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Ponchatoula, LA Real Estate News

By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
  The 2010 hurricane season is fast-approaching, and all seasonal forecast parameters are suggesting that the upcoming hurricane season will be quite active.  In fact, every single parameter that made 2009 such a quiet season appears to have reversed for 2010.   Let’s take a look at some of these seasonal forecast parameters to see what they are telling us about how many storms may form in 2010 and where they might track. El Niño/La Niña Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) across the Tropical Pacific can provide a major clue as to the activity of the coming season.  When SSTs average over 0.5C above normal for a period of time, we identify that as an El Niño. The result is twofold.  Warmer water in the Pacific results in rising air and increased thunderstorms there.  The air flows eastward...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
If your looking to buy a house in the Ponchatoula La area,the prices start at only $88,000 dollars.The Sq, Ft ranges from 816 sq ft. to over 4500 sq ft homes.Looking to help Home buyers make their dream's come true.I am looking for 191 home buyers for the Ponchatoula La area. Let me work for you. Ponchatoula La Homes   http://webhosts.ihouseelite.com/Web/AR412808/ListingSearch/results/
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
MEMORIAL DAY!   The other day somebody wished me a “Happy Memorial Day Weekend!” It stopped me in my tracks.  I looked at him and asked if he even knew what Memorial Day was all about? He said sure, it means the beginning of summer, warm weather and when the beaches open to the public.  I said, "Is that ALL it means to you?" He said, "Well, yeah...why?" I told him that it’s a very solemn day.  It’s a day we put aside to honor all of our troops who sacrificed their lives in wartime so that we may live in freedom. They left the comfort of their homes and families to go to foreign lands and fight those who would try to take it all away from us.  I think if they did that, the least we can do is to remember them on MEMORIAL DAY! Veterans of World War I, World War II, The Korean War, Viet Nam...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
                                                                     Pre-Season Week 01 Thursday, August 12, 2010, 6:30PM CDT Thu, 08/12 at 6:30 PM CDT Aug. 12 at New England Patriots at Patriots 6:30 PM CDT   Week 02 Saturday, August 21, 2010, 7:00PM CDT Sat, 08/21 at 7:00 PM CDT Aug. 21 vs Houston Texans vs Texans 7:00 PM CDT    Week 03 Friday, August 27, 2010, 7:00PM CDT Fri, 08/27 at 7:00 PM CDT Aug. 27 vs San Diego Chargers vs Chargers 7:00 PM CDT   Week 04 Thursday, September 02, 2010, 7:00PM CDT Thu, 09/02 at 7:00 PM CDT Sep. 02 at Tennessee Titans at Titans 7:00 PM CDT    Regular Sea   Week 01 Thursday, September 09, 2010, 7:30PM CDT Thu, 09/09 at 7:30 PM CDT Sep. 09 vs Minnesota Vikings   Week 02 Monday, September 20, 2010, 7:30PM CDT Mon, 09/20 at 7:30 PM CDT Sep. 20 at San F...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
            2010 LSU Football Schedule Date Opponent Location (Arena) Time (CT) Results On the Air   Sat, Mar 27 Spring Game Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium)   3:00 p.m. ESPN2 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff   Sat, Sep 04 North Carolina at Atlanta, Ga. (Georgia Dome)   TBA ESPN   Sat, Sep 11 Vanderbilt * at Nashville, Tenn. (Vanderbilt Stadium)   TBA   Sat, Sep 18 Mississippi State * Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium)   TBA   Sat, Sep 25 West Virginia Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium)   TBA   Sat, Oct 02 Tennessee * Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium)   TBA   Sat, Oct 09 Florida * at Gainesville, Fla. (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium)   TBA   Sat, Oct 16 McNeese St. Baton Rouge, La. (Tiger Stadium)   TBA   Sat, Oct 23 Auburn * at Auburn, Ala. (Jordan-Hare Stadium)   TBA   Sat, Nov 06 Alabama * Baton Rou...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
As a real estate investor — and especially if you’re a house flipper — you will no-doubt be hiring a lot of independent contractors to support your business. And I’m not just talking about the people who will be working on your houses; your real estate agent, your attorney, your CPA, and most of the other people who support your business day-to-day will be independent contractors (ICs) as well. While it may be clear in your mind that these people are ICs and not employees, it’s very important that the IRS agrees with you. If the IRS determines that the people who are doing work for you are employees, it could end up costing you dearly. Not just in terms of extra tax payments — which would amount to about 15% of the total amount paid in wages plus responsibility for unemployment wages — ...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
FSBO Tip #1: Establish a relationship with a good Realtor I know you do not want to list your home and you want to save the commission but you should still establish a relationship with a Realtor for several reasons: A Realtor can help you establish a fair market price for your home based on comparable sales in your area. A Realtor can help you prepare your home for a sale and give you some staging and marketing tips based on what is going on in your area. A Realtor can tell you which forms you will need to use throughout the process (Property Disclosure Documents, contract, etc.). A Realtor can possibly even help you with the paperwork and the transaction once you find a buyer (for a pre-determined fee) so that you have a successful sale. The first mistake For Sale By Owners make is to...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
