Statistics are the cornerstone of evaluation methods.  Without statistics it we would not be able to analyze outcomes.  We would not forecast, anticipate sales options or create projections. This brings me to using statistics in Real Estate.  Forecasting Sales in real estate can be based on population trends, housing availability, price and income to name a few. The hidden factor is you the agent.  How much are you willing to invest in your career.  Real estate is not like a normal 8-5 jobs.  You have some control factors that must be recognized. Top 10 Agent Factors: Can you schedule you own time? Do You have presentation skills? Are you detail oriented? Are you a good communicator? Can you remain neutral in your opinion and deal with facts as presented? (home condition, location, deco... 02/23/2012

Grand Rapids real estate brokers are many times small single person offices, the broker is the agent.   Real estate services offered are often limited based on dollars and technology. Selling homes is a matter of buyer exposure, the rule of numbers.  The more buyers seeing a home for sale, the faster the home sells.  This is why technology is so important to generate home sales.  broker's are not always wiling to spend brokerage money on advertising a client's home.  This minimizes buyer expose of the property for sale to a smaller pool of home buyer's. Flexit Realty agents have multiple years of real estate experience.  The majority of real estate agents with the company have been associated with Flexit Realty over two years with many years of experience in home selling in the Grand Ra... 02/23/2012

Characteristics of Homes Purchased in 2011 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers   It is important for all of us to understand the characteristics of the homes that were purchased from mid 2010 to mid 2011 so we understand how the homes stack up to the home buyers. 16% of homes purchased where new construction Typical size home was 1,900sq ft Typical age of home was 18yrs (built in 1993) Typically the home purchased had 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms 77% of homes purchased were detached single family residences The top three factors influencing neighborhood choice are: quality of neighborhood, convenience to work and overall affordability 87% of buyers felt heating and cooling costs were somewhat important 73% of buyers considered commuting costs somewhat important Previous Posts on the 2011 P... 02/22/2012

  2011 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers Environment & Characteristics of Home Buyers   We have all gotten to have a front row seat to the changes in the Housing Environment over the last year.  In the previous years we had seen a rush to buy to take advantage of home buyer tax credit and record low prices but as we know those have ended. Home buyers that bought during this survey period (mid 2010 to mid 2011) were buying due to family changes and job relocation and not because of tax incentives. There were still more than one-quarter  of home buyers that purchased a home because they had the desire to own a home of their own. There was a slight sales decline but home values seam to have leveled off as there was not a significant change for the previous year. Overall the housing enviro... 02/22/2012

Great Townhouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan 3588 Whispering Brook Dr Southeast Grand Rapids, MI 49508 Great Townhouse! Home Photo Gallery Virtual Tour Property Map Payment Info Request Showing John Rice Office:616-560-0404 Mobile:616-560-0404 Website:Visit Website Price : $69,900 Bedrooms : 2 Bathrooms : 2 Square Foot : 1,140 County : Kent Property Type : Condo or Townhouse Year Built : 1980 MLS Number : 11010066 click for more information and pictures Property Description Move right into to this well appointed and remodeled Townhouse Style Condominium. The natural light abounds in this end-unit, with newer kitchen, all newer flooring, updated mechanicals, and a wonderful, flowing floor plan. Have all the advantages of owning a home without the hassle of maintenance. Private entrance. Lar... 02/21/2012

Yike's what a day...the dreaded 65! I have never had an issue with birthday's but this one has been different.  I really never gave time or dates much thought unless they were associated with a contract or closing a sale. I have maintained my physical condition over the years.  Enjoyed using and abusing my body in every conceivable manor. I went through Green Beret training school, ran miles without thinking it was far, jumped into and out of situations without hesitation.  I raced motorcycles, sailboats (which I still do) peddled bikes for miles, cross country skied miles, hang glided, hiked in remote areas never did age or physical condition enter my mind.  Not once did I flinch or think WOW, until what ever adventure I had completed was over. Turning 65, that is a whole new frontier ... 02/19/2012

Of course the "First Lady" keeps me in line.  My etiquette, dress code, security issues all being sought after on a daily basis. Press release information, current events, community issues along with neighborhood happenings are always on my agenda.  Meetings with the chief of staff, talking with the army and rescue units for client welfare to insure policy and open communications are being exercised.  No invasions of vacant properties or notices posted without a quick response.  A routine day for the Commander in Chief. Then I look out the window and we are surrounded!  Our "White House" is located on approximately 2 acres with an auto feeder just over 70 ft from our back door.  We are allowed to use this feeder year round by state law because of the location to our home.  We have decid... 02/19/2012

