FSBO Millionaires Use Real Estate Agents

Do as I Say… not as I Do

This adage could be no truer today after it has been reported, in a recent Herald Tribune article, that when it came to selling his Florida mansion, Al Bennati, the longtime chief executive of BuyOwner.com, has chosen to list his home with a local real estate agent.

If you have attempted to go FSBO and are interested in listing your home please contact Alaska Home Sellers

BuyOwner.com is one of many websites out there now that encourage home owners that they do not need to enlist the help of a professional agent to be able to sell their home. They go as far as to tell homeowners:

"BuyOwner.com allows you to reach the most potential buyers in the shortest amount of time, in the most effective (the Internet) and most cost effective manner (no commission!) possible."

Let’s break down that statement:

Myth #1 – The internet is the most effective way to sell your home

Many have said that, with the introduction of home search on the internet, hiring an agent is no longer a necessity. When the time came to list his own home, Bennati went against his own advice saying:

"To sell a home of this magnitude, it needs to be done by a person and a company that reaches buyers of this caliber."

Myth #2 – FSBO’ing is the most cost effective solution

Without proper exposure to the “right kind of buyers” your home will not sell. Many real estate professionals have elaborate strategies to get your listing in front of exactly who needs to see it.

The most recent Home Sellers’ and Buyers’ Profile Report from the National Association of Realtors revealed that, though 92% of buyers search for a home on the internet, 90% still use a real estate professional.

This isn’t the first time that a CEO of a major FSBO website has enlisted the help of an agent when the time came to sell their own home. In August of 2011 we reported on Colby Sambrotto of forsalebyowner.com who, after failing to sell his home using FSBO websites, needed an agent to sell his NYC apartment.

And, he got more money!!!!

Bottom Line

Two separate people made fortunes convincing others to sell their home through their FSBO sites. Yet, when it came to selling their own home, they recognized the value of using a real estate professional.

There is a reason the real estate industry has been around for centuries: it performs a valuable service.

Wasilla Alaska Real Estate for sale ... But don't blink or that home will be gone.

Wasilla Alaska Real Estate for sale ... But don't blink or that home will be gone

In keeping a watchful eye on the state of  the Wasilla real estate market, something has really stood out as of late.  Homes are selling....and fast.

We thought that you may like to receive an update on the Wasilla Market that doesn't appear in the Market Insider information that you receive, and that is the percentage of homes that are currently under contract and how many of them have sold within 10 days.  Of the 211 homes that are pending today, 20 of them sold in less than one day!  There are a lot of multiple offers on homes right now as a result of the frenzy that we are experiencing.    

Here is the breakdown as of 5-2-14:

        PRICE                     # OF PENDING SALES               % SOLD IN LESS THAN 10 DAYS

$100,000-$150,000                           18                                                       55
$150,000-$200,000                           43                                                       37
$200,000-$250,000                           54                                                       35
$250,000-$300,000                           34                                                       32
$300,000-$350,000                           26                                                       23
$350,000-$400,000                           21                                                       33
$450,000-$500,000                            7                                                        43

$500,000 and higher                          2                                                          0

How to Whitelist a new contact like AlaskaHomeSellers.com

AlaskaHomeSellers recognizes that unsolicited e-mail, commonly referred to as spam, represents a significant problem and we respect the efforts of e-mail services, Internet Service Providers (ISP), and individuals to take control of their inboxes. From time to time, e-mail communications may be mislabeled as spam by an ISP or anti-spam software. 

To ensure that e-mails aren't confused with spam, please add the following e-mail addresses to youre-mail address book:

• Homes@alaskahomesellers.com

If you are concerned that messages from AlaskaHomeSellers.com may still be blocked, please review the anti-spam policy of your e-mail service provider and follow their guidelines for adding AlaskaHomeSellers to your Trusted Sender list. For your convenience, we've provided the instructions below for adding AlaskaHomeSellers to the Trusted Sender list for several of the larger ISPs and e-mail service providers. 

