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 <title>ADDvantage&#39;s Real Estate and Flat Fee MLS Hot Topics Blog</title>
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  <title>ADDvantage&#39;s Real Estate and Flat Fee MLS Hot Topics Blog</title>
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 <item><title>International buyers are looking for your Orlando Florida MLS listing</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111215International-buyers-are-looking-for-your-Orlando-Florida-MLS-listing.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111215International-buyers-are-looking-for-your-Orlando-Florida-MLS-listing.asp</link><pubDate>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:55:53 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[According to the public search site for Orlando and surrounding Central Florida area MLS, MyFloridaHomesMLS.com, 15% of their website traffic is from international visitors!  What does this mean for by owner sellers in Kissimmee and Orlando as well as Lake, Polk, Volusia and Hillsborough counties?  It means that if you want to get seen by international buyers, you need to be in the Mid-Florida Regional MLS system.  &#60;br /&#62;
Thinking FSBO is the appropriate route to sell your home in Central FL?  This could be the worst decision possible.  Selling your home as a For Sale By Owner in Orlando would be similar to a presidential candidate campaigning by putting signs up in his own home’s yard and telling a few friends about his intention to run for office.  Or maybe this candidate takes it one step further and puts his message on a website or two that is not seen by all voters.  &#60;br /&#62;
In this analogy, the MLS would be the equivalent to a registered voters’ public website.  But what is the MLS?  The MLS is where all agent listed homes and flat fee listings are displayed for other Realtors and ultimately by the public via the public versions of the Multiple Listing Service such as Realtor.com.  Whether the buyer is a Floridian or an international resident, they are going to utilize the most efficient way to search for homes online.  In some cases they will contact an Orlando real estate agent and that agent will do the actual searching.  But the agent certainly isn’t going to look for homes for their buyer by driving around and looking for FSBO signs.  In fact, that contradicts everything the Realtor stands for since the agent expects to earn compensation for bringing the seller a buyer.  Agents expect to receive somewhere around 2 or 3% to do so and generally speaking, For Sale By Owner sends the message of:  “NO COMMISSION OFFERED TO AGENTS.”    Central Florida real estate agents only locate Florida homes for their buyers via the MLS.   &#60;br /&#62;
Not giving your central Florida property exposure on the Orlando area MLS and in turn, internationally searched sites such as MyFloridaHomesMLS.com and Realtor.com, drastically reduces the odds of your home being seen by national, international and local Florida buyers.  Flat fee MLS listing is the best option for sellers who want to cut the commission costs but still get the same exposure as a full service listing. When you list your home on GetMoreOffers.com, your flat fee listing gets advertised on hundreds of real estate sites in addition to the MLS.]]></description></item>
<item><title>Could December actually be a good time to start your Florida flat fee MLS listing?</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111215Could-December-actually-be-a-good-time-to-start-your.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111215Could-December-actually-be-a-good-time-to-start-your.asp</link><pubDate>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 01:49:31 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[It’s that time of year again…as we approach the holiday season, many people are spending time shopping for gifts, going to parties and traveling.  However, some of our flat fee listing sellers are preparing their homes to put on the market in anticipation of the “snowbird buyers” heading south.  Some northerners who visit relatives or friends in Florida have plans to buy or search for real estate while they are here and some property sellers want to capitalize on that.  &#60;br /&#62;
Listing flat fee MLS gives sellers the ability to spontaneously put a house on the market on their own schedule without the pressure of a real estate agent whose motivation is usually self-centered. At GetMoreOffers.com, our 4 Florida Flat Fee Listing programs offer sellers every level of service so that sellers can choose what they need.  Some sellers think that simply putting a For Sale By Owner sign in front of their home is enough to lure a buyer but the vast majority of buyers are finding homes online these days.  Especially out of state buyers who are looking for property in Florida.  These property seekers are typically browsing real estate from an MLS site of some kind such as Realtor.com.  They will then make contact with the seller or agent once they arrive in Florida.  &#60;br /&#62;
The only way to achieve exposure on publicly viewable MLS listing sites is to list with a full service agent or list flat fee on the Multiple Listing Service through a company such as GetMoreOffers.com.  This is because the data feeds directly from the local Florida MLS.  Whether the property is in Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Pensacola, Tallahassee or Tampa Bay, all listings will appear on Realtor.com because it is the direct national public link to search MLS listings.  Buyers can search for homes on the MLS online, see virtual tours in many cases, view photos, research the local area and much more.   So by the time they reach Florida, they have done their homework and are ready to begin viewing the homes.  Flat fee listings are seen by these buyers just the same as any full service listing listed in the MLS.  &#60;br /&#62;
There really is no wrong time to list your home flat fee MLS.  But if you think the end of the year is hopeless, think again.  Remember the snowbirds and if you do, you might just be the early bird catching the worm!&#60;br /&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Get Same Exposure for Your Real Estate Listing Without Paying 6%</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111114Get-Same-Exposure-for-Your-Real-Estate-Listing-Without-Paying.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111114Get-Same-Exposure-for-Your-Real-Estate-Listing-Without-Paying.asp</link><pubDate>Mon, 14 Nov 2011 18:51:13 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[Colorado homeowners now have a better priced system available to sell their home!  Fast, efficient, affordable, and best of all, you to keep the most money when you sell your home.  With Birch Real Estate Services you’ll get a level of services not found with other flat fee companies.  Our goal is your complete satisfaction!  Traditional offices charge sellers 6 or even 7 percent of the sales price to sell the home, and much of that money goes to the big corporation with the name on your sign, not the agents at your home.  &#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
Denver and Colorado home sellers now have a new better way to have their home on the market on the same websites as the major companies, but with less money spent.  List in the Colorado mls with us and you will be found on the premier searches such as Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com.  Surprising to some is that you’ll also be found on searches done on the Remax, Coldwell banker, and Keller William sites.  Yes today is the information age in Colorado and sharing mls data is what consumers have demanded.  Now you have found the way to have buyers in Colorado see your home.  Contact us for a personal consultation of how to sell your home while netting the most money in the Metro Denver  Areas, Front Range, and Foothill communities of Colorado. ]]></description></item>
<item><title>Flat Fee MLS is the way to sell a home in Florida</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111007Flat-Fee-MLS-is-the-way-to-sell-a-home.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111007Flat-Fee-MLS-is-the-way-to-sell-a-home.asp</link><pubDate>Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:48:04 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;GetMoreOffers.com brings the best flat fee MLS plans to Florida home owners with savings anywhere from 50% in real estate commissions to paying no commissions at all if sold by owner.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Discount MLS listing with GetMoreOffers.com is not stepping down but rather stepping up customer support and Internet marketing. We discount MLS listings deeply and step up our customer service by offering our Florida Flat Fee MLS clients 8:00am to 8:00pm 7 days a week phone support.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Listing in the MLS flat fee does direct all calls to the seller but with the MLS rules, our phone number must be published as well. Many agents in Florida miss the notes in the MLS asking them to "call seller directly for all showings and appointments" but when they do call our office we stand ready to assist. My professional staff promptly assists the caller with the seller's contact information and then emails the seller the agent's or buyer's information.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Flat Fee MLS is popular in Florida because it allows the seller to control everything about their MLS listing on the fly with our super easy to use seller control panel. We are Internet Flat Fee MLS marketing company making your MLS listing stand out on sites such as Realtor.com, GetMoreOffers.com, Zillow, Trulia and hundreds more real estate websites.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;When it comes to getting good advice on pricing your home and negotiating contracts, many flat fee MLS clients use Professional ADDvantage™. This discount full-service MLS listing plan has all the benefits of a full-service listing but without the 6 month listing commitment or the 6% price tag. Sellers save 45% in commissions when using our premier flat fee MLS plan Professional ADDvantage™.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;As broker for ADDvantage with over 27 years as a real estate broker, I have come to specialize in getting the most out of a deal. I have impressive negotiating skills that work well to get you the most for your Florida home. I find negotiating a deal the best part of my day. I love my work and my flat fee MLS reviews support my efforts.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The art of negotiating is a combination of patience and knowledge. Getting the right buyer is the key to getting the right sales price. To get the right buyer, you need the right listing price. My how to price a home video explains in detail how I recommend pricing a home. Having the right price allows me time to find the best buyer.  Knowing when to lower a price is also the key to maximizing the sale. With a Professional ADDvantage™ flat fee MLS listing, I know every offer and the buyer lead flow. I will often delay or not lower a listed price in the MLS because I feel I have a buyer or buyers out there still trying to buy. If are priced right, a mere drop in price is negotiating without a buyer. It's like giving money away.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;My approach to selling a home in Florida is rather simple. I know my seller, I know the market, I see the showing lead flow and ultimately I track my offers. In the end, I know what we can and cannot do. This confidence in pricing and negotiating is why you should consider listing your Florida home using the Professional ADDvantage™ list to you sell flat fee MLS plan. There are no cancellation fees and we never stop working for you.&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>MLS now open to the public for a flat fee MLS</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111007MLS-now-open-to-the-public-for-a-flat-fee.