Although HomeGain was not an exhibitor this year at the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Annual Conference & Expo in San Diego, California, we sent our best representative, Max The HomeGain Gorilla, to greet hundreds of Realtors as they entered the real estate trade show over the weekend.

Did you spot the Max-mobile truck? (See photos below) Let us know if you did!

Max-mobile at the NAR Annual Expo in New Orleans

After seeing a Senate vote of 98-0, the House approved the extension & expansion of the home buyer tax credit by a vote of 403 to 12.  The overwhelming bipartisan support was applauded by the NAHB and the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

The new bill extends the expiration of the current $8000 tax credit to first time home buyers purchasing a principle residence.  The bill further expands the credit to include existing purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for the past five of eight years.  Existing purchasers will receive a credit of $6500.

The income restrictions on qualifying buyers have also been increased.  Single filers earning up to $125k/year are eligible for the full credit, and those earning up to $145k/year are eligible for a partial credit.  Joint filers are eligible for the full amount with a combined income of up to $225k, and eligible for a partial if earning up to $245k.

The new law has seen wide support, especially from the real estate blogging community. Continue reading this post

With summertime here, Max decided to hit the surf and cruise around sunny San Diego, California, in a truck that could fit all his surf boards.

By November, when the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Annual Conference is scheduled, Max will be very familiar with the area!

Have you seen Max on the road?

Let us know and you’ll receive a cute and cuddly Max gorilla of your own!

Check San Diego home prices

Learn more about San Diego real estate

Join the San Diego real estate market discussion on HomeGain Nation

Follow Max

Max, the orange HomeGain Gorilla, is taking a spin around the streets of New York. Max is on a Find a Realtor/What’s My Home Worth? tour that encourages New Yorkers to find and compare New York Realtors or to look up home prices on HomeGain’s instant home valuation tool. This is Max’s first motor tour since hitting the streets or San Francisco and Phoenix last year.

Max’s driver, Hoke Wolliz, is handing out free Home Sale Maximizer brochures,  a useful tool for anyone planning to sell their home.

If you spot Max, let us know!

Better yet, send us a photo of the “Max Mobile” and we’ll send you a Max gorilla of your own.

Next up for Max: San Diego, California — Max will be visible there this Fall in anticipation of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Annual Conference and Expo.

Follow Max!

Check New York City Home Prices

 
Continue reading this post

At the end of March, I was fortunate to be asked to be a guest on a national radio show called The Takeaway. There is an accompanying blog post here and you can listen to the 8 minute radio interview from there. As fun as it might be to be a part of a radio show, I wouldn’t have done this if not for the basic premise that differed from much of what we hear from the media.

The premise here was that the market is shifting — for the better. The interview came because of another blog post I wrote that was picked up in the research of a national reporter showing something different than what we hear from most “media” sources. Basically, some professional insight backed up with statistics that shows something different than the gloom and doom we hear which is partially fueling the perception problems many of us are seeing in the market today.

What I’m really trying to say is that we are our local experts and when we take the time to articulate the information and experience that we have, we can make a difference and with the mindset of many buyers today, we need all the help we can give to each other! We are the professionals in our market and we need to actively participate in the dialogue lest we spend our time complaining rather than helping the cause.

There are lots of ways us Realtors can do this;

Continue reading this post

HomeGain looks forward to visiting with its customers and meeting new Realtors from around the world each year at the National Association of Realtors® Conference & Expo. In 2008, the NAR trade show was held in Orlando, Florida. Many real estate agents were delighted to win the featured prize, Max, the HomeGain gorilla, and speak to our cameras.

Thank you to all of our video participants! We look forward to seeing everyone again next year.

Bethanne Baer
Coldwell Banker
Orlando, FL
AgentEvaluator Platinum Club

Bob Kimball
Keller Williams Excellence
Timonium, MD
AgentEvaluator Platinum Club

Continue reading this post