Lynn Tardibuono

Adding to Your Social Networking

How to Boost Your Twitter Following

How many of you marketers out there are actively using Twitter? What would Twitter even add to your business? Is it a sure way of bringing in new leads or is it just the newest online fad that will eventually die down? From a marketing perspective it almost doesn’t matter what the intended function of Twitter may be, just as long as it gets your brand name out, right? In the article I read this morning titled “How to Boost Your Twitter Following” Katherine Tarbox gives some great pointers on how to utilize Twitter fully.

So how is it that people get so many followers?! I understand for famous big hitters getting followers takes no effort on their part, but what about for a single individual or a company? Starting at ground zero on any marketing trend is difficult so where do we begin with Twitter? Tarbox suggests “following 100 people a day for a month. Nine times out of ten the person will reciprocate and follow you back” out of politeness and/or actual interest. So who should you follow?

If you’re in a business begin by following other in the local community that are in the same business. Follow your clients, referrals, colleagues, past clients and other associates on Twitter. Your Twitter base needs to show that you’re a local expert and have lots of connections with others in the community.

After you’ve sufficiently built up a good Twitter database you can slow down your follows to about ten to twelve per day. Make sure you keep up some level of maintenance in following new people and by the end of the year you’ll most likely be followed by thousands.

Lynn Tardibuono – Flipper Chick- Real Estate Agent and Co-Owner of Sun Pacific Mortgage and Real Estate. Serving Sonoma County since 1988. Her number is (707)523-2099 and you can also visit the website at http://www.sunpacmortgage.com.

Success in Your Business

The Five Steps That Will Get You There

Business owners of today all face the same problem, some better than others. How do you create an effective business plan and measure your success? I can’t tell you how many times I have heard “we’re planning to schedule that” or “it’s on the to-do list”… how do we move from terms like “going to” and “will get done” to “here’s exactly how this is going to work”? I found a great list of a step by step game plan to help you business owners out there get on track. The article is titled “5 Critical Steps for Your Business Plan” written by Rich Levin.

The five main steps are complete a simple plan, reduce your key projects, create a schedule, schedule time to review progress and instill a numbers consciousness.

Step one: Complete a simple plan. A simple plan answers your questions like “what do you want your real estate career to do for your life this year?” and why that’s important. How will you measure your success? Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly? Once you have a clear set of answers to these questions of where you want your business to lead you can better understand how to make these things happen.

Step two: Reduce Your Key Projects. To make any business plan work you have to sluff off what you may not NEED and get down to the essentials of how to reach your goals. Take a good hard look at your website and see, as a consumer, what the pros and cons are. Sketch out a list of what you don’t like and get detailed instructions on how to fix them. Next you have to work out a marketing plan. EVERYTHING is now online and if you’re not by now, it’s about time. Next you need to systematically launch your improved site and your ad campaign for marketing.

Step three: Create a Schedule. Having goals is all fine and grand but if you don’t create deadlines and schedule your progress you’ll be without a reference point. This ensures that you will complete your steps. Schedule benchmarks for yourself and choose one day of the week at the same time of day to work on each particular project.

Step four: Schedule a Time to Review Progress. You must always take the time to evaluate hard data on new leads brought in, people who saw you online or liked your new webpage…you have to see what works and what you should invest more or less of your time in. You are weighing the value and progress of your projects so think analytically about this one.

And Step five: Instill a numbers consciousness. Statistic statistics statistics… these are essential to success in business. You must weigh and measure your progress quantitatively and objectively. This means you look at your numbers at the end of EVERY week and adjust your game plan for next week.

As you get more accustomed to these five steps you will slowly boil it down to a science that works specifically for your business. This is how I’ve gotten my business more and more successful over the past 20 years.

I provide hard money loans and private money loans to people in need of financing and refinancing their Real Estate. You can’t be in business for over 20 years like I have without building a good business sense and being able to measure your success and create bigger goals for yourself. I hope you found some of this helpful and useful and can apply it to your own work agenda!

For the whole article click this link.

Lynn Tardibuono – Flipper Chick- Real Estate Agent and Co-Owner of Sun Pacific Mortgage and Real Estate. Serving Sonoma County since 1988. Her number is (707)523-2099 and you can also visit the website at http://www.sunpacmortgage.com.

