways. Too many people practice this profession in the literal sense - they "practice" because they do not do it full time nor depend on it.
Officials with the North Carolina Association of Realtors and the North Carolina Real Estate Commission say they are pursuing these changes to improve the level of professionalism in the industry, and to better serve real estate consumers.
Provisional brokers, as defined by the law, must be supervised by a "broker-in-charge," and each physical real estate brokerage office must have a designated broker-in-charge. Provisional brokers cannot become a broker-in-charge, and they must complete a post-licensing education process consisting of 90 hours of classroom instruction or equivalent training or experience within two years of licensing in order to end the provisional status of their license.
If they do not complete the training in this time, their license will be terminated, according to the proposed bill.
More strict licensing laws would benefit everybody, consumers and Realtors, in so many ways. Too many people practice this profession in the literal sense - they "practice" because they do not do it full time nor depend on it.
Posted at 10:44 PM |
Power outage this afternoon
Yesterday it was the internet, today it was the
power. An outage at one of Dominion Power's substations took down much of
Crozet for about an hour today.
Yesterday it was the internet, today it was the
power. An outage at one of Dominion Power's substations took down much of
Crozet for about an hour today. at least it was
a beautiful day!
Posted at 10:30 PM |
Self-fulfilling prophesy?
With millions of Americans still eager to get
into the housing bonanza, it's no wonder signs of overheating are popping up.
At building sites from Florida to California, househunters stand in line just
for the chance to buy a home.
...In the last big housing recession, in the early 1990s, starts plunged 12.9% in 1990 and 16.2% more in 1991.... And for all the media attention and party chatter about a bubble, there's little evidence that the national housing market is superinflated.
...In spite of the fact that the housing experts have been predicting the "bubble" to burst for a couple of years now.... In my opinion, the "bubble" will not "pop" anytime soon.
...Long, informative article is here at the at the Businessweek website, worth reading in its entirety.
...In the last big housing recession, in the early 1990s, starts plunged 12.9% in 1990 and 16.2% more in 1991.... And for all the media attention and party chatter about a bubble, there's little evidence that the national housing market is superinflated.
...In spite of the fact that the housing experts have been predicting the "bubble" to burst for a couple of years now.... In my opinion, the "bubble" will not "pop" anytime soon.
...Long, informative article is here at the at the Businessweek website, worth reading in its entirety.
With millions of Americans still eager to
get into the housing bonanza, it's no wonder signs of overheating are popping
up. At building sites from Florida to California, househunters stand in line
just for the chance to buy a home. Investors are flipping properties almost
overnight.
Personally, I am glad that our regional market is not close to this craziness.
Still, the pain won't be as bad as in previous slowdowns. In the last big housing recession, in the early 1990s, starts plunged 12.9% in 1990 and 16.2% more in 1991. That's not in today's forecast. And for all the media attention and party chatter about a bubble, there's little evidence that the national housing market is superinflated.
This is good news. In spite of the fact that the housing experts have been predicting the "bubble" to burst for a couple of years now. Now that rates are beginning to inch up, perhaps there will be a leveling off of prices. In my opinion, the "bubble" will not "pop" anytime soon. We shall see.
Long, informative article is here at the at the Businessweek website, worth reading in its entirety.
Personally, I am glad that our regional market is not close to this craziness.
Still, the pain won't be as bad as in previous slowdowns. In the last big housing recession, in the early 1990s, starts plunged 12.9% in 1990 and 16.2% more in 1991. That's not in today's forecast. And for all the media attention and party chatter about a bubble, there's little evidence that the national housing market is superinflated.
This is good news. In spite of the fact that the housing experts have been predicting the "bubble" to burst for a couple of years now. Now that rates are beginning to inch up, perhaps there will be a leveling off of prices. In my opinion, the "bubble" will not "pop" anytime soon. We shall see.
Long, informative article is here at the at the Businessweek website, worth reading in its entirety.
Posted at 09:09 PM |
Sun - April 3, 2005
More mold resources
I have been fortunate to have experience with
only one house with severe levels of mold and a couple where there was very
minor evidence of mold. For the most part, I have been told that in order to
get rid of most mold issues, get rid of the water.
Still working on my commentary to the mold story from The HooK. I
have been fortunate to have experience with only one house with severe levels of
mold and a couple where there was very minor evidence of mold. For the most
part, I have been told that in order to get rid of most mold issues, get rid of
the water.
