Ryan’s Blog

Dave Ramsey

I have always enjoyed listening to motivational tapes such as Tony Robbins, Floyd Wickman, Tom Ferry and Zig Ziglar in the past. I have benefited a lot from those guys. Most of the lessons learned were geared towards the real estate market and becoming a better agent. I think we all need motivation and can all learn from people like those guys.

Last month my partner, Annie Williams, let me borrow her Dave Ramsey CD set “Financial Peace University”. I have listened to the Dave Ramsey show on the way home from work and have loved it, so I knew who he was and what the CD set was about. I have known Annie for a long time and she has probably said “Dave Ramsey says……” at least 20 times. I guess she figured I needed to hear Dave Ramsey too. I am now a believer. The 16 disc set is AMAZING! This is the kind of thing everyone needs to hear. If they taught this stuff in high schools, our economy would be in a whole lot better shape. If you get a chance pick the set up. You will be glad you did.

You can read more about Dave, the live seminars and the CDS/DVDS by going to http://www.daveramsey.com.

Home Automation

We have some great builders here in the Auburn / Opelika area. Being in Real Estate I work with a lot of these guys and see a lot of new construction homes. I see all kinds of neat stuff in homes and really enjoy walking in and seeing something original and unique. Just last week I was onsite at a new construction home and saw a one of the coolest driveways I have ever seen. It was a large area made with dark concrete pavers. It was done really well and looked great. This came with a cost….. a $26,000 cost!!! The house was in the mid $800,000′s so I am sure that was a drop in the bucket for the home owner. The inside of the house was really nice as well and featured a lot of major upgrades throughout the interior. After I walked out and drove off the technology geek in me got to thinking. Why have I not seen a complete home automation system in any new homes? The only house I know of that really has a whole house system is a 10,000 square foot house formally owned by a certain ex Auburn head football coach who now lives in Texas.

In my opinion, this is a market that is TOTALLY untapped. Builders are always looking to out spec the guy next door with lavish tile, appliances, bathrooms, and stone work and it is something that is so common now with high end new construction. Buyers walk in and EXPECT to see all these things. It isn’t anything “new” and “exciting”. Buyers want something new. They want something that is nice, but also something they can enjoy. Granted, not all buyers are looking for what I would consider a “want” or that is important to me, but there is a market for it. Technology is a huge part of our lives now. It is important (and MANDATORY in my line of work) to stay on top of it and use the awesome advances we have made. This is where builders come in. Building a house that features fully integrated lighting, security, audio, video, climate control and data would be a major selling point for most buyers. It could be done a lot less than that paver driveway too!

What exactly is home automation? Home automation gives you control of things around the home. You can control your whole house audio, video, all lighting, heating and air conditioning, security system, cameras, all your data stored on your computers, garage doors, irrigation system, powered shades, and even your door locks through a device such as a remote control, cell phone or personal computer. Basic systems have been around a long time, but they have been very expensive and complicated to set-up and operate. And in most cases you had to rewire the whole home. Over the last year there have been a number of advances in the technology and functionality of home automation. Prices have come way down on the systems as well.

Automated homes aren’t just a reality for the high end homes or the tech-savvy anymore. With the affordability and ease-of-use of the products on the market today, virtually anyone can automate their home. For instance, companies like Control 4 and the Crestron Prodigy product line offers affordable, functional and feature rich systems that were not possible years ago.

This is a video that demonstrate a control4 system installed in the new Aria hotel in Las Vegas:

You can even use Apple’s new Ipad as a controller!

Just some of the functions and benefits of home automation include:

Lighting and Appliance Control – Lights can be turned on or off from multiple locations. They can also be programmed to turn on or off along with other events from anywhere in the house or even by using the internet if you are away from your home.  You can use motion sensors and have lights come on automatically when you enter a room and turn off when you leave the room a few minutes later.

Security Systems & Access Control - Your alarm system can be used as a part of the control system. Lights can be turned on and off automatically as you turn you alarm on and off. Your system can call, text and email you if there is an alert status. Additionally, you can unlock the front door to let friends in or close the garage door from your office via the internet. You can also control security cameras from anywhere in the world from the internet or even on your mobile device.

Entertainment Systems - One single controller replaces all of the remote controls in your house. You can press one button to dim your lights, close the drapes, turn on the TV, start the DVD player and setup your audio for the movie. In-wall speakers can be placed throughout your home to provide audio wherever you like.

