Enewsletter, August 9, 2010

August 10, 2010

HARRY'S WEEKLY UPDATE

A CURRENT LOOK AT THE COLORADO SPRINGS RESIDENTIAL real estate MARKET

VOICEAMERICA IS CALLING

No matter where you are in the nation, if you listen to VoiceAmerica.com this Wednesday at 2pm MST, you can hear my interview with Deborah L. Hoskins, JD, CFP. Deborah is host of the show, "The Wise and The Wary". She has been an attorney for 26 years, specializing in estate planning, disability planning and elder law. In addition to her duties as Talkshow host, she is a public speaker and writer on elder law issues and financial planning for women and retirees.

Deborah's press release describes our upcoming interview as follows:

"How to Close a real estate Deal

In today's real estate market, traditional Realtor strategies simply aren't good enough. You need the right people and the right tools to get you to the closing table. Your agent needs to be creative and aggressive, and needs to have the expertise to negotiate the best deal for you. Listen in as Deb interviews Harry Salzman, CRS, CRP, a national expert on innovative negotiation strategies for the real estate market, as he explains common seller mistakes and suggests effective remedies. "

VoiceAmerica is the single largest producer of original Internet talk radio programming in the world. Since 1999, the VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network has been streaming live Internet talk radio programs, featuring more than 200 hosts broadcasting on seven genre-based channels:

• VoiceAmericaT Variety Channel,
• VoiceAmericaT Health & Wellness Channel,
• VoiceAmericaT Business Channel,
• VoiceAmerica Sports,
• 7th Wave Network,
• The Green Talk Network
• Power Up Motorsports Channel.

We are honored to have been asked to address Deborah's listeners. Give us a call and let us know how you liked the interview.

COLORADO SPRINGS RANKS HIGH IN SURPLUS OF HIGHLY SKILLED WORKERS IN RELATION TO DEMAND

Colorado Springs MSA ranked 51 of 366 metros in surplus of highly skilled workers relative to demand according to Chmura Economics & Analytics. More Information

CALIFORNIA COMPANIES RELOCATING TO COLORADO SPRINGS

Why are California companies fleeing to Colorado? Joseph Vranich, The Business relocation Coach, says high taxes, undue regulation, excessive fines and fees, high workers' comp costs, a legal environment stacked against businesses, and lengthy permitting requirements are why companies are relocating out of California.  More Information


Did You Know:  

• Colorado ranked 3rd best state in the country for doing business, according to CNBC. (07/10). They cite the strength, health and diversity of the state's economy More Information
• Colorado Springs ranked 7th "Best Mid-Size City" by Portfolio.com. The study was ranked on healthy economies, moderate living costs, light traffic and strong educational systems. Portfolio.com compared 109 medium-sized markets with populations between 250,000 and 750,000. More Information
• Colorado continues to have the lowest percentage of obese adults at 18.9 percent according to Trust for America's Health. More Information
• Colorado Springs ranked 19th "Best City for Families" according to Parenting.com. Cities were ranked based on health, safety, education, economy and recreation.
  More Information
• Colorado Springs has 5 high schools listed on Newsweek's annual America's Best High Schools list. The ranking is based on how hard their staffs work to challenge students with advanced-placement courses and tests.
  More Information
• Colorado Springs was listed in RelocateAmerica.com's "Top 100 Places to Live in America for 2010". The list focused on communities poised for recovery and future growth. The editorial team discovered communities with strong local leadership, employment opportunities, thriving community commitment, improving real estate markets, growing green initiatives, plentiful recreational options and an overall high quality of life. More Information

NOTICE TO ABSENTEE HOMEOWNERS - VACANT HOMES POSE INSURANCE RISKS

RISMEDIA, August 4, 2010--As the U.S. housing market struggles to rebound, many homeowners are stuck with hard-to-sell properties longer than expected. Some frustrated home sellers who must relocate for a new job opportunity, want to downsize or simply want to buy a new place have left homes empty. Vacant or unoccupied homes can leave the homeowner exposed to loss and liability that may not be covered by their insurance, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

The Pending Home Sales Index, released today by the National Association of Realtors, dropped 2.6 percent to 75.7 based on contracts signed in June from 77.7 in May, and is 18.6 percent below June 2009 - another sign of the stagnant housing market.

"In many cases, people who have been trying to sell their homes for awhile have moved forward with their plans regardless, leaving a vacant home on the market," said NAIC President and West Virginia Insurance Commissioner Jane L. Cline. "Having an unoccupied home can create several insurance implications that typically are not covered under a standard homeowners policy."