Housing Relief Plan and Banks

How They’re Going to Start Helping the Market

The good news continues and I’m feeling more and more confident about the housing market by the day. Two fantastic pieces of news fell into my lap this morning that have me feeling very hopeful…

We all know that banks, especially in this past year, have not been doing their due diligence toward their borrowers and potential borrowers. These two articles are the latest updates about banks moving forward to try and fix the problems they’ve caused for many homeowners and first time homebuyers.

The first article is by Krista Franks Brock and is titled “Housing Crisis to End in 2012 as Banks Loosen Credit Standards”. For obvious reasons this caught my immediate attention.

So far the analytics firm has noted an average acceptable credit score of 700. It is a bit steep and is higher than the required score prior to our housing crisis, and many are struggling to get their credit up to that score. However, there is hope with other loan programs available such as Hard Money Loans or Credit Union portfolio loans….. so desired homeowners can still take advantage of this housing market.

Several other great points the banks are going to start hitting are as follows:

·Banks are now lending up to 3.4 times a borrowers earnings; up from 3.2, the low during the crisis.

·Banks are loosening LTV ratios (loan-to-value) which “Capital Economics denotes the clearest sign yet of an improvement in mortgage credit conditions”. LTV percent was at 74%, a low of mid-2012 and is now pushing upward of 82%.

· In November of last year 8% of contract cancellations “were the result of a potential buyer not qualifying for a loan”. Because of this credit conditions in the bank have loosened slightly.

All of this sounds fantastic, but how do we know the banks will follow through with their promises? I present to you the second article of today’s discussion titled “Obama’s Housing Relief Plans for Servicemembers and FHA Borrowers” by Esther Cho.

One proviso that was included in the news conference was “servicemen who were foreclosed upon since 2006 reviewed, and if any are found to have been wrongfully foreclosed upon they can receive compensation equal to a minimum of lost equity, plus interest”. This is fantastic news!

Not only this, but there will be 10 million dollars set aside to go into the Veterans Affairs fund to guarantee loans on favorable terms. This plan also includes plans for FHA borrowers to get refinanced at much lower costs. The current premium on this loan is at 1% and will be reduced to .1% which is a huge difference and will have an impact. “The administration estimates 2-3 million FHA borrowers will be eligible” for this relief.

The links for both articles are listed below if you wish to read further.

Article one: http://www.linkedin.com/news?actionBar=&articleID=5567733516482908167&ids=czcTc3wSdzcOdPkMd3oPczwRdiMUdPcQcjkMe34PcPkMej8Oe3kRb38Sc3sTdPANc3kMcjcNejATdjkIdPkSe3sUdz4UdzwOdz0QdPsRdiMTdz4Uc3AOe3gScjkPcPsTdzkR&aag=true&freq=weekly&trk=eml-tod2-b-pub-0&ut=2Ue3ZCN8k4AB81

Article two: http://www.linkedin.com/news?actionBar=&articleID=5567733516482908167&ids=czcTc3wSdzcOdPkMd3oPczwRdiMUdPcQcjkMe34PcPkMej8Oe3kRb38Sc3sTdPANc3kMcjcNejATdjkIdPkSe3sUdz4UdzwOdz0QdPsRdiMTdz4Uc3AOe3gScjkPcPsTdzkR&aag=true&freq=weekly&trk=eml-tod2-b-pub-0&ut=2Ue3ZCN8k4AB81

Lynn Tardibuono – Flipper Chick- Real Estate Agent and Co-Owner of Sun Pacific Mortgage and Real Estate. Serving Sonoma County since 1988. Her number is (707)523-2099 and you can also visit the website at http://www.sunpacmortgage.com.

Rise in Rent... Time to Buy?

In the past several months the real estate market has been changing dramatically to say the least. The good news is the market is only getting better and will continue to do so. The bad news is that rent for non-homeowners continues to increase with the market. Could this be the sign many renters need to toss in the renting towel and buy a home?

Here in California there are two areas whose rent-to-income ratios will be strongly affected in the upcoming months: Los Angeles and San Francisco. This could lead to many more homeowners in this area or outlying areas such as Sonoma County…. Good news!

If anyone DOES want to get a home while paying the same or less monthly payments, yet has poor credit or other loan qualification difficulties, then CALL ME for a HARD MONEY LOAN as these have helped many, many homeowners take advantage of this house market.

For the whole list of rapidly rising income-rent ratios take a look at this site for the stats.

Lynn Tardibuono – Flipper Chick- Real Estate Agent and Co-Owner of Sun Pacific Mortgage and Real Estate. Serving Sonoma County since 1988. Her number is (707)523-2099 and you can also visit the website at http://www.sunpacmortgage.com.