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20111007MLS-now-open-to-the-public-for-a-flat-fee.asp</link><pubDate>Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:41:17 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;Real estate MLS listing in Florida is open to the public without having to pay 6% commission to agents. 86% of all buyers are using the Internet to shop through powerful real estate websites such as Realtor.com.com, Zillow and GetMoreOffers.com.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;That's right; with a few clicks your home can be listed flat fee MLS for just . You are guaranteed professional Internet marketing, a listing in your local MLS and excellent phone support from GetMoreOffers.com from 8:00am-8:00pm, 7 days.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;We reinvented real estate to be in favor of the seller. We have built the technology that gives you the power to list your Florida home in the MLS by owner, all 100% online.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;But, we don't call it "by owner" but rather Flat Fee MLS because unlike with a FSBO listing, you will actually get the exposure you need since your property will be listed in your local the Multiple Listing Service that all agents use. In the MLS this type of listing is referred to as “limited service.” This means sellers represent themselves in offers or contract negotiations.  Much like a "by owner", you will have the freedom to sell to an unrepresented buyer and pay no commissions. But you will also have the benefit of advertising the property to agents via the MLS and offer them a commission if they bring a buyer.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;As the listing agent, (Keith R. Gordon, Broker for ADDvantage® Real Estate Services) I remain your discount MLS broker. There are rules that come with the privilege of gaining access to the MLS, such as promptly reporting listing status changes to GetMoreOffers.  For ex, we must know right away when your property becomes contract pending and also when it is closed (sold data) so that we can comply with MLS rules.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Our flat fee MLS listing agreement provides all the protection you need regarding how we handle buyer leads, (also a video on buyer leads), what service we provide, flat fee MLS listing term, cancel anytime with no fee and what we require of the seller such as timely reportly MLS listing status changes.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;For those sellers that want me to handle their sale and still save 45% in commission, choose the Professional ADDvantage™ listing plan. You might listen to my video explaining the negotiation strategies I use and the additional benefits Professional ADDvantage™ offers.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;We make selling a home in Florida faster and cheaper. Faster because we are Internet marketing professionals and are always available 12 hours a day 7 days a week and cheaper because we are a Flat Fee MLS company.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;So when it comes to selling a home in Florida, choose flat fee MLS with GetMoreOffers.com and get it right the first time!&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>New EPA Rule Goes Into Effect April 2010- Lead Based Paint</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100728New-EPA-Rule-Goes-Into-Effect-April-2010-Lead-Based.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100728New-EPA-Rule-Goes-Into-Effect-April-2010-Lead-Based.asp</link><pubDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:13:31 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;I think this is an issue that is important to people, especially with children regarding the dangers of Lead based Paint.  As I hand out Lead based paint addendums to buyers/sellers and tenants, the danger is slight, but be aware if you start remodeling such as sanding or demolishing  walls you should take precautions. &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;div class="header" id="ctl00_pnlTitle"&#62;EPA's Lead Paint Rule&#60;/div&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule governing the work of professional remodelers in homes where there is lead-based paint took effect April 22, 2010.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The rule addresses remodeling and renovation projects disturbing more than six square feet of potentially contaminated painted surfaces for all residential and multifamily structures built prior to 1978 that are inhabited or frequented by pregnant women and children under the age of six.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;It requires a cleaning inspection after the work is completed and grants the remodeler flexibility in determining the size of the work area, which can reduce the size of the area subject to containment.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The EPA rule also lists prohibited work practices ? including open-torch burning and using high-heat guns and high-speed equipment such as grinders and sanders unless equipped with a HEPA filter.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Additionally, the rule establishes required lead-safe work practices, including posting warning signs for occupants and visitors; using disposable plastic drop cloths; cleaning the work area with HEPA vacuuming and wet washing; and individual certification through a training course.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The full rule and brochures for consumers and renovators can be downloaded from the EPA’s Web site.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;A 2006 NAHB study on lead-safe work practices showed that a home was better off after a remodel than before, as long as the work was performed by trained remodelers who clean the work area with HEPA-equipped vacuums, wet washing and disposable drop cloths.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;&#60;strong&#62;&#60;em&#62;Summary of the Rule&#60;/em&#62;&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Review the points below for a quick summary of the new EPA lead paint rule.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;&#60;strong&#62;1.     &#60;/strong&#62; &#60;strong&#62;Training and Certification&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Beginning in April 2010, firms working in pre-1978 homes will need to be certified. Firms need to complete the application for certification and submit a fee of $300 to the EPA.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Along with the firm certification, an employee will also need to be certified as a Certified Renovator. This employee will be responsible for training other employees and overseeing work practices and cleaning. The training curriculum is an eight-hour class with two hours of hands-on training. Find an approved trainer by search the directory of EPA-approved training providers.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Both the firm and Certified Renovator certifications are valid for five years. A Certified Renovator must take a four-hour refresher course to be recertified.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Learn more about the responsibilities of a certified firm and certified renovator.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;&#60;strong&#62;2.     &#60;/strong&#62; &#60;strong&#62;Work Practices&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Once work starts on a pre-1978 renovation, the Certified Renovator has a number of responsibilities. Before the work starts this person will post warning signs outside the work area and supervise setting up containment to prevent spreading dust. The rule lists specific containment procedures for both interior and exterior projects. It forbids certain work practices including open flame or torch burning, use of a heat gun that exceeds 1100&deg;F, and high-speed sanding and grinding unless the tool is equipped with a HEPA exhaust control. Once the work is completed, the regulation specifies cleaning and waste disposal procedures. Clean up procedures must be supervised by a certified renovator.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;&#60;strong&#62;3.     &#60;/strong&#62; &#60;strong&#62;Verification and Record Keeping&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;After clean up is complete the certified renovator must verify the cleaning by matching a cleaning cloth with an EPA verification card. If the cloth appears dirtier or darker than the card the cleaning must be repeated.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;A complete file of records on the project must be kept by the certified renovator for three years. These records include, but aren't limited to: verification of owner/occupant receipt of the &#60;em&#62;Renovate Right&#60;/em&#62; pamphlet or attempt to inform, documentation of work practices, Certified Renovator certification, and proof of worker training. NAHB believes that record keeping will be a major enforcement tool for the regulation.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Beginning in July, remodelers are required by EPA to share a copy of records developed under rule requirements with the customer withing 30 days of completing the remodeling work.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;&#60;strong&#62;4.     &#60;/strong&#62; &#60;strong&#62;Exemptions&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;It is important to note that these work practices may be waived under these conditions:&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;ul&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;The home or child occupied facility was built after 1978.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;The repairs are minor, with interior work disturbing less than six square feet&#60;sup&#62;&#60;font size="2"&#62; &#60;/font&#62;&#60;/sup&#62;or exteriors disturbing less than 20 square feet being exempt.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;The homeowner may also opt out by signing a waiver if there are no children under age six frequently visiting the property, no one in the home is pregnant, or the property is not a child-occupied facility. The EPA has released an amendment to the rule that revokes the opt-out waiver. This change is expected to take effect in early July. Learn more about changes to the rule.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;If the house or components test lead free by a Certified Risk Assessor, Lead Inspector or Certified Renovator&#60;/li&#62;
&#60;/ul&#62;
&#60;strong&#62;
