Loss of a Peer

Today we lost a peer, a broker from our town, mls and board. It is always a wake-up call when someone you work with or know dies unexpectedly. This loss was one of those, Clara Stanley was the Broker Owner for Stanley Real Estate. We as Realtors don't always get along but when we lose one of our own we tend to close ranks and for a brief time come together as a united force. It is a shame we aren't always working together and I am just as guilty as anyone. I hope in the future I will bear in mind what words I say, what thoughts I think and especially what my actions say to others because I know it could be the last thing that person hears.
Clara will be missed, she was a very unique person who did things her own way.

Respectfully
Georgia A. Weaver BS Ed, GRI CRS
Broker/Associate
President of the United Counties Board of Realtors

Storm Lake Iowa Video Tour

Thinking of visiting or moving to Storm Lake Iowa; check out the virtual tour of the town by clicking on the title of this blog. The site is a really cool tool for anyone looking for something in Storm Lake, Iowa. Check out the downtown, eateries, shops, stores, lake, AWAYSIS project, city buildings and a lot more. See if you can find me, I'm located at 106 W Railtroad Street in Storm Lake. This site can also be used to plan a home finding trip, decide what area you think you would like to live in and check it out on-line. Be sure to go to the lake,to King's Pointe, and the water park.
Any questions or think you may want a personal tour of the homes available for sale; give me a call at 712-574-5426 to set up a meeting.

Congratulations Ben and Lacey Holmes on the Purchase of Your New Home

Ben and Lacey Holmes (previously Lacey Koster) purchased our home in Alta, congratulations you have bought a wonderful home. The couple are newleyweds and cute as can be! Both Ronnie and I are very pleased to have our home go to such a nice couple, we know it is in good hands. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have especially the big kitchen for all the family get-togethers!

Staged to Sell - In a Tough Market it's Essential

According to a survey completed by StagedHomes.com, homes that were staged sold for an average of 6.9% more than ones that weren't. That survey was completed before the foreclosure crunch began. In my opinion, it is much more important now to stage all homes, because there are fewer buyers (due to increased difficulty in attaining a mortgage) the number of homes on the market has increased. It's the old rule of supply and demand.

In our local area - Storm Lake Iowa, there are several options to staging a home. Your Realtor should know a lot about staging and either be able to assist you or put you in contact with people and companies who stage. Stagers in Storm Lake Iowa include possibly your Realtor, Elements, and the new Furniture and Flooring store close to Hwy 71. Prices vary greatly so first talk to your Realtor, staging must be complete prior to having the property listed and pictures taken.

Remember over 80% of ALL buyers go on-line to check out houses before they contact a Realtor to see any thing. Never allow a Realtor to list your home without having pictures to be put online. A property on the mls without a picture could cost you a buyer.


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Preparing Your Home to Sell Video by Elizabeth Weintraub

Check out this short sweet video by Elizabeth Weintraub on how to prepare your home to sell. To vieo the video click on the post title. Elizabeth has a lot of very good points and she is one of my favorite bloggers. After seeing the video check out her other topics, her site is a great resource for all things real estate. For a detailed system of preparing to list your home and how to efficiently pack give me a call at 712-574-5426. This system works for all types of moves and I recently used it myself when we moved to our acerage.

Poor Pictures Online = High Days on the Market

With over 82% of all prospective home buyers looking at homes online before they contact a Realtor your pictures are vital to get people interested in touring your house. An old saying about curb appeal also applies to web picture appeal - Buyers have to stop at the house before you can get them in the house, it is the same with your property on line. If you have no inside pictures, clutter every where, a picture of the bathroom showing an open toilet and a shower curtain, a kitchen with dirty dishes in the sink, pictures with all the curtains/blinds closed (no one wants to buy a dark house) you are batting zero! If your home is listed get online www.stormlakemls.com and look at the pictures and the descriptions of the pictures - what there are no descriptions? Make a phone call and get that fixed asap.
When you are deciding to list your home some things are a lot more important than others when choosing a realtor to represent and sell your property. You are not hiring a Realtor to list your property, you are hiring them to SELL your property and great pictures are an absolute must!

Short Sales and Realtors

I don't know about you but as short sales become more prevelant I find myself being asked questions I can't answer. As a Realtor I needed to know more about short sales and I came across this excellent article from one of the blogs I frequent - By Elizabeth Weintraub, on About.com. It spells out how financial organizations see a short sale and gives some really good advice when you end up working with one of these homes. Even after reading this article tread very carefully, this could be a potential mine field legally. We are not seeing a huge amount of these but the number of foreclosures is rising slowly.

Elizabeth's article http://homebuying.about.com/b/2008/06/02/will-a-short-sale-ruin-my-credit.htm

Big Announcement - I found the silverware!

