Malisa Spivey & Damon Crelia

Yesterday we went to a listing appointment with a seller who, one was clearly not motivated, two was a hypocrite, and three wanted something for nothing.

Sellers TOP DOLLAR = Buyers BEST DEAL

Wants Something for Nothing

Went over the comparable market analysis and laid it out for this client by letting him know what his competition was and where his house compared. Amazingly we agreed what his house need to be listed for, "I want to tell you that your marketing plan is the best that I have seen and I am sure that you spend a lot of money on the homes that you list, but...I need to sell this house and make money so, the way I see it, maybe you could list my house for 4 percent which needs to include closing costs, or maybe you could you could find a buyer to swap with me".

Clearly Not Motivated

"I don't have to sell my house, I am just looking at all my options, I could lease it, and sell when the market is high, or maybe trade my house, actually I know that my house is going to take a buyer who is absolutley crazy and willing to pay more for the house than what it is worth."

Wow, how soon are you looking to get into this next house and what are you wanting to spend? "When I buy my next house I am going to make the seller so mad with my offer that it hurts, I want an outrageous deal".

Hypocrite

Did you read the above?

Well when we left the appointment I was kind of amazed and must of looked shocked, my partner looked at me and said "You did an amazing job, and brought up points even I was impressed with, but look at it this way, You Win Some, You Lose Some, Just be Thankful you Got to Play the Game!

Sometimes people can't see the forest through the trees, but I am proud to say that we left with our ethics in tact and our dignity because we were not going to give up everything we know and do and sacrafice our commission, just to get our sign in this persons yard. Damon's quote made me remember that this was good practice on some skills that sometimes get dusty, but boy did we polish them up yesterday!

Needless to say one lost, but so much gained. NEXT PLEASE

Downtown Waco Venues

IT is exciting to see and watch Waco Grow! There are so many awesome venues that have been added to downtown and still to come, if you are looking for night life or just a place to have good food, it can be found.

Austin Avenue's new restaurants, bars and cultural venues make a great scene for downtown nightlife. Showcasing live music 4 nights a week at Austin's on The Avenue, it is a great place to meet your friends downtown, as is the 5^th Street Ice House. The city's best fine dining experience is without a doubt at the Green Room Grille. Dinner at the Green Room and a drink at Austin's can both be accomplished either before or after taking in a musical or movie at the historic Hippodrome theater. Take in a gallery show and what is one of Waco's most exciting fine art galleries, the Croft Gallery.

If night life is not your cup of tea there are plenty of great things to do in downtown before the sun goes down. Flowers at Bloomingals, antiques and home decor at Bloom and Be Swanky or trips to Spice, The Shops at River Square and Honey's Home + Style should satisfy your shopping itch. If you are hungry after shopping all day, there are plenty of great places to eat lunch downtown. The best sandwiches in town can be had downtown. Downtown pioneers Schmaltz's Sandwich Shop and the Olive Branch, which has recently relocated to Waco Town Square, have both been around for years and new options are consistently springing up like Se Cocina which is offering up a white tablecloth twist on traditional Mexican Cuisine. Café Cappuccino also offers up local favorites for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week.

Whatever you're looking for be it living, working, playing; or all of the above it can all be done downtown.

If you are intersted in acquiring downtown Waco Real Esate, please do not hesitate to contact us (254) 638-0898 or visit our website at MoveWithIRG.com.

The good news is that we are still doing better with our average sales price than we did last year. Our numbers are looking good and all this bad news that you hear on the TV, Radio, Etc, is not really effecting Waco, Texas. If you are wanting to look at all the areas individuals numbers please feel free to click here market reports.

Big Rebound in Existing-Home Sales Shows First-Time Buyer Momentum

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RISMEDIA, October 26, 2009-Existing-home sales bounced back strongly in September with first-time buyers driving much of the activity, marking five gains in the past six months, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Existing-home sales-including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops-jumped 9.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million units in September from a level of 5.10 million in August, and are 9.2% higher than the 5.10 million-unit pace in September 2008. Sales activity is at the highest level in over two years, since it hit 5.73 million in July 2007.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said favorable conditions matched with a tax credit are boosting home sales. "Much of the momentum is from people responding to the first-time buyer tax credit, which is freeing many sellers to make a trade and buy another home," he said. "We are hopeful the tax credit will be extended and possibly expanded to more buyers, at least through the middle of next year, because the rising sales momentum needs to continue for a few additional quarters until we reach a point of a self-sustaining recovery."

Even with the improvement, Yun said the market is underperforming. "Despite spectacular gains in the stock market, principally from the financial sector recovery, most of the 75 million home owning families have more wealth tied to their homes. Home values could soon turn consistently positive and help the broad base of middle-class families, but we are not there yet," he said. "We're getting early indications of price stabilization, but we need a steady supply of qualified buyers to meaningfully bring inventories down and return us to a period of normal, steady price growth and to fully remove consumer fears, which would then revive the broader economy. Without a firm foundation for middle-class wealth recovery, the post-recession economic growth likely will be one of the weakest in U.S. history."

Early information from a large annual consumer study to be released November 13, the 2009 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, shows that first-time home buyers accounted for more than 45% of home sales during the past year. A separate practitioner survey shows that distressed homes accounted for 29% of transactions in September.

NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth, said affordability conditions remain historically high. "Potential first-time buyers can take heart in that affordability conditions this year are the highest on record dating back to 1970, but with the first-time buyer tax credit scheduled to expire at the end of next month, people could hold back from entering the market," he said. "Our read is that housing overshot on the downside because homes are selling for less than replacement construction costs in much of the country, and the home price-to-income ratio has fallen below the historical average," McMillan said.