12 Great Real Estate Tips

Guaranteed to Work!

We are well into the first quarter of 2012 and it seems, as predicted, that the market is on the verge of an upward spiral again. There have been numerous signs economically and within the market that point to greener pastures in the real estate business this year – for everyone. As I’ve said before, the market is in a unique and interesting place…

Until now it’s been almost entirely a Buyer’s market; prices are affordable, interest rates are down to rock bottom and competition has been low. However, in recent weeks it’s been quite the opposite with competition getting heavier and heavier. Offers are rolling in fast for homes and Listing Agents are trying to keep up!

Here’s a nifty list of tips for home sellers. I hope this will help you with your clients.

1. Price your home right First:

In the past sellers have made a habbit of brushing off many home buyers and holding out for a better offer. No dice anymore! This strategy, if being used, needs to be cut off immediately.

2. Put Your Best Footage Forward:

Make your homes sparkle for your clients! Spackle, paint, scrub, bleach, perfect, plant.. etc. None of these are particularly expensive but will make your home look perfect for your potential buyers.

3.Be Flexible:

Be prepared and ready to negotiate and offer extras with the deal. Remodeling work, appliances, closing costs.. all of these can be thrown in with the bundle to make your deal the best deal your client can get. LISTEN to what your potential buyers want and need in their home and RESPOND accordingly.

4.Trump Your Techno-Fears:

Get up to date on your social media and online networking. Everyone goes online to look for just about anything, especially homes and real estate services. Get your brand up on Cragislist, Facebook and ActiveRain among others.

5.Don’t Fall Prey:

Be sure to make yourself aware of ‘fraudsters’ out there who are targeting distressed homeowner with false ‘deals’ that can sound legitimate. Make yourself familiar so you can also warn your clients about these possible online predators.

6.Finance 101:

Take into account how difficult FHA and 30 year fixed interest loans are to get these days. Because of this consider financing alternatives, cash offers and pricing flexibility. It’s tough out there and buyers may feel frantic and out of options. Meet them halfway and let them know you care enough to not let them lose their potential new home.

7.Be Your Own Spokesperson:

In essence, be genuine. Above all that genuine caring and willingness to work things out will get your client in the right home and another home sale under your belt. Also be ready to answer potential home buyers questions about the neighborhood, schools, pros and cons to that area… etc.

8.Fight to Quality:

What about your home is qualitative and durable? Is it made of brick or concrete and steel? Is it near a hospital, university or central business district? Highlight your assets, all of your assets.

9. Expand Your Buying Universe:

Broadening your scope is always a good idea, especially when buying homes your clients will fall in love with. This is especially the case with short sale homes and fixer uppers. Shop around! Don’t dismiss any options and don’t settle on any one specific category of home either. Make yourself available to expansion.

10. ‘Site Unseen’ equals shortsightedness:

Keep in mind that value estimates can vary to extremes on both ends, both overpricing and underpricing. However when you go to reputable real estate organizations or appraise a property yourself there are sometimes too many variables to get a correct appraisal. Go ahead and get the firsthand professional appraisal to make life a little easier.

11. Expand Your Buyer’s Due Diligence:

There’s always a list of financial details, contracts, disclosures and protections you typically make your client aware of as common courtesy in business.. but here’s a few more to add to your list. Make your client feel comfortable and confident that you’re the right choice for them and your home is perfect:

Hire a title company to check the house for liens and tax arrearages.

Hire your own inspector, it’s always the safest.

Have the inspector check for unpermitted work like illegal additions and garage conversions.

Consider overall energy efficiency and have the house tested through PG and E.

Be sure the property lines are accurate to the inch.

12.Make a Quality-of-Life Due Diligence Check list:

Go the National Sex Offender Public Website at Nsopw.gov to search for neighborhood predators your clients should be aware of.

Spend some time around the neighborhood, talk to the neighbors and get their take. Make not of anything that may sway your potential buyers one way or the other.

These are all great ways to really be in tune with no only your own motives, but also your clients. They’re the ones buying the house afterall, right? Hope you found at least one of these tips useful and can get started on your own checklists for your clients.

For the full article and all the tips click this link.

Lynn Tardibuono – Flipper Chick- Real Estate Agent and Co-Owner of Sun Pacific Mortgage and Real Estate. Serving Sonoma County since 1988. Her number is (707)523-2099 and you can also visit the website at http://www.sunpacmortgage.com.