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 This site is provided by your neighbor, Terrylynn FisherTerrylynn has been a Realtor in Contra Costa County for over 30 years and has been a Kirkwood Neighbor since 1979. If you have questions about the neighborhood or surrounding area, please Contact Terrylynn. Enjoy the site, and send suggestions for content to Chris Fisher. 925.876.0966 cell 925.887.6614 fax 925.672.6764 office Did you know that by clicking the button below you can search the MLS, set up your own automatic email notifications, and more? Try it for fun or to find a new home!  |
Loan modifications rise 69 percent in third quarter! Is the end of the tunnel in sight? The HAMP loan is finally taking off…(Home Affordable Modification Plan) US Department of Treasury, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) www.occ.gov reported that Loan modifications rise 69 percent in third quarter. Apparently there were more than 680,000 home [...] The wild west of Real Estate December 17, 2009 (Ris Media reports) “Treasury department recently released guidelines and forms for it’s new Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA). Homes Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) provides incentives for a short sale (SS it’s about time)…deed-in-lieu (DIL) used to avoid foreclosure on an eligible loan.” Terryynn - The new guidelines are a [...] City of Concord, California First time home buyers program Eligible = low and moderate income (sometimes payments will be about what you pay in rent). Type of loan, deferred payments and shared appreciation of loan (meaning when you buy you have a partner helping you buy your home and when you sell the partner shares [...] Existing home sales surged for the third month in a row, September, October and November 2009…rising 7.4% in the number of sales. November saw the largest gain since February 2007 and home resales are 44.1% above a year ago!!! More than half of allsales were first time buyers. The record low prices, great interest rates [...] Staging-It’s all in the Details. It’s always interesting to watch a rehab and staging of a property. The work is done, it’s beautifully neutral and a blank slate for the staging crew to make magnificent. You begin to put in the furniture and the rooms fill with promise. Then you look around and it’s all still a bit bland. In the staging team it is not unusual to have one of the team who gets the BIG picture, others get the details. Have a great team that combines those and you end up with phenomenal staging. When we walked into this living room after staging, it looked oh so nice, but it needed just a little something to tie it all together. And little it was, but the result was finished. What do you think? Show us some of your DETAILS!!! (The frosting on the cake, the finishing touch. Clayton, California Property listed the week of 12-09-09.. We’ll let you know when it sells.)
- Terrylynn has been a Realtor in Contra Costa County for over 32 years. She works with Diablo Realty in Walnut Creek and is consistently a top producer. Terrylynn is a local expert, please contact her for any Real Estate needs, or with a question about the area. Visit www.BuyStageSell.com to learn more about Terrylynn and her team of Real Estate Professionals and Staging Professionals, and how their award winning results can earn you more equity $$$ when you sell a home. We even stage our short sales! Why? Because it [...] Do you have a full bowl of alphabet soup?
In a recent interview in the CAR (California Association of Realtors) Magazine Steve Goddard, CAR 2010 President, who has 13 real estate designations, was asked this question about designations. ‘Q. If you had to recommend only one or two designations that an agent should earn in preparation for the market’s return, which one(s) would it be? A. I’d recommend that newer agents – in the first 5 years of their career-obtain their Graduate REALTOR Institute (GRI). Then the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), if they are doing residential real estate transactions. I would ask everyone to get more educated in real estate and raise the bar for us.” Realtor Alphabet soup is often viewed by the public as a commitment to a real estate career. The very act of obtaining continuing education in various specialties does raise the bar for the clients who need those specialized services. Some Realtors buy into that theory and some do not. Thinking about this as purely a business decision, any business benefits from continued and varied upping of the bar in their business in order to keep up with the competition, increase their market share and in reality keep their current clients. Examples would be a Realtor that 10 years ago didn’t need a PDA or laptop and today has clients texting them with properties they want to view or seeing them on uTube. Savvy Realtors know that if you don’t embrace the technology beast, you’ll be out of business. And so the career professional Realtors take regular classes and designations in order to stay current and move their business forward. It is my personal opinion, If you are serious about your business, it’s just good business. What’s your alphabet soup? Designation or not, where are you getting educated? Terrylynn, Full bowl of Alphabet soup
