Welcome back to my video blog. I just wanted to remind you that the property tax appeal deadline is fast approaching. Your application must be postmarked by Dec. 31st.
If you have any questions or need help with your petition, please give us a call. We can compile some data to support your case. We want to be your real estate resource.
Welcome back to my video blog! I can’t believe the holiday
season is upon us. With that, don’t forget to change your clocks back on
November 3rd!
There have been a lot of things happening in the real estate
market. Just a couple weeks ago it seemed all we heard about was the government
shutdown. While the government is back up and ‘running’, the impact of the
shutdown still remains.
Because of the shutdown, rates were up to almost 5 percent,
but they recently dropped down to about 4.25 percent; making now the time to
buy and refinance.
You might be considering selling. Is now a good time? The
answer is yes! A lot of sellers have taken their home off the market, leaving
very little inventory. That means less competition for you!
After the first of the year, we are going to have a hot
streak, meaning there will be an abundance of listings. Don’t wait; sell now!
If you have any thoughts of selling, give me a call. We can
evaluate your home and whether now is the time to sell for you!
Watch on your mobile device >> The real estate market is changing quickly here in the Portland area. That’s why we at Spring Realty keep our fingers on the pulse of our real estate market, network with other Realtors, and continually brainstorm about new strategies. The latest news is that now is a fantastic time to sell. We have low inventories in the Portland area. And the great news is that buyers haven’t figured it out yet! We often can get you top dollar because we have more buyers than homes on the market. So if you’ve contemplated selling in the last couple of years without success, pick up the phone and call us. It likely will be a different story this time around!
As I sat through the conference among colleagues from around the nation
and enjoyed the newest teachings of Mike Ferry, I couldn’t help but
think about how the concepts could serve the purpose of improving my
business life. For three days, the focus was entirely on how to build a
strong base of customers for life. The retreat, taking place in
gorgeous Southern California, is one that many Realtors look forward to
and a place where other top-producing agents have a chance to confer
with each other as well.
The three ideas taken from this retreat are simple concepts that have an
amazing positive impact on the business and personal outlook on anyone
that chooses to pursue them. They may seem overly simple to you but once
you implement them wholeheartedly as I plan to in every area of my
life, I am sure you will see the results that I can’t wait see as well.
Communication
If you were to poll millions of clients across the board about their
biggest complaint about their agent, you would find the most prevalent
gripe people wish to be changed is lack of communication. Even with
today’s technology, allowing real-time communication and paving the way
for even more communication-friendly avenues, there are still myriad
real estate agents (and other businesspeople) that just do not stay as
connected as their clients would like.
From here on out, I pledge to engage in weekly communications with our
clients that have active listings as well as continue to remain
connected with those that we have served in the past or hope to work
with in the future.
Empathy
Even though the current economy is hard on business of all types, there
is no excuse for anyone not to truly care about those that are the very
reason for their success. I see it happen a lot in many establishments
where the underlying theme seems not to be customer service oriented,
rather it is along the lines of simply cashing in on the next commission
or paycheck.
We will continue to do business the way we have always done – with
genuine regard for our clients’ needs. Rather than being judgmental we
will continue to serve with the utmost integrity and conviction –
working so that you, our client, are successful in your endeavors – no
matter how big or small they may be. Our goal is and always has been to
be real with our clients – and nothing changes on that end.
Quality
This is a big one. Without quality, what really sets anyone apart from
the rest? Even then, the world is constantly more competitive and ever
challenging in this regard. As Mike Ferry pointed out, the quality with
which we do things will improve everything else – across the board.
Whether this means paying more attention to detail, providing more
choices and solutions to fit the varied needs of our clientele or simply
focusing on doing a better job – all of it is paramount to maintaining a
strong connection with our customers.
We will do exactly that. We will pay more attention to detail, listen
to your needs and work to provide the perfect solutions according to
your requirements. Rather than be egocentric, our goal is to continue to
be customer-focused while providing the best quality of service.
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With these new, yet age-old wisdoms I will implement a new and improved
outlook throughout our offices. Whether it is the level of
accessibility I provide to our clients, the genuine emotion with which
we embrace our customers’ needs or the pinnacle of quality that myself
and my staff owe to you, we pledge to do it and do it well. I also
invite you to share with us any ways you feel we could perform better in
these or any areas. We look forward to hearing from you!
Now
that we are well into 2013, there will be some changes to our real estate
outlook with some familiar programs back in action. With all the talk about the
impending Fiscal Cliff, it is no wonder that homeowners everywhere are
wondering how the outcome will impact them individually. Here are three recent
changes and/or updates to the programs available out there that will have a
significant impact on our marketplace this year and moving forward.
Mortgage Debt
Forgiveness Act Extended Through 2013
On
the minds of many homeowners that have mortgages falling short of the current
value of their homes, the Mortgage Debt
Forgiveness Relief Act was set to expire on December 31, 2012. Among the many
issues discussed within Congress during the last few hours of 2012 was the
extension period of this important tax relief for distressed homeowners.
Primarily as a means to help consumers faced with hardships overcome their
financial difficulties when they incur forgiven debt – the Act serves to waive
tax implications on what otherwise would be considered taxable income.
Private Mortgage
Insurance Tax Relief Now Applies to Fiscal Years 2012 and 2013
Each
year millions of homeowners look forward to the tax relief that comes with
being able to write off their private mortgage
insurance premiums.
By the end of 2012, no one was sure the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012
would be extended to include the coming year. Once again, at the final hours of
negotiations the Act was extended through fiscal year 2013 to allow homeowners
paying private mortgage insurance to deduct that amount when filing their
income taxes.
Capital Gains Tax
Rates Increased from 15% to 20%
A
topic of confusion for many, the capital gains tax increase set for higher
income levels is more lenient than most people realize. Though the theory is
that this increase in tax impacts individuals and households with higher income
levels, the truth is the income and gains cap is relatively high. The capital
gains tax increase will only apply to individuals earning an Adjusted Gross
Income of $400,000 or more. Furthermore, people in these income brackets will
incur the capital gains tax only on income earned above and beyond the cap which
is $250,000 or more for individuals and $500,000 or higher for households.
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If
you would like to discuss these or any other issues in the real estate
marketplace or if you are considering buying or selling a home – contact us
today! We would love to help make your real estate dreams become a reality!