Here are a couple of mold-related links
Stigma and Value Issues relating to mold
Mold in my home - what do I do?
Dealing with mold in your home
Mold Resources
MoldUpdate.com
MoldTips.com
Legislation update page
Here are a couple of mold-related links
Stigma and Value Issues relating to mold
Mold in my home - what do I do?
Dealing with mold in your home
Mold Resources
MoldUpdate.com
MoldTips.com
Legislation update page
Posted at 07:35 AM |
Sat - April 2, 2005
Spring Forward!
Move your clocks ahead tonight!... Church will
be a challenge. Hopefully, soccer will not be canceled due to the rain last
night!
Move your clocks ahead tonight! It is actually now
12:17. Ugh. Church will be a challenge. Hopefully, soccer will
not be canceled due to the rain last night!
Posted at 11:20 PM |
Good website to learn about houses
Bob Fenwick, local contractor, inspector, radon
mitigation specialist, posted this site late last year. It provides a pretty
good introduction to some common issues that arise both in home inspections and
simply when living in one's home.
Bob Fenwick, local contractor, inspector, radon
mitigation specialist, posted this site late last year. It provides a
pretty good introduction to some common issues that arise both in home
inspections and simply when living in one's
home.
Check out the videos section.
Check out the videos section.
Posted at 10:56 PM |
Trials and tribulations
A website is a an evolutionary process.
Growing, changing and responding to client feedback.... Let's hope it becomes a
profit-making venture!
A website is a an evolutionary process.
Growing, changing and responding to client feedback. aargh. Mighty
time-consuming, this website. Let's hope it becomes a profit-making
venture!
Posted at 09:49 PM |
Fri - April 1, 2005
Website delayed
The new site is still not up. Apparently the
logistics of implementing a new site and here's the rub - not losing any email -
are more convoluted than anticipated. Might as well do it right the first time,
and I do appreciate that attention to detail.
The new site is still not up. Apparently the
logistics of implementing a new site and here's the rub - not losing any email -
are more convoluted than anticipated. Might as well do it right the first time,
and I do appreciate that attention to detail. Soon ... soon ...
Posted at 06:09 PM |
Mold in Cville
Rather than write a quick commentary on this
article, please read this article on a mold-infested house in C'ville. Mistakes
were made all the way around.
Rather than write a quick commentary on this
article, please read this article on a mold-infested house in
C'ville. Mistakes were made all the way around. After processing, I will write
more later.
Posted at 06:07 PM |
Be wary of internet information!
The media attention is just one of many reasons
that central Virginia has experienced record-breaking real estate transactions
every year since 1998. According to the Charlottesville Association of
Realtors, sales for 2003 increased 2.8% from the previous year's record. The
first quarter of 2004 has shown that the upcoming year could very well be
another record breaker with sales above this time last year. Charlottesville
house prices typically range from $180,000 to $300,000 for a contemporary 3-4
bedroom home.... The median price for a home in the Charlottesville metro area
is $122,400, according to the 2000 census.
From a website that has a Google sponsored link
for "charlottesville real estate" -
The media attention is just one of many reasons that central Virginia has experienced record-breaking real estate transactions every year since 1998. According to the Charlottesville Association of Realtors, sales for 2003 increased 2.8% from the previous year's record. The first quarter of 2004 has shown that the upcoming year could very well be another record breaker with sales above this time last year. Charlottesville house prices typically range from $180,000 to $300,000 for a contemporary 3-4 bedroom home. Charlottesville has many exquisite historic and custom built-homes, these range from $500,000 to over $1,000,000. The median price for a home in the Charlottesville metro area is $122,400, according to the 2000 census.
Wrong. Old. Irrelevant data. Who cares what the median house price was in 2000???
The media attention is just one of many reasons that central Virginia has experienced record-breaking real estate transactions every year since 1998. According to the Charlottesville Association of Realtors, sales for 2003 increased 2.8% from the previous year's record. The first quarter of 2004 has shown that the upcoming year could very well be another record breaker with sales above this time last year. Charlottesville house prices typically range from $180,000 to $300,000 for a contemporary 3-4 bedroom home. Charlottesville has many exquisite historic and custom built-homes, these range from $500,000 to over $1,000,000. The median price for a home in the Charlottesville metro area is $122,400, according to the 2000 census.
Wrong. Old. Irrelevant data. Who cares what the median house price was in 2000???