Communication Systems – Telephone, intercom and internet. Phone systems which are usually used for small business applications are surprisingly convenient in the home. With caller ID and a home automation controller you can screen your calls for only those you wish to cause your phone to ring. You can talk to anyone from in the house, or even at your door from your couch.

Thermostats - Remote control thermostats allow you to adjust the temperature from bed at night or even from a cell phone while on your way home. They can even trigger a notice to you if the temperature gets too low or too high. This can save quite a bit on your energy bill!

Irrigation – Set your sprinkler system to turn on only when it’s dry, turn them on from your office at work, or even while you are on vacation.

Data Systems – Multiple computers can all be networked together and access data from any TV in the house.

The advances in technology have opened a whole new world of possibilities. If you are starting to build a new house or even wanting to do some “upgrading” to your current house, do some research and see just home automation can do for you!

Auburn High is 6A State Champs…. Again!

Congratulations to the Auburn High School baseball team. Saturday they won the 6A championship for the second year in a row! Auburn beat Grissom 9-7 in the deciding game 3 Saturday night. Not only is Auburn the best place in the USA for golf, one of the top ten places to live, one of the best places for small businesses, and one of the best public school systems in the nation, but now we have the best baseball team in the state! This also has significance to me because the hero of game 3 and MVP of the whole tournament was Trey Gregg. His father Hap Gregg is a fellow agent at Prudential and good friend! He is one proud father and rightfully so. Trey pitched in game 3 and also hit a 395 foot home run! That would be a HR in most major league parks! Congratulations again to the team! Way to represent our wonderful community!

Real Estate Photography

The internet has changed the Real Estate industry in a whole lot of ways. It has made is easier for both the public and the agents. One of the most telling statistics is 88% of all buyers starting their home search begin looking online first. Today, buyers are more educated than ever and do a lot of research on multiple sites before starting to actually tour homes. There are a million Real Estate sites out there in cyber space. Some sites are easier to follow, some have better search options, some have more information, and some have a higher page rank. But one thing they all have in common is the person viewing the site is seeing the same pictures the Real Estate agent took for that particular listing. That being said, if almost 90% of buyers start their search online looking at pictures of homes, investing in the proper equipment and taking great photos should be one of the agent’s top priorities.

If you look some pictures online they look like they have been taken with a camera phone. This is a pretty funny blog that I would guess that over 90% of agents use a small pocket camera to take their photos. There have been huge advances in point and shoots over the past, and there are some that take GREAT photos. The biggest problem with point and shoot cameras is the lack of lens length. Most P&S cameras are limited to 25mm to a 35mm lenses. It is very important to have an ultra wide angle lens for interior photography.

I just got a Canon 10-22mm lens (good review here) and it is amazing the difference using an ultra wide angle lens makes. I am now able to get the WHOLE room in the photo. Even small laundry rooms and bathrooms are able to get in the photo. The four photos above were taken using a very high quality Canon DSLR camera.  I wanted to demonstrate the difference between a standard 35mm lens shot compared to a 24mm, 17mm and even the ultra wide 10mm lens shots.  You can really get a good example of see how much more of the room we are able to feature using the wider angle lens that is simply not available on the small pocket sized digital cameras. My dad always taught me you have to have the right tools for the job. In the case of Real Estate photography, he was right!

Here is some of my favorite listing photos. Don’t they just make you want to schedule a showing right now!

Technology and Real Estate

I am a gadget person. I consider myself tech savvy and I have to have the latest and greatest when it comes to electronics. It is important to know and understand new technology and how it can help me be a better Real Estate agent. It is amazing how fast things change in the electronic front. Just 5 years ago I was carrying around a flip phone that I used to make calls and a separate Dell Axim X30 PDA for my calendar and occasional wifi access that I could surf the internet at blazing speeds (sarcasm).

I have had 7 or 8 phones since then and each one has been a major improvement over the last one. I thought I had found the Holy Grail 3 years ago with the original iphone. Then 2 years ago I got the new iphone 3G, then the about 6 months ago the iphone 3GS. Well I can safely say I HAVE indeed found the Holy Grail for my mobile device. The HTC Incredible is absolutely incredible (no pun intended). Check out the Engadget review. If of you grew up in the Nintendo era, it is like going from a Nintendo 8bit to a Nintendo 64. It is truly a great device. It does everything the iphone does and it does it faster and better. The processor is currently the fastest for any phone on the market and it shows. Checking Navica (Our MLS for Real Estate listings) is a breeze and just as fast as searching from my desktop at the office. I no longer have to type emails or text messages. Every program on the phone has the option to speak the text for the messages and it works very well. I do not have to type emails while I am drivingJ. It does exactly what I need to work faster and easier. Currently is offered through Verizon wireless so if you have Verizon and are due for an upgrade, GET THIS PHONE! It is my new favorite gadget (for this month anyway).

