$8,000 Tax Credit Info:
We recently had a very successful lender, Gene Pulliam at Bank of America give us more information about the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit.
* $8,000 Tax Credit - up to 10% of home purchase price, capped at $8,000 maximum.
*First Time Homebuyers - defined as those who have not owned a principal residence during the last 3 years.
* 2009 Buyer ONLY - eligible home purchases must occur after Jan 1, 2009 and before Dec 1, 2009.
* Income Limit - $75,000 adjusted gross income for single buyers and $150,000 AGI for married couples. Higher incomes - up to $95k single/$170k joint - may qualify for reduced tax credit.
* Refundable - unused portion of tax credit is refunded to homebuyer by the IRS, if they owe less than $8,000 in taxes.
*Recapture - if home is sold within 3 years of purchase, the entire tax credit will be returned to the government; one home ownership exceeds 3 years, there is no longer any recapture liability.
*Repayment - NONE!! this credit is not a loan to be repaid, like the tax credit offered in 2008.
*2008 Tax Return - this credit can be claimed on your 2008, 1040 filed by April 15, 2009 - IF the home was purchased after Jan 1, 2009.
If you have more questions about wether or not you qualify for this FREE money, give us a call today at 816-224-KORN (5676) or send us an email at brad@kornteam.com and speak with one of our first time home-buyer specialist.
Your Real Estate Blog site for Greater Kansas City Area including Blue Springs, Lee's Summit, Independence, Southland, Northland and Kansas area properties.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Should I offer a Carpet Allowance to get my Home SOLD?
This is a great question from many Home Seller's. It actually is a great thought if you have carpet that is in rough shape or dated. However, it just does not have the effect you would think it would. Here is an email conversation with a current client, and how I responded to that question:
---Original Message---
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009
To: 'brad@kornteam
Importance: High
Brad and/or Sonya,
I want to add a $5000 carpet and paint allowance to the listing. The number one thing that seems to be consistently noted in our showing feedback is how “outdated” and/or poor condition the carpet and wallpaper is so I would like to try and address this directly. Somehow I want to get the point across that we acknowledge the situation and instead of us presuming we know what carpet a potential buyer would prefer we would instead prefer to give the buyer the choice on this as part of the sale. I am a little amazed that so many prospects cannot get past the carpet and seem to think that replacing the carpet and doing some simple paint work is some sort of heavy duty remodeling effort but based on the feedback we have gotten to date this appears to be the case so I think making some sort of attempt to address this directly rather than simply through the price itself might be a good marketing move.
Thanks
---Response---
I would like you to consider one more option. Consider doing a 90 days, same as cash type deal to put brand new carpet in…or even get (the carpet guy) to put some cheap carpet (but decent looking) in and just pay for it to get it in the house.
Unfortunately, with all my years of selling, even the allowance will not get them past picking your home. It is truly a “Beauty Contest” AND a “Price War” and you have to win both. Obviously the price is not keeping them away…we are getting some decent traffic.
Even a cheap new carpet is still new and looks great. A neutral, light color is important. But also understand that if you do change the carpet, you may still want to get some neutral paint colors on the walls. Really, I think both will work great together in that home, and you will definitely see a return (by getting more for you home than if you don’t do it).
I know you are both busy, so you might want to decide if you would rather discount the price and not do the work…make is such a good deal that anyone will overlook the carpets, etc…….OR…..do a little work to make it neutral (cream, off white, wheat colors, etc…) and have a better shot getting the price you are at.
The honest truth is...if your home blew their socks off from the minute they walked into the home, carpet and paint would never keep someone from making an offer. Based on the other homes in the market competing for your buyer...they are seeing either better values out there, or maybe even homes that don't need the work, and are priced very competitively (sometimes even more than you...but no work needed, and completely updated).
Thanks.
Brad
http://www.kornteam.com/
brad@kornteam.com
This is a great question from many Home Seller's. It actually is a great thought if you have carpet that is in rough shape or dated. However, it just does not have the effect you would think it would. Here is an email conversation with a current client, and how I responded to that question:
---Original Message---
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009
To: 'brad@kornteam
Importance: High
Brad and/or Sonya,
I want to add a $5000 carpet and paint allowance to the listing. The number one thing that seems to be consistently noted in our showing feedback is how “outdated” and/or poor condition the carpet and wallpaper is so I would like to try and address this directly. Somehow I want to get the point across that we acknowledge the situation and instead of us presuming we know what carpet a potential buyer would prefer we would instead prefer to give the buyer the choice on this as part of the sale. I am a little amazed that so many prospects cannot get past the carpet and seem to think that replacing the carpet and doing some simple paint work is some sort of heavy duty remodeling effort but based on the feedback we have gotten to date this appears to be the case so I think making some sort of attempt to address this directly rather than simply through the price itself might be a good marketing move.
Thanks
---Response---
I would like you to consider one more option. Consider doing a 90 days, same as cash type deal to put brand new carpet in…or even get (the carpet guy) to put some cheap carpet (but decent looking) in and just pay for it to get it in the house.
Unfortunately, with all my years of selling, even the allowance will not get them past picking your home. It is truly a “Beauty Contest” AND a “Price War” and you have to win both. Obviously the price is not keeping them away…we are getting some decent traffic.
Even a cheap new carpet is still new and looks great. A neutral, light color is important. But also understand that if you do change the carpet, you may still want to get some neutral paint colors on the walls. Really, I think both will work great together in that home, and you will definitely see a return (by getting more for you home than if you don’t do it).
I know you are both busy, so you might want to decide if you would rather discount the price and not do the work…make is such a good deal that anyone will overlook the carpets, etc…….OR…..do a little work to make it neutral (cream, off white, wheat colors, etc…) and have a better shot getting the price you are at.
The honest truth is...if your home blew their socks off from the minute they walked into the home, carpet and paint would never keep someone from making an offer. Based on the other homes in the market competing for your buyer...they are seeing either better values out there, or maybe even homes that don't need the work, and are priced very competitively (sometimes even more than you...but no work needed, and completely updated).
Thanks.
Brad
http://www.kornteam.com/
brad@kornteam.com
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Enjoy Life More:
I am at the Lodge of the Four Seasons today and just listened to our Past National Association of Realtors President, Richard Mendenhall. He made a very interesting comment about our enjoyment of life. He said, "Did you know that Television can reduce your enjoyment of life by 50%" Wow....think about that for a moment. Do you watch a lot of TV? Do you shows help enhance your life? Does the news get you depressed? Why not turn off the TV. Make your life what you want it to be. Richard also showed a clip from the movie with Will Smith, Pursuit of Happiness and you can make happen whatever you want...you just have to dream.
If you don't own a home, it may be easier than you think. Call us to see how we can make your dream come true.
Brad
The Korn Team
I am at the Lodge of the Four Seasons today and just listened to our Past National Association of Realtors President, Richard Mendenhall. He made a very interesting comment about our enjoyment of life. He said, "Did you know that Television can reduce your enjoyment of life by 50%" Wow....think about that for a moment. Do you watch a lot of TV? Do you shows help enhance your life? Does the news get you depressed? Why not turn off the TV. Make your life what you want it to be. Richard also showed a clip from the movie with Will Smith, Pursuit of Happiness and you can make happen whatever you want...you just have to dream.
