Max definitely needs to “relax” because we have been busy – on both the buying and selling side here in Maryland. Things are also picking up with summertime quickly approaching.

Although our market has been down in terms of prices, many of our listings have recently sold. This means we need to get even busier and find more homes to list.

One of our biggest issues with home sellers is price. I have to work quite a bit with them to list their home at the correct price. They aren’t too happy about the idea at first, but when they see their home sell and other homes listed around the same time not sell or sit on the market with a “Reduced Price” For Sale sign, they understand my strategy and appreciate my advice.

We have invited Max to our HCAR (Howard County Association of Realtors) Casino Night and participate in the “Realtor Idol” Contest. We hope he’ll have time in his busy schedule. My strong Team and my Broker at RE/MAX Advantage Realty—who was just named Broker of the Year—will all be attending. Continue reading this post

Real Estate Radio USA Inquires About Blogging School

Barry Cunningham and Barry Johnson of Real Estate Radio USA invited HomeGain’s Louis Cammarosano and Sellsius Real Estate Blog’s Joseph Ferrara to talk about the new Blogging School for real estate agents.

Listen to the radio show

Continue reading this post

Mortgage rates are headed higher. Lock all rates at application, regardless of closing date.

The trend is clear; the Fed believes it has done all it can to stave off the banking crises and is now focusing its efforts on inflation. This morning, retail sales were up and the dollar is strengthening. If stagflation is the fear, the current strategy of targeting core inflation may be abandoned for the more radical Paul Volcker-style approach to tame inflation.

While I believe the higher mortgage rate cycle will be shorter than the 80-s style interest rate hikes, it’s clear to me that Bernanke is talking differently than he did in 2006 and 2007.

The effect? We could see mortgage rates rise as much as 2% in the next two years. I still believe that a five year ARM will offer the best solution because interest rates move in cycles; I think we’ll see mortgage rates under 6% again in 2011. Today? The trend looks like we’re headed higher.

What then, should be your strategy? Continue reading this post

After the dot.com bust it appeared the initial promise of the internet was vanquished and the naysayers were right, that only geeks were using the internet and that business on the web couldn’t be conducted for profit.

So much for naysayers. The internet is now used by every bubba, grandma and you-name-it around the world. The internet is fulfilling its promise and rapidly becoming a standard tool of business, advertising and communication.

The argument is over whether real estate agents should be using the internet to conduct business. I’m sure there are successful hold-outs, and it’s probably true that many agents don’t have a comprehensive internet plan to conduct business, but it’s now pretty much a no-brainer that the internet is the place to be for real estate business.

NAR is addressing the issue, agents are getting their own websites, brokerages are putting together plans and every conference, workshop and seminar has something to say about it.

Many of us are way beyond all that and our main concern is just how best to utilize all the possibilities now that we’re in the middle of it. For those just starting, I’d suggest catching up fast by reading blogs like Bloodhound, Agent Genius and, Continue reading this post

Karen Breen Elia of RE/MAX Exclusive Properties in Chicago is the special guest in this month’s “Winning Agent Call” on HomeGain Radio, hosted by Peter McCullough. The topic is home staging.

In Karen’s opinion, home staging is on the rise. “The more successful agents are finding that home staging is the key to moving properties, especially for agents in the more competitive markets,” said Karen.

Listen to Karen Breen Elia’s advice to real estate agents on home staging:

On this call, Karen shares how she provides value to her clients, overcomes objections (like personal tastes), and why it’s important to get “commitment” from clients before she begins working with them. Continue reading this post

I am reading a book “Wikinomics” and have been thinking about how it relates to our industry and the way we may sell homes in the future. The premise of the book is that the economy has changed and is changing rapidly because of the web.

Duh! Everyone knows this but many of us have not put together the fact that the web has changed the way we work together. Mass and worldwide collaboration is becoming increasingly important.

Through forums, wikis, blogs, and other forms of interactive collaboration the web has gone from static information to dynamic information.

Additionally, the web has created an environment where we can collectively solve problems with the brain power and creativity that would not have been possible in the past. Rather than horde information—we are sharing information—and through that sharing we realize many times that we have similar problems and can work interactively to solve those problems.

Many times we utilize the social networks we have created to get answers! So … social networks are not only social but are also tremendous resources for business.

OK, so how does this affect my Real Estate business? Continue reading this post