- Terrylynn has been a Realtor in Contra Costa County for over 32 years. She works with Diablo Realty in Walnut Creek and is consistently a top producer. Terrylynn is a local expert, please contact her for any Real Estate needs, or with a question about the area. Visit www.BuyStageSell.com to learn more about Terrylynn and her team of Real Estate Professionals and Staging Professionals, and how their award winning results can earn you more equity $$$ when you sell a home. We even stage our short sales! Why? Because it [...] Are you a Realtor that your clients have to endure? Helping my senior citizen mom purchase a car this weekend was quite a reminder about people in sales. The experience at the different dealerships seemed to have a theme. OLD SCHOOL – The slick haired, fast talking, patronizing, cigarette smoking HIGH pressure sales person (sorry guys, usually men). He greeted us at the car, started bonding (he thought) immediately by asking us personal questions which were very off putting. He told us his story about needing to buy a car himself and if he just won the contest and sold enough cars, he’d win (all about me). He treated my 80+ year old mom like she was a fragile idiot who couldn’t make her own decision, bending down when he talked to her and speaking at her softly like she was a child. He said things like “I think you need an automatic because your hands don’t work so well when you get older or you can’t get into a car this big?” (patronizing) It took forever for him to ask her what she wanted and when he did, didn’t listen to the answer. Then said as we walked in to see the manager about the “best price”. “Now don’t get mad at me, my manager makes me do this” (blame others). ERGHHH you get the picture. We left irritated, and even if we LOVED the car, would have wanted a different salesperson to get the credit. He was something we had to endure to get through the process. There are real estate offices like this too, you know who they are…there is one in every community. They haven’t changed their clothes or photo or methods since they got their license years ago. They don’t believe in education or designations as they think “experience” counts for more. They try to make you FIT a property rather than find one that you feel fits. Do your clients have to endure YOU? Is it all about you? Do you treat the client like they don’t know what they want or need? Are you patronizing? Do you blame others for your mis-steps? http://www.buystagesell.com
- Terrylynn has been a Realtor in Contra Costa County for over 32 years. She works with Diablo Realty in Walnut Creek and is consistently a top producer. Terrylynn is a local expert, please contact her for any Real Estate needs, or with a question about the area. Visit www.BuyStageSell.com to learn more about Terrylynn and her team of Real Estate Professionals and Staging Professionals, and how their award winning results can earn you more equity $$$ when you sell a home. We even stage our short sales! Why? Because it [...] Help for the distressed homeowners started with the 2009 tax filing season. These three options take away the previously inflexibility of the IRS as far as negotiation with homeowners. IF you qualify for one or more of these you could obtain serious tax relief from the IRS. See what I mean? Hopefully as diligent Realtors we are advising our clients to seek the services of a CPA, tax attorney, etc, before making decisions that could affect their property and liability, as this sounds hopeful for many. “Internal Revenue Service News Release (January 6, 2009) The Internal Revenue Service today kicked off the 2009 tax filing season by announcing a number of new steps to help financially distressed taxpayers maximize their refunds and speed payments while providing additional help to people struggling to meet their tax obligations. Among the areas where the IRS can provide assistance: Postponement of Collection Actions: IRS employees will have greater authority to suspend collection actions in certain hardship cases where taxpayers are unable to pay. This includes instances when the taxpayer has recently lost a job, is relying solely on Social Security or welfare income or is facing devastating illness or significant medical bills. If an individual has recently encountered this type of financial problem, IRS assistors may be able to suspend collection without documentation to minimize burden on the taxpayer. (Personally I have clients that have received this benefit…so it’s worth the time and trouble to send in your documentation if you fit this criteria for postponement.) Added Flexibility for Missed Payments: The IRS is allowing more flexibility for previously compliant individuals in existing Installment Agreements who have difficulty making payments because of a job loss or other financial hardship. The IRS may allow a skipped payment or a reduced monthly payment amount without automatically suspending the Installment Agreement. Taxpayers in a difficult financial situation should contact the IRS. (Personally I know people who have exercised this option as well, with no berating or negativity on the phone by the IRS, they are a kinder, gentler government agency these days.) Additional