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
2009 Real Estate Market Update … as the year closes
Some of this article comes from Keller Williams Research and the data comes from the National Association of Realtors, Freddie Mac, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and KW Research. Take a look and let me know if you have questions or want to talk about what you see.
Small steps to economic recovery continued last month. Among the positive readings was the report of a third quarter GDP growth rate of 2.8 percent, which followed four consecutive quarterly declines. This advance comes in well ahead of that of our Canadian neighbors, whose economy was once anticipated to be the first country out of recession, and by significant margin. Canada posted marginal 0.4 percent growth. Unemployment fell in November for the first time since April 2008. A strong rebound in home sales activity from year ago levels also points to a firmer stabilization.
With the extension of the $8,000 federal housing tax credit into spring 2010, first-time buyers will now have an additional few months to purchase their dream homes. Expansion of the income restrictions now gives possibilities for higher earners to participate too. And the $6,500 tax credit now available to established homeowners with five consecutive years or more in their homes broadens the opportunity landscape. This in turn will allow the housing market more time to find a more solid footing on a sustainable recovery.
This chart shows how inventory is falling consistent with the increase in sales. We are getting closer to a balanced market (6 months of inventory) and that will help with that solid footing. Foreclosures are increasing but new construction is almost non-existent so overall desirable inventory is falling.
Although economists continue to debate the overall shape of the recovery, it is widely agreed that the U.S. economy will take a long time to rebound. Unemployment is expected to remain high for several quarters and the number of underemployed is expected by some economists to remain a drag on growth prospects. On the brighter side, according to some economists, a slow and steady growth will likely fair better for the long-term well-being of the economy. Slower, sustained growth can help prevent dangerous asset bubbles, like the recent housing and technology bubbles, from growing and bursting.
The median home price is holding fairly stable. This combined with lower interest rates are making homes affordable for more people. We are currently holding at about 15% affordability which is the lowest on record since 1970.
Now armed with all this data what do you do?
If you are a seller who wants to move I would suggest a couple of things. First, get your house on the market today (no later than the first week of January) if you want to capture all the buyers that will be hitting the market after the holidays. We have had a fairly hot market but it has stalled for the holiday season. That will come to an end almost immediately. Second, have your house in top condition and priced to the market. Buyers are still looking for a deal and will bypass a house that is over priced. The driving force in this market will continue to be appraisal values so pay attention closely to the current market data.
If you are a buyer ready to make that purchase then get busy looking right now. Use this search engine for the most current data. Inventory is falling and desirable homes move fast if they are priced right. The extended tax credit for 1st time buyers will keep the activity up for some time to come but you have to be a qualified buyer. Call your lender (or me if you don’t have a lender) and get that pre-approval letter in hand. Not just a pre-qualification letter but a pre-approval and if your credit score or income to debt ratio is marginal you need to move NOW. Fannie Mae guidelines will be changing to require a higher credit score (580 to 620) and FHA will be looking for more down payment (3.5% to 5%) soon so you could be left behind if you don’t get moving. FHA is making more changes to manage risk by increasing the down payment, higher mortgage insurance premiums and lower seller concessions but there is no time table on that yet.
If you are selling and buying then the strategy is to price your house at the market value and be willing to give on the sale so that you are positioned to make it up on the purchase. Most sellers that have been in their house for a while will qualify for the new tax credit of $6500 in the move but it expires in April 2010. Not much time to get this done. Check with you tax professional to be sure you qualify but don’t wait too long.
PS. If this all sounds overwhelming then take a deep breath, get a cup of coffee and call me. My goal is not to scare you or give you a feeling of panic but to let you know what is happening as best I can. If you made it this far in the article then you are obviously interested in finding out what is happening and I can’t include everything here. I am ready to help and because I work by referral I have the time to help you when you need me.
If you know someone who is even thinking about buying (or selling) please call me with their name and number. I am NEVER too busy for your referrals and we will take great care of them.
One last thing, I am starting a new effort to reach people in trouble with their homes. 57% of all home owners that go into foreclosure never contact the lender because they are ashamed or scared. Check out www.CarrierOfHome.com for more info of how we can help.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578
Merry Christmas – a simple message
Merry Christmas. Christmas is a simple message that I want to share with you. God Loved. God Gave. We Believe. We Receive. John 3:16 says that God loved the world so much that he gave is only son and whoever believes in him shall have eternal life.
This is the message of Christmas. God Bless and we pray your Christmas is a merry one!!
Jerry Robertson
Don’t get ripped off-Gift cards are not always the best choice
I hope you all are getting your Christmas stuff done. It is 4 days away and I found this info on gift cards that might be helpful. It seems they don’t always work out well. Click here for the report.
If I can help with anything please call me. Business or beyond, I am here to help.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell
What matters now!!
I just got a new ebook from Seth Godin and wanted to share it with all of you. It is a small collection of essays that give us a perspective for the future. Click here for a free copy of the book.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
Technology Tips for 11 Dec 2009
Here are a few tech tips that I want to share with you. Check them out and see if there is any help. I used the auto repair quote one just today to check on some pricing.