&#60;p&#62; &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;EPA Delays Enforcement on Rule Training and Certification&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;/strong&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has delayed enforcement actions regarding training and firm certification requirements against remodelers under the Lead: Renovation, Repair, and Painting rule until October 1.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The EPA released the enforcement delay memo on June 18, explaining that contractors who have enrolled in Certified Renovator training with an EPA-approved training provider by September 30 will not face enforcement, as long as the training is completed by December 30.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;However, the EPA will continue to enforce against violations of the work practices stipulated in the rule. Remodelers will still need to give consumers the pre-renovation pamphlet (&#60;span style="color: #810081"&#62;Renovate Right&#60;/span&#62;), set up containment, avoid prohibited practices, conduct cleaning, and complete cleaning verification.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;This delay of enforcement is a win for NAHB because it had long contended the EPA lacked enough trainers nationwide to prepare remodelers for the regulation and had failed to implement an awareness plan to remodelers about the rule. NAHB had sent letters to EPA requesting enforcement delay and spoke to members of Congress about problems with the rule implementation. The memo acknowledges that the EPA created the delay due to concerns raised by the regulated community.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Read the full enforcement delay memo.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;NAHB also released a press release applauding the EPA's decision to delay enforcement of the lead rule.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Remodelers can search for an EPA-approved training provider or can contact their local home builders association to find Certified Renovator training sessions.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Remodeling firms must also become EPA-certified by submitting a form and $300 fee&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;&#60;div&#62;&#60;/div&#62;&#60;/div&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Whether I represent the seller, buyer, or I am a transaction broker for my flat fee MLS service, I am a "professional messenger", not Superman</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100726Whether-I-represent-the-seller-buyer-or-I-am-a.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100726Whether-I-represent-the-seller-buyer-or-I-am-a.asp</link><pubDate>Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:29:53 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;My story today is about why some buyer's agents, don't get their jobs. Seems too many buyer's agent seem to believe that when they offer advice to their buyers about making an offer they seem to put the superman cape on and go on a mission of making offers that are unrealistic and are not in the best interest of their buyer.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Just last week, an offer came in on one our flat fee MLS listings where I do the negotiating. We call this type of listing an Professional ADDvantage™ listing because I represent the by owner MLS seller from contract-to-close.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;This Realtor, a buyer's agent, called and said an offer was coming. I said great! I quickly asked the agent how much the offer was for. She replied $710,000. I quickly looked at the listing on our system and noticed our listed price was about $770,000. I then asked the Realtor what she thought the "BPO" (which stands for Broker's Price Opinion or fast sale value) was for this listing. She replied $740,000. The reason I asked this question was to catch the buyer's agent "off-guard" and attempt to find out some valuable information to pass along to my Professional ADDvantage™ seller.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;This BPO statement means if the sale was a short-sale (which it wasn't) you would pursue offers around $740,000 to present to the seller because ultimately the lender decides on whether or not to take the deal. A short sale takes anywhere from 70-110 days to close. Straight-sales (listings that are not short-sales), such as this listing, have more value because a buyer can close and move-in as fast as 20 days if a cash buyer or 45 days if a mortgage contingency. My point is this buyer's agent opinion of value was $740,000 but we were unsuccessful getting this deal done even at $740,000 because I believe too many buyer's agents paint unrealistic expectations for their buyer's about value. Value is in the eyes of the buyer, not the buyer's agent!&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;While I am predominately a flat fee MLS listing broker, I do work with many buyers throughout Florida because our website GetMoreOffers.com has become a prolific website for buyers. I am successful working with buyers in many cities, not just Tampa Bay where my office is located. I have short-sales pending in Miami for over $3,000,000, short-sales in Orlando for $250,000 and $310,000 and many more. I know my responsibility to these buyers and sellers. I am an "expert messenger". I list properties, I show properties, and I unlock doors and listen to my buyers. And yes, I know value. A CMA (comparable market analysis) is not the only way to gauge value.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Ultimately, very deal must get through appraisal. Whether I represent the seller, buyer or I am a transaction broker for my flat fee MLS service, I am a "professional messenger", not Superman.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Call me anytime, 8:00am-8:00pm 7 days a week. 727-942-2929 or 1-877-232-9695.&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Is Flat Fee MLS a good deal for New York consumers?</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100526Is-Flat-Fee-MLS-a-good-deal-for-New-York.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100526Is-Flat-Fee-MLS-a-good-deal-for-New-York.asp</link><pubDate>Wed, 26 May 2010 15:32:19 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;h1 align="left" style="text-align: left; margin: 0in 16.1pt 8.05pt; background: #f1f8fe"&#62;Is flat fee MLS a Good Deal for the &#60;st1:state w:st="on"&#62;New York&#60;/st1:place&#62; Consumer?&#60;/h1&#62;
&#60;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; background: #f1f8fe"&#62;&#60;i&#62;Wednesday May 26, 2010   &#60;/i&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; background: #f1f8fe"&#62; &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; background: #f1f8fe"&#62;&#60;i&#62;By: Bret McArthur&#60;/i&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; background: #f1f8fe"&#62;&#60;b&#62;&#60;i&#62;Flat Rate Realty Network® &#60;/i&#62;&#60;/b&#62;&#60;i&#62;&#60;span style="mso-spacerun: yes"&#62; is a leading Flat Fee MLS Listing provider.&#60;/span&#62;&#60;/i&#62;&#60;br /&#62;
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&#60;p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; background: #f1f8fe"&#62;Selling a Home?&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;font color="#0000ff"&#62;View Our Listing Program Options&#60;/font&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p style="background: #f1f8fe"&#62;At Flat Rate Realty Network®, we offer 3 versions of flat fee MLS listings. A "traditional" flat fee MLS listing, a "tradition flat fee MLS listing with contract-to-close representation" and "a hybrid flat fee MLS listing with contract-to-close".&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p style="background: #f1f8fe"&#62;Which flat fee MLS program is best for you? It is simple and worth your time to understand the reasons why we offer 3 levels of service.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p style="background: #f1f8fe"&#62;Our “traditional" flat fee MLS listing is called MLS Express and costs $349. You will be “self-represented" and all "buyer leads" belong to you. This one sentence explains it all! A longer definition would be that you would be responsible to negotiate all offers with Realtors® and unrepresented buyers. You would be handling about 60% of the incoming calls from Realtors® and we would handle all the Realtor.com buyer inquiries. All leads that we receive are transcribed into an email and forwarded to you from 8:00am-8:00pm 7 days a week...This includes Saturday and Sunday. Most by owners understand this traditional type of flat fee listing &#60;strong&#62;except for 3 points of significant concern&#60;/strong&#62;. First, no seller contact information is allowed in Realtor.com, just the listing broker. It is imperative that you implicitly trust that your flat fee MLS New York broker will answer their phone and forward all emails and calls that come from sources such as Realtor.com. Second, 40% of the Realtors® that see your MLS listing will not call you even though it says in the MLS under Realtor® remarks to "call Seller directly for all showings." Because they don't read these remarks carefully, they often call your flat fee MLS broker. If your MLS listing broker is not reliable to answer their calls (as most Realtors® are not/full-service or flat fee) and help these lost Realtors® with showing instructions then the result will be a lost a showing. Third, the reputation of the flat rate MLS broker is significant. Flat Rate Realty Network® holds the highest reputation among New York Realtors® because all calls have been answered live 12 hours a day since 2005. Most flat fee MLS listing services in &#60;st1:place w:st="on"&#62;New York&#60;/st1:state&#62; have dis-serviced Realtors®. Once dis-serviced, Realtors® remember these firms that have been non-responsive and may pass over that listing. Many of our listings at Flat Rate Realty Network® are Flat Rate Realty Network PLUS™ and Flat Rate Realty Network Success™. These two flat fee MLS listing plans comes with a service we call Agent Assure® where we take all calls, schedule all appointments, negotiate and close the deal. Therefore, Realtors® see Flat Rate Realty Network® as a "concierge" discount MLS broker. We are different from all other flat fee MLS business models. This creates an advantage for our sellers.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p style="background: #f1f8fe"&#62;&#60;strong&#62;Our next level of flat fee MLS is "traditional with contract-to-close representation"&#60;/strong&#62; added. Our program that offers this service is &#60;font color="#0000ff"&#62;Flat Rate Realty Network PLUS™&#60;/font&#62;. There are 3 major differences that distinguish Flat Rate Realty Network PLUS™ from our MLS Flat Rate Realty Network® "traditional" (above). One, we negotiate all offers and close the deal. Two, all calls go through Flat Rate Realty Network® (seller's phone number held private) and we schedule all showings. Three, Street Smart Flat Rate Realty Network® Realtor® E-Blast is included, although you must offer at least a 4% buyer's agent commission. And lastly, Flat Rate Realty Network PLUS™ is inputted into the MLS as an "Excusive Right of Sale Listing" (same as full-service) and not "exclusive agency" which is how our MLS Flat Rate Realty Network® and all other flat fee MLS listings are inputted. The significant benefits of Flat Rate Realty Network PLUS™ are: I can often negotiate a better and higher deal than a "self-represented" seller; Our 8:00am-8:00pm concierge phone support gets more showings and presents itself as a more professional listing to outside Realtors®; And, having an Exclusive Right of Sale listing is a better presentation to buyer's agents. (cost Not Available)&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p style="background: #f1f8fe"&#62;&#60;font color="#0000ff"&#62;The last level is our hybrid-flat fee MLS plan Flat Rate Realty Network Success™.&#60;/font&#62; The difference between Flat Rate Realty Network PLUS™ and Flat Rate Realty Network Success™ is the cost of the plan and how we handle buyer leads. With Flat Rate Realty Network Success™, our local agents work all buyer leads that come our way in an attempt sell your home. They earn the same buyer's agent commission that you are offering all agents. If you are offering 3%, that's what our agents would earn if they are successful selling your home. If another agent sells, then they earn this commission. Only one commission is paid, just like all our flat fee plans. The odds that one of our agents will sell your home are less than 5%. This is the reason why flat fee MLS is a good deal for the &#60;st1:place w:st="on"&#62;New York&#60;/st1:state&#62; consumer because listing agents seldom have the buyer! Regardless of whether our agent or an outside agent has the buyer, you will receive contract-to-close service. ($699).&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p style="background: #f1f8fe"&#62;Flat fee MLS listings are a great deal for the &#60;st1:place w:st="on"&#62;New York&#60;/st1:state&#62; consumer just as long as their flat fee broker delivers what's promised!