For more information, select one of the following e-mail service providers: 

 AOL®

aol.com

Version 7.0 or higher

• Click on and open Mail Center
• Select Be in control of your e-mail from under the heading Spam Controls
• Select the Edit link beside Sender Filter from the bottom of the Mail and Spam ControlsWindow
• Confirm that Allow mail from all senders is checked
• Select Use a Custom Sender List link:
  1. Select Allow only the senders and domains listed below option
  2. Enter the following addresses in the provided field and click Add after each:
     1. Homes@alaskahomesellers.com
• Close the Custom Sender List and the Sender Filter windows
• Click the Edit link beside Content Filter from the bottom of the Mail and Spam ControlsWindow:
  1. Confirm that the Block messages containing clickable hyperlinks (URLs) and deliver them to my Spam Folder option is off (not checked)
  2. Confirm that Block messages containing pictures or files option is off (not checked)

 Comcast™

comcast.net

• Click the Address Book link in the left menu.
• Click Add Contact at the top of your Address Book.
• To add a contact, you may enter information in the General, Phone, Address, Internet andPersonal pages. Use the tabs at the top to switch from page to page. Add Homes@alaskahomesellers.com
• Click Add when you are finished entering all contact information.

 Earthlink(SM)

earthlink.net

Granting AlaskaHomeSellers.com permission to send you e-mail is as easy as adding us to your Web Mail Address Book

TotalAccess® Mailbox

• Open TotalAccess
• Select Mailbox and click on Address
• Click File from the TotalAccess Menu
• Select New Company (Domain)
• In the field provided, enter the following domain names, clicking Add and OK after each:
  1. AlaskaHomeSellers
• Click File from the TotalAccess Menu
• Select New Contact
• In the field provided, enter the following names and e-mail addresses, clicking OK after each:
  1. Greg and Sherri Shepard, Homes@alaskahomesellers.com
• We also recommend that you confirm that the e-mail addresses above are not on your Blocked Sender List.

EarthLink WebMail

• Click the Address Book
• Select All Categories from the Address Book section
• Click Companies (Domains) on the pull-down menu
• Click Add
• In the field provided enter 'alaskahomesellers'
• Click Allow This Company (Domain)
• Click Add
• In the field provided enter 'eHomes@alaskahomesellers.com'
• Click Allow This Company (Domain)
  (Repeat the above to enter 'Homes@alaskahomesellers.com' 


• Select All Categories from the Address Book section
• Click Contact on the pull-down menu
• Click Add
• In the field provided enter 'Homes@alaskahomesellers.com'


• Click Save
• We also recommend that you confirm that the e-mail addresses above are not on your Blocked Sender List.

 Gmail®

gmail.com

• Click the Contacts along the left side of any Gmail page
• Click the Create Contact link.
• Enter 'alaskahomesellers.com' in the Name: field
• Enter 'Homes@alaskahomesellers.com' in the Primary Email: field
• Click on the Save button at the bottom

 Hotmail®

hotmail.com

• Click the Contacts tab in the top left corner
• Click on the New drop down menu and select Contact
• Enter 'alaskahomesellers.com' in the Personal: field under E-Mail
• Click on the Save button in the top menu

 MSN®

msn.com

• Click Options, located in the upper right corner of the screen
• Click Mail from the menu
• Click Junk E-mail Protection
• Click Mailing Lists
  1. Enter Homes@alaskahomesellers.comin the Type a single e-mail address: field
• Click Add

 Yahoo!®

yahoo.com

• Click Mail in the upper left hand of the screen
• Click Options in the upper right hand of the screen
• Click Filters
• Click Add
• In the Filter Name field type 'Greg and Sherri Shepard'
• On the From header: row select contains from the pull-down menu
• Add Homes@alaskahomesellers.com
• Select Inbox from the Move the message to: pull-down menu
• Click Add Filter

The Alaska Real Estate Market is Hot!!!

The American desire to own a second home as a vacation home is alive and well!

As the following article will point out, the market is doing great.  Here in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley we are seeing multiple offers on everything and Days on Market is only a few days for a properly priced property that is in good condition. 

 After living through the economic crash as well as the real estate crash in Minnesota it is a wonderful thing to see the market thriving as it is here in Alaska.

