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| January 2008 Newsletter |
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The Market – Well, we’ve seen a minor rise in showings so far in January, up from the very quiet holidays that we had. The emails phone calls are starting to trickle in. The economy is all about moods. If people feel secure they spend money. If they don’t feel secure, they stay put. Let’s hope we all start to feel more secure soon. This is an EXCELLENT time to consider investment properties. There are a lot of possibilities out there for buyers and a strong demand for rental units. If you are considering selling this Spring, let’s talk about the best way to position your property in the market. It’s also a good time to consider re-financing your debt with the incredibly low rates.
Homestead Filings & Taxes – If you purchased property this year, you need to file your Homestead Exemption paperwork soon. Don’t pay a service to do this, it’s FREE. If you need help just let me know. I’m happy to help you get the forms filled out. It’s very simple and it saves you a lot on your property taxes. Also, if you purchased or sold a property, remember to check out your HUD1 closing statement and review any receipts for inspections and expenses you had for the transfer of your home. Take those forms to our tax professional. If you need copies of your HUD1 from a purchase or sale just let me know.
Best of Dallas – It’s time again to vote for the Best of Dallas in the Dallas Voice (local news paper). If you have 5 seconds please vote for me at this link:
http://www.dvreadersvoice.com/Services/default.htm Just go down to the line that says Real Estate Agent. I really appreciate the support!
Hope your worlds are spinning towards continued happiness and health in 2008. Let me hear from you!
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November 2007 Newsletter
Dear Friends!
Can you imagine the holidays are upon us again?? Thanksgiving is here and we have so much to talk about.
1. The mortgage crisis is still with us but things are getting a bit better. You can find a loan if you've got good credit and a bit of a down payment. Rates are very good right now and there are lots of low priced houses if you're thinking of investment properties. Buyers are still in control of the market so consider getting an investment property. Now is a good time to be a landlord. Rentals are going like crazy right now.
2. The time change came and went. Did you change the batteries in your smoke detectors? Let me know if you need batteries and I'd be happy to bring some by for you. Also, check your fire extinguisher to be sure it's fully charged and ready to go. If you have a fireplace then you need to keep the chimney cleaned. Call the English Sweep at 972-416-2418 and get that chimney cleaned up so there's no fires. Also, this is a good time to video or photograph anything of value in your home in case of fire or robbery.
3. With all the toy recalls going on right now, it's going to hard for Santa to know what to do. We can't depend on the solid brands like Tonka, Mattel, and others to be the right toy for our kids anymore. We found a great website for toys made completely in the United States. Go to http://www.toysamerican.com/home . There are some really inventive toys out here for the smaller kids. And better yet, there's no lead-based paint to worry about.
Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. Remember if you ever have a real estate question, even if you think it's silly, just let me know. I'll be happy to help.
Bob
YouTube Links to my properties!
The Colony - 3 Bedroom, 2 bath, ready for you today! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPokW76KFbI
Great 3 Bedroom, 3 Living Area Home in Irving http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmIWaqQ1r9k
Great 1 bedroom 1 bath condo in Dallas for sale http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzI1cx8RgxI
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September 2007 Newsletter
Hello everyone! Enjoy the Labor Day Holiday!!!
Well, this is a very chaotic time to be in real estate, but there are still opportunities to grow. I'm working on several different opportunities but so much is contingent upon the mortgage industries highs and lows.
MORTGAGES: Unless you've been missing the news for the last several weeks you know that the mortgage industry is imploding because of foreclosures, bad lending practices and credit limitations. Several well-known mortgage companies are going under (see attached list) or scrambling to get extended credit and lay off employees. It's a serious problem in the industry and in the country, and it's going to take folks bigger than us to get things working again.
BUYERS: Right now, buyers need to have strong credit and provable income. Generally this means credits scores in the high 600's and income that can be documented. Investors need to have between 10% to 20% down for a purchase now. Most 100% financing loans are gone. "No Doc" or "Stated Income" loans are pretty much gone too. It's also very hard right now to get an 80/20 loan which was a good device for avoiding Private Mortgage Insurance and Escrows. If you are looking to buy and your credit scores are not great, there are several credit repair programs out there that can
help get your score up quickly. If you are a qualified investor, now is an excellent time to snap up properties. There are lots of people locked out of buying a home now and they need to rent.
SELLERS: The number of qualified buyers in the market has fallen and the number of houses on the market has risen. The law of supply and demand is not our friend right now. In talking to my realtor friends we're all seeing a trend that homes in the higher price levels are getting shown and are moving a bit better than homes in the lower price ranges (under $150k). Right now we really have two choices: be patient and wait for the right buyer to come along or the market to change - or - pull the house off the market and consider renting the property until the market changes. I've been doing a lot of advertising for my listings, both print & online. It's really about getting your listing out in front of those buyers who are still in the market.
WHAT ABOUT YOU: If you or anyone else you know is struggling with your mortgage, here are a few points of advice.
* Talk to your mortgage lender. Right now they can be very forgiving and help restructure payments. They don't want a house back, they want a loan paid.
* Be ware of scam artists who prey on folks in their time of need (see article below)
* Consider leasing the property and moving into a more affordable location, which could also be leased. Call me and we can discuss more options as needed.
With all this drama going on around us, I hope you can take some time over
Labor Day to enjoy your friends and family. Kick back and have some fun.
