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"Expect the Best" Mike

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Real Estate: 2215 Fairfax, Lansing Michigan $127,900.00 WOW!

I heard it was open Sunday March 30th from 1-3 p.m. You better hurry on this one in Colonial Village.

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Thursday, March 20, 2008

Real Estate Marketing 101, No, Try 2008


As an ePro and real estate Blogger I find it very important in today’s market to connect and network with those who believe in the power of the Internet to enhance their business and career. I have found that it does not matter where I happen to be focusing my business on for that day in the greater Lansing area, I can post an article about the real estate business in that area to benefit my clients, customers and Realtor friends who believe in technology. Delta Township, Grand Ledge, and Delhi Township have been key areas that I have hyperlinked into my website for clients to obtain demographics and other great information about those communities. Point2Agent Websites have been a plus for Realtors because of the high search engine rankings and the idea of handshakes that Realtors can do with each other to co-operate on listings.

Much of what I have written above may sound of beat to what you have been use to over the years for real estate marketing, however times have changed rapidly over the past few years and will continue to evolve into what we call the Web2 stage where you, our customer will have a better opportunity to participate in this exciting new world of Real Estate Technology. Here are a few samples: a Squidoo lens to promote a property, A HubPage is yet another tool, and then of course the Blog is a great way to promote a listing.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Avoid The Most Common Buyer Errors


Shopping for a new home is an emotional experience. It’s also time consuming and comes with a myriad of details. Some buyers, however, caught up in the excitement of buying a new home tend to overlook some items. Their home purchase turns into an expensive process. These errors generally fall into three areas:

Paying too much
Losing a dream home to another buyer
Buying the wrong home
When you have a systematic plan before you shop, you’ll be sure to avoid these costly errors. Here are some tips on making the most of your home purchase:

Bidding without sufficient information
What price do you offer a seller? Is the seller’s asking price too high? Is it a deal? Without research on the market and comparable homes, you could lose thousands of dollars. Before you make that offer, be sure you have researched the market. A professional realtor, can offer an unbiased opinion on the value of a home, based on market conditions, condition of the home and neighborhood. Without knowledge of the market, your offer could be too much. Or worse, you could miss out on a great buying opportunity.

Buying a mis-matched home
What do you need and want in a home? Sounds simple. Yet, clearly identifying your needs and bringing an objective view to home shopping, leaves you in a better position. Sometimes, home buyers buy a home that is too large or too small. Perhaps they didn’t consider the drive to work, the distance to school, or the many repair jobs waiting for completion. Plan ahead. Use your needs list as a guideline for every home you view.

Unclear title
Before you sign any document, be sure the property you are considering is free of all encumbrances. As part of their services, a realtor can supply you with a copy of the title to ensure there are no liens, debts, undisclosed owners, leases or easements.

Outdated survey
Before the purchase is completed, an updated survey is essential. This report will indicate boundaries and structural changes (additions to the house, a new swimming pool, neighbor’s new fence which is extending a boundary line, etc.).

Unexpected repairs
For $300 - $500 a professional inspector will conduct a thorough inspection of the home. This way, you’ll have an idea of the cost of future repairs. Make the final contract subject to a favourable report.

Shopping without pre-approval
It only takes a few days to get financing pre-approval. When you are shopping for a home, this gives you more power. A seller is more likely to consider an offer from a serious buyer.

Remember additional cost
Besides the funds for the purchase of a home, you’ll need funds for items such as loan fees, insurance, legal fees, surveys, inspections, etc.

Rushing the closing
Before you sign, ensure that all documentation clearly reflects your understanding and conditions of the transaction. Has anything been forgotten? Don’t rush. You could lose money, financing or even the sale.

Buying real estate in the greater Lansing area? View over 6000 listings here.

"Expect the Best" Mike


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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Coldwell Banker 2008 TV Ad - Rapid Response

This is another great tool offered by Coldwell Banker that help generate additional website activity for my current technology marketing plan that I offer all my sellers at http://www.mikebowler.com