Linda Just

I've been out and about on listing appointments lately. Activity in the market is picking up. But we still need buyers to get off the fence. Buyers have been concerned with not overpaying because they know the appraissal may or may not come in at the offered price. It's tough trying to find out how motivated a Seller truly is in this market.

My experience has been the Seller wants their price but are willing to sit back and wait. I have motivated Sellers who want to sell and these are the Sellers I want to work with. Why would I want to spend marketing dollars on something where there isn't motivation to sell? I spend countless hours online setting up the right mix of web sites and promotions - not to mention the emails of all sorts that arrive in my Inbox. These must be answered no matter. It could be the one lead we are waiting for.

I've become more tough in qualifying my Seller just as I do my Buyers. Motivation is the key to success for both the agent, the Seller and Buyer!

Good luck to all.

www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

I'm back. Palm Beach has seen plenty of foreclosure activity. Sales of condos are up and the prices are low. It was a long, hot summer in Palm Beach. Weatherwise, we had rain almost daily. This is great and keeps hurricanes far away from us, as you can see so far.

Real estate sales have heated up. I've sold one of my properties through short sale successfully and I had the privilege of working for a couple who purchased a dream condo, direct ocean view on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale. www.tropicaldreamteam.com Feel free to search properties on my site.

It's also a great time to buy if you are an investor. Many of the properties on market have to be sold. So many bargains on properties - it's a great opportunity for anyone with some cash, good credit to purchase a bargain prices in Palm Beach County - Not only Palm Beach, this includes the many beautiful cities in Florida, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Boynton Beach, Lantana, Lake Worth. All of these cities have ocean waterfront and Intracoastal. Paradise at a bargain price.www.tropicaldreamteam.com

Now, that we are gearing up for season I will post to this blog weekly. I promise to keep you informed of the market in my area. Also, thanks for your support, Ann Allen, Birmingham, Alabama,www.activerain.com/annallen and other great Realtors on the Active Rain site.

Everyone is interested in the new Obama Health Care Reform plan. I came across an interesting Bill Moyers video of a former Cigna industry executive, Wendell Potter: www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

Linda

http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/

I hope to be able to give this information out to everyone! If you purchased in the last four years and even if you put money down on your home, you may qualify to lower your mortgage payments under the adminstrations new loan program.

The web page has a quick test to see if you may be qualified. It then gives you a list of required information. Once you gather the information you call your lender and ask if you qualify!

It couldn't be simpler! It's up to us as Realtors to get this information out to our clients as quickly as we can...

I can't think of a better way right now to help anyone who may have received a new mortgage in the recent past.

Good Luck and have a beautiful day!

LAKE WORTH INLET

As a Realtor with clients to service, I've been doing what I'm supposed to. Today, I've decided to take the time to find out what the other Realtors are experiencing and I find we share a lot of the same situations.

I've always been know to be someone who could get it done. I know how the buyers should be negotiating their offers, but they need to know the fair market value and to be shown the current comparables. It's taken the last year to get the sellers to finally listen, now we have to educate the buyers who think they can make a 'steal.' I have discussed the possible ways an offer might come their way so that I can have them better prepared. Of course, when they do get the offer it can be a little shocking.

This scenario prompted me to want to get this down on computer. This way it's may help pave the way and make it so its a Win - Win and everyone is happy!

Buyers need to know their Realtor has researched the properties they are interested in and match their criteria. Their Realtor knows and has educated the Buyer on the Pros and Cons:

• It's Buyers market, but a Buyer can't think that for $250K you can have a property priced at $500K

• We are seeing that Sellers have priced their properties accordingly and can show the fair market value.

• Negotiate to Win! Who said that...? Otherwise placing an unrealistic offer or 'low balling' is only going to possibly upset or insult the seller. Realtors make sure their Buyer receives the latest closed sales report of the area to make an educated offer!

The Buyer has to have the funds, they have to be educated about the market and how to negotiate to get the property - DON'T MAKE AN OFFER TO LOSE - MAKE ONE TO GET THE PROPERTY!

Here in our market of Palm Beach we have seen a huge amount of foreclosure activity. The bank owned property Buyer needs education in this purchase also. All should be reminded they are working with the bank. That means you are working by the banks rules too!

An educated Buyer should be able to buy. Instead, what we are seeing is their absolute confusion over the pricing. It's going to take some time to turn this thinking around.

Remember the comic: 'there oughta be a law?'...I just got through half the article on the front page in the New York Times on the bank bailout fiasco. Yet, another unbelievable turn of events. Here we are, all waiting for the banks to give money to our qualified buyers and they are not beholden to the terms of the deal. Boy, are we stupid or what?

There was a quote by one of the bankers recently in Palm Beach and explained to a 'room full of wall street analysts', his bank was not going to change it's business model to accommodate the needs of the public sector as they see it to make more loans.' The audacity!!

I would like for that banker to see for one week the difficulty people are having in their daily lives. The things people have been giving up so they can keep food on the table. Do you think this banker has ever had to do without while he continues to take home millions for himself?

Why are we always required to do the right thing but the banks are above and beyond the 'golden rule?'

This is our money, the banks should have no time whatsoever to even discuss why they are holding the money - make them begin to give it back to us as it was intended.

What are the PACS we as Realtors support doing in Washington? I call upon them to act and demand loudly so that everyone can hear. We need to let our representatives know now to pressure the banks to release the money. Call on whoever you may to enlist support but do something. Together we might make a difference.

I am a dedicated, hard working Realtor. I only want to do a good job for my clients. When my clients hire me, they made a good decision. I feel accountable. It has been very difficult to continue dialog positively on a daily basis, but I do because its the way I want to be.

Our clients, our sellers, have been waiting for months now for a buyer for their property. Congress gave the money to the banks, with our approval and we are waiting for them to do the right thing.