I received this book in the mail yesterday – FLIP: How to Find, Fix, and Sell Houses for Profit. As of yet, I am unsure as to why, but I will take the opportunity to read and learn. It’s not every day that gifts show up in the mail…. Any book endorsed by Gary Keller can’t be bad.
Date Archives April 2007
Something I said today makes sense
Regarding the current real estate market in Charlottesville:”There is a lot of inventory out there but there are also a lot of buyers. One big difference seems to be that sellers are working under timelines and deadlines, and buyers aren’t.”
What would the map look like for the City of Charlottesville?
Lyle notes the congestion pricing proposal in New York City…. Where would we shut down the roads in C’Ville?… What are the viable alternatives to driving? Will the City and County ever become one?
This weekend
It’s been tough to write this weekend, driving hundreds of miles between showing houses, land and coaching a couple of soccer games. The weather in Charlottesville has been extraordinary, albeit a bit warm. This week should be interesting.
How do you get a green home in Charlottesville?
There is real, sustainable momentum right now towards the green movement.I ran into a Realtor this morning at my favorite coffee shop, and asked whether a development that she was representing was going to be EarthCraft or not…. In his presentation, Hartke addressed the costs of such benefits.”We know that green buildings increase property value, they also decrease liability, but they also have a huge impact on health and well-being.”… “I am not sure how many times I have written or said this, but whether developers buy into the concept of building green for the health reasons or sustainability reasons, they need to start building green for at least the following reasons:1) Buyers want it.2) As buyers stay in their homes longer, they will be able to recoup the additional costs (however incremental they may be) as they stay in their homes longer.3) There is profit to be had in building green. Courtesy of an Eco-Broker presentation I use:Home value increases by about $20 for every $1 reduction in annual utility bills.94% of 300 American surveyed cited their most sought-after green upgrade as energy savings.Roughly nine in ten people (91%) said energy-efficient features in a new home are extremely or very important.Heck even CNBC is covering green; their demographics tend to speak to market leaders.
Lenders, appraisers and more – Thursday links 04-19-2007
Rain City Guide has (at least) three excellent articles that move a bit inside the numbers of lending. Agents and buyers would do well to read all three:1 – Understanding the basis for prepayment penalties2 – Are you leaving too much on the table?3 – Moving to “the darkside” of the “ARITLP” and The Real Estate Agent’s Role in the Lending ProcessIt is amazing (and somewhat sad) how many times I hear feedback from buyers and sellers that agents should listen to their clients rather than assume that the agent already knows everything…. * Finally, ask them if your answer was sufficient.Arizona says that only appraisers may mention a property’s value. The Freaks note how they couldn’t find one to do that!
Green Roundup in advance of Earth Day
Is 21st Century Urban America Turning Green?Yahoo! to be carbon neutral by end of 2007Home Depot to introduce “green” labeling and Lean, Green, MainstreamHousehold green paint alternativesEarth Week CharlottesvilleI missed the 2nd Annual Treehugger’s Ball last week.As corporations see both profit in the “green” side of things, the movement towards sustainability will continue. Even tiny houses may become en vogue. I noted this trend in 2005 and 2006.