More Convenient Then Remembering: Sometimes, we find articles and sites we want to revisit. Remembering addresses or bookmarking isn’t always convenient. Futz.me is a handy little site. Start by setting up your Futz.me account. When there’s something you want to read later, use your address bar. Enter “futz.me/username” (minus quotes) before the Web address. Futz.me will e-mail you a link to the page. Futz.me can do more than that. You can send yourself a reminder via the address bar. You can also send pages and reminders to your phone http://futz.me/site
Get Auto Repair Estimates: It is difficult to find a mechanic for your car because it is a challenge to comparison shop. When it comes to repairs, getting the right estimate can be messy. That’s where RepairPal can help. It will provide you with estimates for car maintenance and repairs. Of course, there’s more to RepairPal than estimates. It will also help you locate mechanics that specialize on your make of car. You can also post your car questions. Or, visit the Encyclopedia to learn more about cars. http://repairpal.com
Exercising Your Brain Too: Head over to Games for the Brain. You’ll find plenty of games to help you keep your mind in shape. There are fun word games. You can also play Mahjongg, Sudoku and Chess. There are also some games that you can put on your Web site or blog. These games are great to give your brain a quick little tune up. But, be careful! It would be too easy to play for hours! http://www.gamesforthebrain.com
Add Custom Frames To Photos: Not only for Christmas and other holidays. How about those photos you send to prospective clients? Why not create your own photo cards? It is much easier than you think. In fact, you don’t need to know anything about photo editing. HP has a variety of photo frames and borders you can use. And they’re free! Start by picking the design you’d like. Then, upload your photos. You can upload from your computer. Or, choose a photo hosted on Snapfish. Simply drag your photo onto the photo frame or border. When you’re done, print your card! http://www.hp.com/hho/hp_create/photo_frames_borders.html
Compare Estimated With Actual Gas Mileage: New car estimated gas mileage is usually optimistic to actual. So, you may wonder how the actual mileage stacks up. After all, your driving style and other factors play a role in mileage.That’s where Fuelly can help. This site is useful for anyone who is car shopping. You can see owners’ actual mileage. You’ll see just how optimistic the estimated mileage is.You can also use it to see how your driving habits affect your mileage. Or, it can help you determine when to get your car serviced! http://www.fuelly.com
Let me know if I can help with anything. I will do all I can.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell
Tech tips courtesy of Rick DeLuca @ www.RealEstateIdeaClub.com
Fight Back – Keep your money!!
Now more than ever, it makes sense (and cents) to protect your money. A thorough examination of your everyday expenditures will likely reveal areas where you can save some of your hard earned money.
For example, did you know 78 percent of cell phone minutes go unused? Scrutinizing your cell phone bill may expose features and minutes that are being paid for but not being used. Do away with these unused minutes, and you’ll save money every month.
In this month’s Item of Value, you will find many ways to stretch the value of your dollar, such as eliminating wasteful spending or negotiating for a better price. In some cases, there may be ways you can trim unnecessary expenses from your monthly bills. I have also included a coupon from my Physical Trainer, Celeste Reeves that let’s you get started on a training plan for free if you want. Check it out and see if that helps.
It’s a great time to look after your money, and these tips can help!
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell
BTW, I am never too busy for your referrals!!! Call me if you know someone looking to buy right now. It is a great time.
Political — warning
This one is about politics. You have been warned.
I have been thinking and talking and listening. There is a lot of grousing about how things are going. Unemployment is high, the economy is bumping along but not recovering as we would like it to. Politicians are making promises about health care that our grand children are going to have to pay for. If you listen to the news you can get really depressed so I don’t listen. Some would say I am playing ostrich and burying my head (they don’t really do that you know 
) but I would say that I am taking the only path I have open to me.
I am planning for election day!!!
There are 435 congressmen, 100 senators, 1 president. 536 people. People just like you and me and we have the chance to fire them. Technically we could fire almost all of them at once. The senators and the president are on a different schedule but ALL of the congressmen and a third of the Senators are up for ‘renewal’ in November of 2010.
I have decided on one thing and on one exception. I will vote AGAINST any incumbent (already in office) UNLESS they are signed on to the FairTax bill in their house. Congressmen can sign on to HR25 for the House of Representative and S296 for the Senate. You can check on them at www.FairTax.org of you want to know who is in and who is out.
Getting the FairTax in could solve a whole bunch of problems. Our economy would flourish, unemployment would plummet, new businesses would start and we would be the economic powerhouse we once were. It would also remove much of the power in Washington DC by limiting what the special interest groups could do limiting corruption so they do a lot of speaking out against it.
If you want to know more (you’re going to have to do some reading on your own) you can go to www.FairTax.org and learn. It is possible TO read it because it is not nearly as complex as our current tax code.
If you want to make a real difference, stop watching the news and start reading for yourself from their sources. Don’t let them just report ‘all the news we think you should know’ (that’s a quote from a news anchor). Read some history from books like The Forgotten Man (by Amity Shlaes) about the Great Depression and what the politicians tried to do and plan your own vote for next November. It is really the only thing you CAN do. Everything else is just grousing.
My choice to replace an incumbent will always be a Libertarian if one is running but I will vote for anyone that will make a change. We need to upset the cart for these guys and gals that have gotten so comfortable that they think it is about them.
It is not about them. It is about this country and what it stands for. We do not want to conquer the world. We want to bring freedom to choose who your leaders are and how you live your life. We have not acquired land for ourselves from another country except to bury our dead. (check out Normandy and some of the other sites sometime)
I got a little long on this one and there is more to come. If you disagree with me that is ok. That is the way things are supposed to work in this country but we are still friends and we still respect each other and our opinions.
Our government has gotten out of hand and I don’t think there is all that much difference between the Democrats and the Republicans. We really need a third party if we are going to get this fixed and it might not be the Libertarians but they have a better plan than the other two. If you have another option I would love to hear it. Call me.
Alright, I’m done for now.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry W. Robertson
Welcome
