This blog should be read by all renters out there.
What do you pay in rent per month?
YOUR ANSWER HERE
For that price there is a good chance you could be building equity instead of paying the mortgage of someone else.
Sure there are responsibilities that come with home ownership. Also, I understand that home ownership is not for everyone. BUT...many of you out there are throwing money away every month instead of investing it into a home of your own. I just showed a client a home today. The home is updated and in good condition. After crunching some numbers, we determined he would pay around $450/mth to live there and OWN the home. This included his taxes and insurance. Now all circumstances are different, but I just wanted to make a point of how affordable home ownership can be.
Have questions? I can help answer them. Contact me and I will help you along the real estate path.
Todd Jones - Realtor, ABR, SRS, OA
It has been a awhile since I have posted. It is hard to find a happy balance with all of the social media options out there. Part of this blog is to state my feelings, but the other is to hear what YOU out there think about the social media outlets that are currently available.
What works for marketing and advertising and what doesn't? 
What brings you leads?
What wastes your time?
Everyday it seems something new pops up. My social media beginnings started out on myspace. I must admit, I do not frequent this venue much anymore, but it did get me started in the social media realm and together along with slide helped me to get my real estate listings on-line to reach a broader audience.
Active Rain helped me and is still helping me connect with fellow Realtors across the country and, at least for me, has brought me leads, from other Realtors. I know non Realtors are reading my blogs and I know that helps spread the word and my name.
Another great professional site is LinkedIn. This site helps connect you with business referrals across industries and helps you build a network between them.
Facebook has launched my real estate marketing in another direction. I have been able to post links to my listings and highlight homes. Another great thing about Facebook is that I can virtually pass out 5 business cards a day and let others know what I do for a living. I have been able to connect with old friends and make new business acquaintances.
Recently I have been getting requests to join MyLife. Just a few days ago I created a profile to check it out. I have not spent too much time on the site yet, but it looks like a good tool for networking.
Anyway, this is what I have been doing to market myself and my clients. Now it is time to hear from YOU out there. Share your knowledge, and together, lets sell homes!!
Todd Jones - Your Clarks Summit - Scranton Realtor, serving all of Lackawanna County.
I will give you a one word answer...BUYERS. Homes are still selling well in th
is part of Northeast Pennsylvania. Rates are still extremely low. Buyers are in the driver's seat because their options are endless. If sellers do not put their best foot forward they are in trouble. Sellers need to be very aware of a few things. The first is price. It is human nature to always think that YOUR home is worth MORE than it actually is. Despite agents performing a market analysis and providing comparable sales, sellers 8 out of 10 times will say "I know you say my house is worth $150,000, but I want to list it for $175,000." This outlook has got to change. If you are a seller and you are priced too high, the buyer has another 5-10 equally comparable houses to choose from. The competition is fierce in this market. Another thing sellers have to keep in mind is that the house needs to be in its best condition for each showing. Take a tip from FlyLady.The first impression is huge.
With that being said, if your home is priced right and is neat and clean, it will sell.
Buyers are realizing that now is the time. People who were casually thinking of buying are now seriously looking at homes. These rates are not going to last forever. Smart buyers know that and are acting now.
Looking to buy or sell??
Todd Jones - Selling Scranton and Clarks Summit Real Estate. Serving all of Lackawanna County
Let me start by saying I know many people reading this are in fact part time agents. With that being said I appreciate your input on this topic and would love to hear your point of view. I think the dissension among part time Realtors all started within the last year as the media had been bashing the overall real estate market. Let me also say that I still believe it is a great time to buy and sell locally. You can read my last blog for more info on that.
A few days ago my local paper started a series called "Facing Recession" and they started by zeroing in on real estate. They picked part time agents who did well when the market was booming a few years back and now are not getting sales as easily as they were before. These agents are not in the top of the ranks among the local market and some have other jobs and or are pursuing other jobs. They all sulked about how bad the economy is and that they can't stay afloat.
I don't understand why the paper would search out part time agents. Does the paper want to strike fear into the people of the community. Why can't they advertise that rates are very low, houses are readily available, and that Scranton was just listed by Money Magazine as the 7th fastest growing real estate market?
My thought is this...Would you interview the guy working at Best Buy 4 hours a day 3 days a week and say to him how are electronic sales this year? Does he really know? Does he really care? Why not ask the full time employee who is invested in the business, has company stock and is interested in the latest electronic gadgets?
Back to the articles on "Facing Recession," do these agents think this negative view on real estate is going to help them pick up more clients? Would you want to work with a Realtor who says he hasn't sold anything in months?
If you are a potential buyer or seller of real estate, do your homework. Make sure you choose a Realtor who works full time and takes his/her business seriously. Don't work with someone who is not invested in his/her career.
Looking to buy and sell in the Clarks Summit, Scranton area? Give me a call! www.realestatebytodd.com
Check out Scranton's good news from Money Magazine
What can it be???
Maybe it is because Scranton is home to The Office.
Maybe it is because the cost of living is relatively cheap.
Maybe it is because of our many universities.
Maybe it is because Scranton residents aren't buying in to the national media's negative outlook on real estate. I bet this wonderful news will barely make the media spotlight. That is why I feel compelled to share it with all of you.
If you live in Scranton or the surrounding areas, now is the time to buy and sell. The market is doing great. Homes are affordable and people are buying them.
I specialize in helping people sell their homes in the Clarks Summit and Scranton area of Lackawanna County. I can help you with all of your real estate needs. Buying or selling, give me a call.
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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