If you don't own a home, it may be easier than you think. Call us to see how we can make your dream come true.
Brad
The Korn Team
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Korn Team Recently Quoted by the Associated Press in Article about Midwest Real Estate Conditions:
Just posted today by David Twiddy in the Examiner was a story about the Midwest Homes sales. Even though there were some slight drops in the number of sales, the agents quoted throughout the story are all pretty much saying the same thing...that it appears to be getting busier. That this is a great time to buy with Government incentives and rates still around the 5% range.
As I told David Twiddy, the writer for the Associated Press, we are not necessarily seeing the values of homes dropping over the past 3 years but the number of sales seemed to have slowed down. Now we are getting a lot of activity, calls and going out to show a lot of homes. As it was stated in the article, it seems to have taken a year for consumbers to realize that it truly is a good time to buy.
You can read more in detail by following this link to google where the story was posted http://www.bradkorn.com/rismedia.htm and get more information. if you are interested in finding out information about your home you can call us directly at 816-224-5676 or visit our website at www.kornteam.com for more information about how your local area has affected your values.
Just posted today by David Twiddy in the Examiner was a story about the Midwest Homes sales. Even though there were some slight drops in the number of sales, the agents quoted throughout the story are all pretty much saying the same thing...that it appears to be getting busier. That this is a great time to buy with Government incentives and rates still around the 5% range.
As I told David Twiddy, the writer for the Associated Press, we are not necessarily seeing the values of homes dropping over the past 3 years but the number of sales seemed to have slowed down. Now we are getting a lot of activity, calls and going out to show a lot of homes. As it was stated in the article, it seems to have taken a year for consumbers to realize that it truly is a good time to buy.
You can read more in detail by following this link to google where the story was posted http://www.bradkorn.com/rismedia.htm and get more information. if you are interested in finding out information about your home you can call us directly at 816-224-5676 or visit our website at www.kornteam.com for more information about how your local area has affected your values.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
How do you get more exposure on your property?
When selling a home, most owners want to get the most money they can get. They are trying to get as much equity as possible. If you want to ensure you actually get the most money for your home when you sell, you want to make sure you get the most exposure possible. The more exposure you have, the more buyers you will reach, the more buyers you meet and if you find them all at the same time...you can create an auction effect on your home. That will help you ensure you get the most equity from your home.
For example: if you hold an open house and get a buyer who makes you and acceptable offer..would you be happy? Of course! What if I told you there was a buyer that would have paid $3,000 more than the one that showed up at your open house??? What is they were at a church activity the day of your open house. What if they were out of town? You see, you got the first buyer to show up.
Contact us today to find out what other methods such as print media, websites, and even how a real estate sign can make a difference between finding one buyer vs finding 2 or 3 or as many buyers as there are in the market.
You can call us at 816-224-KORN (5676) or visit www.kornteam.com for more information about real estate in KC.
When selling a home, most owners want to get the most money they can get. They are trying to get as much equity as possible. If you want to ensure you actually get the most money for your home when you sell, you want to make sure you get the most exposure possible. The more exposure you have, the more buyers you will reach, the more buyers you meet and if you find them all at the same time...you can create an auction effect on your home. That will help you ensure you get the most equity from your home.
For example: if you hold an open house and get a buyer who makes you and acceptable offer..would you be happy? Of course! What if I told you there was a buyer that would have paid $3,000 more than the one that showed up at your open house??? What is they were at a church activity the day of your open house. What if they were out of town? You see, you got the first buyer to show up.
Contact us today to find out what other methods such as print media, websites, and even how a real estate sign can make a difference between finding one buyer vs finding 2 or 3 or as many buyers as there are in the market.
You can call us at 816-224-KORN (5676) or visit www.kornteam.com for more information about real estate in KC.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Creating a WOW experience
The Korn Team is set up the same way. Everyone on our team is a specialist in their piece of the real estate transaction. We all have tasks to complete to ensure our clients have a smooth move when they buy or sell. However our purpose is the same. We understand that the average person moves every 5 years or so. Because it is not something the average person does often, there is a lot of uncertainty and concerns when planning a move. Our Purpose is to take away as many of the stresses of selling or buying as we possibly can.
A simple example is our moving truck. We understand that finding a moving truck can sometimes be difficult and frustrating. How about moving boxes...that is even more frustrating to find. We offer those to our clients as a courtesy so that you have two less stress items you will have to worry about.
If you know anyone who is planning to buy or sell in the next 6 months or so, don't hesitate to have them contact us. We will be glad to discuss their or your situation and formulate a plan to ensure you have a Disney type experience. After all, you should be able to completey enjoy the process of buying or selling your home, and want to celebrate when you get to the closing table.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Does "Staging" a home bring more money?
Many clients ask if staging really works...or what do the need to do to their home to get it ready to sell. Many times they think just picking up after their children is good enough. Others may think they need to move out of the house before they can sell it.
The good news is there is a very simple "rule of thumb" that I tell clients when I am preparing them to sell. The general rule of thumb is that there should not be more than 1-2 things on every wall, shelf or flat surface (including a wall). Also, there should be no personal pictures.
I also advise them to not get crazy in this process. Don't stay up till 4am packing your entire home. Basically start with a box in one room and pack up things until you are down to 1-2 things on each flat surface...the quit for the night. Tomorrow night, do the same thing in a different room. In one week you will have been through your entire home.
After they have been through the home once, then I will come back and advise them if they need to move or elimate more furniture, dressers, etc.
Just by simplifying your home, your home rooms will seem a little larger and most importantly...the potential buyers will focus on your home...not the stuff!
Good luck with the advice. The best news is if they do get a great price on thier home, but the buyer wants to move in quickly...you are already packed and more ready to move than if you hadn't spent 15 minutes in each room every night.
The Korn Team
Serving Greater Kansas City
www.kornteam.com
Many clients ask if staging really works...or what do the need to do to their home to get it ready to sell. Many times they think just picking up after their children is good enough. Others may think they need to move out of the house before they can sell it.
The good news is there is a very simple "rule of thumb" that I tell clients when I am preparing them to sell. The general rule of thumb is that there should not be more than 1-2 things on every wall, shelf or flat surface (including a wall). Also, there should be no personal pictures.
I also advise them to not get crazy in this process. Don't stay up till 4am packing your entire home. Basically start with a box in one room and pack up things until you are down to 1-2 things on each flat surface...the quit for the night. Tomorrow night, do the same thing in a different room. In one week you will have been through your entire home.
After they have been through the home once, then I will come back and advise them if they need to move or elimate more furniture, dressers, etc.
Just by simplifying your home, your home rooms will seem a little larger and most importantly...the potential buyers will focus on your home...not the stuff!
Good luck with the advice. The best news is if they do get a great price on thier home, but the buyer wants to move in quickly...you are already packed and more ready to move than if you hadn't spent 15 minutes in each room every night.
The Korn Team
Serving Greater Kansas City
www.kornteam.com
How does the Kansas City Market Conditions compare to the rest of the Country?
