As We Approach Yet Another Year, It Is Time To Embrace Change…

Change is all around us, and we can’t be afraid of it – rather, we chould embrace it tightly and warmly as if it was a dear old friend. As we approach the Fall season, and as Christmas decorations are being put out (Ican’t believe this), I have recognized that the beginning of the end of the year is upon us. We are already heading into that season again.

With regard to real estate, this time of year represents a slowdown typically, as potential buyers start to shift their focus onto the upcoming holidays. If you are in the market to sell your home, the going may prove to be slightly more difficult in the coming months. If you are a buyer, you might be able to get a better deal this time of year.

As everyone knows, the real estate industry has seen some very steep challenges of late. The high level of foreclosures and short sales have driven a slump the likes of which many current real estate professionals have never seen. As 2012 grows ever nearer with no real sign of a recovery anywhere within the realm of visibility, the need for adaptation is ongoing and perennial.

Here at the Jacksonville Home Store, big changes are coming. These changes will represent a new way of doing business and an effort to provide the most valuable service to our customers. These changes shall be implemented over the course of the next two months, and announcements pertaining to more details about these changes shall be forthcoming. We are maturing as a real estate company and coming into our own. Stay tuned for more information to come!

Reflections Ten Years Later

I can’t believe that it has been ten years since the Spetember 11th attacks. I am sitting here watching the memorial ceremony on television, and I can’t help but think what I was doing 10 years ago, and the shock that I was experiencing as I watched the attack unfold on television in my small Denver Colorado apartment.

I remember turning the news on that morning to see the coverage of the South Tower already burning, when everything was unknown, and when it was still thought to be an accident. I remember watching as the second plane hit the North tower, and the sudden shock and dread that I felt as I realized that this was in fact, no accident.

I have been watching documentaries over the past few days, and the retelling of the stories and accounts of the horrible events that day have filled me with emotion and also reintroduced a broader perspective – a perspective characterized by appreciation for just how terrible these events were – a perspective that has faded somewhat over the past 10 years. I will never forget.

The beauty of Downtown Jacksonville at night, and Friendship Fountain

I live very close to Downtown Jacksonville myself, and I love it there (downtown) at night. Some people might wonder what there is to like, but it is of my opinion, that if you have to ask or wonder, maybe you should venture down one night and see for yourself.

For one, I enjoy how quiet it often is, and I enjoy walking my dog on the quiet streets. Last night, I spent some time downtown, and ventured over to the South Bank to check out the revitalized Friendship Fountain. It is really beautiful, and I tried to capture some of that beauty with my camera. I highly recommend checking it out when you have a chance – especially as the weather starts to get a little cooler. In the meanwhile, life downtown is great!

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Classic Bungalow Available in The Heart of Riverside for $40,000

This is a historic home in Riverside that does need a little cosmetic work, but it does represent a fantastic deal. Perfect for a first time homebuyer who wants a low, low monthly payment, or this could be a good investment property for someone looking for rental income.

Update: Too late. Someone grabbed it already – just today! Already under contract.

The Beauty of Northeast Florida

 

 

Northeast Florida can certainly be beautiful. Lush greenery and multiple waterways are some of the essential characteristics of the area. The following photos were taken just today, at a property near the Florida/Georgia border that is adjacent to the St. Mary’s River. The property, which should be coming up for sale soon, has a deep, narrow, waterfront lot and is nearly 5 acres in size. The home itself is surrounded by a verdant grove of piney woods, and these photos were taken along the lengthy boardwalk from the rear of the house to the St. Mary’s River.

2604 New Berlin Road

2604 New Berlin Road is a unique opportuinity near the River City Marketplace in North Jacksonville for investors wanting to take advantage of the projected growth expected in the area. This property is a full acre, and currently has a small house situated upon it. The value, however, is in the lot itself and it’s close proximity to a burgeoning commercial district.

The parcel is currently zoned residential, but the cornerstone has been laid with regard to having the property rezoned as a commercial property. The opportunites presented by this parcel will continue to blossom along with the surrounding area. See, and print a flyer with additional information here.

The John Gorrie — A Condominium

The former John Gorrie Junior High School presides over the intersection of College and Stockton Streets, and represents a winning acheivment in adaptive reuse. The former school, Named after Dr. John Gorrie who has blessed us all in Florida with the invention of the air conditioner, has been expertly and lovingly converted into a 68 residence condominium project. The property had languished unused at the aforementioned intersection, surrounded by a chain link fence for over ten years until Wayne and Delores Weaver (majority owners of the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team) purchased it in 2009.

What followed was a complete renovation and restoration which resulted in 68 unique residences consisting of studios, and one and two bedroom condo homes, of which no two are exactly alike. All of the important defining historic characteristics have been dutifully preserved including large palladian windows, original flooring where possible, exposed brick, and vaulted, soaring ceilings. The staircases even maintain the small knobs on the handrails which in their day, prevented rambunctious students from sliding down.

