Mark Hall Vancouver Washington Real Estate

Dear Home Seller, Is Your Agent Taking You For a Ride?

When choosing an agent to list your home, what factors are the most important to you?

Did you know that most people, when asked this question, will say that the listing price is one of the most important issues? Those people could be making a huge mistake. Here is the reason why-

Realtors® know that money is a huge issue for the seller. Some agents will try to "buy" a listing by telling the seller that they can get a price that is higher than the market is supporting. Their scam is to get a seller to list their home with them for an inflated listing price and then to ask them for a price reduction at a later date.

This tactic can be dangerous and costly to the seller for several reasons. The most obvious reason is that if the seller begins to make plans based on the inflated listing price, then they may make obligations that they will be unable to fulfill. This is very frustrating for sellers.

The most costly problem that this creates is the fact that the home is overpriced and sits on the declining market for longer than necessary. If a home is worth $400,000 and spends an extra month or two listed in a market that is declining 3% per month, the seller is losing about $12,000 per month!

Don't be fooled by the agent who comes to the listing appointment with a CMA that shows your home's value to be $20,000 or $30,000 higher than what the market suggests. We always shoot straight with our clients even when the truth means a lower price than they expect. We don't believe in misleading a seller just to get the listing and then asking for reductions later.

If you list with an honest agent at a reasonable price then the only ride that you should be expecting is a ride to the escrow office to sign the closing papers.

Photo credits - Mark Hall all rights reserved - When you choose us to handle your Vancouver WA real estate needs, you choose a team of realtors® who care about you and your family. Buying or selling a home is always more enjoyable when you work with professionals who will listen to your needs and who will work together with you to achieve your objective. We are very familiar with all types a real estate in Clark County and we specialize in Vancouver, Ridgefield and Battle Ground. We are also very experienced with new home and custom home construction having assisted several local builders in selling new neighborhoods in the Vancouver Washington area. Additionally, we have helped numerous families build their own Vancouver WA dream homes. We are dedicated to helping you make intelligent, informed decisions and to providing you with exceptional service. Go to www.ernw.org for more information. See our video here. This post written by Mark Hall all rights reserved. Dear Home Seller, Is Your Agent Taking You For a Ride? Vancouver WA Real Estate

Buying Your First Home Should Be Fun - Not an adventure!

Our friends at Wikipedia define Adventure as follows:

An adventure is an activity that comprises (perceived) risky, dangerous or uncertain experiences. The term is often used in reference to physical activities that have some potential for physical danger, such as skydiving, mountain climbing, and extreme sports. However, the term also broadly refers to any enterprise that is potentially fraught with physical or psychological risk, such as a business venture, a love affair, or other major life undertakings.

As real estate agents, Janice and I don't think that words like dangerous or uncertain should be associated with a real estate transaction and the risks involved with activities like skydiving and mountain climbing should left to extreme sports enthusiasts.

To protect our clients, we write all of our contracts with the highest levels of protection available. All contingencies are included and the dates are tracked. We are proud to say that we have steered our clients clear of pitfalls and have never had a client fall into harms way during a transaction. We believe in words like safe and troublefree!

Are you looking fro a new home or do you know someone who is looking to buy a new home? Don't leave your financial well being in the hands of someone who you met at an open house. Their primary responsibility is generally to the seller. You need an agent who is dedicated to getting you into your new home in the safest manner possible.

Whether you are working to get your first time home buyer's $8000 tax credit or you just think it is time for a new house, we are here to help you.

Call us today for a free no obligation consultation.

Photo credits - Mark Hall all rights reserved - When you choose us to handle your Vancouver WA real estate needs, you choose a team of realtors® who care about you and your family. Buying or selling a home is always more enjoyable when you work with professionals who will listen to your needs and who will work together with you to achieve your objective. We are very familiar with all types a real estate in Clark County and we specialize in Vancouver, Ridgefield and Battle Ground. We are also very experienced with new home and custom home construction having assisted several local builders in selling new neighborhoods in the Vancouver Washington area. Additionally, we have helped numerous families build their own Vancouver WA dream homes. We are dedicated to helping you make intelligent, informed decisions and to providing you with exceptional service. Go to www.ernw.org for more information. See our video here. This post written by Mark Hall all rights reserved. Buying Your First Home Should Be Fun - Not an adventure!

