Posted on July 27th, 2009 by Richard. Categories: Just for Fun, Sports & Recreation
As about everyone has heard by now, Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel is the location this year of the Seniors Open Championship. Today was just a practice day…but the atmosphere felt like the tournament was underway. I took this photo from the bleachers overlooking the 18th green as some Pros finished a practice round.
Although tournament play hasn’t begun yet, the place was energized with activity. I was expecting some changes, but it looked like the USGA and PGA had moved in and taken over big-time, transforming “The Stick” into a golf club ready for prime time. Expanded parking with shuttle buses, merchandise buildings, sponsors pavilions, concession tents, media communication equiptment and facilities, enormous bleachers and literally miles of rope to line the fairways and greens marking the boundaries to keep spectators from encroaching too close. The most impressive thing to me was the hundreds and hundreds of sky blue-shirted workers who staffed the course everywhere you looked. Everyone knew their assignments and had them down. To sum this up…they are READY there to host this thing.
There still are some tickets available if you want to come. Tournament play begins this Thursday 07-30.
Posted on July 24th, 2009 by Richard. Categories: Market Conditions, Market Watch
If you view the market from my vantage point, I think you’d see some really encouraging signs. For those that have their homes on the market or those thinking about putting their home on the market, there are some real positives. The number of showings is always a pretty good indicator of sales to come, and showing activity has been picking up steadily. This simply means there are more Buyers out there looking. Also, sales are picking up and the amount of inventory is declining. For some real numbers, in-depth analysis and summary of last month’s market, take a look at my latest Market Watch Newsletter. In a word, the real estate market is “good” now…and it keeps improving more every month.
I know that there still are owners who have not had success in selling their homes, so this news doesn’t seem to apply to them, and they are wondering “Why can’t I sell my home?” There usually is a reason or reasons why. And if those reasons are addressed then the outcome should be more favorable. Usually the reasons have something to do with either price and/or condition and often marketing too. If the price is not competitive with other similar properties then buyers are going elsewhere. If condition is not close to perfect, then buyers are choosing other homes. Both of these have to be in proper balance with the market for a home to sell. Also, if a home is not receiving a robust marketing effort, then buyers don’t see it in the best possible light…or worse, buyers don’t even know the home is for sale. It certainly will never sell then.
The improving news also affects Buyers. Less inventory to choose from means the pendulum is starting to swing back toward Sellers and away from Buyers. It’s still somewhat of a Buyers Market. But it would make sense for Buyers to take advantage of the low interest rates and favorable market conditions now or soon if they want to capitalize on this. This is especially true for first-time buyers. I’ve mentioned this before, but if someone is a first-time buyer or hasn’t owned a home in the last 3 years, there is still an incentive available from the federal government that could mean a federal tax refund of up to $8,000 if they purchase a home this year. Here is a link to some information about that. If someone falls into this category, it would be crazy not to take advantage of this if they are thinking of buying in the near future.
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Posted on July 22nd, 2009 by Richard. Categories: Nature, Photo Flash
As this post is being published, I’m probably cruising at about 65 to 70mph, and almost back from vacation. If you read my personal “About Me” page, it mentions that we have a home in northern Michigan. I‘ve been able to spend the last couple weeks there. Since this website began this spring. I hadn’t had a chance to try this until now, so I was curious to see how posting from a remote location worked. All of the posts the last couple weeks have been uploaded courtesy of a WI-FI connection in a wonderful coffee shop I found in town and using my notebook computer. I had to use the coffee shop’s WI-FI because there is no phone or Internet service at the lake house…cell phones don’t work out that far…and no television either! So it forces you to relax and take a break from the real world. Well, almost…this post being one of the few exceptions. The blog site must continue on…right? Posts can be written and saved whenever I’m in the mood, and then scheduled to be published in advance…which is how this post is being done today.
I take vacations VERY infrequently…not enough actually. But when I do, there are some trusted Realtor friends/colleagues that watch my real estate business for me and do whatever needs to be done. That’s great because I can relax and know that my clients are being taken care of. I do the same for them whenever they ask.