'American Idol' finale live blog: Lee DeWyze wins over Crystal Bowersox May 26, 2010, 7:40PMFoxThe 2010 'American Idol' winner will be announced tonight. It will either be Lee DeWyze or Crystal Bowersox, and we will keep you posted right here in our live Idol blog. Tonight's the big night.... if you're a fan of "American Idol." The show's ninth season will be winding down and a new champion will be named -- either Crystal Bowersox or Lee DeWyze -- at the end of tonight's two-hour-plus finale. The show, which has extra special significance because it marks the final appearance by cranky judge Simon Cowell before he heads off to launch another reality show in Britain, goes on the air on Fox at 8 p.m. and is scheduled to run through 10:07 p.m. Throughout the night, we'll be watching the sh...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
I was curious if anyone has seen a slow down in their real estate business since the tax credit went away? In Ponchatoula La,Hammond La, the general consensus is that Title Companies are busy with the rush of home sales that occurred at the end of the month but aren't really taking on too much recent business.   How are things in your area?
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
Meet four personality types and what homes they are often drawn to.   Is your buyer a Margo, an Elise, a Claire, or a Maggie? By knowing which of these personas your female buyers most closely align with, you may be able to narrow that huge inventory of homes for sale and help her find the place that’s perfect for her.   Margo wants to "wow" others with her unique home, Elise tends to prefer the traditional, Claire is so detailed that she might bring a black light to spotlight the imperfections, and Maggie—well, keeping her focused long enough on the home will be your biggest challenge.   These four personas come from a growing body of research from Design Basics LLC, an Omaha, Neb.–based company that designs and sells plans for single-family homes. The company uses the information to c...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
  The ways you can reach leads have increased considerably in the past decade. But the fundamentals of lead follow-up haven't changed.   As real estate sales continue to change and evolve due to advancements in technology, we have whole new areas of lead generation that didn't exist a decade ago — or even a couple of years ago, for that matter. The rise of social networking has created a whole new portal of lead generation.   This expansion of lead-gen opportunities has brought some new twists and turns to some of the same unresolved lead follow-up challenges. Let me share with you seven key rules for lead follow-up to improve your skills, conversion rates, and ultimately your income.   Rule 1: Lead follow-up is an appointment-booking process.   In lead follow-up, my goal is to book an...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
REO, Short Sale, Foreclosure..are all common words in the Tangipahoa Parish Real Estate market . Scary terms to all homeowners these days. The economic woes have caused numerous homeowners to lose their homes. It is a tragedy in our Nation that has contributed further to a declining economy. Is there a bright side? Survivors will refine their business models to include services that directly relate to corporate Clients, including asset managers, Financial Institutions, and BPO Providers. In addition, the surviving Real Estate Agent will also provide solid advice to homeowners that are struggling to maintain ownership or sell their home and realize the best return on their most important investment. That solid advice will now include discussions about many potential options: • Foreclosur...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
People everyday ask me: ”How do you get offers accepted by the bank owned real estate broker?” I tell them, “You need to make sure your offer is priced correctly”. But in reality, it’s far more complex than that. There’s a variety of things that will aid in your quest of obtaining a property and here I will reveal to you what they are… 1. Pricing – Be reasonable and think a little. If a house just came on the market yesterday for $100,000, and you low-ball them a $70,000 offer, chances are, your offer gets trashed and so will your credibility. Now I am not saying to lowball, but only do so when it’s the proper occasion. The previous would be a bad example of when to lowball. It’s hard to believe, but the Lenders also have minds and they place smart people in charge. They know that when...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
Brand positioning is one of the most important marketing principles and perhaps one of the most misunderstood.  Yet, to sharply differentiate yourself from your competition, as a luxury real estate marking professional, your brand position, what you stand for in the minds of your target market, must be made crystal clear.  When you get your brand positioning spot on, it is like comparing apples and oranges. There simply is no comparison. It lets your ideal clients immediately recognize that you are a match. and your competition is not. It accelerates the speed of trust.  Portraying yourself as part apple and part orange,  in an attempt to be all things to all people, is confusing. It weakens your brand signal and your power of attraction. When you think of Rachael Ray the author, cooki...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