I have attached an article showing the Vacation home trend.  We are seeing lake properties moving quickly here as well.

The National Association of Realtors analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data shows there are approximately 8 million vacation homes in the U.S. Their 2014 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey shows vacation home sales improved substantially in 2013.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said favorable conditions are driving second-home sales:

“Growth in the equity markets has greatly benefited high net-worth households, thereby providing the wherewithal and confidence to purchase recreational property,” he said. “However, vacation-home sales are still about one-third below the peak activity seen in 2006.”

Here are the key findings from the report:

Raw Numbers

• Vacation-Home sales rose 29.7 percent to 717,000 from 553,000 in 2012
• Sales accounted for 13% of all transactions last year, up from 11% in 2012
• The median price was $168,700, compared with $150,000 in 2012, reflecting a greater number of more expensive recreational property sales in 2013
• 42% of vacation homes purchased in 2013 were distressed homes (in foreclosure or short sale)

Buyer Profile

• The typical vacation-home buyer was 43 years old
• The median household income was $85,600
• Buyers plan to own their recreational property for a median of 6 years
• 33% said they were likely to purchase another vacation home within two years
• 82% of all second-home buyers said it was a good time to buy (compared with 67% of primary residence buyers)

Reasons for Purchasing

Lifestyle factors remain the primary motivation for vacation-home buyers:

• 87% want to use the property for vacations or as a family retreat
• 31% plan to use it as a primary residence in the future
• 28% wanted to diversify their investments or saw a good investment opportunity
• 23% plan to rent to others

Location

• 41% of vacation homes purchased last year were in the South
• 28% in the West
• 18% in the Northeast
• 14% in the Midwest

The vacation homebuyer purchased a property that was a median distance of 180 miles from their primary residence (down from 435 in 2012)

• 46% were within 100 miles
• 34% were more than 500 miles

Financing

• 38% of vacation-home buyers paid cash in 2013
• The median down payment was 30%, up from 27% in 2012

Meadow Brook Subdivision in Palmer, Alaska

Homes for Sale in the Meadow Brook Subdivision - Palmer, AK

Looking for a home in Meadow Brook Subdivision?

If you are interested in finding a home for sale in the Meadow Brook Subdivision of Palmer, AK please click on the link for immediate information about homes for sale.  If you would like to know a bit more about the neighborhood I have included a few facts and links that may be helpful for you. 

Why Do People Live in Meadow Brook?

Meadow Brook is a beautiful neighborhood of single family homes that are conveniently situated between the cities of Palmer, AK and Wasilla, AK. It's not uncommon to see neighborhood kids playing in the streets during the summer and sledding down snow covered streets in the winter. The neighborhood is active year round with people walking their dogs or getting out for an evening run.

What's the Neighborhood Like?

The homes you would expect to find for sale in the Meadow Brook Subdivision are generally going to range between 1700 and 2700 square feet. Most of the homes were originally built by Jess Hall Homes back in the early 2000's.  The smallest homes in the neighborhood start with 2 bedrooms while the larger floor plans have a four bedroom layout and there is even one with seven bedrooms.  Most of the lots range from over 1/3 acre to 3/4 of an acre. When looking on a Google map or using an electronic devise this area is often referred to as Gateway.

What's Going on Nearby the Meadow Brook Subdivision?

Meadow Brook is conveniently located just off the Parks Highway and is an Excellent commute location to Anchorage and JBER.  Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is close by as well as big box discount shopping areas, most chain fast food establishments, as well as the local movie theater within 10 minutes. In addition we have a wonderful collection of local favorite restaurants, including Locals, Turkey Red, Pioneer Pizza and the Noisy Goose.  Downtown Palmer offers a variety of gift and specialty stores and caters to the local market with the Mat-Su Farm Market year round.  Colony Day's festival in the Summer and Colony Christmas as well as Friday Flings in Palmer which is another Farmers Market style of event are all well attended events.  Find out about Meadow Brook and the surrounding area's community information including banks, schools, shopping and what the community statistics are at my web page.

What Schools will the Kids Attend?