&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62; &#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Success selling real estate in Florida using Flat Fee MLS</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100510Success-selling-real-estate-in-Florida-using-Flat-Fee-MLS.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100510Success-selling-real-estate-in-Florida-using-Flat-Fee-MLS.asp</link><pubDate>Mon, 10 May 2010 15:41:52 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;The Internet holds 86% of home buying traffic. Realtors control at least 85% of all buyers. The MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is the only way to reach the Realtors. To be successful selling real estate in Florida, you need excellent Internet marketing, Realtors (and hopefully only paying them 3% which is why flat fee MLS listing is popular) and a real estate company that understands the needs of the Realtors and sellers. ADDvantage® delivers what Florida by owners and Realtors need 12 hours a day 7 days a week.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Our specialty is selling homes without a traditional 6% Realtor fee. We offer excellent service, expansive Internet marketing and provide by owners with the best chance of selling. Choose a flat fee MLS listing service that has earned the trust and respect of thousands of Florida Realtors and by owners, ADDvantage® Real Estate.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;We are unlike any full-service or flat fee MLS service in Florida because even though we are a discount real estate service that specializes in listings homes in the MLS for a flat fee, we are a unique real estate company because we deliver more service than any other flat fee or full-service company in Florida, guaranteed.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;This is not sales puffery, it is the truth! Over the past 7 years, we have answered every call "live" with real "humans" 7 days a week from 8:00am-8:00pm. Because our service is excellent at ADDvantage®, we now enjoy an excellent reputation with our fellow Realtors and by owners throughout Florida.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;A good reputation does matter in real estate, especially in the discount real estate listing business. Many flat fee MLS listing services do a poor job servicing their clients and Realtors. Often, Realtors call the flat fee listing service for help with showing instructions, or need instructions for faxing offers or call requesting a seller's disclosure statement only to get an answering machine. Besides assisting all callers live, ADDvantage® also makes available all important client documents online at ADDvantage®. Every detail at ADDvantage® is important to us. We are determined to be the best flat fee MLS listing service in Florida and our MLS board coverage is the widest of any flat fee MLS listing service in Florida. We list homes on the MLS in the Florida Keys, Miami, Boca, Space Coast and all the way to Jacksonville, across to the Panhandle, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Ft. Myers, Naples, and Marco Island.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;To briefly explore our commitment to our clients that list flat fee with us, take a look at how we handle calls, buyer leads, Realtor showings, feedback, price changes, status changes, and the degree of our corporate organization.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Every call that that comes in to ADDvantage® requesting information or a showing about a particular property is entered into that clients account. Our system then send an email describing the nature of the call and sends the Realtor an email confirmation confirming their showing request. If it is a showing request, our MLS administrators will record the Realtor or buyers email address and all other info. Our system sends an email for feedback the day after each showing, notifying all parties of any price changes or changes in listing status.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Flat fee MLS listing services in Florida are not all the same. Our attention to detail and our excellent phone support do translate into more showings and a faster sale for our flat fee MLS home sellers. Please read our flat fee MLS listing testimonials and review our past flat fee MLS sales statistics.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;We offer three flat fee MLS listing plans at ADDvantage®. Our basic 9 month listing is $249. We also have a Realtor E-Blast marketing campaign called Street Smart ADDvantage® for $349. This plan is reserved for those sellers wishing to offer a 4% or greater buyer's agent commission. Read why this may be helpful when selling. We also have a contract-to-close listing plan called Professional ADDvantage™ which is a full-service discount listing. Professional ADDvantage™ costs $499 plus ½% at close ($699 min).&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Once a client at ADDvantage®, you will enjoy our 100% electronic sign-up and a paperless client experience. No faxing or cumbersome emails. Every change you make to your MLS listing is handled by our experienced MLS staff.  As a client, you have your own "seller control panel" to manage your flat fee listing. In your control panel you can change price, lower or rise commission, print brochures, view who has viewed your listing on our site www.getmoreoffers.com, contracts, forms, upload documents and mark the public or private and much more. We do have the most intuitive and advanced flat fee MLS listing service in Florida.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The formula for selling fast in Florida starts with saving 3% over a traditional 6% listing. Flat Fee MLS enables by owners to price their home closer to where Realtors and buyers will be motivated to make an offer. The term "appraisal envelop" is the high and low estimate of where an appraisal will come in once a home is under contract.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;In today's Internet driven market, paying 6% to a full-service agent to list a home is unnecessary. Your local neighborhood Realtor uses the same MLS and deals with the same appraisal concerns as we do. These local successful buyer's agents want to sell your home but only within 2 or 3% of the appraisal envelope. So paying 6% commission just increases your cost of selling, but not your odds of selling.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Call us anytime; we are open from 8:00am-8:00pm 7 days a week. 727-942-2929 or 1-877-232-9695. As well, you may find our smart by owner MLS selling tips to be enlightening.&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Florida By Owners control how fast they sell using Flat Fee MLS</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100504Florida-By-Owners-control-how-fast-they-sell-using-Flat.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100504Florida-By-Owners-control-how-fast-they-sell-using-Flat.asp</link><pubDate>Tue, 04 May 2010 17:11:15 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;The question home owners in Florida should ask themselves before listing their home in the MLS is, who is in control of the Florida real estate market? The buyers, the buyer's agents or the real estate companies?&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The simple answer to this question is none of the above. &#60;strong&#62;It is the seller who is in control and their listing price determines how fast they will sell.&#60;/strong&#62; This assumes all other factors that can also effect a sale such as Internet marketing, MLS listing accuracy, effective showing service and customer support are present.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;What we do at ADDvantage® is make the process of getting listed in the MLS more efficient, cost effective and provide sellers with all the tools to make selling a home in Florida without an agent more transparent. Our slogan is "Real Estate By Your Rules" and it is truly what we do.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;ADDvantage® is the most reliable flat fee MLS listing service in Florida and our testimonials and flat fee MLS sales statistics speak for themselves. We have some impressive sales statistics for the first 4 months of 2010. At the beginning of 2010, ADDvantage® had 172 flat fee MLS listings in various cities throughout Florida from Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and even very small almost unheard of cities such as Apopka. Because we offer our flat fee MLS services almost every Florida county, we don't have the advantage of market penetration in a single area but we do enjoy success selling homes over a large area. In our case, it is the entire State of Florida.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;As of May 3, 2010, we have 23 contract pending homes and closed 42 homes using our flat fee MLS listing service. Our open inventory has dropped to from 172 to 137 listings. We are selling homes faster then we are getting listings. Our flat fee MLS listings are selling fast, in part, because our sellers are in control. We offer many seller tools that are easily accessible from each seller's control panel. Sellers list their property 100% online and make changes to their MLS listings via that same control panel. Our by owner MLS sellers control their our destiny, not a listing agent. The money our sellers save using our service goes into their pockets. ADDvantage® is a sophisticated selling and marketing platform for by owner. We add excellent service offering live phone support from 8:00am-8:00pm 7 day a week service and aggressive and expansive Internet marketing. Of course, we are members of practically every Florida MLS, as well.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Assuming good service and excellent Internet marketing are not missing, then &#60;strong&#62;price is the only factor that determines whether a home is sold or not&#60;/strong&#62;. Is this statement 100% accurate? I believe it is. After 27 years as a Florida real estate broker and 11 as a flat fee MLS Florida broker, I have insight into many transactions and really know how and what motivates the market. From the buyer's agent perspective, their entire motivation is to earn a commission. They only get paid that commission if the house appraises-out and the deal closes. Buyer's agents will pass on every home listed in the MLS that is priced too high above where they feel the "comparibles" will support a sale price or offer. These buyer's agents want just one thing. A deal they can write within the appraisal envelop. If they feel the MLS listed price is too high above that appraisal envelop or after speaking with the listing agent feel that the seller is not willing to negotiate very close to that envelop, than they will likely move on.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;One of our most popular flat fee MLS listing plans is Professional ADDvantage™ where I negotiate for the seller and close the deal. This flat rate full-service plan costs $499 plus ½% at close ($699 min). It is a fast and effective way to a deal done at the higher-end of appraised value. The value of this service to the seller is I can push the buyer's agent and their buyer to offer more than they would if they deal directly with the seller. In part, because I command the respect of the buyer's agent and this typically results in a higher offer than a self-represented seller could accomplish. Buyer's agents are not a seller's best friend because they want completely the opposite of what a seller wants. By me acting as middleman to negotiate for the seller  keeps the negotiations fair.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Call us anytime, we are open from 8:00am-8:00pm 7 days a week. 727-942-2929 or 1-877-232-9695. As well, you may find our smart by owner MLS selling tips to be enlightening.