The Added Risks of Vacant Homes

Homeowners policies are meant to insure homes that are occupied, so they generally include exclusions for neglect or property abandonment on a home left vacant or unoccupied for a specified number of consecutive days.

In insurance terms, a vacant home is one the resident has moved out of and taken his/her belongings with him/her. An unoccupied home is one where the resident is not staying at the home, but the furniture and other belongings remain.

Because vacant and unoccupied homes pose a higher risk for damage than occupied homes, insurance companies insure these properties differently and usually at a higher price. These risks include:

-- Break-ins: When a home has been unoccupied for awhile, it can show signs that nobody is around - unkempt lawn, full mailbox, no lights on - that can tip off burglars to an easy target.

-- No emergency response: Without anyone home to call 911 or respond to emergencies, a manageable problem - such as a small electrical fire - can turn into a much larger, more costly disaster.

-- Property liability: There is no one present to prevent others from entering the property or to supervise activity, which could increase the likeliness of an accident on the premises or property damage when the owner is not there.

Keeping A Vacant Home Properly Insured

The definition of vacancy and unoccupancy can vary from policy to policy. Some insurers may not pay claims if a home is vacant for 60 days or more. Some policies might automatically shift to a different amount of coverage (e.g. liability insurance only) after a specific number of days unoccupied.

Many homeowners policies have a "vacancy clause" that can be triggered if the homeowner is gone for an extended period of time. If this happens, the homeowner could violate the terms of their contract and some or all of their coverage may not apply in the event of a loss.

"Before you decide to leave a home vacant or unoccupied for a long period of time, talk to your insurance agent or company to learn how they define vacancy and unoccupancy, and whether the company will pay claims if a house is unoccupied," said Cline. "Be honest about your situation, because while an extra policy might cost more, it could save you money down the road should there be an accident or damage to the home."

Many insurance companies offer an endorsement that will provide coverage for a dwelling that is unoccupied for an extended period of time. Vacancy policies can also be purchased for different term lengths to cover a few months to a year, depending on the need.

The cost of vacancy coverage depends on the company and state in which the property is located, but costs usually are higher than a typical homeowners policy due to the overall increase in risk.

Better talk with your insurance agent today !!!

STRATEGIES FOR A SIDEWAYS MARKET

If you're not sure this is the time to buy, consider the following:

Mortgage interest rates are at an all-time record low. (This past week, we found 30-year, fixed rate mortgages for 4.25% - 4.375%, without loan origination fees or discount points).

The good news is that foreclosures are down, down, down. New foreclosure filings in Colorado are at their lowest point in over a year. (2010 second quarter filings were down 15.7% from 2009. Locally, El Paso County filings were down 12.5%.)

Bloomberg News reports that service industries expanded faster than forecasted in July, and might even increase employment in the second half of 2010. They report, "Record low mortgage rates may prevent housing from slumping much more. July's rebound in stock prices, the biggest in a year, will probably help underpin consumer confidence".

The Non-Manufacturing Employment Gauge of The Institute for Supply Management (ISM), climbed to the highest level since the recession began in December, 2007. The survey covers such services as utilities, retailing, health care, housing and finance.

Locally, single-family homebuilding permits for the first seven months of 2010 were 43% over the same period in 2009.

All of these factors indicate a great opportunity for Buyers to make their move. Call us.

THINKING OF SELLING YOUR HOME?

In "The Old Days", Sellers could list their house at their "hoped-for" price, engage in some price dickering with the prospective Buyer, offer some minor price reductions for deferred maintenance issues, and then close the deal. However, in today's competitive market, Sellers should be aware that their house must be aggressively priced right from the start, or, they won't even see any prospective Buyers. That's why it's important to engage the services of an experienced Realtor for advice about a proper listing price. There are also incentives that your Realtor can explain to you that will serve as an inducement for prospective Buyers. Call us.

Furthermore, considering that many of the homes on today's market are in "like-new" condition, it is extremely important that, in order to be competitive, the Seller's house must be in terrific condition. Make those needed repairs before you list.

Finally, be sure to discuss the house's appearance with your Realtor. You may have to do some landscaping and painting on the outside and some 'staging' on the inside. Gone are the days when Buyers would overlook overgrown yards, peeling paint, toys on the floor, family pictures on the wall and rooms full of moving boxes.

