Jones and Associates Realty, LLC Archived Blog

This post from the KCM blog this morning is so true!    Every seller should read this.   Our market is smoking hot right now!   If your home is not selling it is overpriced or your agent is not doing something they should be!    Call, text or email us now to learn what we do to get our clients homes sold!

We hope you Enjoy this morning KCM Blog as much as we did:

- The KCM Blog - http://www.kcmblog.com -

How the Serenity Prayer Applies To Selling a Home

Posted By The KCM Crew On February 22, 2012 @ 7:00 am In For Sellers,Pricing

You may believe that selling your home is impossible in today’s market. You may feel powerless to the process. What could YOU possibly do to turn this housing market around? There is no doubt that today’s real estate market is extremely difficult to navigate. However, we want you to know that thousands of homes sold yesterday, thousands will sell today and thousands will sell each and every day from now until the end of the year.

It is totally within your power to guarantee that your house will sell even in the current market.

“How?”, you ask. Let’s look at the simplicity of the famous Serenity Prayer and apply it to selling a home in today’s real estate market.

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”

Accept the things you cannot change

The two main reasons that the housing prices have softened:

1. the current economy
2. the inventory of distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales)

As an individual homeowner, there is no way for you to impact either of those two situations. The best think-tanks in the country are struggling to discover solutions.

Have the courage to change the things you can

There is not a vacuum of buyers in the market. There is a vacuum of homes a buyer in today’s market will purchase. Let us explain: could you sell your home today for $1? … $1,000 … $10,000? Of course you could. There are plenty of buyers in the market for a home they consider priced correctly. You have to decide what the correct price is for your home if you truly want to sell. If you want your house sold, you must list it at a price a buyer will pay for it. Not a buyer from 2006 but today’s buyer who has plenty of homes from which to choose.

It will take courage to sit with a real estate professional and honestly decipher the true value of your home. If you want to sell, you must have that courage.

The wisdom to know the difference

We all realize that the economic situation will take some time to correct. If we want to wait for prices to return to 2006 levels, we will probably have to wait for 5-7 years.

Look at the reason you decided to sell in the first place and decide whether the extra money you would get from the sale is worth that wait. Is money more important than being with family? Is money more important than your health? Is money more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should?

This is where your wisdom must kick in. You already know the answers to the questions we just asked. You have the power to take back control of the situation by pricing your home to guarantee it sells. The time has come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire. That is what is truly important.

Article printed from The KCM Blog: http://www.kcmblog.com

In helping buyers for a combined 29 years, the Jones Team; Mark Jones and Monte Jones,  have witnessed many mistakes and missed opportunities. We would like to share some tips for buyers to make the home buying process smoother.

First must know for buyers:

When a real estate agent meets with a buyer for the first time they sift through all the available active inventory that meets the buyers needs and they select the BEST homes available to show the buyer. This means the next time you see homes with your agent; unless they didn’t have a clear idea of what you are looking for, you are seeing the second best homes available. So when you are looking with your agent don’t be surprised if the first home you see is the best home you will see! I can’t tell you how many times buyers ended up getting their second favorite home because they felt uncomfortable jumping on a home the first time out.

Second must know for buyers:

Buyers always ask what should I offer? There is no right or wrong answer. Buyers need to find an agent that understands values and market conditions in their target area and then determine what the home is worth to them based upon those values. In our market you should never  use the list price as a catalyst on what you need to offer! Sometimes you need to offer far above list price and sometimes you can offer below list price. In the last three months we have closed deals that are $300,000 below list price and have not been able to get under contract offers for $40,000 over list price! Let me repeat this.  List price has no bearing on value! Get an agent you trust,  have your agent prepare a cma on the property and then determine what it’s worth to you. Remember, no matter what when you as a buyer get a home under contract initially you will feel that you offered too much and when you don’t get an offer accepted it is normal to think you didn’t offer enough! Put your best foot forward and base it on the information from your agent so you make the right decision.

