IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR MLS4OWNERS.COM CUSTOMERS

1. State of Washington changes Seller Disclosure Requirements
2. Figuring out whether a buyer is qualified to purchase your home
3. Opportunity to re-list when listing expires

Homeselling Tip: Make your home show up more often in property searches

One way to increase the number of times a property shows up in searches is to have the price end in 000.  For example, a $175,000 house would show up if somebody was searching in the 150-175 range AND in the 175-200 range.  Whether they will think the house is attractively priced is a separate matter, but this is one way to attract eyeballs.

How to quickly share your property on Facebook, Twitter or email

Did you know you can easily let your friends and associates know about the home you are selling by clicking on the "SHARE PROPERTY" link on the right side of your property details page?  Every MLS4owners.com seller has this tool available.  Just write a short note and send it off.  Who knows?  Maybe your friends will re-post it and help to spread the word!

What happens when For Sale By Owners cancel flat fee MLS listings?

Over the years we have done many studies of our customers' results. The most recent looked at the experiences of the former customers of a defunct brokerage who accepted our December 2009 offer of free service.

Worried about winter? Sign up for automatic emergency management notifications

We received a pamphlet the other day describing the Pierce County Washington Emergency Management System and their new Pierce County ALERT system.  ALERT allows you to register for emergency management, public notices and weather update notifications by text message, email or phone.  You can register as many county addresses as you wish at http://www.piercecountywa.org/alert.

The Regional Public Information Network (RPIN) has a similar system and idenitifies themselves as "your one-stop resource for news alerts from more than 75 government, transportation, utility, health and emergency response agencies serving citizens in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties."  Check them out at http://www.rpin.org/

Live outside of the greater Seattle-Tacoma-Everett area?  Just do an Internet search for "emergency management alerts" in your county.



How did YOU choose your last home mortgage?

How did YOU choose the provider of your last home mortgage?  Perhaps you went to the bank or credit union you were already using.  Maybe you came across an advertisement on the Internet, TV, or radio.  Some of you used whoever your real estate broker advised you to use.  Those all seem like good ideas, but please use care.  You are swimming in shark-infested waters.

2009 National Association of REALTORS Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

With all of the turmoil in the residential real estate market, one of the best steps a consumer can take is to become educated. Annually, we look forward to reading the new National Association of REALTORS Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. We’ve been reading it since 1999, and the raw data is always interesting to review. Here are a few results from the 2009 survey, along with our take on the meaning of those results.

Don't do a short sale ... until you have answered these questions

According to a New York University School of Law report (Time Magazine – 10/24/09), in 2008 as many as 86% of foreclosure victims did not have legal counsel. Distressed homeowners have difficult choices to make about what to do if the equity in their home has evaporated. There are many potential solutions. The one thing they have in common is that real estate brokers are not qualified to advise homeowners on which one is best.

MLS4owners.com Market Update - Statewide Open House June 27-28

1. Market Update Topics
2. Statewide Open House
3. Legislature changes Seller Disclosure Requirements
4. Improvements in the Marketplace
5. Updating your listing if it is a Short Sale

What is the difference between a distressed sale and a short sale?

These real estate phrases are sometimes used interchangeably, but the meanings are very different. Following are oversimplified definitions for the state of Washington.

WARNING to sellers - guard your prescriptions and cash when prospective buyers are in your house.

Thank you to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service for looking out for the safety of sellers. We received this warning about keeping safe at open houses in the Seattle area, but it applies to all sellers everywhere.  As the NWMLS encourages its members to educate their customers, here is their April 17, 2009 bulletin in its entirety:

Do buyers have to tell you the source of their down payment?

Following up on our last post about "Debunking industry myths and fairy tales", here is another myth busted by Washington REALTOR News. Myth Number 6 is shown below in its entirety, and is reprinted with permission from Washington REALTORS(r). This article is not legal advice. You should always consult your own real estate attorney, REALTOR or tax specialist.

Myth Number 6: Buyer has no obligation to disclose the source down payment

There is a version of this myth that is true. But, the extension of this myth to all buyers leads many buyers to commit an act of fraudulent inducement.

Debunking industry legends and fairy tales

We read an interesting article in Washington REALTOR News, called "Mythbusters: Debunking industry legends and fairy tales." Myth Number 4 is shown below in its entirety, and is reprinted with permission from the Washington Association of REALTORS. This article is not legal advice. You should always consult your own real estate attorney, REALTOR or tax specialist.

Myth Number 4: The buyer's financing contingency expired.

FREE Pollution Liability Insurance?

Do you have a have a home with oil heat, with an underground or aboveground storage tank? The Washington State Pollution Liability Insurance Agency offers free pollution liability insurance to owners of oil tanks used to heat their home and businesses. According the State of Washington, this insurance is free to the owner because it is partially funded by a fee dealers pay per gallon of oil they sell.

The Agency has more information on its website or by phone at 800-822-3905.

The $35,000 mistake - Why you should review your title report.

You hire a broker to represent you in the sale of your house, and eventually you get an offer you can live with. The buyers are ready, willing and able to close the deal. Sounds great, right?

Well, not if your driveway encroaches on the neighbor's property and you can't deliver clear marketable title to your buyer. A Mississippi court recently ruled that the seller owed more than $35,000 to their listing broker because the seller was unable to perform even though the broker bought them a ready, willing and able buyer.

This is an example of why we recommend eliminating surprises by ordering your preliminary title report upfront.