June 26, 2008
Cottonwood Chronicle
Linda Kaschmitter Joins Assist 2 Sell

Linda Kaschmitter has joined Team Assist 2 Sell.  Assist 2 Sell is a National franchise which originated in Reno Nevada in 1987.  Because of its new and unique marketing strategies it is currently one of the fastest growing discount real estate companies nationwide with over 630 offices in 44 states and Canada.  Each Assist 2 Sell offices are independently owned and operated.  All agents are members of the Lewis-Clark Association of REALTORS.  The Lewiston office has been nationally ranked in the "Top 5" producing offices for "small markets" 3 years in a row. 

Linda has been a licensed realtor for 12 years and is currently working on her Associate Broker License.  Linda along with her husband Kevin have lived in the area for most of her life.  They have 3 grown children and 7 grandchildren.  If you would like more information about Assist 2 Sell you can call the Lewiston office at 208-798-7822 or call Linda Kaschmitter at home 208-962-3672 or her cell 208-983-6771.  Check out the web site www.lewistonclarkstonhomes.com.

Taking advantage of a growing segment of the real estate market, Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty and Vicki L. Brubaker, a professional real estate auctioneer and agent, have teamed up. Together, they will sell homes and commercial properties listed with the Toledo and Waterville, Ohio, Assist-2-Sell offices through live real estate auctions.

"In greater Toledo, the market for residential and commercial auctions is rapidly growing. We're hoping to create more buzz around our listings and believe this trend will help us sell homes faster," say Tom and Kim Greive, owners of Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty.

Brubaker has been a professional auctioneer and REALTOR® for more than 20 years. Her experience includes estate auctions, car sales, private auctions, livestock, charities, farm land, commercial, farm machinery, antiques and business closeouts. She graduated with honors from the World Champion College of Auctioneering and has a master's degree in certified auctioneering. Brubaker has also won the Seneca County, Ohio, "Woman of the Year" award for women in business.

Says Brubaker, "Real estate auctions are a great opportunity for would-be homeowners to buy a house in Toledo and the surrounding areas for a great price. Auctions are also a great option for business owners who want to buy commercial property. A wide variety of real estate comes up for auction so buyers have a lot of options."     

For more information, including a schedule of upcoming auctions, call Assist-2-Sell at (866) 234-7871 or e-mail info@shop4toledohomes.com, or visit http://www.shop4toledohomes.com/. Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty is located at 5950 Airport Highway, Suite 12 in Toledo, and 18 North Third Street in Waterville.

Assist-2-Sell Buyers & Sellers Realty is owned by Tom and Kim Greive. The Waterville office opened in October 2004 and the Toledo office opened in August 2005. Assist-2-Sell, North America's Leading Discount Real Estate Company(SM), provides home sellers with full brokerage services for a low, flat fee, saving consumers more than $800 million in real estate commissions.[1] Home buyers also have access to a full range of services, including Assist-2-Sell's exclusive listings database. All brokers and agents are fully licensed and REALTORS®. 

[1] Savings based on statistics since Jan. 1, 2000, for all Assist-2-Sell offices in North America compared to paying six percent commission. Six percent used for comparison purposes only. Commissions may be negotiable and are not fixed by law.

Susan Jacobs and Dave Crumby, owners of Assist-2-Sell offices in Manassas, Va., and Tempe, Ariz., respectively, were featured in a recent MarketWatch article about the importance of pricing a home. 

06/08/08
MarketWatch
Making the Cut: Five signs that it is time to trim the asking price on your house
Amy Hoak

Sluggish housing markets are filled with listings that are lingering on the market, prompting many home sellers to ponder a price cut.

A seller's reality check may come after the listing produces very few showings or a prospective buyer is lost to a competing -- and lower-priced -- home down the block.

"It's a very price driven market," said Mike Golden, co-founder and co-principal of @properties, a Chicago-based real-estate brokerage. No longer are buyers letting their emotions interfere when they decide to buy a home -- they're looking for deals, he said.

Many sellers whose homes are sitting on the market without a buyer in sight had unrealistic expectations from the start, real-estate agents say. "We still have sellers who are in denial of the market and don't want to price properties where they need to," said Susan Jacobs, broker/owner of an Assist-2-Sell brokerage in Manassas, Va. Her clients are often shocked to learn how much prices have fallen.

How can sellers tell if their homes are overpriced? Look for the following signs:

1. Not enough showings
A home is likely overpriced if it doesn't get any showings in the first couple of weeks it's on the market, Jacobs said.

Even more proof a price cut is needed: people are interested enough to take information from brochure boxes in front of the home and there have been a substantial number of hits on its Web site listings but buyers still aren't scheduling showings, she said. A real-estate agent will often have access to data on how many hits an Internet listing gets.

If a home doesn't make a buyer's "showing cut," and people don't think it's worth the time, hassle or gas to deserve a look, it's likely overpriced, said Dave Crumby, broker/owner of another Assist-2-Sell brokerage in Tempe, Ariz.

"If you can't get people into your home, it's highly unlikely that it will sell," he said.

2. Some showings, but no contract
Perhaps the number of showings isn't a problem, yet there still have been no offers.

"If you're getting showings but not getting a contract, that means you're still not quite low enough," Jacobs said. "You're close, but there's so much competition out there."

