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« June 2006 | Main | August 2006 » July 31, 2006How does landscaping affect a home's value?Nancy C. Somerville of the American Society of Landscape Architects, says that good landscaping "could add up to15 to 20 percent of the value." Other value-adding features include fencing and patios with landscaping. Exterior home improvements can range from simply powerwashing a deck to building a fishpond or adding an outdoor kitchen. July 24, 2006Open housesIt's a time-honored ritual -- the open house. It's a chance to schmooze, eat and tour houses. Is it still useful? "Sally Ruhl, an agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, swears by the brokers' open house," reports the Baltimore Business Journal. "She held one July 13 in the city's ritzy Homeland neighborhood that drew 80 brokers and buyers. That same day, she then had appointments for six different people interested in the house." Pros and cons of open houses include gawkers and safety issues. July 17, 2006Learning Spanish to improve your customer serviceThe Frederick County Association of REALTORS® is offering a course in conversational Spanish to local REALTORS®. "Some of my clients speak Spanish with some English, some speak only Spanish. For those who speak only Spanish, I have to refer them to other agents. I can't help them sufficiently because of the language barrier. I want to remove the barrier," says Sandy Moreland. This course is taught by Agustin Hernandez, an Army retiree. July 13, 2006Show your clients why they should use a REALTOR®Bridge McCrea offers suggestions to sell yourself to your clients -- availability, great customer service, explain how commissions work and provide a personalized listing presentation. "[Lynn Sands] tells sellers that half of the fee goes to the agent who brings the buyer and that a portion of the other half is shared with her broker. I let them know that I don’t make a fortune on one listing,” says Sands, “and that it takes a lot of listings to make a living in this industry.” July 10, 2006Thinking about retiring?Douglas Robinson discusses the steps to planning a great retirement. SEP-IRAs are a useful tool to build up a healthy retirement income. REITs and 1031 exchanges are other options for investing. "Phil Watson, an agent with Prudential California Realty in San Bruno, has done two 1031s. Today, he’s the owner of five rental properties, plus the home he lives in. “Originally, I had a small investment property for about four or five years. I exchanged that for a duplex,” says Watson, explaining his strategy." The last option is property management, which is a 24/7 job, but offers attractive revenues. July 02, 2006Young real estate agentsMax Minzenberger is one of the new wave of young real estate agents -- he's 25. Now, agents are making real estate their first career choice, instead of a second or third choice. Younger agents are attracted by the independence, are very comfortable with technology and relate well to younger, tech-savvy buyers. "They are very aggressive. They know what they want an how to get there," says Anthony Riley with Century 21 Realty Group - Hagan. 
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