The Hogue Group

Thank you to all who attended my open house experiment. I will announce the winner of the Heine Brothers $25 gift certificate on New Years day in another post.

I do believe that this was a great experiment and the homeowners were ready for us to do this. We sent out over 340 invitations, Walked and saw over 100 homes and maned the homes for an average of 3 hours a day. I do have some changes for the times of each open house that I will make the next time but I am already thinking about the next one and getting several agents involved in running something like a telethon but make it a open home athon with 5 open houses per day in 25 subdivisions during a 5 day period. Who is game to do that with me? I bet I could even get a couple of builders to offer us new homes to show at great prices and maybe get a couple of vendors to help us promote this by giving us items for drawings as giveaways.

Just some thoughts. I am ready for the next adventure!!!

Oh just as an after thought I did get 4 buyers and a listing during this showing experiment. Hum I may be on to something Watson!

Wow never thought I would get so caught up in the holidays that I would neglect to write on the blog but sometimes that happens. Anyway during the past few weeks I have been honing my skills in the ways of the Real Estate Professional. I have also been looking at various ways that I can use my talents in marketing to enhance that business.

The market is what the market is and everyone has an opinion. If you listen to the broadcasters on TV you would think one day that things are wonderful but the next day it is all gloom and doom.

What should we look forward to during 2009 in Real Estate?
Rick’s predictions

• A larger number of homes on the market due to several factors including layoffs, overextension of income, great deals in larger homes on the market, etc.
• By mid year the change from a buyers market to a sellers market due in part to builders stopping putting large numbers of spec homes on the market.
• That the larger number of unoccupied custom built homes on the market will become a very small number due to builders backing off from committing to whole subdivisions.
• New strategies will come into play for commercial builders to work in retooling existing buildings to make them fit the needs of cost concerned retail businesses both big box and small business.
• Interest rates will level off by November of 2009 at 4.25 on FHA and 3.95 for Conventional.
• To get a loan you will have to have a 715 credit score and only be able to borrow 95% max on home loans.
• Loan amounts for ceilings on various types of loans will double on the maximum allowable but see last item.
• Home sales prices will be equivalent to those of 2002.
• There will be a scramble for investment properties in order for investors to begin programs for those who have lost their homes to be able to start reestablishing their credit by opting for lease purchase programs.
• Flips will become fewer than in the past five years as more property is rehabed for use as government subsidized housing or by organizations such as Habitat to give more people a chance to own a home.

And on a personal note, I will list over 100 homes in 2009 and sell in excess of 65 homes or the equivalent of 17 million in Real Estate Sales.

So enough of the predictions. It is not as bad as it has been made out to be by the media. Now is the time to buy and sell homes. So give me a call to discuss your dream home. I can point you to the right people even if you are transferring out of state.

As always I hope that your new year brings you happiness, prosperity and the hope of peace to all of us and those around the world.

It was amazing that this past Sunday after church I had 5 people come up to me and congratulate me on becoming a Real Estate Agent. Not only that but several others told me to stay in touch as they are going to want to buy in the Spring or at least start looking. Now I am getting ready for another church event with my hobby that I have which is working with wood. I make wood puzzles, turn ink pens and wine bottle stoppers and this year I am adding Lazy Susans, Rolling pins, and computer lap desks. I will make the desktops and Holly will make the pillows that will attach to them. Anyway that will be on Saturday from 10 to 4 at First Unitarian Church at the corner of Fourth and York. Right across from the Main Library. There is also going to be many good friends with their art work from beautiful ceramics by Artist Dave Fry, Embroidered Celtic symbols on shirts and sweatshirts by Kathy Burgess from All Things Celtic, we are going to have a lady who makes handmade books, a Silversmith, The fabulous photo artwork of Rebecca Dimon, Geneva Fry will also be there with her wonderful jewelry creations, The Womens Alliance will have quilts for sale, We have a fabric artist who will be selling her work, also the lumes for sale and class sign ups, The youth of the church will also have a booth to help support their upcoming work they are doing in the inner city, so many baked goods from fudge to dips to breads and home made jams and jellies, and to top it off Tiffany Taylor will serve her wonderful tomato torte as a luncheon feature along with soup and salad. You do not want to miss this as it is fun every year. and with gift ideas from 5 to 100 dollars you are talking a more affordable place to shop and you support local artists in our community.

But before that I am looking forward to the program on Tuesday at Shelby Campus and the classes at the office on listing presentations and writing a listing which come up on Wednesday. Then it is off to run on Thursday and Friday to get flyers out to the neighborhoods surrounding my open house on Sunday. See the write up in Room with a View.

This Sunday I will be hosting an open house for Kendy Darling off Fegenbush Lane in Woodhaven Place Subdivision. This house is only 4 years young and has so many features it is hard to describe. 2169 SF AG plus another 1100 in an unfinished basement. Formal dining room large vaulted gret room with gas fireplace, 3 bedrooms up and 2 baths up plus a half on the first floor. the master bedroom has vaulted ceilings too and a large walkin closet. 2 car attached garage and a well landscaped yard that is low maintenance are all pluses. So you might think that this house would go for 120 to 130 per square foot which would put it in the 250 to 275 range, but this one is a real bargain at only 189,900.00. I have toured the house and it has fresh paint and new carpet so it is move in ready. Wait till you see the beautiful windows in the great room. Come by and see me at 6900 Woodhaven Place Drive on Sunday and see what I mean. I want someone to put an offer in on this house this weekend, so bring them to me.

More positive energy and reinforcement. that is what it takes. Having a plan and following through with it will get the task completed. Even though I did not sell the house that I showed this weekend. I accomplished many things that I am grateful for. I met 4 families within the community that toured the house, I talked to my first person that already had a real estate agent and handled that very easily, I read 60 pages in my Millionaire Real Estate book, I met the owners of the home, and after all was done I went to a Celtic concert at Brenans on Shelbyville Road featuring Gilderoy Burns with my wife and saw friends that I shared my experiences of the day with.  What a great Sunday it was.

I firmly believe the home I showed this past weekend will sell. I ended up visiting 80 homes in the nieghborhood, and I am learning from what I did the first time to ask for the peoples names that the homeowners are saying that will be coming by so I can personally invite them to the open house. I need to put up a few fliers as soon as I know about the open house in local businesses around the area. And last but not least walk, walk, walk, to get out and give the fliers out.

This is the first of December and I have a birthday coming up tomorrow the 2nd I will be the average age of real estate agents across the country. If you don’t know what that is then you may want to check with GLAR as they have the statistics. Seems appropriate that I am starting something at the average age of those in the business. I look forward to the next ** years. Thought I would let it slip ddin’t you? My wife is only 21 days younger than I am so she will continue to rib me about being older than her. I love it because it makes her smile when she does and that is one of the things that I strive for.

Until next time.