Broker's Open Houses

Every Thursday around noon, the local agents hold open houses for other agents to come and view the properties they have listed to sell.
I always enjoy going to these as it gives me a good idea of what's available and what price they are listed for. It's a great idea to do if you are an agent. It is so important for the buyers to know that you have a good grasp on the inventory when they come knocking on your door to buy. It can also save them time when they ask about a property and you have first hand knowledge of the house. It impresses them.
I saw some very nice homes in the Kenwood section of St. Petersburg this past Thursday. One of them was the largest house (in terms of square footage) and was remodeled beautifully. One of the owners is an artist and had a lot of her own work around the house. There was some fantastic pieces and as you can imagine, the decor and colors inside the house were beautiful.
This is also a great way to get out and meet other agents in the area. Even though we are all looking to sell houses, most agents are always looking to help each other out.
I always look forward to see who is having the open houses and the location. It has really helped me get a good feel for the Real Estate business in St. Petersburg.
And of course, there is always the free food!
Until next blog!
Have a good one!
Pete

P.S. Remember to check out my website.
www.yourhomeinstpete.com

New Year. New Beginning.

Happy New Year to everyone!
I have a good feeling about 2010. I think it is going to be a good year.
There are so many possibilities for the new year.
I am looking forward to a busy year in the Real Estate business.
Short Sales seem to be at the top of the list.
I attended a class today and got some new ideas and some great
advice on handling Short Sales.
Funny thing is that I came home today and my email was filled with
information about Short Sales.
Due to the economic conditions, it appears that the number of short sales
properties will continue to rise.
The one misconception that I find is that people feel that they can get a steal
on a short sale. This is not the case according to the lenders. They want
to minimize their losses so they won't be allowing buyers to buy homes for much
less than the market price. So keep that in mind when you are looking at houses
that are short sales.