As you may have heard me say in our monthly podcast at www.kornteam.com the KC market has been sheltered from the doom and gloom around the country. Did you know at after selling real estate for over 18 years, The Korn Team sold more homes in 2008 than every previous year except one (2005-the last "best" year we had in the real estate markets). This year looks to be off to a great start as well. To give you an idea of what the market conditions are like in KC...we have either listed a home, written an offer on a home or received an accepted contract on one of our listings every day since Jan 1, 2009. That is a great sign that people are taking advantage of the incredible interest rates and even though they may not quite get what they would like to get on the sale, we are helping them pick up that savings on the buy side. Over the last 6 months, The Korn Team is getting our seller clients 3-5% more equity than the national average. On almost 20 listings sold, and closed in the last 6 months, we have averaged 98% of the list price for our clients.
When you hear us say, this is a great time to buy...we aren't just saying that. If you have outgrown your home or want to move...this might be one of the best times to do it. If your payment is too much to keep up with, do not just give up. You just might have some equity in your home and don't think you do. Give us a call. We will give you an honest opinion, and help you look at all your options. Remember, it doesn't cost anything to meet with us. We always offer a free, no obligation evaluation of your property. We look forward to helping you when you do get ready to do anything with real estate.
Brad
As you may have heard me say in our monthly podcast at www.kornteam.com the KC market has been sheltered from the doom and gloom around the country. Did you know at after selling real estate for over 18 years, The Korn Team sold more homes in 2008 than every previous year except one (2005-the last "best" year we had in the real estate markets). This year looks to be off to a great start as well. To give you an idea of what the market conditions are like in KC...we have either listed a home, written an offer on a home or received an accepted contract on one of our listings every day since Jan 1, 2009. That is a great sign that people are taking advantage of the incredible interest rates and even though they may not quite get what they would like to get on the sale, we are helping them pick up that savings on the buy side. Over the last 6 months, The Korn Team is getting our seller clients 3-5% more equity than the national average. On almost 20 listings sold, and closed in the last 6 months, we have averaged 98% of the list price for our clients.
When you hear us say, this is a great time to buy...we aren't just saying that. If you have outgrown your home or want to move...this might be one of the best times to do it. If your payment is too much to keep up with, do not just give up. You just might have some equity in your home and don't think you do. Give us a call. We will give you an honest opinion, and help you look at all your options. Remember, it doesn't cost anything to meet with us. We always offer a free, no obligation evaluation of your property. We look forward to helping you when you do get ready to do anything with real estate.
Brad
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Investment Tip from The Korn Team
Here is a recent response to one of our investors that buys and flips homes. We are currently listing a property (which they did make a good investment on) and wanted to give him some additional tips to consider for the next property he purchases.
One thing I may have mentioned in the past is to really keep your eyes open for 3+ bedrooms with at least 1 1/2 baths. When considering a one bath home you will want to be getting a SUPER SUPER good deal, and/or if you plan to ad a 1/2 bath, then I would be careful on those properties. There are so many 3 bedrooms with more than one bath currently for sale, and it really does seem to take longer to sell the one bath homes over the 1 1/2 plus bath homes.
Garages are another HUGE plus! Even having a one car garage has much more demand than a home with no garage.
Good luck investing. If you would like a list of the investment values in Kansas City, just give us a call at 816-224-KORN (5676) and we will sign you up for our FREE Instant Notification Program that will email you properties the day they become available.
Here is a recent response to one of our investors that buys and flips homes. We are currently listing a property (which they did make a good investment on) and wanted to give him some additional tips to consider for the next property he purchases.
One thing I may have mentioned in the past is to really keep your eyes open for 3+ bedrooms with at least 1 1/2 baths. When considering a one bath home you will want to be getting a SUPER SUPER good deal, and/or if you plan to ad a 1/2 bath, then I would be careful on those properties. There are so many 3 bedrooms with more than one bath currently for sale, and it really does seem to take longer to sell the one bath homes over the 1 1/2 plus bath homes.
Garages are another HUGE plus! Even having a one car garage has much more demand than a home with no garage.
Good luck investing. If you would like a list of the investment values in Kansas City, just give us a call at 816-224-KORN (5676) and we will sign you up for our FREE Instant Notification Program that will email you properties the day they become available.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Summer Is Here...It is Time to Move!
Many home buyers have been watching and waiting in the Real Estate Market. As the Media coninues to build hype about how BAD the market conditions are...the buyers are realizing this is a GREAT time to buy! The National Association of Realtors reported that the market has picked up about 3% in existing home sales during the month of February. In fact, The Korn Team closed 17 properties in March.
The interest rates continue to hover around the 6% rate, and with some of the great values out there in the market place it is hard to not want to make a move. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is making it easier to with the recent increase in FHA loan limits that are tied directly to the median home prices is giving buyers greater access to affordable funds.
To take advantage of this summer market, Sellers are going to need to put some extra effort into getting their homes ready for sale. It is still a competitive market and Buyer expectation are still pretty high. It is basically a "Beauty Contest AND a Price War". So, don't even slack off for one day. Do not leave dishes in the sink. Make your beds EVERY day! If you are in the Kansas City area or the Lincoln, NE area contact us to get a personal assessment on how to stage your home. You can get all of our contact information at http://www.kornteam.com/ or http://www.weselllincoln.com/.
So, go get some moving boxes, stage your home, and get ready to move this summer and take advantage of some of the best interest rates and home values we have seen in over 40 years.
Brad Korn
The Korn Team
Many home buyers have been watching and waiting in the Real Estate Market. As the Media coninues to build hype about how BAD the market conditions are...the buyers are realizing this is a GREAT time to buy! The National Association of Realtors reported that the market has picked up about 3% in existing home sales during the month of February. In fact, The Korn Team closed 17 properties in March.
The interest rates continue to hover around the 6% rate, and with some of the great values out there in the market place it is hard to not want to make a move. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is making it easier to with the recent increase in FHA loan limits that are tied directly to the median home prices is giving buyers greater access to affordable funds.
To take advantage of this summer market, Sellers are going to need to put some extra effort into getting their homes ready for sale. It is still a competitive market and Buyer expectation are still pretty high. It is basically a "Beauty Contest AND a Price War". So, don't even slack off for one day. Do not leave dishes in the sink. Make your beds EVERY day! If you are in the Kansas City area or the Lincoln, NE area contact us to get a personal assessment on how to stage your home. You can get all of our contact information at http://www.kornteam.com/ or http://www.weselllincoln.com/.
So, go get some moving boxes, stage your home, and get ready to move this summer and take advantage of some of the best interest rates and home values we have seen in over 40 years.
Brad Korn
The Korn Team
Monday, October 01, 2007
Are Contingent Offers Bad?
I was just reading some comments about how contingent offers on a home can be bad and put the seller at a disadvantage. Contingent offers typically mean a buyer can make an offer on a home, but must sell their home first. The writer mentioned the normal reasons why... your home won't be shown as much; you will typically have to wait for their buyer's buyer to find a buyer; You might be willing to take a little less for your home so you don't have to wait...and several others.
I have been selling real estate for over 15 years, helping over 120 families a year buy and sell real estate. Let me share with you my thoughts about automatically assuming a contingent offer is a bad deal...because it is not. If you have the right, experienced agent working on your behalf, it could be a VERY prosperous deal for you.
Here is my response:
I totally disagree with sellers being at a disadvantage with contingencies...and I will tell you the other side.