Finally, while going through some boxes last night to find a few more staging items I found my silverware. I can't tell you how glad I am to not have to eat from awful plastic silverware. My staging got good reviews and I will be adding several things this afternoon. Staging is fascinating and I attended a meeting with a local interior design guru - Cathy Sorbe this week. She made several recommendations including using neutrals, and neutral does not mean all beige. I'm all for that, I am so far from a beige person I though I would die thinking I had to paint my home all beige to sell it.
Cathy also said large area rugs, large art and large foliage are good items to use. Well I have everything except the large foliage. I'm into real plants and I don't much care for faux plants, but she does have a pear tree in her shop I rather liked.
I will let everyone know what advice she gave me on adding to or pearing (pun intended :) - down my staging.

Our Home is For Sale in ALTA

Check out a few pictures of our home










This is my apology to all my readers, as most of you know we (my husband and I) have been so busy lately that we can't see straight.


Our home is for sale in Alta, we bought a building that we plan to gut and turn into our new home. Somewhere I packed the 3 sets of silverware we have, over a month ago, and I still haven't found a single one. We were greatly blessed by our Summit Chruch family and all the help they gave us in our move, we could never thank them enough!
We were living out of boxes in the lower level of our new "home" as we got our home in town ready for sale. Getting ready included exterior paint, interior paint, new garage siding, new carpet, 2 bathroom updates, refinishing the huge front porch floor, building a new staircase to the basement, mowing every other day due to rain every day, staging, not to mention all the cleaning after drywall sanding and getting it all done within 3 weeks. Can you say TIRED?

Well the house in town is done, although I have asked Cathy Sorbe of Elements located at 1701 W. Milwaukee Ave, Storm Lake 712-732-2385 (local design Guru)to fine tune it.
She is awesome!

Will a Short Sale Ruin My Credit - In a Word YES

I came across this excellent article by one of my favorite bloggers- Elizabeth Weintraub, on About.com. This is a really important and potentially dangerous type of transaction for Realtors. If you want to be up to date follow the link and tread carefully it is dangerous out there nowdays!

Our area is seeing foreclosures slowly creep up but our market is still very solid here in Storm Lake and Alta Iowa.

Credit Score Hit - 30 points every time!

I learned something interesting at our MLS meeting last Wednesday, a lot of people are paying other bills before they are paying their mortgage. I can't imagine their priorities, cell phone - some where to live? When a mortgage payment is 30 days late it drops your critit score a full 30 points - it doesn't take too many late mortgage payments to devestate your precious credit score!
With the increase in the required credit score to be able to get a mortgage or qualify for PMI it is not ever a good idea to be late on your mortgage. Pay your mortgage as your first bill, and skimp on other things like cable, highspeed, entertainment, eating out, cell phone, gasoline etc....

New 1031 Exchange Ruling on Vacation Homes

The IRS issued a ruling that will determine how vacation homes can be qualified as investment property in a 1031 exchange.

1031 exchanges are a marvelous tool for real estate investors, check out the link to see how this works with a vacation home. There has always been a problem with the determination of vacation homes as personal or investment property. Now we have very clear rules including ownership for at least 2 years. Also to qualify as investment property, ie be considered in a 1031 exchange the property must be rented at fair market rent for at least 14 days in each 12 month period. There are also strict rules for the owner's use and it goes without saying document everything or don't even try an exchange. To find out more check out the link

1031 Exchange is fascinating and seems complicated but there are a professionals who work in this field and make it a lot easier. This is a tool every Realtor should have in their arsenal.

Brian Botello Video

If you read my earlier posts you know a precious friend Karyn Brophy lost her only son Brian Botello in Iraq last year. This is a video Brian and a friend did while in Iraq, he looks so good and so happy. I was so blessed by this video, please view it and listen and let it bless you too. Click on Brain's name in the title and the video will begin.

May God Bless all of our heros that have served or are serving to keep this great country free. Fight jihadism, if you have never read the Koran I highly recommend you do so, in a translation that is useful. If you instead choose not to you can't possibly understand what we are fighting against and what so many of our brave fellow Americans have died for - and that alone puts our counrty at a terrible risk.

New Development in Alta

Alta residents, there is a new development plan afoot. Don't know what I'm talking about; call one of your city council members, attend a City Council meeting, talk to Mayor Tom French or stop in and talk to the city clerk. There is a major shortage of housing in Alta, prices are up and so is need. From sitting in on a recent City Council meeting and getting a visit from Tom French, it looks like the city of Alta will own the land/lots, will be developing them and selling them to prospective builders.

I am uncomfortable with the idea of government stepping in where private business should be. From the conversation with Tom and comments made by some of the Council members the cost to develop each lot is not their biggest concern, unlike a private developer profit is not focused on. I voiced a desire to see a side by side comparison with the development Addie has proposed. Long term there would be a lot more lots available. I also think this should be an area that the public's opinion should weigh mightly on the decision, ultimately they will be footing the bill.

Hum, cost is a concern of mine as a tax payer, resident and Realtor in Alta. One of the major reasons people want to live in Alta is that the taxes are lower than Storm Lake. Keep checking back for updates to this interesting situation that is developing in Alta. Let me know your thoughts about this.

