Joshua Jarvis

Everything goes in cycles, the world, life, the real estate market and technology. Twitter is just a new school chat room and Myspace might as well be called geocities 2.0. Well, I'm here to share with you somehting that could be the next great thing in 2009, or at least something that you want to be a part of.

What is Blitztime?

Blitztime is a platform or technology that enhances a tele-seminar by adding the abilitiy to have one on one sessions.

Basically, any event that could be enhanced by having 1 on 1 conversations should be a Blitztime sesssion.

To put it another way, it's like speed dating only with networking... like speed networking.

What do you need to participate?

1. Internet Connection - To Sign Up
2. Phone
3. To Be able to communicate effectively on the phone.

What kind of events can you attend or even host...

Sky is the limit, but here's a menu of current choices:

• Real Estate Scripts Practice Sessions (Hosted by Yours Truly)
• LinkedIn Speed Networking - Meet Your Connections
• Mastermind Events
• Industry Specific Events - HR People
  
• Location Specific Events - Atlanta Speed Networking
  
• Alumni Events
• Workshops - Social Media
• Virtual Tweetups
• Elevator Pitch Workshops

What's the best thing about Blitztime? As a member you can host your own events or attend as many events as you want.

I love it and want to connect with YOU, so that's why I am sharing it with you.

And to prove it, I'm hosting a ActiveRain Speed Networking Event on January 30th, 2009 at 2PM Eastern... All are welcome to come!

After a year full of short sales and feeling totally fed up with them, I've come full circle. I'm loving short sales for the satisfaction I get, similar to a first time home buyer. I'm enjoying the negotiations and the process... at least on the listing side. If you have short sales you want to refer, call me!

Having completed several this year, I can tell you why some short sales fail. There are two main areas:

HUD STATEMENT

• Closing times on short sales can be long. A big mistake agents make is estimating a 30 day close. Some short sales can take up to 6 months. Make sure you overestimate your closing period.
  
• Assuming that the second or third lien holder will take a certain amount. Always assume the worst. Overestimate.
  
• HUD is simply incorrect. Nothing is worse then spending hours trying to get an approval to get one and then show up at the closing only to have it change. You aren't likely to get that account manager on the phone let alone have them jump to sign off on a change at your closing. It's probably coming out of the real estate agent's pocket.
  

Word of the day, over-estimate. That goes for commission too.

BPO (Broker Price Opinion) is neglected

• The bank wants to know what the value is, so they send out a person to evaluate it. So you make it tough for them to see the inside. They do a drive by BPO and it comes in much higher than it should. Deal is dead.
  
• A lot of BPO agents don't really know the market, are you helping them understand why the price should be what it is?

Some final tips

Utilize your advocates. Is this a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac home? Call them to get them involved. The PMI companies want the short sale to happen too, get them to put pressure on the bank as well.

Short sales are a lot of work but they are far better than a foreclosure for clients.

I'll still pay referral fees for short sale referrals! Put me on your speed dial 770-374-4667.

Ask anyone who lives in the area what's Braselton, known for, it's always, ROAD ATLANTA. If you ask any racing enthusiast, what is Braselton, GA known for, it's ... ROAD ATLANTA.

Sure, Chateau Elan is here, but outside the lavish setting, the wine really "ain't" all that great.... or so I'm told.

So it make sense that Hyundai would choose this location to shoot the new commercial for the Genesis.

"For one thing the topography of the track is incredible," said Patricia Romero, Hyundai's national advertising manager. "There's a lot of turns, hairpin turns, hills --- you can really show it off. There's a lot of landscape to choose from."

The commercial will air early 2009, with sales in Spring.

It may not look it, but Jackson County is growing in leaps in bounds. Just think back two years ago and no one had even heard of a city that sounds like you are clearing your throat (Hoschton).

Now, Hoschton is home to the fastest selling neighborhood in the Atlanta Area (Village at Deaton Creek).

This post isn't about that, it's about Jackson County, GA and how fast it's growing. Still considered rural, it offers many unique opportunities. It's roughly an hour and 15 minutes outside Atlanta, but only 30 minutes from Gainesville and Commerce and Jefferson are areas full of warehouse and logistical jobs. On the other side, Winder, GA is growing as well due to it's location between Atlanta and Athens.

Yes, one day, Jackson will be swallowed by the "Sprawl" of metro Atlanta, but for now, it's a footnote on a census report as the fastest growing counties in America. Third place to be exact.

All this with a population estimated at 55K or so.

It's a constant, comment, "Where are all the deals at?" or "The prices haven't come down enough?"

My question is, "Really? Have you paid attention?"

Thankfully, I look at the market every week, whether it's Lawrenceville, Buford, Dacula, Suwanee or any area of Gwinnett, I'm looking for the best buys.

You'll have to sign up for the best buy list and be a Jarvis Team client to have access to the list, but you'll also be the first to know about homes like this beauty in Buford, GA in the Estates at Ivy Creek - A neighborhood with homes as high as $500K at one point.

This one is for sale for $241,500, with 4 bedrooms and a full basement. This community has swim and tennis and NO, it's not MY Listing, so I would represent you or your buyer (for Realtors who refer).