Vancouver, NOT BC. Washington, NOT DC!

It seems that some of us Vancouver residents (Vancouverites? uh, Vancouveronians?) are suffering from an identity crisis. We don't know who we are and we aren't sure what to do about it.

The Columbian reports that "Clark County needs a new brand. Led by an economic developer at the city of Vancouver, they're launching a seven-month, zero-budget effort to agree on a new logo, phrase and "story" that somehow tie together this half-rural, half-suburban swatch of Southwest Washington."

Personally, I like Vancouver Washington just the way it is. I like to think of it as our little secret. Beautiful scenery, no state income tax, awesome schools, great fishing and hunting, and just 10 minutes from everything that Portland has to offer...

Don't tell anyone. It will be our little secret!

Photo Credit - Mark Hall all rights reserved - When you choose us to handle your Vancouver WA real estate needs, you choose a team of realtors® who care about you and your family. Buying or selling a home is always more enjoyable when you work with professionals who will listen to your needs and who will work together with you to achieve your objective. We are very familiar with all types a real estate in Clark County and we specialize in Vancouver, Ridgefield and Battle Ground. We are also very experienced with new home and custom home construction having assisted several local builders in selling new neighborhoods in the Vancouver Washington area. Additionally, we have helped numerous families build their own Vancouver WA dream homes. We are dedicated to helping you make intelligent, informed decisions and to providing you with exceptional service. Go to www.ernw.org for more information. See our video here. The Great Identity Crisis! Vancouver Washington

The Value Of A Good Belt

I have had this belt for almost 25 years. It wasn't expensive. As a matter of fact it was free. Well, not really free. You see, I found it.

I was rock climbing in 1983 when I found this belt wrapped around a tree in Malibu Canyon. It looked as though someone had used it to secure a climbing rope and rappel down the face of a boulder. I have had it ever since.

For the past 25+ years, this old belt has served me well. It has been with me in France, England, Germany, Switzerland, and Mexico. Holding up my pants has been the least of the services that it has provided.

I have used it to lash surfboards to the top of a van during a surf trip in Mexico. On the same trip I used it to strap my surf bag shut when the airlines broke the zipper.

I have used it strap the door shut on an old truck of mine when the latch broke.

I have used it to strap a sleeping bag and other miscellaneous items to my backpack .

I have used it as a shoulder strap to carry my snow skis.

I have used it as a sling for my djembe drum.

I have even used it to lash dive equipment to the deck of my sailboat on a few trips across to Catalina.

So, what does an old belt have to do with real estate?

As Realtors®, we are that old leather belt! So many people that think that our profession is one dimensional. Buyers think we just find the house. Sellers think we just plant a sign and enter it onto the MLS. Those are the least of the services that we provide.

We determine the value of the home and council the client accordingly. (Buyers and Sellers)

We negotiate the deal with our client's best interest at the forefront of our actions.

We schedule and coordinate every aspect of the transaction from the first showing through closing, and beyond!

We protect our clients throughout the transaction. We write the contracts with contingencies in place to protect them at every stage.

We renegotiate the deal at every opportunity to make it better for our clients.

I could go on and on, but I think that you get the point. Our job is to make the transaction as trouble free for our clients as possible. When we do it right, our clients just might keep us around for 25+ years!

Photos taken and copyrighted by Mark Hall

When you choose us to handle your Vancouver WA real estate needs, you choose a team of realtors® who care about you and your family. Buying or selling a home is always more enjoyable when you work with professionals who will listen to your needs and who will work together with you to achieve your objective. We are very familiar with all types a real estate in Clark County and we specialize in Vancouver, Ridgefield and Battle Ground. We are also very experienced with new home and custom home construction having assisted several local builders in selling new neighborhoods in the Vancouver Washington area. Additionally, we have helped numerous families build their own Vancouver WA dream homes. We are dedicated to helping you make intelligent, informed decisions and to providing you with exceptional service. Go to www.ernw.org for more information. See our video here.

Green Drinks November Events

Here is the latest event list from my firend, Laura Sauermilch, at Green Drinks:

Greetings all,

We had such a fantastic time at Friday's party. We wanted to quickly say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who made this tremendous party possible!