      Regardless of how your market is performing, you'll succeed in real estate if you can master these essential skills.   The real estate profession changes every day, but the qualities you find in top-performing practitioners do not. The details may shift as technology rolls forward, yet the underlying skills are always the same. If you can master these, you'll be successful in any market.   Skill 1: Meeting New People The simple fact is that if you never meet anyone new, you will never have anyone new to sell to. Whether you encounter them for the first time in person, online, or over the phone doesn't matter. Get one-on-one with them in a conversation about their needs, and you've at least started down the path to success.    Skill 2: Making Personal Connections You don't have to ...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
So how does the Ponchatoula LA real estate market look these days? Currently Ponchatoula has a average listing price for homes for sale of $201,456. The Tangipahoa county average currently is $196,560. The current number of properties on the market in Ponchatoula is 172. The Ponchatoula median listing price is $179,900. For Tangipahoa county real estate the total listings are 520 and a median listing price of $169,900. This compares to Louisiana real estate data, which this week shows a total number of listing properties as 13,100 with a median listing price of $175,000. Ponchatoula Real Estate Snapshot for Sellers How does the Ponchatoula LA real estate seller market look? Currently Ponchatoula has a average listing price for homes for sale of $201,456. The Tangipahoa county average cu...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
Ponchatoula Business & Professional Expo Date: August 17 2010. Distance from Ponchatoula: 0 miles. Local businesses display their wares and services; great networking opportunity; public invited; food and drink available - Lions Club, Ponchatoula, LA – 6pm to 9pm http://www.PonchatoulaChamber.com/ Web Site: http://www.PonchatoulaChamber.com/. Party in the Pits Date: October 16, 2010. Distance from Ponchatoula: 0 miles. Its the Party in the Pits - BBQ cook off! This annual event will feature over 35 teams in competition for a $5000 prize. Home cooked BBQ and refreshments for sale starting at 11:00 am till 6:00 pm, so you can sample till your hearts content. While you are in town please visit the Ponchatoula Country Market, the Alligator and our ...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
The national foreclosure rate is finally falling. According to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac.com, the number of foreclosure notices dropped 2 percent between April 2009 and April 2010. 2 percent may not seem like much, but it’s the first time in the history of the RealtyTrac report that the annual foreclosure rate has dropped. To be sure, foreclosure rates remain elevated — more than 300,000 were reported last month, but default notices appear to be approaching a plateau. The RealtyTrac report shows some other interesting statistics, too: 6 states accounted for more than half of April’s bank repossessions nationwide For the 40th month in a row, Nevad...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
The demand for new basic homes is up in Hammond and Ponchatoula.  Since first time homebuyers usually are limited in their budgets, many are opting out of a custom home and looking at purchasing basic homes with basic amenities in a reasonable price range, with plans of upgrading the home at a later time.  Four home builders is Tangipahoa Parish are gearing up to meet this demand: DSLD, DR Horton, Sunrise Homes and Southern Homes.  The builders can build a home anywhere from 45-100 days within a low to upper $100,000 price range and varying in size from 1100 to 2100 square feet.   DR Horton is currently constructing homes in Wellington Estates (off Bankston Rd), Whispering Willows (Albany), the almost sold out Cabo Cove (off Firetower Rd) and Martinsville Estates (Natalbany).  They’re a...
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By Chris Thomas, Realtor of Livingston Parish and Baton Rouge La
(Smart Move Real Estate)
    Open 7 Days a Week!       6:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. 100 East Pine Street Ponchatoula, LA 70454 Join us for breakfast and lunch in downtown Ponchatoula right next to Ole' Hardhide. Louisiana Strawberry Festival Join us April 9, 10, & 11, 2010 for the Louisiana Strawberry Festival where you'll meet the Louisiana Strawberry Queen XXXIX (one of our daughters), Theresa Pevey! Be sure to come by Paul's and try one of our Famous Homemade Strawberry Daiquiris!! For more information about the festival, visit lastrawberryfestival.com Paul's Cafe - Ponchatoula, LA From our family to yours-- Thanks for over 33 years of sharing our home-cooked favorites. We appreciate your business and hope you'll be back to see us at Paul’s Café! ~ Paul & Angela Pevey & daughters ~    Stacey, Jennifer, Rebecca, An...
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