&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>A true story why flat fee MLS listing in Florida is better at ADDvantage®</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100203A-true-story-why-flat-fee-MLS-listing-in-Florida.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100203A-true-story-why-flat-fee-MLS-listing-in-Florida.asp</link><pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:42:41 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;The single biggest fallacy about flat fee MLS listing in Florida is the perception by sellers that the flat fee listing service sole function is to get listed in the MLS and nothing else matters. Not service, not reliable and not reputation. Just get me listed in the MLS as cheaply as possible, the Realtors will call me directly, and I will get the extra exposure I need.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;What's wrong with this thinking is the flat fee MLS Florida listing broker is called about 40% of the time by Realtors that don't read the showing instructions correctly in the MLS. Realtors simply ignore the comment to "call seller at 305-555-2525 for showing and offers" or call the seller and get no answer.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The fact is these Realtors and buyers do call the flat fee MLS listing service when they need help. If they don't get assisted, they will not show your flat fee MLS Florida listing and you will lose an opportunity to show and possibly sell your home.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;What's even more amazing is some sellers that do receive the best flat fee MLS service possible still don't believe how important our 8:00am-8:00pm 7 days service really is. Just last week, a client of ADDvantage® that was over-priced by some 40,k and after being listed with us for 7 months actually listed with another flat fee MLS listing service on the east coast of Florida. I never heard of us ever losing a client to another Florida flat fee MLS listing service. We do lose listing to full-service agents that boast they can bring a buyer but never a flat fee service because our service is exceptional.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;By the way, when a $249 traditional flat fee MLS listing is about to expire (after the 9 month listing term) the seller can extend for 30% off the cost. Our Professional ADDvantage™ flat fee MLS listing plan is "list till you sell."&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Back to the client. I always call our expiring clients and chat about renewing their service for our discounted 20% off rate for another 9 months. This client actually thought they would do better listing their property with another flat fee listing firm. After they paid, they couldn't get that company back on the phone for 14 days...Just gone!!&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The client called us back and renewed their old listing but when our MLS Administrator went to input the listing into the MLS we couldn't because that other firm still had the listing active. I called the client and advised them accordingly that they are listed. But, if the company is not answering their phone, you will lose showing opportunities. They agreed. For the past 6 day they have been trying to get that other flat fee MLS listing service in Florida to cancel the listing but the seller can't get them to respond to email or pick up the phone. They emailed me asking for the MLS Realtor Association phone number to file a complaint.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;It is common place in the discount MLS listing business to have flat fee MLS brokers not answer their phone. To my knowledge we have never lost a client to another flat fee MLS listing service. We have been offering 8:00am-8:00pm 7 day a week service for 7 years now and continue to do so.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;What amazes me is some people just don't get it. Service and reliability does equate to more showings and ultimately a higher offer.&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Who's better at negotiating real estate contracts…A lawyer, a broker/agent, or a self-represented seller?</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100121Whos-better-at-negotiating-real-estate-contractsA-lawyer-a-brokeragent.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20100121Whos-better-at-negotiating-real-estate-contractsA-lawyer-a-brokeragent.asp</link><pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:21:28 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;Who's better at negotiating real estate contracts…A lawyer, a broker/agent, or a self-represented seller?&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Sellers and buyers want to get the best deal possible when buying or selling real estate. Got to love the Budweiser beer commercials of too light and too heavy because that is exactly what this article is about.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Let's start with the profession everyone loves to bash and that would be the attorneys. While not all attorneys' abilities and demeanor are the same, in general, they should leave certain negotiations to the Realtors and stick with the contract related issues such as which name to take the deed in (trust or individual) and other legalities that can affect their client. &#60;strong&#62;But, price is not a subject that attorneys should get involved with because they are too-heavy!&#60;/strong&#62; When things go amuck, it's generally because the attorney steps on the toes of the Realtors and advises their client on price and negotiating strategies. This is not their forte and when they do get involved, it is a hard-ball negotiating tactic to push the other side. Might this be because they are justifying their services? When negotiating, always leave a door open and never slam one shut or create an obstacle that is impassable. &#60;strong&#62;Attorneys…Too-heavy!&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Studies show that the general public trusts Realtors even less than lawyers. Supposedly,   only 7% of the US population fully trusts attorneys. So where does that leave the Realtors? Why would anyone of sound mind and body allow a Realtor to negotiate a real estate transaction? The answer may surprise you. Realtors are aggressive, smart and most of the time, know their stuff. I can speak from a position that few can do because I have over 200 listings in Florida and negotiate as many as 5 deals a week. I can tell you that while I am a skilled and professional negotiator, so are the other Realtors that I do battle with on a daily basis. Realtors fight hard for their buyer clients, do their homework, and push their cause to the extreme to get the best deal possible for their buyer. I seldom engage a nonchalant Realtor and I find them on their game. &#60;strong&#62;Realtors…Just-Right!!&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Next in line for analysis on the “Who's the best at negotiations” is the by-owner flat fee MLS seller. Flat fee MLS listings, also known as “limited service”, allow the by-owner to represent themselves in all negotiations. This is completely opposite from having an attorney or a broker/agent negotiate for you. When the by-owner allows someone else to represent them, they remain insulated behind the words and actions of a third-party. Sellers that represent themselves can quickly become trapped in a conversation about price and terms with no “dump-button” as all conversation are “live.” The self-represented seller is on the front-lines and has no back-up. Everything they say can and will be used against them in negotiations. &#60;strong&#62;Self-represented sellers…Too-soft!!&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;My advice to by-owners that self-represent when listed flat fee in the MLS is, don't do it! Upgrade your service to Professional ADDvantage™ and allow me to represent you. If you represent yourself, you are exposing yourself without representation to the most aggressive and smart independent work force there is, the Realtors. They know more than you about contracts and you will likely leave money on the table or possibly be going back-on-market with your property after 20 or 30 days because of the buyer's inability to close. As well, you might agree too fast to a deal or not know local protocol and be left with less at closing. There are always issues such as appraisal, inspection reports, addenda, pre-approval letter, dead-lines, and other matters that come up and need to be dealt with promptly and professionally.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;In conclusion, my advice is to seek an attorney when you have “tax” or “will” related issues such as closing a property in trust. Use an attorney when doing a complicated commercial deal or to review the language in a residential transaction. But, keep in mind, FAR and FARBAR contracts have been approved by the Florida Supreme Court. FARBAR contracts have been approved the Florida Association of Realtors and the Florida Bar. If you are going to represent yourself, do it for the right reasons. Some flat fee MLS “self-represented” sellers are builders, investors and others that are apt at contracts. Even the most experienced self-represented sellers need to be careful about what they say and how they engage a buyer. I see “back-on-market” all the time with even the most experienced investor-type clients at ADDvantage®. Professional ADDvantage™ costs $1050 more than our $249 self-representation plan but well worth the money!&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Considering a short sale? Short sales are free at ADDvantage Real Estate Services</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20091014Considering-a-short-sale-Short-sales-are-free-at-ADDvantage.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20091014Considering-a-short-sale-Short-sales-are-free-at-ADDvantage.asp</link><pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:25:25 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;Unfortunately many Florida homes are valued less than what's owed to the lender. The decision to short sale your home or condo depends on many factors.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Most people are concerned and confused about the credit impact of a short sale, whether the lender will come after you for any deficiencies and if the lender will accept you (and your credit/assets) as a short sale.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;These questions are somewhat easily answered. First, your credit will take “a hit” for about 4 years but far less than a bankruptcy or a foreclosure (10 years credit impact). The reason lenders prefer a short sale to a foreclosure is the turn-a-round time for liquidating their ‘bad-asset’ is rather fast for a short sale when compared with the high costs of a foreclosure.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Lender will not seek a ‘deficiency judgment’ against the homeowner for the short sale ‘short fall’ which is the difference between what you owe and the lender net return from the sale. No one will be coming after the sale like a bill collector. If that were the case, short sales would not be a viable option. We get a full release and satisfaction of debt from the lender. They may seek a promissory note from you for a fraction of what's owed (10-20 year note and a low interest rate) but not a judgment for the short fall. This is the primary reason why you would ‘short sale’ as opposed to getting foreclosed upon.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Lastly, not everyone is suited for a short sale because if you can't prove ‘hardship’ then the lender may take a position that if you want to sell, fund your own short fall and pay this negative balance at closing. Hardship is rather easy to prove for most short sales. For example, under-employed, no money, less than $50,000 liquid assets, no liquid assets, low assets, retirement, age, health, stress or mental health or rapid depletion of available assets or cash. The ones that can't prove hardship and shouldn't attempt a short sale are those people with excellent credit, good income, cash in the bank and enough cash to close the ‘bad-asset-home’ and still have a life.