Alexandria, LA

Home For Sale in Good Earth Subdivision, Alexandria Louisiana

Searching homes for sale in Good Earth Subdivision? This 3 bedroom 2 bath home on Demeter street is a bargain at only 139,900 dollars!

Good Earth Subdivision is located just off Jackson Street extension in West Alexandria. The kitchen features a nice ceramic tile bar and plenty of workspace.

The living room features a working fireplace and plenty of room for all your furniture. With fresh paint and new carpet this space would look amazing. Thanks to the modest asking price there should be plenty of money for updates!

The fenced backyard is perfect for pets on the go!

Ready to tour this lovely home in Good Earth Subdivision? If so, call Doug Rogers with Bayou Properties Realty at (318) 613-1994.

The deals are out there, but boy this market is tough. And like all performance based industries, the pain is not equally shared amongst the members. In speaking with other agents you can almost feel the pain in their voice.

"I sure hope this deal closes", "if I can only close this deal everything will be okay", "I was planning on buying my familiy's Christmas with this commission".

Over the past couple of months I have heard these statements and several others that were nor fit to print. There is a sense of dread that I have not picked up on in the past. Do I think the market is getting worse? Not really, I think people are just getting tired of waiting on the recovery.

Like family members waiting on the dock for an over due ship, the collective hope fades as time passes. Many of these agents will have to seek refuge in other disciplines. For some the real estate roller coaster ride will soon come to a halt.

Those of us who do ride out the storm will not do so unscathed. My free spending days of the past have taken a far more conservative twist. If I don't have cash to buy something, it don't get bought. Frankly I will probably be one of those crazy old people who bury money in mayonnaise jars in my backyard. Just like my grandparents did after living through the Great Depression!

Lessons in the real estate business are anything but cheap. Some can even be career ending. The purpose of this series is to help the rookie agent benefit from some of my mistakes.

Without clients real estate agents are nothing more than cheerful people with expensive MLS keys. Even prior to passing their real estate exam most agents understand this theory. So when a "client" comes a long, we often latch on tighter than a hermit crab in a spiffy conch shell.

While persistence is important in this industry, so is knowing when to cut a client loose. Though there are no hard and fast rules, here are some warning signs to heed.

1) The prospect refuses to commit to you-- Buyers can, and often do call more than one agent to tour homes with. At some point he or she needs to pick one agent and leave the others behind. Never show houses to a buyer in the morning only to have them tour homes with another agent in the afternoon. Such scenarios rarely end in a check.

2) The buyer cannot secure a loan--My poor Jeep drove all over Central Louisiana showing homes to buyers who were "almost qualified" or "within days" of getting settlement money. None ever closed, not with me at least.

3) The seller demands being present for all showings-- As a newbie you are thrilled just to have a listing. Too bad the seller is providing guided tours for all the buyers. One day I plan on writing a book from things I have witnessed on "seller tours". My favorite seller smoked while guiding us through his home. You can't make this stuff up...

4) The buyer refuses to follow your advice-- Thanks to the media and "helpful" family members, don't expect buyers to blindly follow your counsel. And frankly sometimes a buyer has to loose out on a deal before getting realistic. But if things do not improve, refer the buyer to another agent and move on.

5) The client "knows no boundaries"-- Respond to client calls in a timely manner. Keep the lines of communication open. Be proactive. But that seller who calls four times a day is bat shit crazy. There are no emergencies in real estate that do not involve a fire truck.

Customers are free to work with whoever they choose. So are you. Learn to pay attention to those butterflies in your tummy. Quickly.

With the Neighbor's rap music blaring in the background, the young apartment renters dream of their first home. After months of saving and building credit, they are finally in a position to purchase a home. So what's the holdup?

Many buyers will wait until spring to search for their home. Why is this so? Because that's what other people are doing. After all, the best time to buy is when other folks are looking right? Let's examine the other side of the coin for a different perspective.

1) Scheduling showings is easier in winter-- During the summer I typically work 10-12 hour days. The last showing of the day usually is scheduled for 730pm. And with new listings expect an agent showing both before and after your appointment. Do you like being rushed? If so Spring/Summer is the perfect time to shop!

2) There are fewer bidding wars in winter--See number one for a quick refresher. With multiple showings typically come multiple offers. And the more offers that come in, up goes the price. Though our market is pretty steady year round, there is less frenzy in winter.

3) Showing Homes is more comfortable in winter-- Our Alexandria climate is delightful in January/February. July, not so much. My showing survival kit contains Gatorade and deodorant in July for a reason.

4) You can see more of the house in winter-- The above picture was taken in late May. Note the lush bushes around the foundation. In addition to helping the environment, such growth is great for hiding foundation cracks and other defects. This time of year buyers get an unobstructed view of the home.

The time to purchase a home is when you are ready to purchase a home. Ducks in a row in late winter? Give me a call and we will have you in your dream home before the Easter bunny arrives!

Bayou Properties Realty is proud to announce that Susan Rogers has joined our office. She brings with her a wealth of experience working as a REO listing agent. From rural mobile homes to 350k executive estates, she has brought a wide range of properties to the market.

I met Ms. Susan way back in 2001 when my family moved to the area. Ms. Susan was a first rate professional and had a great personality to boot. She guided my family through the purchase process all the way to a smooth closing.

When she reached out to us last Fall I was excited to say the least! Welcome aboard Ms Susan! The Bayou Properties Team is honored to have you. Now if I can just get her to join ActiveRain...