Third must know for buyers:

Agents are to provide information and advise; however,  you as the buyer are the one who makes ALL decisions. The Jones team provides our buyers with the information they need in order to make an informed decision. Buyers should also interview the team of other professionals their agent has a working relationship with such as  loan officers, title reps, and home inspectors. We can’t tell you how many times we have helped buyers and they want to use an Aunt who does loans part time, or a friend who is an unemployed contractor to do the home inspection or the person that is going to save them a ton of money. Whenever a buyer is using people we have never worked with or people that do it part time or the person that was going to save them a ton of money,  9 out of 10 times that transaction will turn into a stressful mess for the buyer. The Jones Team recommends the team of professionals that we do because of years of firsthand experience and a track record of providing exceptional service. 

Happy house hunting and remember,  feel free to call text or email us  any questions or to schedule a showing.!

As Landlords and Real Estate Agents Monte and I love the KCM Blog today.    In the last 6 months both of Monte’s children purchased homes and if my son was 18 he would have purchased his first home as well and not because I want him to move out!    Think about it you can purchase a $200,000 home with a principle and interest payment around $950 a month locked for 30 years!   You should see the homes that rent for $1,200 or $1,300 a month today in Salt Lake!  Maybe you live in one?    If so look around your place then go to my site and see what you can own with that payment:    www.homepricesutah.com

What do you think rents will be in 30 years when that home is paid off?  What do you think the homes value will be?   NO BRAINER!  

Check out the Blog where are rents headed:

http://www.kcmblog.com/2012/02/08/where-are-rents-headed/print/

This is from a great blog we follow called the KCM blog and felt today’s post is a very good analogy.   If buyers hired coaches they trust and believe in and followed the advice given it would make buying a home a much easier and stress free process for them!   The only thing we disagree with is it should of read “GO PATRIOTS!”

- The KCM Blog - http://www.kcmblog.com -

Who’s the Quarterback?

Posted By Dean Hartman On February 2, 2012 @ 7:00 am In For Buyers |

Given that it’s Superbowl

Week (Go Giants!), I thought we might go with a football theme today. I can’t tell you how many different people I hear proclaim that they are the quarterback of the real estate transaction – the agent, the loan officer, an attorney, accountant or financial planner. But for goodness sake, the buyer/borrower had better be the one calling the shots. Not that everyone else doesn’t play an important role, but the buyer/borrower is the one most impacted by the choices made.

Here’s my opinion of how the team works best:

• Head Coach (Your Loan Officer) – Your loan officer should be the Head Coach. After careful analysis of your income, credit and assets, this is the person in the best position to make sure you are playing to your strengths and minimizing your weaknesses. Your loan officer can discuss the economic realities of homeownership, while listening to your quality of life concerns. (How often you’ll be able to eat out or vacation, for example.) The loan officer can set up the game plan.
• Offensive Coordinator (Your Real Estate Agent) – Your real estate agent is your offensive coordinator. Armed with the game plan (which includes your limitations), the agent calls the plays, counseling you on the geography, the competition, the best ways to negotiate your way to your personal touchdown. Agents know the playing field (the inventory and the market). If you hire them to represent you, they can disclose the weaknesses of your competition (the seller).
• Offensive Line (Your Attorney, Accountant and Financial Advisors) – Your attorney, accountant and financial advisors are your offensive line. They are there to protect you from the blitzes that come from outside (sellers, title issues, tax consequences, and protecting your assets). Not the glamour positions, but vital to any success you are going to have.
• Running Backs and Wide Receivers (Your Friends and Family) – Your friends and family are the running backs and wide receivers. They often receive the glory and attention, but honestly, if everyone else doesn’t do their job, they rarely ever see success. Bad game plans, weak play calling, poor execution on the offensive line or by you, as quarterback, leave them merely as names on the roster.

As with any team, communication is the most important component to getting the desired results. Being the center of the action on the field, the quarterback (you) needs to honestly talk with your coaches and coordinators, so they can help direct you on the proper play calling. Simultaneously, you need to heed the feedback from your offensive line, running backs, and receivers to filter wise advice from emotion. Be the quarterback of your own home-buying process and you’ll be more likely to realize your dreams (and not the dreams of someone else).

Article from The KCM Blog: http://www.kcmblog.com

URL to article: http://www.kcmblog.com/2012/02/02/whos-the-quarterback/