Posted at 12:27 PM |
Website is going live today!
Depending on how long Network Solutions takes
to replicate the name changes throughout the internet, we should be up very
soon! My biggest concern is the potential interruption of our
email.
We are switching website providers today.
Depending on how long Network Solutions takes to replicate the name changes
throughout the internet, we should be up very soon! My biggest concern is the
potential interruption of our email. Fingers crossed, we move
forward.
Posted at 11:40 AM |
Thu - March 31, 2005
My newsletter is out
The April edition of my newsletter is out.
Please email
me if you would like a copy.
Posted at 11:29 AM |
Wed - March 30, 2005
What are your expectations?
What are your expectations of your REALTOR? I
read report after study after analysis and listen to my clients and potential
clients' needs and expectations.... My belief is that with the systems I am
developing and implementing, my job should become more about servicing my
clients' immediate and long term needs and goals and less about thinking about
how to do my job.
What are your expectations of your REALTOR? I
read report after study after analysis and listen to my clients and potential
clients' needs and expectations. Discovering what people want is hard. This job
is neither rocket surgery nor brain science. My belief is that with the systems
I am developing and implementing, my job should become more about servicing my
clients' immediate and long term needs and goals and less about thinking about
how to do my job.
Now that I know people are actually reading my blog, what are your expectations of a REALTOR with whom you want to work/
Now that I know people are actually reading my blog, what are your expectations of a REALTOR with whom you want to work/
Posted at 03:58 PM |
Credit scores -
As of March
2005
A) Any accounts not used (regardless whether left open) over the previous 6 months will have NO EFFECT on current credit scores.
Someone with perfect credit on all accounts, but accounts have been unused for 7 months, and one single 30 day late payment within the last 6 months will be whacked for that late more than all good credit built up.
ON THE OTHER HAND... simply buying a cheap lunch & then paying off each card immediately, once a month, continues the useage of that account in your credit score calculations!
B) Account size has no bearing on scores. If one newbie person has 5 new revolving accounts at $500 limits each, and another experienced person has 5 new accounts with $100,000 limits... all else being equal, neither will calculate better nor worse.
C) The total numbers of open accounts is irrelevant... rather, what matters is the number of accounts ACTIVE in the last 6 months.
D) The OPTIMUM number of active revolving accounts is now TWO.
E) There is SUPPOSED to be a 30-day rolling window for mortgage inquiries that count as a single hit, and a rolling 14 day window for automotive inquiries.
F) "An inquiry can cost a consumer 2 points to 50+ points off their score depending on the other variables in the report (the average is 3-35). Be aware, there is no specific value."
A) Any accounts not used (regardless whether left open) over the previous 6 months will have NO EFFECT on current credit scores.
Someone with perfect credit on all accounts, but accounts have been unused for 7 months, and one single 30 day late payment within the last 6 months will be whacked for that late more than all good credit built up.
ON THE OTHER HAND... simply buying a cheap lunch & then paying off each card immediately, once a month, continues the useage of that account in your credit score calculations!
B) Account size has no bearing on scores. If one newbie person has 5 new revolving accounts at $500 limits each, and another experienced person has 5 new accounts with $100,000 limits... all else being equal, neither will calculate better nor worse.
C) The total numbers of open accounts is irrelevant... rather, what matters is the number of accounts ACTIVE in the last 6 months.
D) The OPTIMUM number of active revolving accounts is now TWO.
E) There is SUPPOSED to be a 30-day rolling window for mortgage inquiries that count as a single hit, and a rolling 14 day window for automotive inquiries.
F) "An inquiry can cost a consumer 2 points to 50+ points off their score depending on the other variables in the report (the average is 3-35). Be aware, there is no specific value."
Posted at 08:24 AM |
Tue - March 29, 2005
New school information!
Great new site put together by Standard &
Poor's.... The site not only shows how schools' and districts' test scores
compare to their neighbors, but it gives results for particular minority groups
and illustrates the different ways that districts spend tax dollars. One part
of the Web site allows residents concerned about how money is spent to see what
portion of new revenue coming into each district is spent on instruction, and
what portion is not.
"SchoolMatters will provide the kind of advanced analytical tool that education leaders need to help them make the very difficult decisions they face," said Tom Houlihan, executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, one of the sponsors of the site.
...Once I poke around some more, I'll post a further report.