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;We (ADDvantage) will run your short sale for free. You can list your home online (100% electronic sign-up) at shortsale.getmoreoffers.com. We list the property as a ‘full-service short sale 6% listing’. The lender pays our commission and all your closing costs. You pay nothing unless they request a note for a portion of the deficit.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;As well, the lender will likely not pay us a 6% commission but rather negotiate our fee to 5%. We split that 5% between the buyer's agent and us as the listing agent.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Additional things to consider when doing a short sale in Florida.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Your credit will take a ‘hit’ for at least four years but better than a foreclosure. This may prevent you from buying another home for 4 years with the current underwriting practices. I fully expect these rules to change because there are plenty of excellent credit risks out there that have done a short sale. Greed in lending will return but just not to the extreme of 2000-2004.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The lender may request a note for a percentage of the short sale deficit. These days, lenders are attempting to get a note from everyone...The poor, the unemployed, and the not so poor. The more assets that you have the more they will likely want and get a note. Of course, your retort to them is ‘hardship’ and no!!! If you must give a note to the lender, make it as small as possible and fight the whole way. Notes are usually negotiated between the seller and the lender.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;If the home is a primary residence, the IRS will forgive the shortfall deficiency and allow you expunge the loss. The lenders will 1099 you for the loss or deficiency. Seems weird but the IRS looks at losses as money barrowed and not paid back and taxable. The short sale “short-fall” is viewed as “earned income” and taxable. If the home is not primary, the IRS expects to get their share of the 1099 gain/loss. I hope in the near future, the IRS will make deals with short sellers to lessen this tax penalty.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;There are many so called “short sale” experts offers their services and often use techniques that I do not believe are in the best interest of the seller. I do not take “any” offer to “get the ball rolling” at the lender. I want an offer that has the following:&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;ol&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;I want a buyer that will be patient. Ideally, a cash buyer, but that is unlikely. I would prefer my buyer to be investor, but again unlikely. If the buyer is an end user, then I would hope they have 120 days to hang in there. Short sales can take anywhere from  65 to 130 days depending on the lender, how many lenders are involved and the loss mitiagator assigned to the file.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;I need a buyer's agent that understands short sales especially if their buyer is an end-user because if they don't, their buyer likely doesn't understand what's going on either and that may hurt the deal.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;I want an offer/contract that matches what the lender will accept. I don't want the lender to counter our offer. I want them to accept it! Seems easy and often it is. The listing broker is responsible for setting the list price and better do their homework. The listing agent needs to do what's called a BPO (Broker's Price Opinion). This is an estimate of value that, if listed at that price, would bring multiple offers in a short period of time.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;I want a cooperative seller. The seller must be proactive and help with the short sale process. It is extremely important for the seller to be available and helpful. At times, the lender will request additional information and addendums.&#60;/li&#62;
&#60;/ol&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Getting a short sale “sold” is our specially and rather easy for us as we are the largest flat fee MLS listing broker in Florida and we sell tons of homes in Florida for many reasons. We have excellent customer service (8:00am-8:00pm 7 days a week), give excellent pricing advice to our sellers (we always recommend listing at the ‘market’ and leave no room to negotiate), we are very good at Internet marketing (Yahoo, MSN, Realtor.com, Homes.com, GetMoreOffers.com, BargainNetwork, AOL, Craigslist and hundreds more sites.) We are members of 25 Florida Realtor Associations and list home for sale in Miami, The Florida Keys, Naples, Marco Island, Amelia Island, Jacksonville, Ft. Myers, Tampa Bay, Gainesville, Ocala, Daytona, Tallahassee, The Florida Pan Handle, Orlando, Weston, Ft. Lauderdale, Sarasota, and just about every small city in Florida.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Please don't be concerned that my office is in Holiday, Florida because I represent sellers in every Florida city as all my work is done by email and phone.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Call me any time and I would be glad to answer any questions that you may have. 727-942-2929 or 1-877-232-9695.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Or, go to shortsale.getmoreoffers.com to list your home free and 100% online!&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Write a Story About Your House, Not a Fact Sheet</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20091005Write-a-Story-About-Your-House-Not-a-Fact-Sheet.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20091005Write-a-Story-About-Your-House-Not-a-Fact-Sheet.asp</link><pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:55:04 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62; Often times when I'm looking at advertisements for houses for sale, they often seem boring.  Why not &#60;strong&#62;write a story about your house, not just a fact sheet.&#60;/strong&#62;  &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;After all, if you are a buyer, you are probably looking through tons of inventory.  After a while, it all looks the same.  Why not entice the buyer with something different.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Here are a few idea when writing that perfect copy for your advertisement...&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62; &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;ul&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;&#60;strong&#62;Gather your facts. &#60;/strong&#62; &#60;/li&#62;
&#60;/ul&#62;
&#60;p&#62; &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Think back to when you were a buyer looking to move.  You probably went through lots of different houses to get to the one you live in now, right?  So what was it that made you buy your house?  Think about what features you were looking for and why they were important to you.  Was is the proximity to the shopping?  Was it the "A" rated schools that you wanted to provide for your children?  &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62; &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;ul&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;Now write your story.&#60;/li&#62;
&#60;/ul&#62;
&#60;p&#62; &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Be creative and think about what a buyer would be interested in.  Think about EVERYTHING.  Write out how you spend your time there.  Here's an example...&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p style="padding-left: 30px; "&#62;Welcome home!  When my husband and I were looking for a home, we know we wanted a safe neighborhood to raise our children.  We knew right away we found the perfect home when we pulled in the driveway.  We love this house.  We have two children and they made friends almost immediately.  The first day we moved in, we had our new neighbors bring us food and welcome gifts.  So sweet!  We love how close everything is.  Knowing that the school is right around the corner makes it easy for the kids to walk home.  There is a farmer's market we love going to every Saturday morning.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p style="padding-left: 30px; "&#62;This home has everything we wanted.  We wanted a home that had an open floor plan and lots of light and open space.  We like to entertain and this house is perfect for that.  The kids have their own playroom away from the living room, so we can enjoy ourselves if we want a little peace and quiet.  Speaking of peace and quiet, the master bathroom has a jetted garden tub and is just terrific for unwinding after a long day.  My husband loves cooking, so space in the kitchen was a must.  We upgraded the appliances and refrigerator as soon as we moved in.  The house is really well insulated, so the electric bill is really low.  We both have allergies, so we installed all hardwood flooring as well as upgraded the filter on the air conditioner.  Outside, we have a pretty maintenence free yard.  The landscape is easy to keep up with and is perfect for the climate.  The automatic sprinkler keeps the lawn green and it has a sensor to shut off if it's raining outside.  &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p style="padding-left: 30px; "&#62;All in all, we are going to really miss this place.  We really thought this would be our forever house, but things change.  I'm sure you will find as much enjoyment as we have had.  Happy searching!&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62; &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;ul&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;&#60;strong&#62;Now advertise it&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;strong&#62;!&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/li&#62;
&#60;/ul&#62;