If you buy a home for sale in the Meadow Brook Subdivision of Palmer AK, the local schools serving this area are Pioneer Peak Elementary School & Fred and Sarah Machetanz Elementary, Colony Middle School, and Colony High School. To get local school scores and more information about these schools check out the Palmer school reports on my website.

Now You Really Want to Find a Home Here, Right?

If you are interested in the current homes for sale in Meadow Brook Subdivision of Palmer AK click on the link. Our 'for sale' property information is a direct feed from the Alaska MLS and is updated multiple times per day.

To Search for Homes in the Palmer, Wasilla, Houston and other areas please visit my site.

5 Reasons to Buy a Home Now Instead of Spring

Based on prices, mortgage rates and soaring rents, there may have never been a better time in real estate history to purchase a home than right now. Here are five reasons purchasers should consider buying before the spring market arrives:

Supply Is Shrinking

With inventory declining in many regions, finding a home of your dreams may become more difficult going forward. There are buyers in more and more markets surprised that there is no longer a large assortment of houses to choose from. The best homes in the best locations sell first. Don’t miss the opportunity to get that ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ buy.

Price Increases Are on the Horizon

Prices are projected to appreciate by over 25% from now to 2018. First home buyers will probably pay more both in price and interest rate if they wait until the spring. Even if you are a move-up buyer, it will wind-up costing you more in net dollars as the home you will buy will appreciate at approximately the same rate as the house you are in now.

Owning a Home Helps Create Family Wealth

Whether you are rent or you own the home you are living in, you are paying a mortgage. Either you are paying your mortgage or your landlord’s. The Fed, in a recent study, revealed that the net worth of the average homeowner is 30 times greater than that of a renter.

Interest Rates Are Projected to Rise

The Mortgage Bankers Association, the National Association of Realtors, Freddie Macand Fannie Mae have all projected that the 30-year mortgage interest rate will be over 5% by the this time next year. That is an increase of almost one full point over current rates.

Buy Low, Sell High

We would all agree that, when investing, we want to buy at the lowest price possible and hope to sell at the highest price. Housing can create family wealth as long as we follow this simple principle. Predictions are that pricing and interest rates are to rise.  If buying low and selling high is a goal of yours, now may be the time.  There is no way to predict the future and the exact timeline but all indicators do seem to be favorable.

Reprinted from The KCM Crew, February 2014.

Buying a Home: Should You Do it Now or Later?

Last month, the Federal Reserve, in a unanimous vote, decided to further decrease its bond purchasing. The bond purchases were the government’s stimulus package created to keep long term mortgage interest rates artificially low in order to help drive the housing market. Most experts believe that tapering will cause interest rates to increase as we move through the year.

Interest rates have remained relatively stable since the onset of the tapering in December. This is probably because the first round of increases had already been ‘priced into’ the equation last summer when rates skyrocketed by over a full percentage point just on the speculation that tapering would take place later in 2013.

However, as we move forward, most analysts believe rates will start to rise culminating in a rate close to a full percentage point higher than current rates by this time next year. For example, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, The Mortgage Bankers’ Association and the National Association of Realtors have all recently projected rates to be between 5-5.4% at this time next year.

Bottom Line

If you are a first time buyer or a move-up buyer, the cost of the mortgage on your new home will probably increase as we move through the year. If the timing makes sense, buying sooner rather than later may save you a substantial amount of money over the long term in lower mortgage payments.

As reported the KCM CREW in February

Buying a Home? Don't Let Fear Get in Your Way

Last week, I was talking to a young couple I know that was about to close on their first home. They were riding the wild rollercoaster of current mortgage rate swings and were not happy about the mortgage process overall. Yet, when the conversation shifted to finally living in a home that they own, their disposition changed dramatically.

A smile came across their faces as they talked about decorating their son’s bedroom and how much he will enjoy the backyard. They talked about inviting friends over for dinner and their family over for the holidays. The more they talked, the more excited they became.

Check out these homes from $100,000 to $200,000 in the Wasilla Area

I asked them if many of their friends were also buying. I was shocked to find out that they weren’t. Why not? Their friends believed that home ownership was financially unobtainable right now. Many wanted to own but didn’t think they could afford the monthly mortgage payment. They decided to rent instead.