1) in many larger priced home, a buyer is going to have a home to sell to get thier equity. If you have a home that has been on the market, and a buyer can only write a contingent offer, you might be in a better position to get them under contract NOW and get the terms locked up. If you make them wait till their home sells, they may find a home they like better, because they will continue to house shop if you don't take their contingent offer.
2) if their home is priced to sell, they could be a more valid buyer than the other one you have (no one). As a listing agent we will require the buyer agent to submit a CMA of the buyers home to evaluate if they are indeed priced to sell. If they are, this could be a very lucrative offer...because you can ask a buyer to pay more for a home and counter offer bigger prices or terms when the seller is willing to take a contingent offer. Buyer's typically pay more for the home to 'inconvenience' the seller a little.
3) Contingent status typically is a default with Active homes on MLS. The only buyers who don't look at contingent offers, are other buyers who have homes to sell and would be contingent as well. The cash buyers and non-contingent buyers still look at contingent homes because typically those offers can be bumped out. Which in turn helps your seller get a better price as well, because they typically won't accept much less than the higher priced contingent offer they negotiated.
4) Very seldom is there a chain reaction. Obviously the higher priced the 1st home is will determine if the others will have a home to sell.
5) It is good advice to see if you can get the buyer to buy non-contingent, but if it means they will have to walk, you should at least consider it. This of course does not apply when a market is extremely strong. But if you are working in conditions that are typical accross the country, I think you might be giving the consumers, and agents some not so good advice.
I have been explaining the benefits of contingent offers to my sellers for over 15 years, and I don't feel like any offer we have ever taken put them in a worse postition than not taking the offer originally.
When you are representing a buyer, I can explain how accepting our contingent offer is great if they don't want to take a contingent offer. Unless they enjoy cleaning and rushing out of their home 5-10 times they can relax if they take our contingent offer. 6-7 of the 10 have homes to sell. If you accept our contingent offer, all the contingent buyers (whose offers you really don't want to take anyway) will quit coming to kick you out of your house for 1-2 hours ever day.
So, if you are trying to sell your home in today's market, you might want to contact The Korn Team to evaluate your particular situation. If you are wanting to buy a home in this market and you have a home to sell, and you really need to get your equity out of your current home to buy... then you must absolutely contact our team of specialists. We are watching WAY TOO many homebuyers putting themselves in HUGE financial stress by buying homes non-contingent when they really should sell thier home first. Let us show you how to get your offers accepted and how the seller will benefit by accepting your offer.
Brad Korn
The Korn Team
Serving Greater Kansas City (and Lincoln, NE)
http://www.kornteam.com/
http://www.weselllincoln.com/
816-224-KORN (5676)
I was just reading some comments about how contingent offers on a home can be bad and put the seller at a disadvantage. Contingent offers typically mean a buyer can make an offer on a home, but must sell their home first. The writer mentioned the normal reasons why... your home won't be shown as much; you will typically have to wait for their buyer's buyer to find a buyer; You might be willing to take a little less for your home so you don't have to wait...and several others.
I have been selling real estate for over 15 years, helping over 120 families a year buy and sell real estate. Let me share with you my thoughts about automatically assuming a contingent offer is a bad deal...because it is not. If you have the right, experienced agent working on your behalf, it could be a VERY prosperous deal for you.
Here is my response:
I totally disagree with sellers being at a disadvantage with contingencies...and I will tell you the other side.
1) in many larger priced home, a buyer is going to have a home to sell to get thier equity. If you have a home that has been on the market, and a buyer can only write a contingent offer, you might be in a better position to get them under contract NOW and get the terms locked up. If you make them wait till their home sells, they may find a home they like better, because they will continue to house shop if you don't take their contingent offer.
2) if their home is priced to sell, they could be a more valid buyer than the other one you have (no one). As a listing agent we will require the buyer agent to submit a CMA of the buyers home to evaluate if they are indeed priced to sell. If they are, this could be a very lucrative offer...because you can ask a buyer to pay more for a home and counter offer bigger prices or terms when the seller is willing to take a contingent offer. Buyer's typically pay more for the home to 'inconvenience' the seller a little.
3) Contingent status typically is a default with Active homes on MLS. The only buyers who don't look at contingent offers, are other buyers who have homes to sell and would be contingent as well. The cash buyers and non-contingent buyers still look at contingent homes because typically those offers can be bumped out. Which in turn helps your seller get a better price as well, because they typically won't accept much less than the higher priced contingent offer they negotiated.
4) Very seldom is there a chain reaction. Obviously the higher priced the 1st home is will determine if the others will have a home to sell.
5) It is good advice to see if you can get the buyer to buy non-contingent, but if it means they will have to walk, you should at least consider it. This of course does not apply when a market is extremely strong. But if you are working in conditions that are typical accross the country, I think you might be giving the consumers, and agents some not so good advice.
I have been explaining the benefits of contingent offers to my sellers for over 15 years, and I don't feel like any offer we have ever taken put them in a worse postition than not taking the offer originally.
When you are representing a buyer, I can explain how accepting our contingent offer is great if they don't want to take a contingent offer. Unless they enjoy cleaning and rushing out of their home 5-10 times they can relax if they take our contingent offer. 6-7 of the 10 have homes to sell. If you accept our contingent offer, all the contingent buyers (whose offers you really don't want to take anyway) will quit coming to kick you out of your house for 1-2 hours ever day.
So, if you are trying to sell your home in today's market, you might want to contact The Korn Team to evaluate your particular situation. If you are wanting to buy a home in this market and you have a home to sell, and you really need to get your equity out of your current home to buy... then you must absolutely contact our team of specialists. We are watching WAY TOO many homebuyers putting themselves in HUGE financial stress by buying homes non-contingent when they really should sell thier home first. Let us show you how to get your offers accepted and how the seller will benefit by accepting your offer.
Brad Korn
The Korn Team
Serving Greater Kansas City (and Lincoln, NE)
http://www.kornteam.com/
http://www.weselllincoln.com/
816-224-KORN (5676)
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Is Feedback from Showings on my Home Important?
We notify our seller's immediately IF an agent sends feedback. Here is our updated information during a market review with one of our seller's:
"Showing traffic has been very good considering the market conditions. Very consistent.
You should be getting emails with the feedback, etc.
The feedback seems to be a little mixed as to whether or not you are overpriced. Half say it high, half say it is good. The other consistent feedback seems to be that there is still work to be done. I don't know what they may be focusing on other than just the picky little things (which is a common thing in this market). The buyers want over the top immaculate."
Typically only 2 out of 10 agents in the KC market will actually provide feedback. It has been my experience the best feedback is to evaluate what homes received contracts after our seller's home was on the market. Agents telling you to change colors of rooms is not necessarily the best feedback. Our team will help you decifer that feedback to see if it is a valid comment, or just them giving their opinion.
Brad Korn
The Korn Team
Serving Greater KC
http://www.kornteam.com/
816-224-KORN (5676)
We notify our seller's immediately IF an agent sends feedback. Here is our updated information during a market review with one of our seller's:
"Showing traffic has been very good considering the market conditions. Very consistent.
You should be getting emails with the feedback, etc.
The feedback seems to be a little mixed as to whether or not you are overpriced. Half say it high, half say it is good. The other consistent feedback seems to be that there is still work to be done. I don't know what they may be focusing on other than just the picky little things (which is a common thing in this market). The buyers want over the top immaculate."