Selecting a home selling agent is an important issue when considering selling your home.  If you are considering "Home Selling Agents in Grand Rapids" your choice of real estate agent will be very important.  Selling homes today requires a broad range of expertise in Internet marketing, local real estate market knowledge and robust communication skills.  Your property is one of hundreds available for buyer's to consider.  Like you and I we go to the convenience of the Internet to research information.  Home buyer's are no different.  They use the Internet to research homes 80% of the time.  This means your seller agent must have skill sets to promote your property beyond what is offered by placing your home for sale on the real estate agent local Multiple Listing Service (MLS).  It is i... 02/17/2012

Exclusive home buying agents only represent home buyer's as the name suggests.  There is more to a name than Buyer's Agent.  Exclusive Home Buyer Agents can help you, as a buyer, with neighborhood information, demograpics, sales data, even school locations, tax data and much more. Many home buyer agents specialize in neighborhood areas.  Flexit Realty has agents that live in Grand Rapids and surrounding communities helping home buyer's with personal knowledge from living in the areas they work.  Exclusive Home Buying Agent's offer something more, a single task bound by an relationship agreement to work in your best interest.    Download our "Free Home Buyer's Checklist" helping you not miss a home buying step. View the "Exclusive Home Buyer Agent Video" see the services and home buying ... 02/16/2012

Horse Stable Business for sale, turn key, 30 stalls, fenced 16.4 acres, built in 2000.  Inside lighted training and riding arena.  Outside lighted arena approved for eventing.  Custom designed and built with horse lovers in mind.  Riding trails just down the road in a country setting, yet only a short drive to Michigan's second largest city, Grand Rapids. The horse stable is designed in a "U" shape with stable wings on each side of the indoor arena for indoor access.  Wash areas in each stable wing.  Private client tack lockers, grain room, and inside hay loft that holds 1600-1700 bales of hay.  Private bathroom for clients located just off the arena area accessible from either stable area. Integrated into the business with private 3 bedroom living quarters 2 full baths with a large mas... 02/16/2012

Thinking of Selling your home in the Grand Rapids Real Estate market? We produced a short video outling some of the steps of home selling.  You can visit our website for more selling details and a FREE "Home Seller's Checklist"   Let us know what you think of the video by clicking the like button.   02/13/2012

Thinking about buying a home in Grand Rapids Michigan?  Get yourself financially qualified by a lender, your first step. Buying the home of your dreams club be one of the best opportunities of your life or a emotional roller coaster without a lender pre-qualification letter.  Seller's will view your offer as legitimate with a pre-qualification letter.  Without this step being done your offer will only be viewed with skepticism by the seller's  Flexit Realty offers professional buyer agents living neighborhoods just like yours.  Take a moment and view our buyer agent video.  It will help you with a few other home search opportunities.  Give Flexit Realty Buyer Agents a call for personal home buying help. If you have difficulty playing this video here is a direct link to YouTube to see th... 02/12/2012

Do I look Like your personal ATM? Real Estate Agents and Brokers are in the business of real estate, selling homes.  I maintain an office in Grand Rapids Michigan under the name Flexit Realty®.  The name was created from “Flexible Real Estate Solutions” but that isn’t why I look like an ATM. From time to time we all hear from potential clients the reasons why they can’t buy.  We hear why they will have trouble paying the rent.  We even hear why they are moving.  Most of the time you have to feel for the economic situation that has caused them so much misfortune. People become desperate and bargain without anything to offer for collateral.  I receive calls nearly everyday from a buyer who knows they cannot buy, before they call me.   This may seem harsh to you, I run a business for profi... 02/07/2012

Negotiating Your Homes Sale, Step #12  Is one of the finale steps before you meet at the title company or lawyers office, depending on your state and method of completing your homes sale. This steps requires some diplomacy and nerve to hold your ground on issues that will not kill the sale, yet will not cost your thousands of dollars. Before inspections in most cases, before the value appraisal comes the purchase agreement to buy your home. Real estate agents have very little contract negotiation training.  Agents bring Real Estate agents often do not have Negotiation Skills, they are learned on the job, representing home owners. what negotiation skills they have, from other industries, or learn how as a result of client representation on the job as real estate agents.  This is why rea... 02/06/2012

