“I am Not a Lead” – The Privilege of Serving

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Ran across this manifesto last year and was impressed. Spoke to Marc Davison of 1000 Watt Consulting and enjoyed his thoughts on the real estate business and the mindset that traditional agents have about "leads". Rather than relying on technologies that de-personalize or attempt to automate "lead response", Realtors should focus on listening, absorbing and responding with accurate information. … [Read more...]

Social Media Presentation

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We are witnessing the birth of social media. Why do we care? Team Bohannon's goal is to maintain and strengthen our client relationships by delivering high-value, relevant content more quickly. Most people buy a home once every seven years, but most Realtors do not stay in touch with past clients for seven years. We use social media to meet clients where they are online. We want to understand our … [Read more...]

Why Buy Now? 2010 May Bring Higher Overall Costs

Should you wait and see if home values in the Tampa Bay area drop further before buying? Everyone wants to pay the lowest possible price. The sales price, however, is not the only factor that determines monthly payment if you will be financing the purchase. A 1% increase in mortgage interest rates would result in a higher monthly payment than an additional 10% drop in value. The financing cost … [Read more...]

Don't Get Soaked By Flood Insurance

We almost had a 300K short sale transaction fall apart at the last moment over flood insurance.  The current owner was paying $1600 per year and the quote for the buyer's insurance was $6000 per year because this older home was located in a Pinellas County flood zone that had recently changed. The high cost would have impacted the buyer's loan ratios and willingness to buy. Flood insurance is … [Read more...]

Low Down Payment & First Time Homebuyer Loans

Looking to buy Tampa real estate with little or no money down? There are affordable home loans available for first-time home buyers looking to realize the dream of homeownership. If you are concerned about employment history, income qualifications, credit score or down payment assistance (gifts or grants), there are programs available today.   Government Sponsored Loan Programs The obvious … [Read more...]

Appraisal Valuation Issues Persist

Many home sales have fallen apart due to home valuation issues. Rapidly changing home prices and evolving regulations have impacted appraisals. We have seen buyers wait 6 months for a successful short sale approval only to have their hopes dashed by a low appraisal from their own lender. We have seen sellers move out of their homes and commit to other properties only to see the sale fall apart due … [Read more...]