"SchoolMatters will provide the kind of advanced analytical tool that education leaders need to help them make the very difficult decisions they face," said Tom Houlihan, executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, one of the sponsors of the site.
...Once I poke around some more, I'll post a further report.
Great new site put together by Standard &
Poor's.
The Washingtonpost.com has the story .
The site not only shows how schools' and
districts' test scores compare to their neighbors, but it gives results for
particular minority groups and illustrates the different ways that districts
spend tax dollars. One part of the Web site allows residents concerned about how
money is spent to see what portion of new revenue coming into each district is
spent on instruction, and what portion is not.
"SchoolMatters will provide the kind of advanced analytical tool that education leaders need to help them make the very difficult decisions they face," said Tom Houlihan, executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, one of the sponsors of the site.
Interestingly, Crozet Elementary did less well than Paul H. Cale Elementary, which is reported to be scheduled for expansion.
Schoolmatters.com seems to be the start of a great resource. Once I poke around some more, I'll post a further report.
"SchoolMatters will provide the kind of advanced analytical tool that education leaders need to help them make the very difficult decisions they face," said Tom Houlihan, executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers, one of the sponsors of the site.
Interestingly, Crozet Elementary did less well than Paul H. Cale Elementary, which is reported to be scheduled for expansion.
Schoolmatters.com seems to be the start of a great resource. Once I poke around some more, I'll post a further report.
Posted at 06:45 PM |
Internet buyers -v- traditional buyers
"The Internet has complemented, not diminished,
the Realtor's role in the home-buying transaction," said C.A.R.... "Home buyers
ultimately turned to their Realtor for both interpretation of information
gleaned from the Internet, and for their Realtor's expertise and judgment
throughout the home-buying
process."
...I do in my house; heck, I require a secure wireless connection at my house so that I can check email from the couch rather than be bothered with having to get up frequently!
...Eighty-five percent of Internet buyers had at least a four-year college degree and 11 percent completed post-graduate work. By comparison, 78 percent of traditional buyers held a college degree and 4 percent completed post-graduate work.
...Internet buyers spent an average of 5.8 weeks considering buying a home before contacting a Realtor, nearly three times more than traditional buyers, who spent 2.1 weeks in this stage of the home-buying process.
Internet buyers spent two weeks looking for the home they ultimately purchased, compared with seven weeks for traditional buyers.
Close to six of 10 Internet buyers said the information that they gathered from the Internet was less useful than that provided by their Realtors; none considered the information gathered from the Internet to be more useful than that obtained from their Realtors.
All first-time buyers typically spent four weeks considering buying a home and four weeks investigating homes for sale before contacting a Realtor. They then spent three weeks previewing eight homes with their Realtor.
All repeat buyers spent three weeks considering buying a home and only two weeks investigating homes for sale on their own.
...I do in my house; heck, I require a secure wireless connection at my house so that I can check email from the couch rather than be bothered with having to get up frequently!
...Eighty-five percent of Internet buyers had at least a four-year college degree and 11 percent completed post-graduate work. By comparison, 78 percent of traditional buyers held a college degree and 4 percent completed post-graduate work.
...Internet buyers spent an average of 5.8 weeks considering buying a home before contacting a Realtor, nearly three times more than traditional buyers, who spent 2.1 weeks in this stage of the home-buying process.
Internet buyers spent two weeks looking for the home they ultimately purchased, compared with seven weeks for traditional buyers.
Close to six of 10 Internet buyers said the information that they gathered from the Internet was less useful than that provided by their Realtors; none considered the information gathered from the Internet to be more useful than that obtained from their Realtors.
All first-time buyers typically spent four weeks considering buying a home and four weeks investigating homes for sale before contacting a Realtor. They then spent three weeks previewing eight homes with their Realtor.
All repeat buyers spent three weeks considering buying a home and only two weeks investigating homes for sale on their own.
Inman is on top of it again. I need to get these
stories before they do!
"The Internet has complemented, not diminished, the Realtor's role in the home-buying transaction," said C.A.R. President Jim Hamilton. "Home buyers ultimately turned to their Realtor for both interpretation of information gleaned from the Internet, and for their Realtor's expertise and judgment throughout the home-buying process."
This is why it is absolutely imperative to understand and adapt to the changing needs of today's buyers. Most of my clients require - read - require high speed internet access. I do in my house; heck, I require a secure wireless connection at my house so that I can check email from the couch rather than be bothered with having to get up frequently!
