WhiIe watching the news I heard a joke I want to share with you.  What is the difference between a pigeon and a broker? - The pigeon can still make a deposit on your BMW. Hardy hardy har har!!

Maybe we should all forget the economics, down markets, empty pockets, and politics for a while and spend the weekend on a lighter side, anyone willing to share a joke? 

 Correct me if I’m wrong and enlighten me, please.  According to one dictionary assets are the entire property of a person or corporation.  If that is true, and here is my question, why is there a need to bail out AGI when it has over a trillion dollars in assets? 

It's Happening Here! If you are holding an Open House this weekend, Read This!    August 22, 2008

CVAR has had reports from members of thefts occurring during their open houses.  The way it typically works is, two or more people show up together to view the property.  While they are "looking around" they separate and one of them wanders off while the other one distracts the agent.  After the team has left the property, items in the house and/or belonging to the agent are found to be missing.  They have stolen jewelry, credit cards, cash and other valuable items.    This isn't anything new, but it seems to be a growing trend that agents need to be aware of.  This is happening all around the country and the criminals can be either male or female.     I took this information from It's Happening Here! If you are holding an Open House this weekend, Read This!    August 22, 2008 CVAR has had reports from members of thefts occurring during their open houses.  The way it typically works is, two or more people show up together to view the property.  While they are "looking around" they separate and one of them wanders off while the other one distracts the agent.  After the team has left the property, items in the house and/or belonging to the agent are found to be missing.  They have stolen jewelry, credit cards, cash and other valuable items.    This isn't anything new, but it seems to be a growing trend that agents need to be aware of.  This is happening all around the country and the criminals can be either male or female.     I took this information form CVAR.  If you have more that one person or a group, let them know in order not to repeat yourself you would prefer they all stay together.  And before you leave check all windows and doors.

What does BAC and TBC mean on a MLS listing?

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24 minutes ago

I checked through my website just to make sure everything was in order, add things, change things, delete things.  I came to 'Buyers Toolkit' under Buyers tab and a warning in big bold red letters came up "This maybe a phishing website".  WHAT, are you kidding me, I said out loud!!.  Needless to say I called Point2 and hid the tab from view.   I received a call back from Point 2 and the problem has been resolved.  So please if you haven't check through your site thoroughly, do so.  We certainly don't want people avoiding our sites.

I received this email:

 Hi ,

I was checking out your blog and wondered if you would like it listed on our Google Map search site.

www.MapYourBlog.com will post it for free and help to drive more traffic to your blog.

Rick

Before I do anything I wanted your opinion.  Have you done this, if so, what results or hits are you getting?  Nobody really does anything for free anymore, so what's the catch?

There is a development in my neck of the woods that has left the community fustrated.  The developers were to build 1,250 homes which featured diverse architectural styling luxurious single-family estates to moderately priced condominiums with a price range of $400,000s to over $1 million. In this community the stage was set for nine parks, a few trails, a community recreation center, a new K-8 elementary/middle school, fire station, proposed future Metro Gold Line Station, and acres of permanently preserved natural hillsides to be completed by February, 2008. 

Some houses were completed and people moved in then it all came to a halt.  Why, you guessed it, the housing crisis.  The families that moved in (about 60) are left with one park, and the developer said the recreation center will not open until enough homes are sold.  Residents are angry because they are not getting the package they bargained for when they moved in and the monthly fees have increased considerable.

What will happen to these people that were promised 'paradise' ?  Does anyone know of a similiar situation? 

The smallest package in the world is someone who is wrapped up in themselves.  I heard that today and I thought some agents are guilty of being caught up in themselves way too much.  Granted we do have to toot our horns somewhat but going to the extreme is too much.  Don't you think?

Has anyone been contacted to join this group?  The website is www.thanksjeffg.com .  Enter the password 123456.  I was contacted a few days ago because they wanted to send me a referral and in return pay them a referral fee of 20 or 25% (I don't remember which) at the close of escrow.  Pay them at the close of escrow, hum, I said, this is new!!  So today I listenend to a conference unfortunately I came in at the tailend of it.  It seems interesting and I wanted to get some feedback from the forum.  Does anyone know what Reexpert is all about?

Yes folks we may have a statewide MLS.   Approval was granted to move forward with a statewide MLS system.  What will this mean you ask, Brokers and Realtors in California will have access to one database, sellers and buyers will have more information on which to base their decisions.  As we move forward will this have a negative or positive impact on us?  Could other states be far behind?  What about your state? 

The NAR congratulated Congress for quickly passing the stimulus package bill and thanked the President for his willingness to help the families caught in this, dare I say recession.  FHA loans will be on the increase which should help keep the american dream of home ownership alive, home sales will eventually be back to the norm, and spending money will be available.  It's all good!!  What are you going to do with your spending money?

I received an e-mail from my board saying that all Real Estate Agents and Brokers doing business in a city near me must purchase a business license.  This requirement has been in effect more than 3 decades and now the city has recently decided to take enforcement action.  We have until Feb 29th to purchase the license at a cost of  $63.00 per year plus a one-time application fee of $70.00.  Penalties may be imposed if we do not comply.

WHAT, does that mean that the surrounding cities will be doing the same?  And what about the agents and brokers, will we have to buy a license in these cities as well, where will it end?

The Association encourages all of us to attend a meeting in a few days to discuss the possibility of extending the deadline.  I say abolish this requirement.  Why penalize the real estate industry, what about the plumbers  electricians, inspectors, painters, the list goes on and on doing business in this city, are they required to purchase a license too?

What about you, do you have a business license for the cities you do business in?  For some reason I just can't wrap my head around this thing.

 

 

Ok guys, I need your help.  I have a listing in escrow for more time that I care to remember.  The problem is the buyers do not have money for the down payment and wanted my clients to help them out.  They agreed to pay some closing cost and  5% to the bank.  Now the buyer's agent also a loan officer came back and asked for a 5% loan because the bank is asking for 10% down.  This 5% is to be paid back to the seller within 2 years.  Is this something that my clients should do, what if the buyers cannot pay my clients back?

My broker, also a loan officer is advising the clients to go ahead with this deal because if the sellers reject this offer and try to put the house back on the market the price will be a lot less than what it is being sold for now.  How should we proceed and what guarantee will my clients have that they will get their money back?

Always remember to ask your buyer whether he or she is working with another agent and if in so doing an AD (Agency Disclosure) was signed.  Find out why they now want to work with you.  Failing

to address this issue from the get go may result in you doing all the work for nothing or worst yet, no commission and or a lawsuit.

 

I was reading an article and thought it good to share as a reminder.

 Yes, the Santa Ana winds are back.  Some 35 homes in the Malibu community gone,  destroyed while another fire is burning somewhere in San Diego country.

 

The real estate in Malibu is very expensive, (home to the stars) did any of them lose their home, don’t know, I do know millions of $$$ went up in smoke.  Fire is one of the most destructive forces of the terra firma it can destroy property, wild life, (both animals and plants) alter the terrain, promote erosion and it seems this year has been the most destructive from Greece to California.

 

What can we do, we can dig deep into our pockets and help the unfortunate, so please continue to give generously to your charitable organization specifically catering to the homeless due to the fires here in California.

 

Keep in mind a practice drill procedure for both home and office.  Remember preventing a fire is easier than fighting one.