 
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March 2007 Newsletter
Dear Friends!
Well, finally it’s starting to warm up around Dallas and real estate sales are really going well. February and March have both proven to be strong for sales. Rates are still holding steady in the high 5’s to mid 6’s depending upon an individual’s financial situation. It’s a good time to consider selling your home, buying a new home or investing in rental property. Warren and I are looking at buying our first investment home and it’s very exciting.
Electrical Usage! -- One thing that Warren and I have noticed is our electric bill is getting higher all the time. I did some research on the internet about how to track our usage and find out what appliances are costing us the most. We purchased a small tool called a “Kill A Watt Electric Power Usage Monitor”. You plug it into the wall and then plug your appliance into the Kill A Watt and wait one hour. While testing we proved that our computers, televisions and other small appliances are pretty efficient. Nothing really stood out as a huge consumer of electricity.
Then I went to the electric meter and figured out how to read it (email me and I’ll tell you how). I turned off all the circuit breakers and then brought one large power draw on at a time and then read the meter. Here’s what I found:
Our two furnaces with blowers were the most efficient taking only .41 kw to run an hour. We couldn’t test A/C because it’s cold at the time but we'll do that later.
Next came our hot tub which runs on 220 current and it takes 1.99 kw per hour
Then our pool pumps run at 2.59 kw per hour.
Our electric hot water heater ran at 4.32 kw per hour
And the big hog is our electric dryer which ran an amazing 5.2 kw per hour.
So we’ve started really limiting how much the hot water we use and how long we leave clothes to run in the dryer. We’re considering drying our clothes on a line and possibly getting some solar panels on the home. We’ll let you know how that goes.
Dallas Home & Garden Show – I know I mentioned this last month but the Dallas Home & Garden show is THIS WEEKEND. It’s $9 for adults to attend but it’s well worth it if you have a property that you want to change. This is a great place to meet professionals who can help you with your home. They often give discounts to people they met at the home show. ASK FOR THE DISCOUNT! Warren and I usually go with a small list of projects, find vendors, set up appointments for them to come out and bid on the work and then get things done! Consider going. Warren and I are going Sunday so let us know if you'll be there. It's a nominal fee but it's well worth the time. http://www.texashomeandgarden.com//index.cfm?npageid=598
Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the warmer weather! Let me hear from you!
-- Bob
Bob McCranie
William Davis Realty
972-754-0582 cell
469-574-5108 fax
www.BobMcCranie.com
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February 2007 Newsletter
Dear Friends!
I don't know about you, but I've never seen a January that wet or cold since living in Texas! Thankfully, February seems to be sunnier and a bit warmer, but not by a whole lot. The good news is that real estate is doing pretty well in Dallas for the new year. I have talked to a few other agents and all of us have been seeing an uptick in the number of people in the market. Showings are up compared to other years and more listings are coming on the market each week.
For those of you with home projects, the Dallas Home & Garden Show is coming to Dallas Market Center on March 2nd through 4th. If you haven't been before, this is a GREAT place to find folks who repair and improve your home. Warren and I usually go with a small list of projects, find vendors, set up appointments for them to come out and bid on the work and then get things done! Consider going. It's a nominal fee but it's well worth the time. http://www.texashomeandgarden.com//index.cfm?npageid=598
On a different note, I recently finished a course on Investment Properties which was probably one of the best real estate courses I have attended. The instructor had lots of tips and ways to evaluate investment properties to be sure that what you're buying is a good long-term investment. If you're interested in learning more about his ideas just let me know. It's great stuff.
Don't forget that if you purchased or sold a home in 2006 you need to show your HUD1 Statement to your tax advisor so you get the maximum credit for your transaction. Also, I can help you file your Homestead Exemption forms if you need assistance.
Hope you are all doing well and staying warm! Let me hear from you.
Bob McCranie
William Davis Realty
972-754-0582 cell
469-574-5108 fax
www.BobMcCranie.com
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January 2007 Newsletter
Dear Friends!
Welcome to the New Year, everyone! The real estate market is starting to churn for 2007 and interest rates seem to be remaining steady for now.
It's a great time to consider buying a new home or investing in that rental property you've had your eye on. New listings are coming on the market
each week and we're expected a surge of listings again around Spring Break. If you're considering listing your home, let me know and I can help you
decide what improvements will and will not help you get top dollar!
I have a new listing in Frisco in the great Plantation subdivision if you know anyone looking for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, home in the Frisco area. You can see the details for this listing at http://www.realtor.com/Prop/1073772283. You can also see all the listings for me and my team at http://www.BobMcCranie.com
Finally, I need your help! The Dallas Voice, a local paper, is doing their "Best Of Dallas" issue soon and I need your vote for Best Real Estate
Agent if you would be so kind as to honor me with your vote. There is space for Real Estate Agency and one for Real Estate Agent. I would
appreciate your vote in the Agent category.
The link to their site is: http://www.oaklawnmall.com/DallasVoice/Readers/DFW/default.htm
Don't forget that if you purchased or sold a home in 2006 you need to show your HUD1 Statement to your tax advisor so you get the maximum credit for your transaction. Also, I can help you file your Homestead Exemption forms if you need assistance.
Bob McCranie
William Davis Realty
972-754-0582 cell
www.BobMcCranie.com
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