Typically only 2 out of 10 agents in the KC market will actually provide feedback. It has been my experience the best feedback is to evaluate what homes received contracts after our seller's home was on the market. Agents telling you to change colors of rooms is not necessarily the best feedback. Our team will help you decifer that feedback to see if it is a valid comment, or just them giving their opinion.
Brad Korn
The Korn Team
Serving Greater KC
http://www.kornteam.com/
816-224-KORN (5676)
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Is the Real Estate Market in Greater Kansas City Really Bad?
The Korn Team doesn't think so, in fact, with (supposedly) the worst market ever, we personally set a new team record over the past 15 years. In June, The Korn Team sold 23 homes. That was an all time high since we started our team.
In fact, just to show you what the market conditions are like for our team: In 2005 ( the third best year of Real Estate KC had ever seen, we sold 114 homes). In 2006 (the worst market Missouri had ever seen) we sold just under 120 homes. So far this year we have sold just under 70 homes, and we are on track to close right around 120 homes again this year.
Unfortunately, not everyone can say that. The day's of just putting a sign in the yard, running ads and open houses don't work in a tough market. Anyone can sell a home in a good to great market. Even the homeowner can! But in a tough market, you are going to need even more than just MLS to sell your home for top dollar.
No matter what the market conditions are, we have proven we get our client more equity than the average agent. According to the National Association of Realtors, homes typically sell 3%-5% under the asking price. When we compare our stats from 2006 and 2007 to our competition, we are blowing them out of the water. Much of our competition in these market conditions are getting contracts accepted about 5%-7% under asking price. Want to see The Korn Team actual statistics for 2006 and 2007? Keep in mind these are just our "listings". These are the sellers that hired us to sell their home. This does not include all the buyer's we have helped.
We sold over 60 listings in 2006 and of all those sales, we averaged our sellers 99% of their asking price. That was the first solid year of the worst market KC has ever seen.
So far this year (as of the posting of this blog) we have sold 38 listings (not buyer sales, just our listings) and we are still averaging 99% of thier list price at the time of offer. We are getting them 97% of the original asking price. So, we try to get them top dollar, but even after making a small adjustment, we get the offers negotiated back up to almost full price.
So, don't trust your biggest asset (the equity in your home) with just anyone. Contact our team today for a FREE, no obligation review of the market conditions for your home. We promise to blow your socks off when you see our proven marketing plan.
The Korn Team
Serving Greater Kansas City & Lincoln, NE
http://www.kornteam.com/ or http://www.weselllincoln.com/
brad@kornteam.com
The Korn Team doesn't think so, in fact, with (supposedly) the worst market ever, we personally set a new team record over the past 15 years. In June, The Korn Team sold 23 homes. That was an all time high since we started our team.
In fact, just to show you what the market conditions are like for our team: In 2005 ( the third best year of Real Estate KC had ever seen, we sold 114 homes). In 2006 (the worst market Missouri had ever seen) we sold just under 120 homes. So far this year we have sold just under 70 homes, and we are on track to close right around 120 homes again this year.
Unfortunately, not everyone can say that. The day's of just putting a sign in the yard, running ads and open houses don't work in a tough market. Anyone can sell a home in a good to great market. Even the homeowner can! But in a tough market, you are going to need even more than just MLS to sell your home for top dollar.
No matter what the market conditions are, we have proven we get our client more equity than the average agent. According to the National Association of Realtors, homes typically sell 3%-5% under the asking price. When we compare our stats from 2006 and 2007 to our competition, we are blowing them out of the water. Much of our competition in these market conditions are getting contracts accepted about 5%-7% under asking price. Want to see The Korn Team actual statistics for 2006 and 2007? Keep in mind these are just our "listings". These are the sellers that hired us to sell their home. This does not include all the buyer's we have helped.
We sold over 60 listings in 2006 and of all those sales, we averaged our sellers 99% of their asking price. That was the first solid year of the worst market KC has ever seen.
So far this year (as of the posting of this blog) we have sold 38 listings (not buyer sales, just our listings) and we are still averaging 99% of thier list price at the time of offer. We are getting them 97% of the original asking price. So, we try to get them top dollar, but even after making a small adjustment, we get the offers negotiated back up to almost full price.
So, don't trust your biggest asset (the equity in your home) with just anyone. Contact our team today for a FREE, no obligation review of the market conditions for your home. We promise to blow your socks off when you see our proven marketing plan.
The Korn Team
Serving Greater Kansas City & Lincoln, NE
http://www.kornteam.com/ or http://www.weselllincoln.com/
brad@kornteam.com
Saturday, August 25, 2007
How The Korn Team gets more buyers to your Open House
Everyone wants to sell their home. Open Houses have, for the longest time, been a regularly requested activity. The truth is, less than 1% of all homes actually sell at thier own open house every year. My team has been selling real estate for over 16 years and we have multiple open houses every week.
We have never sold a home AT the open house. Don't get me wrong, we sell homes because we held a home open....just not the one we were sitting at during the open house hours. It does happen...just not enough that you should be kicked out of your home every Sunday for hours on end.
However, for those of you who do like open houses, here is just a few ways The Korn Team ensures we get the most traffic possible to your home on that day.
1) Put the signs up a week in advance, all over. knock on the doors of the homes and invite the homeowner whose property you put the signs in on Monday morning.
2) Call anyone in our database working with or knows a buyer in the 125k price range for that particular area. Then, call and invite them to the open house.
3) There are SEVERAL websites that you can also post the open house on. Definitely let us know so we can get it on realtor.com. It should be on MLS and KWLS as well. We post it on as many sites as possible...at least by Monday or Tuesday so you can get more traffic than you ever imagined.
If you are trying to sell a home, or know someone that is, have them contact us today for a free, no obligation evaluation of their home in this market.
Brad KornThe Korn Team
(816)224-KORN (5676)
(816)268-3839 fax
brad@kornteam.com
Your Personal Real Estate Consultants....for LIFE!
You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want. Zig Ziglar
ps. Shop our list of over 19,000 homes currently for sale in the Greater Kansas City area, for FREE! visit http://www.kornteam.com/
pss. You can also keep up to date with the Kansas City market by tuning into our monthly Podcast and Blogs at http://www.kornteam.com/.
Everyone wants to sell their home. Open Houses have, for the longest time, been a regularly requested activity. The truth is, less than 1% of all homes actually sell at thier own open house every year. My team has been selling real estate for over 16 years and we have multiple open houses every week.
We have never sold a home AT the open house. Don't get me wrong, we sell homes because we held a home open....just not the one we were sitting at during the open house hours. It does happen...just not enough that you should be kicked out of your home every Sunday for hours on end.
However, for those of you who do like open houses, here is just a few ways The Korn Team ensures we get the most traffic possible to your home on that day.
1) Put the signs up a week in advance, all over. knock on the doors of the homes and invite the homeowner whose property you put the signs in on Monday morning.
2) Call anyone in our database working with or knows a buyer in the 125k price range for that particular area. Then, call and invite them to the open house.
3) There are SEVERAL websites that you can also post the open house on. Definitely let us know so we can get it on realtor.com. It should be on MLS and KWLS as well. We post it on as many sites as possible...at least by Monday or Tuesday so you can get more traffic than you ever imagined.