Consider this guideline from Becky Flores, a real-estate agent at a San Antonio-based Keller Williams brokerage: "10 showings and no offer or two weeks with no showings, you are probably overpriced for the current market. This is true especially in this very competitive market," she said in an email.

3. Similar homes are now selling for less
In markets where the median price is falling, it's important to regularly monitor what homes are selling for, Golden said. Real-estate agents should provide clients with up-to-date information on the market to determine whether the home is still priced correctly.

"Historical data isn't quite so powerful anymore. You have to look at what is selling now, and what it is selling for," Golden said.

In Phoenix, there's a big difference between the average price for active listings and the average price for pending sales, Crumby said. Monitor pending sales daily, and make sure your home is competing well with the homes that buyers are taking action on, he added.

4. Repeated negative feedback
If buyers who do walk through the home have the same negative reactions to it, that could be another red flag that the price needs to be dropped, Jacobs said.

Buyer feedback, collected from a real-estate agent, may reveal that other houses in the same price range have updated kitchens or bathrooms and the home in question hasn't kept up with the times. To address the disparity, sellers can either remodel or cut the price.

"You can sell anything anywhere. If the price is right it will sell," Jacobs said.

5. You've cut the price, but not by enough
If a price cut is in order, don't cut by small increments. Several smaller decreases could make a seller look desperate, but a larger decrease will generate more interest, Flores said.

"A $2,000 price reduction is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Even on a $100,000 house, I'd lower by $5,000 at least, if it isn't moving," she said.

Again, a big mistake is pricing the home too high from the start, real-estate agents said.

Not only could overpricing lengthen the time on the market, but it could also cause the home to sell at a greater discount in the end, agents said. That's because prospective buyers often get the impression that there's something wrong with stale listings or, worse, buyers assume the seller is desperate and willing to accept a much lower price.

"Your first three weeks are critical -- you'll have your most showings with the most potential, qualified buyers, those that are out there waiting for something that matches their needs to come on the market," Flores said. "Don't blow it by overpricing."

In Sunday's edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, two home buyers detailed their recent home buying experience in a regular column called, "The Search."  In the article, the home buyers recognized Michele Feeley, owner and principle broker of Assist-2-Sell Buyer & Seller Realty Center, as being key to their success and instrumental in helping them find their dream home.

June 1, 2008
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THE SEARCH: Family goes from one dream home to another
By Marcia Killingsworth

Our house hunters:

Married for 30 years, Chicago natives Dan and Aimee Scanlan moved to Atlanta last year with their two daughters, Jessica, 19, and Molly, 14. Dan is regional manager for Tuff Shed, a provider of installed storage buildings and garages, while Aimee manages the family. Back in Chicago, Dan designed and built their dream home, so they were very particular about what they wanted in this house: an open floor plan, golf course view and a large garage, just for starters.

The process:

A mutual friend recommended Michele Feeley of Assist-2-Sell Buyer & Seller Realty Center in Newnan. Feeley introduced the Scanlans to Newnan's SummerGrove development and they loved it. Both Scanlans agree that Feeley was "just fantastic" and found them exactly what they wanted . . . no compromises required. Living in the area with a daughter Molly's age, Feeley was also able to help Aimee become familiar with the community and feel more connected. "She was a godsend," Aimee says.

Choice No. 1: With four bedrooms, three baths and two half-baths, this 2006 custom-built house was listed at $524,500. It was "to die for," Aimee says. "Beautiful craftsmanship." Dan was also impressed by the special touches that included a fully equipped media room and three laundry rooms, including one in the master bedroom closet. And it was right on a golf course, another plus.

Choice No. 2: Listed at $399,500, this four-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath ranch was just a year old, and all of its upgrades -- including granite in both the kitchen and kids' bathrooms, coffered and tray ceilings -- appealed to the Scanlans. They also loved the design that had all of the living space on one floor. The large corner lot across the street from a golf course and a three-car garage made this one hard to beat.

Choice No. 3: A view of a golf course was an advantage with this five-bedroom, four-bath house, making the already large lot seem even bigger. Built in 1996 and listed at $364,500, this house was "immaculate," Aimee says. Dan liked the layout that emphasized the view, as well as the gourmet kitchen and the office with its built-ins. This, too, had a fully equipped media room just right for teenagers . . . and dads.

Which home did they choose? The Scanlans chose No. 2. The open floor plan -- great room, kitchen and dining areas all connected, and all the bedrooms on one floor -- is "the type of living that we love," Aimee says. All the upgrades made it move-in ready. "It's exactly what we wanted," Dan agrees. In fact, it's very similar to the dream home they left in Chicago. "It's so comfortable," Dan says. "Every day when I get home from work, I walk in the door and it just feels like home."

Thanks to Sellsius Real Estate Blog for this tip.

I really don't like cell phone bills with a lot of extra charges, but sometimes I just have to call 4-1-1.  Which is why I think the launch of GOOG-411 is really cool!  If you need to find a business, dial 1-800-GOOG-411 (or 1-800-466-4411) instead of the standard 411.  Say the city and state and business name or type, and Google will connect you to your selection for free.  No extra charges on your cell phone bill!

Get more information, including a nice little video, at Google's GOOG-411 information page.