Despite the definite historic attributes, the properties also feature modern conveniences and luxuries including Stainless Steel GE appliances, Cesarstone countertops, and gourmet kitchens. Natural light floods into the well proportioned rooms from the large expansive windows. Amenities also include a fitness center, private gated parking, resident reading room, and an original and private courtyard.

The residences must be seen to be fully appreciated, so call me today to arrange a showing. In order to secure representation from me and to obtain the benfit of working with a professional looking out for your interests, you must contact me prior to visiting the property. Otherwise, you will not be able to benefit from my negotiation and coordination services and will unfortunately, not end up saving any money in the process! Why pay the same for less?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Is It Possible To Receive Multiple Offers In This Market?

Yes! I see it every week. There is so much talk these days about buyer’s market this, and buyer’s market that – while there is some truth to this, I also say that it really depends on your perspective. Usually twice weekly, I encounter a house for sale that receives multiple offers within hours of being listed, and when it does sell, does so for over list – sometimes way over list! How can this be?

Well, it is interesting, but when houses are priced aggressively low in this market, it generates something that this market sorely lacks, and that is excitement. Buyers get excited and investors get excited, and excitement sells houses! Wouldn’t it be great to have people fighting over your house in this market? You can! If you price it and market it right, you can have your cake and eat it too.

It could be argued that this is perhaps the fastest way to arrive at a sale of your home for the full value that the market will support. I have seen houses sell in less than three days this way. It really works!

I Will Sell Your Home In 90 Days Or Less…Guaranteed.

Yes, I am offering a guarantee to sell any listing that I take within 90 days. So, if your home has been languishing on the market as a for sale by owner, it is time to take action and to move on with your life. Turn the proverbial page, so to speak.

I will prepare a detailed marketing plan outlining area sales activity, listing activity, and expired activity, and will take this information and pinpoint a price that will represent a strategic positioning in the marketplace. I will also consult you on staging your home, and on maximizing curb appeal. I will also recommend any repairs if needed. Finally, I will build a unique and specific marketing plan for your home which will include my highly successful “debut open house.” Contact me for further details concerning the specifics of my marketing approach to selling your home as this is proprietary information.

If my professional advice is followed, and if you as the seller cooperate fully with my marketing plan, your house will sell within 90 days…period. If it does not, I will pay you up to $1,000 at closing. That’s my guarantee.

Don’t Forget to look At The Big Picture

There is a couple that I have been in touch with over the past year that have had their house for sale by owner for at least that amount of time if not longer. I can respect their desire to try to sell their house themselves, and I am sure that they have their own personal reasons for wanting to do this, I just hope that the reason isn’t to save money on a commission – because that would simply be silly.

Think about it – if their house sold for $350,000, their commission would be about $21,000 at 6%.  Now some people might look at that and think to themselves “wow, that is a lot of money!” I would argue that such thoughts are the result of people not looking at the big picture. Lets take a look shall we?

Okay, the first issue is a simple one. With the limited exposure and inadequate marketing that characterizes most for sale by owner efforts, there is a much smaller pool of buyers to choose from when you choose to sell by owner. This results in fewer showings and lower offers, if you get any offers at all. When buyers approach for sale by owner houses, they are often in the mind-set of getting a significant discount as many times, buyers expect a discount to reflect the missing commission. The end result is simple; statistics from the National Association of REALTORS show that houses that do sell by owner typically sell for over 15% less than those listed and marketed by professional sales agents. In other words, agents typically pay for their own commission in the form of securing a higher sales price. That $350,000 house might only sell for $297,500 as a for sale by owner effort. So the owner might have saved $21,000 on a commission, but instead spent $52,000 as the result of a lower sales price. Doesn’t sound like too good of a deal does it? The truth is the vast majority of for sale by owner efforts never results in a sale at all! By far most of them eventually end up listing with a professional after wasting valuable time.

Speaking of time, this is the other very important issue. While the for sale by owner that I referred to at the beginning of this post has been trying to sell for over a year, they have still been paying a mortgage on a house that they no longer want. If they are paying $1,700 per month, they have spent $20,400 over the course of a year! How much are they really saving by not paying a commission when they are sitting in the house and paying the mortgage for months longer and probably eventually selling for thousands less? In the meanwhile, I have sold over 25 houses in that year! I don’t even list most houses for longer than 90 days as I expect to have all of my listings sold within that amount of time. This is a guarantee that I offer actually – to sell your home within 90 days. Sometimes, when people want to sell their homes, they just have to get out of their own way.

Sometimes though, the final thought of the commission is still objectionable. Again, “Wow, $21,000 is a lot of money! What a greedy agent!” It is important to keep in mind that this dollar amount is whittled down and that only a portion of this will go to your agent. If another agent is involved in the sale (90% of the time), then the other agent gets half of the commission. Of that half, the agents must further split this commission with the brokage, and then pay transaction fees and in some cases insurance fees. Finally of course, taxes need to be paid out of what remains. So, after it is all said and done, your agent may get somewhere around $5,200 in actual spendable income from such a transaction.