Real Estate News And Views

Realestatelicense.com has created this blog to keep you informed on recent real estate news, views, and topics. Real estate is a very dynamic field. Everyday there's something new and exciting happening in the world of real estate. Use this blog to stay on top of current real estate events, news, and views and support your real estate license and career. As a licensed real estate professional, you need to know this information.

Temporary Price Slash - CA Real Estate License Course

Prepare for California's real estate market upswing! Approximately 39,507 California homes sold in July. That's a 12.2% increase from 35,202 in June and 12.3% increase from 35,185 for July 2007*. Take action now and get your California real estate license with this limited-time offer! Through September 10, Allied's offering their Fast Track Premium Course for only $248 (textbooks included). That's a $100 savings! Don't miss out - call 888-751-2286 and learn more today!

*Source: MDA DataQuick

By Danielle Macklin, Allied Schools,www.realestatelicense.com

Labels: California real estate, California real estate license, real estate agent training

more>>

What Features Do Home Buyers Want Most?

Do you know what features home buyers want most? If you have your real estate agent license, grab a pen and take notes. According to the NAR 2007 Profile of Buyer's Home Feature Preferences, these are the top ten features desired by all home buyers:

1. Central Air Conditioning
2. Garage (2 or more spaces)
3. Walk-in closet in master bedroom
4. Backyard/play area
5. Cable/Satellite TV-ready
6. High-speed Internet Access
7. Separate shower enclosure in master/main bath
8. Patio
9. Fencing
10. Home less than 10 years old

By Danielle Macklin, Allied Schools, www.realestatelicense.com

Labels: Home Buyers, Real Estate Agent License, real estate agent training

more>>

$300 Package Discount -- Limited Time!

Take advantage of an opportunity to save $300 on Allied's Apparisal Licensing Package. This limited time offer is available from July 28, 2008 to August 1, 2008. Benefit from this savings and be one step closer to becoming a real estate appraiser. Call (800) 617-3513 for more information!

Labels: allied schools, Appraisal License, real estate agent training

more>>

Visit the New Real Estate Wiki

Once you obtain a real estate agent license, home sellers and seekers will look to you for guidance. So, beef up your trusty list of resources and visit the latest Real Estate Wiki.

Like Wikipedia.com, RealEstateWiki.com is an extensive, user-generated, online encyclopedia - except Real Estate Wiki is everything real estate.

RealSure, a real estate consulting and publishing services company, launched the site earlier this year with approximately 3,000 real estate terms, 1,000 Q & A's, 500 real estate acronyms, 400 biography pages and more. Around the beginning of June, there were over 19,000 entries on the site. This latest Real Estate Wiki follows the likes of wikis on Zillow.com and Inman.com.

RealEstateWiki.com has approxiamtely 70 user friendly categories that cater to a variety of interests. For example, if you're an agent who needs to renew your real estate license online, simply check out the Government, Associations and Organizations section and click on Real Estate Schools and Colleges. If your buyers need a certified home inspector or want to work with a licensed real estate appraiser, check out the Real Estate Companies section.

Other perks include a glossary of terms, local market reports, blogs, social networks, marketing services and so much more.

Real estate professionals, and anyone interested in real estate, is encouraged to sign up and contribute relevant data to the free site. Log on, check it out and maybe even add your own entry.

By Danielle Macklin, Allied Schools, www.realestatelicense.com

Labels: Real Estate Agent License, real estate agent training, Real Estate Wiki

more>>

Experts Say Texas Real Estate Looks Good

With affordable housing, a high quality of life and continuous population growth, Texas is an ideal place to get your Texas real estate license.

According to Dr. Mark Dotzour, chief economist for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M, "Texas has the best tax structure for business and will continue to outperform other states in attracting relocating companies and job growth."

With a healthy job economy, Texas' growing population will not only require housing, but assistance from licensed professionals with a Texas real estate license.

"The job markets in Texas are strong," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. "They (Texas consumers) are going to go out and buy homes because home prices are affordable."

Texas real estate agents have the opportunity to prosper while helping others realize their dreams of home ownership.

"There are ample opportunities in the current market for buyers who have good jobs and good credit," said Virginia Cook, chief executive officer of Virginia Cook Realtors in Texas. "Conventional loans are available, rates are reasonable and FHA-insured mortgage applications have been rising as low and moderate-income buyers seek alternatives to subprime loans. In the next 15 years, enough people will move to Texas to create a new Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio."

Now is the perfect time to start your real estate course and get your Texas real estate license. Learn more about licensing requirements by visiting The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) website at www.trec.state.tx.us/.

By Danielle Macklin, Allied Schools, www.realestatelicense.com

Labels: real estate agent training, Texas Real Estate, Texas Real Estate License

more>>

5 Buyer Pitfalls Real Estate Agents Help You Avoid

Purchasing a home is an exhilarating and overwhelming experience. Challenges may pop up, but certain mistakes can be avoided with the help of an agent on top of their real estate agent license.

1) Not knowing how much house you can afford.

Most agents advise clients to get pre-approved before beginning a home search. Why? Because buyers need to be realistic and look for homes in a price range they can comfortably afford.