If you are trying to sell a home, or know someone that is, have them contact us today for a free, no obligation evaluation of their home in this market.
Brad KornThe Korn Team
(816)224-KORN (5676)
(816)268-3839 fax
brad@kornteam.com
Your Personal Real Estate Consultants....for LIFE!
You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want. Zig Ziglar
ps. Shop our list of over 19,000 homes currently for sale in the Greater Kansas City area, for FREE! visit http://www.kornteam.com/
pss. You can also keep up to date with the Kansas City market by tuning into our monthly Podcast and Blogs at http://www.kornteam.com/.
I can't sell my house! What is wrong?
The real estate market is tough all across the country. Here is a recent converstation with another top agent in the area that spells out exactly what you need to do to ensure you get your home sold. If you are not selling your home, and frustrated because you are not getting any offers, listen to this comment:
My collegue states: "The truth of the matter is that there are 3 times the amount of homes on the market now as compared to last year. Is yours the best staged, best priced and the easiest to see? If not, it won't sell, but it will help the competition to sell." There are tips and tricks we know that can help you get more showings. It always comes down to Location, Price and condition & in this market...the marketing plan can play a BIG part to make sure the eyeballs at least get on your property.
On Aug 21, 2007, at 3:10 PM
For all your real estate needs, contact The Korn Team Serving Greater Kansas City & Lincoln, NE. We have already sold over 70 homes so far in 2007. You can't be one of our next sales unless you contact us today! 816-224-KORN (5676) or visit http://www.kornteam.com/ to see how we market our listings.
The real estate market is tough all across the country. Here is a recent converstation with another top agent in the area that spells out exactly what you need to do to ensure you get your home sold. If you are not selling your home, and frustrated because you are not getting any offers, listen to this comment:
My collegue states: "The truth of the matter is that there are 3 times the amount of homes on the market now as compared to last year. Is yours the best staged, best priced and the easiest to see? If not, it won't sell, but it will help the competition to sell." There are tips and tricks we know that can help you get more showings. It always comes down to Location, Price and condition & in this market...the marketing plan can play a BIG part to make sure the eyeballs at least get on your property.
On Aug 21, 2007, at 3:10 PM
For all your real estate needs, contact The Korn Team Serving Greater Kansas City & Lincoln, NE. We have already sold over 70 homes so far in 2007. You can't be one of our next sales unless you contact us today! 816-224-KORN (5676) or visit http://www.kornteam.com/ to see how we market our listings.
Friday, August 24, 2007
I just had a seller ask me if I would advertise that fact that they are a motivated sellers. I just posted a blog with the response I gave that person. See my advice at http://www.sellingmyhome.blogspot.com/
Brad KornThe Korn Team(816)224-KORN (5676)
(816)268-3839 fax
brad@kornteam.com
Your Personal Real Estate Consultants....for LIFE!
You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want. Zig Ziglar
ps. Shop our list of over 19,000 homes currently for sale in the Greater Kansas City area, for FREE! visit http://www.kornteam.com/
pss. You can also keep up to date with the Kansas City market by tuning into our monthly Podcast and Blogs at http://www.kornteam.com/
Brad KornThe Korn Team(816)224-KORN (5676)
(816)268-3839 fax
brad@kornteam.com
Your Personal Real Estate Consultants....for LIFE!
You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want. Zig Ziglar
ps. Shop our list of over 19,000 homes currently for sale in the Greater Kansas City area, for FREE! visit http://www.kornteam.com/
pss. You can also keep up to date with the Kansas City market by tuning into our monthly Podcast and Blogs at http://www.kornteam.com/
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Who Says the Market is Slow??
You've read it in the newspapers. You are hearing it on the news. The real esate market is down. It is a Buyers market. Homes are not selling.
If you are selling your home and not getting much traffic you may be hearing that "the market is what it is". There is nothing we can do but wait.
Well, I am here to tell you that it just is not so. This November of 2006, The Korn Team has sold more homes than any other month ALL YEAR! We helped 15 families close on a property in November. The average agent only sells 6 homes in an entire year (according to the National Association of Realtor statistics). We more than doubled that just in November.
Granted, there is much more inventory on the market than we have ever had, but the fact is people are still moving. The typical sign, newspaper ads & open house marketing plans are more of a "wait till they find me" marketing plan. More than ever, our aggressive marketing is paying off for our clients. We had 3 properties that had been on the market for almost 6 months, and all 3 sold in the same week. Some had more than one offer.
Our aggressive marketing plan keeps your property "fresh" in the market, and we ensure that when a new buyer comes into the market to purchase a home like yours, they will know your home is for sale.
So, don't let anyone tell you that the market is DEAD...We can prove that it isn't. For a free, no cost, Brokers price opinion and evaluation of how we can help you get the most equity from your home, contact us at (816) 22-KORN (5676) or visit our website at www.kornteam.com
You've read it in the newspapers. You are hearing it on the news. The real esate market is down. It is a Buyers market. Homes are not selling.
If you are selling your home and not getting much traffic you may be hearing that "the market is what it is". There is nothing we can do but wait.
Well, I am here to tell you that it just is not so. This November of 2006, The Korn Team has sold more homes than any other month ALL YEAR! We helped 15 families close on a property in November. The average agent only sells 6 homes in an entire year (according to the National Association of Realtor statistics). We more than doubled that just in November.
Granted, there is much more inventory on the market than we have ever had, but the fact is people are still moving. The typical sign, newspaper ads & open house marketing plans are more of a "wait till they find me" marketing plan. More than ever, our aggressive marketing is paying off for our clients. We had 3 properties that had been on the market for almost 6 months, and all 3 sold in the same week. Some had more than one offer.
Our aggressive marketing plan keeps your property "fresh" in the market, and we ensure that when a new buyer comes into the market to purchase a home like yours, they will know your home is for sale.
So, don't let anyone tell you that the market is DEAD...We can prove that it isn't. For a free, no cost, Brokers price opinion and evaluation of how we can help you get the most equity from your home, contact us at (816) 22-KORN (5676) or visit our website at www.kornteam.com
Saturday, September 02, 2006
The Korn Team Goes on the Air!! Live Radio
You can now stay in touch with the Kansas City market on the radio every Saturday morning from 10am-12pm. Brad Korn is co-hosting with Tim & Rhonda Chin on Kansas City's most progressive business show, Bizz Buzz Live. Tune into KCXL 1140 AM (and the sister station 1160 AM). You can also listen online at www.bizzbuzzlive.com.
We have two portions to our show. The first hour has a business slant. We want to help everyone who wants to grow their business. We have business tips on how to get the most from your business, money saving tips, etc. The second hour is geared towards mortgage and real estate topics.
Every week we have featured guest that bring their knowledge and experience to the show. We have everything from financial planners, estate planners, carpet cleaning tips, home inspector & termite companies. This show features great tips & tricks and everything you need to know about those topics.
Tune in, and call in during our show for any questions you may have for our guest. (816) 792-1140 and for all your real estate needs visit www.kornteam.com
You can now stay in touch with the Kansas City market on the radio every Saturday morning from 10am-12pm. Brad Korn is co-hosting with Tim & Rhonda Chin on Kansas City's most progressive business show, Bizz Buzz Live. Tune into KCXL 1140 AM (and the sister station 1160 AM). You can also listen online at www.bizzbuzzlive.com.