I said that, with interest rates and prices where they are today, owning a home might not be any more expensive than renting one. The couple agreed but said their friends were afraid; afraid they might not qualify for a loan, afraid to handle negotiations with a seller, afraid of the home buying process itself.

People should not make decisions out of fear! I’m not saying that every young person should own a home. I am saying that anyone that is qualified and wants to buy should not be afraid of the process. I realize the process may seem daunting but realize over 10,000 homes sell every day in this country. Sit down and discuss your goals with professionals from both the real estate and mortgage industries. Get the facts. Make an informed decision. Don’t let the fear of the unknown prevent you from living the life of your dreams.

The Alaska Home Sellers Team
Greg Shepard, Associate Broker, GRI, SFR, RFC
Sherri Shepard, REALTOR, RFC
Jack White Real Estate
865 N. Seward Meridian Pkwy., Suite 200 
Wasilla, AK 99654, United States

Search the entire Alaska MLS at: www.AlaskaHomeSellers.com

Please "Like" us at: https://www.facebook.com/AKhomesellers

VALUE IN THE FORM OF EXPERIENCE

Reality TV Shows Vs Reality in the Real Estate World

When watching Buying this or House hunter that on TV, as a REALTOR I always think "Oh if it were only that easy."  Don't get me wrong I am a big fan of Hawaii Life but have to wonder if it portrays REALITY.  Being an Alaska resident I am here to tell you that although Buying Alaska likes to show remote properties, the reality is most of us have indoor plumbing :-)

Homes for sale near Palmer Middle and High School

Homes for Sale near Palmer Middle and High School 

If you are searching for a property in the Palmer High School and Middle School (Home of the Moose) area please review the information we have compiled about:

~ Homes for sale near Palmer Schools.
~ Find out what your Palmer area home is worth.
~ Palmer School test results.
~ Market Data in the zip code surrounding Palmer and Palmer School Comparison Info.
~ Search for Homes in Alaska's Matsu Valley.


The Shepard Home Marketing Team
Greg Shepard, Associate Broker, GRI, SFR, RFC
Sherri Shepard, REALTOR, RFC
Jack White Real Estate
865 N. Seward Meridian Pkwy., Suite 200
Wasilla, AK 99654, United States
www.AlaskaHomeSellers.com

VALUE IN THE FORM OF EXPERIENCE

Homes Near Wasilla Middle and High School

Homes Near Wasilla Middle and High School

Homes Near Wasilla High School and Wasilla Middle School please click here.

~Have a home to sell in the Wasilla Area? To find out your home value please Contact The Shepard Home Marketing Team by filling out this short form.

~On this page you'll find detailed information on school districts, school ratings, test scores by grade, student-teacher ratio, and much more.

~Do you wish to own in Palmer - Wasilla Area?
Please log on to: www.AlaskaHomeSellers.com to search the MLS for homes.

The Shepard Home Marketing Team:
Greg Shepard, Associate Broker, GRI, SFR, RFC
Sherri Shepard, REALTOR, RFC
Jack White Real Estate
865 N. Seward Meridian Pkwy., Suite 200 
Wasilla, AK 99654, United States
(907) 352-1828
www.AlaskaHomeSellers.com

Homes for Sale Near Colony High School and Middle School

Homes Near Colony High School and Colony Middle School (Palmer)

For a list of homes for sale in the Colony School District Please Click Here

~Have a home to sell in the Colony Area please fill out this simple form.

~ On this page you'll find detailed information on school districts, school ratings, test scores by grade, student-teacher ratio, and much more. http://www.alaskahomesellers.com/mimarket/zip/99654/

~Do you wish to own  in Palmer - Wasilla area?  Search the AK MLS at:
www.AlaskaHomeSellers.com

The Shepard Home Marketing Team:
Greg Shepard, Associate Broker, GRI, SFR, RFC
Sherri Shepard, REALTOR, RFC
Jack White Real Estate
865 N. Seward Meridian Pkwy., Suite 200
Wasilla, AK 99654, United States
(907) 352-1828
www.AlaskaHomeSellers.com