Selling Your Home, Step #11 Open Houses A few days before your “Open House” go over the home selling steps already covered in this series.  Create the right home selling environment for buyers.  We will cover how to advertise your home for sale to maximize buyer attendance to your open house. Step #4  Marketing Methods to attract the widest range of buyers that may be Marketing Your Home correctly will help buyer's find Your Home First! interested in your home. Step #5  Property Descriptions, you will not be handing your property descriptions to every buyer that comes through the door, but those interested in your home.  Survey of the property, included, if you have one. Step #6 Preparing the Outside of your home for sale.  It is always good to take another look before hosting your open... 02/04/2012

Thinking of selling your home in Grand Rapids Michigan? You have a couple of choices when considering selling your home.  You can sell your own home or you can hire a  real estate sellers agent to sell your home.  Selling your home on your own meaning you take on the role of a real estate agent with all the marketing, phone calls, buyer interviews, showing your home along with the paperwork. I am not discouraging you, just pointing out the facts.  You can reduce your selling costs if you are willing to put in the hours and money required upfront.  Most seller don't think it takes any money upfront to sell a home.  They could not be further from the reality of home selling.  Real estate seller agents create all the paperwork and the information that goes into marketing homes.  Now not al... 02/03/2012

Selling Your Home Step #10 Financing, helping buyer's, buy! (originally posted on FlexitRealtyBlog) Many times buyers start looking for a home before they have secured financing.  This means buyers are looking, dreaming about a new home, without the proven ability to purchase.  Unless they have cash, which is rare, buyers will need to discuss lending option with a bank or mortgage broker. Real estate agents representing sellers, know to ask, if the buyers have seen a lender to establish mortgage guidelines.  Meaning the buyer knows the maximum lending limit the bank or mortgage company is willing to lend them.  The buyer also knows how much money they must put down to secure the loan.  The only way a real estate agent gets paid, selling to a buyer that can buy your home. Without a pre-q... 02/03/2012

Robert Brown | Bellabay Realty | (616) 366-7030 1031 Merrifield ST SE, Grand Rapids, MI 3 possible 5 bedrooms. 3 full baths. Very nice kitchen. Fenced rear yard with deck. 3BR/3BA Single Family House offered at $58,900 Year Built 1951 Sq Footage 1,928 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 3 full, 0 partial Floors Unspecified Parking Unspecified Lot Size 5,227 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Located in the Alger Heights neighborhood this home is larger than it appears. 5 bedrooms and 3 full baths. Living room with French doors to bedroom. Kitchen with center island and appliances included. Master bedroom with cathedral ceilings and skylights. Lower level has 2 non conforming bedrooms and a separate kitchen. Fenced back yard with large deck see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES - Central ... 02/02/2012

Sell Your Home in 12 easy steps.  Step #9  Showing Your Home To Potential Buyers  (originally posted on the Flexit Realty Blog) Home Showing is where the difference between a professional real estate agent and a home owner’s become evident.  Home owner’s rare have to show their home, unless a quick family or friend tour, as a quest. Showing your home to potential buyers is quite another story.  Real Estate Agents are making assessments of the buyer during the meet and greet.  They watch their eyes body language and “listen” for comments.  In short, agents tune into buyers and their actions. Agent know how to handle the normal negotiation objections.  When buyers first come to a home we home we have three types. The quiet buyer, that nods, hums and looks intently.  They say very little e... 02/02/2012

12 Easy Steps to Selling Your Home “Step #8  “Photos, the visual details to attract buyers”  (originally posted on FlexitRealtyblog.com) If you consider the old cliche, “pictures are worth a thousand words”.   The saying should be, pictures are worth thousands of dollars, when it comes to selling real estate!  “Pictures Equals Buyers”, the real issue is getting your home sold.  Photos taken with the right angles, light, clarity and descriptions help sell houses. How many times have you looked for a home on a website or picked up a brochure in front of a home to have one photo?  Buyers may or may not take the time to go to the website.  If the buyer does go to the website in the middle of the summer and finds a snow picture or in the middle of the winter and finds a summer photo, buyers ... 02/01/2012