Time is Running Out!

If someone told you they would be willing to give you free money most people would just laugh and move on. Well in the case of the homebuyer tax credit, it really is free money. I am sure most of you have heard about it. Currently we are working with several first time home buyers who are eligible for the credit but are unsure about the details. I wanted to include the basic who, what, when and where questions to clear some of the confusion up.

Who Qualifies?

First-time home buyers who purchase homes between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.

To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” the purchaser may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.

Which Properties Are Eligible?

The 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops.

How Much Will the Credit Be?

The maximum allowable credit for home buyers is $8,000. Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by two factors:

The price of the home—the credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the home, up to $8,000.

The buyer’s income—single buyers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000—may receive the maximum tax credit.

If the Buyer(s)’ Income Exceeds These Limits, Can they Still Get a Credit?

Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit.

The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $75,000 and $95,000 for single buyers and between $150,000 and $170,000 for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit decreases as his/her income approaches the maximum limit. Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying income—over $95,000 for singles and over $170,000 for couples are not eligible for the credit.

Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid?

No. The buyer does not need to repay the tax credit, if he/she occupies the home for three years or more. However, if the property is sold during the three-year period, the credit will be recouped on the sale.

Right now is a great time to purchase a home. Inventory is high, rates are low, and the $8000 tax credit is icing on the cake. BUT, time is running out. The credit runs out December 1^st, 2009. Closings usually take 30 days and the purchase must be closed by December 1^st, 2009. If we can answer any questions regarding the tax credit or anything else, please feel free to give us a call. Don’t let this wonderful opportunity pass you by!

Great week in Auburn Real Estate

Who says the real estate market is slow? Don’t tell that to my partner and I. What a great week it has been! Four new listings with 2 more on the way and 3 home sales make for a busy week!

New listing at 1210 Lizlin Drive

New listing at 535 Sherwood Drive

New listing at 12549 Highway 51

New listing at 447 Longleaf Drive

 

Throw in the fact that Auburn’s first football game was last weekend and you have yourself a dream week! I believe Annie and I are an amazing team. We both enjoy what we do and enjoy helping others. Our office is booming as well. Agents are hustling in and out of the office. Our office managers Charity (my wife) and Angela are staying crazy busy with plenty of new listing files and sale files on their desk. Times are good at Prudential Preferred Real Estate!

We still have a long way to go, but things seem to be rebounding nicely. Everything is not always as bad as the news makes it out to be. Just stop by our office and see for yourself!

Sweet Home Alabama

I love Auburn. I really do.

I just returned home from a GREAT vacation in fabulous Las Vegas and had a great time. My wife and I both had one of, if not the best vacation we have ever had. The food, sights, photography, celebrating my birthday and just enjoying the relaxing time away, and it was all almost perfect.

But, no matter how good the trip was I was ready to get back home. I have said it before and I will reiterate it again. I LOVE Auburn, Alabama!

Every vacation I have ever been on is the same way. I always have a good time but really look forward to coming back to home sweet home!

I know you are probably thinking, yea Ryan, everybody looks forward to coming back home after a vacation, right? Well you are right, but for those of you that know me understand my love for Las Vegas and hear me counting down the days until the day the plane departs MONTHS in advance.

Auburn is the greatest place on the earth, especially this time of year. We only have five more days until the first football game. 5 MORE DAYS! My partner Annie and I are working great together, we are working with some real good folks, the weather is great, our office keeps getting better by the week (welcome new agents Hap Greg, Stacy Culpepper, Forrest and Keith Hamrick, Leigh Hester, Kristi Smith, Lois Taylor, Sherri Tucker and Ligia Bosio), interest rates have dropped below 5% and the market seems to be rebounding more and more every month (4 straight gains nationally). Life is good on the plains.

I met a lot of interesting people while I in Vegas. I absolutely love it for a couple of weeks a year, but there is no way I could deal with it every day. I wouldn’t want to raise a family there, deal with the traffic, and deal with all of the hustle and bustle of the big city on a day to day basis. It makes you really appreciate what a wonderful town Auburn is and how fortunate I am to live in the south. It makes my job a whole lot easier and enjoyable too. I am selling something I truly believe in. What more could a guy ask for?

Now, only 194 more days……….