Liz Pullman Wagner, author of 8 Big Mortgage Mistakes and How to Avoid Them recommends, "Limiting your housing costs, which include mortgage, property taxes and homeowner's insurance, to 25% of your gross income."

2) Messing around with your credit.

Agents will warn you - never close a credit card, especially if you plan on applying for a home loan within six months. "The credit score looks at the amount of available credit you've used on each card, but the more important number is the total across all of your cards," says Kimberly Lankford, a writer with www.kiplinger.com. "This ratio goes up whenever you close any accounts." According to Lankford, the lower your ratio, the better shape you're in.

Keeping an old card open shows a good history of managing credit. You can't erase bad credit history by closing an old credit card account, but it can hurt your good history.

3) Buying when you're not ready.

Do you have a crystal ball to predict a change in your job status or unforeseen health problems? Probably not. That's why a real estate salesperson will advise a buyer to have a financial cushion to ensure the mortgage is always covered. Additionally, if you're planning on having kids soon, getting a divorce, moving in the next few years or have a low credit score, you may also want to hold off on buying.

4) Not knowing the neighborhood well enough.

Work with an agent who thoroughly knows the community you're interested in - it's even better if they live there! Talk to neighbors, drop by the area at different times of the day to see what it's like and enlist the services of a real estate appraiser that's on top of their appraisal license courses. What if the college kids down the street throw loud parties, the street is a favorite commuter short-cut or the empty lot behind you is the future home of a night club? Find out!

5) Not researching licensed home inspectors.

A licensed home inspector is there to represent YOUR best interests. Talk to your real estate agent about recommendations and do your own research too. That way, one of the biggest investments of your life won't turn out to be sliding down a hill, infested with mold or something worse.

Yahoo! Real Estate columnist Ilyce Glink encourages buyers to make sure their inspector is licensed, bonded and insured. She also suggests accompanying the inspector to see the issues first hand, if any, yourself.

By Danielle Macklin, Allied Schools,www.realestatelicense.com

Labels: Real Estate Agent, Real Estate Agent License, real estate agent training

more>>

Lure Buyers with Stellar Photos

We live in a visual society. In fact, according to a recent National Association of Realtors survey, 80% of home buyers used the Internet last year to search for a home and nearly 25% reported that the Internet is where they first found the property they purchased.

So what does this all mean? Home buyers are demanding more and every marketing savvy agent must take action to ensure their listings scream, "Come look at me!" This can be done by giving buyers what they want - more photos! From the front of the home, to the formal foyer, to the unrivaled views from the kitchen's picture window, you must capture your listing's undeniable charm on camera and post it online for the masses to see. Here are some helpful tips for telling your listing's story through quality photos:

Timing is everything

The best time to capture an exterior shot is during the middle of the day when the sun is bright and the sky is blue. For interior shots, turn on the lights and use a flash so the photos don't come out too dark.

More, more, more

You're not likely to lure buyers with one or two photos. Buyers want to see it all! Include photos of as many rooms as possible, but focus on the home's best features. Consider enlisting the help of a professional staging service if the home doesn't photograph well.

Also, consider amenities that go beyond the home. Is there a great community clubhouse, tennis court or pool? Perhaps the home has outstanding views of city lights, mountains or the ocean. Equally appealing is a home's location, so include photos of nearby parks, popular shopping destinations or award winning schools. These are all major selling points that add value to a home and increase its overall appeal.

Remove the clutter

Remove unnecessary clutter before photographing a home. In the kitchen, clear the counters of extra appliances, put away dishes and remove mismatched magnets from the fridge. Throughout the interior, put away toys, make the beds, place fresh towels in the bathrooms and make sure laundry is out of sight.

Outside, put away garbage cans, animal food dishes and maybe add a few plants. If you have a pool, make sure to have it cleaned, than remove all pool toys and cleaning devices. Remove cars from the driveway when taking exterior shots and try to avoid unsightly telephone poles or power lines.

Choose your camera wisely

If your photos are poor quality, buyers won't be impressed and are likely to click onto the next property. Forget cell phone cameras. Digital cameras or cameras with a wide lens are the best fit for the job.

To get the clearest shots, always snap photos using your camera's highest resolution. High resolution photos are essential for quality print, including flyers, postcards, magazines and newspapers. The photos can always be decreased for use on the web.

Improve where needed

If needed, improve your photos using editing software like Adobe Photoshop. Crop out unnecessary shots of walls or ceilings and zoom in to capture the desired features. You may also adjust the brightness if the photos turned out darker than expected.

Honesty is the best policy when using photo editing software, so don't overdo it by performing digital plastic surgery.

Take a class or hire a pro

Not comfortable with your photography skills? Improve them by taking a photography class at a local community college, community center or camera shop.

On the other hand, there are plenty of talented professional photographers you can hire. Depending on your budget, consider college students studying photography to experienced photographers specializing in real estate.

By Danielle Macklin, Obtain yourreal estate agent license at Allied Real Estate Schools

Labels: real estate agent training

more>>