&#60;p&#62; &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Put it on your fliers, your web posts, your Craigslist ad.  The more people that see your story, the more they can connect with your house.  Good luck!&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Why Flat Fee Realty Doesn't Work All The Time</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090916Why-Flat-Fee-Realty-Doesnt-Work-All-The-Time.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090916Why-Flat-Fee-Realty-Doesnt-Work-All-The-Time.asp</link><pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:23:17 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62; &#60;span style="mso-tab-count:1"&#62;            Today, I was on the phone explaining how our flat fee service works to a potential customer. &#60;/span&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p class="MsoNormal"&#62;&#60;span style="mso-tab-count:1"&#62;            “Yeah, Yeah, I understand.  I tried it before, and the only thing it got me was one phone call.”&#60;/span&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p class="MsoNormal"&#62;&#60;span style="mso-tab-count:1"&#62;            I hear this quite a bit.  I understand how he feels.  When we created ADDvantage Real Estate Network, we wanted to serve the public with a program that really works.  We learn a lot from the bad apples.  Flat fee real estate is nothing new, and the longer it stays around, the more likely you are to have companies spring up that are in it to make a quick buck and ride the wave for as long as it lasts.  We feel that if we strive to do the right thing, everyone wins.  &#60;/span&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p class="MsoNormal"&#62;&#60;span style="mso-tab-count:1"&#62;            Here’s what I mean…&#60;/span&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p class="MsoNormal"&#62;&#60;span style="mso-tab-count:1"&#62;            Most all flat fee real estate companies steal buyer leads.  It’s true.  That’s how they can afford to charge you $99 and still survive until next year.  We charge $349 and deliver all buyer leads to you.  We couldn’t steal them even if we wanted to because whenever we advertise your property on the web, we include your contact information, not ours.  The one exception is Realtor.com, and that’s only because they forbid agents to display owner contact information.  To remedy that, whenever someone looks at your property on Realtor.com, if they want additional information or to schedule an appointment, they will click “view agents website” the buyer will be redirected to our website, to the page with your listing.  From there they will see your contact information.  If they choose to email the agent, our IT team has it set up to where the lead will be redirected to your email box, without us having to forward it to you each time.           &#60;/span&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p class="MsoNormal"&#62;&#60;span style="mso-tab-count:1"&#62;            For more information about how ADDvantage Real Estate Network handles your leads, see our sections on  Protecting Your Leads&#60;/span&#62;&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Get a full-price offer on your flat fee MLS listings using the advice from “pricing coach” Keith Gordon</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090824Get-a-fullprice-offer-on-your-flat-fee-MLS-listings.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090824Get-a-fullprice-offer-on-your-flat-fee-MLS-listings.asp</link><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:28:41 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;In a buyer's market, your list price is as important as the company that you choose to flat fee MLS list your home. What worked in 2007 changed in 2008, and now things are completely different in the third quarter of 2009.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;As one of the founders of the ADDvantage® Real Estate Network and a pricing coach for hundreds of flat fee MLS sellers, I recommend a combination of 4 pricing strategies:&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;ol&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;To form a basis for pricing your home, search Realtor.com for homes in your neighborhood that are comparable to yours.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;While I am not advocating wasting a Realtor's® time, I would talk with a few local full-service Realtors® and have them prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) for you. This CMA value will have a range that they will use to suggest a listing price. In a buyer's market, their suggestion is a catch-22 in that they will likely suggest listing at the lower end of the price range which will help sell faster but will also earn them their goal of a fast commission. Because you have the option of flat fee MLS listing your home, you can pass this 3% savings onto the buyer which will help you price your home at the lower end of the CMA range. Another reason to price as low as possible is that as many as 20% of all sales fall through today because short sales and bank owed (REO) properties have moved the price of available “closed sale” comparables to a level that will not support some sales contracts. Therefore, pricing your home for a successful appraisal is a consideration. Another factor is time which is not typically on the side of a seller in a buyer's market because prices have been lower every month for the past 4 years in most areas of the US. But, the good news is this trend appears to be changing.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;Next, test your listing price for reaction. Wait to see what the Realtors® and buyers do. The first gauge will be the amount of showings and the second will be the quality of offers.  When you list you home with the ADDvantage® Real Estate Network, our system sends each Realtor® an email the day after they show your property requesting feedback. Use this feedback to fine tune your price.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;Next, consider my Buyer's Market Pricing Theory that is working well in cities throughout the US including Miami, Orlando, Naples, Fort Myers, Springfield, Denver, Raleigh, and other cities. I call my theory “How to Win the Sale and Not Give Your Home Away.” Here are my thoughts…&#60;/li&#62;
&#60;/ol&#62;
&#60;p&#62;You have made an excellent choice by listing flat fee in the MLS and saving 3% in real estate commissions. Now you can pass this savings onto the buyer.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Next, &#60;strong&#62;appeal the competitive nature of the Realtors® by listing your home at a price where Realtors® scramble to be the first one to sell it and earn the offered commission.&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;I know my price theory works because I have thoroughly researched Realtors® and their motivations. I have also negotiated for 100's of by owner MLS flat fee sellers that have chosen to use our hybrid flat fee MLS plan ADDvantage PLUS™.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Buyers are only willing to pay market prices and at times slightly less than market prices to compensate them for the possibility of lower prices in the nearby future. In contrast, sellers are only willing to sell if they receive a price that they feel is not giving their property away. Sellers may have other restraints such as mortgage balances.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;&#60;strong&#62;Now, create a situation where there is excitement about your listing by listing your home at your bottom line price!&#60;/strong&#62; This strategy gives buyers hope that you'll negotiate lower with them into their comfort zones. That is why they will make you an offer. Eventually, there will be some buyer or Realtor® that likes your price and is willing to offer full-price.&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>The “price” game and how to play it so your flat fee MLS listing in Florida gets sold</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090818The-price-game-and-how-to-play-it-so-your.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090818The-price-game-and-how-to-play-it-so-your.asp</link><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:16:11 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;The “price” game and how to play it so your flat fee MLS listing in Florida gets sold&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Florida has $50,000 homes in Pasco County and $15,000,000 homes in Miami neighborhoods of Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Star Island, Hibiscus, Fisher and other areas in Florida’s diverse real estate market.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
My advice on how to price your Florida home may be interpreted differently depending on the price of your home. But, for this article, I’ll assume we are talking about homes that are $2,000,000 on down.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
I know my price theory works because I have helped 100’s of Florida sellers get their properties sold even in this challenging market. I work with Realtors every day in Miami, Tampa, Daytona, Tallahassee, Jacksonville and just about every city in Florida. I understand their motivations. &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The premise that I use in this buyer’s market is that buyers are only willing to pay market prices or slightly less than market prices to compensate them for the next drop in price even though prices in Florida seem to have stabilized.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
Sellers, on the other hand, are only willing to sell if they get a price that they feel is not giving their property away or have other restraints such as mortgage balances! &#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
Here’s the quagmire as I see it. How do you get the buyers and their Realtors to offer you a fair price? My suggestion is assume for a moment that you are negotiating with a cash buyer. After a few counters, what price would be your bottom line? &#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
Even if you do your best to arrive at a firm bottom line price, often there will remain a gap between you and the buyer. This is the gap where buyers often will not travel to because they think they are paying too much and sellers think at that price they are giving way their home. So, what’s the answer?&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
The answer comes in two parts. First, &#60;strong&#62;get the Realtors competing against one another to be the first one to sell your home and earn the offered commission&#60;/strong&#62;. It is always about the money! The way I do this is make your home attractive by listing it at the lowest price possible right from the start. Leave no room to negotiate and wait on a smart Realtor or buyer to bring you a full-price offer or very close to it.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
This pricing strategy will &#60;strong&#62;create excitement and hopefully close that price gap. &#60;/strong&#62; This strategy will encourage real buyers and Realtors to engage you with a serious or hopefully a full-price offer.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
Second, if you decide to list your home flat fee in the MLS in Florida with us, consider our ADDvantage Success™ hybrid flat fee MLS listing plan that is just like a full-service listing. This plan allows me to help you navigate better with the Realtors and I negotiate all offers for you as well. I talk with each Realtor before they show your home and guide them (actually coach them) as much as possible to bring a full-price offer. Realtors often call before showing a home and request this kind of guidance anyway. It is my pleasure to assist!&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;&#60;br /&#62;
By pricing your home this way, Realtors have extra motivation to be the lucky one and earn the offered commission.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
Call me any time and I will discuss how to best price your Florida home.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;strong&#62;727-942-2929&#60;/strong&#62;&#60;br /&#62;
 &#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Foreclosures Are Selling Quickly, Don't be late to bid!</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090814Foreclosures-Are-Selling-Quickly-Dont-be-late-to-bid.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090814Foreclosures-Are-Selling-Quickly-Dont-be-late-to-bid.asp</link><pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:08:19 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62; &#60;/p&#62;
&#60;div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"&#62;&#60;font color="#61980a"&#62;Foreclosure bargains are disappearing, here in Pinellas County and around the country, here’s a story from CNN.&#60;/font&#62;&#60;/div&#62;
&#60;p&#62;&#60;font color="#61980a"&#62;Call John Birch 727 385-6547 to get your offer in on time!&#60;/font&#62;&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
ATLANTA – Aug. 10, 2009 – Buyers of foreclosure have to be quick these days. Some houses go under contract fewer than 90 minutes after they are put on the market, says Brad Geisen, founder of Foreclosure.com.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
“For every listing that comes out, we have 10 buyers,” says Cesar Dias, an associate with Approved Real Estate Group in Stockton, Calif. Dias had 15 minutes of fame after introducing foreclosure sales tours last year. Now the tours are defunct because there are not enough homes to show.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