However, the 'up' side of this market for Sellers is that, although you might have to take less for your home than you wished, your replacement home will cost much less than it would have three years ago and your new mortgage will be a big improvement over your present mortgage.

It's a whole new ball game out there and we can help you win it. 

WHAT IS YOUR WASHING MACHINE SAYING TO YOU?

How's this for a novel idea to improve customer service? On August 4, 2010, Sears announced Kenmore Connect, a technology developed with LG Electronics to speed up appliance repairs. The way it works is that the owner of the ailing Kenmore appliance calls customer service and holds his cellphone up to the machine. The company representative identifies the problem by reviewing screens of data generated by the washing machine via a toll-free phone line.

This new technology is expected to streamline repair service to customers, and the savings to Sears could be staggering. Kenmore presently maintains the nation's largest repair fleet of more than 10,000 trucks and handles 12 million service calls annually. This new program will be able to identify problems that could be resolved with a minor adjustment, thus eliminating the need for a visit from the repairman. (This type of problem accounts for about 60% of present repair calls) Betsy Owens, Vice-President of Kenmore, estimates that Kenmore could eventually reduce its truck runs by half.

Kenmore Connect will come with appliances priced from $799 to $1,499.

By the way, we can guarantee you that, if your home has one of these appliances, it will make it much easier for us to sell.

2010 PARADE OF HOMES IS NOW OPEN 

LATEST STATISTICS

At press time, the statistics for July were not yet available, but, Click here to see the real estate sales and listing statistics for the Pikes Peak area for June, 2010.

And, please remember, I would be honored to serve as your Broker for all of your residential real estate needs. I want to help you, my reader, make the most prudent and accurate Real Estate business decision.

Also if you know of anyone who desires to buy or sell local real estate, or, who is moving in or out of the Pikes Peak region, remember that, with over 37 years of providing relocation and Real Estate services to clients throughout the country, I am uniquely qualified to assist them with the relocation process, including buying and/or selling their homes on both ends of their move. Please allow me to implement my negotiating skills on your behalf.

Just click on the icon at the top of this email to listen to my latest podcast. ..And, if you would like to learn more about our Job Loss Protection Program, or, about our CyberHomes Complete Market Analysis of a property, please contact us. 

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Part of rebuilding New Orleans caused residents often to be challenged with the task of tracing home titles back potentially hundreds of years. With a community rich with history stretching back over two centuries, houses have been passed along through generations of family, sometimes making it quite difficult to establish ownership. Here's a great letter an attorney wrote to the FHA on behalf of a client: 

You have to love this lawyer........

A New Orleans lawyer sought an FHA loan for a client. He was told the loan would be granted if he could prove satisfactory title to a parcel of property being offered as collateral. The title to the property dated back to 1803, which took the lawyer three months to track down. After sending the information to the FHA, he received the following reply.

(Actual reply from FHA):

"Upon review of your letter adjoining your client's loan application, we note that the request is supported by an Abstract of Title. While we compliment the able manner in which you have prepared and presented the application, we must point out that you have only cleared title to the proposed collateral property back to 1803. Before final approval can be accorded, it will be necessary to clear the title back to its origin." 

Annoyed, the lawyer responded as follows: 
(Actual response):

"Your letter regarding title in Case No.189156 has been received. I note that you wish to have title extended further than the 206 years covered by the present application. I was unaware that any educated person in this country, particularly those working in the property area, would not know that Louisiana was purchased by the United States from France in 1803, the year of origin identified in our application. For the edification of uninformed FHA bureaucrats, the title to the land prior to U.S. ownership was obtained from France, which had acquired it by Right of Conquest from Spain.

The land came into the possession of Spain by Right of Discovery made in the year 1492 by a sea captain named Christopher Columbus, who had been granted the privilege of seeking a new route to India by the Spanish monarch, Queen Isabella. The good Queen Isabella, being a pious woman and almost as careful about titles as the FHA, took the precaution of securing the blessing of the Pope before she sold her jewels to finance Columbus 's expedition. 

Now the Pope, as I'm sure you may know, is the emissary of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God, it is commonly accepted, created this world. Therefore, I believe it is safe to presume that God also made that part of the world called Louisiana. God, therefore, would be the owner of origin and His origins date back to before the beginning of time, the world as we know it, and the FHA. I hope you find God's original claim to be satisfactory. Now, may we have our damn loan?"

The loan was immediately approved.

(These are the same geniuses charged with the Government mortgage bailout.)