RollerCoaster!

I'm just finishing up my best quarter in real estate by far -- had seven closings and a pretty nice commission income. However, I have virtually nothing lined up for Q4 and my listing inventory is way down, partially from sales, partially from people deciding to hold off relisting until markets improve.

However, within the last few weeks, I have acquired some great new listings. Last week, I listed 209 Lecturn, in a pristine area of NW Port Charlotte. Large pool home on a double corner lot. This week, a wonderful Deep Creek home, also with a pool. Next is a beautiful home in Burnt Store Lakes with a long lake view and many impressive upgrades. And I've got five more that I hope to list within the next several months.

We've also had quite a few buyers from the north looking. I have a number of them lined up for visits in October.

Great Tips and Techniques

I attended a dynamite training session yesterday at our Board of Realtors called "buletproofing thr transaction". This focused on the time between signing a sales contract and the close of the transaction, usually a period of one to three months. During this time, lots can go wrong, with home inspections, appraisals, bank approval, third party lender approval, etc.

The energetic instructor offered many ways in which a realtor can work with the parties involved to help assure that these processes run smoothly and lead to a successful, on time, closing. The key is frequent and effective communications and setting expectations.

Let's hope I get more sales so I can have the opportunity to apply what I learned!

Market Update - August 2009

View from the trenches....the market has picked up enormously in terms of units sold. We are still burdened with short sale properties. But more are making it to foreclosure and offered at great prices. These are being snapped up FAST because they are such great values. For example, last week we closed on a 3/2/2 in a nice area of Port Charlotte. This has a pool and spa and sold for $68,000.

As these great deals get sold the supply/demand balance is shifting away from the "buyers' market" to more of a balanced market. We are already beginning to see prices increase a bit.

Stay tuned!

Still a mystery!

Since I started this blog last summer, exactly no one has showed up to take a look, not even my kids! Makes you wonder why all the Real Estate gurus are advising us to blag.

Then again, blogging is so 2008. This year everyone is advising us to join social networking sites.

OK, always a sucker for new ways to spend time online, I just updated my LINKEDIN profile info and invited about 40 prople to be my contacts. We'll see what happens.

Also highly recommended: TWITTER. I joined it a while back, but am puzzled why anyone cares about other peoples' daily details. Perhaps if I spend more time on these sites I'll "get it".

Here Comes Fay!

Tropical storm Fay is now forecast to hit this area about 44 hours from now. People are buying supplies, getting ready, but still calm. It seems that it will be a weak storm, barely a Cat 1.

This is the first weather threat since Wilma in 2005; that one ended veering south and travelling from Naples to Miami.

We havs supplies ready, car full of gas, etc. Our only major decision is whether to install our hurricane curtains...a HUGE undertaking. I think we'll take our chances unless Fay turns out to be forecase a Cat 3.

New Listing in Burnt Store Village

There's something thrilling about a new listing.

For me it's a combination of (1) meeting new people and learning about their plans (2) winning -- sometimes these are competitive and I love to win (3) trying to create great images of the property (3) adding another property to my listing inventory (4) the opportunity for the sellers to meet their objectives (5) the opportunity for me to get another sale and associated commission.

Today's new listing is a gem of a home in Burnt Store Village. It's small but stunning inside. Beautifully upgraded...a top-quality job. Check it out HERE. Be sure to look at the virtual tour.

Is this an ad? If so, I need to mention that I work for Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate.

I never thought I would be doing this!

Well, whadda know!

I now have a blog....and what am I supposed to do? Write a journal, you say? OK, but would anyone care?

We'll see. But this is a two-way deal, right? So I will write some stuff about my adventures in real estate and YOU are invited to comment, ask questions, or whatever.