Alexa Blog

I appraise many homes that are short sales.  Short sales, as you surely know, means that you owe more on your home than your home is worth.  For example, your first trust might be $200,000 and the current market value of your home is $100,000.  You need to move, but you know you won't get $200,000 just to break even...thus, the short sale and realtors can tell you what happens...of course, you can google it and get the info you need.

I'm also a real estate broker and I would love to help you sell your home, too.  I have many years experience and can guide you through the many landmines in today's real estate market.

I get asked that question several times a week.  Well, the short answer lousy!  How do I appraise in this market?  I look at the entire picture.... withdrawn, foreclosed, expired listings, active listings, etc... and just because a contract is written for one price, I do NOT try to make that number.  At the same time, I might appraise it even higher.  What is the market doing at this time. 

I do regression and look at over 150 or so sales...and the most important part of the appraisal is the value!  I might leave off a dotted "i" or forgot to cross my "Ts", but I would wager to say it won't affect the value at all. 

Make sure your realtor tells you about all the activity or you might get burnt when the appraisal comes back lower than what you expected. 

How many can rmember all their classmates?  I can.  There is Raymond, David, Bob, Brian, Barbara and me, George!  Wow...six members and all still in touch with one another.

Today I talked to Raymond.  Briefly, what happend to a little boy who grew up on a farm in the UP?  Well, he defended our Country, serving as a Corpman during the Vietnam war.  Not only spent four years in the Navy...but twenty years and four more on top of that! 

He met is wife of 44 years who also served in the Navy for four years.  It is so nice to be a member of a small class!  And to still be in touch.  God bless us all!

A much younger appraiser said he uses Excel to help with paired sales?  What?  That's what I said.  He then went on to show how easy it is to abstract from the marketplace just about anything you wanted!  Where was he ten ..or fifteen years ago.  Oh, he wasn't even in appraising...I said he was young.  And so, who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks?  I'm a good example of it.  Although it was a struggle, it sure helps in this market today.

Whoever is reading this, I'm told most people don't even bother with Excel.  If you are one of them, why not try it.  Go to the library and get a book.  Spend just alittle time and surely you will see the benefits that will help you in whtever business you are in! 

How many medals does he have now?  I know one thing, he won't have to worry about making money!  His life after swimming will be swimming in financial rewards.

But what about you?  We didn't make the Olympics.  No gold here.  At least, not the gold of the Olympic kind.  But what about the other gold medals!  The ones you get and you don't know it, when you help a person...when you say a kind thing about someone and the many more things you do throughout the day!  Take stock, you might have more gold than you realize.  Look at yourself in the mirror and say...yes.  Smile...you're a winner.

Without googling this person, can you tell me what you know?  If you honestly know, then take $25 off your next appraisal for your client! 

If you are reading this on this day August 8, 2008, may something special bring you the joy you desire.  Just heard that today is 08/08/08!  Nice numbers.