Other key findings from the report were:
"The Internet has complemented, not diminished, the Realtor's role in the home-buying transaction," said C.A.R. President Jim Hamilton. "Home buyers ultimately turned to their Realtor for both interpretation of information gleaned from the Internet, and for their Realtor's expertise and judgment throughout the home-buying process."
This is why it is absolutely imperative to understand and adapt to the changing needs of today's buyers. Most of my clients require - read - require high speed internet access. I do in my house; heck, I require a secure wireless connection at my house so that I can check email from the couch rather than be bothered with having to get up frequently!
Other key findings from the report were:
• The median age of Internet buyers
was 39 years compared with a median of 46 years for traditional buyers.
• More than nine out of 10 Internet
buyers were married, while eight of 10 traditional buyers were married.
• Eighty-five percent of Internet
buyers had at least a four-year college degree and 11 percent completed
post-graduate work. By comparison, 78 percent of traditional buyers held a
college degree and 4 percent completed post-graduate work.
• Internet buyers had an
annual income of $185,088, compared with $151,190 for traditional buyers.
• Internet buyers spent an average of
5.8 weeks considering buying a home before contacting a Realtor, nearly three
times more than traditional buyers, who spent 2.1 weeks in this stage of the
home-buying process.
• Internet buyers spent two weeks
looking for the home they ultimately purchased, compared with seven weeks for
traditional buyers.
•
Close to six of 10 Internet buyers said the information that they gathered from
the Internet was less useful than that provided by their Realtors; none
considered the information gathered from the Internet to be more useful than
that obtained from their Realtors.
•
All first-time buyers typically spent four weeks considering buying a home and
four weeks investigating homes for sale before contacting a Realtor. They then
spent three weeks previewing eight homes with their Realtor.
• All repeat buyers spent three weeks
considering buying a home and only two weeks investigating homes for sale on
their own. They spent five weeks previewing 10 homes with their
Realtor.
These are all facts that will help me as a
Realtor. Thank you to the California Association of Realtors.
Posted at 01:09 PM |
A glorious day
What an amazing day today - gorgeous sky,
perfect weather and lots of sun. Should be a great day!
Posted at 08:20 AM |
No more Realtor.com?
The launch of RealTown, an MLS aggregator, might seriously
erode the need for buyers to visit Realtor.com. Hmmm - this might not be all bad in
light of Realtor.com's recent change in business practices to become more of a
lead aggregator and reseller (rather than a service for Realtors).
Posted at 07:30 AM |
Mon - March 28, 2005
New listing today.
Betty (my mom) just listed an incredible
property today.
"Singular features and quality define this extraordinary home in Albemarle County. Five to six bedrooms, three and a half baths, this awesome home is located on 2+ acres just one mile from Foxfield."
"Singular features and quality define this extraordinary home in Albemarle County. Five to six bedrooms, three and a half baths, this awesome home is located on 2+ acres just one mile from Foxfield."
Betty (my mom) just listed an incredible property today. The initial
description
reads:
"Singular features and quality define this extraordinary home in Albemarle County. Five to six bedrooms, three and a half baths, this awesome home is located on 2+ acres just one mile from Foxfield."
Marketing properties of this caliber is exciting. More to come ...
"Singular features and quality define this extraordinary home in Albemarle County. Five to six bedrooms, three and a half baths, this awesome home is located on 2+ acres just one mile from Foxfield."
Marketing properties of this caliber is exciting. More to come ...
Posted at 03:15 PM |
Jeffersonian development
Driving up 29 North yesterday to see family, my
wife and I noted the obvious Jeffersonian influences on the new Hollymead Town
Center. The vast amount of brick combined with the (doric?... columns facing
the highway made us think for a moment that had gotten off course and found our
way to Monticello.... We had an ill baby, so could not stop for
photo-blogging.
Driving up 29 North yesterday to see family, my
wife and I noted the obvious Jeffersonian influences on the new Hollymead Town Center. The vast amount of brick
combined with the (doric? corinthian? ionic?) columns facing the
highway made us think for a moment that had gotten off course and found our way
to Monticello. Picture will be posted soon. We had
an ill baby, so could not stop for photo-blogging.
Posted at 09:05 AM |
State sales are up
The Virginia Association of Realtors released statewide figures (PDF)
today.