We have two portions to our show. The first hour has a business slant. We want to help everyone who wants to grow their business. We have business tips on how to get the most from your business, money saving tips, etc. The second hour is geared towards mortgage and real estate topics.
Every week we have featured guest that bring their knowledge and experience to the show. We have everything from financial planners, estate planners, carpet cleaning tips, home inspector & termite companies. This show features great tips & tricks and everything you need to know about those topics.
Tune in, and call in during our show for any questions you may have for our guest. (816) 792-1140 and for all your real estate needs visit www.kornteam.com
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
5 Biggest Mistakes Buyers Make, and How to Avoid Them!
Mistake #1: Buyers fail to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before they actually begin looking at properties. Buyers have greater flexibility in making offers and have a stronger negotiating position by getting this out of the way first.
Mistake #2: Buyers fail to look at full cost of home ownership. They need to sit down with qualified professional and be sure they are budgeting for property assessments, taxes, utilities, and maintenance. Buyers who calculate their cost ahead of time often get through their closing with fewer surprises.
Mistake #3: Many buyers don't start with a plan. Many times they are looking on internet and start driving around by themselves, unable to act quickly, or see the best homes before they are sold. The best homes are the best homes for a reason, and they sell FAST.
Mistake #4: When working with seller directly, or even through an agent be sure to get everything agreed to in writing. Miscommunication creates big problems at closing.
Mistake #5: Be present for final walk through. Make sure everything is the way it should be before you sign on the dotted line.
If you would like more detailed information about these tips, check out our Podcast. We provide monthly podcast tips to help with your real estate questions. Just go to www.kornteam.com and click on our Podcast banner. For more information you can also contact us directly at (816) 224-KORN (5676).
Mistake #1: Buyers fail to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before they actually begin looking at properties. Buyers have greater flexibility in making offers and have a stronger negotiating position by getting this out of the way first.
Mistake #2: Buyers fail to look at full cost of home ownership. They need to sit down with qualified professional and be sure they are budgeting for property assessments, taxes, utilities, and maintenance. Buyers who calculate their cost ahead of time often get through their closing with fewer surprises.
Mistake #3: Many buyers don't start with a plan. Many times they are looking on internet and start driving around by themselves, unable to act quickly, or see the best homes before they are sold. The best homes are the best homes for a reason, and they sell FAST.
Mistake #4: When working with seller directly, or even through an agent be sure to get everything agreed to in writing. Miscommunication creates big problems at closing.
Mistake #5: Be present for final walk through. Make sure everything is the way it should be before you sign on the dotted line.
If you would like more detailed information about these tips, check out our Podcast. We provide monthly podcast tips to help with your real estate questions. Just go to www.kornteam.com and click on our Podcast banner. For more information you can also contact us directly at (816) 224-KORN (5676).
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Forclosures in Greater Kansas City
Forclosures in Kansas City are a growing topic. Forclosures happen when a home owner falls behind on their mortgage payments to the point that the bank worries that they may never get it caught up. At this point the bank will go through the many necessary hoops to forclose on the property.
Depending on the market conditions, many of these homes will sell at - or close to the full market value. If you are a seller going through a tough time and forclosure is a possibility...you owe it to yourself to know ALL your options. Contact a professional who can assess the fair market value. Selling to "We buy homes" type organizations could cost you the equity you have built up. Once you get your first notice, and it doesn't look like you can or will get caught up, you could recoup most of your equity, and still sell you home fast enough to keep a foreclosure off your credit.
For the full story on Forclosures in KC, contact The Korn Team at (816) 224-KORN (5676) or send us an email at brad@kornteam.com
Forclosures in Kansas City are a growing topic. Forclosures happen when a home owner falls behind on their mortgage payments to the point that the bank worries that they may never get it caught up. At this point the bank will go through the many necessary hoops to forclose on the property.
Depending on the market conditions, many of these homes will sell at - or close to the full market value. If you are a seller going through a tough time and forclosure is a possibility...you owe it to yourself to know ALL your options. Contact a professional who can assess the fair market value. Selling to "We buy homes" type organizations could cost you the equity you have built up. Once you get your first notice, and it doesn't look like you can or will get caught up, you could recoup most of your equity, and still sell you home fast enough to keep a foreclosure off your credit.
For the full story on Forclosures in KC, contact The Korn Team at (816) 224-KORN (5676) or send us an email at brad@kornteam.com
Saturday, March 04, 2006
CLUE Reports: What are they and how do they affect your insurance and your ability to purchase a home?
We talked about CLUE reports in our previous Podcast on www.kornteam.com. A CLUE report comes from the Comprhensive Loss Underwriting Exchange and is used by the insurance industry. Basically a CLUE report lists all the insurance claims that have been filed against a property over the last 3-5 years. Depending on the number of Claims, an insurance underwriter may determine that a home is more or less risky to insure.
Some premiums go up after a CLUE report is evaluated by an underwriter and is something both buyers and sellers need to be aware of. The good news is that just because a property has had a lot of claims doesn't (necessarily) mean the new homeowners premiums will be higher. Most of the time those higher premiums follow the person who made the claim.
Although, there are time when a CLUE report can reveal a flaw in a home and be a greater risk for the new owners home insurance resulting in a higher premium. When you have an experienced team of agents representing you, they will help you determine issues such as these before it is too late.
If you would like to hear the full report about CLUE reports, visit www.kornteam.com and click on our monthly Podcast Report. The Clue Report was our February Podcast. Feel free to share this information with anyone you know who owns a home or is planning to buy or sell real estate in the near future.
To ensure you get an experience team looking out for your best interest, contact us directly at (816) 224-KORN (5676) or send us an email at info@kornteam.com
We talked about CLUE reports in our previous Podcast on www.kornteam.com. A CLUE report comes from the Comprhensive Loss Underwriting Exchange and is used by the insurance industry. Basically a CLUE report lists all the insurance claims that have been filed against a property over the last 3-5 years. Depending on the number of Claims, an insurance underwriter may determine that a home is more or less risky to insure.
Some premiums go up after a CLUE report is evaluated by an underwriter and is something both buyers and sellers need to be aware of. The good news is that just because a property has had a lot of claims doesn't (necessarily) mean the new homeowners premiums will be higher. Most of the time those higher premiums follow the person who made the claim.
Although, there are time when a CLUE report can reveal a flaw in a home and be a greater risk for the new owners home insurance resulting in a higher premium. When you have an experienced team of agents representing you, they will help you determine issues such as these before it is too late.
If you would like to hear the full report about CLUE reports, visit www.kornteam.com and click on our monthly Podcast Report. The Clue Report was our February Podcast. Feel free to share this information with anyone you know who owns a home or is planning to buy or sell real estate in the near future.
To ensure you get an experience team looking out for your best interest, contact us directly at (816) 224-KORN (5676) or send us an email at info@kornteam.com
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Is this the right time of year to sell?
I would like to find out who started that rumor. The myth-understanding with this statement is not based on any factual data. I guess people just assume that because no one would want to move in the winter time, that the market slows down. The truth is, people move all year round. In fact, December is sometimes our busiest time of the year. Yes, it's true. We have sold more homes in December than in August, two out of the last 4 years.