Total housing inventory at the end of September fell 7.5% to 3.63 million existing homes available for sale, which represents an 7.8-month supply at the current sales pace, down from an 9.3-month supply in August. Unsold inventory totals are 15.0% below a year ago.

"The current housing supply is the lowest we've seen in two and a half years," Yun said. "If we could continue to absorb inventory at this pace, home prices would return to normal, modest appreciation patterns next year.

According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell to 5.06% in September from 5.19% in August; the rate was 6.04% in September 2008. The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $174,900 in September, which is 8.5% lower than September 2008. Distressed properties continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes in the same area.

Single-family home sales rose 9.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.89 million in September from a pace of 4.47 million in August, and are 7.7% above the 4.54 million-unit level in September 2008. The median existing single-family home price was $174,900 in September, which is 8.1% below a year ago. Existing condominium and co-op sales jumped 9.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 680,000 units in September from 620,000 in August, and are 9.7% above the 561,000-unit pace a year ago. The median existing condo price was $175,100 in September, down 11.7% from September 2008.

Northeast
Regionally, existing-home sales in the Northeast increased 4.4% to an annual level of 950,000 in September, and are 11.8% higher than September 2008. The median price in the Northeast was $234,700, down 7.0% from a year ago.

Midwest
Existing-home sales in the Midwest jumped 9.6% in September to a pace of 1.25 million and are 7.8% above a year ago. The median price in the Midwest was $147,600, which is 1.0% below September 2008.

South
In the South, existing-home sales rose 9.0% to an annual level of 2.06 million in September and are 10.8% higher than September 2008. The median price in the South was $153,500, down 7.6% from a year ago.

West
Existing-home sales in the West surged 13.0% to an annual rate of 1.30 million in September and are 5.7% above a year ago. The median price in the West was $219,000, which is 15.0% below September 2008.

For more information, visit www.realtor.org.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-10-25/big-rebound-in-existing-home-sales-shows-first-time-buyer-momentum/#ixzz0ViSz3IKk

Here is a wonderful list of things to do in Waco for Halloween, thanks to Kendra for typing this up! Never say you have nothing to do, because all of these activities provide something for you and the family. Get out there and support your community and most of all have fun!

List of Halloween Events and Fall Festivals in the Waco Area

Now until October 31, 2009-Kaska Family Farm Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch

•· Bring your family and friends out to the farm for some good, clean, farmin' fun for all ages. Choose a pumpkin, get lost in our corn maze, pick flowers, ride the hayride and after dark, enjoy our haunted trail, if you're brave enough! Children's activities, Concessions, restroom facilities and free parking. Visit our website for more info!

•· $7 per person, children 3 and under are free!

•· www.kaskafamilyfarm.com

Saturday, October 24, 2009-Bledsoe Miller Fall Festival

•· 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bledsoe-Miller Recreation Center, 300 MLK Blvd.

•· This is an annual program the entire family will enjoy! All ages can participate in games, crafts and food.

•· $2.00 per person

•· Contact: 254-750-8684 or www.waco-texas.com

Saturday, October 24, 2009-Safe and Spooky Community Carnival

•· 1:00-5:00pm at Waco Convention Center

•· Join the Museum and local safety and wellness organizations for a FREE Community Carnival including trick-or-treating, games, storytelling, and more! Children may dress in costumes and are encouraged to bring bags for candy and prizes.

•· FREE!

•· www.texasranger.org or call 750-8631

Sunday, October 25, 2009-Pumpkin Event at Art Center Waco

•· 3:00-6:00pm at Art Center of Waco (1300 College Drive near MCC)

•· Come enjoy apple bobbing, pumpkin carving, various games, hot dogs & drinks for sale, a pumpkin auction & a costume contest, fun for all ages!

•· FREE & open to the Public.

•· www.artcenterwaco.org/fallfestival.htm

Thursday, October 29, 2009-Halloween Carnival at Dewey Recreation Center

•· 6:00-8:00 pm at Dewey Recreation Center

•· Children are invited to join a safe, fun-filled Halloween carnival with games, candy, and a costume contest.

•· $3 per child & all ages welcome

•· Contact: 254-750-8677

Thursday, October 29, 2009-Halloween at the Pavilion

•· Come in your best Halloween costume and join the festivities at the South Waco pavilion. Prozes for best costume.

•· 6:00-7:30pm at South Waco Recreation Center

•· FREE!

•· Contact: 254-750-8650

List of Halloween Events and Fall Festivals in the Waco Area (continued)

Friday, October 30, 2009-"Halloween" Story Time

•· 10:30 am at South Waco Library, 2737 S. 18th Street at.

•· FREE story time for children ages 3-6 years old

•· For more information contact: 254-750-5942

Saturday, October 31-Central Texas Marketplace's Trunk or Treat

•· 4:00-6:00 pm-located near Panera Bread

•· Fun & Games - Spooky Inflatables

•· Costume Contest at 5:00

•· www.shopctm.com

Saturday, October 31, 2009-Trick or Treat in the Gallery

•· 5:00-8:00 pm

•· Come & see the art work and get candy and greetings from the Staff of Art Center Waco!

•· www.artcenterwaco.org/fallfestival.htm

Saturday, October 31, 2009-Zoo Boo at Cameron Park,

•· 6:00-8:00 pm

•· Adults-$7, Kids 4-12-$5, Kids 3& under-free

•· www.cameronparkzoo.com/zooparty.html

Saturday, October 31, 2009-Hewitt's 14^th Annual Children's Halloween Party

•· 6:30-8:00 pm at Hewitt Park Pavilion

•· Hot dogs, pizza, cookies, games, and costume contest

•· For children 12 & under

•· http://www.cityofhewitt.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=173