Home buyer tax credit was extended!!
I am really surprised at the number of people that don’t know this happened. You can still qualify for a tax credit up to $8000 if you buy your first home by April 30, 2010.
You can also qualify for up to $6500 if it is not your first home but you have been in your current home for 5 years. Check out the flyer by Clicking Here for more details or call me at 678-231-1578 to get started.
I am never too busy for your referrals and I learned yesterday that on average everyone knows at least 10 people who are moving this year. Who do you know that is thinking about buying their first home or moving into a home that better fits their lives (more kids, empty nests, etc.). Call me with the name that just came into your head and I’ll take great care of them!!!
Thanks for all the referrals and encouragement you have sent me this last year. It means the world to me.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell
Technology Tips for 1 February 2010
Everything Needs An App Store These Days: There’s a different one for every smartphone. You can also get apps for your iPod. Now, there’s an app store for your netbook. Netbooks are a special kind of computer. They’re small, portable and don’t have a lot of power. They can’t run every program as well as a regular computer. Scouring the Web for netbook-friendly programs can be hit or miss. The solution may be Intel’s AppUp. This app store is full of netbook-friendly programs. You’ll find games, utilities and social-networking programs. Some of the programs are free. And you can buy others right from the store. http://www.intel.com/#/en_US_01
Photos For Your Website: Do you need photos for your Web site or another creative project? You needn’t settle for sub-par images. Check out microstock photography. You can buy photos from microstock sites online. Generally, you won’t pay much for the rights to use these photos. morgueFile offers plenty of free photos for your creative projects. There are also plenty of tips to help you improve your microstock skills. http://www.morguefile.com/
Government Auctions: The Department of the Treasury has a site that lists government auctions. It covers both in-person and online auctions. Don’t just look at the seized or forfeited items. There are also surplus goods. This site does not put all the auctions in one place. Rather, it helps you find auctions across government agencies. You’ll have to do some clicking! http://www.ustreas.gov/auctions/
McDonald’s Has Wi-Fi: The list of free Wi-Fi connections just grew by 11,500. McDonald’s has made Wi-Fi free at most of its 14,000 U.S. locations. You don’t need to make a purchase to use the Wi-Fi. Just walk in, fire up your laptop and log on. To find a McDonald’s location offering free Wi-Fi in your area, visit its site. http://www.mcdonalds.com/wireless.html
Managing Your To-Do List: TeuxDeux is one of the best task managers . It doesn’t have a lot of fancy features. Simplicity is its strong suit. When you sign in, you’ll see five columns, each labeled with a day of the week. You’ll also see a section labeled ”Someday.” There is an entry box for each column and the Someday section. To get started, enter a task in one of the boxes and hit Enter. The task will be added to your to-do list. As you complete tasks, click on them. A strikethrough will mark them complete. Or, click the X next to a task to delete it from your list. You may also want to move a task to a different day. In that case, just click and drag it to another column. http://teuxdeux.com/
Please remember, don’t keep me a secret because I am never too busy for your referrals.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell
Technology Tips courtesy of Rick DeLuca and his Real Estate Ideas Club.
Great Opportunities Disguised as Impossible Situations
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
– Charles R. Swindoll
A lot of negative coverage has been devoted to today’s housing market. However, there are many reasons why the current real estate market may be beneficial to you.
For example, the large selection of homes and low sales prices make it a great buyer’s market.
In addition, interest rates on home loans are historically low, making now a great time to lock in a long-term mortgage rate.
Ultimately, though, these favorable conditions will go away. As inflation rises, so do interest rates. I have included this Item of Value so you can take advantage of current market conditions.
If you are looking to become a homeowner, you need to strike while the iron is hot! You know me. I am not one to be pushy and I know this sounds pushy but the current market situation cannot last. The Feds have said they will STOP buying mortgage backed securities soon which WILL allow mortgage rates to increase. Inventory IS falling and while there are some new foreclosures coming out they are getting fewer and the condition is such that many of them cannot get FHA financing so they sit. Very little new inventory is being build and some areas are seeing a shortage of good houses to buy.
If you are looking to sell that can be good news for you if you are in some of those shortage areas. Housing prices have fallen but they are on the way back up. I can show you data that says the bottom was about 6 months ago and we are coming up. With all the incentives the government is handing out and the changing market, this is also the best time to sell. After April I believe activity will drop when the 1st time buyer and repeat buyer tax credit expire. The Fannie Mae deal in the previous post will also end about that time and while we will hopefully see a healthier market by then I think a lot of the real deals will be done and it will be a balanced market with higher interest rates.
Please don’t miss this opportunity. It is perhaps the best we have seen EVER and it won’t last. Call me if you have any questions or if you know someone I can help with THEIR great opportunity. I am never too busy for your referrals!!