This myth-understanding comes from statistics you have heard. The statistics from the National Board of Realtors shows that typically 50% of all homes that sell in the United States sell between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That is most likely because everyone likes to move when school is out.
Here is a fact you may not be aware of. Even though 50% of all homes sell during the summer months, there is a LOT more competition on the market. Everyone seems to wait for summer to sell. That creates more competition than normal and can sometimes result in lesser sales prices because the supply is larger than the demand.
Another fact is that people do move all year. By the time November comes, most of the summer seller's who overpriced their properties are beginning to expire (or come off the market). By December the inventory levels are much lower than they have been all year. Even though there may be fewer buyers in the marketplace, there are fewer homes to choose from. Supply and Demand seem to equal out, which makes for a great market. Buyer and Seller, BOTH, get a fair price for the property.
Summer buyers begin searching on the internet in November & December. They start the pre-approval process. If they get all their ducks in a row, they just might find the home of their dreams before summer get here. RESULT: Properties selling. In fact, February and March are very busy months for the real estate industry.
But, I must be honest for a moment. Much of the industry may be laying low during those winter months because they were taught the same as you...homes don't sell in the winter months. The Korn Team helped over 120 families in the Greater Kansas City area last year and we are here to tell you, "That just isn't so. People are moving every day of the year".
Our Instant Notification Program notifies buyers of homes daily as they become available. Our clients don't miss great bargains or dream homes because they can drive by properties as they become available, not just once a week or once a month. In fact, The Korn Team even provides a FREE home search tab on our website at www.wesellkansascity.com where buyers can save their searches.
Because we don't take the winter months off, our seller clients continue to get massive exposure until their property sells.
If you are planning to sell a home and would like more information about how we market our listings or to get a personalized consultation regarding the sale of your property don't hesitate to contact us for a FREE, no obligation, analysis of your situation. You can contact us at (816) 224-KORN (5676) or visit www.kornteam.com
If you are planning to buy a home an would like more information about our Instant Notification Program, just contact us at (816) 224-KORN (5676) or visit www.kornteam.com
Happy House Hunting and Selling!
Brad Korn
The Korn Team
I would like to find out who started that rumor. The myth-understanding with this statement is not based on any factual data. I guess people just assume that because no one would want to move in the winter time, that the market slows down. The truth is, people move all year round. In fact, December is sometimes our busiest time of the year. Yes, it's true. We have sold more homes in December than in August, two out of the last 4 years.
This myth-understanding comes from statistics you have heard. The statistics from the National Board of Realtors shows that typically 50% of all homes that sell in the United States sell between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That is most likely because everyone likes to move when school is out.
Here is a fact you may not be aware of. Even though 50% of all homes sell during the summer months, there is a LOT more competition on the market. Everyone seems to wait for summer to sell. That creates more competition than normal and can sometimes result in lesser sales prices because the supply is larger than the demand.
Another fact is that people do move all year. By the time November comes, most of the summer seller's who overpriced their properties are beginning to expire (or come off the market). By December the inventory levels are much lower than they have been all year. Even though there may be fewer buyers in the marketplace, there are fewer homes to choose from. Supply and Demand seem to equal out, which makes for a great market. Buyer and Seller, BOTH, get a fair price for the property.
Summer buyers begin searching on the internet in November & December. They start the pre-approval process. If they get all their ducks in a row, they just might find the home of their dreams before summer get here. RESULT: Properties selling. In fact, February and March are very busy months for the real estate industry.
But, I must be honest for a moment. Much of the industry may be laying low during those winter months because they were taught the same as you...homes don't sell in the winter months. The Korn Team helped over 120 families in the Greater Kansas City area last year and we are here to tell you, "That just isn't so. People are moving every day of the year".
Our Instant Notification Program notifies buyers of homes daily as they become available. Our clients don't miss great bargains or dream homes because they can drive by properties as they become available, not just once a week or once a month. In fact, The Korn Team even provides a FREE home search tab on our website at www.wesellkansascity.com where buyers can save their searches.
Because we don't take the winter months off, our seller clients continue to get massive exposure until their property sells.
If you are planning to sell a home and would like more information about how we market our listings or to get a personalized consultation regarding the sale of your property don't hesitate to contact us for a FREE, no obligation, analysis of your situation. You can contact us at (816) 224-KORN (5676) or visit www.kornteam.com
If you are planning to buy a home an would like more information about our Instant Notification Program, just contact us at (816) 224-KORN (5676) or visit www.kornteam.com
Happy House Hunting and Selling!
Brad Korn
The Korn Team
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Top Agent Blog
The Kansas City market continues to be a great place for buyers and sellers. Have you heard of a Real Estate Bubble? Well, there is no bubbles close to the midwest. Home values are at a steady 3%-5% increase each year. There are some areas and neighborhoods that may be going up in value faster than that, but overall it is pretty steady.
Many real estate investors find Kansas City a great place to put their investment dollars. Multifamily and commercial properties are some of the best prices in the country. Also, our buy and hold investors find that this market in many cases offers rental rates that break even up to several hundred dollars a month in cash flow. Compared to other markets around the country where investors carry properties with no to negative cash flow, the Greater Kansas City area can offer some cush room.
You can search our FREE list of over 19,000 homes currently for sale in Greater Kansas City at www.kornteam.com. If someone would like more information about investment in commercial real estate or multi-family and apartment buildings, feel free to contact us directly and info@kornteam.com or by calling (816) 224-KORN (5676)
Brad Korn
Serving Greater Kansas City
www.kornteam.com
The Kansas City market continues to be a great place for buyers and sellers. Have you heard of a Real Estate Bubble? Well, there is no bubbles close to the midwest. Home values are at a steady 3%-5% increase each year. There are some areas and neighborhoods that may be going up in value faster than that, but overall it is pretty steady.
Many real estate investors find Kansas City a great place to put their investment dollars. Multifamily and commercial properties are some of the best prices in the country. Also, our buy and hold investors find that this market in many cases offers rental rates that break even up to several hundred dollars a month in cash flow. Compared to other markets around the country where investors carry properties with no to negative cash flow, the Greater Kansas City area can offer some cush room.
You can search our FREE list of over 19,000 homes currently for sale in Greater Kansas City at www.kornteam.com. If someone would like more information about investment in commercial real estate or multi-family and apartment buildings, feel free to contact us directly and info@kornteam.com or by calling (816) 224-KORN (5676)
Brad Korn
Serving Greater Kansas City
www.kornteam.com
Monday, January 09, 2006
Now there is a site available for the Kansas City Homeowners and Homebuyers! You can come to this site to find out about Real Estate activity happening in and around the Greater Kansas City Market.
Kansas City continues to be a stable market for real estate. To stay informed with real estate updates and comments, be sure to register for this Blog to keep you up to date.
If you would like more information, feel free to contact me, Brad Korn. You can visit our website for all of our contact information at www.kornteam.com.
Thanks! Looking forward to blogging with the Kansas City area residents :)
Kansas City continues to be a stable market for real estate. To stay informed with real estate updates and comments, be sure to register for this Blog to keep you up to date.
If you would like more information, feel free to contact me, Brad Korn. You can visit our website for all of our contact information at www.kornteam.com.
Thanks! Looking forward to blogging with the Kansas City area residents :)
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