We're breaking our 2 email rule this month to bring you this special email about some great November events! (Including a couple this weekend)

November's Green Drinks 5 minute spiel will feature Ryan Ojerio from the Washington Trails Association (WTA.) The WTA promotes hiking and trails through advocacy, education and volunteer trail maintenance. As WTA's regional coordinator for SW Washington, Ryan supports a growing community of volunteers who help maintain trails from the Columbia River Gorge to Mt. Rainier. For information on WTA events, work parties and fresh trip reports visit www.wta.org or contact Ryan at ryan@wta.org (360) 722-2657 for more information.

We are still settling the venue, so stay tuned! We'll email out more details as well as post them to our new Facebook page!

Facebook Page update:

We've FINALLY taken the plunge and created a Facebook page. Laura and I will update this page as often as we can, but it would be great if you could stop by, become a fan of our page and add some insights, suggestions, comments and pictures, if you have them! (There's already some pretty awesome pictures up from last Friday's party and the One Year Anniversary party!) Go check it out!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=191637759223

November events:

Friends of Trees planted over 300 large street trees in Vancouver last year and we want to plant more this year! Join our popular group of key volunteers! Sign up for our free training to learn how to lead volunteer planters at morning tree plantings. As a trained crew leader, you'll guide a crew of volunteers at four plantings during the fall and winter. It's a great way to make new friends and find out why volunteers love our crew leaders! Contact Greg at gregt@friendsoftrees.org or 503-282-8846 ext. 12 to reserve your space at the training. November 7th in Vancouver or November 21st in Portland, 9am til 4pm.

Join the team to save Salmon! The StreamTeam plants native trees, monitors local water quality and wildlife to save salmon. All of the training and equipment is provided for each event. No experience is needed. Upcoming StreamTeam events include November 7th, November 21st and December 5th. To join the team contact Lisa Beranek at StreamTeam@clarkpud.com or visit www.StreamTeam.net for more information!

November 12, 2009

How to Manage Invertebrates in Garden Soil

6:30 - 8:00 p.m., Columbia Springs (Swift Classroom), 12208 SE Evergreen Hwy, Vancouver, WA 98683. Invertebrates are an important part of soil and a healthy garden. Learn more about how to encourage and host the beneficial ones, and explore some chemical-free ways to deter the ones you'd rather not share your garden with. Cost: FREE. RSVP here.

November 14, 2009

Backyard Composting Workshop

10:00 - 12:00 p.m., CASSEE Center, 11104 NE 149th St, Brush Prairie, WA 98606. Learn how you can turn those autumn leaves into compost. This two-hour class covers the how-to basics and science of home composting. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Cost: FREE. RSVP here.

The annual Clark Conservation District Plant Sale is now open. Order native plants for low maintenance landscaping, to use in a rain garden or to attract native wildlife. Prices start as low as $0.60 per plant. Need help finding native plants for your yard? Use this helpful site! Order your natives now and pick them up in February. Order deadline is February 12th. For more information, visit the CCD website or call 360-883-1987, extension 5.

Finally we'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the various sponsors/partners that helped make the Costume Party such a huge success. Stop by their websites and show them a little love from the Green Drinks crew, won't you?

Clark County Habitat For Humanity ReStore http://www.pdxrestore.org/

Izze Sparkling Juice http://www.izze.com/

The River City Band http://www.rivercityband.net/

Applewood Northwest Bistro and Catering http://www.applewood.net/

Computer Reuse Education and Marketing (CREAM) http://upgradeyourcommunity.org/http://upgradeyourcommunity.org/

Greenly,

Terra Heilman and Laura Sauermilch

Photo courtesy of Jaime Olmo - When you choose us to handle your Vancouver WA real estate needs, you choose a team of realtors® who care about you and your family. Buying or selling a home is always more enjoyable when you work with professionals who will listen to your needs and who will work together with you to achieve your objective. We are very familiar with all types a real estate in Clark County and we specialize in Vancouver, Ridgefield and Battle Ground. We are also very experienced with new home and custom home construction having assisted several local builders in selling new neighborhoods in the Vancouver Washington area. Additionally, we have helped numerous families build their own Vancouver WA dream homes. We are dedicated to helping you make intelligent, informed decisions and to providing you with exceptional service. Go to www.ernw.org for more information. See our video here. Vancouver Washington Green Drinks