“We had a lot of inventory last summer. Now we’re down to 1,500 listings – from more than 5,000,” Dias says.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
In Florida, real-estate investment companies, buying in bulk and paying cash, face competition.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
Even in the hard-hit Detroit area, bargains are disappearing.&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
“For a good house that’s not too beat up in a good neighborhood, there’s no lack of buyers in this market,” says Andy Sakmar, founder of Century 21 Sakmar in Rochester, 20 miles north of the city. “There are a lot fewer of these properties than a year ago, and the super buys get multiple offers.”&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
Source: CNNMoney.com, Les Christie (08/06/2009)&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;br /&#62;
&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Short Sales look to ADDvantage Flat Fee MLS for fast professional advice and service in Florida</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090811Short-Sales-look-to-ADDvantage-Flat-Fee-MLS-for-fast.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090811Short-Sales-look-to-ADDvantage-Flat-Fee-MLS-for-fast.asp</link><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:17:11 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;I am Keith Gordon, Broker for one of the largest discount real estate brokerage firms in Florida. I offer many specialized services in Florida for sellers including flat fee MLS listings, short sales, and price consulting.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Getting your property sold using the short sale process is one of my specialties because I truly understand the process.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The 3 golden rules to establish an effective short in Florida are:&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;ol&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;Establish a accurate hypothetical BPO&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;Find the right buyer&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;Ride the short sale processor like your accountant at tax time&#60;/li&#62;
&#60;/ol&#62;
&#60;p&#62;You can trust that your short sales with receive the professional attention it needs at ADDvantage. I offer fast professional advice that you need to short sale your home anywhere in Florida including Orlando, Tampa, Miami, and Jacksonville or any city in between.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Below is a recent letter that one of my short sale Florida clients sent to me regarding a phone call to Wells Fargo. It does provide some insight into the short sale process:&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;div style="border: 2px solid rgb(153, 153, 204); margin: 15px auto; padding: 20px 0px; width: 80%; background-color: rgb(204, 204, 255);"&#62;
&#60;p&#62;I spoke with Wells Fargo rep today about the Short Sale process, and possibility of getting a BPO.  Rep was not supportive, and indicated a BPO appraisal would not be provided to seller/agent anyway.  Seems ridiculous, as it only forestalls the process, and eventually we should find out the BPO amount anyway.  Rep said my agent could establish our own BPO, which I confirmed we had done.  I may call another time to see if I get the same response, but it doesn't sound good until an offer is presented.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;I was also informed we have to provide much of the same documentation we already provided.  Evidently, that was only an exercise, since it must be provided as a package when an offer is presented.  Required documents include the following (items marked with * were previously provided):&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Financial Worksheet (signed by all borrowers) * Hardship Letter (signed by all borrowers) * Realtor Info/Contact (Also included on Wells Fargo Financial Worksheet) * Offer * Listing Agreement * HUD1 Purchase Contract (initialed by all parties) * Buyer Pre-Qualification or Proof of Funds for a cash offer&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;I was able to find out that we have not yet been scheduled for a court date for foreclosure action.  The Wells Fargo rep said that Florida processes foreclosures relatively quickly, which is a concern.  She said that a negotiator would be assigned when an offer was provided.  Only the negotiator can delay the foreclosure proceedings to accommodate the negotiation process.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Wells Fargo Short Sale Division office phone number is (866)903-1053.  Fax number for short sale offer package is (866)359-1975.  In order for them to discuss/negotiate the offer with you, they will have to receive a 3rd Party Authorization form signed by all parties.  I believe you already have that authorization from us via previous uploads to ADDvantage website.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;/div&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The market conditions in Florida in any city such as Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Orlando have created negative equity for many home owners. Short sales provide an alternative to foreclosure where the lender negotiates a sale for less the current amount due.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;You can list your home 100% online by going to our short sale website at keith.getmoreoffers.com and look for the tab “start a listing online.”&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Once you enter your data, upload pictures and sign the listing agreement (all online for you), I will contact you and discuss strategy or feel free to call me any time at 727-942-2929 or 1-877-232-9695.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;Here are a few things that you should know about a short sale:&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;ol&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;A definition of a Short Sale is the sale of real property where the market price of the property is valued for less than all mortgages held against that property, or the loan balance. In order to make a sale happen, the lender must approve the offer amount and terms.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;The IRS treats short sale deficiencies differently depending on whether the short sale is a homestead/primary residence or an investment property.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;The seller should speak with their CPA or financial adviser before deciding on a short sale as opposed to other remedies.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;Your credit score will suffer but less than a foreclosure.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;The seller should call the lender and request a short sale package as soon as possible and ask if they have any MLS time requirements.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;The listing broker will need to determine value (hypothetical BPO).&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;All contracts/offers are contingent on third party approval as well as any commissions offered in the MLS to cooperating brokers/agents.&#60;/li&#62;
    &#60;li&#62;Short sale “listing agreements” need to have this language to protect the seller…”The seller’s obligation to perform on this contract is subject to the approval of the lienholders on the property. The seller may cancel this agreement prior to the ending date of the listing period without advance notice to the broker and without payment of a commission or any other consideration, if the seller tenders Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure.”&#60;/li&#62;
&#60;/ol&#62;
&#60;p&#62;The roll of the listing broker is to set an accurate hypothetical BPO value and bring the most suited buyer (and buyer’s agent…because agents that are seeking a fast commission will not hang in there and will eventually push the buyer away…it takes 65-120 days for a short sale to close).&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;With ADDvantage’s powerful Internet marketing we will find the right buyer. Our software tracks all the details along the way and our short sale team is organized, knowledgeable and we let no time get away from us.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;We work along side another short sale specialist at Al-Day Donaldson.&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;For more information about ADDvantage handling your short sale, call 727-942-2929 or 1-877-232-9695 or go to our short sale Florida website keith.getmoreoffers.com&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;ADDvantage holds membership in the following Florida’s MLS Realtor Associations:&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;p&#62;&#60;iframe src="/helper_misc_blank.asp?task=board_membership" onload="if(this.contentWindow) { this.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+20+'px'; }" style="border: medium none ; width: 95%;"&#62;&#60;/iframe&#62;&#60;/p&#62;]]></description></item>
<item><title>Is It A Great Time To Rent?</title><guid>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090810Is-It-A-Great-Time-To-Rent.asp</guid><link>http://www.mlsaddvantage.com/blog/20090810Is-It-A-Great-Time-To-Rent.asp</link><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:05:08 GMT</pubDate><description><![CDATA[&#60;p&#62;Is it a great time to Rent?&#60;/p&#62;
&#60;div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"&#62;Now is a great time to rent a home! I keep seeing rental prices going down with the struggling economy. This leads to the question many potential buyers question have, should I buy or should I rent?  There are three instances in which you should decide to rent. One is when you plan to move from the area in next two years or less. The second is when are unsure of your future income or job stability. The 3&#60;sup&#62;rd&#60;/sup&#62; instance is if you can’t get a fair interest rate or mortgage terms due to your current credit score.&#60;/div&#62;
&#60;div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"&#62;Some people feel if you are new to an area you should rent for a while and that could be true, but my thinking is take advantage of the first time buyer credit of $8,000 while you can. This program ends Nov 30, 2009, and it would be a good opportunity lost if the program isn’t available when you are ready to buy. &#60;/div&#62;
&#60;div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"&#62;A few tips for renters; How to get the best deal.&#60;/div&#62;
&#60;div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"&#62; If your credit score is good and your income is easily verified, you are in a good position to negotiate the rental price! So offer a bit less and state to the landlord you’re a low risk, and that’s worth the price break.&#60;/div&#62;
&#60;div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"&#62;If you have money to pay several months in advance, ask for a rent discount for the early payment and pay in advance. (Caution it is best to make sure the owner’s mortgage is current) check county records to see if the lender has filed a motion to begin a foreclosure.&#60;/div&#62;
&#60;div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"&#62;Ask for a tenant reference of the landlord or manager. Most property management companies would be glad to provide a reference of their service. If you can’t talk with someone who has been a long term tenant it might mean the company has a policy to raise the rent dramatically after the first year. &#60;/div&#62;
&#60;div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"&#62;For property information contact John Birch 727 385 6547 or john@getmoreoffers.com&#60;/div&#62;
&#60;div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"&#62; &#60;/div&#62;]]></description></item>

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