Charlottesville has had a good first quarter so far. In short, comparing February 2004 to February 2005 year-to-date numbers, 145 more homes have sold since this time last year - a 42% increase! The median price has increased by $7400. I debated writing " median price has increased by only $7400, but that is a sizable increase, particularly when you consider that these numbers are for the Charlottesville area and not C'Ville/Albemarle.
Charlottesville has had a good first quarter so far. In short, comparing February 2004 to February 2005 year-to-date numbers, 145 more homes have sold since this time last year - a 42% increase! The median price has increased by $7400. I debated writing " median price has increased by only $7400, but that is a sizable increase, particularly when you consider that these numbers are for the Charlottesville area and not C'Ville/Albemarle.
Posted at 08:56 AM |
It's not always about price
Money is a big factor when comparing offers,
but not always THE defining factor that determines whether a particular offer is
"the best" offer.... Consider all of these aspects before making an offer as a
buyer and if you are in the position as a seller to evaluate multiple
offers.
Money is a big factor when comparing offers,
but not always THE defining factor that determines whether a particular offer is
"the best" offer. When evaluating offers, always consider the other factors -
time, contingencies, occasionally who the buyers are. Less frequently but still
a factor is the agent presenting the offer. Consider all of these aspects before
making an offer as a buyer and if you are in the position as a seller to
evaluate multiple offers.
It's not always about the price.
It's not always about the price.
Posted at 08:40 AM |
Sun - March 27, 2005
Happy Easter!
I plan to actually spend time with my family
today. I hope all do the same.
Posted at 08:35 AM |
Sat - March 26, 2005
Showing today
I showed property this morning from Mill Creek
and Foxcroft to the south east to Crozet to the west. I found myself speaking
equally of our regions' negatives (water, traffic, affordable housing) as the
positives - schools, environment, cultural opportunities ...... How long will
it be until the negatives outweigh the positives?
I showed property this morning from Mill Creek
and Foxcroft to the south east to Crozet to the west. I found myself speaking
equally of our regions' negatives (water, traffic, affordable housing) as the
positives - schools, environment, cultural opportunities ... all the reasons
people continue to move here. As a Realtor, the growth we are experiencing is
mostly good. How long will it be
until the negatives outweigh the positives?
Posted at 12:32 PM |
Slow response = slow business
When agents do respond to e-mail inquiries, 70
percent of the agents take two days to respond and 58 percent do not respond at
all. To illustrate this point, a manager in a top-producing office of 120
agents recently sent an e-mail to her agents to see how long it would take them
to reply. She sent it out on Thursday and asked the recipients to hit the reply
button to show that they had read her e-mail.... This suggests that only a
small percentage of agents are paying close attention to the e-mail leads their
company and their own Web sites
generate.
...Real estate is not brain surgery, but it does require excellent systems in place.
...Real estate is not brain surgery, but it does require excellent systems in place.
From an Inman story (link requires
registration, so I'll summarize)
Our performance on the Web is equally abysmal. When agents do respond to e-mail inquiries, 70 percent of the agents take two days to respond and 58 percent do not respond at all. To illustrate this point, a manager in a top-producing office of 120 agents recently sent an e-mail to her agents to see how long it would take them to reply. She sent it out on Thursday and asked the recipients to hit the reply button to show that they had read her e-mail. By the following Tuesday, only 10 percent of her agents had replied. This suggests that only a small percentage of agents are paying close attention to the e-mail leads their company and their own Web sites generate.
That other Realtors are so poor at responding means that I should be in good shape! Real estate is not brain surgery, but it does require excellent systems in place. That and constantly evaluating and evolving. Those who choose not to do this will hopefully fade away.
Our performance on the Web is equally abysmal. When agents do respond to e-mail inquiries, 70 percent of the agents take two days to respond and 58 percent do not respond at all. To illustrate this point, a manager in a top-producing office of 120 agents recently sent an e-mail to her agents to see how long it would take them to reply. She sent it out on Thursday and asked the recipients to hit the reply button to show that they had read her e-mail. By the following Tuesday, only 10 percent of her agents had replied. This suggests that only a small percentage of agents are paying close attention to the e-mail leads their company and their own Web sites generate.
That other Realtors are so poor at responding means that I should be in good shape! Real estate is not brain surgery, but it does require excellent systems in place. That and constantly evaluating and evolving. Those who choose not to do this will hopefully fade away.
Posted at 08:20 AM |
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Published On: Apr 09, 2005 01:04 PM
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Published On: Apr 09, 2005 01:04 PM