I took this photo of some daisies in Indianapolis a few weeks ago, but found it interesting that there are zillions of their daisy relatives living up in Michigan too. They look just like these. There are thousands of wild daisies growing around the lake house and I’ve had a handful of them in a small vase for the dining room table for a few days now. For some reason I’ve been really paying attention to wild flowers lately. It’s interesting to me that there are hundreds of varieties of wild flowers. They come and go when they please…like gypsies and free spirits. I admire their unattached quality and spirit. The closest I come to that is when I’m on vacation at the lake house. Still…it’s good to be home again.
Posted on July 20th, 2009 by Richard. Categories: Market Conditions, Real Estate Perspective
“So…How’s business?” I hear that question a lot from friends, clients and people I meet that learn that I’m a Realtor. Some ask this question with real concern in their voice…like they feel real empathy for me and anticipate I’m going to answer that business is just awful. I smile usually and say something like “well…business is OK…not terrific like we were all used to in record years a couple years ago…but it’s a decent market.”
I’m not sure everyone believes me, but I guess I can understand why. Most get their information about the economy either directly or indirectly from the news media. The media has been pounding everyone non-stop with negative news about the economy for over a year and going on two now. What passes unnoticed usually though is that the news is nationalized…Meaning the stats from other market areas or the whole country are rolled into one. The problem with that is that real estate is sold in local markets only, and what happens in another area of the country doesn’t mean it’s happening here.
There is a predicatable pattern that the news media uses to pick their stories. They look until they find something somewhere that’s gone wrong and report about it. The story always contains some kind of shock factor to attract an audience. It’s also a story that’s picked because it raises concern in a viewer’s mind about their own well being so they want to watch. If people tune in then their ratings go up, and it improves their odds to sell expensive advertising time. Not surprising that news programs are the most profitable of all the network programming.
So I guess what I’m saying is don’t believe everything you read or hear in the media. Consider the source and their motive. Instead, I’d enjoy it if people continue to ask me “How’s business?” I’ll tell them the whole truth and give some real numbers too.
Posted on July 18th, 2009 by Richard. Categories: Architecture & Design
You don’t see whole lot of these. This gazebo looks inviting though, doesn’t it? I think it’s an interesting concept. It’s kind of like a porch on a home, except it’s a porch that’s separated from the home. Gives you a place to sit, relax, and get a way from the goings-on inside. And a good place to read, talk or view the landscape from a different perspective. Definitely one of the more romantic architectural features.
If you have the room and space for a gazebo in your yard or property, it might be something worth considering.
Posted on July 16th, 2009 by Richard. Categories: For Investors, Market Conditions
It’s common knowledge now that in previous years, some mortgage lenders loaned money to some people who never should have received a loan. That led to many defaults and foreclosures and added to the other troubles in the lending and housing industry. So we all should welcome recent credit tightening as a positive step toward helping to strengthen that part of the economy. The bar has been raised a bit on who qualifies for a mortgage and who doesn’t. Anyone who has a decent credit score and income are unaffected, but some people cannot get a mortgage now who want one.
Even in the dark woods, the sunbeams break through sometimes. One of the positive things about this is that rental properties are making a comeback. Several years ago, I heard more than one investor who owned rental properties complaining about empty units that were unrented. Or they had to lower the rents just to entice renters or compete with other properties. Several investors I know were so discouraged that they sold some or all of their rental properties. But lately I’ve been hearing that there are more renters out looking now and that rents are firming up. I’ve even been getting a few calls from investors asking about rental properties.
It certainly is something that should be revisited again since other areas of investing, like the stock market, doesn’t always cooperate like you want. You can control the outcome of an investment property more than other types of investments where you are at the mercy of the market. If you have a good rental property and are selective about your tenants, it’s truly a wonderful thing. Tenants pay your overhead while your equity grows.
If the idea of rental properties seems appealing, they might be worth a look again.
Posted on July 14th, 2009 by Richard. Categories: Nature, Photo Flash
Saw these beauties recently and they started talking to me, saying “take my photo…take my photo” so it was only right that I obliged them right? A photo is a good way to take them home…to save them for a while as they won’t be around for very much longer. It’s their season. When they are gone, the good thing though is it will be the season for something else. Translated that means enjoy things while you can…which applies to a lot of other things not just flowers.
Maybe someone could help me out though with the name of this variety though. I’m confident they are a type of Lilly by their shape but I’m just not sure what kind. I guess I’m feeling lazy about googling till I figure it out myself.
