Mike's Blog

Have you ever had the pleasure of calling an agents cell phone to be greeted by their voice-mail?  Sometimes the voice-mail message starts out with 2 minutes of music before their message starts and tells you why they are not available.  Some don't even mention their name or their company name.  ...

In all the talk about Federal Bail outs protection for Homeowners that bought into bad loans because they were supposedly unaware that their rates were adjustable, to bailing out the lending institutions that put themselves in that situation.  Now a recent news story said that this problem is aff...

Phone duty is a waste of time!  Or is It?You decide.  First, let's address why some perceive phone time as a waste of time.Most of the problem lies in either a lack of training, knowledge or desire.  I have been on phone duty as a new agent and an experienced agent an I am always bewildered when ...

WHY?That is the question that should be asked.  Many of todays buyers are saying they want to wait to see what the market does before they act on purchasing their new home.  The media certainly has helped in creating this fear.  The problem:  The market has been sluggish and a lot of foreclosures...

Shopping for a home is an exciting adventure and it's easy to get lost in a sea of dazzling for-sale homes and all of their fabulous amenities - which can cause you to temporarily forget that a large backyard is your top priority. To keep yourself focused, take time to identify and organize exact...

If lack of space for your belongings is an issue for you, off-site storage may be the right solution. You don't have to be a pack rat to find yourself needing extra space. You could be renovating a room and need somewhere to house the contents. Perhaps you need to move into smaller quarters tempo...

Only for the rare few sellers, simply placing a "For Sale" yard sign on the front lawn creates a line of traffic filled with potential buyers. If you want buyers to see your home, you've got to find them. The key is marketing. To get the most exposure for your home, you should have a marketing pl...

Should a buyer get a home inspection for a home they are buying? Should a seller order a home inspection prior to putting the property on the market? There are advantages for both. Simply put, a home inspection is a visual examination of both the physical structure and major systems of the entire...

Title companies provide title insurance services to buyers, sellers, lenders and developers, essentially anyone who has an interest in real estate. Services vary throughout the country, depending on local practices and laws. In many states, title companies handle escrow as well as perform and ins...

A new career opportunity sometimes means that your family will need to relocate to another town. The decision to move is often arrived after careful consideration of various factors including the other partner's career; the effect on the children's educational and recreational activities; and fin...