If you’ve stopped by this blog recently you may have noticed the new little logo in the upper right corner (thanks, Jay).  And, it’s a different color and style than you might expect if you’ve known me during the last eight years…

It is with [pick a word here: abundant, extreme, gigantic, colossal, extravagant, humongo...something that means "a whole lot of"] excitement that I announce to you that last month I switched brokerages and joined the talented group of agents at Thompson’s Realty headed by the infamous Jay Thompson and his behind-the-scenes but equally amazing wife, Francy.

Nothing will really change: my phone number & fax will stay the same.  For the time being I’ll still have too many email addresses (side note: they all go to the same place so just pick one).  I’ll still live by the rule, “have car, will travel” & no one ever visited me at the office anyway so a change of location isn’t an issue.

My move was not made out of frustration with my previous brokerage or any sort of negative influences.  It is purely an opportunity to for me to grow both myself and my business in the high-tech, high-touch niche style of service to my clients that I believe in.  Jay is a prolific blogger (you can read Jay’s announcement at his blog “The Phoenix Real Estate Guy“)  and social media guy whom I look forward to learning from.  Thompson’s Realty’s slogan is “The Power of Technology with a Personal Touch” — that resonates with me!   I believe that technology can be used to help serve my clients at a higher level while affording me the opportunity to serve them IRL (in real life), too.

As always, thanks for your support & I look forward to serving your AZ real estate needs!

Next month is Inman’s yearly Real Estate Connect San Francisco and I have been trying to swing a way to go.  It just so happens that the really cool Brad Inman gave the also really cool guys at The Real Estate Tomato 10 free tickets! (Watch for more from me about them…one of these days they’ll likely be assisting me with my blog design).  At any rate, the deal is that the first 5 people to enter automatically win and the next 5 are judged on creativity based on an exactly 50 word submission.

Here’s a little background for you before you get to see my amazing entry.  My household has been struck with a couple of NASTY illnesses this week and I for one am quite miserable right now.  In fact, it it wasn’t for that I would have entered much earlier and not had to be creative.  However, it just so happens that our family enjoys dumb poems as a form of entertainment and creativity.  I hope the Real Estate Tomato Staff does too!  So, without further ado here’s the best I have:

I didn’t get an easy ticket because I’m sick as a dog,

BUT, I recognize I need help with my blog.

I’ll buy a round at Beer for Bloggers,

As long as there aren’t any hoggers.

I want to meet Alfred from Zappos,

And keep my blog from being crappos.

Thanks for the consideration.  I look forward to seeing everyone in a couple of weeks!

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced this morning at the National Association of Realtor’s (NAR) Midyear Conference that the Federal Housing and Administration (FHA) will allow it’s lenders to offer first time buyers the opportunity to use their $8,000 federal tax credit toward their down payment.  

This is HUGE!   

Now, if you qualify for the first time home buyer tax credit you don’t have to wait until you buy the house, close on it and then file or amend your taxes to get the $8,000.  The $8,000 will be offered in the form of a small bridge loan that will be paid back after you get your tax credit.  To find out more about the tax credit, check out this informative website. 

With the interest rates at historically low numbers, prices at 10-year lows and an $8,000 tax credit there has never been a better time to buy a home!  And I’m not just saying that because I get paid to.  

If I can help you with your dream of home ownership, please don’t hesitate to ask.

**(Some limitations and exclusions apply, yada, yada, yada…see your friendly loan officer or Realtor for specific details.)

(This was the view from the entryway)

(The “open” hallway)

(Note that you can see the kitchen through the brokenout door and hallway)

(You can also see the next room through the shower enclosure)

(The fact that they left the cabinets intact amazes me!)

 

(A green pool isn’t all that uncommon these days but it makes for a nasty picture!)

 

What do you think of this “right” that many seller’s claim as they are evicetd from their houses?

I used to go dumpster diving with my best friend when I was young.  Stacy and I found all sorts of treasures: an artificial Christmas tree (that my family used for years), office supplies, a wedding/honeymoon album with mementos from  Acapulco (I didn’t realize the implications of finding that in the dumpster until years later).  One person’s trash is another’s treasure, right?

Back to current times…we pulled up to look at a bank owned house and low and behold across the street there was another bank owned house (I know crazy, huh?) with a trashout going on.  A trashout is when the bank or listing agent hires a company (or their brother) to go in and remove the remaining belongings and debris of a foreclosed house prior to listing it for sale.  

There were two guys each with big trucks and a HUGE trailer with tall sides.  As I am trying to reach the listing agent on the phone (because the lockbox is a contractor’s lockbox with no code and no indication that I wouldn’t be able to use my normal lockbox key — that’s a rant for a different day) I hear Mrs. Buyer say, “Are they just going to throw that away?!”  When I get off the phone I find that Mrs. Buyer has approached the workers and inquired as to what they are doing.  She’s learned that they have to keep anything with a value over $50 but the rest is going to in the dumpster.  

