Real Estate News, Views & Schmooze!
Business Sense
Unhappy Home Buyer, Feeling Misled on Price, Sues Agent
Jan 22nd
By David Streitfeld – The New York Times
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Marty Ummel believes she paid too much for her house. So do millions of other people who bought at the peak of the housing boom.
What makes Ummel different is that she is suing her agent, saying it was all his fault.
Ummel claims that the agent hid the information that similar homes in the neighborhood were selling for less because he feared she would back out and he would lose his $30,000 commission. Read the rest of the story…
Rich Dad’s 2008 Predictions
Jan 21st
Below is a very interesting and informative video from Robert Kiyosaki, the Author of Rich Dad Poor Dad and his take on 2008’s real estate outlook.
For their take on Gold & Silver and other investment markets go to http://www.richdad.com/RichDad/RichContent.aspx?cpid=63
Facebook…Can I Poke You?
Dec 18th
Everyone and their Grandmother is talking about Facebook. With almost 70 million subscribers to date, 2008 should be another phenomenal year for the one who brought us”The Virtual Poking Age.” Some Wall Street analysts say Facebook may rival Google as the next Web 2.0 advertising powerhouse and even become the new darling among investors. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the future brings for Facebook financially. Until then, some people just can’t get enough of Facebook as Facebook Addiction Groups are now starting to form.
Therapists get ready!
Below are 2 humorous videos that help explain Facebook and its features.
Video # 1 is from Wall Strip and is starting to blow up around the blogosphere. I found it from our friends over at The Future of Real Estate Technology. Enjoy!
Video # 2 is apparently the original Facebook promotional video. Try to enjoy this one also as it is rumored that Dr. Dre and Eminem helped write and direct the video. Can’t you just hear the musical influence??
Video # 2 – Click Here! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMlfJN4wt2Y
It’s Time To Kvetch About The Unprofessional Real Estate Agent!
Nov 16th
Do you know your real estate agent?
I mean do you REALLY know your real estate agent that is supposed to be handling and representing your best interests during your very expensive and extremely important real estate transaction??
Your agent or Realtor is required under their Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice to have “competency, fairness and high integrity in conducting their business relations.” Unfortunately, I’d have to say that there are just too many agents out amongst us who have failed to even meet the absolute minimum standards set forth by The National Association of Realtors.
During the previous real estate boom many people made millions just by getting their real estate license. Even the neighborhood stoner guy got himself off his couch long enough just to make a few easy bucks! There was an enormous influx of new and very inexperienced agents who represented our buyers and sellers of America’s homes. It didn’t matter whose name was on the real estate sales sign because everything that hit the MLS immediately sold before the sign even went into the ground. To our dismay, these agents still exist today.
I have dealt with multiple agents that in my opinion, couldn’t get Brittney Spears or Paris Hilton any publicity at all. They have been either extremely unprofessional in their approach and actions or just plain incompetent in servicing their client.
Don’t get me wrong, not all agents are bad. In fact there are quite a few in my network that are exceptional. My hope is that the current degraded real estate market will not only cycle back towards the positive, but also will cleanse away the bad agents that has flooded our real estate brokerages so that the good agents can do their job effectively.
Maybe it’s time to get Noah on the horn and tell him to start building a new Ark. We could post an ad on Craigslist.org which could read:
LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE ON NOAH’S NEW ARK
Competent, Qualified, Courteous and Professional Real Estate Agents Need Only Apply
Call Today Before It’s Too Late!
Did You Stash $200,000 In Your Underwear Drawer?
Oct 29th
Well… someone sure did at a house in Windber, Pennsylvania!
As much as $200,000.00 in rare old coins were found while cleaning out an abandoned house that had not been lived in for more than 20 years. It seems that either the family had a serious distrust in banks or a compulsive hoarding problem. Actually, it could have a little of both. During The Great Depression, people were so hesitant in the entire banking system that they began utilizing there own means for saving money. Thus, money hoarding.
Can you say Instant Equity? Apparently, these folks can!
Schmoozing To More Than 300,000 Readers!
Oct 22nd
Check Out November’s issue of the Minnesota Monthly which is the Midwest Region’s most widely circulated lifestyle magazine for our take on the local real estate state of the state.
The Schmoozer Is A Top 100 Real Estate Blog!
Sep 10th
Despite the fact that we’ve been a little behind in our postings, we’ve managed to be listed a one of the Top 100 Real Estate Blogs according to International Listings. We are very honored to be listed alongside such an array of wonderful publications.
Bad Credit? Give Your Credit Score A Spring Cleaning!
May 15th
Back in the day I admit I had not-so-great credit. At that time I literally had a 530 FICO score. I didn’t understand what good credit was and why it was so important. I had amassed credit card debt, didn’t pay on time and frankly was lazy about my personal finance situation. I’m not sure what actually changed my perception on all this. It might have been when I started to read more business books or just wanted to learn as much as I could about how “The Big Boys” got to where I eventually wanted to be.
I learned that utilizing “other peoples money” is key in attaining financial success, especially in real estate. In order to get “cheap money” from lenders and have bankers Kish-Meir-En-Touchas (Yiddish for Kiss My Rear-End), I needed to have a good credit score.
My brother-in-law told me about a company called Lexington Law Firm that had repaired his credit dramatically in just a couple of months. I was skeptical at first, but then I gave it a try myself. $30 a month, cancel when you want to, no questions asked. You just needed to follow through with their easy instructions.
After just 6 months use, I raised my credit score from 530 to 700!! Really! Today after working hard to maintain my credit worthiness, it is at 801.
Try them out for yourself and let me know if it works for you too!
For The Love Of Money…
May 11th
Watch out Mr. Gates! Here I come!
I’m in the top one percent when it comes to the wealthiest people in the world.
At least, according to Globalrichlist.com.
How Rich Are You?
Investing in Apartments…Now’s A Great Time To Start!
Apr 27th
Thinking about what to invest in next? Apartment Buildings might just be your best-bet investment in the Twin Cites area. Very promising economic signs are pointing towards the Twin Cites Apartment Investment industry as investors flock to buy-up buildings (even the rundown ones). With vacancies low, increases in rents and owners virtually eliminating concessions, there might not be a better time than now to start increasing your portfolio size.
Rehabbers are swallowing up a large portion of the market with their eyes and hands-on abilities to repair outdated properties. You can read more about it here at the Minnesota Real Estate Journal.
When you’re ready to increase your net worth and gain a piece of the Twin Cites Apartment Market let Ladin Ventures help guide you down the right street…
…Easy Street!