Review for Offers in Compromise on Home Values: An Offer in Compromise (OIC), an agreement between a taxpayer and the IRS that settles the taxpayer’s tax debt for less than the full amount owed, may be a viable option for taxpayers experiencing economic difficulties. However, the equity taxpayers have in real property can be a barrier to an OIC being accepted. (This can be a huge benefit to taxpayers who made lots of money in previous years and didn’t have the cash left to pay the tax. Realtors, loan agents, independent contractors and others on commission income are being assisted with this provision.) The NEW Kinder, gentler IRS is doing it’s part to ease the burdens this economy has thrust upon us. Hopefully none of you need this assistance, but it’s nice to know it’s here for you or any of your clients that could benefit from the provisions. There are more, so check out the IRS website…for details. http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=202244,00.html
- Terrylynn has been a Realtor in Contra Costa County for over 32 years. She works with Diablo Realty in Walnut Creek and is consistently a top producer. Terrylynn is a local expert, please contact her for any Real Estate needs, or with a question about the area. Visit www.BuyStageSell.com to learn more about Terrylynn and her team of Real Estate Professionals and Staging Professionals, and how their award winning results can earn you more equity $$$ when you sell a home. We even stage our short sales! Why? Because it [...] The Cost of going Green (Sustainable) just keeps getting more affordable. Did you know that per the IRS news release on 10/28/09 “Energy-Saving Steps This Year May Result in Tax Savings Next Year”. The notice goes on to say: “Home Energy Credits Updated 10/28/09 The Internal Revenue Service today reminded individual and business taxpayers that many energy-saving steps taken this year may result in bigger tax savings next year. The recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 contained a number of either new or expanded tax benefits on expenditures to reduce energy use or create new energy sources. Tax Credits for Home Energy Efficiency Improvements Increase Homeowners can get bigger tax credits for making energy efficiency improvements or installing alternative energy equipment. “These new, expanded credits encourage homeowners to make improvements that will make their homes more energy efficient,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “People can improve their homes and save money over the long run.” ARRA provides for a uniform credit of 30 percent of the cost of qualifying improvements up to $1,500, such as adding insulation, energy-efficient exterior windows, and energy-efficient heating and air conditioning systems. The new law also raised the limit on the amount that can be claimed for improvements placed in service during 2009 and 2010 to $1,500, instead of the $500 lifetime limit under the old law. In addition, the new law has increased the energy efficiency standards for building insulation, exterior windows, doors, and skylights, certain central air conditioners, and natural gas, propane or oil water heaters placed in service after Feb. 17, 2009. The new law also eliminates the cap on the 30 percent tax credit for alternative energy equipment, such as solar water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and small wind turbines, installed in a home. The cap generally has been eliminated for these improvements beginning in the 2009 tax year. The IRS today issued Notice 2009-41, which explains the effects of this change. “ I’ve been wanting that Toto Toilet, new 90% efficient furnace and SOLAR, maybe now is the time to look into the REAL cost of purchasing such items. The tax break can make it attactive and doable in the near future. Let’s give it a look, shall we? For more information go to the IRS website http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=206869,00.html
- Terrylynn has been a Realtor in Contra Costa County for over 32 years. She works with Diablo Realty in Walnut Creek and is consistently a top producer. Terrylynn is a local expert, please contact her for any Real Estate needs, or with a question about the area. Visit www.BuyStageSell.com to learn more about Terrylynn and her team of Real Estate Professionals and Staging Professionals, and how their award winning results can earn you more equity $$$ when you sell a home. We even stage our short sales! Why? Because it [...] ATM Machines: www.allpointnetwork.com, just enter an address or zip code to find a no-fee ATM near you. www.moneypass.com, also includes driving directions. Going Out: Need more (or less) stuff?
- Terrylynn has been a Realtor in Contra Costa County for over 32 years. She works with Diablo Realty in Walnut Creek and is consistently a top producer. Terrylynn is a local expert, please contact her for any Real Estate needs, or with a question about the area. Visit www.BuyStageSell.com to learn more about Terrylynn and her team of Real Estate Professionals and Staging Professionals, and how their award winning results can earn you more equity $$$ when you sell a home. We even stage our short sales! Why? Because it [...] |
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