Here’s where the fun begins.  She starts scurrying around grabbing things: an infant car seat, 2 bicycle helmets, a Boppy…I’m trying to find places to put things…my trunk is small (it’s a hybrid) and has a bunch of real estate and personal junk in it.  We all start picking through the “junk” cautiously at first and then not so much.  The guys are helping by bring out more and listing stuff off for us.  Mr. Seller and I wind up IN the trailer.  Then comes the bigger stuff…an ice chest, a wagon, a kids basketball stand & hoop, a small Fisher Price play set with slide.  (Now what to do with it?)  We decide to stuff this behind the gate of the initial house we went to look at and they’ll pick it up later.  

Want to see the treasure I ended up with?

Not a big ticket item but who can’t use some extra napkins around the house?  

The buyers keep commenting on it throughout the remainder of our time looking at other houses.  Why didn’t the homeowners take their hard earned stuff?  Why didn’t they sell it?  Why didn’t they donate it?  Why doesn’t the trashout company sell it, donate it, something other than send it to the dump where good stuff will take up precious space on our limited planet (I added that last bit)?  I don’t know the answers to this particular situation but it’s similar to those I see every day.  Maybe the time frame they needed to be out within, maybe denial, depression, laziness, apathy.  

I still don’t have a great place to put all these napkins, anyone have a spill?  

AUSTIN, Texas, Mar 02, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Keller Williams(R) Realty Inc., announced last week at its annual convention in Orlando, Fla. that it is now the third-largest real estate franchise in the United States, surpassing RE/MAX(R) International. According to Steve Murray of REAL Trends, a leading source of analysis and information in the residential real estate industry, the Austin, Texas-based company claimed the number three spot with 72,794 U.S. associates at the end of 2008.

“The success of Keller Williams Realty can be directly attributed to the hard work and perseverance of our associates and the soundness of our economic and organizational models,” said Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty, Inc. “While others might be looking at this market and seeing fear and uncertainty, we have always approached it as our opportunity to shine and grow. And that mindset has paid off.”

The company has been gaining ground for the last three years, outpacing pervasive downward trends in the real estate industry. From 2006 to 2008, Keller Williams Realty increased its associate count by 52 percent, market share for its offices increased 83 percent and agent gross commission income went up 35 percent. Currently, the company has 679 offices operating in the United States. The company also shared more than $30 million in profits with its associates in 2008 through its company-wide profit sharing program.

“Through profit share, our phenomenal coaching and training and our technology offerings, we are offering agents their own ‘bailout plan’ for this market,” Willis added.

The company also announced that after years of searching for a partnership to provide its associates with affordable health insurance, they are moving forward with a solution.

The soon-to-be-launched Keller Williams Health Providers Program will include options for major medical, limited medical, catastrophic coverage and a separate cancer plan. The health insurance coverage is the first step toward a total wellness program for associates.

“We have always been very aware that as independent contractors, our agents face barriers to obtaining health coverage,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty. “We know that for many, this new option may alleviate some of the stress that they face in today’s economy. After all, our associates are not just our partners – they are our family.”

Last fall, the company also announced the launch of KW Commercial, a new division of the company dedicated to providing commercial real estate associates with specialized technology, marketing tools and resources. KW Commercial already has more than 220 active brokers across the U.S. and Canada.

“Our growth in the last year and now becoming the third-largest real estate company in the United States was a true team effort and a company-wide win. We are so grateful for all of the leadership and commitment our associates have shown to power through this shift,” added Willis.

About Keller Williams Realty Inc.:

Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the third-largest real estate franchise operation in the United States, with more than 690 offices and 74,000 associates in the United States and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1990, has an agent-centric culture that emphasizes access to leading-edge education and promotes an economic model that rewards associates as stakeholders and partners. 

SOURCE: Keller Williams Realty Inc.

Well, it appears to be “Whoo Hoo” for JPMorgan Chase & Co. at any rate…

As the debate over a $700 billion bank bailout rages on in Washington, one of the nation’s largest banks — Washington Mutual Inc. — has collapsed under the weight of its enormous bad bets on the mortgage market.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. seized WaMu on Thursday, and then sold the thrift’s banking assets to JPMorgan Chase & Co. for $1.9 billion.

Seattle-based WaMu, which was founded in 1889, is the largest bank to fail by far in the country’s history. Its $307 billion in assets eclipse the $40 billion of Continental Illinois National Bank, which failed in 1984, and the $32 billion of IndyMac, which the government seized in July.

Read the rest of the story here.

Did someone say BAILOUT?  If the million dollar question is, “What do we do with the bad mortgages?”  It appears that there is a trillion dollar proposal on the horizon. 

Over the weekend The US Department of the Treasury released this Statement buy Secretary Paulson 

Released yesterday was this Fact Sheet

What does all this mean?  I’m not sure yet.  I don’t think anyone knows how all of this will really shake out.  It is safe to say that we are living through interesting times.

I’m curious to know what your thoughts and opinions are…

In a news release yesterday from the IRS (IR-2008-82) business owners who use the standard mileage deductions must account for miles and report miles as accumulated from January 1^st, 2008 through June 30^th and July 1^st 2008 through December 31^st, 2008.  In order to prepare your tax return, you’ll need the mileage log per period since the mileage rates now vary.

The IRS normally evaluates the mileage yearly but indicated:

“Rising gas prices are having a major impact on individual Americans. Given the increase in prices, the IRS is adjusting the standard mileage rates to better reflect the real cost of operating an automobile,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “We want the reimbursement rate to be fair to taxpayers.”

Mileage Rate Changes