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell
Fannie Mae Announces 3.5 Percent Seller Assistance on HomePath® Properties
Incentive Part of Ongoing Effort to Stabilize Neighborhoods
WASHINGTON, DC — Fannie Mae (FNM/NYSE) announced today that people purchasing a Fannie Mae-owned HomePath® property will receive up to 3.5 percent of the final sales price to be used toward closing cost assistance or their choice of appliances. The offer is available to any owner-occupant who closes on the purchase of a property listed on HomePath.com before May 1, 2010.
“Attracting qualified buyers to the market and reducing the inventory of vacant homes is critical to stabilizing neighborhoods and helping the market recover. Many families are taking advantage of the federal homebuyer tax credit to buy a new home so this is a great time for Fannie Mae to offer some additional help,” said Terry Edwards, Executive Vice President of Credit Portfolio Management. “Homebuyers have the option to choose between financial assistance toward closing costs or new appliances for their home.”
Properties eligible for this incentive are listed on HomePath.com and most listings include detailed property descriptions, photographs, community and school information and more. In addition, many Fannie Mae-owned properties are eligible for special HomePath Mortgage and HomePath Renovation Mortgage financing which offers homebuyers an opportunity to purchase with as little as 3 percent down.
If you are interested in more info please call me at 678-343-6879 and I can help you get started finding that perfect house.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
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I did this from my palm pre to see if I could.
Echo Boomers
Here is a little more info about the Echo Boomers that are coming. There are more Echo Boomers than there were Baby Boomers so we are a growing demographic and that affects what we do in real estate. All those buyers are just now entering the housing market so the demand is going to be increasing and if you are looking to be in on the ground floor for this market it is now that you need to start.
Look at the eReport that I have included here and you’ll get a better picture of what’s coming. There will be a growing demand for starter homes, rentals and senior housing. Typically we have not had a huge demand for ranches and the single level home in our area but I believe that will be changing. Heck, I am going to be looking for a stepless ranch soon. I am tired of the stairs and I am almost an empty nest. 
As always, call me if you have questions or know of someone looking to buy or sell. I am taking listings right now and I am NEVER too busy for your referrals.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell
Technology Tips for January 15, 2010
So, now we have WikiMapia: As its name suggests, it has turned online maps into a wiki. That means anyone can edit the maps. If you notice an error, you can fix it. You can also add new streets or attractions. WikiMapia’s maps are also interactive. There are also the satellite images we’ve come to expect. http://wikimapia.org
Visit The Websites, Skip The Browser: There are a handful of sites that you visit every day. You check the news, your e-mail and maybe a few blogs. Perhaps you refer to an online calendar. Placing useful websites on your desktop takes up a lot of space. Actually, you only need portions of those sites. It would be handy if you could cut out those portions. Snippage does just that. It’s actually a small Adobe Air browser. Use it to navigate to the site you want. Then drag and resize the Snippage box over what you want. Push the Shrink button and position it on your desktop. Free http://snippage.gabocorp.com/
Assess Your Energy Usage: Also find ways to improve it and save money. The Department of Energy has tools to help you out. Start by doing an energy audit. See how much energy you’re using-and wasting. Then, check the tips to learn how to improve your home’s efficiency. This is also a great site to visit if you plan landscaping or remodeling. http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell
Technology tips courtesy of Rick DeLuca at the Real Estate Idea Club – thanks Rick!!
Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” – Seneca
The housing market won’t be down forever. The time to buy is before the housing boom hits, and I believe that boom is coming soon! In recent months, we’ve already seen signs the market is cycling up again (increased home sales are one example). There are several other factors that all point to a looming housing boom, such as population demographics and new home construction statistics.
For the first Item of Value for the year (2010 January CAP), I’ve examined several factors that indicate the market is turning around again. You will find data and analysis that point to the same conclusion: the next housing boom is just around the corner.
Don’t be left in the dust when the next housing upswing occurs. I want you to be prepared!
PS. One side note, on the Item of Value is a coupon from one of my favorite vendors. Mark Hinshaw of Get ‘er Done Handyman service is offering a $25 off discount on your next job. Call Mark at (678) 758-0651 and tell him I sent you. This offer is good through the end of February 2010.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578
Last thing, please remember to call me when someone mentions real estate. Let me have their name and phone number and I’ll do the rest. Your referrals allow me the time to focus on my clients when they need me the most instead of having to look for my next client with cold calls or door knocking.
I want to do the most I can for those that need help. Check out CarrierOfHope.com too if you know someone that is in need of advice when facing foreclosure. There are options for them but they have to ask.
Search Vintage Ads
I got a great site from Seth Godin where you can search vintage ads. Here is one that I found when I looked for a Lincoln Zephyr. See what you can find!!
Jerry Robertson
Reduce Stress…. Live Longer
Just read a cool article about stress. Check this out.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
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