Winter Pictures of Storm Lake and Alta Iowa

New Storm Lake Iowa Pictures

Check out these beautiful winter pictures

Frosty Morning

Park on Lake Avenue

Early Morning Frost

Frosty Star on Lake Ave.

Frosty Flame

Frost and Fog on Storm Lake - For more pictures of Storm Lake Iowa and the surrounding area check out http://www.georgiaweaver.com/ and http://www.slrealtycheck.com/ and http://picasaweb.google.com/SLRealtyCheck.com/StormLakeIowaBlackAndWhitePictures

Do You Have an Adjusting ARM? How do you know if You Qualify for Help

If you have gotten caught in the adjusting ARM nightmare, there is hope. Follow the link in the title to see if you qualify for the assistance program. Don't just stick your head in the sand! If you have missed one payment you may still qualify. Contact your lending institution or the company that services your loan and call 1-888-995-HOPE, which provides counseling to homeowners with mortgage problems.
There is HOPE, the best defense against getting into trouble is to educate yourself and don't keep your knowledge to yourself, pass it on.

Realtors and Consumers The Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee Needs Your Support

Sen. Christopher Dodd is expected today to introduce a bill that would require mortgage lenders to issue only loans that are beneficial to borrowers and that borrowers are able to repay. What a novel idea - What, you thought the banking industry had your best interests at heart????

This bill seeks better loans for consumers. The proposal by the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee would not only force mortgage lenders to act in the best interest of borrowers, it also would expose Wall Street firms to lawsuits (IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!!) as well as bar subprime mortgage lending practices such as prepayment penalties and yield spread premiums, (this should not be how a mortgage broker gets paid) can anyone say Major Conflict of Interest???
Dodd's proposal is in some ways similar to one from Rep. Barney Frank, which passed in the House by a wide margin in November.

Mortgage companies and banks are expected to come out in force against Dodd's bill. Really? well you as an American consumer can help get this measure in place ----CALL YOUR BANK, MORTGAGE COMPANY, SENATOR AND YELL - Get this legislation passed and implemented. "I'm Mad As Hell and I'm Not Going to Take it ANYMORE!"



Click on the title to link to Reuters article on the bill

Ethanol Company Merger

Verasun to acquire US BioEnergy - are we about to see the ethanol companies merge into 2 or 3 mega ethanol companies as we have observed in the livestock production industry and the grocery business? If that happens is that a good thing? So much bad press by uneducated people claiming ethanol production has pushed up the prices of everything, I wonder what will come of this news. Check out the news links below:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071129/verasun_us_bioenergy.html?.v=3

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/verasun-paying-stock-usbioenergy-ethanol/story.aspx?guid=%7B4CD313FB%2D13C2%2D4F55%2D8E2C%2D4F0400B11297%7D&siteid=yhoof

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/newsonthego/10392161.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

http://money.cnn.com/2007/11/29/news/companies/bc.apfn.verasun.usbioene.ap/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote


Let me know what you think, I am obviously a proponent of alternative energy especially ethanol and wind power. Yea, I know we have a bizillion mega tons of coal and gallons of oil - I do have a degree in Science - but just because we have a limited supply doesn't mean we need to stick our heads in the sand.

We need to get off our butts and stop depending on the addictive fossil fuels including oil. Gee, if we didn't need their oil what do you think we would have done to you know who? Car makers, get your game together and produce what we all know you already have - efficient vehicles! 20-30 miles a gallon; get real and give us 40-60 miles a gallon - and make that gallon green and completely renewable.
Ok, I'm glad that's out!

Housing Trends from the Iowa Realtors Association - Mid-Year Report

According to the Iowa Realtors Association the Storm Lake Board is up considerably over 2006.
The Median Price for 2006 was - $69,500
The Median Price for 2007 is - $88,800
That's an increase of 28%

Days on Market have increased
DOM in 2006 at midyear - 86
DOM in 2007 at midyear - 118
That's an increase of 37%

What do those numbers mean?

1) Local real estate is appreciating in general - that's a good thing
2) DOM is also increasing, that may not be a good thing, it means properties are staying on the market longer - possibly a reflection of the Doom Sayers in the national market. It could also be an indication that properties are being priced higher than the market will bear. I will look into the number of properties by percent that had price reductions before selling in 2007 as compared to 2006.

On our Wednesday MLS tours I have been disappointed to see an increasing number of unrealistically priced homes. This is a disservice to the client (Seller), it also goes against the Realtor's code of ethics that we are all bound by if we use the term Realtor behind our name.

If you want to sell a property, you contact a Realtor and they don't do a CMA prior to listing your home - RUN! This analysis is one tool that helps you price your home correctly. A CMA is a report that will show what the market will bear (in other words what you will most probably sell your property for). A CMA is also used with Buyers, it is how a Realtor best represents a Buyer - it is a report that will show what the market has paid for similar properties. This tells your Buyers whether they are offering a realistic amount. Not that they don't trust you or anything - give them the facts to backup your opinions.